Christmas Shopping: Highlighting the Strengths and Weaknesses of the Top Teams

Ah, January. Of course, it’s exactly 61 days away, but aren’t all football fans wondering which team is going to make the next big signing? Whether Carlos Tevez will be sold to Corinthians or a European contender? Whether the Wesley Sneijder to Manchester United saga will finally end? I know I am.

That is why I have decided to take a preliminary look at some of the biggest clubs in Europe, in order to determine what type of player(s) each one will look to buy in the upcoming transfer windows. We have teams like Manchester City, which look absolutely invincible the way they are, and require no major addition.

On the flip side, there are teams that are a mess, such as Inter Milan, and need full scale restructuring.

I’ve divided the nine teams into three groups:

A.      As Close to Perfection as You Can Get: The Teams that Don’t Need to Add Pieces

B.      A Tweak Here or There Will Do: Teams that Could Get Away With a Few Minor Changes

C.      Flat Out Disasters: Teams With Glaring Issues that Need to Buy, A LOT

A. Teams That Don’t Need to Add Pieces

Coming up are the only two teams in Europe who look poised to dominate the remainder of the season the way they have done with simply what they have already.

This is either due to a result of brilliant coaching, individual performances that have boosted the overall effectiveness of the team from the last campaign, or merely that enough buying as been done already (I think you know which team I am talking about here *wink*).

Manchester City F.C.

Goal: Joe Hart was a revelation last season. Some stunning performances in goal for the Citizens led to him displacing Shay Given in the first choice XI, and also making the England no. 1 jersey his own. As a fan of the Three Lions, I can only think what could have been had Fabio Capello decided to roll the dice and throw him out to face the USA in that fateful group stage match which set the tone for what was to be a terrible campaign.

In any case, City probably have their goalkeeper for the next fifteen years. In case he’s injured, Stuart Taylor is more than capable of deputizing. No buys needed here though.

Defense: City has had the best defense in the entire Premier League ten games in, and there is no two ways about it. Micah Richards, skipper Vincent Kompany, Joeleon Lescott, and Gael Clichy have been the starting back four that has conceded just eight goals in ten Premier League games. Consider that United has let in ten, Chelsea 15, and Arsenal a mind-boggling 21 in the same number of games, I think these four are doing just fine, especially with the likes of Kolo Toure, Zabaleta, Kolarov, Stefan Savic and Wayne Bridge backing them up. I think they could also afford to let one of these players out on loan to get some playing time, for lack of any other reason. City are already a devastating force, imagine how could they’d be if some of their fringe players were sent out on loan and returned better than ever.

Midfield: Other than Barcelona, City are probably the most loaded team in the middle of the park in the entire world. David Silva, Samir Nasri, Yaya Toure, James Milner, Nigel De Jong, Gareth Barry, Owen Hargreaves, and Adam Johnson? Are you kidding me? Adding to this would be greed, pure and simple. I think Adam Johnson should be sent out on loan for certain. He’s an exciting young prospect, but will forever be second choice after Silva and Nasri on the wings. Were he to get some more experience, he would return a more mature player and challenge for a starting spot.

Strikers: Again, City have an embarrassment of riches in this particular position. They have the choice of pairing any two of Sergio Aguero, Edin Dzeko, and Mario Balotelli up front. Or, they could just play either one as a lone striker in big games if they want to pack the midfield, with each one more than capable of handling the number 9 position himself. Of course, I am avoiding the topic of a certain Carlos Tevez simply because I have no idea about what will happen to him. Recently, Mancini proclaimed that were the Argentine to apologize to him for the incident at the Allianz Arena, all would be forgiven. But with Tevez looking to sue his manager for ‘defamation of character’, I have a feeling we will not be going down that particular road. When all is said and done, Tevez will be wearing a new jersey come February. Just don’t ask me what color it will be.

IN: None

OUT: Alexander Kolarov (loan), Adam Johnson (loan), Carlos Tevez.

F.C. Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich F.C.

Goal: Again, one of the slam dunks of this article. Manuel Neuer has been a deity between the posts for Bayern. At one point during this season, they had gone over 1000 minutes without conceding with him in goal. Butt is perfectly capable of deputizing, so I’m quite sure this position is as safe as any.

