THE CHELSEA CONUNDRUM: SARRIBALL

Since the turn of the century, football has evolved. An evolution influenced by men, men unlike others. Geniuses. Grandmaster of tactics, men like Johann Cruyff, Arrigo Sacchi, Carlo Ancelotti, Josep Guardiola, José Mourinho, Jurgen Klopp, Antonio Conte and a host of others. These men have perfected football in this age on their own terms. Tactically. 

The focus here is Maurizio Sarri. The Flawed Genius from Naples. The creator of Sarriball (or Sarrismo). A footballing philosophy that places emphasis on attack and high pressing contrary to the Old age Italian way of The Catenaccio. A philosophy that has been tried with Empoli, Napoli and now Chelsea. Like the famed chess master, Gary Kasparov, Sarri has created a system which revolves around a regista, his queen.. Or should I say Jorginho. In moving from Naples to London, he took along his favorite piece and it was bliss in the beginning till it started getting away from them. Sarriball became dull and stagnant. It was like Louis Van Gaal was in charge instead of Sarri. Pointless passes that led to  nothing. What led to this?

SARRI’S INSANITY

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. As revolutionary as Sarriball is, it is not perfect and has not won any trophies! Zilch with Empoli, Napoli and it looks like its not winning anything with Chelsea! It has gotten close but never. Yet Sarri persists with it. You cannot fault him for that for you cannot teach an old dog new tricks. Sarri must be flexible and provide variants of Sarriball to keep it efficient and effective!
He should take a leaf out of Pep’s book and create variations of the winning formula to ensure he wins something before he retires.
Not so genius after all.

JORGINHO

If a chain is said to be as strong as its weakest link, same can be said for Sarriball. Sarriball is as good as Jorginho and whenever he has a bad game, the system fails. The failings of Sarriball are Jorginho's and Sarri's fault. They are both one dimensional. Jorginho is also slow and is not strong enough hence is easily harried off the ball. Poor Jorge!

THE ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE

If Sarrismo is art, then Sarri must be Van Gogh! An artist whose work is not appreciated because he finds himself in a system filled with few like minded geniuses like himself and more doodlers. The Premier League is great in its own right due to the competitive nature but when it comes to aesthetics, the Sarrismo Revolution cannot take place where football is more physical and filled with bullies. It started so well but alas..

THE PLAYERS

During the peak of his Napoli days, Sarrismo was the talk of the town. Sarri had the men. The men had the mindset and the desire but at Chelsea, he seems to be lacking. Ideally, this philosophy requires a goalkeeper who is good with his feet, two defensively solid centre backs, fullbacks with a good balance of attacking and defensive ability. The fullbacks also need to have peak stamina to allow them bomb up and down the flanks. The midfield needs a regista, a box to box midfielder and an advanced playmaker. Up front, lethality and speed is required in the front men. At Napoli he had these and moving to Chelsea, meant an upgrade but that has not been the case. Most of the players are totally unsuited for these roles or they simply lack the quality to succeed in them. Sarri’s lack of a plan B does not help matters. But if he has been semi successful in Italy with players of Napoli’s ilk (no disrespect to the Napoli players), it is expected Chelsea with the relatively high quality players should prove successful but that is not the case.

Its not all doom and gloom for The Blues as Sarriball has proven to be effective and exciting. It is a bedding in period and Sarri needs time to perfect his art. Sarri must also exhibit some flexibility in his approach. After all, Rome was not built in a day.

TRANSFER REPORT: PREMIER LEAGUE

The Winter Transfer Window has been cold! No major movements or changes to the big  clubs. The others are well improving or so it seems. This piece rates and grades the activities of the  top six in the EPL.

LIVERPOOL

ARRIVALS 

Connor Randall (Rochdale, End of Loan), Ben Woodburn ( Sheffield United, End 

of Loan)

DEPARTURES 

Dominic Solanke (Bournemouth, €21million), Nathaniel Clyne (Bournemouth, Loan)

A 5 point lead and a place in the knockout stages of the Champions League is exactly where Liverpool dreamed of being some 12 months ago. On the back of some shrewd transfer activity over the last two windows, one might have to agree. An otherwise quiet window with the return of Randall and Woodburn from their respective loans adds some level of squad depth to an already deep squad. Allowing a squad player (and maybe flop) like Dominic Solanke to join Bournemouth for €21 million is some good business and should add to the team's finances. The potential returns of Oxlade-Chamberlain and Gomez should be the catalyst Liverpool need to charge towards the title.
A quiet and sensible window for the Reds.
GRADE: B+

