Chelsea star Marcos Alonso earns Premier League respect

 

By David Lee Wheatley (@davewh1980)

 

Marcos Alonso was dismissed by some observers as a journeyman incapable of improving big-spending Chelsea, but he has spectacularly confounded his critics this season.

Alonso’s stunning showings for the Blues since a reported £23 million move back to the Premier League may have come as a surprise to many, but not to followers of previous clubs Bolton Wanderers, Sunderland and Fiorentina.

The exorbitant fee involved – within this vulgar period of outlandish sums being thrown around for even the most average of footballers – was viewed as a feat of wild opportunism on the part of La Viola.

However, those appraisals were surely concluded without looking deeper at the impact made by the player during time spent with his former employers.

Alonso made his way through the ranks at star-studded Real Madrid to post a solitary first-team appearance as a late substitute at Racing Santander in April 2010.

He was allowed to leave the Bernabeu that summer despite undoubted promise and subsequently embarked upon a journey to north-west England – not along the usual route to one of the big guns based within that region, but on the less-trodden path to Bolton.

Burden of expectation as he tried to emulate his footballing father and granddad perhaps put undue pressure on the young man’s shoulders, especially as both relatives in question featured on the highest stage domestically and were capped internationally.

His recovery from that setback was a slow-burner, as he played a bit-part throughout two Premier League campaigns which eventually led to relegation. He later found form at Championship level, where the Trotters missed out on a play-off spot by a whisker and Alonso claimed a worthy Player of the Year accolade.

Wanderers offered a new contract, but he opted for an intriguing switch to Serie A with Fiorentina instead. Again, scant progress was made, as he struggled to hold down a regular slot in the team aside from the odd European run-out. As a result, he returned to England quicker than expected by way of a short-term loan with Premier League side Sunderland a few months later.

Alonso’s influence on the top-flight strugglers was instant, with his boundless energy and marauding runs along the left flank improving Gus Poyet’s side both defensively and in attack.

His displays were a revelation, as the Black Cats reached Wembley for a cherished League Cup final appearance and came back from the dead to stave off the dreaded drop.

He swiftly became a fans’ favourite, and it was evident that both the club’s adoring support and then-boss Poyet wanted to complete a permanent deal for the likeable Spaniard.

Drawn-out talks took place between Sunderland and their Italian counterparts, who were said to be holding out for £5 million, but an agreement could not be reached. The rest, as they say, is history.

Alonso returned to Italy unsure of his future, but revelled in a similar advanced position to the one he currently occupies for Chelsea, as La Viola reached the Europa League and Coppa Italia semi-finals in his first term back in purple.

After two barnstorming years, the Gigliati were reluctant to sell, hence the transfer-fee inflation rate. But, the Madrid-born star represented the exact prototype required to click seamlessly into Antonio Conte’s tactical framework and they simply had to snare his services, regardless of cost.    

Now a key factor in an expansive 3-4-3 formation, which has helped the west Londoners to the top of the league, Alonso looks every inch the top-class player that those who saw him at close quarters in the past believed he could become.

Four goals, two assists and 18 chances created from 20 outings thus far offer a clear indication of his attacking prowess, whilst he has made an average of 1.7 interceptions and 3.4 clearances per game when undertaking defensive duties.

Those who scoffed at Chelsea’s pursuit of a man who has since become a starting line-up fixture have fallen strangely silent, now that everyone has finally woken up to the assured 26-year-old’s true quality.

Entering into the prime of his career, an international cap to proudly place alongside his dad and grandfather’s cherished honours shouldn’t be too far away.

 



Inter dispense with Roberto Mancini but doubts remain

 

By David Lee Wheatley -- @davewh1980

Roberto Mancini was on a hiding to nothing when he re-joined Inter and will no doubt regret having set foot on the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza turf a second time.

Mancini inherited a squad in transition and desperately seeking a clear identity when he returned to Milan in November 2014.

The former Manchester City boss succeeded greatly during his first stint in charge of the Nerazzurri and felt the time was right to make a comeback at a club where he’d previously claimed six trophies in four years.

A raft of big-name coaches including Rafa Benitez, Claudio Ranieri and Walter Mazzarri had been unable to halt a sudden slide which began with Jose Mourinho’s 2010 departure.

His prior 62 per cent winning record at Inter offered Mancini realistic hope of putting a stop to that demise, but instead of settling down the turmoil surrounding the club, he only seemed to inflame deep-rooted problems.

