Ever wondered Why Major League Soccer?

Major League Soccer

David Beckam, Kaka, Jermain Defoe, Thierry Henry, David Villa, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and now the latest transfer speculation of Xavi from Barcelona.

All of them either joined and retired at Major League Soccer or will be joining MLS by the end of their contract of their previous club. It is quite intriguing as to Why out of all the league’s these entire club legends are joining MLS? Did you ever think about this?

Over the past few years Football (Soccer)in the United states and Canada has emerged so much that players are motivated to join MLS prior to their retirement, Be it playing for LA Galaxy, Orlando City, New York City, or any MLS club,these players do not think that this is a downfall in their career but a path for new challenges, new style of play and learning football the American style.Before telling you about the possible reasons, let us know a little bit about MLS.

• · MLS(Major league Soccer) is Professional Soccer League representing the sports highest level in The United States and Canada.
• Founded on December 17, 1993. First match on October 20, 1996.
• Composed of 20 teams, 17 in the U.S and 3 in Canada.
• Runs from March to October with each team playing 34 games.
• The name of the MLS trophy is MLS cup.

Now, since we know a little bit about MLS, let us see what might have motivated these Players to join Major League soccer:-

Salary

It is true that MLS does pay a real hefty amount to their star players but those who joined had several other reasons apart from salary, even you cannot argue about. MLS does offer a great benefit to players which eventually compensates with their salary. David Beckham became the highest earning sportsman in the U.S when he signed the contract with LA Galaxy. Even Kaka who joined Orlando city signed a pretty good contract with Orlando city, which stated that he will be earning a base salary of $6.66 million and an annual guaranteed compensation of $7.17million. Kaka’s move to Orlando City turned out to be the biggest in Major League Soccer history. Getting a good salary is quite an incentive for players to join MLS.

DESIRE TO START FROM ZERO

You cheer them when they are in-form and you hate them when they don’t. MLS fans are always excited to see their idols like David Beckham, Mikael Silvestre, Kaka, Thierry Henry, David Villa. Seeing them play for or against your team is always nice, after all, football is to be enjoyed and more to that is to see these players enjoy and show-off their skills on the field.The fans have definitely seen ups and downs in the form of their players and it’s a part of every player’s life but in MLS things never go out of hand, such is the patience of the fans.

WINNING MORE TROPHIES

It is always nice to win more trophies right, so why not add achievements from different leagues to your portfolio. Definitely the players who choose MLS would always like to add more trophies to their tally and end their successful career with an additional trophy in the United States.

NO LONGER SITTING ON THE BENCH

What generally happens at major clubs is when a player reaches a certain age, the coach begins to have doubts about whether that player should start the game. In MLS the player has better chances to start the game and with his experience he might be able to help team win the games. This can be a major reason as each footballer wants to play each and every game of his life till the time he completely retires from football.

LOVE FOR THE CITY

When Thierry Henry joined New York Red bulls what he emphasized on was his love for the city. He mentioned that he always wanted to live in New York which led and motivated him to join New York Red Bulls. So, are many of the football stars joining MLS to stay in the United States? It might be true that some of the stars love American Cities and would like to have a nice peaceful life with their families in a new city. So, why not join MLS when it offers everything?

In recent years, we have seen football grow across the world and not only South America and Europe. We all saw the new US Soccer international team in the recent FIFA World Cup 2014, giving back to back amazing performances and a ‘never give up’attitude which led them to the final 16 of the world cup, it clearly showed how much USA has to offer to the world of football and I am pretty sure that soon Major League Soccer will be a much more renowned and followed league just like Barclays Premier League and La Liga.

Is the Title Race back on Track?

EPL TITLE RACE IS BACK ON TRACK

Premier league is the most unpredictable league after all, with clubs like Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham, and Liverpool all fighting for the top 4 spot. Chelsea are just 7 points clear off Manchester City and behind City is Arsenal with just 1 point difference and Manchester United after defeating Liverpool are 5 points clear of Liverpool and all the top 4 teams are contesting for the league title.

Let’s have a check on who has the better edge of winning the title.

