Useless. Flop. Goddamn waste of money. Adjectives are not too hard to come by when Fernando Torres is the topic of discussion. Few footballers have fallen as far and as fast as the former Liverpool hit man has in the past 2 seasons.

Once feared by the world’s finest defenders and revered by Kopites the world over, the Spanish striker has suddenly become something of a cruel joke in the Barclays Premier League. So indelibly has he left his mark in England that his very name has taken on added meaning in the English language:

Nando

Noun – an unbelievably easy goal scoring chance wasted due to woeful finishing.

Example: What a nando from Torres!

Verb – to miss an easy goal scoring opportunity by seemingly defying the laws of Physics.

Example: Dear god, please don’t let Torres nando this one.

But Chelsea didn’t shell out a whopping £50M for Torres to coin words. They need the troubled Spaniard to start hitting the back of the net with regularity. In order for that to happen however, they need to get Torres the one thing he desperately needs – a psychologist. What is psychology going to do that countless hours of training haven’t been able to? The answer is simple; rather than moaning every time Torres misses yet another golden opportunity, a psychologist will address the source of the problem. Consider these points:

1. Fitness

Many commentators like to claim that Torres “doesn’t look fit.” This, of course, is absolute bullshit. Fernando Torres has been available for selection for every single Chelsea game this season bar three – Bolton (away), Everton (home) and QPR (away). And even for those 3 games, he was not missing due to injury. Rather, Mr. Torres was serving a 3 game suspension after picking up a senseless red card versus Swansea.

So Torres is fit. And if even if you’re one of those nitpickers who distinguish between “fitness” and “match fitness” then we can still confidently say that Fernando Torres is match fit. The Spaniard has made 18 appearances in the league to date, even if quite a few have been from the bench. He’s been in the rough and tumble, he’s had to chase balls (haha!) and he’s also been given an extended run in the first team, especially with Didier Drogba off playing in the African Cup of Nations. Clearly then, Torres’ problem is not merely a physical one.

2. Talent

Is Chelsea simply asking too much of poor old Torres? Is Andre Villas Boas demanding the impossible? Hell no. We all saw what Torres did at Liverpool. Is the striker just “past it” then? Over the hill? Unlikely, at 27 years old the lad still has time on his side.

Admittedly, he has shown glimpses of his glorious best on occasion this season: small bursts of speed, clever assists as well as a few deft touches here and there have all been noticed and clutched at by desperate Chelsea supporters. Even if Torres’ performances have been dreadfully inconsistent, it is obvious that ability is not his major problem. He can do all the things he is being asked. He just isn’t.

The harsh reality, dear readers, is that Fernando Torres’ biggest obstacle to recapturing his former glory is his mentality. The man is royally screwed upstairs. Let us address 2 key issues:

1. Pressure

Is there anyone in the Premier League who is under more pressure right now than Fernando Torres? Perhaps not. The hapless duo of David de Gea and Steve Kean are in with a shout, but their troubles only began in August. Torres has been under considerable stress ever since the departure of Rafa Benitez from Liverpool in June 2010.

Hampered by niggling injuries after a goalless World Cup, Torres never really regained his explosive pace and sharpness under new Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson. The drop in his on-field performance, coupled with on-going frustrations with then Liverpool owners Tom Hicks and George Gillette ultimately led to his acrimonious transfer from Liverpool to Chelsea in January 2011.

But unknown to (or ignored by) Chelsea was the fact this this was not the Torres of old. Their new signing arrived in London with a lot of mental baggage. Torres was already under extreme pressure to recapture his lost form but now he also had to adjust to new surroundings, prove himself to a new club, face intense competition for a starting berth as well as justify his British record £50M price tag. Mix all of that with the ever present media pressure that hounds Premier League players on a daily basis and what you’re left with is a high-stress cocktail that few people can swallow.

Working in high pressure environments will always cause stress, and stress leads to anxiety. For world class athletes though, performance anxiety can be a motivating factor that’s spurs them to excellence. Increased anxiety leads to increased arousal and if this arousal is within the athlete’s optimal functioning zone, then it will lead to better performances. Pressure can bring out the best in football players. That is why we often see the best matches at major tournaments like the Euros, the Champions League or the World Cup (in the high pressure knockout rounds).

