Not a great start for individual games yesterday with only Tsonga actually winning although that did restrict the day to a small loss.
Cilic's defeat was a real shock and I wonder how much was down to the windy conditions in Paris yesterday. On a brighter note, he was a real threat to my Tomas Berdych e/w pick to win the tournament and now leaves the Czech player with a pretty big hole to get through to the Quarter Finals.
Let's hope for a better day today.
It is actually a tough day in the men's section and I have decided on the following:
1st Round Treble for Monday: Mardy Fish vs Ricardo Mello, Richard Gasquet vs Radek Stepanek, Victor Hanescu vs Benoit Paire: All 3 players are short priced favourites but should be good enough to see off their opponents here and this pays out at odds against... just.
I dont want to rush and make rash decisions this early in a tournament, especially where the bookmakers have been especially tight on this 2nd day to not give anything away. Hopefully Day 3 will give us more options than this.
My Picks: Fish, Gasquet and Hanescu Treble @ 2.04 (2 Units)
French Open Record 2011: - 2 Units
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Sunday, 22 May 2011
French Open Day 1 Picks
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - 8.5 games vs Jan Hajek: This is obviously the home Grand Slam for Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and he is going to begin the tournament on the main show court against an opponent he has dominated in 1 previous meeting.
Tsonga has also showed some decent form in the last 2 Masters tournaments on clay courts in Madrid and Rome and faces a journeyman opponent that has struggled in the last 4 Grand Slams at this level.
Tsonga did struggle in the early rounds here last year, but this is the perfect draw for his game to grow into this tournament.
Marin Cilic - 8.5 games vs Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo: This looks like a mismatch as Ramirez Hidalgo is in the twilight of his career and has been struggling to win matches, just gaining the W in 2 of his last 8 matches.
Cilic is a solid player that has not had the best of seasons, but his game should be too big for the Spaniard here and I expect the big server to come through in 3 fairly easy sets.
Ernest Gulbis vs Blaz Kavcic, Adrian Mannarino vs Guillermo Rufin Double: Both of these guys are a little inconsistent with their play, but they are facing much weaker oppositiona and there looks to be enough about their games to come through, even if it takes 5 sets to do so.
MY PICKS DAY 1: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - 8.5 Games @ 2.00 (3 Units)
Marin Cilic - 8.5 Games @ 2.00 (3 Units)
Ernest Gulbis and Adrian Mannarino Double @ 2.33 (2 Units)
Tsonga has also showed some decent form in the last 2 Masters tournaments on clay courts in Madrid and Rome and faces a journeyman opponent that has struggled in the last 4 Grand Slams at this level.
Tsonga did struggle in the early rounds here last year, but this is the perfect draw for his game to grow into this tournament.
Marin Cilic - 8.5 games vs Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo: This looks like a mismatch as Ramirez Hidalgo is in the twilight of his career and has been struggling to win matches, just gaining the W in 2 of his last 8 matches.
Cilic is a solid player that has not had the best of seasons, but his game should be too big for the Spaniard here and I expect the big server to come through in 3 fairly easy sets.
Ernest Gulbis vs Blaz Kavcic, Adrian Mannarino vs Guillermo Rufin Double: Both of these guys are a little inconsistent with their play, but they are facing much weaker oppositiona and there looks to be enough about their games to come through, even if it takes 5 sets to do so.
MY PICKS DAY 1: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - 8.5 Games @ 2.00 (3 Units)
Marin Cilic - 8.5 Games @ 2.00 (3 Units)
Ernest Gulbis and Adrian Mannarino Double @ 2.33 (2 Units)
French Open Tennis Men's Tournament Preview and Picks
It is coming up to the end of the English Premier League season and that only means we have two Grand Slams in the world of tennis to keep us a little occupied in the coming months since we are not being blessed with a full international tournament this Summer.
All the talk coming into Roland Garros this season is around the Novak Djokovic 37 match winning run to open the 2011 season. Djokovic has collected the Australian Open and 4 Masters Events during this run and has a real chance to overtake John McEnroe's 42 game winning run to start a season.
In saying all that, I still believe this will the hardest tournament for Djokovic to win in terms of pushing his fitness and having the task to eventually beat Rafael Nadal over a best of 5 set match. The Serb looked fatigued in Rome and it will be interesting to see how he holds up in the next fortnight.
Men's tennis is in a really good period at the moment with great rivalries developing and there is plenty of depth in the draw. I will break down each Quarter and eventually lead to a couple of picks that can hopefully bring home a profit at the end of the tournament.
I will also be putting up picks for each day of the tournament so without further ado, lets look at the draw:
First Quarter
The first quarter is headed up by the World Number 1 (on rankings at least) Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard also happens to have lost just 1 match in 39 at this tournament while winning it 5 times and has the chance to equal Bjorn Borg's record of 6 French Open titles.
The main threat in this section of the draw is Nadal's one and only French Open conquerer, Robin Soderling. The courts here in Paris really suit the Swede's game and he will remember he has beaten Nadal here before, although he will have to erase the ease of his defeat in the Final last season.
Other threats in this section are Mardy Fish, the highest ranked American and a significantly improved player on this surface and Fernando Verdasco, although the Spaniard has been in a rut of form for almost 12 months now.
John Isner is the first opponent for Nadal, but I dont expect problems on this surface and the first real test could be the potential 3rd Round meeting with Nikolay Davydenko. Davydenko has not really been in the best of form this season, but has won a title on clay courts and could at least push the Spaniard.