Chelsea

Currently sitting on the top of the table and with a six point gap, are the favorites to win the league with 9 matches remaining compared to other teams who just have 8. Though, a slip now can result in losing the title. Chelsea will face against Stoke(H), QPR(A), Man Utd(H), Arsenal(A) ,Leicester(A), Crystal Palace(H) in the next 6  games. With Arsenal and Man Utd founding their form back it will be difficult for Chelsea who has had a shaky form in the last 6 fixtures (w-w-d-w-d-d). Diego Costa has faced a hamstring injury but it looks like he will be available for Chelsea’s next fixtures. Eden hazard, CescFabregas, Oscar, Willian and especially (Courtois who made 3 back to back saves against hull)all look in good form and if things continue to go well for them they might lift the trophy this season under Jose Mourinho.

Manchester City

The title defenders sit on the 2^nd spot with Chelsea drifting apart with a 6 point lead and a game in hand. Manchester City has the class to challenge for the league title and the champions league but why is that they are not able to play themselves through. The records clearly state that their away form has been into questioning with just gathering 8 points from their last 6 away games(W-D-D-W-L-L). Their Recent Champions League defeat to Barcelona again resulted in a disappointing champions league display and if they need to really win all the next games in which they will be facing Crystal Palace(A), Manchester United(A), West Ham(H), Aston Villa (H), Spurs(A), QPR(H). Their top players (Sergio Aguero, David Silva, James Milner, Joe Hart, Vincent Kompany) really need to get into action and help their team retain their Title.

 Arsenal

Arsenal can be described as the Phoenix Club, though they had a really poor start but after the winter break they have pulled themselves up and have bagged 6 consecutive wins in the league and sit on the 3^rd spot.They defeated Manchester United in the FA cup and again showed their class, when they pulled back 2 goals in the away match against Monaco but were knocked out. Arsene Wenger still claims that the title still can be won by Arsenal and if they continue to perform like this,definitely there is hope for them. They face Liverpool(H), Burnley(A), Chelsea(H), Hull(A), Swansea(H), Man Utd(A).their top players Santi Cazorla, Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil, Giroud create a powerful attacking force and Arsenal are very much in the title race only of the win all their next fixtures.

Manchester United

Glory Glory Man Utd! The fans love chanting the glory song. Manchester United are certainly back on track under Louis Van Gaal, indeed the strict coach has found his best line and fans now understand the philosophy. United has just lost once in their last six premier league games and have collected 15 crucial points which will help them retain their position in the top 4. United overcame Tottenham and Liverpool in their previous fixture and will face Aston Villa(H), Man City(H), Chelsea(A), Everton(A), West Brom(H) and Crystal Palace(A) and they will need to work really hard to retain a spot for champions league position. However, it isn’t impossible for them looking at their record against tough teams. With Wayne Rooney scoring goals and Fellaini, Mata and Ashley Young showing an impressive form, the next fixtures are a must watch.

Liverpool

They had a really poor start but then after the winter break we saw a rejuvenated Liverpool, bagging 5 consecutive win and 1 defeat in their last 6 games, Liverpool fans are finally expecting to atleast qualify for the Champions League. Liverpool next fixtures are against Arsenal(A), Newcastle(H), Hull(A), West Brom(A), QPR(H) , Chelsea(A) and if they are really hungry for that top 4 spot they need to overcome all of these teams. Coutinho and Jordon Henderson are in the form of their life and will need to take the responsibility of carrying their team forward. Daniel Sturridge and Raheem Sterling are finding their feet to be more consistent infront of the goal

Tottenham and Southampton

The only  good thing happened with Tottenham this season was their academy youngster Harry Kane,giving amazing  performances and fighting for the the golden shoe alongside Sergio Aguero and Diego Costa, Kane has scored 19 goals this season so far and continues to perform, even Cristian Erikson has shown some amazing performances in the past few fixtures and with several clubs keeping an eye on him, Spurs need to really boost up their away performance, though it looks that a top 4 spot might be out of the question.

