Let me start by saying that these rankings should not be taken too seriously. They will not predict for you which team would win a specific match-up. It is best seen as a general marker of how a squad has fared in recent international play, and despite its revision in July 2006, I am sure there are still imperfections. However, a few things jumped out at me upon reading the recently released FIFA World Rankings (June 2007):

1. How the mighty have fallen

Brazil has slipped to 3rd overall. Before the 2006 World Cup, could anyone imagine Brazil being in the state it is now? Their combination of enormous experience (Cafu, Roberto Carlos, Ronaldo, Ze Roberto, Emerson, Gilberto Silva) and young talent (Kaka, Robinho, Adriano), not to mention the best player in the world at the time, Ronaldinho, was a mixture most national side coaches could never even dream of. So much for that. They appeared to lack motivation and chemistry, and they have paid the price. Now they MUST win the Copa America to get back on track to becoming the most feared squad in the world.

2. Rising in the East

Central/Eastern European countries are making a huge push up the rankings. The Czech Republic, once ranked 2nd overall has slipped to 10th, but they have been joined in the top 15 by Romania, Ukraine and Croatia, while Poland sits at 18th.
Romania won a friendly versus Spain last November and tied the Netherlands in UEFA Qualification play back in March. Croatia defeated Italy 2-0 right after the World Cup in a friendly, and beat England by the same score in October UEFA Qualification play. That same month saw Poland surprise many with a victory over Portugal in the UEFA Qualification, and while Ukraine has not been exceptional recently, they did have an impressive World Cup run that took them all the way to the quarterfinals.
At the moment, all four of these teams are in position to qualify for the EURO 2008 if they maintain their current standing.

3. Sinking in the West

Before the 2006 World Cup the United States was tied with Spain for 5th place, with Mexico seated 4th. While the US climbed 13 places since the last rankings in May to 16th overall, Mexico now sits at 26th. Victory in the Gold Cup will no doubt strengthen one of these side’s stature, but both teams were disappointing in the World Cup, and made their high rankings seem grossly misplaced.

4. European expansion

Only 6 of the top 25 teams come from outside Europe, compared to twice that many a year ago. While this is not exactly surprising, it is still noteworthy. Heavyweights Brazil and Argentina are still in the top 5, but Uruguay, Paraguay, and Colombia have fallen into the 30s.

Ghana, the Ivory Coast and Cameroon are within the top 20, and the first two especially have been playing well, but Nigeria has dropped to 32nd and the Republic of Guinea all the way to 50th. The United States rounds out the 6 non-European squads in the top 25.

Clearly UEFA remains the most competitive conference in the world, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see more African teams climbing up the charts, especially with all the excitement of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The upcoming Copa America should also give us a chance to see if the lull for South American teams is merely a fluke or if a genuine power shift is underway. In the early part of this century, squads from Colombia, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay were fearsome opponents. It remains to be seen if they can regain their swagger.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

This is an article I’ve wanted to write for a while now, and am unfortunately slightly late on.

I missed the window on Kaka, who would clearly be in the lineup. However I am writing it now because I don’t want to miss the window on perhaps the most important member of this team, Petr Cech, who turns 25 in less than a week.

Choosing this squad was not an easy task, especially in the midfield. There are many options for attacking midfielders and wing players, such as Arjen Robben, Aaron Lennon and Franck Ribery, as well as forward/strikers like Robinho, Robin van Persie, Fernando Torres and Lukas Podolski. Selection was based on their current form, as well as how much promise they show.

This is a very attacking oriented team, as all the defenders like to go forward at times, and not a lot of the midfielders play too much defense aside from Essien. That’s why Cech is so important. I think this team would play high-scoring games and be a lot of fun to watch.

Goalkeeper: Petr Cech (Chesea)
Not even 25 and already one of the best in the world. A no-brainer, however, I wonder if he could jazz up that helmet a little, give it some crazy graphics like hockey goalies….