However, no one performs optimally under extreme pressure. Too much pressure will result in excessive arousal outside of the optimal functioning zone and that causes a significant drop in performance.

Fernando Torres needs to realize that being nervous is natural. He needs to harness his anxiety and use it constructively to improve his performances. He is simply becoming too worked up. He needs to relax. If he can’t manage to do that, his woeful form will continue to haunt him as the season progresses.

2. Confidence

Trying too hard without success leads to physical as well as mental frustrations and is a classic sign of a player in a slump. And let’s not ignore the facts; Fernando Torres is in a helluva slump. His confidence is shot. Scoring 2 goals in 23 games can do that to a guy. We can only imagine the mental turmoil he experiences each time he sees Andy Carroll ahead of him in the scoring charts.

The danger of suffering from low confidence is that the situation can quickly spiral out of control. Low confidence leads to a drop in motivation, which in turn causes decreased performance, ultimately resulting in even less confidence. It is like a vicious cycle, which if left unchecked, can completely destroy a player’s season or even his career.

So what can Torres do to help himself and get out of this rut? He needs to focus on the simple things. Uncomplicated gameplay will increase the chances that attempted actions or tasks are successful, resulting in elevated confidence levels. No more flick ons or backheels or stepovers for Pete’s sake. The groans of the crowd when those “tricks” fail to come off are far more damaging than you might think. Just run and shoot, Fernando. That’s all you have to do. Something is bound to go in sooner or later, and when it does you need to milk it and build from there.

As for you Chelsea FC, if you value your£50M investment at all, please get off your collective asses and get this man a shrink. “Run and shoot” is a simple enough command, but we wouldn’t want poor old Torres to take it out of context, now would we?

The author, Demetrie Thompson, is a lifelong football fan and the editor of What Is Psychology.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Thursday was the five-month anniversary of Jürgen Klinsmann’s appointment as head coach of the United States men’s national team. In that short time, he has presided over seven games and has a paltry 2-1-4 record.

He has also instituted some controversial player-selection policies, in some instances preferring European-born players to Americans. This has led to some backlash, most recently this morning from U.S.-born professional player Preston Zimmerman that started some discussion on Twitter about Klinsmann’s policies:

Preston Zimmerman (from Pasco, Wash., currently playing for SV Darmstadt 98 in Germany's 3rd Liga) lashes out at Jürgen Klinsmann on Wednesday morning on Twitter.

On Nov. 10, Brian Straus of Sporting News published an interview with Klinsmann ahead of the 1-0 U.S. loss in France. In it, Klinsmann made some assertions that implied the U.S. is better off with Europeans on its national team than Americans.

For example:

“It’s a different part of American culture. It’s the global picture that America represents. Those are kids who came through military families or for whatever reasons, working reasons of their parents, then they grow up with a different educational system, which gives them in soccer terms an edge ahead of American kids growing up in the U.S. They go through thousands more hours of playing the game than the American kid because the American kid only plays organized [soccer]. They come through different systems that gave them, especially, a technical advantage, an advantage in terms of how they read the game, anticipate the game, because the more you play the more you read things ahead.”

But the fact that he’s selecting foreign players is not his fault; it’s society’s:

“Now you live in this dual-citizenship world that is normal. It’s globalization. It’s just the way it is.”

Klinsmann obviously has a disdain for the grassroots of the American soccer system. He doesn’t seem to understand that it is different here; the same things that work in Europe or South Americ will not work in the U.S. The landscape is changing toward a more hybrid system with European allusions, but it will never be exactly the same.

The U.S. Soccer Development Academy is expanding, with Major League Soccer clubs taking a greater interest in youth soccer than ever before. However, most of these players will continue to go to college than straight to the pro ranks when they turn 18. The very top players who are ready for it will make the jump to the first team; others will get four more years (some less, if they leave early) to develop as players before taking that leap.

Looking at the last three U.S. World Cup rosters, the American system has fared just fine. Just six players out of 49 grew up in what could be considered a non-American system (youth play outside of the country):

Click on the image for a full-size version of the 2002, 2006 and 2010 U.S. World Cup rosters.

These American-born players made their mark on the college system before becoming professionals, and they made it to the quarterfinals in 2002 and won their group — which included England, a nation that exemplifies the club youth academy system — in 2010.

Evidently, being a non-American does not necessarily make a player better.

