Camisetas de la Temporada 2021/2022

Arsenal became the only Premier League team to go a whole season unbeaten in the 2003/04 campaign, eventually settling for a record of 49 games in a row without defeat. And this record also holds another significant memory for Arsenal fans, as the 2003/04 season was the last period which finished with The Gunners atop of the table. And with only a solitary FA Cup to their name in the following season, the North London side are now on course to go 6 years without winning a title. So where has it all gone wrong for the former ‘invincibles’?

Ultimately, one major constraint seems to be limiting the potential success of The Gunners. Unlike the majority of Premier League sides, Arsenal’s ownership is operated as a non-quoted public limited company, thus meaning that the controlling of club is close-knit. This has allowed Arsenal to be run in an effective business-like manner, one which saw the side turnover £379.9m in the year ended 31st May 2010, making a profit of £72m. And it is these profit levels that are harming Arsenal’s on field credentials. Arsene Wenger has arguably become the ultimate master at establishing his youth stars into first team maestros, as well as seemingly having the ability to move on ageing members of his squad as their careers begin to fade, and it’s these attributes that have helped contribute to Arsenal’s financial success year on year. However, it is these antics that are now causing Arsenal fans to question the once successful Frenchman as the impatience grows, with concern to the lack of silverware currently displayed in the Arsenal trophy room. Wenger’s managerial ability is now being questioned more than ever, with regards to both his transfer policy and the mentality installed amongst his players.

Of course, no-one knows the real underlying scenario apart from Mr Wenger and the Arsenal board with regards to the current situation. It has become readily presumed that Wenger constantly has a healthy bank balance available at his dispense in order to strengthen the Arsenal team, and with every transfer window that passes, fans and critics alike question as to why Arsenal were not strengthened in the manner required. However, are these funds really available? Shareholder’s primary target is to maximise wealth, which only comes about with increased profits, and these profits aren’t likely to increase if they allowed Wenger to spend £30m on an established top quality player rather than £3m on a potential youth star. On the other hand, funds may be available; however another business model of risk and reward may be the reason as to why funds have been scarcely spent. The Frenchman obviously has the ability to maintain Arsenal as a top 4 side on a ‘budget’, thus ensuring that he can keep the board happy by maintaining Arsenal as one of the biggest clubs in the League, as well as ensuring that the board are happy due to the financial side of the business. If Wenger was to spend money, and Arsenal failed to build upon their current position, then the risk of cutting the board’s profit share won’t outweigh the lack marginal success missed out upon. Pessimists may feel that if Wenger was to splash the cash, then Arsenal may be considered favourites for a number of titles, however as seen with City over the last two years, spending money doesn’t guarantee success instantly, and with Wenger’s reputation beginning to sink amongst the Arsenal faithful, an unsuccessful season after a summer of spending may be the final nail in the coffin on his glorious Arsenal career. So if this is the case, you can partly understand the logical reasoning behind the Arsenal set-up, despite his risk adverse nature.

At the end of the day though, we are unlikely to know the full extent of Wenger’s money situation and transfer policy until an official statement is made by Wenger or the club, and until this moment, Arsenal fans should admire the job that the Frenchman has done over the 15 years that he has been at the helm. If the Arsenal board were really that keen to sacrifice their personal wealth over success for the club, then surely they would have dismissed the Frenchman and employed a risk seeking manager such as Mourinho whom has not been afraid to spend the cash when it has been available. I feel that their commitment towards Wenger highlights the underlying mentality of their existence. And in the modern climate where football clubs are falling into administration left, right and centre, you can again understand the logic in terms of the board trying to sustain Arsenal as a long term success, rather than a club such as Chelsea or City, whom would both come unstuck if their related parties jumped ship along with the funds that are undoubtedly running the club.

As stated above though, it has become clear over the last few seasons that Arsenal require a number of additions if they are to truly threaten for the title. Thomas Vermaelen made a huge impression in his debut season, and added some much needed stability and composure to the side. His absence this campaign has been apparent, as Arsenal’s back line have been at fault on a number of occasions during the season, costing them valuable points. However, even his return to the side may still leave Arsenal short at the back. Djourou has come on leaps and bounds this campaign, however the Frenchman doesn’t appear to have the potential to make it as a real top class centre half, and likewise with his fellow Frenchman Koscielny, whose inexperience at the top level has been readily apparent in his debut season. An ideal candidate for the role would be Borussia Dortmund centre half Mats Hummels. At 22, the defender has plenty of years left at the top of his game, and his undoubted talent has been on show all season as he played a pivotal role in helping Dortmund secure The Bundesliga title. The German has the rough edge required alongside Vermaelen, whilst still being technically astute.