Southampton really lifted some eye brows when the season began but their form in the last six games has dropped with 2 win, 2 draws and 2 defeats which resulted in losing all their hope for the top 4 spot.

Image courtesy- Google

Being a Defender is equally difficult

Defense is the most important part of a team; it’s pointless if you keep on scoring goals and conceding them at the same time. This is when a defender plays his role, not only he has to stop the attacker but he should be rock solid at the back.

So let’s see what all things make a complete defender:

Build a Body

A defender needs to understand the physical demands while playing in different defensive roles. A Centre backs needs to be physically strong and quick as they will be facing pacey and powerful players, whereas full-backs need to be fast and tricky as they will be running up and down the pitch a lot so they need to be fit at all times with super stamina.

Anticipate the Attacker

Being a defender is never easy, one mistake and you can cost a goal. A defender needs to anticipate the move of the player he has to anticipate the direction in which the player will be moving and he needs to intercept rather than tackling. He needs to understand that one wrong tackle will lead to free kicks or even penalties. It is also his duty to pass the ball back to the keeper and should know very well when to clear the ball. If a defender keeps the striker facing towards his goal then he has done his job. He needs to push the player on to his weaker foot which will eventually result in missing the shot. As a Full Back, the defender has to make the first move and stop the attacker breaking through; his job is to stop the crosses and the chances that are created from the wings.

Maintain the line

Many a times you might have seen that there is lack of communication between the full-back and the centre back which results in strikers breaking the defence and scoring. Hence, Centre backs need to maintain the line with full backs which will help in creating offside traps and making it difficult to break through, whereas as full-backs needs to understand that not only they are facing the wingers but also full-backs of the opposition and he really needs to focus, if he goes off the line from the wing, an attacker might break in easily and create a problem for the goalkeeper.

Understand your Attribute as a Defender

A defender needs to be quick, agile, aggressive and smart. A defender needs to understand his opponent and his next move; if a defender is beaten he will need to make a recovery run towards the near post to get the goal side of the attacker. Recovery run are very important for a defender as it might be his last chance to pull through his mistake

Tackling and Intercepting

This is the most important job of the defender, his tackling needs to be accurate and he should never lose the sight of the ball. A defender can only tackle when the attacker is within his range, unnecessary tackling and improper tackling might cost him a card and serious mistimed tackling can even result in a red card.

Intercepting is quite different from tackling. If interception is madethere are fewer chances of errors and a defender really needs to make this decision whether to tackle or intercept.

Heading Accuracy

In the modern game heading accuracy is very important and especially if you are a centre back then your heading accuracy needs to be perfect. The centre backs will be facing a lot of crosses and he needs to direct the ball away from the goal, apart from saving his goalkeeper from crosses a centre back even attacks during set-pieces and a defenders best chance to score is through his heading accuracy

Biggest Club Rivalries

Club Rivalries

Real Madrid Vs Barcelona

(Spain)

Perhaps the biggest rivals in the world of football, “El Clasico” never ever disappoints its viewers and is also the most watched matches around the world.  Currently the feud is not just between Real Madrid and Barcelona but it is also said to be the match between two of the best footballers on the planet(Leo Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo). El Clasico is also a battle for both prestige and political ascendency, a struggle between the wealthy elites of Madrid and the socialist separatist of Barcelona. Though you can see a fight between the players begin during the game but thankfully fan violence is rare as compared to European countries. The best part is you don’t have to wait too long to see this epic battle.

On 22^nd march 2015 The Catalians and Castilians meet in a league game.

Liverpool vs Manchester United

(England)

One of the biggest rivalries in English football! The Rivalry between the Red Devils and the Reds is considered as one epic battle between the two English armies. They have a total of 120 honours and 80 major and both the clubs claim the title of ‘Greatest English Football Club’. The two cities being just 35 minutes from each other share a great passion for football and on March 22^nd 2015 you can see them again go head to head with each other.