He initially encountered a squad boasting little star quality and heavily reliant upon Argentine striker Mauro Icardi to grab vital goals.

In Serie A action alone, no player aside from Icardi hit double figures in strikes or assists throughout the 2014-15 campaign.

January signings Xherdan Shaqiri and Lukas Podolski also struggled to settle and they subsequently stuttered to a lowly eighth-place league finish.

Furthermore, the ex-Galatasaray supremo butted heads with Shaqiri and experienced defender Nemanja Vidic to name just two established first-team members who fell foul of Mancini's renowned hot temper.

Mancio was therefore faced with a massive rebuilding job last summer, which eventually incorporated attacking quartet Adem Ljajic, Eder, Ivan Perisic and Stevan Jovetic alongside numerous other recruits.

However, the goals failed to flow and Inter were widely branded a defensive outfit due to a series of boring 1-0 victories.

That didn’t matter so much when the Beneamata topped Serie A at the halfway point of last term, but it became a huge issue when inconsistencies crept in to their game after the winter break.

Losses to the likes of Sassuolo, Torino and Genoa had fans fuming and the media looking for someone to blame – Mancini bore the brunt of such criticism.

Inter ended up in a disappointing fourth position after an opening round of fixtures which allowed the Nerazzurri to flirt with the idea of a triumphant return to the top table of Italian football.

The defensive outlook of his team, multiple poor signings and regular bust-ups with at least several players made the 51-year-old coach hugely vulnerable.

That level of uncertainty over his status increased significantly with the recent majority-stake takeover by Chinese investors Suning Group.

Rumours swirled of his imminent sacking this past weekend, with a mutual agreement being sought in order to bring an end to a painful period for both club and coach alike.

Dutchman Frank De Boer reportedly waits in the wings to become the latest tactician to try his hand at restoring Inter to their fleetingly held throne as European champions six years ago.

But he too will find a beleaguered club in need of a serious reboot, which by consequence will cause further unrest until such time as the new owners reach a stage when they are suitably satisfied with both their coach and playing staff.

As for Mancini, he will be held up as a prime example in support of the widely-held belief that ‘you should never go back’ to a former club.

Juventus can scale European heights with Higuain capture

By David Lee Wheatley -- @davewh1980

Gonzalo Higuain could hold the key to Juventus’ hopes of lifting the UEFA Champions League trophy having completed his controversial switch from Napoli.

Perennial Serie A champions Juventus have been seeking a prolific striker since Carlos Tevez returned to boyhood heroes Boca Juniors in 2015.

Tevez struck 29 goals in all competitions during his Bianconeri swansong and replacement Paulo Dybala got close to that figure last year on 23.

However, the relatively inexperienced South American Dybala came up scoreless in nine of his final 14 league appearances last term.

Now, in the shape of another yet another Argentine international Gonzalo Higuain, they have an emphatic centre forward who broke records left, right and centre in Naples, and will continue in that same vein at J-Stadium.

In contrast to ex-Palermo starlet Dybala, the French-born 28-year-old did not run out of steam, as he plundered a remarkable 36 Serie A goals in 35 outings throughout the 2015-16 season.

In doing so, Higuain also set a new record for most goals in a 20-team Serie A campaign. He converted 25 per cent of his opportunities, whilst hitting the back of the net every 83 minutes on average – another league-best figure.

On that convincing evidence, some could legitimately argue that Higuain is an upgrade on both of his aforementioned compatriots.

There are no doubts surrounding Dybala’s abilities, but he is not the finished article and a hotly-debated £75.3 million has secured an alternative who represents the full package.

Notwithstanding the imminent departure of midfield powerhouse Paul Pogba, the Juventus side will almost certainly continue to deliver the amount of goalscoring chances which saw Higuain fire 385 league shots within his three-year reign as Napoli’s predator-in-chief – 60 more efforts on goal than any other Serie A player managed in that same timespan.

Miralem Pjanic, the assist-king of AS Roma, has also joined up with Juventus this summer and he is likely to provide consistent openings for his new team-mate in order to nullify any decrease in creativity caused by Pogba's move elsewhere.

It’s a potentially exciting link-up that may also benefit young comrade Dybala, should he be afforded a role in tandem with his more experienced fellow striker.

Juventus have been crowned Italian champions five seasons in succession, while claiming Coppa Italia glory in their last two campaigns to boot.

