What to take away from City's dominant win

In one of the most important battles for the crown of England, the dethroned king of last season that is Manchester City slayed the team that took their throne, Chelsea, 3-0. In a first half that Manchester City showed their determination to put last season behind them, Begovic kept out Aguero twice with great saves. Aguero would finally get the better of the Bosnian in the end though after a counter attack led by Raheem Sterling would lead to City patiently carving open the Chelsea defence with Yaya Toure and Aguero combining at the edge of the box. Vincent Kompany would then hurt Chelsea's chance of a comeback with a header from a corner late in the second half. Fernandinho put the sword through Chelsea's heart late on when David Silva closed down Ivanovic's clearence and it fell to the Brazilian who finished first time.

1. City show desire and passion missing from last season

The main difference in this performance and that of last season's matches against Chelsea was City showed the desire to leave their blood, sweat and tears on the field. Vincent Kompany and Elaqium Mangala both showed a great understanding and were warriors willing to battle to the end with the brute Diego Costa. Aleksander Kolarov bombarded forward and whipped devilish crosses all game, while Bacary Sagna was a shield blocking all of Eden Hazards quick stabs trying to get to Joe Hart. Yaya Toure and Fernandinho never stopped running, covering every blade of grass on the field. They were also combatant with all their tackles in their personal battle against the duo of Cesc Fabregas and Nemanja Matic. The wide players of Raheem Sterling and Jesus Navas were always tracking back and closing down the opposite wide players, and when in attack ran directly at their man. David Silva showed that he can match his poetic nature with a darker aggressive side, and Aguero challenged for every aerial ball although he was most likely to lose out and also chased onto every through ball.

2. Raheem Sterling adds another dimension

In his home debut, Sterling showed why City invested so much in him. He adds another dimension to City's attack in the form of a direct and counter attacking option as shown in City's preseason and their opening goal. Sterling ran from his own half into Chelsea's defensive third gliding past players. From there City's attack carved open the Chelsea defence with Silva, Toure and Aguero combining before Chelsea could recover their shape. This goal was a mix of the patient, elegant City fans have come to love and a direct style that Raheem Sterling brings from his days at Liverpool.

3. With Otamendi, City's defence will be world class
With Manchester City seemingly taking the lead in the race to sign Otamendi, Mangala showed no sign of being affected by the news during the game against Chelsea. Him and Kompany were both world class in the game against the champions and shut out one of the Premier League's best in Diego Costa. With the addition of Nicolas Otamendi, City's defence will be world class and can rival that of Chelsea's. Otamendi had a spectatcular season with Valencia and helped them achieve a Champions League qualifying spot. He will add experience and composure to Manchester City's back four, and will be able to replace Kompany should he struggle like he did last season, or Mangala if he shows a lack of composure. Also with the addition of the Argentine, Pellegrini has the option to play Mangala at left back, a position he played along with centre back at Porto. 

Chicharito and other signings that can assist Tottenham to top four

Last season, Tottenham won the battle but lost the war against neighbours Arsenal. They got the better of their rivals twice in the derbies with a draw away and a home win, but in the end they lost out on a top four finish, and will be gracing the Europa League again for another season.

Having finished six points out of the top four last season,  Tottenham showed glimpses of how good they can be on their day. They famously beat the future champions Chelsea 5-2 after being behind by two, and beat Arsenal 2-1 at White Hart Line with one of their own Harry Kane scoring the winner. With the right signings, Tottenham can build on last season and battle in the Colosseum of football, the Champions League, instead of the overshadowed fight pit that is Europa League.

Up until Harry Kane burst on the scene, Tottenham's strikers were struggling to put the ball in the back of the net. The mediocre pair of Emmanuel Adebayor and Roberto Soldaldo failed to inspire the fans with any confidence. It was only from the end of 2014 that a Tottenham striker looked lethal in the form of Harry Kane. Kane carried Tottenham and made himself a household name in 2015, but he is only one man and has only had a good half season. Plenty of players have been one season wonders, so Tottenham need another striker that can pick up the goalscoring if Harry Kane is out of form or gets injured. In a world where proven available strikers are few and far between, as shown by Manchester United and Arsenal's hunt, Tottenham have been linked with Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez. He spent last season on loan at Real Madrid, and showed what he is capable of when he is given starts towards the end of the campaign with goals against Atletico Madrid and performances like that against Celta Vigo. He is just the striker Tottenham should sign as before his loan to Spain he was a proven Premier League goal scorer and he would suit spurs style. He is much different and more effective than Soldado and Adebayor as he makes the runs in behind the opposition that lead playmaker Christian Eriksen would love. He also stretches the defence so the wide players in Nasir Chadli and Erik Lamela could cut in and exploit pockets of space. He would be a great signing to Spurs and improve their chances of a top four finish.

A position which was arguably their weakest last season, Spurs need a centre defensive midfielder. They need someone who can screen the backfour with a great passing range, positioning and tackling. Two players that are similar but contrasted by age Tottenham should target are William Carvalho and Thiago Motta. Sporting Lisbon's William Carvalho has been linked with a move to Arsenal, but so have a lot of players. The twenty three year old star shined as an anchor in midfield for Portugal recently in the under 21 Euro's. This is the role that Tottenham need as he possesses all the skills required as he has the aforementioned passing range, positioning, and tackling. Carvalho is also Yaya Toure-esque in the way that he can make bulldozing runs from the midfield into the oppositions third.
Thiago Motta is the other name that Tottenham should take note of. Spurs have been linked with the want-away PSG star. Motta is currently thirty two but celebrates his thirty third birthday this month. Although in the twilight of his career, Motta is still one of the best holding midfielders in the world and would offer Tottenham's young midfield what Carvalho couldn't, experience. Motta is a champions league winner with Jose Mourinho's famous Inter side, and from there he moved to Paris Saint Germain and has picked up multiple domestic medals. Although not as mobile as Carvalho, Motta's positioning, intelligence and passing is better. The Italian wouldn't be a long term solution to Spurs midfield, but he would push their top four prospects for the upcoming season.

