Mario's Milan Adventure

Mario “Barwuah” Balotelli. I only have to say his name and I bet you’re imagining the mischief he caused at Manchester City. His camouflage car, the famous ‘bib incident’, and of course the firework he let off in his own house. The list goes on and on and on, (and even more on). However, the controversial striker recently made a $20 million move to the Rossoneri and has somewhat been outstanding for them. Have Manchester City just lost out on a potential world class player? Or have Milan been handed a bad case of Balotelli?

Manchester City bought Balotelli for around $22 million in August 2010. This was mainly down to Mancini, who had been whisked away from Inter to manage Man City and reuniting the two at the Etihad. When Balotelli signed, Mancini had this to say about him,

“His style of play will suit the Premier League, and because he is still so young there is a big chance for him to improve. He is a strong and exciting player, and City fans will enjoy watching him.”

He enjoyed a 3 year stay in Manchester making 54 appearances and scoring 20 goals for the ‘Sky Blues’ – but Balotelli was more known for his actions off the pitch than on it. Nearing the final stages of his Man City career, he got in a tussle with Mancini at City’s training ground but Mancini later insisted that it was just a ‘game’ and there was no tension between the pair. 26 days later, Balotelli was sold to AC Milan. This is what Balotelli had to say about Mancini after: 

“I spoke with Roberto before I went to speak to the players. We spoke for some time about lots of things. He was sad, and I was too. But it was a good conversation. I love Roberto, he has been very important for my career, and I will always thank him for having trust and faith in me”

Heatmap of Balotelli in his last game against Palermo, showing his
increased desire to win games and score goals.

So with that over, we move on to Milan – the club he supported as a boy. When Balotelli signed for Milan, they were sat in 4th place with 40 points, 3 away from third, 9 away from 2nd. Now Milan are in 3rd place and just 2 points off 2nd place Napoli. Balotelli got off to the best possible start with Milan, scoring 2 goals in a crucial match against Udinese. From then on Balotelli has gone on to make 5 more appearances and score 5 goals. Since the move to Milan, Balotelli has thrown away his ‘badboy’ lifestyle and swapped it for football. At Milan, Balotelli seems to have a desire to play, a desire to win which he lacked at Man City. The added desire makes him more determined to do well for his club, he’s not just that lazy boy that stands up the pitch and waits for the ball, he has the hunger to get it either for himself or for his teammates.

If he carries on like this he will no doubt improve and improve. He will become vital for both AC Milan and Italy. Balotelli has also struck up a goal-scoring partnership with Italian compatriot, Stephan El Shaarawy. When the two are having a good day, they both work in complete harmony with one another. A potential world class strikeforce? We’ll just have to wait and see.

As a keen user of social networking, I asked the world of Twitter to give their opinion on Balotelli. I would just like to personally thank everyone who tweeted their opinion on Balotelli, much appreciated.

@SupremeFootball

At Milan he is allowed to play how he wants.

 @Backof_thenet

It was a mixed spell at City for Balo, he showed glimpses of his ability but he was far too inconsistent. He will always be regarded highly by City fans for his crazy antics and for the assist for that Aguero goal against QPR. He never really fully found his feet in the PL and so going back to Serie A was probably the best option.

@SamCalcio

Balotelli has proven that the human element of a player’s form is one that despite being underrated, is vital. He was always talented, but being at home with his child in a situation he appreciates has allowed him to focus on football.

@40yardScreamer_

I think Mancini did want Balotelli to stay, but all his antics off the field meant his career with Man City was over. I feel that if he had a good attitude, he could’ve been a star. The Balo that we see at Milan, shows how good he can be if his mind is on football.

@Tnc_Rhys

He’s amazed me. I expected to see a player that’s been rejuvenated but he has stunned me. He’s finally uncovered his true talent that we all knew he had. He is a very complete player. Passing, shooting, set pieces, everything He will only get better and will continue to become one of Milan’s and Italy’s prime assets..

@InchesWide

He is the new Cantona Calm on the ball, cocky and yet has an always bubbling temper and will to win. Massive fan of his

@Calcio_Zone

Moving to Milan was ideal, he has so much more determination and has added discipline to his game.

