Golden generation or Belgian waffle?



By David Lee Wheatley

Belgium approach their final two World Cup qualifying fixtures requiring only a point to make sure of a place in Brazil next year.

The nation from the Low Countries have developed a squad that would appear the mightiest they’ve mustered for many years; not since the heady days of current head coach Marc Wilmots’ playing era alongside legends such as Enzo Scifo, Jan Ceulemans, Franky Van der Elst, Michel Preud’Homme and Eric Gerets have so many excellent footballers’ careers converged.

Now, a new crop have emerged as the Red Devils attempt to deliver trophy success to a nation starved of it throughout their history.

44-year-old Wilmots spent three years as assistant coach before taking on the mantle as leader of the pack in 2012, while inheriting a set of stars handily reaching their peak all at the same time. Looking at the line-up on paper, each and every department looks supremely strong and the potential of the team seems limitless.

Between the sticks, top talents Simon Mignolet and Thibaut Courtois fight it out for the number one spot and are closely matched. Mignolet joined Liverpool in the summer having established himself as one of the greatest goalkeepers in the English Premier League with Sunderland, while Courtois has forged a fine reputation on loan at Atletico Madrid from Chelsea during the past two seasons and continues to perform well in La Liga at the Stamford Bridge club’s behest.

World-class Manchester City centre-back Vincent Kompany usually marshals a well-oiled defensive machine, but unfortunately misses out on the two upcoming clashes against Croatia and Wales due to a thigh injury. Even without him, though, the squad possesses quality in abundance in that area of the field with the experienced Daniel Van Buyten joined by Thomas Vermaelen, Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld amongst others.

Midfield is arguably even more impressive, with Eden Hazard, Fellaini, De Bruyne and Witsel fronting up a section of the side that also boasts the considerable skills of Napoli winger Dries Mertens, Steven Defour, Nacer Chadli and long-standing international Timmy Simons.

Then, up-top, powerful strikers Romelu Lukaku and Christian Benteke regularly frighten the life of their opposition, while versatile attacking midfielders Mousa Dembele and Kevin Mirallas round off a remarkable side that is ready to fire Belgium to the World Cup finals over the coming days.

Revered ex-international Wilmots has been blessed with an embarrassment of riches provided he utilises them effectively by blending their individual abilities into a working unit. Judging by their five-point lead in Group A, it suggests the former Schalke forward has found a way to extract the very best out of the players at his disposal.

At least a point away to closest challengers Croatia on Friday and they’re there.

 

Twitter: @davewh1980

Too much, too soon for England starlets?

By David Lee Wheatley

There was once a time when a player had to achieve success and hold down a regular place at club level before being elevated to the senior England national team, but now it seems a handful of impressive performances domestically is a sure-fire route to a first cap. Is it all too much, too soon for the young crop of stars currently trying to make their way in the game?

Ross Barkley and Andros Townsend are the latest beneficiaries of the fast-track mentality prevailing within the English game following a promising start to the season from both. Predecessors in recent times include Phil Jones, Kyle Walker, Chris Smalling, Tom Cleverley, Jack Wilshire and Danny Welbeck - all of whom were simply required to display a short stint of good form to ensure a place in the England squad.

This suggests a dearth of established talent in between the older and younger generations; there's very little competition at national level to force the up-and-coming footballers into producing high quality performances over a longer period of time domestically to earn their selection.

Further evidence of that is the fact that a large majority of fans and media immediately crowned Jack Wilshere as the 'savour of English football' when making his international bow in August 2010, just 21 months after signing his very first pro contract with Arsenal. Since that debut, he's featured on ten occasions for England and come up against severe pressure for a position in the Arsenal starting eleven this campaign thanks to the much vaunted transfer-record signing of German superstar Mesut Ozil.

Now, that moves me on handily to the next issue with plunging inexperienced players into the England side. With so many foreign talents in the Premier League, what happens if the potential of those aforementioned players ends up laying dormant while they warm the bench at club level? Will they be dumped by England never to be seen again? Should they be considered for international duty even if they can't get a look in for their Premier League club?

All those problems will likely come to face England boss Roy Hodgson head-on in the run-up to the World Cup, should the Group H leaders negotiate their way safely through to the tournament proper in Brazil next year.

The ability of Barkley, Townsend and others mentioned isn't in doubt, but would it equip them better for the rigours of a qualification campaign and subsequent high-pressure competitions if they had to become absolutely solid picks over a number of seasons for their clubs before advancing to play for the Three Lions?

Or, is it the case that Hodgson has no choice but to throw the largely untried young men into action earlier than he'd ideally wish and therefore it's just the way it has to be?

Much of the situation behind that conundrum comes down to the plethora of non-English footballers in the top-flight blocking the progress of players as they get a little older. The best English starlets will always burst through the red tape, but holding down a spot in the starting line-up is the tricky bit. They should be expected to do that before getting a full cap and it would give them extra motivation to prove themselves and make it completely unnecessary for their club manager to introduce any new blood from abroad in their favoured position. If they're going to be handed the keys to the kingdom after a few weeks of first-team football, then where is the incentive to become the best they can be?