Tottenham currently have four wingers in Andros Townsend, Nasir Chadli, Erik Lamela and Aaron Lennon. The latter though has one foot out the door as it appears he has no future with the club. The other three though have struggled for consistency in the Premier League. Townsend arrived on the scene when Tim Sherwood was in charge. He appeared to be a breath of fresh air but defenders soon realised his reliability on cutting in on his left and shooting from range. Chadli started last season scoring goals at important times for Tottenham, but wasn't consistent later on in the season. Lamela has arguably been the worst of the three having struggled to adapt to the Premier League since his big money move in 2013. What Tottenham need is a consistent winger. Tottenham are linked with Crystal Palace's Yannick Bolasie. Bolasie is a winger with a lot of flair, but Palace have reportedly slapped a 25 million pound price tag on him. Bolasie would be a good option as he was one of the Premier Legaue's best wingers last season, his best moment when he terrorised Liverpool in Palace's dominant 3-1 victory last season. He is known for his silky dribbling and skills, but Tottenham should only consider him for a maximum of 10 million pounds as playing for a team like Palace with the objective of avoiding relegation is different to playing with Tottenham targeting Champions League football.

Other wingers Tottenham should consider signing are Bayer Leverkusen's Karim Bellarabi. Bellarabi is a tricky player who possesses a fair amount of pace on the right hand side of midfield. He had a strong campaign for Leverkusen and has the ability to cut inside or run down the line. He started Germany's last Euro Qualifier in their dominant win over Gibraltar and managed to get on the scoresheet. This performance showed that he can take his game to another level by playing with the international side.

So far Spurs have mainly focused on improving their defence in the transfer window with their signings of Toby Alderweireld, Kieran Trippier and Kevin Wimmer. Alderweireld is the by far the best signing after having a great season for Southampton, but for Tottenham to challenge for top four, they need a conistent striker, holding midfielder and winger, and the players mentioned are just who they need.

Manchester United are making a mistake selling Di Maria

An angel by name and on the field, Angel Di Maria seems to be within a few days of swapping England for France. Although having only arrived last year for a Premier League record fee of sixty million pounds, Manchester United are happy to take a pay cut and sell the Argentine to  Paris Saint Germain, but this is a mistake.

When Di Maria arrived at Manchester United, he was coming off a stellar season in Spain where he spread his wings and flew Real Madrid to La Decima. Within his first five starts for his new club, the Argentine had scored three goals.  Although not dominating every game, Di Maria ended 2014 with Manchester United as one of the Premier League's best and as a member of the World's Eleven. Whatever highs Di Maria had in the first half of the season though, he had equivalent lows in the second half. 2015 has been highlighted with low confidence, a red card in the FA Cup against Arsenal for diving and then tugging at the Referees shirt, and losing his manager's faith.

In his last season as a Galactico, what seems to be forgotten is that Di Maria struggled at the start of the season. He was behind Gareth Bale in the first team and was public enemy number one in the Spanish media for performing antics such as grabbing his crotch when getting substituted. Di Maria had one foot out the door, similar to his present scenario, but he chose to stay and forced his way into the first team. The rest is history as he had season of his life. What this shows is Di Maria has adversity and can rebound when it appears there is no light at the end of the tunnel. Few would have chosen to stay in the same circumstances with the arrival of the most expensive player in the world, but he did. He also proved the naysayers in the media wrong with all the pressure on him. This isn't easy and shows that next season Di Maria has the mental strength to rebound and return to his tantalising best.

What made Di Maria so good for Madrid was playing in a consistent environment. Ancelotti had one system; a 4-3-3. Last season though, it would be almost impossible to consistently name the lineup Louis Van Gaal would put out. With all the signings Van Gaal has made this transfer window though, it appears that he has come up with a basic formation and starting eleven. Last season the Argentine played up front, in the midfield, on the wings and in defence as a wing back. This inconsistency contributed to his poor form in the second half of the season. Playing Di Maria consistently either on the wings or in midfield should produce results. In all the environments he has thrived in, such as Real Madrid and the Argentina National Team, he has played in a consistent formation and position. So should Van Gaal have consistent tactics, Di Maria with his quality will definitely improve on last season.

Although United have made some good signings this transfer window, none are of the calibre of Di Maria. Bastian Schweinsteiger is currently in the twilight of his career and doesn't have the box-to-box fitness of the Argentine. Memphis Depay was prolific in the Netherlands, but is currently unproven in the Premier League and is mostly potential. Schneiderlin is a good holding midfielder but isn't as effective going forward. Depay and Schneiderlin are also new when it comes to the Champions League. Given United are challenging in four competitions, keeping players of Di Maria's quality should be inevitable. Although he may start the season on the bench, having a player of Di Maria's quality to turn to if you need to bring him on or for squad rotation is a sign of great squad depth.

Another factor that selling Di Maria to Paris Saint Germain is a mistake is the price. United are on course to make a loss in selling Di Maria to PSG and cheaper than his true value is. They shouldn't be pressured by the French champions into selling cheap though given their strong finances and financial fair play position. If they do decide to sell Di Maria, which appears likely, they should aim higher as the current deal PSG are offering for one of the best players in the world is low compared to what he is worth.

Ultimately selling Di Maria would be a mistake for Manchester United. The player showed in his first half season in England he can be a class above the rest when on form, and if United want to be at their best again, he is the type of player who can carry them forward.