Stats from Whoscored and Squakwa.

Follow me on twitter – @Guardiology.
My site: quickonetwo.wordpress.com

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it!

Why It Could Be a Crazy Summer Transfer Window

After reading the title you might be thinking - where has he got all this from? Well, here I was sitting on twitter reading all the latest rumours and gossip and I began to consider what could happen this Summer in the transfer window. It then dawned on me that it could easily be one of the most exciting we've ever had. Not just in terms of the amount spent but also the amount of deals, it's all set up beautifully to be an enticing Summer and a well needed replacement for the weekly fixtures!

Well, where to begin? Where better than arguably the best league of them all, the English Premier League. I think the Premier League will be the hub of activity and the catalyst for the madness that might ensue. Why do I think this I hear you cry! My answer? The way this season has panned out so far. With Manchester United rampant at the top of league as I write, I think there will be a massive response from their neighbours, City. They have been outclassed in every way possible this season by United and have come out an easy second best to their arch rivals. With billionaire owners on board you've got to expect them to spend and spend big. They won't be happy with the season and will be looking for a way of fixing it for the next one. City will undoubtedly want to blow United out the water and regain their crown next season and I think they'll do this by throwing their money around. Don't be surprised if they attempt to break the world transfer record! 

Of course United won't spend as much as City, however I still expect them to dip into the market at some point. Although Giggs and Scholes have astoundingly managed to look as good as they ever were, it isn't physically possible for them to continue to play such a prominent role. As influential as they are, they can't last as long or play as much as they used to. This could lead to United looking for some midfield cover. Ferdinand has also been linked with a move away from Old Trafford as he hits his mid 30's and Vidic isn't exactly young at the age of 31 either. Although both are still solid defenders, I don't think either of them are anywhere near the player they used to be and one of them could be on their way out leading to a replacement coming in. However the biggest news that I'm sure United fans will be glued to their TV's for is that involving the homecoming of a certain Cristiano Ronaldo. After speaking of his love for the club before the Champions League ties and being heavily linked with a move back, it definitely could happen.

That leads me nicely on to the situation of Real Madrid, who similarly to City, have been completely outclassed by their rivals Barcelona in the league this season. Rumours have been flying around that Mourinho is on his way out and obviously the Spanish giants would look to bring a big name replacement if he were to leave. This could spark a managerial merry-go-round as Chelsea will be looking for a new man to lead them next season. Rafa Benitez might look to go straight back into management at a new club, Mancini's job might not be safe if City were to go trophyless, Wenger hasn't exactly pleased many Arsenal fans this season and David Moyes may look for a step up from Everton after impressing many this season. 

Carrying on from the theme of Real Madrid, if Ronaldo were to leave then that would leave a huge hole in their side, after all he is their main man. However, his departure would also leave Madrid with a huge budget on top of the healthy financial backing they already have which could mean they spend big to replace him. They will want to come back strong next year after a rather feeble attempt at overcoming Barca this season. Another Spanish club who could be looking for a big replacement following the departure of their main man are Atletico Madrid. At present they have, in many people's opinions, the best striker in the world and this has attracted interest from clubs such as Chelsea and even Real Madrid themselves. If Falcao were to leave it would be for big money and another huge deal in the window. One route he could possibly take would be to Stamford Bridge in a deal that could turn out fascinating if one Fernando Torres were to be offered in a 'player plus cash deal'. We all know Abramovich isn't afraid to spend and I'm sure he'll be thinking about signing the big Colombian come the end of the season. If you're staying on the trend of teams replacing their best player then you have to consider Spurs and Gareth Bale. The in-form Welshman has grabbed all the headlines this season and many clubs have taken note. If Bale were to leave then similarly to Falcao, it would be for big bucks and Spurs would have a lot of money to play with.