Right Back: Daniel Alves (Sevilla)
I think pretty much any team in top-flight football would love to have him right now. He gets the nod over Micah Richards.

Center Backs: Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Alex (PSV)
Both are solid defenders who like to go forward. They have strength, pace and heading ability, and experience beyond their years. They are not exactly unflappable, but more than capable.

Left Back: Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich)
I was impressed with his World Cup performance. He has the pace to be all the way forward whipping in a cross and still get back to defend the break. He plays with a calm professionalism.

Right Wing: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
This was another no-brainer. I would have him take the penalty kicks as well.

Center Midfielders: Michael Essien (Chelsea), Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal)
Essien brings some much-needed defensive ability to the midfield. He would do the dirty work that allows the attacking minded players to do what they do best. Plus he’s good for a last-second match winner or two. Cesc would play in front of him distributing the ball to the forwards and wingers. Kaka would have been in this spot, and I considered a more defensive player like Bastian Schweinsteiger, but Cesc gets the nod for his youth, passing ability and tenacity. He would get a lot of assists.

Left Wing: Lionel Messi (Bareclona)
His Maradonna-like performance against Getafe in April sealed his place in this squad for me. Imagine having to defend him on the left and C. Ronaldo on the right…trouble.

Forwards: Klaas Jan Huntelaar (Ajax), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)
I did not have to think too hard about Rooney. With these wingers he wouldn’t have to worry about coming back too far either. While Huntelaar has been on fire both this season and last, he plays in the Dutch Eredivisie, which is not quite the Premiership or Liga. However, he does have 2 goals in 2 Champions League games and 7 goals in 7 UEFA Cup games this season – a very encouraging statistic.

So there it is. As I said before, these were not easy choices, and I’d love to hear what others come up with….

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Now that the Premiership season has come to an end, it is time to predict where some of the top strikers who may be on the move this summer will end up. This is based largely on guesswork and instinct, as there is little else to go on at this point, so take it with a grain of salt. We can re-visit after the summer to see how it all shook out.

Samuel Eto’o
I think he will generate a lot of interest, and his price tag will be huge. He wants to leave Barcelona, but they would never give him up cheap. I think he goes to Arsenal, and….

Thierry Henry
While looking for a fresh start with a team like Barcelona may be the most prudent move for the Arsenal captain, I think he and Wenger will stay on at least another season and see how well their young team improves.

David Villa
Liverpool may break the bank for him, and they would be wise to, but I think they will go for a less-expensive option (which they will regret), and Villa will stay at Valencia.

Klaas Jan Huntelaar
As much as it pains me to admit, this will be the signing of the summer. He will go to Manchester United relatively cheap, and will be fantastic for them.

Dimitar Berbatov
This is the striker everyone wishes they could get. There will be a lot of speculation tossed around, but at the end of the summer I think he stays at Tottenham.

Michael Owen
For Michael to leave Newcastle after all the heartache and drama he’s caused seems beyond belief. I think he will play (or sit out injured through) one more season with them.

Carlos Tevez
His future is the hardest to predict. West Ham will try very hard to keep him, and I think they will. He’s built up a cult following after disappointing for so long when he first arrived. However, West Ham will be getting Dean Ashton back, and are most likely going to buy another striker with the huge transfer kitty that will be opened now that they’re staying in the Premiership, so Tevez is not absolutely vital. Also note that if they somehow lose the legal battle and go down he will be gone in the blink of an eye.

Darren Bent
Definitely leaving Charlton, and would be a nice pick-up. Liverpool and Manchester United will consider him, and I think he will stay in England. I see him going to Bolton to fill the spot left by….

Nicolas Anelka
I think Bolton was a one year stop for him to remind bigger clubs of his skill. I see him going to Italy to play for Juventus.

