Fern Mc Costigan

Monday, March 16, 2015

Old Trafford Celebrates After its Astounding Feat

Nowadays for United a win is a win and an all-around achievement by the Trafford Boys after juggling a not so easy and welcoming campaign for them and especially it’s Manager.

As those awful and miserable critics keep insisting that the current Red Devils Boss Louis Van Gaal isn’t to fit to manage this squad, wrong he’s proving everyone as well making it feel at time like old times.

For those boys in red as well all of a sudden his initial eleven is making strides and recovering some of their lost territory after their modest campaign under then David Moyes at the helm.

Still that was then and now is the present that the Dutch skipper is fixing very patiently and delivering results as expected and putting the Red Devils within eight points of first place and arch-rivals Chelsea.

A nice afternoon of great football with a certain display of dominance by United’s chap’s throughout the whole match as well seeing a Wayne Rooney scoring with an easiness that suddenly the White Pele is back!

Yes he’s back with such an authority that the opposing squad’s defenders are becoming a bit uneasy of facing Rooney or even playing him on a one to one basis.

Ask that to a frustrated and amazed Spurs Boss Poche looking helpless in the sidelines in how his Lilywhites were defeated and taken to school by an inspired United squad.

Very well how Van Gaal saw a determined and secured Marouane Fellaini opening the first score of the match as well making the Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris a bit uncomfortable and hurried by his constant attacks.

How an inspired Man United midfield really had the game in their grasps and under control for a good part of the match as well David De Gea as always being there in the right place and time not allowing any liberties to the visiting Londoners.

By the way the backfield really did an incredible job and with a Daley Blind, Antonio Valencia, Chris Smalling and Phil Jones kept Harry Kane at bay the whole match and not allowing him to make any move towards their goalposts.

Mastery of a match is what United showed once again to its detractors very well silencing everyone as the Red Devils are recovering in little giant steps their positions and within reach of Manchester City as their next move.

Very convincing the revival of several of Manchester United players displayed in the field at the Theater of Dreams, as their prodigal sons really show off a nice match and game like no other in this campaign, Tottenham is not an easy foe by the way!

With their next week match and not considered a walk in the park, as their rivals in their Merseyside rivals Liverpool Reds going at Anfield, this match won’t be a walk in the park, a win will surpass their cross town rival’s the Sky Blues.

As well became a force not to mess with in the remainder of the campaign, as a win at Anfield will be a shoot in the arms for Louis Van Gaal boys and the motivation ahead to seek not only a Champion’s League position but maybe the Barclay’s Shield.

Crest Credit and Property of Manchester United Football Club and Wikipedia 2015

Photos Credit and Property of © Copyright Premier League. com 2015

Thursday, March 12, 2015

A Much Disputed and Fought Off Expansion Derby!

What a way to start this 2015 campaign, with two new kids on the block staging a very heated Derby that will be recorded in the annals of American Professional Soccer, as a disputed one!

Major League Soccer entering its twentieth edition alongside with the same number of squads that coincidentally match this campaign.

This 2015 edition staged and welcomed in its first day of operations, two of its newest members to the MLS family as well their announced debut in both Orlando City Soccer Club and the New York City Football Club.

Here are two star plagued squads looking to fly high in this campaign as well finished among the top six squads in their division, if they want to aspire for the league postseason in their first ever campaign, of course.

Very well staging a match were both of these titans really staged a very heated match, giving it a certain air of a final or a shield in play.

As both squads with a star plagued lineup and each one showing off their arsenals in the field, the Orlando City chaps showed off their flamboyant superstar forward in Brazilian sensation Kaka as the Big Apple boys had their answer in Spanish striker David Villa.

The Expansion Derby was considered one serious match, were these two will indeed stage a sort of rivalry like no other, like the one witnessed today as well see one series of competed matches from these squads seeking the ultimate of bragging rights!

What an afternoon of football with one serious sellout at the Citrus Bowl in the background and 62,000 screaming fans not disappointed after witnessing the best match in its squad expected MLS debut.

After all, these two really exposed in their initial elevens in what their arsenals will be offering all campaign long as well giving a nice afternoon of spectacular football, that didn’t disappoint anyone in attendance.

At the contrary, everyone at the Citrus Bowl couldn’t believe their eyes after their local squad and the visiting New York boys staged a very contested and disputed match in ninety minutes of play.

At the end, with the return of Professional soccer to Florida and the Big Apple netting its third squad in its category, soccer is alive and kicking in every corner of the Union.

As the campaign is in its opening stages, both squad’s will see how will fare in the next compromises and what lineups both of their Managers will offer to really show off in what promises to be a very contested campaign.

Still both squads’ with their upcoming compromises will have their hands full as Orlando will stage its first ever match in their young presentation as a visiting entity to face the Houston Dynamo at always difficult BBVA Stadium on a rare Friday match.

Where Orlando City Soccer Boss Adrian heath will have his hands full in trying to beat a not so easy Orange Crush attack as well see if his strategies will work under pressure against a top rated Houston squad.

For the NYCFC or the American version of the Sky Blues, will be a sort of homecoming, as opening day in Yankee Stadium will put in display the support that the Big Apple fans will show to their new boy in town.

And facing in what will be a new rivalry from across the interstate and their Eastern Conference in past campaign runner ups in the always hardened New England Revolution- who will give the NYCFC one serious test of endurance and a reality check.

A remarkable and amazing match was the one witnessed the other day at the Citrus Bowl with a sold out crowd and very disputed from beginning to end by these two new kids in MLS block.

At the end for both the New York City Football Club and the Orlando City Soccer Club- their upcoming compromises in the remainder of this 2015 edition, will put in display their will and determination to succeed in their debut campaign.