Those 2002, 2006 and 2010 players who did not play in college played for the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., which is the precursor to and a model for the current U.S. Development Academy system. IMG still has two teams participating in the new system, but graduates of the old academy include Landon Donovan, Damarcus Beasley, Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore.

The academy system developed from that early start, and now all clubs under the Development Academy umbrella receive support from the U.S. Soccer Federation, not just IMG. To continue finding quality youth players, this system has to keep developing.

It’s off to a fine start — most NCAA Division I recruits played at an academy, and 16 of the 20 members of the U-17 national team that just won the 2011 Nike International Friendlies play for an academy side.

Additionally, Klinsmann has to realize the right balance between the European system and the existing American system. Imposing too much change will destroy all the work that has been done up to this point to find a system that is uniquely American but still effective on the global soccer stage.

Finally, a few more MLS selections to U.S. friendly squads would be nice, instead of European-born and -based players of whom nobody has heard or seen play.

Hopefully, the U.S. will be holding the World Cup in 2014, and Klinsmann will look like a genius despite his rocky first few months in charge. But that’s a far cry from the current look of things. If World Cup qualifying starts slowly for the U.S., changes have to be made quickly.

Sacrificing this World Cup cycle for future cycles would be unacceptable because the talent the U.S. has right now demands that success be immediate, not sometime in the future.

Liviu Bird is a goalkeeper for Seattle Pacific University and editor-in-chief of The Falcon, Seattle Pacific’s student newspaper. Follow him on Twitter.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Fernando Torres, once renowned as one of the most feared strikers in world football now finds himself in a disastrous situation. Almost one year since his record breaking £50 million move to Chelsea, Torres has scored mere 5 goals i.e. cost £10 million per goal. The blues have been patient but not anymore as the reports suggest the Londoners are ready to sell him for £20 million. Where will the Spaniard go from here?

Manchester:

Surely Manchester City can afford Torres’s wages but they already have three top quality strikers in Aguero, Balotelli and Dzeko all in form so why sign a flop one.  Adding to that the Spaniard wants to play and at City he will only be able to make the bench warmer than he has been doing for Chelsea.

Sir Alex already has one problem sitting in the form of Berbatov, adding Torres to that, very unlikely. Besides United are not looking to spend much this winter, in case they do then by all means the priority should be a central midfield player. From Torres’s view point, the Liverpool connections might stop him from joining the Devils. Betrayed once for joining Chelsea and turned miserable, the second time he might just be cursed for life by the Liverpool fans.

North London

Harry Redknapp likes to sign players that are unhappy or unwanted at their clubs. Van Der Vaart, Adebayor, Robbie Keane, Jermaine Defoe etc. Torres well unwanted and unhappy, still he is beyond Tottenham’s pay bracket. They just won’t pay over the odds.

The scenario is quite similar with Tottenham’s closest rival Arsenal. Gunners did not bother listening Samir Nasri’s cry of increasing his salary equal to Fabregas’s £110,000 a week, never mind talking about £150,000 for Torres. Let’s say Torres will agree to take a pay cut but to what extent? He earned £110,000 at Liverpool, Arsenal surely not interested.

Liverpool

The fans are divided on this subject. Ever heard of a saying “Form is temporary, Class is permanent” maybe that’s not applicable on Chelsea flops? Some say Liverpool is the only club to get his confident back and start firing goals that the Reds have been missing largely. Others have the word “traitor” engraved in their minds forever when they hear his name. Kenny Dalglish has done a fantastic job of changing the dressing room environment which has been negative for quite some time. Again Torres return might badly influence that.

Spain

Being loyal to Atletico, Torres hates Real Madrid. Never mind, they don’t want him. Barcelona have the best Spanish striker in their ranks, signing currently the worst one not in their plans. All others cannot afford his salary except Malaga, but then did he not want to play for a “big club” or for now he just wants to play.

Others

Torres once claimed he’d like to play for Milan but the Rossoneri do not buy players lately, they only want them on loan. Never heard any flying rumors coming from Russia, Anzhi? Lastly PSG, if they can look to sign 36 years old Beckham for not so footballing purpose then why not Torres as he is Spain’s most marketable player.

David Villa, Fernando Llorente and Roberto Soldado are all there and realistically Torres as a bench warmer for blues will not guarantee his place in the Spanish squad for Euro 2012. It is not just that Chelsea have to sell him for their good, but Torres must leave for his.