Benni McCarthy
He wants to go to Chelsea, and I think they’d jump at the chance, but only if the price is right. It won’t be. Manchester United may consider him as well, but I think he ends up at Barcelona.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

An article evaluating the summer signings sparked much discussion a few months ago. I would now like to open the floor to see who should be dubbed the Signing of the Year.

Here are some candidates, feel free to nominate others, however I think my mind is already made up. Evaluation is based on performance, impact on the squad, how the club has fared this season in all competitions, and long-term potential for the team.

Stats are taken from ESPN Soccernet

THE NOMINEES:

Dimitar Berbatov: 26, Forward, Tottenham. Signed for 10.9m pounds
Premiership: 8 goals, 8 assists,
FA Cup: 3 goals, 1 assist,
Carling Cup: 1 assist,
UEFA Cup: 5 goals, 1 assist

To become a virtual automatic pick on a team that has 4 reasonably good strikers is no easy task. To do so while becoming a consistent scoring threat in whichever competition he plays (92 shots, 57 on goal in 32 games) is even more impressive.

Dimitar started a little slow, and had a bit of a goal drought in late December/early January, but has steadily progressed, and especially turned it on recently (5 goals in the last 6 appearances). He and Keane seem to be working well together, which bodes well for Tottenham if they can keep Keane.

While he stays out of trouble (one yellow card all season), he does pick up a minor injury here and there. Tottenham are still in the FA Cup and UEFA Cup, and within striking distance of the 5 or 6 spot in the Premiership. If Berbatov stays healthy I see him leading the Tottenham charge for years to come.

Obafemi Martins: “22,” Forward, Newcastle. Signed for 10.1m pounds
Premiership: 10 goals, 4 assists
FA Cup: 1 assist
UEFA Cup: 6 goals

Martins did not have as much competition as Berbatov, but has produced similar results. He stepped up big for Newcastle who, without Michael Owen lack a striker who is a real scoring threat (Martins has 91 shots, 47 on goal in 37 appearances).

Newcastle has struggled in the Premiership, Carling Cup, and FA Cup, but I doubt they would still be in the UEFA Cup without Martins. It remains to be seen how he pairs with Owen when he returns, but he has a lot of football ahead of him, and the outlook is certainly promising.

Tim Howard: 27, Goalkeeper, Everton. Signed on loan, made permanent for an undisclosed amount (Editor: 3m pounds).
Premiership: 28 games, 12 clean sheets, 23 goals against, 159 saves, 1 penalty save
Carling Cup: 1 game, 1 goal against, 4 saves
FA Cup: 1 game, 4 goals against, 4 saves

While his teammate Andrew Johnson may have been the early frontrunner for this award, (5 goals in his first 5 games), Howard has been a rock between the posts all year. While neither he, nor Everton performed well in the Cup competitions, Everton sit 6th in the Premiership, and have conceded only 26 goals all year, largely due to Howard’s presence.

Everton lost the only Premiership game he didn’t play 3-0 to Manchester United. His 12 clean sheets are second only to Jose Reina, and against Arsenal he had 12 saves in a marvelous performance that ended in a 1-1 draw. Tim should be a stalwart at Everton for years, and is pushing to win back his starting job for the United States.

HONORABLE MENTIONS: Benedict McCarthy, Jonathan Woodgate, Nicholas Anelka, David James, Nwankwo Kanu, Andrew Johnson

You will notice that no players from the Big 4 are on this list. Nemanja Vidic would have been, but he was a January transfer. This is mainly because the impact these players have had for their clubs has been so obvious, and partially because none of the signings for the Big 4 were revolutionary to their teams. Players like Michael Carrick, Ashley Cole, Dirk Kuyt, Thomas Rosicky, etc. have all contributed, and some may eventually become more important to their club than those nominated here, but they did not have the same immediate, noticeable impact that they can single-handedly claim.