Sydney FC re-sign Player of the Year Milos Dimitrijevic

It was arguably the club's biggest week. Sydney FC had just put in brave performances against Premier Legaue giants Tottenham Hotspur and champions Chelsea. The supporters emotions though were mixed. Whatever highs they had from the thrilling games disappeared as it appeared player of the year Milos Dimitrijevic was unlikely to ever grace the Allianz Stadium again after the club moved on from stalled contract negotiations.

Now though, Milos Dimitrijevic has stunningly completed a u-turn and signed with the A-League runners up on a two year deal.
'I'm really happy to be re-signing for Sydney FC,' the midfielder said, 'I thought long and hard during the off season about where I wanted to play my football and I am happy I have made the right decision'

Dimitrijevic, who made 4 assists and created 53 chances last season, also spoke of the impact working with Graham Arnold had for him staying.
'Working with Arnie again and competing in Asia were huge drawcards for staying.'

Dimitrijevic will look to have another stellar campaign after he sweeped the club's end of season presentation. He left the gala with Player of the Year, Players Player of the Year and Club Members Player of the Year.

Keeping Pedro should be Barcelona's number one priority

A player that seems to have been consistently lighting it up in the shadows of other superstars his whole career, Pedro is reportedly on the brink of a move away from Barcelona to Manchester United. This is a move that makes sense on Pedro's side considering his quality and lack of game time, but for Barcelona it is a transfer that can be questioned for multiple reasons.

Pedro has played for Barcelona his whole career. He developed through their famed youth academy, and entered the first team for the first time in the 2007/08 season. Since then he has achieved great success with the Catalans having won multiple titles. He opened the scoring on the Champions League final in 2010 against Manchester United, and has become a regular in Vincent Del Bosque's Spain squad. Despite all this, he is mostly known for his role as a squad player for Barcelona.

Although not as talented as Lionel Messi, Neymar, or Luis Suarez, Pedro's role for Barcelona is just as important. Whenever called upon from the bench Pedro is reliable and adds something else to the game. Against Juventus in the Champions League Final, he was brought on late in the game but still managed to make an impact as he set up Neymar to kill the game in the last kick of the ball. This highlights the quality that Pedro offers off the bench. Few teams can turn to their bench consistently and have someone of that calibre always ready to deliver.

What makes Pedro so good when he plays is his intelligence, pace and selflessness.  Pedro's football intelligence is as good as any others. Pedro's footballing intelligence is due to the prestigious academy he came from. He is very technical in the way he makes intelligent runs in behind and always makes himself available to his teammates. His pace is what allows him to make those runs as he is usually a step ahead of the defence. Those qualities make him good, but it is his selflessness that make him stand out. Pedro always has his head up looking to play others in rather than taking on the shot himself. Although he isn't at the Belgian's level, Pedro is like Eden Hazard in this way that he takes more joy in setting up a teammate after cutting in than taking the shot like Ronaldo. His selflessness also shows in his industry as he always tracks back and covers Danni Alves who likes to push up higher than the average fullback.

The transfer ban that Barcelona has on them at the moment is also a reason to not sell Pedro. If Pedro is allowed to leave, a simple question is raised, who will replace him? No one can be brought in to replace Pedro if he leaves until January. That leaves bringing up less experienced youth academy players or leaving his role to the hot prospect Munir. This is less than ideal as Munir is only eighteen and is not yet at the quality of Pedro, and Barcelona isn't in need of funds so letting Pedro go would be weakening themselves.

Ultimately selling Pedro would be bad business for Barcelona. Few players today seem to be content with coming off the bench and mainly being a squad player, but Pedro seems to be one of them. This, his quality and Barcelona's transfer ban mean that keeping Pedro should be Barcelona's number one priority this transfer window.

Manchester City's youth highlight of preseason

In recent years, Manchester City and youth players haven't been mentioned in the same sentence positively. City though have been trying to change that as they have put a lot of money into their academies and facilities, and this preseason has shown their efforts are paying off.

In their preseason tour of Australia, Manuel Pellegrini has given the chance to many young prospects. Before the tour, City fans may have known Marcos Lopes and Zuccilini, but may not have known the names of players like Brandon Barker, Manu Garcia, and Kelechi Iheanacho. They all put in great performances in the friendlies against Adelaide United, Melbourne City, and Roma, and should be names to remember for City supporters.

While staying up the Gold Coast in Australia, City played against Adelaide United and Melbourne City. Against Adelaide Brandon Barker shined the brightest as he controlled the game with his silky dribbling and touches. He showed great football intelligence and opened the scoring for the Citizens when he cut off the left wing. Bruno Zuculini scored the second for City with a nice volley from a Clichy cross. Iheanacho also showed his talent as he ran the Adelaide defence ragged all night. The game against their sister club, Melbourne City, proved tougher but the youth this time played alongside established Manchester City starters Yaya Toure and Samir Nasri. Brandon Barker again was always a threat on the left, constantly turning his man inside and out and carved out several chances for his teammates, notably one for Nasri in which the Frenchman was too casual. Iheanacho again never gave the defence a chance to breathe, and Zuccilini set up Nasri for the winning goal in Brisbane.

The game against Roma though is the match in which the City youth stole the spotlight from established first team players such as David Silva, Samir Nasri and Yaya Toure. Marcos Lopes, Zuccilini and Iheanacho especially stood out. Marcos Lopes had the ball glued to his feet whenever in possession and left Roma players in his dust. He also showed the flair that made him City's youngest first team goal scorer. Zuculini showed great intelligence and composure when on the ball. Iheanacho though was the stand out performer of the night as he led the front line over star strikers Edin Dzeko and Stevan Jovetic. He hunted down every loose ball and stalked the defenders. This was examplified when he netted City's second goal after chasing down a wayward Ashley Cole pass and having the composure to slot it past De Sanctis.

The preseason tour of Australia showed City's youth development is as good as any other in the world. Players such as Brandon Barker, Marcos Lopes, Zuculini and Ihenacho show that City don't just have to spend Sheikh Mansour's money to have good players.

