Bleacher Report - Articles by Sudip Bagui

El Clasico Breakdown: A Truly Even Affair Between Two Of Spain's Best

Sudip Bagui — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 20:02:27 -0500

Barcelona has claimed the first El Clasico of the season with a 1-0 win.

Many expected this game to be extremely high scoring given the offensive forces on both teams. Many expected to see Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi dominate the playing field.

However, although there were some moments of brilliance from the stars, this game ended up being a very even affair. The defenses of both Madrid and Barca were able to effectively shut down Messi and Ronaldo for long portions of the game.

Both Pepe and Albiol were solid in the back. They closed down Messi when he started one of his trademark mazy dribbles and forced him to pass the ball away.

The offense of Barca wasn't clicking as it usually did, and even Xavi wasn't able to make his defense-splitting passes like normal. It took a great cross for Dani Alves and a fantastic volley from substitute Ibrahimovic to decide the game.

Messi did lose the Real defenders late in the game to go one-on-one with Casillas but Casillas denied El Mesias the goal.

On the other side of the field, Madrid was surprisingly able to grind out more chances than their opponents.

Early on, Kaka set up Ronaldo to go one-on-one with Valdes, but Valdes saved CR9's shot with a great save.

Later on, Kaka was again the provider, this time setting up Marcelo, whose shot was superbly blocked by Barca captain Puyol.

Ronaldo was not shut down by the Barcelona defense as Messi was, although Puyol and Pique did a thorough job of stopping him when it mattered the most.

He was able to pull off some of his trademark stepovers and his speed did trouble the back line, but his crosses were always dealt with.

Kaka also did a good job, though he was slow to react many times. He was able to show his technique with some great dribbles and also set up his teammates with some great passes—but many times he was playing at a slower pace than the rest of his team.

The Barca midfield was not as dominant as it usually is; Madrid's passing was actually better than Barcelona's.

Sergi Busquet's didn't impress at all. He was sent off after his second yellow card and had almost no effect on the game.

A red card may have sent off Lassana Diarra, but that does not tell the whole story of his game. He was all over the field cleaning up loose balls and helping out the Madrid offense.

He was a standout performer.

Both goalkeepers performed when called upon, saving similar shots from Messi and Ronaldo.

Between Xabi Alonso and Xavi, the former Liverpool star was the more mobile of the two. He was able to get better touches and better passes.

This El Clasico didn't see some amazing showboating from the stars of the team, but it was a thoroughly even affair. It was a great game, and a great goal was scored.

This game was a great example of football's beauty; one team may be better by small amount, but a moment of brilliance can completely change the end result.

Cristiano Ronaldo: Looking Strong After Ankle Injury

Sudip Bagui — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 21:53:11 -0500

Cristiano Ronaldo finally made his return for Real Madrid against Swiss team FC Zurich after 55 days of injury sustained against Marseille.

He came on for club captain Raul in the 70th minute, much to the delight of the Real Madrid supporters at the Santiago Bernabeu. In the 20 minutes that he played, he was able to display many of his mind-boggling tricks and even some goalscoring chances, and despite not playing for 6 weeks, he did not show any sign of rustiness.

Ronaldo's first touches were simple passes to other teammates. Later on, he was able to embark on some fantastic runs that caused a certain amount of panic in the Zurich backline.

Ronaldo was also able to show that he still hadn't lost his trickery by displaying a couple of stepovers and other tricks. Ronaldo was also able to shoot from about 20 yards out at one point. The shot was blocked and CR9 had another chance which he shot just wide.

Later on, Ronaldo passed to Granero for a give and go which Granero followed through on. Ronaldo was able to get a well placed shot but the keeper made a fine save to deny the world's most expensive player a goal on his return.

In the end, Ronaldo had a thoroughly satisfying performance in his return.

Rating: 7.2

Sports Predictions for the Season

Sudip Bagui — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 10:21:33 -0500

Now that the NBA season is about to start and other sports are in full swing, I've decided to make a list of my predictions for this season. This season promises to be exciting for sports enthusiasts in all sports. Some predictions may seem totally wacky to you, so PLEASE feel free to comment about what you think differently, and try to compare you're predictions with real results and you'll have lots of fun.