My vote goes to Dimitar Berbatov for his contribution in all competitions, ability to be a team player, and the fact that Tottenham still are still in the running for the FA Cup, UEFA Cup, and a top 6 berth in the Premiership.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Steve McClaren has called up Manchester City 18-year-old Micah Richards to his England squad, and has praised the England U21 system. He also named Gabriel Agbonlahor of Aston Villa, Leighton Baines of Wigan, and of course, Theo Walcott (Arsenal) as potential England call-ups. Let’s open up the discussion on these players, and others we think may have a future for England.

Micah Richards may well be the long-term replacement for Gary Neville, and if he stays on the squad for a while, he will have a chance to learn from the veteran. He is also a potential center back, but for that role he would have to wait longer. Obviously he is young, but he is solid in defense, scores occasionally, and is excellent with his head.

I am a huge fan of Gabriel Abonlahor. This guy is FAST. Not only that, but he is fast WITH the ball, and he can shoot. He is a perfect counter-attack weapon. Teamed up with the likes of Lennon and Rooney, England could have a very fast and very talented attacking line.

Baines plays left back for Wigan, and may have longer to wait simply for that reason. With Ashley Cole and the more-than-adequate Wayne Bridge behind him, it could be tough to break into the England squad, however a left back that can score goals is always popular.

I have also been impressed with Ashley Young of Watford. He has been playing well this season, bearing some of the burden left by Marlon King’s injury. He has 3 goals, including a nice free-kick against Tottenham.

So what do you think of these players? What other promising young stars might we see on the England squad in the future?

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Ruud van Nistelrooy is a fantastic striker. All this guy does is score goals, on whatever stage he plays.

21 goals in the Premiership last year, (which could have been more if he had not been dropped to the bench), a hat trick for Real Madrid in La Liga, and a double for them in the Champions League.

He has scored 28 goals in 54 international appearances, including 4 goals in 5 Euro 2004 games, 7 goals in 10 World Cup 2006 qualifying games, and 1 goal in 3 World Cup 2006 games.

Ruud scores goals, plain and simple. So why did both Sir Alex Ferguson and Dutch coach Marco van Basten drop him from their starting lineups?

Clearly it is his attitude, and it must be a serious issue for these coaches to drop such a talented player. Ruud is obsessed with scoring goals, the ideal mindset for a striker, but there are side effects: Arrogance and stubbornness. Toward the end of last season he reportedly got in a training ground fight with Cristiano Ronaldo over Ronaldo’s tendency to shoot first and pass later. When he left United he trashed Sir Alex, saying he felt ‘stabbed in the back’ (and rightly so if you ask me). His recent refusal to join the Holland team for upcoming Euro qualifying games sends an obvious message: Don’t come crawling back after you kick me to the curb.

I have no doubt that Ruud would love to continue playing for Holland, but he is not willing to jump back on van Basten’s new-blood revolution ship after he’s been made to walk the plank. This is serious. Holland have plenty of fine strikers in their current squad, all of them young except JVoH: Ryan Babel, Klaas Jan Huntelaar, Robin van Persie, Dirk Kuyt, and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink. Plus winger/forward Arjen Robben. As gifted as they are, none of these players are proven goal scorers. Ruud’s rightful place is at the head of this talented group if you go by skill and track record, not to mention the benefit of experience and success on all levels of the game.

But here is the real issue: Holland has not won anything major since the 1988 European Championship. They did not even qualify for the 2002 World Cup. Van Basten wants to build a new team from the ground up — one that has tight chemistry, and a offensive strategy that does not include Ruud’s deep lurking style. So far it has not worked (see their ugly, disgraceful match against Portugal in the World Cup 2006). I do not think Ruud is the one to teach these young forwards, he is to self-obsessed and not hard-working enough, but he will score goals. If Holland do well in Euro 2008 without him, van Basten’s gamble will have paid off, but if they come up short (anything less than the semi-finals), there will be orange hell to pay. Until then, Ruud will have to be content knocking it into the back of the net for Real Madrid.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News