Why Sterling will be a great signing for City

After Raheem Sterling's first match in sky blue, Sterling's football talent finally took the mic away from his agent after months of talking in City's preseason win over Roma. Although just a friendly, Sterling showed why City paid as much as they did for him and why he will be a catalyst for their title challenge this season.

In a packed Melbourne Cricket Ground, all eyes were on Sterling. On his first touch of the ball apart from the kick off, boos rang around the stadium and it seemed to surprise Sterling as much the commentators as he tripped over the ball. He got straight back up though and carried on with business and won a corner. A few minutes later Iheanacho gave City the chance to counter attack and split the Roma defence with a sublime ball to Sterling. Sterling had the option to square it across goal to a partner but took his chance and scored his first City goal. Pjanic would go on moments later to score a stunner. Iheanacho would go onto equalise for City after a majestic but unintentional assist from Ashley Cole. Two minutes before time Ljajic again equalised for Roma with a nice free kick. City would then go on to win in a penalty shoot out due to Joe Hart's heroics.

What Sterling showed in this game is his pace and direct running will give City another dimension. 

Last season against Bayern, where City luckily beat the Bavarians, and against Barcelona in the champions league round of sixteen, City started with David Silva and Samir Nasri on the flanks. They opted to counter attack both teams, but this tactic was doomed from the start with these two on the wings. Both are world class players on the wings in the premier league, but only when City dominate possession. In this circumstance they can disregard the responsibilities of an ordinary winger of stretching the opposition and tracking back, instead being able to roam into the middle and not have to worry to much about running with their back to the opposition keeper. Against Bayern and Barcelona though, they had different roles and had to stretch the game and run with the ball. Both lack the pace and movement of a true winger, so when City broke away, they were not able to stab both teams on the counter like a Chelsea or a Real Madrid. Against Roma, Sterling was a constant thorn in the opposition defence as he ran at defenders but still played with the City philosophy of quick passing. Sterling's counter attack goal in the game highlights how in big matches against the bigger teams in the Champions league, he will be an asset and worth the money. He will give City the direct style they were pretending to have against Bayern and Barcelona and give City pace in the side.

Jesus Navas was crucified last season for his performances. While he wasn’t as bad as he was made out to have been, he is one dimensional in the way he only runs to the byline and crosses it. Rarely he cuts inside and roams into other areas of the pitch to make a difference. In the second half, when Sterling was off and Navas was on, City were much less of a threat. In the first forty five, Sterling was constantly swapping flanks, coming inside and out, while in the second half Navas only ran in one direction and took all shots on his right. Sterling is an upgrade in this sense as when deployed on the flanks he can run to the byline, cut inside or roam into central positions so the City attack will be more dynamic.

If this match was a highlight of what Sterling will do next season, City fans can rejoice. While his individual play was terrific, his link up with his teammates was just as good. Sterling's cohesion with the team, especially David Silva was mouth watering the whole first half. The two constantly proved difficult to read and it's players like Silva who bring out the best in others. With Silva, Sterling will definitely settle in better and seamlessly fit into the first team, and hopefully help City towards the Premier League trophy.

Pogba comitts to Juventus

By the looks of things Paul Pogba has quelled rumours of a move away from the Italian champions. The France international has been the subject of constant rumours of moves to Chelsea and Paris Saint Germain but told reporters he is thinking about the present and not the future.

 "I'm not interested in the future. I live in the present. I'm working well on the pitch, I'm not thinking about my contract and I've not scheduled meetings with Allegri and [president Andrea] Agnelli'

The talented midfielder, who has been compared to the likes of Patrick Vieira, also talked up the prospect of playing under new coach Massimiliano Allegri after the departure of Antonio Conte.

"Allegri and Conte are both great coaches. I've had a good feeling from the start. Conte is now gone and now we have Allegri. We met briefly, we talked a little over the weekend and we're ready to work together in complete harmony."

Pogba made thirty six appearances for Juventus in Serie A last term, scoring seven goals and seven assists. He was also named Young Player of the World Cup after guiding France to the quarter finals in Brazil.

Javier Hernandez agent vspeakes about future

Having been turned from a Sir Alex super sub to a David Moyes roll of the dice, Javier Hernandez endured a nightmare term for Manchester United last season. Now though, Hernandez has the chance to live the dream again as a new season is kicking off, but there is a chance his revolution may not be in a Manchester United shirt.

Javier Hernandez's agent, Eduardo Hernandez, recently spoke to Calciomercato.it about 'Chicharito's' current situation and Inter Milan, who the striker has been heavily linked with recently.

"To date there is no official negotiations. Javier yesterday joined fellow Manchester United teammates, reaching Los Angeles and in the coming days we will evaluate the various solutions, not just those relating to Inter."

Hernandez, who as a result of last season was dropped from the Mexico team during qualifying, returned to international football at World Cup. The striker only made four appearances for his country, all off the bench, and scored one goal. 

Eduardo also revealed he and his client have not yet spoken to Louis Van Gaal, who led Netherlands to the semi finals in Brazil.
"We have not yet spoken with Louis van Gaal, who will assess ' Chicharito ' firsthand before making a decision. "

Hernandez made twenty four appearances in the Premier League last season, reduced to only six starts for the Red Devil's. He scored four goals in those appearances and has revealed in the past his frustration in limited starting chances.

Mario Gotze is Germany's hero

Having been dropped to the bench for previous poor performances, Mario Gotze was the last roll of the dice for German coach Joachim Low when he threw the Bayern Munich attacker on late against Argentina. Lady Luck would happen to blow on Loew's hand as he rolled the dice, as Mario would prove the match winner for his country and a snake eyes for Argentina.