A team who aren't well known for splashing the cash are North Londoners, Arsenal. Wenger has always been very tight with his money and has rarely spent big in the market. However, I think that could all change this Summer. With the increasing pressure that is mounting on him after a so far disappointing season, I think he will have no choice but to enter the market. Even if Arsenal do make the top 4, many are still unhappy with the Frenchman, most famously, Piers Morgan. Another London team who could do some good business in the Summer are West Ham United. After being awarded the Olympic Stadium recently, the club and it's owners  have stated their intentions to progress and co-owner David Sullivan has stated that in time they will be able to afford world-class players. He suggested that soon West Ham will be breaking their current transfer record and many others have said that this new record won't last for long either. Perhaps a busy Summer for the Hammers too?

Harry Redknapp and his team look destined for the drop at the time of writing and this could have huge effects on how the Summer turns out. If QPR go down, we might see their owners dip into their notoriously large pockets to fire them straight back up. Also, if they were to go down, I assume lots of their players will have a relegation clause in their contract that allows them to leave for a cut-price fee. This could see some real bargains flying around and I'm sure the Premier League scavengers will be eagerly waiting. Alternatively, if QPR stay up, they could spend even more than last Summer to avoid a repeat of this season happening again. 

The final piece of the jigsaw comes from across the channel in Paris. Nouveau-riche club PSG might flex their financial muscles again in order to become the European giants that they aspire to be. Carlo Ancelotti may attempt to lure some of the the most recognised names over to France and join the project.


So there are all the possible scenarios that might just happen in the Summer. Some of you may find Summer boring with the off-season only providing dull friendlies however I'm sure if just a small part of what I've suggested happens, Jim White will be there to spout some of his lovely cliches just as "The clock is ticking" until "The window slams shut". 

Thanks for reading I hope you enjoyed it!

Manager Madness

Southampton, in their first season back in the Premiership, are sitting quite comfortably in 15th place in the table. They are playing good football; they are winning matches. All is rosy. Indeed, they even manage to come back from 2 goals behind to draw with Chelsea – at Stamford Bridge too. There is an excellent squad harmony, and a belief around St Mary’s stadium that this Southampton team could go places. So how should they proceed?

I’ll tell you what they shouldn’t do: sack Adkins. And I’ll tell you what they did do: sack Adkins.


The owner of the club got greedy. Simple. The Chairman Cortese, thinking that Southampton were completely safe in the Premier League, wanted great things, and he wanted them quickly. The art of going upwards in the Premier League is one of consolidation, introducing gradual yet subtle improvements to the team. Indeed, teams such as Tottenham and Everton, over a 20 year period in the Premier League, have gradually improved their positions to a consistent top 6 or 7, every year.

There is no miracle-man that Cortese could have brought in that would have transformed this Southampton squad into contenders for Europe overnight; they simply don’t have the squad. Yet, for some unknown reason – seemingly based on personal friendship and reputation – he appointed Mauricio Pochettino, an Argentinean former player, who doesn’t speak a word of English. Why was this change necessary? Simple answer: it wasn’t.

All Cortese and the Southampton board needed was a bit of perspective. When you have just been promoted into a league as fierce as the Premier League, the one goal has to be survival: getting greedy can be costly. Cortese needed to look at the squad, look at their precarious league position and appreciate that, although they had done better than many expected in the league, they were still not completely safe. Newly-promoted teams cannot afford complacency and cannot afford to believe that they are better than they are; survival HAS to be the only aim.

This kind of greed can be costly. Fortunately for Pochettino, despite the initial uproar at the sacking of Adkins, the players do seem to be responding to his systems and style of management; the recent 3-1 win over Liverpool is a particular highlight. Whilst it seems that Southampton are now as good as safe, Cortese is a very lucky man. As the saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

The same can be applied over at Reading. They sacked Brian McDermott, the man who had won them promotion to the Premier League in the first place, because they were engulfed in a relegation battle. What was Zingarevich expecting at the start of the season? A comfortable mid-table finish? Looking at Reading’s squad, that was never going to be very likely. And what’s worse, they haven’t even appointed a new manager yet! Surely, if you are going to sack your manager, you at least have someone to replace them swiftly.

