Bleacher Report - Articles by Anish Bharadwaj

The Big Four's Season So Far: Early Signs

Anish Bharadwaj — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 02:19:45 -0400

Three of the Premier League's big four teams have played four games, and already you can sense the critics are sharpening their knives and picking out their prey. By no means is a club's fortunes clear at this early stage of the season, but what are the early signs?

Who have hit the ground running? Who have not quite? Who have ridden on their luck, and who have serious issues to deal with already?

Following the departures of Ronaldo and Tevez, most experts had predicted a return of the league trophy to Stamford Bridge. Chelsea appear a settled outfit, and with the only significant transfer action being incoming, Carlo Ancelotti could not have asked for more (though he probably did).

In terms of results until now, Chelsea have a perfect record and the big plusses for them seem to be the rejuvenation of some of their fringe players, most notably Ricardo Carvalho and Deco.

However, I am not too sure if they have convinced me as a side which can go on to win the league. If their competitors falter along the way, the Blues might just snick it. But they probably have the oldest starting eleven in the league, and do not have a third striker worth boasting about.

Add to that the transfer ban and the African Nations Cup, and you realise that Messrs Lampard and Terry indeed have their task cut out. In the end, I think it will all boil down to Ancelotti. If he can marshal his resources masterfully, then Chelsea definitely have enough characters in their numbers to bring back the title. But until the first strikes of adversity, I reserve my judgement.

Manchester United may appear a far weaker side with Valencia playing instead of Ronaldo, and that is mainly because it's true. With no Ronaldo, they have one of the least creative midfield's among the top six, and it is this absence of the X-factor which really makes me doubt their title credentials this time around.

Their defeat against Burnley notwithstanding, they have had a good start to the season compared to previous campaigns in recent history.

But they will have to go from strength to strength and become the first side in Premier League history to win the title four times in a row, then it is really up to Wayne Rooney to inspire this side and be the player Sir Alex Ferguson envisioned when he paid over the odds to land him. Whatever happens, anything lower than a second place finish would surprise me.

Arsenal may have lost at Old Trafford, but that's hardly a game that you simply must win to win the league. If Eduardo can stay fit and Vermaelen holds his own throughout, then this season could well be The Professor's 'coming of age'.

Their young side have played together enough, and the signs of a footballing giant are already there. But they should be hoping they are not as unlucky with injuries as they have been.

For the Gunners, the injury-free presence of Fabregas and Arshavin throughout the season would be reassuring, and as these are players I doubt they can do without. If there is one question mark on this young side, it has to be with the temperament of a number of their players. But that can all change with a winning habit.

Few people expected Liverpool to challenge Manchester United so heroically last season, and one could be forgiven for expecting more of the same from Rafa Benitez's men this time around. Unfortunately, they have so far seemed both off the pace and out of ideas at the same time.

With an untested Aquilani injured, they will be hard-pressed to even stay in the title hunt until Christmas. However, only a fool can write off a side which has Steven Gerrard in it. If you believe in Santa Claus and fairy tales and heaven, 'this might just be their year.' If you don't, gear up to watch them battle to hold on to fourth spot, a spot that Spurs and City both appear capable of reaching.

A Roman Feast: Barcelona vs Manchester United

Anish Bharadwaj — Mon, 25 May 2009 13:59:23 -0400

A small region around Moore Park estate in West London aside, the footballing world is smacking its lips and licking its fingers awaiting an indulgent feast. Chelsea players and fans, however, are still licking their wounds.

Make no mistake about it; the refereeing in the second leg of the Champions league final was ruinously woeful.

Even taking into account the referee’s position at the time of contact and the enormity of the contest, Chelsea were robbed of two clear penalties. And a two or three goal advantage then, might have ensured a re-match of last season’s Champion’s league final.

Something the rest of the footballing world did NOT want.

For all their terrific football professionals, Chelsea lack the spark required to play out a cracker of a final against Man United in Rome. The re-match, fuelled by retribution, would have been a cagey affair destined for shootouts, if not for a moment of inspiration.

The ball would have been fought for with the valour of a sword fighter and on exhibition would have been a high tempo slug fest with no aesthetics guaranteed.

Thankfully, yes thankfully, Messrs Ovrebo and assistants (why spare them, while we are at it?) had the worst night of their lives, pre-marital disasters in bed notwithstanding.

