So, how good is Juan Mata?
Chelsea have won 7, drawn 1 – 22 points and a 4 point lead over the two Manchester clubs after 8 games. Chelsea have been splendid till date and deservedly hold…
A Different Blue that’s Rising
Flip through the newspapers, and you’ll most certainly see at least one piece about the Red-half of Liverpool. Luis Suarez, Brendan Rodgers, FSG etc. The more illustrious Red part of Liverpool often…
October international break : some talking points
So that’s that. The international break is over. Millions over the world will be breathing a huge sigh of relief on the return of club football, without a doubt the more popular…
A United without Wingers
International break is on, and we’re faced with the worst nightmare that a football fan can expect – a weekend without league football. Nevertheless, this allows us folks here at Football Paradise…
I-League 2012-13 : Preview
As I write this, Ten Action is showing clips of Pailan Arrows going through their pre-match routines before squaring up against Mumbai FC. Yes, the I-League is finally underway. The not-so-smoothly-organized Federation…
In Rodgers we Should trust
As the full-time whistle was blown at Carrow road, the score-line read; Norwich City 2-5 Liverpool. This was Brendan Rodgers’s first win in the league as a Liverpool manager, six games…
El Clasico – A Short Preview
I’ve always loved El Clasico – partly because I just love the thought of my favorite club thrashing our eternal rivals. Of course the result doesn’t always go the way of the…
Farewell, Michael Ballack.
Michael Ballack announced his retirement from professional football yesterday, at the age of 36. I hadn’t really kept track of his career post-Chelsea, mostly because he seemed plagued by chronic injuries…
The Demise of the Milanese Giants
The peninsula nation of Italy, circa 2005-06, the nation’s footballing fraternity is only just unearthing the massive dent to its reputation that is the Calciocopoli scandal. As more and more evidence is…
Being Paul Scholes
UEFA Champions League 2007-08. Semi final. Manchester United vs Barcelona. Second leg. The first leg had been an eventful 0-0 draw at Camp Nou. Cristiano Ronaldo’s penalty miss in the 3rd minute…
Myth Of The Fence Sitters
Leading psychologists from Siggy Freud downwards have concluded that we humans are judgmental as a rule. There are few things that we can view dispassionately. If we take these as inviolable premises,…
Manchester United season drawing board for 2012/13
0-1 vs Everton. 3-2 vs Fulham. 3-2 vs Southampton. The season is underway, well and truly. Time to take a look at what Sir Alex Ferguson has on hand this season. TRANSFERS…
Football Jargon for dummies Pt 1- False 9
During EURO 2012 I noticed that a new fad had started. People started tossing around words like “False 9!” and “Deep Lying Playmaker!” without really knowing what they were talking about. But…
Will He Stay Or Will He Go?
“I am an Arsenal man. I think I have always shown that. I have to consider if I do well or not. If I don’t do well, I have to consider my…
Keep calm and hate Man United
“Hey man. So you watch football. Which team do you support?” “I support Chelsea. I hate Manchester United.” This is the average ice-breaker I have with most football fans who don’t support…
The Truth About Football
“Truth,” believed David Hume “springs from argument amongst friends.” I’m not quite sure what Mr. Hume had in mind when he declared this, but it certainly wasn’t football. Rational argument and logic…
Player Profile : Alex Song
Name : Alexandre Song Billong Position : Defensive Midfielder Age : 24 Height : 6′ 0″ Nationality : Cameroon After an impressive 2011-12 season with Arsenal FC, Alex Song has agreed…
India at Nehru Cup 2012 : A preview
The Nehru Cup is here! Just a day away now. The fantastic Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi should prove to be quite a venue to host this competition. After the 1 lac-seater…
Kopites, get a grip of Reality!
Frustration. That’s something Liverpool fans are accustomed to over the recent years. But what frustrates me the most is the fickle resolve shown by certain reds on my timeline as I pore…
The Midfield Equation
“Campeones! Campeones! Ole Ole Ole!”- The echoes were heard throughout London when Chelsea beat Bayern on penalties to clinch the ultimate prize; the one trophy that had eluded them, the coveted Champions…
To Hate Or Not To Hate
Despite Ferguson’s public flirtation with Robin Van Persie, I, for one, never truly believed it would happen. It just seemed too far-fetched. This is probably the sort of thing happening in FM…
Arsenal FC: Hopes and Expectations
There is something overwhelmingly positive about the start of a new football season. At the very core each fan nurtures a silent, unrelenting hope about their team’s chances, even if it is…
Robin Van Persie. Do United really need him?
59 goals in two seasons. 48 of them in the toughest league of them all. Some tap-ins, some unmarked headers, some opportunistic ones and some outrageously brilliant ones. And while all these…
The Centre-Back Conundrum
The defeat against Manchester City which was filled with controversial decisions (no comments) has shown us areas where we need to work on. One of the crucial areas is defense. Chelsea’s defense…