12 wins from 12 against Fernando Verdasco, a potential 4th Round opponent, means Nadal is almost certain to be a Quarter Finalist.
At that stage I would expect to see a Nadal-Soderling Quarter Final, but again would favour the Spaniard to win as long as there are no injury issues.
Second Quarter
The highest seed in this section is World Number 4 Andy Murray and I would guess he could not be happier with the way the draw has panned out. The British player looks to have a fairly relaxing opening 2 Rounds of the tournament and then could face a couple of big servers in the forms of Milos Raonic in the 3rd Round and Alexander Dolgopolov in the 4th Round.
Raonic is a definite star in the making, but the clay courts look likely to be his least favoured surface and he has had a few injury concerns to deal with of late, while Dolgopolov is very inconsistent. Both of these players are likely to push Murray, but ultimately come up short.
There are a couple of dangerous players that could face Murray in the Quarter Finals in the forms of Jurgen Melzer and Nicolas Almagro. Melzer reached the Semi Finals in this tournament last season but has not been in the best of form of late. Almagro, on the other hand, is completely comfortable on a clay court and also gave Rafael Nadal a tough time on this surface last season.
IF Almagro can negotiate the early rounds with as little effort as possible, I think he can be a real threat to win this Quarter.
Third Quarter
This section of the draw looks set to provide the most intriguing Quarter Final as David Ferrer and Roger Federer look set on a collision course next week.
Federer has been overlooked by many coming into this tournament, but has been handed a tricky, yet more than achievable, section to negotiate. An opener against Feliciano Lopez looks more intriguing after their close battle in Madrid, but these courts will not help Lopez' game and I expect the former World Number 1 to get through.
Federer also has a couple of tough looking games with Janko Tipsarevic and Stanislas Wawrinka to get through before the Quarter Finals, but both players are inconsistent and may struggle to mentally believe they can beat Federer in 3 out of 5 set matches.
David Ferrer's path through to the clash with Federer looks a lot more straight forward with the toughest assignment being a potential 4th Round clash with home favourite Gael Monfils. Monfils has beaten Ferrer in their 2 previous meetings, including once at this tournament, but has been struggling to string wins together.
Federer has beaten Ferrer in all 12 previous meetings, including 4 times on clay, and it would be hard to see Ferrer overturn that here in the longer formats of a Grand Slam. Ferrer has been in better recent form on this surface than the Swiss man, but mentally it could be hard for him to overcome this hurdle.
Fourth Quarter
The final quarter of the draw is where the current World Number 2, Novak Djokovic, has been placed and I cant say he would have been overly happy with the tough nature of his draw.
This section has some real dangerous characters in the form of Tomas Berdych, Richard Gasquet, Marin Cilic, and arguably most of all, Juan Martin Del Potro all standing in the way of progress.
Del Potro was the one man I considered the most dangerous floater in the draw as his seeding would mean an early meeting for one of the top 4 seeds. The Argentine looked set to miss this tournament when injuring himself in Madrid, but he announced he would play and has been talking up his chances.
I would expect him to get through to a 3rd Round clash with Djokovic and it is entirely possible that could go the distance if Del Potro is not feeling any effects from his first 2 Rounds in the tournament.
Following that clash, Djokovic is likely to play either Richard Gasquet (who beat Federer in Rome) or Thomas Bellucci, the Brazilian who was a set and a break up against Djokovic in Madrid. Either one of those opponents will give Djokovic another test and this is when any doubts about the Serb's fitness will be shown up.
The Quarter Final is likely to see Tomas Berdych face the World Number 2- Berdych was a Semi Finalist here last year and the clay courts in Paris definitely favour his game. Even if Djokovic is still unbeaten by this time, I have no idea what kind of physical state he will find himself.
Semi Finals and Final
At this stage of the competition, I would fully expect Rafael Nadal to negotiate whoever has come out on the Second Quarter, be it Andy Murray or Nicolas Almagro. I also expect the Spaniard would have had the least amount on court out of the 4 players left at this stage.
The other half of the draw is likely to see a fresher Roger Federer facing an opponent that could have already had a very tough time getting through what looks like a loaded Fourth Quarter.
While it is hard to suggest Novak Djokovic's run has already come to an end by this stage, the draw has not been kind to him and it is a real possibility that it is Tomas Berdych facing Federer here.
Whoever it may be will be in for a really hard game as they are likely to have spent the most amount of time on court and that may just give Federer the opportunity to face his old rival in the Final.
Roger Federer has been quoted in the press this week where he is perhaps questioning the mental state that Rafael Nadal may be in after losing 4 straight Masters Finals to Novak Djokovic. This will likely be something Nadal has heard or read himself and I think the Spaniard would only be more focused to prove a point by retaining his crown in dominating fashion.
I am really looking forward to the next couple of weeks as I expect a strong tournament with some intriguing matches. Let us hope the rain stays away in Paris and we all have a profitable tournament.
My Picks: Rafael Nadal win the tournament @ 2.0 (5 Units)
Roger Federer win the tournament @ 17.0 (1 Unit E/W)
Tomas Berdych win the tournament @ 100 (0.5 Units E/W)
All the talk coming into Roland Garros this season is around the Novak Djokovic 37 match winning run to open the 2011 season. Djokovic has collected the Australian Open and 4 Masters Events during this run and has a real chance to overtake John McEnroe's 42 game winning run to start a season.
