Can Barça Continue Their Winning Ways?

 

Another football season of our beloved Blaugrana begins tomorrow. FC Barcelona will be chasing for their third consecutive Spanish league crown. Hansi Flick braces for his third season as the manager of FC Barcelona, with expectations always high for domestic and European success.

Just like every season, there will be new arrivals and departures. Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres have left the club. Ronaldo Araujo and Marc-André ter Stegen are out on loan, and Marcus Rashford’s loan stint did not result in a transfer. Yet, there will be new faces for the club this season. Barça brought in Anthony Gordon, Karim Adeyemi, Rodri, and Jesse Bisiwu as new editions for the Blaugrana. João Cancelo also signed on a free transfer to rejoin Barça for the third time in his career after being on loan twice before.

Following Spain’s successful World Cup, where Spain’s playing style is similar to Barcelona’s. Ball control and heavy possession instead of playing defensive and relying on counter attacks. However, Spain did not press as high as Barcelona do under Flick and conceded fewer scoring chances. Spain only conceded one goals in the entire World Cup where Pau Cubarsi shined. One has to wonder if Flick will follow the blueprint of Luis de la Fuente and rely less on high pressing and avoid watching all these dangerous scoring chances that other teams enjoyed against our Blaugrana.

The other major concern for the upcoming season will be where will the goals come from? Lewandowski and Ferran Torres were the main scoring threat with Rashford scoring a few important goals last season. All three are now gone and the pursuit of Julian Alvarez did not pan out. Will Barça sign someone else before the transfer window closes? Will Anthony Gordon, Karim Adeyemi or Raphina, or Lamine Yamal be the striker? Is the 18-year-old Hamza Abdelkarim ready for the spotlight?

The final concern is whether there will be a World Cup hangover. Will the World Cup affect the players and cause them to have a sluggish start to the season? Flick has done a decent job of using players from La Masia and perhaps he will have to continue to do so this season. Better yet, will he rest the starters and key players from Copa del Rey? Hansi Flick knows that nothing comes easy being the Barça manager and here’s hoping he and the team have another successful season.

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly; Netherlands v Morocco.

Ibrahim Ayyub gives his opinion on what little went right and what plenty went wrong during Netherlands penalty shootout elimination by Morocco.

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Well, the Oranje’s quest for the elusive World Cup continues. Although expectations were low, being eliminated after four matches for the first time since the 2006 World Cup was not expected. Ronald Koeman is gone and the KNVB will have to find someone to lead these players.

Apologies for the delay, but it took some time getting over this loss. I just left Mexico and got home in time to watch the Oranje take on Morocco and be heart broken once again. The economist Joachim Klement had predicted that the Netherlands were going to win the World Cup. Clearly, he never watched the Oranje play under Koeman when he made that prediction. Hope he does better with his day job.

THE GOOD

Not much good to write about after a disappointing frustrating elimination from the World Cup. Crysencio Summerville’s hustle and not giving up by assisting on the opening goal was admirable. Cody Gakpo scoring to give the Oranje the lead, after the tragic news of losing his unborn son, was a positive moment for all. Other than that, the only other good thing was the departure of Ronald Koeman after this result. Hopefully the next manager will do better than Koeman whose record during his second stint was disappointing despite getting to the semifinals of UEFA Euro 2024. Zero wins against top 25 teams during Koeman’s second stint is shambolic.

THE BAD

The mental lapses by the defenders continued to be an issue. The Oranje had the lead and just needed to set up shop and protect the lead. However, they failed to show that they learned from their opener against Japan and conceded late yet again. Captain flatfoot, Virgil van Dijk failed to hop and head the ball and Morocco equalized in stoppage time. As the saying goes, “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it”. Speaking of history, the Oranje now have the distinction of being the first nation to be eliminated in a World Cup Final, Semi-Final, Quarter-Final, Round of 16 and now, the Round of 32.

Along with the stoppage time brain fart, those penalties were bad. I am not a fan of this trend of slow stepping, tap dancing penalty taking approach. Why not enjoy a Stroopwafel with a sip of coffee before you complete the penalty. Just run and blast the ball in, which Ronaldo Koeman was famous for. You would expect him to drill that into his players. Instead, we got to witness that spectacle. Justin Kluivert scored three penalties in one match for his club, but saw his effort strike the post and it was hard not to feel deflated. It was also hard not to be reminded of his father Patrick Kluivert missing his penalty against Italy in Euro 2000.