Reading might not have survived had they kept McDermott. But surely, with a settled and committed squad, they would have had more of a chance than they do now, managerless and slipping down the table? The chairman should have shown more faith in their current manager. A new manager generally takes a few months to settle; Reading don’t have the luxury of time on their side. It’s a huge risk to get rid of McDermott, especially with no-one lined up to immediately take over. Zingarevich should have appreciated that his best bet was to accept that this season was only ever going to be about survival, and backed his manager. He didn’t, and it could prove costly.

And what on earth is going on over at Blackburn, with Venky’s in charge? It’s completely shambolic. 6 managers (including caretakers) in one season? Horrific. Getting relegated to the Championship was obviously a major blow, and absolutely not where they wanted to be: but they have to be patient in their quest for Premier League again. With a squad very different from last year’s Premier League side, the manager needs time to work with the players and get them playing his brand of football. Time is the best healer. Changing managers 5 times throughout the season is not. Appoint a manager, back him with money, give him a couple of years to impose his tactics on the team. Progress only ever begins being made after 5 or 6 months in the job.

Consistency is the key. Look at Ferguson, Wenger, Moyes. They’ve all had rough patches; but the board kept faith with them through those tough times, and now they respectively manage 3 of the best teams in England. More teams would be best served following by their examples.

By Alex Beck (@becktheyidcoys)

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it!

The Torres Effect

What happened to Fernando Torres, where did the once prolific forward go? He has been at Stamford Bridge long enough to have sorted himself out but still he remains a joke to most football fans. Here, we have a look at the Spaniard's demise and what it is that might have gone wrong.

Since joining Chelsea Torres has been one of the biggest flops in history, the laughing stock of the Premier League in many respects, especially after the infamous open goal miss against Manchester United! He began his Premier League life at Liverpool when he joined from Atletico Madrid in 2007. It's fair to say that he had a blistering start to his career in England. He racked up an astonishing 33 goals in 46 games in all competitions in his debut season. A great achievement for his first season in England and Liverpool looked to have found a new hero. He continued to impress and built up a fearsome partnership with Steven Gerrard however in the 2010-2011 season struggled with injury and could only manage 9 league goals.


On 31st January 2011, Torres completed a move that would shock the football world, he went to Chelsea for a staggering £50m. This was the crucial point in his career when it all went downhill. From Liverpool's main man to football's punchbag, Torres didn't get his first goal until April 2011 against fellow London club, West Ham United.  Since the move, Torres has only managed 28 goals in 116 games for Chelsea, hardly a record to be envious of. 

With Torres, various phrases come into mind, such as 'Form is temporary, class is permanent  and 'You don't become a bad player overnight'. However, he joined Chelsea in 2011 and is still to really get going in the blue shirt. Torres is a shadow of the once speedy, sharp-eyed striker and now cuts a feeble figure at Stamford Bridge these days. He's had a few mini come-backs but they nearly always peter out eventually. So what has gone wrong with Torres, how can someone so prolific turn into the most overpriced player in history? Well one reason that many cite is his pace. The one difference that most seem to have noticed is that he has lost a yard of pace. Fair enough, he might not be as quick as he used to but he's still not slow and speed isn't everything! Another excuse is that he lacks confidence, I personally don't think he can get away with that one. Since flopping at Chelsea, he has had countless mini revivals including a hatrick in April 2012 and the Chelsea fans were firmly behind him when he first joined. There's been many times where we all thought the 'old Torres' was back but he has repeatedly made sure that finishes up pretty quickly. 

Perhaps you could blame the players around Torres for his demise, however I find it incredibly hard to believe that anyone could blame their service when he has such gifted players as Mata and Hazard playing behind them. He has been stuck up front on his own but this was the case at Liverpool too so you can't blame the system either. So far this season, manager Rafa Benitez has taken the blame for Chelsea's inconsistency and poor results however he can't be cited as a reason for Torres' goal droughts. Torres played under Benitez at Liverpool when he first flourished in the Premier League so if anything then that's a point on his side!

Perhaps he was simply over-hyped at Liverpool and his time there was a complete fluke? I find that difificult to believe as to go from the dizzying heights he was reaching, being one of the best strikers in the world to what he has become is a huge drop. He looked truly world class at Liverpool and I believe the hype was fully justified.