In saying all that, I still believe this will the hardest tournament for Djokovic to win in terms of pushing his fitness and having the task to eventually beat Rafael Nadal over a best of 5 set match. The Serb looked fatigued in Rome and it will be interesting to see how he holds up in the next fortnight.
Men's tennis is in a really good period at the moment with great rivalries developing and there is plenty of depth in the draw. I will break down each Quarter and eventually lead to a couple of picks that can hopefully bring home a profit at the end of the tournament.
I will also be putting up picks for each day of the tournament so without further ado, lets look at the draw:
First Quarter
The first quarter is headed up by the World Number 1 (on rankings at least) Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard also happens to have lost just 1 match in 39 at this tournament while winning it 5 times and has the chance to equal Bjorn Borg's record of 6 French Open titles.
The main threat in this section of the draw is Nadal's one and only French Open conquerer, Robin Soderling. The courts here in Paris really suit the Swede's game and he will remember he has beaten Nadal here before, although he will have to erase the ease of his defeat in the Final last season.
Other threats in this section are Mardy Fish, the highest ranked American and a significantly improved player on this surface and Fernando Verdasco, although the Spaniard has been in a rut of form for almost 12 months now.
John Isner is the first opponent for Nadal, but I dont expect problems on this surface and the first real test could be the potential 3rd Round meeting with Nikolay Davydenko. Davydenko has not really been in the best of form this season, but has won a title on clay courts and could at least push the Spaniard.
12 wins from 12 against Fernando Verdasco, a potential 4th Round opponent, means Nadal is almost certain to be a Quarter Finalist.
At that stage I would expect to see a Nadal-Soderling Quarter Final, but again would favour the Spaniard to win as long as there are no injury issues.
Second Quarter
The highest seed in this section is World Number 4 Andy Murray and I would guess he could not be happier with the way the draw has panned out. The British player looks to have a fairly relaxing opening 2 Rounds of the tournament and then could face a couple of big servers in the forms of Milos Raonic in the 3rd Round and Alexander Dolgopolov in the 4th Round.
Raonic is a definite star in the making, but the clay courts look likely to be his least favoured surface and he has had a few injury concerns to deal with of late, while Dolgopolov is very inconsistent. Both of these players are likely to push Murray, but ultimately come up short.
There are a couple of dangerous players that could face Murray in the Quarter Finals in the forms of Jurgen Melzer and Nicolas Almagro. Melzer reached the Semi Finals in this tournament last season but has not been in the best of form of late. Almagro, on the other hand, is completely comfortable on a clay court and also gave Rafael Nadal a tough time on this surface last season.
IF Almagro can negotiate the early rounds with as little effort as possible, I think he can be a real threat to win this Quarter.
Third Quarter
This section of the draw looks set to provide the most intriguing Quarter Final as David Ferrer and Roger Federer look set on a collision course next week.
Federer has been overlooked by many coming into this tournament, but has been handed a tricky, yet more than achievable, section to negotiate. An opener against Feliciano Lopez looks more intriguing after their close battle in Madrid, but these courts will not help Lopez' game and I expect the former World Number 1 to get through.
Federer also has a couple of tough looking games with Janko Tipsarevic and Stanislas Wawrinka to get through before the Quarter Finals, but both players are inconsistent and may struggle to mentally believe they can beat Federer in 3 out of 5 set matches.
David Ferrer's path through to the clash with Federer looks a lot more straight forward with the toughest assignment being a potential 4th Round clash with home favourite Gael Monfils. Monfils has beaten Ferrer in their 2 previous meetings, including once at this tournament, but has been struggling to string wins together.
Federer has beaten Ferrer in all 12 previous meetings, including 4 times on clay, and it would be hard to see Ferrer overturn that here in the longer formats of a Grand Slam. Ferrer has been in better recent form on this surface than the Swiss man, but mentally it could be hard for him to overcome this hurdle.
Fourth Quarter
The final quarter of the draw is where the current World Number 2, Novak Djokovic, has been placed and I cant say he would have been overly happy with the tough nature of his draw.
This section has some real dangerous characters in the form of Tomas Berdych, Richard Gasquet, Marin Cilic, and arguably most of all, Juan Martin Del Potro all standing in the way of progress.
Del Potro was the one man I considered the most dangerous floater in the draw as his seeding would mean an early meeting for one of the top 4 seeds. The Argentine looked set to miss this tournament when injuring himself in Madrid, but he announced he would play and has been talking up his chances.
I would expect him to get through to a 3rd Round clash with Djokovic and it is entirely possible that could go the distance if Del Potro is not feeling any effects from his first 2 Rounds in the tournament.
Following that clash, Djokovic is likely to play either Richard Gasquet (who beat Federer in Rome) or Thomas Bellucci, the Brazilian who was a set and a break up against Djokovic in Madrid. Either one of those opponents will give Djokovic another test and this is when any doubts about the Serb's fitness will be shown up.
The Quarter Final is likely to see Tomas Berdych face the World Number 2- Berdych was a Semi Finalist here last year and the clay courts in Paris definitely favour his game. Even if Djokovic is still unbeaten by this time, I have no idea what kind of physical state he will find himself.
Semi Finals and Final
At this stage of the competition, I would fully expect Rafael Nadal to negotiate whoever has come out on the Second Quarter, be it Andy Murray or Nicolas Almagro. I also expect the Spaniard would have had the least amount on court out of the 4 players left at this stage.