Because now, the stage is set for one truly wonderful team to ascend to heights attained never before. No Spanish side has ever done the treble in history. No side in the history of the Champions league has managed to successfully defend it.

Manchester United and Barcelona stand at the brink of imposing greatness. And while one will lift the trophy aloft amid a 73,000 capacity Stadio Olympico, the other will be inconsolable, despite winning the domestic league and a domestic cup. The stakes are high, but the anticipation and excitement in the air this time is much, much higher.

And who can blame the footballing world for it? Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Henry, Eto’o, Ronaldo, Rooney, Berbatov, Giggs, and Tevez—the list sounds more like a who’s who of European attacking talent.

And they will all be on display (for at least sometime, presumably) this Wednesday night on your television screen. Unless, of course, you are among the "chosen" few at the scene of action!

On the one side are a side who have scored more goals this season than many top clubs might have scored in 3 full seasons; a side with enchanting abilities and a newly found stomach for a fight. And on the other side are, well, Manchester United.

From a Barcelona viewpoint, it is probably more simple to work out a strategy. Choose a holding midfield player to partner Xavi and Iniesta, as they try and feed Eto’o, Henry, and Messi. And then, alongside Yaya Toure and Pique at the heart of defence will be the experienced pair of Puyol and Sylvinho playing as makeshift wingbacks.

Looking more closely, most of Barcelona’s phenomenal attacking flair is expected to start. However, the lack of match practice for Henry and Iniesta might just be a factor to keep a lookout for. That said, these are two colossal players who might just find the electric, big match atmosphere invigorating.

Among the others, Eto’o may need to make better use of the chances on offer than as has been his want recently. However, a goal here and his manager will say he was saving his best for the big night.

Talking of the best, Lionel Messi may just look at this night as the night to silence all critics of his big match temperament. A magnificent dribbler with excellent vision, the little Argentine has definitely been the player of the season so far. A relative late season dip can be set right on the night he calls his "biggest ever."

At the heart of midfield, you encounter Euro 2008’s Player of the Tournament, Xavi. Expect him to pull the strings delicately all night, and also look out for his dilligent ball winning. With his creativity and energy, he is Barcelona’s engine and should stand them in good stead on the night.

And owing to suspension and injury troubles, either Sergio Busquets or Seydou Keita will start alongside the "Fab Five." Though neither is expected to hog the next day’s headlines, the fact that they just miss out on a place in this Barca lineup speaks about their quality.

Defense, however, seems to be the sole source of trepidation for the Catalans. Gerard Pique lacks big match experience, Sylvinho (who might have to take on Cristiano Ronaldo) is 35 years old and both Puyol and Yaya Toure will probably be playing out of position.

As a right back, Puyol may not have Dani Alves’ attacking velocity, but he is probably a safer and more conservative bet for the position. Winner of UEFA's "Best European Right-back" award in 2002, the 31-year-old Barca captain will be pivotal to his side’s defensive success.

With his energy, expect him to support Messi whenever required.

Though neither is an experienced centre back, both Toure and Pique are tall and imposing center-backs with good defensive attributes. This being a one-off game, they are not the worst combination you will see in big match football.

However, if United are in inspired mood, there are other central defenders (even in this Barcelona squad) you’d rather have.

Sylvinho is clearly the man Sir Alex will look to target.

With his wealth of experience, he will still need to pray that United don’t see too much of the ball. He is neither a legendary tackler nor the possessor of electrifying pace. However, if he can be tidy and avoid errors, Barca’s excellent work rate may just cover his limitations. Or better still, he may not be required.

Facing Barcelona, will be the defending champions.

If Rio Ferdinand is 100 percent fit for the clash (don’t read too much into the gaffer’s comments on this; he will play), then one of the meanest defences in world football should prepare itself for the acid test. John O’Shea will be tidy as long as he isn’t left one on one with Iniesta, Messi, Henry et al.

United's central defensive partnership remain the key to glory in Rome for Sir Alex Ferguson’s men. They have had another fabulous season on the whole, but both Ferdinand and Vidic will know that they will have to play their A-game, come Wednesday night.

Expect them to have a very busy night with lots of crosses to head away, many blocks to be made and some last ditch tackling having to be timed to perfection.