AC Milan vs Internazionale

(Italy)

"Derby Della Madonnina" or “The Milan Derby”  is one heck of match. It so called to honor the statue of Virgin Maryon the top of duomo, which is usually called Madonnia. The battle between the Nerazurri and the Rossoneri has surpassed 100 years, the derby began in a friendly match on 18 October 1908. It is also one of the most viewed matches and it is widely considered as the major cross town derbies in the Serie A, so much, that only selected referees may officiate whenever these two clubs collide.

Ajax vs Feyenoord

(Netherlands)

Een hel van een spel! Alright this means ‘one hell of a game in Dutch’, which this match truly is. This derby is known as “De Klassieker(the Classic)”. This Dutch grudge match has seen violence in the past and things even went out of control so much in 1997/98 season that the away Fans were banned for two Away Games.

This strict measure was introduced when an Ajax supporter was beaten to death in the outskirts of Amsterdam. Things got heated up again in 2005 when these two sides met each other and riots took place outside Feyenoord.

So, it can also be called as Holland’s most hated fight club.

Fenerbahce vs Galatasaray
(Turkey)

    “The Istanbul Derby” is the clash between these two giants and whenever the match happens there is a volatile atmosphere, as both the clubs are based in Istanbul, local passions and political tension are pretty intense. Over the long course of history this derby has had its share of violence among the clubs highly passionate fans and like the “De Klassiekar” , this derby has also claimed lives due to the countless acts of violence and rioting.

River Plate vs Boca Juniors

(Argentina)

“The SuperClasico”…Yes that’s right! This derby is known as the Super Clasico, A match between the Argentine heavy weights both hailing from Beunos Aires. SuperClasicos are noted for the gigantic flags and colourful banners which the clubs supporters hang from every conceivable part of the stadium, Although sometimes it’s not often so colourful when violence arises between the fans. The worst incident took place in the summer of 1968 when 71 fans were killed and 150 injured in a crushing stadium stampede in the away end of River’s El Monumental Stadium. Though the ‘Peurta 12’ Incident has scarred many of the supporters, theSuperClasico continues to be Argentina’s most intense Derby.

Roma vs Lazio
(Italy)

“Derby Della Capitale”, Like the Milanese team involved in Derby Della Klassieker. ‘Roma’ representing the Roman working class and ‘Lazio’ the club of wealthy elites share bitter hatred for each other which stretches back to generations. The “Derby dellaCapitale” is notorious for being Italy’s most violent and volatile fixtures and fights tend to stand up not just among the fans but between the players and the coaching staff aswell. This derby has been historically marked by massive crowds, Violence and racist banners in the crowd. It is amazing to see when these two clubs collide whether in a friendly, league or cup match.

Celtic vs. Rangers

(Scotland)

Wanna talk about derbies… well then,Glassgow is the place. Any match between Celtic and Ranger is called the “Old Firm Derby”although the origin is still not known but the Rivalry is very clear. Oh and yes, this game is also set be a religious conflict between the Protestants (Rangers) vs.Catholics (Celtic) factions of the Glasgow.Though serious Violence has reduced in the recent years but the Old firm Derby remains to be one of the most volatile and politically sensitive derby in world of football.

Image courtesy-Google

The Spanish Giants

European champions!!!

After an away defeat to Athletic Bilbao in the La Liga, Real Madrid again faced a really shocking, humiliating and embarrassing defeat to the German side Schalke 04 in the Champions league. Though they narrowly escaped the exit from Champions League because of the goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcelo in the First leg, Schalke had all the intention to keep the Spanish Giants on their knees, throughout the game!

It was again due to 2 brilliant headers from Ronaldo that matched the goals from Christian Fuchs and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar before the referee blew the first half whistle. Benzema gave the lead to Madrid on 52^nd minute but goal from Schalke’s Leroy Sane on the 57^th minute again brought down Madrid to the same spot. The final goal was scored by Ex Real striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Madrid faced a humiliating defeat to Schalke 04 at home. Though Real Madrid progressed to the Quarter –Finals but some might say that Schalke deserved to progress to the next leg more than Real Madrid.