In what was a tense World Cup final, both Germany and Argentina no matter what they did could not get the back of the net to ripple in the standard 90 minutes. Both sides were blessed with chances, as Argentina were gifted a chance early in the first half only for Gonzalo Higuain to shoot wide. Germany unluckily hit the post late in the first half through defender Benedikt Howedes off a corner and moments after the second half whistle blew Lionel Messi had a chance to score but also failed to hit the target in the tug-of-war match being played in the Estadio Maracana. By then it was clear this match, no matter how many chances were given, this match would enter extra time.

Germany were clearly missing Mario Gotze throughout the match. The former Borussia Dortmund man is a blend of an elegant play maker and methodical finisher. He can just as easily be the one to load the gun or pull the trigger. For this his substitution for Miroslav Klose made sense as he was needed, and his distinctive style came into effect when Andre Schurrle delivered the killer cross that the midfield maestro dispatched to lift his nation and down another.

After a disappointing debut season for Bayern Munich, one in which he wasn't usually the first name on the team sheet, Mario Gotze needed a great World Cup. Before the final, Gotze's tournament was mixed. He started off bright by winning the penalty that led to Germany's opener against Portugal and scoring in his nation's second match against Ghana, but like all stars he looked to have burnt out as he fell out of favour with Joachim Low and was dropped to the bench in the knockout stages. Having not been invited to the 7-1 party that Germany had with Brazil, Gotze's winner against Argentina will be just as important to himself as to his country, as he was one of the players that needed a World Cup moment and few will have one as important as his.

When Gotze arrives in Germany, he will be a national hero. His goal will be etched into his country's proud football history, and will layout a new chapter in German football. He, like most of his teammates, still have one or two World Cups ahead and his winner could just foreshadow the international empire the Germans are about to build, and be a glimpse into the football's new superpower.

A diamond in the rough under Roberto Mancini, Samir Nasri's Manchester City career looked to be at a dead end just a year ago. Now though, the Frenchman is an all new light having been rewarded with a contract extension that will see him in a Sky Blue shirt until 2016 for his performances last season. This has completed Nasri's transformation under Manuel Pellegrinni as he is now one of true sparkling jewels in Manchester City's squad.

At the start of last season, it looked the bench jokes about Nasri would continue when he was on the substitutes list when City kicked off their campaign against Newcastle at the Etihad. During the match though, when Yaya Toure scored his first of many free kicks of the season, he celebrated with a warming up Nasri on the touchline. It was then you saw a Nasri that wanted a piece of the action, and wasn't gonna fuel his haters. His wish was granted when Pellegrinni threw him on and he wouldn't regret it. The former Arsenal ace hit the ground running and scored City's fourth goal after intercepting a poor pass from Newcastle and dispatching it, and this foreshadowed his upcoming season.

Although he looked good enough to start, Nasri's big break of the season came early on when David Silva picked up an injury. The creative midfielder looked the perfect replacement for the Spaniard and showed that he was a whole new different player under Pellegrinni in his performance in the Manchester Derby. Scoring a goal and playing a crucial part in the previous goals, he showed the confidence he inherited and from there Nasri never looked back and became a first name on the teamsheet.

What made Samir Nasri shine bright like the diamond he was at Arsenal was his creativity. He created the most chances in the Premier League along with Chelsea's Eden Hazard with 92 scoring opportunites made. He also had a wing man in David Silva at his side. Although David Silva's injury put Nasri in the lineup, his return kept him in it as the two developed a great partnership on the field. On the field they played slick short passes and taught defenders basic geometry with the shapes they drew with their passing.

Quick with his feet and great vision for his teammates, Nasri also has an eye for goal. His goals in the Capital One Cup final and late Premier League encounter against Sunderland respectively were crucial to the addition of new silverware to City's trophy cabinet. He also opened the scoring against West Ham on the final match day of the season in which City won the Premier League.

Samir Nasri's commitment to the Premier League champions should be as exciting as opening the present from Santa under the Christmas tree. After a largely forgettable season he turned in an unforgettable season, one in which he propelled his side to the title. Now though, he should take his game to the next level along with his teammates, and must put in the performances he did in the Premier League in the UEFA Champions League, and then he may be much more than just a player in City's history books, he may be a legend.

Messi is close to being the greatest

Up high in the sky, towering above the heavens next to Mount Olympus, lies the Mount Rushmore of football. So far, only two faces have been carved into the mountain, that of Argentina's Diego Maradona and Brazil's Pele. In between the two immortals, lies an empty space of rock, ready to be carved. That area is only 90 minutes away from being filled with another face, and the only thing between a new addition is Germany.

The man that the lonely sculptor waits for is Argentina's captain Lionel Messi. Messi just guided his country to their first World Cup final in twenty four years by beating the Netherlands in their semi final match. After 120 minutes, the match was a stalemate. Unable to get past a determined Netherlands defence, Messi and his compatriots had to beat the 2010 runners up in penalties. Messi led the line and opened the penalty account for the South Americans after Sergio Romero saved Ron Vlaar's poor attempt. Every Argentine then went on to score, and Romero again saved another penalty as he stopped Wesley Sneijder and Argentina advanced.

As Messi looks to lead his country out into the Estadio Maracana against Germany, Messi has two men to thank for advancing to the final. Javier Mascherano and Sergio Romero both stopped the ball hitting the back of the net in the later stages and penalty shoot out respectively. Mascherano's last ditch challenge to stop Netherlands' Arjen Robben when he skipped through the Argentine defence was a crucial point in the match as it was the best chance of the evening, and made sure Argentina's hopes were still alive. Romero's courageous saves in the shoot out defined histournament so far, as he has been a spider protecting the web behind him throughout.