Patrice Evra, who has overcome an uncharacteristic spell of poor form this season (into which too much was read), will have to be at his inspired best against Lionel Messi. He has the pace, but positioning and guts will also be required against the maroon and red army.

The selection of the rest of the side, however, remains open to the manager’s fancy. Though a strategy of preventing a Barcelona goal for as long as possible, and hoping for a quick break or set piece to win United their goal and trophy may appeal to a lot of people, I am not one of them.

I would instead go in with a conventional 4-4-2 with Wayne Rooney upfront. If Barca go ahead, playing two strikers helps. And if United go ahead, looking for the game breaking second goal still helps (as Chelsea realized against a ten man Barcelona side at the Bridge).

With a central midfield of Carrick and Anderson, the defence gets adequate protection with these tough tackling midfielders playing in front of them. And with the ball, they have the ability to anchor the attacking ship efficiently.

If Anderson is told to play a restricted role without too much longitudinal scope, and Carrick plays his usualdeep role to perfection, then United may not need to play another thirty year old central midfielder (one of Giggs and Scholes) to help them. What with Rooney and (yes!) Tevez also helping out centrally.

On the wings, I’d have Ronaldo and Park. With Anderson helping out Evra whenever needed, I’d have Park on the right to help O’Shea. However, Ronaldo may fancy his chances against Sylvinho and Messi may start to run rings around Evra; so the option of interchanging flanks is always there.

Expect Park to make use of all three of his lungs during this contest, but it is Ronaldo who will need to have a good outing. Against a makeshift Barcelona side, you will expect him to do well but a lack of possession may just frustrate him. If he keeps his calm and also a high morale, he might still just keep his Ballon D'Or too.

Upfront, and literally all over the park, I’d have Carlos Tevez and Wayne Rooney.

To a Barcelona defence structured only for this game, the duo’s zest and quality should prove a stern test. Both quick and lethal on the counter, United should go in with both of them and take Barcelona by surprise just as they did Avram Grant’s Chelsea a year ago. Both extremely willing to help back, their work rates will be a huge fillip.

And when you need to make full use of the chances that come your way, playing two strikers doesn’t really hurt.

Playing Rooney out wide may seem tempting to Sir Alex and if he is convinced by that, then the No. 10 should swap roles with Ronaldo. Playing Giggs or Scholes instead of Tevez may be the expected roll of the dice, but expect the unexpected from Sir Alex.

Finally, one hopes both sides are at their best and the deserving European Champion prevails. My heart says it will be United, but my instinct points to Barcelona.

And my brain is all fuzzy...

The coming of age of an unsung hero

Anish Bharadwaj — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 15:11:00 -0500

Few people would grudge Michael Carrick anything. As the successor to Roy Keane's number 16 jersey and Manchester United's 5th most expensive signing of all time, expectations were always going to be on the higher side. Two successful seasons later, United's first choice central midfielder remains in the shade of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard in the battle to don England colours.

Even for club, this West Ham youth academy product has allowed the likes of Ronaldo and Rooney to hog the limelight. Though there is no doubt as to which he craves more, the fact remains that Carrick is England's most underrated player.

Looking into Carrick's game for Manutd, what stands out is his versatility as central midfielder. He is very alert, fit, a sound tackler (you need one playing alongside Scholesy), an effortless passer with excellent vision and a more than adept shooter. Though he tends to hold himself back to allow the others to express themselves more, what is interesting is to note that he has been absolutely instrumental in a lot of United goals lately. Is he now England's best central midfielder, then?

Agreed, Steven Gerrard is as much of an attacking threat as many leading centre forwards. Add to that his phenomenal work rate and very good defensive qualities, and you already have a very well rounded central midfielder. Some terrific goals in crisis situations considered, who can blame those Merseysiders for elevating him to God-like status?

Frank Lampard may not be the most universally loved English footballer, but there is no denying the fact that he is still one of Chelsea's top performers. A delightful passer with a devilish presence inside the D, he is also superb in dead ball situations. Equally adept as both holding midfielder and support striker, an injury to Lampard really hurts Chelsea badly, the presence of Deco, Ballack, Essien, and Mikel notwithstanding. And that, sums it up.