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What Would Happen to Big Clubs if the 6+5 rule Was Implemented Now

Sudip Bagui — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 11:01:59 -0400

Many in the footballing world have heard of the new proposed "6+5 rule." The 6+5 rule means that at the beginning of a match, the starting lineup of both teams must consist of at least six players who can play for the national team of the club's country. However, out of the three subs allowed to be fielded, there is no limit to the number of foreign subs a team can field; and there is no limit to the number of players with contracts with the club. Starting in the 2010-11 season, clubs must field at least four players who may represent the country of the club. The next season, they must field five players; and the following season it will be increased to a third and final time to six, meaning at the start of the 2012-2013 season, the full 6+5 rule will be implemented. The purpose of this rule is to protect the national identity of the clubs, level the playing field a bit, and to lower the spending on high cost internationals (like Real Madrid and Manchester City have been doing). Now whether you agree on the rule or not won't matter, because odds are the plan will probably be carried out. But what would happen to the big name clubs if the full rule were implemented immediately? Would any of the teams have to switch there lineups around? And would their results differ from their previous form? For this article I will assume that all players are healthy to reduce complications. Let's check it out.

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Pelé or LeBron James: Who Is a Better King?

Sudip Bagui — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:36:04 -0400

Two professional athletes have been affectionately nicknamed "The King."

Pelé was nicknamed "O Rei," which means "The King," while LeBron James was nicknamed simply "King James."

Pelé is the greatest footballer ever, while LeBron is on course to be one of the greatest basketball players.

But which is a better king?

Pelé

Pelé is known around the world for his amazing footballing skills. He has won three World Cups and has been named Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee.

Pelé was known for his outstanding dribbling, passing, heading, and prolific goal-scoring ability. Over the course of his career, Pelé scored over 1,000 goals. He was always all over the field helping his teammates out by defending and attacking consistently.

Mere words cannot describe how great a football player he was. Pelé was simply magnificent.

LeBron James

LeBron James is very much like Pelé because he can defend very well, but he also has an outstanding scoring ability.

Like Pelé, LeBron is the leader of the team. He always helps out and is always all over the court.

James has won an Olympic Gold medal. However, he has never won an NBA title.

LeBron James may be the best basketball player in the world right now, but he can't compare to Pelé. Really, all he needs are a couple of NBA titles and he can give some competition.

Verdict

This is an easy win for Pelé.

If LeBron can win NBA titles and make his career one of the greatest in basketball, then he can compare. Right now though, Pelé is on top.

Sport's Three Biggest Current Rivalries

Sudip Bagui — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:41:45 -0400

There are so many rivalries in the sports world today in every sport. However some rivalries are bigger than others. By big I mean that these rivalries are not one-sided. Sometimes one player gets the upper hand as the better player, and sometimes it goes the other way. Sometimes, one players team is the better team, making fans automatically assume that the player with the better team is the better player. Three rivalries stand out to me, and these rivalries will be discussed in this article. Enjoy!!

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Most Dominant Athletes of the Past Three Years

Sudip Bagui — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:00:17 -0400

Some athletes are just plain old good at their sport. It's amazing how they always win some trophy, score a goal, or get 30 point games every other try. Sometimes it's really annoying. Other times, it's fun watching them dominate the competition. But whether it's annoying or not, you can't change how well they play, so you might as well enjoy it. Let's take a look at some of the most dominant athletes from the year 2007-2009.

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Kaka Presented As Real Madrid Player

Sudip Bagui — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:35:04 -0400

Brazilian playmaker Kaka was presented as a Real Madrid player in front of 50,000 fans on June 30 at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

The many fans continuously applauded the former World Player of the Year. Kaka revealed that he was glad to be a Real Madrid player, and was also glad to play alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, who he believes he will be very compatible with.

Kaka will take Fernando Gago's jersey number 8 at Real Madrid. However Gago was happy to give up the #8 in exchange for the #5 jersey.

Evaluating Individual Brazilian Accolades at The 2009 Confederations Cup

Sudip Bagui — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:05:20 -0400

Along with the championship trophy (and the FIFA Fair Play Trophy), Brazil racked up the most individual accolades of all the teams in the tournament.