The other half of the draw is likely to see a fresher Roger Federer facing an opponent that could have already had a very tough time getting through what looks like a loaded Fourth Quarter.
While it is hard to suggest Novak Djokovic's run has already come to an end by this stage, the draw has not been kind to him and it is a real possibility that it is Tomas Berdych facing Federer here.
Whoever it may be will be in for a really hard game as they are likely to have spent the most amount of time on court and that may just give Federer the opportunity to face his old rival in the Final.
Roger Federer has been quoted in the press this week where he is perhaps questioning the mental state that Rafael Nadal may be in after losing 4 straight Masters Finals to Novak Djokovic. This will likely be something Nadal has heard or read himself and I think the Spaniard would only be more focused to prove a point by retaining his crown in dominating fashion.
I am really looking forward to the next couple of weeks as I expect a strong tournament with some intriguing matches. Let us hope the rain stays away in Paris and we all have a profitable tournament.
My Picks: Rafael Nadal win the tournament @ 2.0 (5 Units)
Roger Federer win the tournament @ 17.0 (1 Unit E/W)
Tomas Berdych win the tournament @ 100 (0.5 Units E/W)
Saturday, 21 May 2011
Jean Pascal v Bernard Hopkins II- May 21st 2011
The rematch for the WBC Light Heavyweight Title takes place on Saturday 21st May in Montreal after the quite astonishing draw from the first fight between these two men a few months ago.
On that occasion, Jean Pascal came out swinging in the early rounds and legitimately put Bernard Hopkins on his backside, but the later rounds were dominated by the wily veteran who aims to become the oldest World Champion in the history of this fine sport.
Hopkins should not be underestimated- for a fighter who lost his first professional fight to come back and have the career he has is quite a feat in itself. He seems to be getting better with age and is one of the best underdogs to have on your side.
Felix Trinidad, Kelly Pavlik and Antonio Tarver have all been defeated in fights where Hopkins was the underdog and who would back against him surprising again.
Jean Pascal is more famous in England and Europe for his tear-up with Carl Froch in December 2008, his sole loss. However, the Haitian is more famous on the other side of the Atlantic for dethroning Chad Dawson, one of the real up and coming stars of American boxing.
The fight should develop much more in the form of the latter rounds of their first encounter as Hopkins will now be aware of the punching power Pascal has in the early rounds. I expect the veteran to steer clear and box well in the early rounds and once again begin to dominate the latter stages of the fight.
George Foreman has been around in Hopkins' corner and suggests the older man will only get the title if he wins the fight by knockout.. I dont think it will need to come to that as Hopkins will once again show his superior talent and know-all to pull the decision.
The fight might not be the most exciting of the year, and I think the scorecards will read around 117-111 in Hopkins' favour.
There is a slight chance Hopkins does get the stoppage late as Pascal becomes a little wild trying to get the knockout he will need by the time the last 3 rounds begin, but after seeing him survive a punch-up with Carl Froch, I would be surprised to see him stopped.
MY PICK: Bernard Hopkins to WIN @ 2.4 Sporting Bet (2 UNITS)
On that occasion, Jean Pascal came out swinging in the early rounds and legitimately put Bernard Hopkins on his backside, but the later rounds were dominated by the wily veteran who aims to become the oldest World Champion in the history of this fine sport.
Hopkins should not be underestimated- for a fighter who lost his first professional fight to come back and have the career he has is quite a feat in itself. He seems to be getting better with age and is one of the best underdogs to have on your side.
Felix Trinidad, Kelly Pavlik and Antonio Tarver have all been defeated in fights where Hopkins was the underdog and who would back against him surprising again.
Jean Pascal is more famous in England and Europe for his tear-up with Carl Froch in December 2008, his sole loss. However, the Haitian is more famous on the other side of the Atlantic for dethroning Chad Dawson, one of the real up and coming stars of American boxing.
The fight should develop much more in the form of the latter rounds of their first encounter as Hopkins will now be aware of the punching power Pascal has in the early rounds. I expect the veteran to steer clear and box well in the early rounds and once again begin to dominate the latter stages of the fight.
George Foreman has been around in Hopkins' corner and suggests the older man will only get the title if he wins the fight by knockout.. I dont think it will need to come to that as Hopkins will once again show his superior talent and know-all to pull the decision.
The fight might not be the most exciting of the year, and I think the scorecards will read around 117-111 in Hopkins' favour.
There is a slight chance Hopkins does get the stoppage late as Pascal becomes a little wild trying to get the knockout he will need by the time the last 3 rounds begin, but after seeing him survive a punch-up with Carl Froch, I would be surprised to see him stopped.
MY PICK: Bernard Hopkins to WIN @ 2.4 Sporting Bet (2 UNITS)
Wednesday, 18 May 2011
Fergie's Dream Manchester United XI
Number 19 is officially in the bag for Manchester United and it is the 12th title that Sir Alex Ferguson has overseen. Many see this as his greatest achievement, winning the Premier League with a squad that was not exactly brimming with talent, but I still believe the Treble winner of 1999 is the greatest achievement of ANY British manager in the history of our game.
In saying that, I may just change my mind if Sir Alex can secure United's 4th, his own 3rd, Champions League title on the 28th May.
After guiding United to title Number 19, I thought it would be as good a time as any to determine his best eleven since first winning the title in 1993 until today. I will set the team up in a traditional 4-4-2 system that has been favoured by the manager since walking through the doors at Old Trafford.