Now, getting back to Carrick. Say what you like, consistency is still what makes champion teams. And even though he has had his bad days at the office, pardon the cliche, they have been few and far between. Week after week, he has turned up in jersey number 16 and more than just delivered the goods. He has never been flashy, but now he has started to impose himself more.

When you pick Carrick, you pick somebody who can last 120 minutes of end to end football without slagging towards the end. He may not perform magic on the field, but expect him to orchestrate the attack with panache if given liberties and sit just in front of the back four very capably if not. More often than not, however, he does both for Manchester United.

For sheer magic and ability, go for the man they chant as 'Stevie G'. For his terrific passing, expertise in dead ball situations and ominous presence in the D, go for Frank Lampard. For sheer performance on the pitch, I think the time has come to say, go for Carrick. England have found Mr. Dependable. If only Mr. Capello chose to use his services...

Michael Carrick: The Coming of Age of An Unsung Hero

Anish Bharadwaj — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 09:15:57 -0500

Few people would begrudge Michael Carrick anything. As the successor to Roy Keane's No. 16 jersey and Manchester United's 5th most expensive signing of all time, expectations were always going to be on the high side.

Two successful seasons later, United's first choice central midfielder remains in the shade of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard in the battle to don England colours. Even for club, this West Ham youth academy product has allowed the likes of Ronaldo and Rooney to hog the limelight.

Though there is no doubt as to which he craves more, the fact remains that Michael Carrick is England's most underrated player.

Looking into Carrick's game for Man United, what stands out is his versatility as a central midfielder. He is very alert, fit, a sound tackler (you need one playing alongside Scholesy), an effortless passer with excellent vision and a more than adept shooter.

Though he tends to hold himself back to allow the others to express themselves more, what is interesting is to note that he has been absolutely instrumental in a lot of United goals lately. Is he now England's best central midfielder, then?

Agreed, Steven Gerrard is as much of an attacking threat as many leading centre forwards. Add to that his phenomenal work-rate and very good defensive qualities, and you already have a very well-rounded central midfielder.

Some terrific goals in crisis situations considered, who can blame those Merseysiders for elevating him to God-like status?

Frank Lampard may not be the most universally loved English footballer, but there is no denying the fact that he is still one of Chelsea's top performers. A delightful passer with a devilish presence inside the D, he is also superb in dead ball situations.

Equally adept as both holding midfielder and support striker, an injury to Lampard really hurts Chelsea badly, the presence of Deco, Ballack, Essien and Mikel notwithstanding. And that sums it up.

Now, getting back to Carrick. Say what you like, consistency is still what makes champion teams. And even though he has had his bad days at the office, pardon the cliche, they have been few and far between.

Week after week, he has turned up in jersey No. 16 and more than just delivered the goods. He has never been flashy, but now he has started to impose himself more.

When you pick Michael Carrick, you pick somebody who can last 120 minutes of end-to-end football without flagging towards the end. He may not perform magic on the field, but expect him to orchestrate the attack with panache if given liberties, and sit just in front of the back four very capably if not.

More often than not, however, he does both for Manchester United.

For sheer magic and ability, go for the man they chant as "Stevie G". For his terrific passing, expertise in dead ball situations and ominous presence in the D, go for Frank Lampard.

For sheer performance on the pitch, I think the time has come to say, go for Michael Carrick.

England have found Mr. Dependable. If only Mr. Capello chose to use his services...

In Fergie's Shoes, Who Makes Manchester United's Starting XI?

Anish Bharadwaj — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 22:18:13 -0400

The mood of United fans, usually a bullish bunch, had been economical to the point of depressing for the last month and a half. Which is really surprising, considering that the period coincided with the post-season of a famous "double."

What with the tiresome Ronaldo saga and no fresh signings, the European champions entered the current season far from buoyed by last season. On the contrary, a patched up Man Utd team struggled to amass four points from their first two outings, no frills included!

Worse was to follow at Monaco, as the champions of Europe tamely lost to Zenit St. Petersburg in the UEFA Super Cup.

All in all, humble beginnings for the defending champions—even as rivals for the throne Chelsea kick-started their season with aplomb.

Now, both Chelsea and Liverpool have dropped their first points over the third Premiership weekend and neither got the man they wanted by September 1st.

And to top it all, the Red Devils got the man they have been after for the last few seasons—Dimitar Berbatov.