Defense: Philip Lahm is arguably the best full-back alive. I would argue that Marcelo is better going forward and Bacary Sagna is a more solid defender, but Lahm provides the best mix of both. Halfway through the Bundesliga season last year, he had committed two fouls. Yes, that’d be right. TWO.

The rest of the defense consists of Jerome Boateng, Daniel Van Buyten, and Badstubber. While these names may not be as big as Lahm’s, I think Jupp Heynckes would be smart not to tinker with a defense that has been absolutely rock solid in conceding just three goals in eleven Bundesliga games. Don’t fix what is not broken.

Midfield: Bastian Schweinsteigger is slowly evolving into the man who will take Xavi’s throne as the best midfielder in the world. One could argue he already has that distinction, with defensive skills that the Barcelona man could only dream of. As of now, Toni Kroos is playing in a trequartista position, as Arjen Robben has been injured, pushing Thomas Muller out to the wings. However, when the Dutchman makes his return, Kroos is likely to take his rightful place in the middle of the park along with Schweinsteigger. On the wings, we already know that Arjen Robben (when he returns) and Franck Ribery, will be the undoubted first choices. Look for this Munich team to make some serious noise in the Champion’s League knockout stages, and possibly even upset Barcelona in the final. They’re that good.

Strikers: Mario Gomez and Thomas Muller form a devastating duo up front for both Germany and Munich. Iva Olic, though apparently discontent to play the third choice striker, will probably change his tune when he realizes he has a very good chance of being a Champion’s League winner if he stays put. Nils Petersen has also impressed greatly whenever given the chance to play. There was some talk going around prior to the season of Bayern bidding for Radamel Falcao, and have him displace Gomez as the first choice striker, but I think the German’s 16 goals in 16 games should silence any doubters.

B.A Tweak Here or There Will Do: Clubs That'd Manage with a Few Minor Changes

Here we have teams that could use a bit of tinkering here and there. This is not to say that the teams I’ve already discussed are better than these teams, oh no. In fact, two of the teams I’m about to go through in particular are arguably the two best teams in the world.

So sit back and have a look at what I feel the best clubs in Europe should do.

Real Madrid C.F.

Goal: Iker Casillas. That should say enough.

Defense: Madrid have looked an absolute monster of a team this season, especially going forward. The defense, though, could be looked at. Pepe and Marcelo have been in fine form this season. The problem begins with Ricardo Carvalho. He was a rock at the back for Madrid last season, but this time around simply has not been able to get it together. Carvalho is going into his mid-thirties, and with injuries ravaging him, I don’t think it’s worth taking a risk on a side that might just be able to upend Barcelona at last. The solution would be to move Sergio Ramos to center-back, where he has flourished this season. It looks increasingly more like his natural position as time goes by. That, however, leaves a gaping hole at right back that Alvaro Arbeloa simply cannot fill. The answer: Maicon Douglas Sisenando. In my opinion, he closely trails Lahm as the best overall full-back alive. It is a perfect buy for Madrid for two reasons: one, he has played and flourished under Jose Mourinho in the past, and two, Inter are looking to shed their expensive players and bring young blood in. Maicon will move to the Bernabeu as the latest and possibly final Galactico, and hopefully, Mourinho’s vision will finally be realized and Barcelona dethroned.

Midfield: Madrid are absolutely PACKED here. The first choices will probably be Nuri Sahin and Xabi Alonso in central midfield, and Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, and Mesut Ozil in the forward three playing off the striker. That’s not even getting into the quality players such as Lassana Diarra, Sami Khedira, Angel di Maria, Jose Callejon, and Esteban Granero, all of whom are forced to rot in the reserves or the subs bench. This is not because they’re not any good: the starting five are just that good.

Strikers: A real conundrum for Jose Mourinho (though I’m sure he’ll figure it out): Karim Benzema or Gonzalo Higauin? He has been playing them in alternate games over the last month or so, and it seems that when either one plays, he scores. Both have been in absolutely blistering form this term. Considering both Callejon and Ronaldo are capable of playing up front if need be, I don’t see Mourinho desiring to add anyone here.

The name Neymar is being thrown around and probably will continue, but I think Mourinho will wait until the end of the term to incorporate such a big name into the squad (possibly as the long term replacement for Kaka).