Goalkeeper
It has perhaps become a tougher issue in the last couple of seasons, but for me you could not look beyond the Great Dane, Peter Schmeichel... He had presence and stature that few have come close to replicating, while being the first goalkeeper that would be the key to starting counter attacks.
I dont think I remember another keeper who could throw the ball as far as Schmeichel did, while that has become the norm in todays football, and who can forget some of his big performances for United.
The game at Newcastle in the 1995/96 season when Schemeichel seemed to single handedly thwart the Geordies time after time stands out, but the most endearing memory I have of the big man was the save against Rapid Vienna from under the bar in a Champions League game in 1996... It definitately rivalled the famous Gordon Banks save, if not bettered it, and it was fitting he ended his United career with the Champions League trophy held aloft in 1999.
Honourable mention: Edwin Van der Sar
Defenders
Right Back: The right back position was owned for many seasons by Gary Neville and it is hard to look beyond him. Not the most talented individual, he worked hard and he partnership with David Beckham reaped plenty of rewards for the strikers. Has there been a better right back in the Premier League?
Left Back: Perhaps a little controversial, but I have picked the ever dependable Denis Irwin here ahead of Patrice Evra. Irwin was the master of performing at 7 or better in every game he pulled on the shirt, be it for Ireland or United. He also chipped in with a few goals from the position thanks to a lethal shot and I favour him here for his better defensive work than the Frenchman Evra.
Honourable mention: Patrice Evra
Centre Backs: This was a tough choice with United having some solid centre halves during their Premier League years. The likes of Ronny Johnson were underrated outside of the club, but injuries ultimately ended his time at United although he was solid in games he did start. United also had two solid partnerships in the last 18 years: the Bruce-Pallister tandem in 1993-95 and the Vidic-Ferdinand tandem we enjoy today. Out of those 4 players, I have picked solely Rio Ferdinand who has been a brilliant signing for United over the last 9 years.
I partnered him with Jaap Stam, an uncompromising defender who could physically dominate as well as having the pace to retrieve situations. It is testament to his ability that even Sir Alex admits he was the one player he feels he had sold too early and regrets that decision.
Honourable mentions: Steve Bruce, Gary Pallister, Nemanja Vidic
Midfielders
Right Wing: The obvious choice here initially was David Beckham who enjoyed his best professional seasons at United as a right winger with the capability to put the ball on any strikers head from anywhere with the magical right boot. However, it was ultimately the player signed following Beckham's departure that has made the most impact for United from this wing, Cristiano Ronaldo. While some would argue Ronaldo was a forward rather than a winger, he was regularly used from this flank with the guidelines and option to cut in field and attack the opposition down the middle.
The most exciting player at Old Trafford since George Best is an absolute shoo-in here.
Honourable mentions: Andrey Kanchelskis, David Beckham
Left Wing: It is the man who has been tearing teams apart since 1991, Ryan Giggs. He has made the position his own for most of his career at Old Trafford even if his legs no longer allow him to run up and down the wing as he used to. Giggs was well sought after around Europe in his earlier years, but the man loved United and didnt want to go anywhere else and is now the most decorated player in English football history... Maybe SIR Ryan is next?
Centre Midfield: As easy as it was picking a left winger, it was just as easy to pick Paul Scholes and Roy Keane as the centre midfield partnership. The players complemented each other fully and I dont believe there has been a better centre midfield pairing in the Premier League.
It is easy to forget that both players missed the Champions League Final of 1999, but Keane was the best midfield enforcer of his generation and Scholes the finest English footballer of his generation
Forwards
Perhaps the hardest decision of all is partnering two players up front as United have a history of strong forwards capable of changing games and scoring plenty of goals.
The two I have picked here are Eric Cantona and Ruud Van Nistelrooy... Cantona was the catalyst that sparked the United success in 1993 while also helping guide the younger players of Giggs, Beckham, Scholes and the Neville brothers in the 1996 title winning season.
Van Nistelrooy was as lethal as any striker in Europe during his seasons at Old Trafford, although he perhaps had some limitations to his overall game play that ended his time in Manchester a little prematurely. However, in saying all that, I dont think I remember another striker who literally needed just half a chance to score and was as dominant in the 6 yard area as the Dutchman.
Honourable mentions: Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke, Wayne Rooney
It is clear during Sir Alex's title winning time at United that there have been a number of exceptional players to play at this great club and it also telling how Fergie seems to know exactly when their 'best before' date comes up at the club (barring Jaap Stam).
Fergie can ruthlessly cut a player's time at Old Trafford but that has kept the team successful for such a long period. Hopefully in the next few seasons we can see some changes made to this 'Dream Team' as it will only mean more quality has walked through the doors and United remain the top dogs in Manchester, England and hopefully Europe too.
In saying that, I may just change my mind if Sir Alex can secure United's 4th, his own 3rd, Champions League title on the 28th May.
After guiding United to title Number 19, I thought it would be as good a time as any to determine his best eleven since first winning the title in 1993 until today. I will set the team up in a traditional 4-4-2 system that has been favoured by the manager since walking through the doors at Old Trafford.
Goalkeeper
It has perhaps become a tougher issue in the last couple of seasons, but for me you could not look beyond the Great Dane, Peter Schmeichel... He had presence and stature that few have come close to replicating, while being the first goalkeeper that would be the key to starting counter attacks.
I dont think I remember another keeper who could throw the ball as far as Schmeichel did, while that has become the norm in todays football, and who can forget some of his big performances for United.