A much appreciated break for two weeks, most of their players getting back to peak fitness in time for the "Battle at Anfield", a new assistant manager,and the Bulgarian prowler donning the No. 9 shirt—the picture certainly looks a lot rosier now for United fans.

So, with Berbatov in the frame and two huge matches to be played away from home in the coming weekends, what must Fergie do in terms of team composition and strategy?

Without a doubt the gaffer is the best man to make these decisions, but here is my take on this:

The easiest task while choosing a Man Utd XI is clearly picking the back five. Edwin Van der Sar's excellent form ensures that Ben Foster will have to wait a while to be first team material.

At left back, Patrice Evra starts as a very competent defender with excellent attacking attributes. The centre backs Rio Ferdinand And Nemanja Vidic are as much the cornerstones to United's triumphs as anyone else, and will be depended on to provide solid performances at both Anfield and Stamford Bridge.

Probably the only slightly contentious position here is that of the right back. But, Wes Brown is almost certain to get the nod here mainly owing to Gary Neville's lack of match fitness.

Now for the tougher positions. In tough away games like these, the midfield is where most matches are played—and won. So, I'll opt for a solid 4-3-2-1 formation which can yield itself to be a 4-5-1 or a 4-3-3 as the situation demands.

Also vital is the choice of men, as the combination becomes more important than the individuals as such. As a result, I choose to bench all three of Scholes, Giggs and Nani.

As my central midield anchor, I choose the versatile Michael Carrick. It's not a coincidence that United play better when he is playing. The watchdog Anderson is my left central midfielder, and the tidy Darren Fletcher tips Owen Hargreaves (even if fully fit) to play as a conventional right winger with good defensive attributes.

Playing in a two-man hole, with a lot of interchanging and switching, are going to be a fresh-again Wayne Rooney (remember he was rushed back from a viral infection) and the improved and forever bustling Carlos Tevez.

Upfront and playing as a lone striker (though he will take liberties with position too) will be the intelligent and classy Dimitar Berbatov. The thing about Berba is that he is not only a conventional poacher—his predatory instincts in the box notwithstanding—the Bulgarian can also set up a fair share of chances with his vision and instinct.

And if more options are needed in the form of a bench, then the reassuring presence of Scholes, the energy and flair of Nani, the composure of Giggsy (if fit) and the business-like clinicality of Hargreaves will definitely be a boost. At least, for starters.

Because, not far away is the return of the "slave" from Madeira, Cristiano Ronaldo, and also the Angolan striker, Manucho.

In all likelihood, come October, a full strength Manchester United squad will be in action and the Theatre of Dreams will be buzzing again.

The Cristiano Ronaldo Conundrum

Anish Bharadwaj — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 07:57:07 -0400

Call him what you want, he was most United fans' favourite player even a month and a half ago. Though there were more than useful contributions from a host of other United players, there's no doubt that Ronaldo stood out.

His displays this season were not all about flair and trickery—he took responsibility and the pressures of being United's talisman remarkably well too.

As breathtaking as his freekick versus Bolton was, it were his spirited performances in the Champions' League knockouts that won over a lot of his critics! In short, the 2007-08 season was a landmark season in Cristiano Ronaldo's career.

He showed, in more ways than one, that he is now a complete attacking player and the world's best without any doubt. However, as a diehard United fan, I am deeply aggrieved by his scant regard for the feelings of the club, its manager and its fans.

His refusal to bow down to the club's stature and authority, his insistence on following his dream (move to Real), his bold defiance of the club's unwritten code of conduct and his non-committal stance on his future for such a long period of time—all these reasons compel me to believe that the time has come for United to move on. And Ronaldo to move out.

Because, however good Ronaldo might have looked to be, the fact is that he thrived on his compatriots—the Rooneys, the Scholseys and the Tevezes made Ronaldo's astonishing goal tally possible, and I for one do not believe he can reach the heights of his 07-08 season anywhere else in the world, Real Madrid included.

A very simple illustration would be his Euro 2008 performances—very good, but definitely not worthy of the world's best. For Portugal, he ended up playing as a traditional right winger for most parts, and the fullbacks were ready for the challenge, and up to it as well. Rarely did he manage to display his inside the box prowler's instincts.