Having scored four goals and grabbed a single assist in his 6 starts in Brazil, Messi has had the weight of his nation on his back the whole tournament. His goals in the group stage proved decisive, but he has taken on a deeper position in the knock out stages. He has tried to get on the ball more in deeper areas and carry it up field. This has given his teammates more freedom on the field and more space to occupy when in attack.

In the round of sixteen against Switzerland, Messi's assist to Di Maria was crucial, proving to be the only goal in the game three minutes from penalties. Against Belgium in the quarter finals, he attracted players like a magnet and his pass allowed Di Maria to set up Gonzalo Higuain. Just recently against Netherlands, Messi was always swarmed and surrounded by the colour orange, but still managed to play in a few of his teammates. Against Germany though, he will look to do the same but push up more in attack as none of the German defenders who started against Brazil in the form of Phillip Lahm, Jerome Boateng, Mats Hummels and Benedikt Howedes can match him for speed and should be left in his dust.

Germany head coach Joachim Loew worst nightmare would have had to have been to face Lionel Messi in the final. Having always been told that he needs the World Cup to be the greatest, Messi is so close to glory that his breath is fogging up the trophy. Whether Germany try to man mark Messi out of the game or treat him like an ordinary player, he will hurt Germany and will not waste his chance to be a legend of the game and finally step out of the shadow of the Hand of God.

John Guidetti

When John Guidetti joined Manchester City in 2008, he broke the hearts of his many admirers. Although he chose City, he has still been admired at a distance from many top clubs and may be lined up for a move away from the Etihad.

Speaking to Calciomercato, Guidetti's agent Calo Cavalleri, revealed that a move to Serie A fell apart in January due to his loan move to Stoke City, but now the transfer window is open his agent plans talks with Manchester City. 

"Next week I'm going to meet Manchester City to discuss the future of Guidetti" he told Calciomercato. 

His agent also highlighted the only factor that could put the brakes on an exit from Manchester would be that few clubs would want to match his high wage. 

"The wage of the boy is high (1.6 million euros per season) and therefore we will have to see how much, and especially if the English club (Manchester City) will contribute to the payment of his salary because at the present figures are important."

 "There are some situations in Italy, but everything will depend on what City decide, are engagements that Italian clubs interested can not afford.'

He also spoke of Feyenoord, the club in which Guidetti spent the 2011/12 season on loan and excelled at, scoring 20 goals in 23 appearances in the Eredivisie  "
"Feyenoord? The same applies for the companies of Serie A, even those figures can't afford Guidetti. I'll see after the meeting with the leaders of the English club what will happen". 

Guidetti has hade first team chances limited at Manchester and made no appearances for the Premier League champions last season before his loan move to Stoke. At Stoke though the Swedish striker made six appearances in the Premier League, all off the bench, where he played under one of his former sky blue managers in Mark Hughes .

Muller

The talk leading up to Germany's opening World Cup match against Portugal was around how Cristiano Ronaldo would play against the Germans and if he could carry his team past them. The talk after the 4-0 beating Germany handed Portugal is that Thomas Muller is the man to watch this summer in Brazil, and he proved this again in Gemany's win over the United States. 

Muller entered the race for the prestigious award after his hattrick against Portugal. He now currently sits on four goals, along with Lionel messi and Neymar. He scored his fourth of the tournament and ninth all time World Cup goal after a Germany corner in which Tim Howard saved a header which rebiunded to the feet of Muller. Muller powered the shot past Howard into the bottom corner with authority, the shot screaming confidence as it sailed through the air.

Muller won the Golden Boot in his first World Cup in 2010 when the event was hosted by South Africa. The Bayern Munich forward scored five goals in six appearances four years ago as Germany made it to the semi-finals only to be knocked out by tournament winners Spain. The young German side managed to finish third after beating Uruguay where Muller scored the first goal with his last goal of the tournament. The German team Muller plays a part of now are mostly older faces of the team that played then, and look to this World Cup as a success only if they fly home with the trophy.

Muller's role to Joachim Lowe's squad is to be the clinical forward they need, to be the man that can win the match himself. The only true striker in the German squad is veteran Miroslav Klose. Although Germany's all time top goal scorer, the 36 year old Lazio striker is now far from his prime and they need someone who can carry them through matches and score the goals. That man is Muller, as he is a proven poacher in front of goal. He started his career off as a striker, but has since been moved to the right wing. He still carries his striker attributes with him though, as he is able to score a header, and shoot powerfulyl with either foot.   but in Muller, Joachim Low has a clinical forward that can take Germany to the end.

Muller's play style is perhaps the most unorthadox and scrappy style in all of football. He isn't an angel on the ball like his German compatriots Mesut Ozil and Mario Gotze. He doesn't take defenders on one on one. He doesn't score the most beautiful goals. What he does is underrated. To most it will look he is just lucky, and in the right place at the right time, like his second and third goals against Portugal and his opener against the United States. What he does is play as a satellite. He enters open space and orbits the defence, and anticipates. This style is one of a kind and one that defenders can't do their job against. 

Muller can inspire Germany to the final. Playing around creative midfielders such as Bayern Munich teammates Mario Gotze and Toni Kroos, as well as Arsenal maestro Mesut Ozil, Muller should have a prolific campaign. Having won everything in Germany, he now has a great chance to win something for Germany.

Nigeria vs Argentina report

Argentina beat Nigeria 3-2 to win their last group game of the World Cup. Messi earned himself a brace while Marcos Rojo scored also for Argentina, and Ahmed Musa also scored a brace.

Messi scored the opener when Angel Di Maria's shot deflected off the post in the early minutes to the Barcelona forward. Messi dispatched the ball high into the net to give the Argentines an early lead.

Nigeria though didn't want to lay down as they scored the equaliser a minute later through Ahmed Musa.

Argentina were enjoying the shots in the first half as Gonzalo Higuain missed after being played in by Messi. Di Maria also tested Nigerian keeper Enyeama with a 25 yard shot.