The game at Newcastle in the 1995/96 season when Schemeichel seemed to single handedly thwart the Geordies time after time stands out, but the most endearing memory I have of the big man was the save against Rapid Vienna from under the bar in a Champions League game in 1996... It definitately rivalled the famous Gordon Banks save, if not bettered it, and it was fitting he ended his United career with the Champions League trophy held aloft in 1999.
Honourable mention: Edwin Van der Sar
Defenders
Right Back: The right back position was owned for many seasons by Gary Neville and it is hard to look beyond him. Not the most talented individual, he worked hard and he partnership with David Beckham reaped plenty of rewards for the strikers. Has there been a better right back in the Premier League?
Left Back: Perhaps a little controversial, but I have picked the ever dependable Denis Irwin here ahead of Patrice Evra. Irwin was the master of performing at 7 or better in every game he pulled on the shirt, be it for Ireland or United. He also chipped in with a few goals from the position thanks to a lethal shot and I favour him here for his better defensive work than the Frenchman Evra.
Honourable mention: Patrice Evra
Centre Backs: This was a tough choice with United having some solid centre halves during their Premier League years. The likes of Ronny Johnson were underrated outside of the club, but injuries ultimately ended his time at United although he was solid in games he did start. United also had two solid partnerships in the last 18 years: the Bruce-Pallister tandem in 1993-95 and the Vidic-Ferdinand tandem we enjoy today. Out of those 4 players, I have picked solely Rio Ferdinand who has been a brilliant signing for United over the last 9 years.
I partnered him with Jaap Stam, an uncompromising defender who could physically dominate as well as having the pace to retrieve situations. It is testament to his ability that even Sir Alex admits he was the one player he feels he had sold too early and regrets that decision.
Honourable mentions: Steve Bruce, Gary Pallister, Nemanja Vidic
Midfielders
Right Wing: The obvious choice here initially was David Beckham who enjoyed his best professional seasons at United as a right winger with the capability to put the ball on any strikers head from anywhere with the magical right boot. However, it was ultimately the player signed following Beckham's departure that has made the most impact for United from this wing, Cristiano Ronaldo. While some would argue Ronaldo was a forward rather than a winger, he was regularly used from this flank with the guidelines and option to cut in field and attack the opposition down the middle.
The most exciting player at Old Trafford since George Best is an absolute shoo-in here.
Honourable mentions: Andrey Kanchelskis, David Beckham
Left Wing: It is the man who has been tearing teams apart since 1991, Ryan Giggs. He has made the position his own for most of his career at Old Trafford even if his legs no longer allow him to run up and down the wing as he used to. Giggs was well sought after around Europe in his earlier years, but the man loved United and didnt want to go anywhere else and is now the most decorated player in English football history... Maybe SIR Ryan is next?
Centre Midfield: As easy as it was picking a left winger, it was just as easy to pick Paul Scholes and Roy Keane as the centre midfield partnership. The players complemented each other fully and I dont believe there has been a better centre midfield pairing in the Premier League.
It is easy to forget that both players missed the Champions League Final of 1999, but Keane was the best midfield enforcer of his generation and Scholes the finest English footballer of his generation
Forwards
Perhaps the hardest decision of all is partnering two players up front as United have a history of strong forwards capable of changing games and scoring plenty of goals.
The two I have picked here are Eric Cantona and Ruud Van Nistelrooy... Cantona was the catalyst that sparked the United success in 1993 while also helping guide the younger players of Giggs, Beckham, Scholes and the Neville brothers in the 1996 title winning season.
Van Nistelrooy was as lethal as any striker in Europe during his seasons at Old Trafford, although he perhaps had some limitations to his overall game play that ended his time in Manchester a little prematurely. However, in saying all that, I dont think I remember another striker who literally needed just half a chance to score and was as dominant in the 6 yard area as the Dutchman.
Honourable mentions: Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke, Wayne Rooney
It is clear during Sir Alex's title winning time at United that there have been a number of exceptional players to play at this great club and it also telling how Fergie seems to know exactly when their 'best before' date comes up at the club (barring Jaap Stam).
Fergie can ruthlessly cut a player's time at Old Trafford but that has kept the team successful for such a long period. Hopefully in the next few seasons we can see some changes made to this 'Dream Team' as it will only mean more quality has walked through the doors and United remain the top dogs in Manchester, England and hopefully Europe too.
Sunday, 15 May 2011
NBA Eastern Conference Finals Prediction
Then there were two... Many would have picked the Miami Heat to be one of those two left standing, but the Chicago Bulls were the surprise team of the NBA this season. Derrick Rose has carried this team on his back and was deservedly the MVP, but this is a huge challenge in the form of LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.
People feel this could be a really close series, but I think the Heat have a clear edge and the young Bulls will struggle under the pressures Miami can create.
I know the Bulls won all 3 regular season meetings, but Miami are playing much better now and all 3 losses came by a combined 8 points. Where the Heat were fallen down towards the end of games in the regular season, they have been closing strongly throughout this Play Offs.
Derrick Rose causes a matchup problem for the Heat, but I struggle to see how the Bulls contain both James and Wade who had big games against the Boston Celtics.
For the Bulls to win 4 of 7 games, they need to shoot very well from the 3 point range and also take advantage of their depth when the benches are on the court. Derrick Rose needs to be more efficient with the ball and the Defense needs to play at their regular season level rather than Play Off version.