Why? Because there is no Rooney, Tevez or Carrick to feed Ronny there. None in Madrid, either. In fact, in Madrid he will end up feeding Ruud Van Nistelrooy and (unimportantly) lose the spotlight as well.

But, it is expecting a little too much for Ronaldo to think along similar lines. Though he has a long list of strong points, humility definitely does not figure in it. Among the reasons why Ronaldo developed into such a terrific winger/striker is his unbelievably high level of self confidence.

This boy from Madeira feels that he was born, destined for ultimate greatness. But, it looks like this very confidence is leading him to the Santiago Bernabeau. As a kid, he dreamt of playing there in the famous whites. No complaints! Now he has the confidence that he can become a true Real Madrid legend. No complaints!

He is tempted by the big bucks at the other end of this "mother of all transfers" which looks set to make him (one of) the highest paid sportsmen in the world. No complaints!

He is neither the first nor will he be the last footballing superstar eager to enjoy the lavish and "un-English" lifestyle at Madrid. No complaints, there too!

After all, it's his life. But, he shows utter disrespect to Manchester United, doesn't show an ounce of reverence to his "creator"—Sir Alex Fergusson, fails to speak his mind in a straightforward manner, offers no assurances or reasons (as the case may be) to his legion of Red fans and behaves like a spoilt prince who is bigger than the "Kings of Europe."

Sorry, but I am absolutely dismayed, disgusted and in a way, disillusioned with Cristiano Ronaldo now. There have been much, much greater footballers than him, and they have managed to carry themselves in a much, much better fashion.

I'm sorry but it will take a lot more than just a "few more goals" to win back us fans. My message to Ronaldo??? "Go to hell! For 70 million pounds!!!"

And to United? "The first and foremost 'principle' is for a United player to show some respect towards the club. Everything else is secondary. Show Ronaldo the door, pay the Spurs an extra two-three million pounds for Berba and then get ready to plunge headfirst into the transfer market."

Cristiano Ronaldo Leaving—What Next For Manchester United?

Anish Bharadwaj — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:02:04 -0400

In an exclusive interview with Guillem Balague almost immediately after Portugal's exit from Euro 2008, Cristiano Ronaldo made no efforts to conceal his desire to play for Real Madrid the coming season.

The entire text of the interview (borrowed in totality from the interviewer's blog) makes interesting reading for the neutral:

Guillem Balague: What feeling have you got after the defeat to Germany?

Cristiano Ronaldo: What feeling?

Guillem: The one after being knocked out.

Ronaldo: We didn’t expect this. We wanted to continue in the tournament, but we didn’t do enough. We weren’t strong enough.

Guillem: The little details were won by Germany. You didn’t seem concentrated enough.

Ronaldo: I didn’t do anything wrong. I did what I had to do but the team made mistakes and that is why we lost.

Guillem: What now, Ronaldo? We are expecting an announcement

Ronaldo: Let's see in a couple of days. The tournament is over and I am going to reach an agreement.

Guillem: Are you going on holiday now?

Ronaldo: I am going to have an operation now. I have had for three months a problem on my foot. I have been playing with pain. I will have an operation, a good recuperation and we will see after that

Guillem: If you wanted to stay at Manchester United, why don’t you say it?

Ronaldo: You will soon know what I want. You do know what I want and that is why I don’t want to say anything else. Let's wait. I want to give more details that is why I cannot say much more

Guillem: When will that take place?

Ronaldo: In a couple of days. I am going to give my opinion in two days. I am going to say what I want, but things don’t depend only on me, that is why we have to wait.

Guillem: Are you going to do a press conference, a communique?

Ronaldo: A public note

Guillem: Do you have to talk to Ferguson?

Ronaldo: I don’t know what I have to say to him. I have to say what I want and what I think.

Guillem: What you have to say, will that upset Ferguson?

Ronaldo: It is my opinion, that is why I don’t mind if people get upset. It is my decision. It is what I want.

Guillem: When did you take that decision?

Ronaldo: Some time ago, before the Champions League final.

Guillem: Is it something personal or is it for football reasons?

Ronaldo: We were competing and I didn’t want to say anything because it is a very important decision. I didn’t want to say anything here because I wanted to be focused on Portugal. But now it is finished and I am going to say.

Guillem: Is it a personal problem or sporting problem

Ronaldo: It is a personal thing. It is something I want, something I dream of.