 

Let’s now do some analysis and figure out where all Real Madrid went wrong and costed them the defeat:

Disorganized Defense

After the injury of Sergio Ramos, Madrid’s defense has been into questioning with Ancelotti pairing Pepe and Varane who is considered to be as one of the most exciting prospects for Real Madrid. On Tuesday against Schalke, Varane played quite shockingly and made an excellent back pass, whereas Fabio Coentrao was wandering on the pitch which really costed him.

Apart from them even Alvaro Arbeola didn’t follow the defensive line and made quite a few errors, along with no proper marking on the Schalke players and it gave them a clear path to rip apart Real’s defense. Bale is also being accused of being lazy and not helping his team to defend. Schalke was waiting for these errors and they took the full advantage of it.

Lack of Confidence

After a shocking defeat to Atheltic Bilbao, Madrid’s squad lacked confidence, Schalke was able to dispossess the players quite easily and despite Ronaldo giving an amazing performance, none of the others players can be rated above 6/10. The players had several poor touches, lost possession on crucial areas of pitch and the defenders were not able to mark the position of the attackers and from time to time Casillas was being tested.

Lack of Rotation

After losing Sergio Ramos and James Rodriguez to injury, Real Madrid has lost its touch in the game, this is because of lack of rotation in the squad, Madrid has several world-class players to fill in that position but as of now they are not living up to their reputation. Toni Kroos has played all the La Liga and Champions League and it looks like he is tired and needs to rest to be at his best once again.

Relying on Individual Skill

With players like BBC(Bale, Benzema, Cristiano) who can break through the defense with an ease, but at the moment Real madrid’s attackers are relying too much on their individual skills, which Ancelotti really needs to focus on. In the past few games Madrid’s major amount of goals are coming from penalties, to turn around things at Madrid all players needs to play as a team, similar to the way they were playing in the beginning of the season which helped them grasp an amazing 22 win streak.

Lack of fan support

Win or Lose, Players and Clubs needs support from their fans. Firstly after the Schalke defeat, the fans booed their Team on their way out, in previous matches they were constantly behind Gareth Bale due to his poor performances. The Fans need to have faith in their club, especially a club like Madrid who had an amazing 22 win streak before the year ended.

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FERNANDO TORRES (THE PHEONIX OF FOOTBALL)

Rise, Fall & Rise?

Torres, one of the deadliest strikers!

Though, he had a pretty steep fall in his career from being the deadliest to becoming the most disastrous striker of all time, what went wrong? Why wasn’t he able to match his performance with his reputation?

May be these are the few of those reasons (who knows):

50£ Million Tag

When Torres joined from Chelsea he was benched for most of the games and was either put on as a substitute. A player of this competence needs to play games to maintain his form or he will lose his touch. When you buy a player you have to show the faith in him which Chelsea didn’t have in Torres and soon he lost his tag of being no.1

Lack of Effort

A player needs to prove himself in the training session. He needs to show his coach that he deserves to be in the first team. Torres was fighting for his first team spot and instead of switching from one team to another he should have fought for his place. Winning the world cup is not enough for a player, you have to judge him according to his current form, and in Torres’s case the odds were against him, he wasn’t scoring nor was he creating chances.

Style of Play

If you compare style of play, Liverpool is much more dependent on its strikers. They have players who could win the ball in their own half and Steven Gerrard used to provide excellent balls for Torres to finish, however Chelsea had a complete different style of play so that might have affected him.

Psychological Problems

When a player is in bad form especially a world class player like Fernando Torres he knew he wasn’t scoring and to that the media kept on reminding him that he isn’t scoring and this must have affected him psychologically.

Could these be the reason that affected Torres and forced him to become a world class striker to worst class? Maybe yes and maybe no, but then you really don’t know what was the actual reason behind the dip in a player’s form!

On December 27^th 2014, it was confirmed that Torres has returned to his parent club on loan from Chelsea to Atletico Madrid where the manager Diego Simeone who already celebrated winning the LA LIGA with Atletico Madrid put his faith in Torres and gave him the chance.

After a disastrous spell at Chelsea and at AC Milan Torres had a good start with Atletico, he has already netted the ball 3 times and also has been voted as the January signing and it looks like we might be able to see the real Torres back in the coming days.