MANCHESTER CITY

ARRIVALS

Ante Palaversa ( Hadjuk Split, €4.8million), Ko Itakura ( Kawasaki Frontale, €1.10million), Anthony Càceres ( Melbourne City, End of Loan), Marlos Moreno ( Flamengo, End of Loan)

DEPARTURES

Brahim Díaz ( Real Madrid, €17million), Ante Palaversa ( Hadjuk Split, loan), Ko Itakura ( FC Groningen, loan), Anthony Càceres ( Sydney FC, Loan), Marlos Moreno ( Santos Laguna, Loan)

Relative to last winter, the Blue Half of Manchester has been quiet. Business has been the usual: arrivals and departures of young players the world over. The only significant activity has been the departure of Brahim Díaz to Real Madrid at a tidy sum. The focus now seems to be on usurping Liverpool at the summit of the table while challenging on other fronts. Expect a splash of cash this summer.
GRADE: B-

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

ARRIVALS

Nil

DEPARTURES

Moussa Dembele (GZ R&F, €12.45million), Georges-Kevin N'Koudou (Monaco, Loan)

You can't but feel sorry for Mauricio Pochettino. 2019 has started off poorly for the man. Starting the season at a disadvantage with a fatigued core and no signings, this season promised to be tough one but he managed to remain  competitive.. Till January. Injuries to key men has handicapped Spurs. The exit of Dembele though deserved should have been delayed to the end of the season. Safe to say the tag of 'Bottlers' will not be put on them for the rest of the  season, they've fought for nothing and will get nothing.
An abysmal showing by Daniel Levy and his men.
GRADE: D

ARSENAL

ARRIVALS

Denis Suarez (Barcelona, Loan)

DEPARTURES

Emile Smith-Rowe (RB Leipzig, Loan)

Arsenal will always be Arsenal.  Play beautiful football, go on an  unbeaten run of some  sort, be downright depressing, stagnate, repeat. That has been the Arsenal way for some time now. Unai Emery has been dealt a bad hand with his board informing him of no signings due to a lack of funds and has been restricted to loan deals. This approach has and will not take Arsenal back to the upper echelons of English football.
The temporal addition of Suarez will add a bit of spark but nothing spectacular from Arsenal. A let down after a  vibrant summer.
GRADE: C-

CHELSEA

ARRIVALS

Gonzalo Higuain (Juventus, €9million Loan), Christian Pulisic (Borrusia Dortmund, €64million)

DEPARTURES

Christian Pulisic (Borrusia Dortmund, Loan), Alvaro Morata (Atletico Madrid, Loan), Cesc Fabregas ( AS Monaco, Free), Victor Moses (Fenerbahce, Loan), Michy Batshuayi (Crystal Palace, Loan)

Tragic. A word that best sums up Chelsea's season and transfer activity so far. Stuck with a one dimensional revolutionary who has won nothing in 28 years of coaching. The season started so well but turned to something else. This winter window has shown no signs of improvement in the short term. Signing Pulisic is fantastic, but signing him on an expiring contract for €64million is just bad business. Bringing in an out of sorts Higuain is another fail. Letting go of valuable squad players will be detrimental to the team.
Brace yourselves Chelsea fans, you're about to get blue.
GRADE: D

MANCHESTER UNITED

ARRIVALS

Joel Pereira (Vitoria Setubal, End of Loan)

DEPARTURES

Nil

United have obviously been silent but their biggest transfer has to be the hiring of club legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after the Mourinho madhouse. He has brought in a new belief and stability to the club and this has had a knock on effect on the club as the core players have expressed interest in renewing their contracts. 

A stabilizing window for a resurgent club.
GRADE: B

GOALS, EXCITEMENT, SURPRISES AND MORE! WHAT WE LEARNT FROM DAY 1 OF THE PREMIER LEAGUE

The 2017/18 Premier League season is underway and fans were treated to an entertaining weekend all over the world.

If we were to judge based on preseason results and transfer dealings, then the overriding feeling before kick-off would have been that top sides would get off to a flying start. But this is the top flight of English football and things are never so simple.

On a weekend where the reigning champions Chelsea were humbled at home by Burnley, while the favorites showed us their title credentials and Liverpool was Liverpool, 

here's few things we learnt from the Premier League on Match Day 1

1. Arsenal may not win the trophy but will have a big say in who wins it 

The Gunners started the Premier League at home with a nail biting but exciting seven goal thriller with Leicester.