Guillem: And that your family dreams of too?

Ronaldo: That is true. You all know what I want. I cannot say anything else. In two days you will hear from me.

Guillem: Do you think it is going to be very difficult to get out of United?

Ronaldo: It is always difficult. It is not only one person deciding, it is many people, but it can be a very good thing for everybody.

Guillem: Do you feel what you are about to decide is a step forward in your career, a dream?

Ronaldo: It is a dream, a step forward, you can call it what you want. For me it is a great opportunity, and as Scolari says, that train passes by only once, and we have to take advantage of it.

Guillem: Ah, but thats not fair, Scolari is going to be the new Chelsea manager and wants you away from him!

Ronaldo: That is why, he took advantage of his change, that opportunity, and other people have to take advantage of opportunities too.

Guillem: You know that when you return to Manchester people will be upset with you.

Ronaldo: But that will pass, a couple of good goals and people will be happy.

Guillem: Will the key be to talk to Ferguson?

Ronaldo: I will do a public note and we will then see what will happen

Guillem: Do you think your dream will come true?

Ronaldo: I really hope so, let's see.

Guillem: What about the operation?

Ronaldo: I will be seen by the doctors of United in a couple of days.

Guillem: You will talk to your club first?

Ronaldo: Yes, I will talk to them first, and then in three or four days I will be operated and then I will start the recuperation to get better soon.

Guillem: Is it true that you never took a call from Ferguson?

Ronaldo: It is not true

Guillem: But have you spoken to him?

Ronaldo: No. I was in a very important competition and we had nothing to say to each other.

Guillem: Are you convinced that in three or four days everything can be sorted?

Ronaldo: Yes, let's see, in the next few days we will have more details.

Clearly, Ronaldo is in no mindset to continue at Old Trafford (had he even been slightly hesitant, he would not have made such sweeping statements). And whatever Sir Alex tells the press, he knows the futility and foolishness in persisting with a player whose heart lies elsewhere.

More importantly, United's locker room atmosphere "appeared" to be splendid the whole of last season and the gaffer wouldn't want to test that too much by going out of his way too much to keep Ronaldo at OT.

After all, a club with the history and current status of Manchester United deserves players committed to it, at least as much as its fans are!

So, just say Real's bid (tentatively priced at 70 million euros) for Ronaldo gets accepted. What do United do then, to keep their title defences on track?

First and foremost, I feel United need another quality striker. To choose from Karim Benzema, Samuel Eto'o, Klaas Jan Huntellar, Dimitar Berbatov, and Rocque Santa Cruz can be confusing, to say the least.

Should we go for the EPL-hardened likes of Berbatov or Santa Cruz, or go in for the proven Cameroonian Eto'o? Or perhaps, settle for the "best years in front of them" Benzema or Huntellar?

It is a tough choice to make, but if you consider that he will rarely need to play as a lone striker (with Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez already there) and necessarily has to be a good finisher comfortable with the pace and style of United, I guess Huntellar is the man for us!

Eto'o probably comes a close second on my list, but Klaas Jan Huntellar, adept at playing hitman and equally effective with his link-up play, is my pick for the striker job! He is young, malleable, and can easily be used as a sub. Verdict—the perfect third striker, and just the man United need.

Next, our defence may look well organised, but where are the safety valves, in case of injuries to Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, or Patrice Evra?

Though Wes Brown, Gary Neville, Michael Silvestre, and John O'Shea look like good depth, the picture might appear very different if the crisis strikes. Plus, due to the question mark over Neville and the fact that I don't really fancy Brown going forward as a big asset to the side, I feel Sergio Ramos would be an ideal buy.

Young, quick, precociously talented, and very promising, Ramos, in my mind, is not yet the complete product. But, in EPL games against the lower and mid-table sides, his presence might just beef up our attack.

Plus, he is definitely one for the future.

Having said that, my first choice would actually be Philip Lahm—a finished product and someone who can man both flanks with equal panache. The only hitch might be to prise him out of Bayern, where he appears very happily settled. However, a really high bid for him might just do the trick if the player himself is pretty open about his future.

Verdict—Get Lahm with big money if possible. If not possible, then get Ramos for sure in exchange for Ronaldo.