In the middle of the park, similarly to Djourou, Alex Song has matured into an important player for Arsenal this season. However, the mentality and self-discipline of the defensive midfielder has to be questioned, as the 24 year old has regularly been caught out of position as he bombards up the field, thus leaving Arsenal exposed to a counter attack. On top of this, the Cameroonian lacks any real leadership qualities. This is an issue that stretches across the whole team, due to the youthful nature of the side, and is an undoubted reason as to why Arsenal appear to ‘choke’ when the players are required to stand up and be counted for. An ideal candidate for the role would be West Ham talisman Scott Parker. The midfielder has shown all throughout the 2010/11 campaign that he has the intelligence and ability to make important contributions to matches, and this was recognised when he was awarded with the writer’s player of the year award. The Englishman would add the much needed discipline, experience and leadership that Arsenal have been severely lacking for some time, and he would make an instant impact in tightening up the youngsters.

Up top, Arsenal lack consistency. The main man, Robin Van Persie, appears to be made of glass, and it is becoming increasingly common for the Dutchman to be on the side-lines. Nicklas Bendtner has proven time and time again that he does not have the ability to be part of a title winning side, Russian Andrei Arshavin appears to have lost interest in the game and Theo Walcott can still appear as raw as he was when he first arrived at The Emirates. And it’s these issues that can leave Arsenal struggling on occasions, as they play neat passing football with no end product. There are two key players that would fit instantly into Arsenal’s system, whom it is likely would make an instant impact. Eden Hazard has openly spoken about his admiration of Wenger’s style of football, and the wing wizard could create a deadly combination with Samir Nasri. The Belgian has the speed, trickery and intelligence in order to replace Walcott and Arshavin, and at 20, the playmaker has years left at the top of his game. FC Porto have had a very impressive season, which has partly been down to the form of front man Radamel Falcao. The Columbian has notched 39 goals so far for Porto, with an impressive ratio of a goal every 1.25 games, and this can be put down to his clinical finishing, impressive heading ability and his fantastic understanding of the game. He can offer both a strong and agile front line, making him an ideal focal point for attacks. Given the level of service available at Arsenal, there can be no doubt that the 25 year old would have any issues finding the back of the net.

And on top of these areas, Clichy’s form appears to be going downhill, and could possibly be a weak link within the future, and despite the emergence of Wojciech SzczÄ™sny, Arsenal have been constantly criticised with regards to their goalkeeping situation. Even without funding from the board, it could be argued that Wenger has the opportunity to sign the above players by offloading some of the deadwood currently at The Emirates. The likes of Bendtner, Eboue, Almunia and Rosicky, amongst many more, could all be sold in order to fund the transfers of the required match winners. One thing can be certain though, if Wenger fails to strengthen the starting 11 during the summer, there will be even more added pressure upon position from the fans and media if they fail to achieve their potential in the 2011/12 campaign.

The new season has seen eight new faces at Liverpool FC – nine if you include manager Roy Hodgson. For anyone thinking of visiting Anfield to watch the Reds, here’s a run down Liverpool’s new signings for the 2010/11 season…

PAUL KONCHESKY The former Fulham left-back arrived on Merseyside for a deal in the region of £4 million and made his debut against Birmingham City on 12 September 2010. The 29-year-old career began at Charlton, where he made 149 appearances and scored 5 goals. Since then, he’s enjoyed spells at West Ham and Fulham, where he played under new Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson.

RAUL MEIRELES Arriving from Porto, the central midfielder is known for his wide range of passing and long-range shooting. In 137 appearances for the Portuguese club, notching 15 goals. Also capable of playing the holding midfield role, Meireles has 40 caps for Portugal with an impressive seven international goals to his name.

BRAD JONES Australian international, Jones, joined from Championship club Middlesborough to provide challenge and provide support for Pepe Reina in the Liverpool goal. During his time at Boro, he played 57 times and gained further experience on loan at five clubs. The 28 year-old is yet to make his debut for Liverpool, but did star in Jamie Carragher’s testimonial.

CHRISTIAN POULSEN The 30-year-old defensive midfielder was already familiar to Hodgson, having played under the former Fulham chief while the pair were at FC Copenhagen. Before joining Copenhagen, the Danish international played for Nordvest FC, but has since gone on to enjoy successful spells at Shalke 04, Sevilla and most recently Juventus. He has 78 caps for his country, scoring six times.

JOE COLE With 56 England caps, Cole joined the club on a free transfer in the summer having decided to leave Chelsea at the end of his contract. He played 183 times for the current Premier League champions, winning the title and FA Cup three times each during his seven year stay. He began his career at West Ham United, where his dazzling skills from an attacking midfield role brought him to the attention of England for the first time.