The game showed us that should Arsenal be able to steer clear of injuries and all the unnecessary off the pitch issues that usually plague them, they will be a deciding factor in finding this season's winner. With a potent front line and a back line that looks ready to collapse at any point in the season, we can expect the Gunners to be themselves by having a shot at the trophy in the first half of the season and capitulate midway and try to salvage it at the end. Unless they delve into the transfer market and strengthen some defensive positions, expect Wenger and his men to be kingmakers this season.

 2. New Season, Same Old Liverpool

Usually the Premier League is unpredictable but it has one constant: Liverpool! There's the usual hype and furor about their transfer dealings and performances in the off season , the inability to transfer the performances to the season consistently and then the tag "Robin Hood".

 Though the season is young, The Reds showed signs of these in another goal-fest on Matchday 1 against Watford. Yes, there was the enforced and "semi-enforced" absences of Coutinho and Lallana but with the kind of squad Klopp has at his disposal, this should not be an excuse. A failure to improve in defence and goalkeeping will counteract all the work in attack. There is still time this season for Klopp to improve his and Liverpool's fortunes from "Next Year Will Be Our Year" to "This is Our Year".

3. Signs of Second Season Syndrome for Conte

After a title winning season in his maiden season in England, Antonio Conte has been anything but happy in the lead up to his second season.

With a somewhat unsatisfactory transfer campaign and the apparent lack of squad depth, it looks like the second season demons that plagued Ancelotti and Mourinho (in his second spell) are back and part of the blame lies squarely at his doorstep. His shocking treatment of Diego Costa, an apparent lack of communication between the board and himself (Matic sale) and his tactical rigidness (so far) all make up a recipe for disaster and this is imminent! With the improvements made by title rivals, a lack of depth and a grueling season ahead, it is safe to say Chelsea won’t be winning anything neither will they be defending anything. It might be the end of Conte’s stint at the Bridge. Failure to invest in the squad and a tweak in tactics will mean the ''Second Season Syndrome'' strikes and the London Bridge falls down.

4. Mourinho building Chelsea 2.0 at Old Trafford

Jose Mourinho is building another solid side with Manchester United and Chelsea may have given him the final piece. United’s signings seem to have gelled well but the addition of Nemanja Matic has all but solidified the side and given the team freedom to be fluid while occasionally joining the attack. With a burly target man with the form of Lukaku , pacy wingers at his side, creative midfielders behind him and pivot of Matic and Pogba not forgetting a solid backline and a world class goalkeeper, Mou has all the ingredients to create title winning juggernaut at the Theater of Dreams. Watch Out England, Jose is Coming.

TRANSFER ANALYSIS: CHELSEA

The shrill blast of the final whistle at Stamford Bridge could not have come at a better time for Chelsea players and fans alike. An end to what has been a nightmare of a season with conflicts from various sectors of the club. The transfer season will allow Roman Abramovich to restore his beloved Chelsea back among the top dogs in the league and so has already started his business early.

ARRIVALS

ANTONIO CONTE

Stamford Bridge has been a busy place this summer with Antonio Conte being their major signing. A man tasked to lead the Chelsea troops to battle and restore them to their former greatness. He was instrumental in leading a relatively weak Italy side to the quarter-finals of the last European Championships beating highly-fancied Belgium, knocking out holders and favourites Spain as well as pushing World Champions Germany to the limit before losing on penalties. He is also a three-time Serie A winner so his pedigree is unquestionable. He brings a hardworking ethic and some fire to the Chelsea side (spark to inferno?!). He is known for his 3-5-2 setup but is known switch to a 4-4-2, 5-3-2, 4-5-1 and 4-3-3 setups to suit the opponents and the conditions in an ongoing game. Such tactical flexibility is what Chelsea will need to break down opponents and hit opponents on the break. His passion will also come to the fore in the heated clashes and get the Stamford Bridge fans behind the team during tough times.

MICHY BATSHUAYI

Nicknamed the next Drogba, Batshuayi has really big shoes to fill. His 22-goal haul for Marseille in all competitions last season was a shining light in the darkness and uncertainty that surrounded the Stade Velodrome. His willingness to move around for the ball will be a good foil for Diego Costa if he stays at the Bridge for the coming season. He also has the ability to be a good target man and hold the ball up for his teammates. His success or failure in London will depend on how well he fits into Conte's tactical setup. His price tag will put a bit of pressure on him but all in all a decent signing for the Blues.

N'GOLO KANTE

"70% of the Earth is covered by water. The other 30% is covered by Kante". Undoubtedly the best player in the Premier League last season, Chelsea seems to have finally found an heir to Claude Makelele. A tireless runner and great reader of the game not forgetting is decent tackling ability, Kante will prove to be a good foil for Fabregas . Also, his ability to intercept and break down opponents' attacks will help Chelsea when they are on the backfoot. The 25-year-old Frenchman is the personification of hard work and he teaming up with Conte is a match made in heaven.