Finally, who replaces Cristiano? Robinho, David Silva, Bastian Schwensteiger, and Ronaldinho (never say never) all probably look obvious options. I, for one, would go for a double buy.

After all, Giggs looked slightly over the hill for partrs of last season. And Nani is not yet the finished article. So, it is Robinho (Real exchange, alongwith Ramos if needed) plus Simao (yes!) for me.

In my mind, with a little bit of tinkering, both can serve United excellently for the next three to four years. In fact, if the temperamental Brazilian winger gets going at OT, then he can end up making Real look really foolish.

And of course, we also have Ji-Sung Park as a ready-made option in this position.

Verdict—Ronaldo's boots are too large to be filled by just one. So, go in for Robinho (should be easy, since Real are ready for that) and Simao (who shouldn't be too expensive either, maybe 12-13 million euros).

So, the end picture looks somewahat like this: Ronaldo, Saha and MAYBE one more defender(maybe Silvestre, though not sure) leaving.

Ronaldo should easily account for Robinho plus Ramos plus a tentative figure of 30 million euros(understatement).

Add Saha's 6-8 million, and no outside funding will be required to prise away Huntellar and Simao (or somebody younger, if possible). Which means, at the end of the day, the Glazers are happy, Ronaldo is happy, Sir Alex is "happy" and United fans will be as bullish as ever at the start of the coming season.

When will Soccer Mania grip the US?

Anish Bharadwaj — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 22:08:37 -0400

If the United States are the number one sporting nation (overall) in the world then soccer is the number one sport in the world, most people will concede. So, why does a nation which has produced some of the unforgettable legends of world sport, bank so heavily (to generate interest in the game) on an over the hill English footballer (yes, no more of soccer from here! Football means soccer, folks!!!!) unsure of a place in his county's starting 11?

The answer is simple. The United States might be path breakers in athletics, golf, tennis, basketball, ice hockey and scores of other sports. But when it comes to football, they still have a long way to go before they can actually hope to give the likes of Brazil, Argentina and the like a good run for their money.

That fact conceded, where do the US go from here in terms of football? Firstly, let's try and analyse the reasons why the same game which is the numero uno sport across Europe, parts of Asia and Africa struggles to even hold, let alone enthrall the US audience.

Though it would be extremely naive on my part to appear highly knowledgeable about the reasons behind it, I can hazard a guess.

Firstly, the sports popular in the US are usually high scoring. Most of the action in sports like basketball (or baseball or American football or even tennis) gets translated into points, and ice hockey (though relatively lower scoring) is the fastest sport on earth, so it has its own charm.

Football (soccer) on the other hand, can quite possibly involve 90 minutes of breathtaking action, culminating in a scoreless draw. And I guess this doesn't go down too well with an audience which has not yet acquired a firm grip on the nuances of "The Beautiful Game."

More importantly, the US is a sports-rich country with a sport (or more) to keep it hooked for all seasons. THIS ensures that football at its very best is seldom even exposed to an American audience, be it on television or in the form of a competitive MLS.

In a nutshell, the US sports audience have their plates full already (with NBA, NHL, American football, baseball and to an extent, tennis), are not exposed to the premier leagues of European football and therefore, cannot grapple with terms like holding midfielder, stepovers, winger and backheel like (most of) the rest of the world.

Net result—The American audience is content with their sports and not fascinated by "soccer" simply because they do not understand it well enough yet.

So, where lies the solution? First of all, actively telecasting the English Premier league, the La Liga and the Champions League will do no harm. After all, bringing some of the finest exponents of the beautiful game to the homes of New York and Chicago will definitely catch the fancy of the youth, sooner rather than later.

And once that happens, the talent pool and quality can only improve. Besides that, another major initiative worth a try would be to set up youth academies of some European giants. After all, the famous "couch potato" theory might work to the disadvantage of the US if the only football kids are involved in is on television.

Once these initial initiatives are taken, I for one, am pretty confident that the resources (both financial and talent-wise) of the MLS will improve tremendously. Having said that, there are no quick routes to the top of the footballing world.

A system needs to be put in place, and should be given time. Five, maybe 10 years from now is the earliest that you can expect results of any magnitude from the US if all goes well. By then, let us hope the people of the biggest sporting nation of all take to the most popular sport of all.

Now, what a combination THAT can be!!!