Messi scored his and his country's second in the dying minutes of the first half through a sublime free kick that that left Enyeama stranded.

The score at the break was 2-1 to the South Americans, with Nigeria needing unfavourable results elsewhere to deny them to the round of sixteen.

Almost immediately after the break Musa claimed his second as he found space in the oppositions defence and slotted past Romero after Emmanuel Emenike played him in.

Argentina though restored the lead moments later as Marcos Rojo scored off Ezequiel Lavezzi's corner, shifting momentum yet again.

Argentina then took control of most of the creativity and even after Messi's withdrawal they created chances, but poor finishing kept the scoreline at 3-2.

Verratti

Just as a prince inherits the king's throne, Marco Verratti is the heir to Andrea Pirlo's creative role for the Azzurri. Both the king and the prince's World Cup is over as Italy lost to Uruguay in a match where a point would have sealed their round of sixteen passage.

In a match where Pirlo pulled the strings and Verratti showed glimpses of why he is set to succeed the 35 year old, the castle of glass that was the Italian national team cracked in the second half when Verratti's compatriot Claudio Marchisio saw red for a studs-up challenge on Egidio Arevalo. Italy never recovered having lost a man and were made to pay when Uruguay's Diego Godin ended their World Cup with a late headed goal in the second half from a corner.

Losing to Uruguay makes it consecutive World Cups that Italy have bowed out in the group stages, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel for them in young Marco Verratti. The Paris Saint Germain midfielder was among the best on the field in their opener against England. He was sharp and aware on the ball, and linked up great with his teammates. England had no answer for him as he was dragging defenders away with his smart runs and inventive passing. Against Costa Rica Italy lacked the energy Marco Verratti offers, as his young dynamic approach was needed when the Italians suffered a shock loss to the South Americans. Verratti against Urugauy was an epicentre of confidence, having skipped away from challenges and playing clever passes. Verratti though was injured in the second half and towards the end his creativity was missed as his teammates searched for an equaliser.

Verratti is a representation of the new generation of Italians ready to bring them back to glory. Along with him include AC Milan's trio of Mario Balotelli, Stephan El Shaarawy Mattia Di Sciglio, Lorenzo Insigne and Domenico Berardi. All have shone for their clubs over the past few seasons and look to be the new breed of Italian footballers; fast, agile and confident. By the Euro 2016 and World Cup in four years, these special six of the many young Italians should be in their prime and  hopefully be built into a team where they can shine, and remind the world that Italians are still among the best.

Pirlo has been a loyal servant to the Italian national team for many years, and will leave a void in the midfield. Verratti though has shown the potential he has in the Italian team, having played alongside the man he looks to replace and has looked equal next to the living legend.  He, with the new generation of Italian footballers, should refresh this tired Italian team, and can take the world by storm in the upcoming years.

Memphis Depay is the heartbreak kid

In two appearances off the bench, Memphis Depay has proved to be the heartbreak kid of the World Cup. The young talent broke the hearts of the brave Australians with his winner when Netherlands beat the Socceroos 3-2, and just recently crushed Chile when he sealed a first place finish in Group B for the Dutch late on.

The recent victory against Chile was a match in which both the Netherlands and Chile fought to finish a top of group B. Both sides had casualties as Chile were missing tenacious midfielder Arturo Vidal and the Netherlands were missing Captain Robin Van Persie due to suspension.

The match proved to be an even affair, chances few and far between the two teams. The deadlock though was broken in the second half by substitute Leroy Fer who turned in a header from a corner played short that resulted in Daryl Janmaat delivering a killer cross. The Netherlands finished off Chile when substitute Depay, who applied the finish to Australia in the Dutch's last match, again proved to be the match winner. From a counter attack that begun in their box due to a Chile corner, Depay had the easy task of a tap in after Arjen Robben ran the ball to the byline and squared it to him.
Depay's goal has given the Dutch good momentum as they face a date with Mexico in the round of sixteen, with Miguel Herrera's men having beaten Croatia 3-1 to finish second to Brazil in group A.

Depay, who is just one of the hot talents that PSV Eindhoven has to offer, was usually deployed on the left wing for his club last season. Although having the natural qualities of a winger; pace, dribbling and finishing, Depay has been given a free role in his two appearances off the bench by Louis Van Gaal, and has thrived. Van Gaal rolled the dice by bringing him on against Australia in a crucial match for the Netherlands, but he was rewarded with the youngster's display, as he grabbed an assist and a goal. Depay, along with his goal, showed the exciting football he offers when in the Dutch shirt. Early after being brought on against Chile, he showed what he can do with faith from his coach, as he left Gary Medel in his dust with tricky stepovers, and tested Claudio Bravo with a long range effort that boasted confidence The resulting corner resulted in a goal, all because the youngster made some magic.

Depay's style echoes the famous words of legendary boxer Muhammad Ali, "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee". He can easily be graceful anonymous on the field, and then unleash something for the highlight reel and change the game.

Currently Depay is wanted by a host of Premier League clubs, and is reported with a reunion with Van Persie and Van Gaal in Manchester. At 20 years of age Depay, has not only proved lightning can strike twice by being decisive in his first two World Cup games, he has made Van Gaal's job harder in picking a starting eleven. This will boost his country's and his own performances, and showing he is worth believing in and the hype surrounding the talented youngster is justified.

Netherlands v Chile Match Report

Netherlands beat Chile 2-0 to top Group B and secure a match with Mexico in the round of 16. Leroy Fer and Memphis Depay both came off the bench to score the goals that gave the Dutch the win in a match of few chances.

Louis Van Gaal's side were without captain Robin Van Persie as he was suspended for picking up his second yellow card against Australia previously. Instead, Arjen Robben wore the captain armband and lead the Dutch out.