The return of several loanees will bloat the squad but also allow Conte assess players like Cuadrado, Marin, and Chalobah among many others.

DEPARTURES

MOHAMMED SALAH

After his transfer, Momo Salah has failed to impress in London which led to successive loans at Fiorentina and Roma with the capital side taking up the option to permanently sign him. Very few will miss him as Chelsea have more than enough options for the right wing position in the form of Willian, Pedro and the returning Victor Moses. Juan Cuadrado with his versatility can seamlessly fit into that position leaving the Egyptian with no option than to leave the Bridge for 15 million Euros.

After failing to impress the coaching staff at Stamford Bridge Croatian under 19 forward Stipe Perica has joined Serie A side Udinese for 4 million Euros a move that suits both parties and reduces the names on the payroll.

The departures of flops Alexandre Pato and Falcao will reduce a seemingly bloated squad and wage bill. Nathan Aké, Tomás Kalas, and Jeremie Boga have so far left the club on loan to Bournemouth, Fulham, and Granada to get some game time and aid their development. Marco Amelia is out of contract and out of the Bridge but has expressed interest in working with Conte so we may still see him but as things stand he's a free agent.

VERDICT

 The Blues have been cautious on the market this time round as they seek to make the necessary signings to correct the problematic areas in the squad. Using one preseason game to judge the squad will be unwise as most first team players are still on a holiday. A good center back is needed to solve their defensive woes to complete a good transfer period. With the right signings, Conte with time will make Chelsea champions again.

Up to You Roman.

REINVENTING MOURINHO: WHAT JOSE MUST WORK ON BEFORE HIS NEXT JOB.

It is almost a week into the new year and Jose Mourinho is still jobless. Jose Mourinho as proud as ever made an assertion after he was relieved off his duties before Christmas last year, that he was angling towards a return to the managerial hot seat more preferably that of Louis Van Gaal at Old Trafford. This was the plan but the seeming reluctance from the camp of United and the reported refusal to take the Real Madrid job midway through the season has left The self proclaimed Special One in a bit of limbo and jobless for the foreseeable future.

The apparent lack of big jobs is a sign from above to Jose to sit back and reinvent himself as a coach and a person overall. The old adage goes, 'you cannot teach an old dog new tricks' but Mourinho is not so much of an old dog at the age of 52. During his enforced break, it would be beneficial for him to work on a few aspects of himself.

1. ATTITUDE
The former Porto, Chelsea, Inter and Madrid manager has had some issues in relation to his attitude. This has set him back with some of the biggest clubs in the world as seen with his eye gouging poke of former Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova during his stint in Spain. Also, his constant attacks albeit verbally on rivals does him a lot of harm than good. This not only makes him look bad but also does his clubs no good in the media. His mentality is more often than not transferred to his players which makes his teams appear violent with reference being made to Pepe at Madrid and Diego Costa at Chelsea. His media antics though entertaining, sometimes crosses the line. He is often seen to be criticizing the footballing associations where he has coached. It is for such reason he has often been overlooked for jobs such as that of Bayern Munich and most recently, Manchester United.
He is an entertaining character no doubt but should refine his attitude to make him endearing to fans, players and bosses alike. Maintaining a healthy rivalry with managers as well as letting his players know when they cross the line on the pitch. A bad attitude is like a flat tire. Failure to change it will get you nowhere. But just as flat tires can be changed, an attitude can be changed for the better.

2. TACTICS
A football manager is as good as his tactics. Also, an adaptable coach is one who can switch tactics to suit the opposition at hand. This is something Mourinho seems to be lacking. A fixation on 4-2-3-1 formation has led to his downfall. When he lacks the kind of players suited to this style, his teams are outplayed and out thought on the pitch. Before his return to the dugout, Mourinho must not only reinvent himself from an attitudinal perspective but also, a tactical point of view. Also his defensive mentality should be switched to a more balanced style to his teams to satisfy the attacking and defensive needs of his teams. All in all a general adaptability should be infused into his tactical approach just as Guardiola to make his teams multidimensional


A few other things to work on is his long term abilities as a manager. He should formulate long term goals for himself as a coach for his teams. He should use maintain an eye on the youth teams and be a fatherly figure rather than an authority figure with the younger ones.
Also learning to hold his tongue should prove to be a good weapon for him.


The Special One may be down but it would be a mistake to count him out. During his time out work on rebranding himself should be paramount to ensure success in the short term as well as long term.
Watch Out World! A New and Improved Jose is coming.