IN: Maicon

F.C. Barcelona

Goal: I once joked with a friend that Barcelona could put Robert Green in goal and probably still win every trophy available to them. Victor Valdes is world class, but rarely has anything to do since his team always almost has over seventy percent worth of possession. Pinto is a good second choice in any case.

Defence: Here is where the problems begin and end for the Catalan giants. On paper, a back four of Abidal, Puyol, Pique and Alves, looks fine. But that does not take into account the two center-backs numerous injury problems, forcing Javier Mashcerno and sometimes even Sergio Busquets to drop down into the box to deputize. This tactic has worked fine for Barca in the past, but I think Pep Guardiola shouldn’t tempt fate. He should look to buy a solid center-back who can provide relief off the bench for Puyol’s aging legs, or even start in place of him if necessary. There have been rumors linking Thiago Silva to Barca, but I think Milan will be reluctant to part with the successor of Paolo Maldini. In any case, it would make no sense to buy the best center-back in the world and then put him on the bench. My take: aim lower. Bruno Alves, of Zenit Saint Petersburg, would be the ideal choice. This is mainly because he is very different from the typical Barcelona center-back. Whereas Pique and Puyol are calm, play passes well, and rely a lot on defensive organization as a whole, Alves is a 6’3 monster who is known for his strength, hard tackling, and aerial ability. When Barcelona go up against the Didier Drogbas, Zlatan Ibrahimovics, and Emmanuel Adebayors of Europe, I think Alves would really help them match these powerhouses.

Midfield: Consider this. Barcelona’s first choice midfield is Xavi, Iniesta and Busquets. Their second choice midfield is Fabregas, Thiago Alacantra, and Javier Mascherano. Can you find any midfield three in the world better than the latter? No, I didn’t think so. Barcelona are spoilt for choice in the center of the park and have no need to buy, with their second choice midfield arguably being the second best midfield in the world after their first choice.

Strikers: Let’s see. Barcelona have Alexis Sanchez on the right, who was arguably the best player in Italy last year. His deputy is Pedro Rodriguez, who put in 20 goals last season. Their left forward is David Villa, who is only the most lethal finisher alive after Samuel Eto’o and Spain’s all time top scorer. Oh, and there’s this guy, don’t know if you’ve heard of him, called Lionel Messi, who starts at center forward for them. I don’t know about you guys, but I think they’re ok up front. Possibly.

IN: Bruno Alves

Manchester United F.C.

Goal: David De Gea has shown signs of great promise for the Red Devils. I don’t know whether the number of saves he’s notched up (over thirty, the most of any goalkeeper in the Premier League) is due to the fact that players like to test him from long range due to his apparent weakness in those situations, or if it’s due to a slightly more porous than usual United defense. There has been talk of Michael Vorm of Swansea coming in as a possible replacement, but I think United will persevere with De Gea. He looks every bit the Edwin van Der Saar part two when he’s on form, and Andres Lindegaard is a good replacement.

Defense: Ah, where to begin. United have always been famed for one of the meanest defenses in the Premier League. Then they go and ship six against their biggest rivals, at home.

However, to go insane and suggest that an overhaul is needed would be an overreaction. Remember, their captain and hands-down best defender wasn’t playing. Neither was possibly their second most impressive defender this season, Phil Jones. In their places were an off-color Rio Ferdinand and an awful Johnny Evans. In fact, three of the goals were conceded in the last three minutes of the game when for some reason the full-backs were continually bombing forward foolishly instead of shutting shop and ensuring the scoreline remained respectable. What United needs is not a change of players, but a change of mindset. And I think a good, hard, talking to from Ferguson and Vidic will be enough to knock some sense into the minds of the youngsters like Jones and Smalling, along with veteran left-back Evra. Don’t expect major changes at the back for United. Conversely, don’t expect another horror show like we saw at Old Trafford.

Midfield: This is the weakest part of the field for the English champions.

On the wings, they are absolutely loaded. Ashley Young, Luis Nani, Ryan Giggs Antonio Valencia, and Park Ji Sung are all capable of starting for an elite team. Just tells you about United’s depth here when you have three of them sitting on the bench every game.