MILAN JOVANOVIC Serbian star, Jovanovic, arrived in July from Belgian side Standard Liege, where he made 116 appearances. During that time the striker netted 52 times, although his time at Liverpool so far has seen him play from wide on the left of midfield. He has a one in three goalscoring record for his country, with 10 goals in 32 caps. He also scored the winning goal in Serbia’s 1-0 victory over Germany at this year’s FIFA World Cup.

DANNY WILSON Just 18 years old, but already a Scotland U21 star, this centre-back starlet joined from SPL giants Rangers, where he made 14 first team appearances. He has already been awarded the FWA Young Player of the Year and 2010 Scottish PFA Young Player of the Year.

JONJO SHELVEY With England U16, U17 and U21 caps to his name, Shelvey was regarded as one of the hottest young talents outside of the top flight when Liverpool parted with £1.7 million for his services in April. Although yet to done the famous red shirt of Liverpool, the talented midfielder made 42 first-team starts for Charlton and bagged 7 goals.

If you’re ready to watch these new stars, as well as the likes of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, why not make the trip to Liverpool by train? With excellent transport links, you could make your way into Liverpool Lime Street or Liverpool Central before heading to the ground.

Ronaldo de Assis Moreira is a famous Brazilian football player who is better known as Ronaldinho Gaúcho. His name Ronaldinho was used to distinguish him from a fellow Brazilian football celebrity whose name is also Ronaldo. Gaúcho was used when the existing Ronaldo was also known as Ronaldinho.

He was born on March 21, 1980 in Porto Alegre, Brazil. He is the youngest among the three siblings. Miguelina, his mother, was a sales woman who soon decided to take up nursing. João, his father was a worker in the shipyard and a football player for Cruzeiro. He died due to a heart attack when Ronaldinho was at the age of 8. Ronaldinho’s brother Roberto was also a professional football player for Grêmio. But his career ended too soon due to his injuries. And now he manages Ronaldinho. His sister, Deisi, is his press manager.

During Ronaldinho’s childhood days, his interest in football was already evident. He started playing futsal and beach football which later lead into his passion for a more established football game. His character as a football player developed in his early years.

His career as a skilled football player started when he joined the youth team in Porto Alegre club Grêmio. His extraordinary ball control and capability to score was rapidly displayed which lead him to fame. Many clubs from all over the world attempted to get him to be part of their teams. Eventually Ronaldinho signed a 5-year contract with Paris Saint-Germain which he joined at the start of the new season.

During his years with PSG, there were still much larger offers from different clubs, but he opted to stay with the team. But after some time he decided to leave the team after their many unsuccessful attempts to qualify for any European competitions. This caused a bidding war among the many clubs. Finally, the bidding ended up with FC Barcelona as the winning club for Ronaldinho’s services. They acquired him for £18 million. He was a very high paid player in Barcelona. He has had his terrible times in his career but his many achievements was far more overflowing than that. He had also joined the Brazilan National team.

Ronaldinho is one of the most successful football players in the world. He had so many achievements in his arena which includes the FIFA World Player of the Year wherein he was awarded in 2 consecutive years (2004-2005), the European Footballer of the Year award and the FIFPro World Player of the Year award which was also awarded to him in 2 successive years (2005-2006).

The draw for this season’s UEFA Champions League last 16 has taken place and it certainly produced some mouthwatering encounters to look forward to. These games will take place on February 24th & 25th with the return legs two weeks later on March 10th & 11th. Here is the full draw as it was drawn in Nyon, Switzerland:

Chelsea v Juventus

Villarreal v Panathinaikos

Sporting Lisbon v Bayern Munich

Atletico Madrid v FC Porto

Lyon v Barcelona

Real Madrid v Liverpool

Arsenal v Roma

Inter Milan v Manchester United

The current champions Manchester United and Sir Alex Ferguson face their old friend, the former Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho and his Inter Milan side who were knocked out by Liverpool last year at the same stage. Mourinho had made it clear he wanted to draw one of the English «big four» clubs and he certainly got his wish, with the first leg to be played at the San Siro. The game at Old Trafford will no doubt revive memories of Mourinho’s famous celebration, as he ran down the touchline back in March 2004 when his Porto side scored a last minute equaliser that sent United crashing out of the Champions League. Of course Mourinho and Porto went on the lift the trophy that season beating Monaco in the final.