For the Heat, it will all be won and lost in the hands of their Big Three. When these guys are on, the Heat are very hard to stop. The likes of Joel Anthony continue playing very effectively, but the series could come down to how many shots the likes of Mike Bibby, James Jones, Mario Chalmers and Mike Miller can make when they are open from the 3 point line.
The series should be fun to watch, but I cant look beyond the Miami Heat who are playing some really good stuff. With the Bulls having home court advantage, it is entirely possible the Heat will look to win just 1 of the first 2 Games of the series in the Windy City, and then close the show at home.
I'll pick the Miami Heat to come through in 6 Games
MY PICK: Miami Heat - 1.5 Games in the Series @ 2.1 (Ladbrokes)
People feel this could be a really close series, but I think the Heat have a clear edge and the young Bulls will struggle under the pressures Miami can create.
I know the Bulls won all 3 regular season meetings, but Miami are playing much better now and all 3 losses came by a combined 8 points. Where the Heat were fallen down towards the end of games in the regular season, they have been closing strongly throughout this Play Offs.
Derrick Rose causes a matchup problem for the Heat, but I struggle to see how the Bulls contain both James and Wade who had big games against the Boston Celtics.
For the Bulls to win 4 of 7 games, they need to shoot very well from the 3 point range and also take advantage of their depth when the benches are on the court. Derrick Rose needs to be more efficient with the ball and the Defense needs to play at their regular season level rather than Play Off version.
For the Heat, it will all be won and lost in the hands of their Big Three. When these guys are on, the Heat are very hard to stop. The likes of Joel Anthony continue playing very effectively, but the series could come down to how many shots the likes of Mike Bibby, James Jones, Mario Chalmers and Mike Miller can make when they are open from the 3 point line.
The series should be fun to watch, but I cant look beyond the Miami Heat who are playing some really good stuff. With the Bulls having home court advantage, it is entirely possible the Heat will look to win just 1 of the first 2 Games of the series in the Windy City, and then close the show at home.
I'll pick the Miami Heat to come through in 6 Games
MY PICK: Miami Heat - 1.5 Games in the Series @ 2.1 (Ladbrokes)
Monday, 9 May 2011
Sir Alex Ferguson, the One Manager to Rule Them All
The final whistle blew and Old Trafford exploded in a joyous atmosphere- it was finally true, United had all but overhauled Liverpool's 18 titles that had been used to beat the Red Army for a whole generation from those down the M62.
Sir Alex Ferguson was congratulated by his counterpart Carlo Ancelotti and then moved on to the pitch to congratulate some of his key players before striding towards the tunnel to take his exit.
About half way down, the walk slowed until Sir Alex paused and bowed to the Stretford End... Not once, but twice! There was something amiss- it was us who should have bowed to the grand old master, not the other way round.
It is easy to forget how different the landscape was at Old Trafford when Alex Ferguson, as he was simply known back then, walked through the doors to take over from Ron Atkinson. United had not enjoyed the success that was expected at the biggest club in the World at that point and had already seen 19 seasons rush by since they were last the Kings of England.
At the same time, Liverpool were continuing their recent dominance of the English game to such an extent that Ferguson famously remarked how he wanted to 'knock them off their fucking perch'.
Since winning his first trophy as United boss in 1990, Ferguson has overseen a period of almost continuous success at the club. A first major European trophy followed in the form of the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1991 and the first League title since 1967 was finally held high in 1993.
United have been the dominating force in the Premier League years, with this season being the 12th League title they would have picked up in 18 years. That is some feat, but the biggest testimony to Sir Alex is the unbelievable way he has adapted in that time to the new pressures faced by managers as wages spiralled upwards and new methods were required to keep players in line and focused on the task at hand.
Ferguson has created 3 very successful sides already at Old Trafford, with this new squad being 'under construction' as the Glaswegian creates a 4th new side. For much of this season we have been told it is the weakest United side since they first won the Premier League in 1993, but the will to win has come from the manager and all the plaudits must be given to him.
Yes, the likes of Ryan Giggs have been in fine form this season, but I dont think there are any managers out there that could have led this squad to the title and a place in the Champions League Final.
The biggest complement I can pay to Fergie is that this title is all down to him. I would put him in charge of any of the teams inside the top 4 and I would have backed them to win the title. Arguably, the 3 sides below United have better squads, but the desire of the manager is unmatched.
He handled the Wayne Rooney transfer request in the best possible manner, coaxing the best form out of the England international when it mattered most down the stretch. United have also missed Rio Ferdinand and Antonio Valencia for large chunks of the season, but Chris Smalling showed what an astute signing he was while Javier Hernandez has to be the best transfer of the season for a paltry £7 million.
Sir Alex often can baffle us fans with his team selections for games, but once again has proven that he gets it right far more often than he gets it wrong. How many other managers would have picked the Da Silva twins as wingers for an FA Cup tie with Arsenal? At the end of the day, it is impossible to argue with the selections as the results are there for all to see.
Is this the greatest achievement in Sir Alex's time at United? I would say no, but I am also certain that no other manager in the World would have got this squad to where it is today. In fact, this latest achievement makes it hard for me to believe that any other British manager ever could have achieved what he has, not just this year, but every year since he has been at Old Trafford.
Brian Clough used to taunt Fergie when always mentioning 'I have two of those (European Cups)', but Sir Alex has the chance to go one further than the legendary Derby County and Nottingham Forest manager on Saturday 28th May.
Bob Paisley may have won 3 European Cups, but he had joined an already successful club and built on its success. Sir Alex had to start from scratch and build United from the Academy upwards.