So after considering as many possible reason as we could, we're none the wiser as to what's happened to Torres. Is it his pace, his confidence, his team? Who knows, maybe it's a combination of them all.

One thing that is for sure though is he's not the only one to have suffered a hit after flying out the traps in the Premier League. Other names that come to mind are Nikica Jelavic and Papiss Cisse. Both joined the Premier League in January of 2012 and became fan favourites immediately. Jelavic came from Rangers and few had much expectation however he proved doubters wrong and hit 11 goals in just 16 games last season, building up a reputation of being one of the deadliest finishers about. This season has been much less prolific for the Croatian and he hasn't even registered 10 in 34 games for the Merseysiders, he hasn't a looked a patch on the man he was last season. Cisse has had similar problems since he burst onto the scene with Newcastle. He was a goal-machine when he joined, smashing in 13 goals in 14 games including some unbelievable strikes. This season has been a completely different story as he's only registered 10 times in 36 games. Both players caught everyone's eye last season but have struggled to recapture that form so far this campaign. The one thing that they do have on their side when they don't score however, is their price tag, neither were even close to Torres' £50m mark.

These 3 players are some of the biggest mysteries in recent years and none have managed to get going again so far this season. However, whether their good form will return, only time will tell, maybe they truly are flukes! I'm sure Chelsea, Everton and Newcastle fans sorely hope not as they search for their once hero to guide the team up the league once more!


What do you think? Tell us in the comments section below!

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it!

The FIFA Financial Fair Play Rules

The latest financial figures posted from QPR have been nothing short of astonishing - announcing losses of nearly £90 million in just the last year. Alongside breaking their record transfer twice within the January window, the club has seen their wage bill rocket from £27million to £56million. Despite this substantial outlay on players since promotion, they still find themselves rooted to the bottom of the Premier League.


With the FIFA financial fair play rules widely expected to be introduced in time for the 2013/14 season, fans up and down the country are waiting with bated breath to see if the much mangled governing body can implement their rules effectively.

Well, if the fiasco over the World Cup bribes is anything to go by, then football fans may be waiting for a long time.

According to the UEFA website, their "football family" have agreed on the following:

• To introduce more discipline and rationality in club football finances 
• To decrease pressure on salaries and transfer fees and limit inflationary effect 
• To encourage clubs to compete with(in) their revenues 
• To encourage long-term investments in the youth sector and infrastructure 
• To protect the long-term viability of European club football 
• To ensure clubs settle their liabilities on a timely basis.


All sounds great on the outside, but personally I don't hold out too much hope, especially when you see teams like QPR spending as much as they did last winter. But of course it's not just them who are guilty of spending beyond their means, with Premier League clubs making a collective loss of £361million as of May last year.

The key men who are fundamentally in charge of whether these Fair Play rules are going to be enforced properly depend on two men - Michel Platini and Sepp Blatter.

Beleaguered FIFA president Sepp Blatters’ outrageous comments have got him in hot water over the years, none more so than claiming in January 2004 that women footballers "should wear tighter shorts." UEFA president Michel Platini - Blatter's “partner in crime” - isn’t far from controversy himself, his personal clanger coming after his ignorant comments over racism just before the start of Euro 2012.

"Any player who leaves the field of play will be booked," declared Platini at a press conference. Well, if he can't take racism seriously, then what are the chances of him taking the Fair Play rules seriously?

Furthermore, the revelations concerning bribes and other back-handed payments for the right to hold the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bordered on the ridiculous. The tournaments, which are being held in Russia and Qatar respectively, saw Blatter launch a "full inquiry" into allegations of bribery.

Like many fans, I was hoping this investigation would blow FIFA wide open and expose the dismal state the organisation is in. However, it became apparent quite quickly that under Blatter this will never happen. This is due to the fact that the investigation team (who Blatter hired himself) found a “lack of evidence” to suggest bribery.

You can imagine the celebrations FIFA members had when that was announced.