Let's take a look at the award winners.

Golden Ball: Kaka

The Golden Ball award is given to the best player at the tournament.

Kaka was the most consistent player on the Brazilian team during the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup. Not only did he have so many of his terrorizing runs which split the defense, but he was also one of the most consistent passers, completing 74% of his passes.

In the group opener against Egypt, he scored the first goal, splitting the Egyptian defense with some intricate footwork. Then in the ninetieth minute, the game was tied 3-3. Kaka stepped up to score a penalty because of a handball in the box by an Egyptian defender. Because of his penalty, the Brazilians were able to walk away with a full three points.

In the next match against the USA, Kaka set up Ramires to make a long run, who then passed to Robinho who slotted it home. Later in the game, Kaka set up Maicon to score on a give-and-go.

In the final group match against Italy, Kaka assisted Luis Fabiano's second goal and the second goal of the game against Italy; and he also set up an own goal by playing a through ball to Robinho who played in a low cross which was slid in by Italian defender Dossena.

In the final, Kaka was one of the most threatening players on the field. At one point in the second half, a cross was played into the box which Kaka headed on goal. It looked as if American goalkeeper Tim Howard had saved the shot, so the referee signaled play on. However, video replays later on showed that the ball had clearly crossed the line.

Moments later though, all of that was forgotten when Kaka made a superb run which split the American defense and played a low cross into the box. Initially, Robinho's first attempt to finish hit the crossbar, but Luis Fabiano headed the rebound into the net immediately afterward.

Kaka finished the tournament with 2 goals, 3 assists, the Golden Ball award, and the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup trophy.

Golden Shoe/Silver Ball: Luis Fabiano

The Golden Shoe is given to the highest scorer at the tournament.

Luis Fabiano scored five goals on the road to being the highest scorer at the tournament and the highest scorer on the championship team.

Fabiano scored his first goal on a header against Egypt in the group opener. He added another two against Italy in the final group game. In the final, Fabiano scored another double to tie up the game against the Stars and Stripes.

The Silver Ball is given to the second best player at the tournament. The biggest reason for Fabiano winning this award was also probably because of the five goals that he scored.

Fabiano was a constant menace to the opposing defense.

Luis Fabiano and Kaka combined to give Brazil the most individual awards at the tournament; both were consistent and continuously attacked their opponents.

Did Kaka deserve his Golden Ball award and did Luis Fabiano deserve his Silver Ball? Or should someone else have won the awards? Share your thoughts.

2009 Confederations Cup: Evaluating Individual Spanish Accolades

Sudip Bagui — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:25:52 -0400

Spain may consider the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup a disappointment after its loss to the USA, but most would consider its third place finish a good showing.

Two players from this team won individual honors. Let's take a look.

Silver Shoe: Fernando Torres

The Silver Shoe is given to the the second highest scorer at the tournament. Fernando Torres scored three goals and added one assist, barely beating teammate David Villa to the award despite playing four fewer minutes than Villa.

Torres scored all three of his goals with a hat trick against New Zealand. It was the fastest hat trick in Confederations Cup history.

This one-game performance was all it took to garner Fernando Torres the Silver Shoe at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup.

Bronze Shoe: David Villa

The Bronze Shoe is given to the third highest scorer at the tournament. David Villa, like his teammate Fernando Torres, also scored three goals and one assist.

Villa scored one goal in each of his team's group matches. He barely missed the Silver Shoe because he played four more minutes than Torres. Still, Villa was arguably a better performer in the tournament than his teammate.

Both David Villa and Fernando Torres did very well, and consistently terrorized the opposing team's defense.

What do you think about the performances of the Spanish duo?

Evaluating Individual American Accolades at The 2009 Confederations Cup

Sudip Bagui — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:13:13 -0400

The Americans may have lost the final of the Confederations Cup, but certain individuals were recognized for their outstanding work at the tournament, specifically Clint Dempsey and Tim Howard.

Bronze Ball: Clint Dempsey

The Bronze Ball is given to the third best player at the tournament.