Sir Matt Busby will always be a legendary figure at Old Trafford having rebuilt the club after the disaster of Munich 1958, but Sir Alex has eclipsed his achievements on the field and is looking to leave United in a state where they can continue to enjoy success for many years after he decides to depart, a state that unfortunately Sir Matt did not leave the club.
Departs? When will that be? Rumours swirl that Sir Alex may decide to leave if United win the Champions League this season. As he said to Edwin Van der Sar, it's best to go out at the top... But I dont believe thats the case here. You only know that as soon as Fergie walked down the tunnel on Sunday afternoon, he was already thinking of how best to combat Barcelona and has already decided on which players he wants to bring in over the Summer to continue the success for next season.
And who would put it past the great man to be thinking about equalling Liverpool's 5 European Cups if United do indeed get to 4 on May 28th? What a way to unequivocally 'knock them off their fucking perch'...
Old Trafford, not so long ago, unveiled the Holy Trinity statue opposite Sir Matt in front of the East Stand. I think a few sculptures may be getting a call soon for a new statue to be commissioned, one to immortalise Sir Alex, the Greatest of them all.
Sir Alex Ferguson was congratulated by his counterpart Carlo Ancelotti and then moved on to the pitch to congratulate some of his key players before striding towards the tunnel to take his exit.
About half way down, the walk slowed until Sir Alex paused and bowed to the Stretford End... Not once, but twice! There was something amiss- it was us who should have bowed to the grand old master, not the other way round.
It is easy to forget how different the landscape was at Old Trafford when Alex Ferguson, as he was simply known back then, walked through the doors to take over from Ron Atkinson. United had not enjoyed the success that was expected at the biggest club in the World at that point and had already seen 19 seasons rush by since they were last the Kings of England.
At the same time, Liverpool were continuing their recent dominance of the English game to such an extent that Ferguson famously remarked how he wanted to 'knock them off their fucking perch'.
Since winning his first trophy as United boss in 1990, Ferguson has overseen a period of almost continuous success at the club. A first major European trophy followed in the form of the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1991 and the first League title since 1967 was finally held high in 1993.
United have been the dominating force in the Premier League years, with this season being the 12th League title they would have picked up in 18 years. That is some feat, but the biggest testimony to Sir Alex is the unbelievable way he has adapted in that time to the new pressures faced by managers as wages spiralled upwards and new methods were required to keep players in line and focused on the task at hand.
Ferguson has created 3 very successful sides already at Old Trafford, with this new squad being 'under construction' as the Glaswegian creates a 4th new side. For much of this season we have been told it is the weakest United side since they first won the Premier League in 1993, but the will to win has come from the manager and all the plaudits must be given to him.
Yes, the likes of Ryan Giggs have been in fine form this season, but I dont think there are any managers out there that could have led this squad to the title and a place in the Champions League Final.
The biggest complement I can pay to Fergie is that this title is all down to him. I would put him in charge of any of the teams inside the top 4 and I would have backed them to win the title. Arguably, the 3 sides below United have better squads, but the desire of the manager is unmatched.
He handled the Wayne Rooney transfer request in the best possible manner, coaxing the best form out of the England international when it mattered most down the stretch. United have also missed Rio Ferdinand and Antonio Valencia for large chunks of the season, but Chris Smalling showed what an astute signing he was while Javier Hernandez has to be the best transfer of the season for a paltry £7 million.
Sir Alex often can baffle us fans with his team selections for games, but once again has proven that he gets it right far more often than he gets it wrong. How many other managers would have picked the Da Silva twins as wingers for an FA Cup tie with Arsenal? At the end of the day, it is impossible to argue with the selections as the results are there for all to see.
Is this the greatest achievement in Sir Alex's time at United? I would say no, but I am also certain that no other manager in the World would have got this squad to where it is today. In fact, this latest achievement makes it hard for me to believe that any other British manager ever could have achieved what he has, not just this year, but every year since he has been at Old Trafford.
Brian Clough used to taunt Fergie when always mentioning 'I have two of those (European Cups)', but Sir Alex has the chance to go one further than the legendary Derby County and Nottingham Forest manager on Saturday 28th May.
Bob Paisley may have won 3 European Cups, but he had joined an already successful club and built on its success. Sir Alex had to start from scratch and build United from the Academy upwards.
Sir Matt Busby will always be a legendary figure at Old Trafford having rebuilt the club after the disaster of Munich 1958, but Sir Alex has eclipsed his achievements on the field and is looking to leave United in a state where they can continue to enjoy success for many years after he decides to depart, a state that unfortunately Sir Matt did not leave the club.
Departs? When will that be? Rumours swirl that Sir Alex may decide to leave if United win the Champions League this season. As he said to Edwin Van der Sar, it's best to go out at the top... But I dont believe thats the case here. You only know that as soon as Fergie walked down the tunnel on Sunday afternoon, he was already thinking of how best to combat Barcelona and has already decided on which players he wants to bring in over the Summer to continue the success for next season.
And who would put it past the great man to be thinking about equalling Liverpool's 5 European Cups if United do indeed get to 4 on May 28th? What a way to unequivocally 'knock them off their fucking perch'...
Old Trafford, not so long ago, unveiled the Holy Trinity statue opposite Sir Matt in front of the East Stand. I think a few sculptures may be getting a call soon for a new statue to be commissioned, one to immortalise Sir Alex, the Greatest of them all.
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