Who's the best player?

Results

Date	Time	C	Opponent	F	A	R	S
06 May	4:00 PM	P	Chelsea (H)	1	1	Draw

Wenger once said "Can you imagine a midfield with Patrick Vieira and Gattuso?" I've never seen a player with so much fire in their belly as Gattuso. What a midfield it would have made if at their prime, Vieira and Gattuso played together. Manchester United were very sorry that he returned from injury.

I love two kinds of players. Intelligent productive players like Dennis Bergkamp, Francesc Fabregas, Scholes, Kaka and momentum productive players like Ronaldinho, Rooney, Vieira (and hopefully Abou Diaby and Tomas Rosicky will be the same).

Momentum productive players are not the same as busy bodies. The Premiership is full of busy players who are not necessary productive although still useful.

In my view Kaka is the best player in the world and Fabregas is the best in the Premiership while Cristiano Ronaldo is the most exciting. It's just down to my personal taste. I enjoy productive players with intelligence and the capacity to make everyone around them more productive.

Manchester United have to exploit the advantage of Ronaldo's momentum while Fabregas and Kaka give their teams advantage from their momentum. There is a difference.

I have strong feelings about the balance of youth and experience in football. Risks and laissez-faire is great in sports. That abandon and courage generally comes from youth than experience.

When United met AC Milan, I didn't give Milan more than a fighting chance because I believed more in the youth and adventure of United than the calm experience of Milan. I still think the defeat in Milan is a failing on United rather than an exoneration of football based on compactness and experience.

In the Champions League final, we have 2 teams that do not work by creating chances. They work by exploiting opportunities and mistakes. United made 4 major mistakes yesterday and Milan scored 2 goals from them. Then United made 3 smaller mistakes and Milan scored from 1 of them.

Manchester United were the last entertaining team left in the competition and it is sad for football that they are out although I cannot bring myself to muster any sense of sympathy for them. I tried last night and failed miserably – time and time again! It must be said that Sir Alex Ferguson was brilliantly graceful in defeat. I hope José Mourinho took note.

Can José Mourinho leave Chelsea? He knows that Porto's Champions League win was a fluke - it was good coaching but it needs luck to win the Champions League and he knows it since he has a better squad now that haven't been able to do it for 3 years.

He is a proud man and must want to stay where he will have money to win because he can clearly NOT deal with being average - he will be ignored, the press wouldn't crowd round him and nobody will listen to his ego-statements. That would drive José to suicide.

José should have been a pop star. Where else can he go where he would not have to work twice as hard, with no guarantees and without the squad he wants and still be Special José?

Liverpool don't have Seedorf, Kaka or Inzaghi who can score a goal from one chance so they will have to create chances like they tried against Chelsea and they will close down Milan with far more vigour than United managed.

Liverpool also have Mascherano and United had no such player. Rafa Benitez knew he needed two goals against Chelsea and he went out and tried to get them. It wasn't pretty but he risked everything to get the goal.

Inzaghi is 33 and he still plays. That's because although he is easy to dismiss, he is lethal. One slip and he's there – he's one of the most predatory stealth strikers football has ever seen.

Drogba and Eto'o are more exciting but you have to give yourself a weak moment and appreciate what Inzaghi can do with half the energy investment that Eto'o and Drogba put in.

I have to tip Milan for the final because although I think Liverpool will give them a hard game, Liverpool don't have the strikers to finish off chances like Milan do and I also doubt Milan will allow 2005 to repeat itself – it would have been very painful.

These guys are Cup specialists that are old enough to to learn from their mistakes – Maldini in 99 years old and Cafu is 87 – for most of them, it will be their final bow. Athens should be very interesting.

Chelsea coming on Sunday and I feel like Arsenal will win. I didn't have to try hard not to feel sympathy for Chelsea after their semi-final exit. I detest their football just as much as I do Liverpool's but at least I like Rafael Benitez and certain Liverpool players.

I also think that Rafael is playing with what he's got while Mourinho is playing like that in spite of what he has got.

User Comments

thomas archiedinho wilson

Posted on 13 Mar, 2008 at 06:56 PM - Reply

I will like to say I love rosicky adabayor fabregas van persie held and many many more like flanami and so on

Arsenal Analysis

Posted on 4 May, 2007 at 06:03 PM - Reply

When Fabregas adds goals to his repertoire then he will be one of the best in the world at his position.

g

Posted on 4 May, 2007 at 03:27 PM - Reply

Please Arsenal ., please finish off the chavs season.

Hitendra

Posted on 4 May, 2007 at 01:37 PM - Reply

Fantastic article Joel... and I like your statements at the end.. in spite of the resources and players available to Jose, Chelsea still play some really dreadful football. If you take Drogba out of the picture, then Chelsea this season were a disaster

User Comments

• Got something to say?
• Read comments

Vs chelsea