That goes hand-in-hand with the fact that those kids who begin to make a name for themselves often get a massive wage rise after creating an impact. Once they've got the £50,000+ per week pay packet and an England cap before the age of 21 or 22, what more do they have to do to make it big? Precisely nothing - that's what. They've already made it in their minds and there's no prize of an England career at the end of a long road. Too much, too soon indeed.

Twitter: @davewh1980

Bayern look every bit the Champions of Europe

By David Lee Wheatley

Bavarians Bayern travelled to the Etihad today ready for a battle, but were greeted by a meek surrender from a Manchester City side that look a million miles behind the European champions in every single department.

City were out-passed, out-thought and out-classed on their home turf by illustrious visitors who played with such power, pace and poise that the hosts simply couldn't keep up. Pellegrini's men had absolutely no answer to Pep's boys, as Arjen Robben et al ran riot in this second game of the Champions League group stage.

There had been hope of a repeat performance of City's dominant 4-1 victory over local rivals Manchester United recently, but Bayern stamped their authority on the game early on with a 7th-minute strike from one half of that troublesome twosome on the flanks, Franck Ribery.

The home team huffed and puffed against supremely calm and collected opponents for the remainder of the half and 0-1 is how it remained by the halfway stage.

However, first Thomas Muller - playing in an unfamiliar 'false nine' role - hit home 11 minutes into the second period shortly before Man-of-the-Match Robben compounded City's misery with an easy third.

Alvaro Negredo handed the deflated English club a lifeline after 79 minutes with a fine turn and finish from the edge of the area, but it only provided a brief glimmer of light amid the gloom created by such a one-sided affair in favour of the impressive Germans.

Even the late sending-off involving Bayern centre-back Jerome Boateng with four minutes of normal time left on the clock, plus a subsequent whack of the bar from a David Silva free-kick, didn't detract from the overwhelming evidence on display tonight which suggests it'll be a mightily difficult task for any side to stop the 'Red Machine' from retaining their beloved trophy.

On this showing, Manchester City are no better placed to challenge for European honours than they were last season under deposed manager Roberto Mancini, while Bayern appear at least as strong as they were under Jupp Heynckes in winning an historic treble during a glittering campaign last time around.

Twitter: @davewh1980

The Report: Everton v Newcastle United

fBy David Lee Wheatley

A rampant Everton side were three goals up against a woeful Newcastle United at half-time, before a change of shape and personnel inspired a fight-back that almost rescued an unlikely point for the visitors at Goodison Park last night.

Powerful striker Romelu Lukaku opened the scoring in only the 5^th minute after great work down the right from Belgian international team-mate Kevin Mirallas.

The Magpies were defending as if they’d never played alongside one another previously, with some particularly strange decision-making from centre-back Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa.

Alan Pardew’s men were ripped apart midway through the first period by a neat interchange between Lukaku and Ross Barkley, who dashed through to finish smartly following an intelligent move that split the United central defence wide open.

If things were looking bleak for the away team at that stage, it got even worse eight minutes before the end of the half when a hopeful long ball from Toffees goalkeeper Tim Howard somehow found its way to the ever-dangerous Lukaku; Yanga-Mbiwa inexplicably ran away from the forward rather than challenging him, thus leaving Krul and Coloccini hopelessly exposed. Lukaku gleefully accepted the generous offer of a free run at goal to take the game seemingly beyond an awful Newcastle side.

Apart from a couple of fleeting glimpses of attacking threat from Hatem Ben Arfa, there was very little for the travelling Toon Army to get excited about. However, the home supporters were in utter delirium at what they had witnessed, with chief protagonists Barkley and Lukaku looking capable of conjuring scoring chances at will.

Toon boss Pardew must have been livid at his team’s listless performance and he made two decisive substitutions in an effort to turn the tide, bringing on Williamson for Yanga-Mbiwa and Cabaye for Ben Arfa, thus pushing Sissoko out wide. Midfield man Cabaye had been a doubt prior to kick-off due to a groin strain, but Pardew had evidently seen enough and made the call to take a risk on the Frenchman.

The gamble paid off spectacularly six minutes into the new half when Cabaye picked the ball up 25 yards out, strode confidently forward before unleashing a missile of shot that was going into the net from the second the ball left his foot. Newcastle looked remarkably compact in contrast to their initial showing and were causing more than a few problems for the Everton rearguard - finally a glimmer of hope amid the gloom.

It appeared that Everton were in danger of collapsing under the pressure at times, as the black-and-whites worked tirelessly to drag themselves back into contention in a match they seemed to have lost by the halfway point.

Despite Loic Remy bundling his way through a challenge to score with a minute remaining, their remarkable turnaround in form during the second period was to no avail. Alas, no points were accrued, but at least some pride was salvaged from the wreckage of the opening 45 minutes.

For Everton, their unbeaten start to the season under Roberto Martinez continues thanks to a classy first-half display and specifically a powerhouse performance from Romelu Lukaku; how Chelsea must rue letting him go out on loan for the season in light of their ongoing issues in the striking department.

 

Twitter: @davewh1980