Chile were off the back of a comprehensive 2-0 win over Spain, ending the hopes of the 2010 World Champions and looking to stop the flying Dutch.

Although both teams guilty of having an attacking flair, the match was a stalemate throughout. Chile looked most likely to break the deadlock in the beginning of the first half with favourable chances, as Eduardo Vargas created the first opening with a header over the crossbar. Towards the end of the first half Netherlands were bouncing back towards the break, and were becoming more dangerous.

As both sides had limited chances in the first half, the second half kicked off, but the match still looked like it could end in a 0-0 draw as both sides struggled for opportunities. Alexis flashed a shot over the bar from a fair distance out to sum up the match so far.

As the second half continued, Arjen Robben looked the most likely to score as he was often finding space in Chile's box.

Claudio Bravo was fired a warning shot by Memphis Depay with around 15 minutes remaining as the young talent fired from range.

The deadlock was finally broken just moments later when Daryl Janmaat delivered a cross that substitute Leroy Fer turned in with a powerful header.

As the match was closing Chile fought for the equaliser but it backfired when the Dutch counter attacked and Arjen Robben squared the ball for other substitute in Memphis Depay to turn in and seal the three points for the Netherlands.

The Netherlands as a result of their 2-0 win next face Mexico now who beat Croatia 3-1 in the round of 16, while Chile will face favourites Brazil in a match that will surely have attacking flair.

Ronaldo: 'Average' Portugal were never going to win World Cup

Cristiano Ronaldo has let it known that he never felt the 'average' nation he captains had a chance of winning the World Cup. Portugal, who Ronaldo famously carried to the World Cup after single-handedly beating Sweden two times last year in World Cup play offs, still have a slim chance of making it to the round of sixteen although Ronaldo has looked to have written off their hopes. To qualify they will need to beat Ghana and call on Germany to beat the United States, and finish with better goal difference than the United states who currently sit on four points and are five goals ahead.

Ronaldo simply said the squad wasn't good enough to fly out of Brazil as champions, and didn't hold back,
 "Maybe we're an average team," Ronaldo said. "It would be a lie to say that we are a 'top' team. We have many limitations and suffer from injuries such as with Pepe [who was suspended for his actions against Germany] and [Fabio] Coentrao. This limits us a lot. We have a very limited team and we are not at the best level. This does not enable you to beat top teams.

"There are no miracles. We knew we would have a tough group, with perhaps teams better than us. I never thought we could be world champions, we have to be humble and know our level. I'm not a hypocrite, I never thought we could win the tournament "

Ronaldo also refused to dwell on the knee injury he carried entering the World Cup, 

 "I don't want to justify myself by talking about my physical problems, that's water under the bridge," he added.

"I'm here, I'm fighting, I'm trying to do my best, I'm running, and obviously it's no use talking about my issues. 

"Every day there's something new in the papers about my knee, and about this and that. That's why I don't want to justify myself. I'm here body and soul to help the national team."

The Portuguese forward spoke of how his country looked tired against the United States, but didn't want to focus on it too long because of his own problems.

"I'm not the most adequate person to answer that question, especially because I don't have the moral high ground here since I haven't been playing the way I would hope lately. 

"Obviously we had a very long season, but every team here did as well. They were also playing the Champions League and cups and leagues, so it's something everyone else could point out as well.

"I don't think we lost the game because our players lacked attitude. Every team comes here to win. We knew we weren't favourites, we have never been."

Messi is the difference

With nothing but winning the World Cup on his mind, Argentina boss Alejandro Sabella brought a talented deck of cards to Brazil this summer. In that deck lies a joker; the most valuable card in the deck as it ahs the potential to be a game changer, and that card is Lionel Messi.

Lionel Messi was first decisive for Argentina in Brazil against Bosnia Herzegovina in their World Cup opener, and was the hero again but this time against Iran. The match, which even had Argentina legend Diego Maradona in attendance, was a stalemate at 0-0 after 90 minutes due to fantastic goalkeeping at both ends. Highlight reel saves made by Sergio Romero and Ale Reza Haghighi to keep out gonzalo Higuain and Ashkan Dejagah respectively were just a few of the spectacular saves witnessed. 

Iran defended for their lives and looked Mourinho-esque throughout the match, and given the season he had and his performances last season for Barcelona, it looked like Messi would disappear and never return into the match. This was not the case, and the Argentine proved people wrong like normal. Unpredictable like the joker, Messi received the ball at the edge of the box, and in a moment he stood out of the shadow created by the legend in the crowd and curled home the winner for Argentina, saving his country a humiliating draw and denying Iran a famous point.

Messi has always been criticised for not performing on the international stage, having scored only one World Cup goal before Brazil, and the international stage is where Pele and Maradona showcased their talent and were recognised as the best. Winning the World Cup with Argentina is said to be what will cement the Barcelona striker's place with Pele and Maradona, and this summer Messi has a good shot at the trophy. Surrounded by a fortitude of talent with the likes of Angel Di Maria, Sergio Aguero, Javier Mascherano, Pablo Zabaleta and more, Messi can inspire his side to the World Cup. His rival, Cristiano Ronaldo, grabbed the headlines for his effort in carrying Portugal through the Qualifying play offs. His rival though isn't surrounded by talent like his, and having edged out the Argentine for the Ballon D'Or, La Liga top scorer, and Champions League top scorer, Messi now has a chance to outshine Ronaldo on the biggest stage of them all.

Messi has shown the desire needed to lift the trophy. The sign of a world class player is that even when they are having an anonymous and disappointing game, they can pick themselves up and produce a moment of magic that can turn the game on it's head, and Messi did just that against Iran. If the Barcelona forward can continue his form, he and Argentina can fly through and out of Brazil with the World Cup, along with knowing the Argentine captain has fulfilled his full potential.