Central midfield, however, is an area of major concern. United’s current crop consists of Michael Carrick, Darren Fletcher, Andersen, and Tom Cleverly. The three types of central midfielders are the destroyer (think Javier Mascherano or Daniel De Rossi), the passer (think Xavi), and the creator (think Cesc Fabregas or Steven Gerrard). Out of the four United players mentioned above, Carrick is a passer. Fletcher is supposedly a defensive midfielder, but loves to run forward too much and is not strong enough to be classified as a real heavyweight destroyer. Andersen is apparently capable of playing all three roles, but he’s simply not good enough for either. The one I’m willing to give a free-pass is Cleverly. In the few games he played this season, he showed flashes of brilliance that made most United fans think, “Wesley who?”

If Cleverly is healthy, he should be paired with an absolutely terrifying central defensive midfielder. One of the reasons for the 6-1 nightmare against City was that none of the midfielders gave any cover to an admittedly poor back four. Ferguson needs to acquire someone who is not afraid to set the tone of the game with a hard tackle, someone who will yell at team-mates if need be, someone who will protect his defenders at all costs. Daniel De Rossi would be an ideal choice, but there is absolutely no chance he will leave Roma. He is a Roman by blood and birth, and has just signed a new contract. De Rossi will very likely succeed Fransesco Totti as the captain of the capital club of Italy.

Therefore, look lower again. The answer is Yann M’Vila. The Rennes defensive midfielder is a born leader. He has captain France at every age group that he has represented it in, and even captained Rennes on occasion even though he is just 21. That age is another reason for Ferguson to make a concerted effort to sign him. Players like this don’t come along very often, and to get one in his formative years would be a boon.

Strikers: No problems here, just like with every other club I’ve covered prior to this. Rooney and Hernandez are the first choice strikers. This leaves Berbatov (EPL top scorer last season), Owen (11 goals in 13 starts for United), Welbeck (flourished alongside Rooney early in the season while Hernandez was out), and Frederico Macheda (scorer of many a clutch goal in the past and described by Ferguson as ‘something special’) on the bench. That’s depth for you.

IN: Yann M’Vila

Chelsea F.C.

Goal: Petr Cech is one of the most reliable men between the sticks in the world. Although the Chelsea defense has been porous until now, it’s in no part his fault. Ross Turnbull and Hilario are both capable deputies. But in any case, Cech will be Chelsea’s first-choice keeper for the next decade.

Defense: Ah, Chelsea’s defense. Remember Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea side? It conceded 15 goals in 38 games in the 2004-05 season. If they went 1-0, it was over. You were not scoring on that team, period. Fast-track to the 2009-10 season when Chelsea regained the title after three seasons, scoring a mind-blowing 103 goals and conceding 32. While not as impressive as Mourinho’s side, it will seem that way after you have a look at the 2011-12 Chelsea side’s stats. They’ve conceded 15 goals in their first 10 games. They just came off a historic 5-3 thrashing at home to Arsenal. This is not the same Chelsea side as before. Why, you may ask? The core defenders, namely Terry, Cole, Bosingwa, Alex, and Ivanovic, are all present and accounted for.

Well, just like United, it’s not a question of personnel, but rather how they are used.

Mourinho is lauded as one of the best defensive coaches ever. He encouraged his teams to sit as deep as possible, and hit their opponents on the counter-attack. While disparaged as too negative, his tactics certainly earned him enough success. Andres Villas Boas, on the other hand, seems to be changing the defensive philosophy of Chelsea completely. Watch a Chelsea game closely the next time you get a chance, every player, from John Terry at center back to Fernando Torres at center forward, presses their man at every second without the ball in an attempt to win it back, get in their faces and disrupt play. When you press and play a high line, you’re always taking a risk. If you dominate the ball like Barcelona do, it’s fine to take this chance. But Mikel, Ramires and Lampard are simply not Busquets, Xavi and Iniesta. Chelsea’s opponents will have the ball enough to find openings between the defenders, and when the back four are about fifteen yards off the half-line, it gives opposing full-backs or forwards a clear sight on goal. This we saw in excess during the Arsenal game. Nearly every goal came with the scorer in oodles of space.

This phenomenon cannot be changed by changing the personnel. Either Chelsea will need to stop pressing and sit deep once again (it’s not like it hasn’t worked for them in the past, has it?), or continue playing a suicidal high-line and lose their identity of a dominating defensive team completely. The tactic must be changed, not the players.