Follow Myself and Soccerlens on Twitter: Farjad07 and Soccerlens

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

In the past and the present, football players have enjoyed a special place in a football fan’s life. People from all over the world take time out of their busy lives to watch them play or get a glimpse of them in training.

Reasons could vary from personal to strictly football. For the vast variety of football fans, Soccerlens has hand-picked personally signed items from Icons. You can use them to satisfy your personal hunger or add to your collection of memorabilia.

Signed Robin van Persie Arsenal Shirt

Robin van Persie is as lethal a striker as you could want for your team. And he is surely proving his mettle at Arsenal as he lights up the Emirates with his extravagant displays.

This shirt is personally signed by the Holland striker in an exclusive signing session organised by Icons in November 2011. It is the official Nike shirt with the Arsenal logo on the front. It comes in presentation packaging and an image of van Persie signing the shirts.

This is a perfect Christmas 2011 gift for any Gunners fan, specially since Persie is leading Arsenal’s resurrection, order the signed Robin van Persie shirt online.

Signed Lio Messi 2010-11 Champions League Final Shirt

Lionel Messi is a nightmare for the toughest defenses around the world. He is definitely a class above the rest and he has proven it time and time again. Those who think differently are just in denial.

Commemorating Barcelona’s victory over Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League final in Wembley in May 2011, this unique printed shirt was personally signed by Messi in August 2011. The Barcelona 2010/11 shirts are specifically printed with the details of the Wembley final and are not available for retail anywhere else.

For your loved ones who are Barcelona or Lio Messi fans, this framed and signed shirt will prove a great present this Christmas. It will also make them feel better as their fierce rivals Real Madrid are three points ahead with a game in hand. Order the signed Messi 2010-11 CL final shirt online.

Paul Scholes signed Man Utd Shirt

The legendary Manchester United midfielder, Paul Scholes has won nine English Premier League titles, three FA Cup and two Champions League medals in the course of a hard-fought 16-year career with his only club.

This United shirt was signed by Scholes at a private signing session in Manchester on October 5, 2010. The shirt comes with a numbered hologram and an identical hologram is fixed to the certificate of authenticity, which features an image of the England international signing a shirt.

If your loved one is a Man United fan then I can assure you that he is still hurting from the 6-1 thrashing by local rivals Manchester City – on top of that, the penalty against Newcastle United and a shock loss to Crystal Palace only made it worse. As a heart-warming Christmas gift, remind him of the elegant passes of good ol’ Scholes by ordering a signed Paul Scholes Man Utd shirt online.

Signed Pele Photo: Embrace with Bobby Moore

Brazil defeated England 1-0 in the quarterfinal of the 1970 FIFA World Cup. Jairzinho scored the only goal of the game but it was the duel between Bobby Moore and Pele. The two embraced after the game and Pele went on to say that Bobby Moore was the best defender he played against.

Pele and Moore were exchanging shirt after the game when this photo was taken. It was signed in London on September 19, 2006 by Pele in an exclusive signing session.

The most enduring image of sportsmanship at the highest level. If you don’t know much about football but your significant other loves it, this is like the most basic of football presents. He might not love it but he won’t throw it away either. Guaranteed! Order signed and framed Pele photo with Bobby Moore online. This is a limited edition product

Maradona And Messi Signed Number 10 Shirt

Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi are two of the most iconic footballers of their times. Both originated from Argentina and both wear the coveted number 10 jersey. Icons decided to put both of their signatures down on one Argentina number 10 shirt.

This is probably the most iconic shirt. It’s an authentic 1986 Argentina shirt originally signed by Maradona in 2010. In the spring of 2011, Messi added his signature to the shirt. The two greatest Argentinean players ever are now on one shirt!

This is an unforgettable piece of signed merchandise and any football fan that gets his hands on one of these will cherish it for years to come as Messi and Maradona are two names that won’t be forgotten easily. With the holiday season just around the corner, order the Maradona and Messi signed number 10 shirt online ASAP.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

The best part about holiday shopping is the amount of discounts you can find. It is very important to go around the market before buying something because you never know, you might find it for cheaper elsewhere.

Keeping that in mind, I looked around for quality presents with good discounts and picked, what I thought, were really good bargains.