Clint Dempsey was the creative engine for the Americans at the tournament. He never tired, and ran endlessly on the offense and defense.

In the last three games of the tournament he scored three goals—one against Egypt which sealed the USA's spot in the semifinals, one against European champions Spain which sealed the USA's spot in their first ever FIFA final, and one against Brazil in the final of the tournament.

He thoroughly deserved this accolade, and had his side won the tournament, he probably would have won Golden Ball.

Although he would probably have gladly traded this one for the championship trophy, when he looks back, he can see that he made a great achievement for US Soccer.

Golden Glove: Tim Howard

The Golden Glove is given to the best goalkeeper at the tournament.

Tim Howard was clearly the standout goalkeeper in the tournament. He made many amazing saves against world powers like Brazil, Italy and Spain. When his defense was beaten, Howard was always there to clean up.

He terrorized opposing strikers with his shot-stopping ability. He clearly deserved this award.

I truly believe that these Americans deserved their awards. What do you think about the American award getters at the tournament; did they deserve the honors?

2009 FIFA Confederations Cup All Star Team

Sudip Bagui — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 20:24:58 -0400

Now that the FIFA Confederations Cup is drawing to a close, let's take a look at the best players from this tournament. Many unexpected players have turned in stellar performances. The formation for this team will be 4-4-2, while I will pick four subs, one for each position. This team is entirely of my opinion, so if you feel that a different player is better in a certain position, feel free to comment. Or, if you feel the need to create an entirely different team with a different formation, then please comment.

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Reasons That the USA beat Spain

Sudip Bagui — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 20:20:54 -0400

The USA pulled off one of the biggest upsets in USSoccer history by defeating the #1 team in the world, Spain. Not only that, but because of this game, Spain's unbeaten streak and winning streak were snapped (which were world records too). Now let's take a look at some of the players and the characteristics that they have that helped pull off this MASSIVE upset.

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USA Vs Spain: Which Americans Should Play a Part?

Sudip Bagui — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:43:12 -0400

The USA failed to impress against Brazil and had an average game against Italy, but proved their critics wrong with a much improved game against Egypt.

With that result plus a little help from Brazil, the Stars and Stripes were able to move to the semifinal round of the FIFA Confederations Cup. The team can look ahead to the next round, which will be played against European champions Spain.

The last time the USA played Spain, La Furia Roja won 1-0 in a closely contested match. But for now, let's take a look at some of the selections the USA can make for their starting 11 in this next game.

Goalkeeper

Now that Brad Guzan has had an impressive Confederations Cup debut against Egypt, there can finally be some competition for this position in the US camp. Tim Howard had a long season for Everton, which may be why he wasn't performing so well in the first two matches.

Guzan, however, who plays backup for American goalkeeper Brad Friedel at Aston Villa, was solid between the sticks against Egypt. Guzan didn't punch the ball out into more danger like Howard did.

My choice: Brad Guzan

Defense

The central defense was under question after the Brazil match, but now Jay DeMerit and Oguchi Onyewu have finally show some cooperation. Those two also have done very well in the air. At right back, Jonathan Spector had a solid showing, and is the clear choice to fill this position.

Jonathan Bornstein wasn't the most solid of left backs. Since Onyewu and DeMerit are doing very well in the center, if Bocanegra can make a return from injury, i would slot Bocanegra in at left back instead of Bornstein, although that is probably not going to happen.

Midfield

Michael Bradley always puts his heart into a game, so he obviously holds a starting spot. I would put him in as a holding midfielder. On the left wing, I would put Jose Torres, who is probably itching to play. On the right, I would slot in Landon Donovan.

The last time the USA played Spain, the USA's main playmaker was Freddy Adu. He probably would have found a way to score if he hadn't been taken off at halftime. I would put in Adu as the attacking midfielder. Either that or put Adu on the left, take out Torres, and slot Feilhaber in as the attacking midfielder.

Clint Dempsey should be rested. Sure, he looked like he wanted to prove his critics wrong in the Egypt game (and in a way he did), but he also looked really tired.

Perhaps coming on as a sub would be best for him, so he can be rested ahead of the final match of the tournament, whether it be the final or the third place match. And I trust the guys picked not to give away the ball so easily.