THE UGLY

Penalty Shootouts are horrible because someone ends up being the villain. Not this time! There were many villains to choose from after this performance. From Koeman and his coaching to Virgil and his brain fart and those three poorly taken penalties. The overall performance was just ugly. Cowardly football tactics from Ronald Koeman where the Oranje surrendered possession to Morocco in an elimination game. They had 30% possession against Morocco. 30%!!! Scotland had 40% of possession against Morocco and the mighty Dutch could not best that. To call this performance shameful is putting it mildly. Koeman had one bright moment in this whole game, which was bringing on Wout Weghorst and to play long balls to him. It worked when it resulted in Gakpo’s goal. Other than that, Koeman lacked any positive ideas to go with that awful back five idea.

Playing for penalties was a bad strategy. Sure, you look like a genius when it works. However, when it doesn’t work, it leads to more second guessing and afterwards, Koeman said he would not have changed a thing if he could do it again. Of course, the fact that the Netherlands have a poor record in shootouts, only winning two of out their ten shootouts, is another reason to second guess Koeman. The Oranje have been eliminated in a World Cup by a penalty shootout in 1998, 2014, 2022 and now, 2026.

The Koeman era is over and now, the KNVB president Frank Paauw and KNVB Technical Director Nigel de Jong will have to choose Koeman’s successor. They need to show ambition and not just settle for who is Dutch and is available. Aim higher. Pep Guardiola is available, so why not approach him? Unfortunately, we will expect them to decide between the available Arne Slot or Erik ten Hag. It’s as predictable as watching the Oranje play the past few years.

Enjoy the rest of the tournament and stay hydrated during these water breaks. Good luck with completing your Panini stickers albums and get ready for the UEFA Nations League and Euro 2028. Hopefully, these competitions will help this nation prepare them to finally end their quest for the World Cup.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly; Holland 3-1 Tunisia.

Ibrahim Ayyub gives his opinion on what went right and what went wrong during Netherlands 3-1 win over Tunisia.

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Greetings from Mexico City again. The Oranje wrapped up the group stage with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Tunisia to win their Group. Ending the group stage with back-to-back wins was great as they get ready for the knockout stages.

THE GOOD

No one can complain about slow starts concerning this Oranje team. It took the Oranje just seventeen minutes to be up 2-0 against Sweden. For an encore, it only took them seven minutes to go up 2-0 against Tunisia. Tunisia gifted the Oranje with an own goal courtesy of Skhiri in the third minute. Brian Brobbey then scored his third goal of the World Cup four minutes later. Perhaps Brobbey is answer to the prayers for a striker that the Oranje has sorely missed. His fine performances ensure that Weghorst and Depay are not the starting choice up front.

The Oranje concluded the group stage with ten goals and conceding four goals. Five different players scoring in three matchs is a welcomed sight. Another welcomed sight was seeing Justin Kluivert get his World Cup debut, and to remind us how time flies. It was nearly thirty years ago when Kluivert featured for the Oranje in the 1998 World Cup. It’s a nice way of bringing the past to the present involving father and son Oranje players. The last time this occurred was in 2014 with Daley Blind representing the Oranje after his father, Danny Blind, represented the Oranje in the 90s, as an unused substitute in both 1990 and 1994 World Cups, but he did feature in Euro 92 and 96.

THE BAD

Well, besides being told that the FIFA Fan Fest in Polanco, Mexico City was going to show the Holland Tunisia, and then ended up showing Japan v Sweden instead, so I had to watch the match at a Hooters, there were some negatives. Conceding a goal against the woeful Tunisian team is a minor complaint, but it was also not a ringing endorsement on the performance of the backline. That goal will serve as a reminder that this defense is still vulnerable. The Oranje failed to keep a clean sheet in all three group stage matches, and that should give something Koeman to work on and make the players know there’s still work to be done.

Furthermore, failing to score more goals after such a quick start was a bit disappointing. We got spoiled when we saw the Oranje score five times against Sweden, and a route seemed on the horizon against the hapless Tunisians. It doesn’t happen often that the Oranje blowout teams at the World Cup. The first route was a 4-1 victory over Bulgaria followed by a 4-0 victory against Argentina in 1974, a 5-1 victory against Austria in 1978, a 5-0 victory against South Korea in 1998, and a 5-1 victory against Spain in 2014. What matters is the win and the three points, but this was a wasted chance for players to score more goals and also entertain their fans.

THE UGLY

The Netherlands win Group F and what is their reward? A Round of 32 clash against Morocco. Talk about the luck of the draw. Other group winners such as Argentina got Cape Verde and England got Congo. Yet, the Oranje got Morocco who are one of the best teams from Africa, and semi-finalists from the last World Cup. That should be enough for the Oranje to not underestimate the Moroccans and take them seriously. If the Oranje advance, they then will face Canada. Hopefully Koeman and the leaders make sure that they do not look ahead to Canada

Unfortunately, the fact the Round of 32 match is to be played in Monterrey, Mexico is another disadvantage for the Oranje. Mexicans have not gotten over about the Arjen Robben penalty call during their Round of 16 elimination at the 2014 World Cup. The defeat resulted in the popular chant “¡No era penal!” (It wasn’t a penalty) based on the Robben penalty that still stings to this day with El Tri fans. Hopefully the Oranje faithful will pack the stadium in Monterrey and be loud, since it seems unlikely that home fans in attendance will be neutral during the match.  