So, when it comes to lavishly rich teams such as Man City, Man United, Chelsea, PSG, etc. I hope Blatter and co. are strong enough to stop these teams bullying them into flexing the rules. Personally I would love to see the FIFA Fair Play rules work successfully, as it would make leagues more competitive with less spending and prevent from clubs “doing a Portsmouth”.

Of course, there are a few clubs in the Premier League who are prepared for the new regulations; two great examples are Arsenal and Newcastle United.

Arsenal are currently boasting profits of £37 million, while also seeing a rise in revenue of more than £10 million. Newcastle United on the other hand, are now breaking even after being in debt for five years and are expected to announce profits by the end of this season.

It’s all well and good looking impressive on a balance sheet, but this won’t be acceptable for us fans. As we all know at the end of the day, teams will be remembered for the trophies they’ve won, not whether if they make a profit. Therefore, clubs have a big decision to make – profit or trophies?

I know which one I would pick.

By Matt Lawson
(@MattLenLawson)

What would you pick - profit or trophies? Tell us in the comments section below!

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it!

Juan Mata vs David Silva vs Santi Cazorla

Juan Mata, David Silva and Santi Cazorla are all considered to be amongst the best in their position in the Premier League and even in the world. All are undoubtedly extremely talented but we're going to take a look at what happens when they're compared.

Juan Mata began his career rather surprisingly at Real Madrid where he represented the B team before joining Valencia due to a clause in his contract. In his first season at the club (2007/2008) Mata was voted the best young player and he went on to win the Copa Del Rey with his team in that season too. He played for Valencia 174 times over 4 season before making the £23.5m switch to Stamford Bridge. Since joining Chelsea he has managed a remarkable achievement in scoring on his debut in the Premier League, FA Cup, Champions League, Capital One Cup and Club World Cup. In his first season he picked up Chelsea's player of the season award, another indicator as to the impact he had. Since his first season, Mata has arguably pushed on to the next level, overshadowing star signing Eden Hazard and becoming an integral part of the Chelsea team.

David Silva made a professional debut for second division Spanish League team SD Eibar in the 2004/2005 season. After a relatively successful spell, he returned to parent club Valencia before having a season on loan at Celta Vigo. By the time Silva returned to Valencia in 2006 he had won himself a reputation as a young star and began to get into the Valencia side. Silva went from strength to strength and developed as a player before moving to Manchester City in the summer of 2010. He started well, bagging a winning goal at Blackpool and plenty of assists however many claimed he was homesick. These reports proved to be wrong and he went on to enjoy a very successful spell for the club, impressing and gaining many fans in the process. His first season in England, similar to Mata ended up being a very good one and he carried on from there in the 2011/2012 season to win the title with Manchester City in dramatic fashion. So far this season he hasn't been as influential but seems to be coming back into form after being halted briefly by an injury. 

Cazorla's story began at Spanish club Real Oviedo before he moved to Villareal after the former ran into huge financial troubles. Shortly after he moved again, but this time to Recreativo, however in his contract, Villareal had a clause where they could buy him back for 1.2m Euros. After spending a season at Recreativo, Cazorla returned to Villareal after they sought to take advantage of the clause. He made real headlines in August 2008, claiming that giants Real Madrid were after him. He went on to reject them and decided to remain at Villareal, claiming he wanted to stay put as he was only young and getting started in the national team. In the Summer of 2011, Cazorla 'upped sticks' again and this time to Malaga. He enjoyed a very successful season, finishing the season as the club's second top scorer and attracted interest from a number of clubs. This led to him eventually moving to Arsenal after Malaga hit money problems of their own. Since joining the North London club, Cazorla has had a massive impact, amassing many fans and admirers alike, whilst netting 11 goals in the process, a remarkable achievement in his debut season, which is not even over yet. 



If you take a look at how they have performed in the Premier League this season:

I have shown a stat where a player has the best result in green, second best in yellow and third best in red. 