Forwards

Jozy Altidore has been a regular starter for the USA in the Confederations Cup, and I would stick with him. I would also stick with Charlie Davies partnering him. Davies did really well and didn't give up. He scored a goal against Egypt and did very well.

Obviously, I haven't seen the team training, so I don't really know the current form of the players who haven't been playing regularly for their clubs, like Freddy Adu.

Still, if I was the coach, and he was doing well, then I would definitely give him a chance. Also, guys like Torres or Feilhaber should be given more chances too.

This the team that I would like to see starting against Spain.

GK: Brad Guzan

RB: Jonathan Spector

CB: Oguchi Onyewu

CB: Jay DeMerit

LB: Jonathan Bornstein

RM: Landon Donovan

DM: Michael Bradley

AM: Benny Feilhaber

LM: Freddy Adu

S: Jozy Altidore

S: Charlie Davies

Who would you like to see playing against the European champions?

Where To For Freddy Adu?

Sudip Bagui — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 19:24:15 -0400

Recently, U.S. head coach Bob Bradley has come under criticism for his tactics and lineups. Many, including myself, implore Bradley put in Freddy Adu.

However, Bradley has a good argument for this: Adu's not getting any playing time. It could be argued that neither are Jozy Altidore or DaMarcus Beasley and they're still in the starting lineup, but that story is for another day.

The fact is, Bradley does have a point. Adu is not getting any playing time. Even players on the national team, like Landon Donovan, suggest to Adu to find a club where he can play more often. Let's take a look at some of the choices that Adu does have.

Benfica/MLS

Benfica recently named a new head coach, Jorge Jesus. One option is that Adu could stay at Benfica and see if Jorge Jesus likes him. If the head coach does like him, then he'll get more playing time.

However, if Adu does not find favor with Jesus, then during the winter transfer market, move to the MLS. Adu can't afford more time on the bench with the World Cup coming up, and MLS teams will definitely chase after the youngest player to play and score in their league.

Other European Leagues

Obviously, there are many European football leagues, and there are leagues where Americans have done well in the past and are currently doing well in, such as the German Bundesliga, the Belgian First Division, and French Ligue 1.

Recent rumours have also suggested that Adu might go to Spain because he likes their playing style. The problem with this idea is that if Adu goes to a big team, he'll probably get more time on the bench.

The best idea is to go to a weaker team in one of the aforementioned leagues or even go to a second division club in Germany or Spain that will promise him playing time. The USA hasn't usually had a problem with calling up players in European second division clubs as long as they're getting quality playing time.

Hurry Back to MLS

By hurry back to the MLS, I mean hurry back as soon as he's done with national team duties. This will give him optimal playing time and experience. And with the World Cup less than a year away, he'll need all the time on the pitch as possible.

My suggestion is to look for a European team which will give him playing time, or stay with Benfica if promised time on the pitch. If not promised playing time, then hurry back to the MLS.

Freddy Adu is the only American that possesses certain qualities such as creativity, and the USA needs those qualities. Adu won't play for the USA unless he plays for his club, and if he returns to the MLS, then not only will he get to start for his club, but also for his country.

Fergie's New Fledglings

Sudip Bagui — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 22:25:25 -0400

So many people say that Manchester United need new signings to replace Ronaldo. But there are a couple of young players in the squad already that Sir Alex Ferguson can develop to become the next great stars, just like he did with Ronaldo. Many of these players have already had tremendous seasons with Manchester United last term. If Fergie concentrates enough on them, they can easily make another "Fergie's Dream Team."

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Five Things the USA Soccer Team Needs to Improve Its Game

Sudip Bagui — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 16:06:40 -0400

The United States lost to Italy 3-1 on Monday in their opening match of the 2009 Confederations Cup. They will play Brazil on Thursday in a game where points are a must.

Some say the Yanks did poorly against Italy, but I think they did well. However, there are still areas where the United States can improve.

Passing

Now, personally, I think that dribbling is cooler than passing. But the fact of the matter is, the U.S. has no good dribblers; and the dribblers in the squad (like Freddy Adu) are not usually in the starting lineup.