Crest Credit and Property of NYCFC and OCSC and Wikipedia 2015

Photos Credit and Property of © NYCFC and OCSC 2015

Thursday, March 5, 2015

Is There a Mutiny at Etihad and for Manuel Pellegrini?

How a squad with a multimillion payroll, suddenly is embattled lately, by a mediocre game in both Champions and Premiership Leagues.

Especially when every point of the League in play is very important for the chaps managed by Manuel Pellegrini and by dropping points like that, the Citizens can miss their opportunity to catch up with their arch-rivals the Chelsea Blues.

As all of a sudden this star studded squad, is playing a sort of not so happy football, alongside there’s a certain mood of a mutiny at Etihad Stadium- very well a lack of ambition everywhere in its initial eleven.

Very well a certain discontent, as many say it’s against their Boss; still the defending Premiership champions from last campaign aren’t living or playing to their standards.

As we all know that in the prestigious Champions League, the Sky Blues aren’t capable of putting a good display of football very well make a repeat of last campaign statement in this competition, by almost netting a place in the finals.

That was then and now is the present seen a bit hazardous and at times prickly with the way this club is playing and some of its players not delivering as expected.

With a loss against almighty Barcelona recently and Mister Pellegrini, stated that many of his players were at fault, we can say there’s a certain air of animosity at Etihad locker rooms, by its Boss accusing its core of players directly.

Still the Citizens can win the league if they can turn things around on time and as last campaign they can repeat with another miracle that took the EPL Shield out of the Liverpool Boy’s grasps.

The mood at Etihad is a bit tense and needs for an immediate solution to remedy its woes that are making this club its life miserable lately in every match played, very well trying in their quest to repeat once again.

As rumors place Pellegrini out of Man City and Ancelotti the Real Madrid Manager in his place, many things can happen at the end of this campaign with a change in the helm of this club.

Something that many are asking about the strict policies and discipline instituted by Manuel Pellegrini lately, are justified by many of these players not performing as expected and low performance ratings.

Separating from the squad possibly on a permanent basis are Samir Nasri, Fernandinho and Vincent Kompany, tells you something is not going well at Etihad and sends a message of certain indiscipline or indifference of these players.

It certainly looks like there is a way to make someone’s bed, if not the players making a certain mutiny or revelry against their Manager in solidarity with their suspended teammates after his comments the other day, of no to blame him but the players.

I do recall one thing, the Citizens have one man that can be a good instigator and has been known to make life miserable for its Managers, who else but Sergio Aguero who got the ax on then Atletico Madrid Boss Javier Aguirre!

At the end, if this squad starts making changes in the middle of the campaign very well see a new man at the helm, it won’t be a solution with immediate results- but a sort of catastrophic consequences can bring to this squad in the long run.

It will be a living shame if this club starts a sort of debacle when it needs to make a strong push to the top of the table and unseat the Blues and claim once again the Barclays Shield, a mutiny at Etihad will be disastrous and not so good for the Sky Blues aspirations.

Crest Credit and Property of Manchester City Football Club and Wikipedia 2015

Sunday, March 1, 2015

Capitol One Cup 2015 Headlined by a Dominant Mourinho’s Chelsea

In this edition of the Football League Cup or known by its current sponsor as The Capitol One Cup, this edition really had the essence of a Derby with two bitter rivals facing each other passionately.

With Wembley Stadium in the background, this League Cup was an all-around London Derby, were two London based super clubs in the Tottenham Spurs and Chelsea Blues headlined this edition of the Capitol Cup.

For the Lilywhites Boss Maurico Pochettino, getting his squad all the way to this event final, was a real feat and putting in evidence his work that so far speaks for itself.

Turning his squad around and so far getting so close to the European positions, but not the UEFA ones but the prestigious Champions League and currently his squad being seeded on the overall table in seventh place and ascending a bit rapidly.

The Argentinian Manager was to experience his first major final and in play was the coveted League Cup that would give him a nice boost to his crew as well a nice achievement going into his third year in Premiership.

Still his squad was to face a much different and familiar rival, having a dandy of a campaign and looking towards winning the league shield and first place holder Chelsea Blues.

It was Jose Mourinho experience going against a hopeful and willing Mauricio Pochettino, looking to deliver his first shield to White Hart Lane.

Unfortunately things didn’t worked as expected for the Andean and his strategies went into an abyss all afternoon at Wembley, seeing a dominant Blue attack lead by John Terry and company.

That at the end the superiority of this central London based club was put in evidence heading into a possible treble of a campaign by the way the Pensioners are playing with absolute authority.

Something that they did in unison with their initial eleven headed by a determined and hungry Terry accompanied by an energetic Zouma and always goal sensing Diego Costa, involved as always in both plays that determined the final outcome of the match.

As the loudspeaker played one step beyond, Chelsea players celebrated in unison and with cheerful joy as well a loud Mourinho sliding in front of his players in a celebratory mood!

After netting his first trophy after a good while and his 21^st of his career, setting the table for his chaps to seek the prestigious Champions League as his next task and the defend its club first place position.

That will enable them another Barclays Shield, if they can stay put in the top of the league table and contend the fierce reaction from its league foes closing on them and making their lead to shrink.

Knowing Mourinho, controversy and pressure are on his everyday skills and dominance that has net him a place among the most successful Managers in Europe and in The English Premier League.

Score one for the Portuguese man at the helm of the Blues and possibly bring more shields to the halls of Stamford Bridge, by far is no stranger to winning and rewrite history once again with his Chelsea Boys.

Crest Credit and Property of Chelsea Football Club and Wikipedia 2015