In my opinion, these stats are very balanced, all three players almost cancel each other out. It is clear to see that Cazorla and Mata are hugely on top in terms of goals and that is a vital part of their game. If you look at the chances created then you'll see it is a very close run thing with Silva coming out on top with 73 in total. I do however think that Silva's winning stat in chances created is cancelled out by his lack of goals in comparison to the other two. Whilst they don't create as many chances, they are only just behind but at the same time manage lots more goals. Goals certainly isn't the most important thing for a midfielder but it does provide a huge asset for a team and takes a lot of pressure off the strikers too. All three have exceptionally high pass success rates and they can't really be separated there due to only a marginal difference. 

Overall I would have to favour Juan Mata as the better player, however that is only my opinion. If I had the choice, I would rather have Mata in my team. I have based this decision on the fact that he has goals in his game whilst maintaining the ability to create chances for other as well and I feel he is the better overall player due to the fact he is able to play out wide effectively. Cazorla is in my second place, although he ran Mata very closely. Cazorla did seem to come on top in the stats, however purely based on my opinion, Mata is more versatile and is getting better and better every game. At such a young age (24) Mata has a long way to go and will only improve from here on in. Silva is undoubtedly an exceptional player too and in all honesty all three players are very close in terms of ability. One thing not working in David Silva's favour is his form in the current campaign. Whilst he had a very good season last time out, he has struggled to live up to it so far this season, however I have no doubts he'll rediscover himself, as they say 'form is temporary, class is permenant'! Regardless of who's better, if Spain ever have any problems then how about these 3 replacements in the Spain squad, not bad back ups are they!

Who do you think is better, Juan Mata, David Silva or Santi Cazorla? Tell us in the comments section below!

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it!

Why Chelsea Should Keep Frank Lampard

Frank Lampard has become a Blues' legend in his playing time as he built up a reputation of the typical goalscoring midfielder but rumours are rife that the London club won't be offering him a new contract in the Summer. Many have criticised the club for this and jumped to Frank's defence so here's why Chelsea should keep him!

Lampard started his career at West Ham, joining the West Ham youth team in 1994. He came through the ranks and established himself in the first team in the years following. Eventually his Father, Frank Lampard Snr was sacked as assistant manager and Frank decided to leave for Chelsea in a deal woth £11m. Since joining Chelsea, Lampard has worked his way into the fans' hearts, becoming a club legend.  Lampard spent the majority of his career as a box to box midfielder, although played in a slightly more attacking role than his midfield teammates. 
Lampard has an incredibly shooting range and a large proportion of his goals are from outside the box. Lampard simply knows when to arrive at the edge or in the box and when to pull the trigger. Although not the greatest tackler in the game, Lampard does work hard for his team and contributes defensively too. As well as being a great goalscorer, Lampard has the ability to spray passes all over the pitch, this is combined with his immense concentration that he maintains throughout games, one of his main assets.

In all seriousness, the main part of Lampard's game is goalscoring. He possesses the ability to score a huge number of goals from midfield. A testament to this is the fact that he is the only player to score at least 10 goals in 10 consecutive Premier League seasons and he is a midfielder! For a team to have someone like him in the side is a huge boost and takes some pressure off the strikers, especially when he's banging in 15 a season. He has the most goals for a midfielder in Premier League history with 160 but also registered the most assists in the 2004/2005 and 2009/2010 seasons. Not only does Frank have an incredible record but he is still adding to it. Even at the age of 34, Lampard is still scoring for Chelsea and this proves how much he wants to be there and how much he deserves to be there. They cannot claim he is past it if he continues to do what he is doing now. 

Another reason Frank should be kept is down to his experience. He has been in the Premier League a long time now and has played for the same club, Chelsea for many a year too. He has 787 club appearances to his name and 94 caps for his country. Not only does he have experience but he has experience at the very top of the English game and this is what is important in a team, especially when there are young players coming through, they can learn from you. 

Frank is invaluable to Chelsea FC and if they let him go then it would be an utter travesty. He's still got a few more years left in him, however even if Chelsea don't feel he is a main part of their plans, I feel they should keep him out of respect so he can finish his career there, he still has a lot to offer the team and I think they'd be mad to get rid of him as he is pivotal to them.

Do you think Chelsea should keep Frank Lampard? Tell us in the comments section below!

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it!