Midfield: However, to aid the defensive cause, some changes could be made in the center of the park. Michael Essien is easily the best defensive midfielder in the game when healthy, but he’s going to be out for months. I suggest Roman Abrahamovich splash the cash on Daniel De Rossi. Yes, yes, I know that I mentioned in the United slide that he would not be sold. But that is because United are on a tight budget, and I don’t see them paying more than 15 million pounds on an area of the pitch where they already seem to have enough players. The Russian obligarch though, probably has more money than he knows what to do with. If he’s willing to spend 50 million on a certain Spaniard, I think he should be shot if he refuses to shell out how much ever necessary for a player that his team absolutely NEEDS.

For the other part of the midfield, i.e. the creative players, Chelsea are fine. Frank Lampard has had a resurgent season with six goals and five assists in thirteen games, leaving his middle finger pointing insultingly to all those who claimed he was finished. Ramires has finally come into his own as a Chelsea player, Villas Boas’ fast-paced system doing him a ton of good. The key, though, has been Juan Manuel Mata García. His numbers do not reflect it that much, but the little Spaniard has changed the way Chelsea play, possibly forever. He is easily the best thing about AVB’s reign until now. Mata will definitely go down as one of the greatest Blues in history if he remains at the club.

Strikers: This may have been a problem two months ago. Drogba was injured, and Torres looked clueless. Then the game against Bayern Leverkeusen happened, and we all forgot about Chelsea’s supposed ‘striker woes’. Torres is looking increasingly more like his deadly Liverpool self, and with Daniel Sturridge flanking him and the likes of Drogba, Lukaku and Anelka backing them up, Chelsea look fine here.

IN: Daniel De Rossi

Arsenal F.C.

Goal: For years, Arsene Wenger struggled to find the successor to the legacy of David Seaman and Jens Lehman. It seems that he has finally found one in the form of young Wojciech Tomasz Szczęsny. Arsenal have not looked a particularly solid defensive side early in the season, but this was no fault of Szczesny. What’s the poor guy to do if he has non-existent walls and some really terrible positioning from his defenders?

Defense: As with many other big clubs covered in this article, the Gunners seem to have run out of powder at the back. Gone are the days of the good-old ‘1-0 to Arsenal!’. Thomas Vermaelen is a world-class center-back when healthy and very capable of marshalling the Arsenal defense into order, but the problem is that he is simply not on the pitch for enough time. Laurent Koscielny has looked impressive from time to time. However, rewind back to Birmingham’s winning goal against Arsenal in the 2011 Carling Cup final. Do you want a guy who makes mistakes like that to be a part of your rearguard when you’re facing Barcelona or Real Madrid in the Champion’s League knockout stage? Yes, I thought not. Per Mertersacker puts spoons and knives on the table with his height and strength, but takes off forks and plates with his awful positioning and game-sense. I prefer not to eat off the table cloth, so it is obvious that the center back position needs to be addressed.

I think there is one name and one name only that will help fill this void. It is Gary Cahill. He has been a rock at the heart of Bolton’s defense over the last few years. At 6’2 he is capable of dealing with big center-forwards like Drogba and aerial balls, but he does not take away the basic intelligence and defensive sense that Mertersacker lacks. A perfect fit for Arsenal, Wenger needs to spend as much as necessary, even up until 20 million pounds, to acquire the services of the man who will soon replace John Terry as England’s first choice center-back. Plus, I’m sure Cahill would rather play for thirteen-time Premier League champions than relegation favorites.

Right back is fine for Arsenal. Bacary Sagna is out with an injury, but when healthy he is one of the top five full-backs in the world. Until then, Carl Jenkinson can do a passable job in his place (it’s not as if Arsenal have a choice here, by the time the transfer window opens, Sagna will be back).

Left-back, however, is a major problem. In the Champion’s League, Arsenal’s current left-back, Andre Santos, would be matched up against Luis Nani, Arjen Robben, Alexis Sanchez, Ricardo Kaka, and Samir Nasri: just to name a few of the elite right-wingers in the competition. Not to mention that Gervinho is not exactly known for his defensive skills, and with him unable to pin the full-back, Santos will see the likes of Dani Alves, Philip Lahm and Maicon romping forward at will.