This is why the United States needs to improve on its passing. Short and quick passes can be very helpful in getting the ball up the field.

So many times in the past few games, the United States has given up a goal which could have been avoided if the player had not over-dribbled.

Against a Brazil side with Robinho's flair and Kaka's speed and passing, the USA will need to be careful and pass more to avoid giving up the ball and another goal.

Long distance shooting

Long distance shooting can be a very helpful and potent weapon if used correctly. Against Italy, the Stars and Stripes threatened about three times from distance.

If they can shoot from distance and get the shot on target, then either of the following could happen: a goal could occur, a rebound could be given up by the goalkeeper resulting in another chance at goal for the Americans, or the keeper may just get rattled and give up an easy goal later on because of his shakiness from the previous shot.

Also, this could really help on free kicks. Donovan wasted some chances from free kicks that he should have scored on. More practice on free kicks and distance shooting would be really helpful.

Long distance shooting defensively

This has become a real problem for the Americans, particularly Tim Howard. The United States has given up four goals from outside the penalty area in the last three games.

The US midfield needs to concentrate on not giving time and space to their opponents because you never know when he's going to shoot.

Also, Howard needs to practice stopping shots from distance, because he has the ability to stop some shots that he lets past.

Creativity

This goes along the lines that Freddy Adu SHOULD be given more playing time. Adu has the ability to find forwards when no one else on the team can.

Against Spain last year, he found Eddie Johnson numerous times and the USA would have won if only Johnson would have been able to finish.

Another player on the team with some creativity is Feilhaber. Against Honduras, he did really well in reminding people that he has flair and creativity; but against Italy, less of it was shown.

However, I think that against the country of his birth, he will be up to the challenge of showing people why Bob Bradley chose him for the team.

Finishing

Finishing is one thing that could have really helped the USA against Italy. Once Altidore was on a one-on-one with Buffon and he passed instead of shooting.

Michael Bradley was in the same position later on in the game, and he did the same thing.

The Americans need to be more confident about their finishing and take a crack at the goal. Odds are they probably won't miss anyways.

I don't expect these to be the only things that the USA needs help at, but these were a few areas that I noticed that they needed help in.

Also, they will need way more practice if they want to get points off of Brazil, especially with turning on the creativity.

However, if they improve in these areas, they will do probably do very well against the two-time Confederation Cup champions.

CR7 Is No More! A Look at Ronaldo's Potential Madrid Number

Sudip Bagui — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:04:02 -0400

Now that Cristiano Ronaldo plays for Real Madrid, one decision he must make is his jersey number. Seven is an absolute no-no since that number belongs to Raul, the Madrid captain. Let's take a look at five numbers that Ronaldo might choose.

#9. The number nine is the number most likely to be chosen by Ronaldo. This number is traditionally given to the best scorer on the team. Obviously, the former Manchester United man's scoring abilities are very well known. With Javier Saviola not getting much playing time for Los Blancos, CR7 may very well be CR9 next season.

#17. The number 17 was Ronaldo's previous number on the national team. However, Ronaldo probably wont like "CR17" that much, but he might want to try it again. Of course, if Ronaldo wants to wear 17 for Real, then you might see him wearing 17 for Portugal; but I doubt he will even choose this number.

#23. Now i know what you're probably thinking. Why in the world would Cristiano Ronaldo EVER wear the number 23? However, Ronaldo has drawn many comparisons to David Beckham, and he might choose to follow Golden Balls and honor the previous Galacticos winger.

#28. 28 was Ronaldo's number at his first club. Although this is also a long shot, he may want to try to bring back his good old times from Sporting.

#77. Certain players try to double their luck by doubling their number, and Ronaldo might choose this number just to do that.

CR9 is probably the best choice for Ronaldo, especially for certain marketing purposes, as CR17, CR23, CR28, and CR77 might just look a bit awkward. Also, there might be a bit of a problem with some of these numbers since 9 and 23 belong to Javier Saviola and Rafael Van der Vaart, respectively; these two may be reluctant to give up there numbers.

However, since they don't have captain status like Raul, the coach may be able to persuade one of the two to give up his number for the $131 million player.