Though not taking domestic honours for granted, foremost in Massimiliano Allegri’s thinking this term is European success, with his second serious crack at the Champions League trophy beckoning.

His charges reached the 2015 final against Barcelona in Berlin, but alas they came up short at the most difficult hurdle after a thrilling ride. They were subsequently unlucky when losing narrowly to Bayern Munich over two legs at the round of 16 stage last season, but that outcome simply wasn’t good enough for a club of Juve’s standing.

The Bianconeri wished to build on their previous impressive showing, but they couldn’t replicate it without certain key ingredients.

With Higuain ensconced alongside the glittering array of superstar squad members that the Turin giants currently boast, it could well turn out to be a very different story this time around.

Continental heavyweights such as Real Madrid and Barcelona possess fantastic sets of players to call upon, but coach Allegri can rightly point to the likes of Higuain and Pjanic as top-class footballers who can more than match those most imposing of foes.

It’s bad news for the remainder of Serie A that Juventus are seemingly gaining strength year-on-year and widening the gulf between themselves and their supposed rivals in the process, but Italian football could benefit on the European stage if the Bianconeri can live up to their transfer window promise.  

Atletico Madrid and their merry band of resolute warriors

By David Lee Wheatley
@davewh1980

 

Bayern Munich struggled to break Atletico Madrid down in the opening leg of their Champions League semi-final tie, but they’re certainly not the first to do so.

Diego Simeone’s men carved out a 1-0 lead on Wednesday evening to take into the second leg at Bayern’s Allianz Arena next week.

They did it in part due to a wonderful show of individual skill by exciting 21-year-old midfielder Saul Niguez that put Atleti in front, prior to a defensive display full of grit and determination to eventually get the job done.

That result and performance should not have come as a surprise to anyone, not least visiting coach Pep Guardiola, who has now lost on three occasions to Atletico in his managerial career.

The so-called poorer city neighbours of glamorous Real are causing ripples both domestically and in continental competition, which could yet see them claim a hugely significant double this season.

Atletico Madrid boast one the very best defensive units across Europe’s big-five leagues on 16 goals conceded in 35 games played, with only last night’s opponents Bayern having conceded less [14] in that category.

In addition, the Spanish capital side have kept more clean sheets than any other team participating in the continent’s top-five domestic championships, owing to an outstanding 33 shut-outs in 52 all-competition outings.

The Rojiblancos haven’t allowed any goals in 14 of their latest 16 Champions League matches contested at the Vicente Calderon.

A key factor in everything they achieved during their stunning 2013-14 campaign, in which they won La Liga and reached the finale of Europe’s premier competition, was team spirit.

Working hard for the shirt, for each other and also for their popular head coach Simeone was central to their success – and that collective soul has remained under the enthusiastic Argentine.

Alongside an obvious togetherness within the tight-knit Atleti squad, there are several specific traits which allow the Colchoneros to thrive.

Central midfielders Lucas Fernandez and captain Gabi work in tandem to such a degree that they rarely stray more than a few feet away from one another, whilst hunting furiously for the ball.

Their impervious back-line, marshalled superbly by Stefan Savic, have allowed the least amount of shots against them per game [9.6] and made the highest amount of tackles per match [24.5] overall in La Liga this term.   

Former Fiorentina centre-back Savic, who singularly failed to impress during a previous stint at English Premier League outfit Manchester City, has proved to be a stand-out performer since arriving in Spain last summer. His club have not lost any of their 16 matches with the Montenegrin in the starting line-up across all competitions.

Meanwhile, Slovenian goalkeeper Jan Oblak is the stopper with most shut-outs in a single European Cup season for the Madrid-based club on eight, since Miguel Reina posted seven in 1973-74.

Furthermore, Oblak has repelled the last 16 on-target shots he has been forced to deal with at home in the Champions League, including seven versus Die Roten on Wednesday.

Those combined efforts were in stark evidence at the Calderon during their titanic clash against Bayern, which stopped Guardiola’s free-scoring Bavarians from notching an away goal despite enjoying 74 per cent of possession.

With Barcelona’s sudden wobble at the top of Spain’s Primera Division having left the door ajar for Atleti to clamber back into the title race, plus their heroics in European action, it’s wholly conceivable that this roughhouse group of dedicated footballers could upset the applecart as they have done so many times in the past.

 

And, with the effervescent Diego Simeone kicking and heading every ball as he watches on proudly, who would bet against them?