Sir Alex Ferguson is also looking forward to the tie as well. Ferguson believes it will be very interesting to come up against Mourinho as he has a character with a good personality. Contrary to what used to go on between the two when Mourinho managed Chelsea, Ferguson also said that he has always got on well with the now Inter Milan manager. It didn’t take long for Mourinho to also start the psychological word games by talking up Man Utd. He stated that he wanted to be drawn against the best and that he got the European champions. Man Utd could also be crowned World Club Champions in Japan this weekend too. Meanwhile another of the English teams, Liverpool, were drawn against the current Spanish champions Real Madrid and their new manager, ex Tottenham boss, Juande Ramos. The former Tottenham manager has only just taken over at the Bernabeu and will no doubt be looking forward to his return to England with the 9 times winners Real Madrid. Liverpool have the perceived advantage of the second leg at Anfield due to finishing their group on top. The tie is a repeat of the 1981 Paris final, which the English side won 1-0 thanks to a goal by defender Alan Kennedy. That was the last time these two giants of European football have met in a competitive game.

The draw also provided Italian coach Claudio Ranieri the chance of an emotional return to London and Stamford Bridge, against his former club Chelsea, last year’s beaten finalists. Ranieri is now the manager get Italian giants Juventus. Ranieri was a popular figure at Stamford Bridge before being replaced by non-other than Jose Mourinho in 2004. This despite Ranieri guiding them to the Champions League semi-final, where they lost to Monaco, who as mentioned above were then beaten by Mourinho and Porto. Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal will have the first leg at home as they take on AS Roma. The Arsenal manager believes the Gunners, just like every other team now left in the competition, has a good chance of lifting the trophy in Rome come May. Despite both those difficult ties for Arsenal and Chelsea, they will have breathed a huge sigh of relief as the draw was made as they could have been paired with the current favourites Barcelona. They will have been extremely happy to have avoided the Catalans however, as mentioned above both Arsenal and Chelsea face difficult ties against AS Roma and Juventus respectively.

The «unlucky» team to draw Barcelona were the French champions Lyon and looking ahead to the game, their sporting director Bernard Lacombe admitted that they were very worried. Lyon couldn’t have been handed a more difficult game.

The Spanish team Villareal, which finished second in the group stages behind Manchester Utd, were handed, what on paper at least, looks one of the easier ties. They will face the Greek side Panathinaikos which pipped Inter Milan to top stop in their Group. So, Panathinaikos will equally be relived they didn’t finish second, as Utd would have been awaiting them. Former champions, and I suspect a dark horse for this season’s cempetition, Bayern Munich, will play the Portuguese team Sporting Lisbon and in the final tie of the round another Portuguese team Porto will go head to head with another Spanish team, Athletico Madrid.

There truly are some great games to look forward to in early 2009. No doubt there will be plenty of drama and a few shocks, the UEFA Champions League never disappoints once it has entered the sudden death knock-out stages.

Jose Maurinho is one of the most respected coaches in Europe. This is not only because he knows his job very well, but because he is disciplined and would never take nonsense from anybody. He knows what he wants and demands it, not minding what people would think of him, as long as what he needs would assist him get the needed result.

Jose Maurinho is a pace setter; he is a god father, a disciplinarian and a charismatic coach, whose results speak on his behalf. He may not have been a football player, but as a coach he is fulfilled. He has succeeded where others have failed: he has won several domestic titles and two champions league titles (with FC Porto and Internazionale Milan).

One strong point he has is that he knows how to use what he has to achieve the result he wants. He knows where there are deficiencies and what he needs to cure the deficiency. When he came to Chelsea FC for example, the club was seriously in need of the premiership title, having failed to win it in the past 50years. Maurinho came in, brought in the likes Didier Drogba, Michael Essien, Andrea Shevchenko, etc. and won the league back to back, breaking the 50years old jinx. He also won the FA cup, Carling cup and the community shield during his period of stay in Chelsea.

Nobody gave him the chance to win the champions league at Inter-Milan. People had thought that either Barcelona, Chelsea, Man-United, AC Milan, Real Madrid, Olympic Lyon, Liver pool or Bayern Munich would win the league; but coach Maurinho proved them all wrong, defeating Chelsea and Barcelona convincingly along the way. He finally snatched the UEFA champion’s league title beating Bayern Munich 2-0 in the final.

Now that he has signed to coach Real Madrid for the next 4 seasons, I see him winning the champions league which Marcello Lippi failed to win with the assemblage of world class players in his arsenal. With players like Christiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Karim Benzema, Raul Gonzalez, Higuain, Gutti, etc. Jose Maurinho would win several titles (domestic and continental) for the club, if only the club management would give him a free hand to make his selection and to determine the kinds of players to add to the team. Being a very respected coach who takes no nonsense from players, all players would surely give him his due respect and play in the role that they are assigned to play. As the new coach of Real Madrid, Jose Maurinho is set to make history again as he prepares to give them the champions league title which has eluded them for about a decade now.