Not a comfortable situation. Santos is good going forward but leaves a lot to be desired on the defensive end. If I was Wenger, I would be looking to find a starting quality left-back as my biggest priority other than a center-back. Left-back isn’t exactly a deep position in today’s world, but Wenger need look no further than Everton’s Leighton Baines. Baines is durable, solid defensively, and does not take away any offensive contribution. He played every single minute of Everton’s Premier League campaign last season, and contributed seven goals and 11 assists. Rumors were that Wenger was planning a 10 million pound bid for him in the summer, but evidently decided to proceed with his Santos experiment. I think he’ll know better now.

Midfield: Jack Wilshere, Alex Song, and Aaron Ramsey. What comes to your mind when you see these names? Potential, potential, potential, and more potential.

This trio could be Arsenal’s Busquets, Xavi and Iniesta. They’re all that good in individual terms. Song is probably the league’s top holding midfielder with Essien injured. Wilshere has been touted as ‘England’s own Xavi’ by the media. Indeed, if you go back to Arsenal’s famous 2-1 victory over Barcelona, he comprehensively outdueled the Spanish wizard.

During the talk of Fabregas’ potential departure last season, Arsenal fans held onto the thought of Aaron Ramsey to comfort themselves. His uncanny ability to pick out the killer ball, thunderous speed in the mould of a box-to-box midfielder, and tireless work-rate give him the possibility of becoming even better than Fabregas, and it’s not a reach. Ramsey is one special kid, and we began to see flashes of it as he tormented the Chelsea defense last weekend.

Meanwhile, Arteta serves as a decent backup for any of Wilshere or Ramsey. Diaby can deputize for Song. Tomas Rosiscky, though aging, still is creative and versatile enough to play in either Ramsey’s place or on the wings. If Arsene does indeed decide to add to his depth, I think some of his large transfer budget would be well spent on someone like Christian Eriksen of Ajax, or more prominently, Mario Gotze of Borrusia Dortmund. However, I do not see him spending on the midfield when the defense needs so much attention. However, I don’t think anyone would mind seeing Lassana Diarra being a part of the Arsenal mix. He’s been deemed surplus to Mourinho’s requirements at the Bernabeu, and would be welcome added cover for any of Arsenal’s three starting midfielders.

Strikers: Robin van Persie is a man possessed. He has scored 29 goals in his last 27 EPL games. Prior to the season, people were wondering if Arsenal should buy an out and out striker such as Karim Benzema and move van Persie into a more Dennis-Bergkamp-like role. After his performances this term, I think changing his style of play at all would be insane. The starting center-forward position is his for Arsenal, for an EPL All-Star team, and possibly for an All-World team.

He’s flanked by Gervinho and Theo Walcott, both who have been consistently improving this season. Walcott in particular, was the subject of much criticism for the perceived lack of quality in his passing, crossing and shooting. After the Chelsea game, I think we can no longer doubt he’s the real deal. Sitting right behind him is Alex-Oxade Chamberlain, who has scored in the Champion’s League for Arsenal and recorded a hat-trick for England recently.

Fighting for Gervinho’s place is the suddenly live-wire Andrey Arshavin. Many thought of him as finished after a poor last season, but he has looked absolutely electrifying when he has gotten the chance.

Arsenal have good choices up front, but a backup for van Persie is a must. I think their best option would be Ezequiel Lavezzi of Napoli. He is neither explosive nor blessed with otherworldly dribbling skills, but is everything Arsenal would need him to be: solid, reliable, and able to play across the front three.

IN: Leighton Baines, Gary Cahill, and Ezequiel Lavezzi

Your Thoughts?

There you have it. This is my analysis of the top eight Champion’s League contenders. I have looked at their strengths, their weaknesses, and the areas they need to improve.

Of course, I did mention a third section in the beginning of my article: teams that are in an absolute mess and need serious restructuring.

As I will need to look at each team in detail in that scenario, I regrettably have decided to move that to a separate article, which you will see soon. Until I move onto the Inter Milans of world football, do please provide me with your thoughts on this current article. I tried to keep the transfers as realistic as possible (no Sneijder to United, Gotze to Arsenal, or any of that impossible stuff), and I hope you can provide me with some feedback about whether I succeeded. Let the debates begin!