The Good, the Bad & The Ugly: Netherlands v Sweden.

Ibrahim Ayyub gives his opinion on what went right and what went wrong during Netherlands 5-1 win over Sweden.

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Greetings from Mexico City. The Oranje are back at the World Cup for the 12^th time. Well, after the bitter 2-2 draw against Japan which felt more like a defeat, the Oranje rebounded with a strong performance in a 5-1 victory over Sweden. They ensured qualification in the knockout stages and continue their impressive unbeaten streaks in both group stages and last actual loss in regulation.

THE GOOD

If Koeman is going to be blamed for the poor decisions that cost the Oranje against Japan, then he deserves the praise for getting things right against Sweden. The idea to start Brian Brobbey up front paid off when the young striker muscled his way to score the opener just after six minutes. Brobbey continued to have his way with the Swedish back four. Cody Gakpo was the star at the last World Cup and he continued his fine performance with a brace and an assist against Sweden.

Just like Gakpo was the rising star of the team back in 2022, this time Crysencio Summerville is the one who has shined with goals in the first two matches of this World Cup. Once again, the Oranje will be participating in the knockout stages yet again. The Oranje have never failed to make it out of the group stages in every World Cup appearance since 1974 (The 1930 and 1934 World Cups had no group stages; just knock-out stages). Furthermore, their last loss in regulation time was almost 20 years ago, when they lost, in the Battle of Nuremberg, against Portugal at the 2006 World Cup in Germany. The last time the Dutch had lost in the group stages at the World Cup was when the tournament was held in the United States back in 1994. The Oranje lost 1-0 to Belgium in sunny Orlando, Florida.

THE BAD

It’s hard to criticize a team when they score five goals but there are still doubts on the back four. They conceded twice against Japan, especially the late equalizer when they had to nail it down for the victory. Perhaps it is easy to lose your focus when leading by many goals, but Elanga’s goal should serve as a warning when the Oranje face stronger opposition. 

The contrast in speed was alarming. Elanga was Sonic the Hedgehog while Virgil van Dijk and company ran in slow-motion. The appearance of a back five was disappointing again. It sends a message of retreat and concedes possession to the opponents. It’s a great plan when the Oranje can strike on the counter, but dreadful if it’s a repeat of the Japan equalizer.

The UGLY

Summerville getting a knee to the head right before the final whistle was an ugly sight and fortunately, he will be fine to face Tunisia. Besides that, those ridiculous ticket prices are an ugly sight. However, those hydration breaks are an ugly reminder of how FIFA is milking this event for every penny. Hydration breaks are understandable when played outdoors under the scorching sun, like when the Oranje faced Brazil in the 1994 World Cup Quarterfinals in Dallas, Texas, where Ronald Koeman was just as orange as those shorts they had worn that day.

However, playing inside an airconditioned domed stadium, just makes the whole hydration break farcical. It won’t be long before we get players getting tequila shots during these breaks. It’s understandable that all teams should be given the same treatment, such as VAR reviews, but the fans, managers and players agree that the hydration breaks are not needed when the situation does not call for it.

Another Tampa Bay Sports Legend Departs.

 

After 12 seasons, Mike Evans has left the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The future NFL Hall of Famer leaves the Bucs as one of the best players not just for the Buccaneers, but the Tampa Bay area. Unfortunately, this continues the trend that this area has seen its legends play elsewhere.

I was disappointed but not surprised when it was announced that Mike Evans was leaving the Bucs. Evans was a legend who ranked fourth in the Top 50 Players in Buccaneers History and will be in the NFL Hall of Fame for his magnificent career. It is disappointing that Evans would not play his entire career as a Tampa Bay Buccaneer like Lee Roy Selmon, Derrick Brooks and Ronde Barber. However, for the Tampa Bay sports fans, it’s expected to see legends play elsewhere.

Just recently, we saw Tampa Bay Lightning legend Steven Stamkos leave the Bolts after 16 seasons and is currently playing for the Nashville Predators. Tampa Bay Rays legend Evan Longoria was traded after 10 seasons although he returned to the Rays to officially retire. Meanwhile, the first great Bucs quarterback Doug Williams, was let go by the Bucs after five seasons where he led them to the playoffs in three seasons. His departure was because the owners were known for being cheap. Another Bucs legends John Lynch was not brought back by the Bucs after an extraordinary 11 seasons and his teammate Warren Sapp was also not brought back after 9 amazing seasons. Both ended up in the NFL Hall of Fame and are also members of the Bucs Ring of Honor along with Doug Williams.

There is no doubt that Mike Evans will also be a member of the Bucs Ring of Honor in the future. His departure was not the result of the Bucs losing faith in his ability to perform at an elite level or that his salary was unwarranted. Mike Evans decided to leave because he believed he could win another Super Bowl. That comment stung many fans with some angry at Evans for leaving and others upset at the Bucs for losing Evans because of the direction the team is heading after failing to get into the playoffs.  

Alongside winning and losing, Tampa Bay fans are also accustomed to seeing legendary players suit up for other teams. Time heals wounds and Tampa Bay fans will ultimately only remember Mike Evans positively just like they remember other legends who left the Bucs, Lightning, and Rays. Legends who helped make our dreams come true will always get a hero’s welcome.

The Final Push for the Lightning.

 With just 15 regular season games remaining, the Tampa Bay Lightning are embarking on another quest to capture the Stanley Cup. At the moment, the Lightning find themselves in a tight race for the Atlantic Division. They currently trail the Buffalo Sabers by four points, despite having played two fewer games which is a crucial advantage as they head into the home stretch. Meanwhile, the Bolts also sit six points behind the Carolina Hurricanes for first place in the Eastern Conference. Six points do not make it out of reach, but every upcoming game is vital if they want to make up the six point deficit in order to grab home ice advantage in the Eastern Conference.

The recent Winter Olympics break could prove beneficial, especially for those players who didn’t participate. For those who stayed behind, it was a chance to rest their bodies and clear their minds. On the flip side, for those who played in the Olympics, one can hope there won’t be a hangover factor after playing high-intensity hockey on an international stage and then returning back action with little or no rest.

As the playoff picture starts to take shape, the players’ health is vital. Whenever a player gets checked hard or leaves the ice hurt, it draws a collective breath from the fans. Now is not the time to lose someone to a long term injury. The difference between a deep playoff run and another early exit often relies to who’s still standing.

The hope is for the Lightning to finish the season strong and get some sort of home ice advantage. Hopefully the Lightning finally break their three-year streak of disappointing first-round exits, and capture their fourth Stanley Cup. The Bolts have been there before. It’s time for them to do it again.

Time for Barça to Take Charge.

After 18 games, FC Barcelona sit four points clear at the top of La Liga. They are La Liga’s Winter Champions, which is a nice label. But the Blaugrana faithful know that Winter Champions don’t get trophies in the trophy cabinet.

Happy New Year everybody. Barça are back in action this Saturday after enjoying a holiday break. They return to action enjoying a nice four-point cushion ahead of their archrival, Real Madrid. After a wobbly October, Barça made amends for those poor losses to Sevilla and Real Madrid that threatened to derail the season early. Although you don’t win the league early in the season, you can absolutely lose it.

Thankfully, Barça did what contenders do, and they fought back instead of hanging their heads low. An eight-game winning streak in La Liga flipped the narrative, pushed them past Madrid, and put them where they belong, as league leaders.

Right now, Barça look like a team that has found its mojo again. Although the concerns about the high press continue to linger, the team seems to have health, and momentum in their favor. Currently, the entire squad is almost healthy. Furthermore, the intensity is there, the legs are fresher, and the football seems to have a purpose.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid are wobbling. Performances have lacked authority, and they seem a couple of bad results away from unraveling with their manager’s future questioned. The recent Mbappé injury only tilts the balance further in Barça’s favor. Momentum in football is fragile, and this is the moment for Barça to take advantage and take charge.

Barça open the new year away at Espanyol in the Derbi Barceloní. These games are never simple, and Espanyol have been solid this season. That’s exactly why it’s the perfect test. A chance to set the tone for the second half of the campaign.

Barça are to compete for La Liga, Copa Del Rey, Super Copa and the UEFA Champions League in the next few months.  It’s time to get the results to put more pressure on Real Madrid and other rivals. Playing back at the Camp Nou, even if at half capacity, still an advantage. However, there has to be an emphasis on rotating the players to keep them fresh, especially Lamine Yamal who has to be taken care of and not stretched thin by club and country. The 18-year-old Lamine Yamal is a rising star who finished as the runner up for the title of the best player in the world. His a phenom whose talent is undeniable but whose long-term health is non-negotiable. Brilliance means nothing if it burns out too soon. In order for Barça to have another successful season, the likes of Lamine Yamal, Pedri, Raphinha, Cubarsi and others have to be properly taken care of when it comes to minutes played.