Real Madrid 2011-12 Third kit

adidas have made a red third kit for Real Madrid’s 2011-12 UEFA Champions League campaign. The red shirt has white adidas stripes on the shoulder.

The original price of this red Galacticos shirt is £41.24 but you can buy the 11-12 Real Madrid Champions League third shirt for £35.05.

Nike Total90 Strike IV

The Strike IV by Nike is the ideal football boot for powerful shooting and accuracy. Strike IV is designed to provide you assistance in touch, control, optimal precision and uniform striking surface.

The T90 Strike IV is available for £58.66 and that’s after a 26% discount – from the actual price of £79.99.

V. Persie 9 – Holland 2010 World Cup Home Shirt

Nike manufactures the sports goods for the Holland national team and the number 9 orange home shirt of the sensational Arsenal skipper, Robin van Persie, is available on the Soccerlens Store.

The original price of this shirt was £59.99 and it is on a 5% discount. You can buy the 10-11 Holland home shirt for £56.99.

Zidane 10 – France 2010 World Cup Home Shirt

It was a disappointing trip to South Africa for the 1998 champions. Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema were already trapped in a lot of controversy and to add to the tension, there were disagreements in the dressing room. It was clearly a different France than we last saw in 2006 under the captaincy of the great Zinedine Zidane.

The original price of this adidas manufactured shirt was £54.99 but with a 45% discount, you can buy the 10-11 France home shirt for £30.

Drogba 11 – Ivory Coast 2010 World Home Shirt

Didier Drogba’s injury to the forearm kept him from performing a hundred percent. On top of that, it would have been quite a task to beat Brazil and Portugal. North Korea was the fourth team in their group. They still managed a goalless draw with Portugal and a three goal win over Korea but Brazil was just too strong for them.

That was probably Drogba’s last World Cup as a top class striker. The Chelsea ace wore the number 11 for his national team.

The original price of the shirt was £59.99 but we’re offering a 42% discount. You can now buy the 10-11 Ivory Coast home shirt for £35.

Beckham 7 – England Euro 2012 Home Shirt

David Beckham was the most influential footballer in recent times and his experience and skills were unmatched across England. His presence will be missed but there is a lot of promising young blood coming through.

The original price of the Euro 2012 home shirt was £59.99. After a massive 42% discount, you can buy the 11-12 England home shirt for £35.

Eto’o 9 – Cameroon 2010 World cup Away Shirt

Samuel Eto’o is as clinical as a striker can get. If his successful spells at Barcelona and Inter Milan don’t convince you enough, his larger than life pay-check with Russian Premier League club Anzhi Makhachkala should leave you dumbfounded.

The original price of this shirt was £59.99 but after a 42% discount, you can buy the 10-11 Cameroon away shirt for £35.

adidas adiPower Predator

The adidas Predator was formerly worn by players like Xavi, Lionel Messi and many others in top competitions around the world. It’s built for speed, power and swerve.

The original price of the boot was £154.99. Kitbag is offering a 29% discount and you can buy the adidas Predator for £109.99.

Robbie Fowler Signed Liverpool Shirt

The Liverpool born striker came through the youth ranks of the Reds and played through his prime at Liverpool. He left his childhood club and moved the Leeds United and went on to impress fans across England. He also made appearances for Manchester City and had another stint at Liverpool.

To honor the Reds legend, here’s a personally signed Liverpool numbed 9 shirt of Robbie Fowler:

The original price of this framed shirt was £366.67. Kitbag is offering a 15% discount and you can buy the Fowler signed Liverpool home shirt for £311.67.

This magnificent collector’s item was originally priced at £916.67. Kitbag if offering a 15% discount and the Pele and Maradona dual framed and signed shirts for £779.17.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Throughout history, people have been kicking a ball but the earliest scientific evidence suggest that it was an exercise from a military manual in the second and third BC in China – it was called Cuju. Modern football took years in the making after the Chinese forgot about cuju.

In 1872, the first ever international football game took place when England faced Scotland. I don’t know if that was a great match or not but since then, there have been many teams, players and matches that have redefined football history.

From 1930, when the first World Cup took place in Uruguay, to Spain lifting the trophy in 2010, a lot has happened. Many heroes emerged and took center stage as fans sat in awe of them and cheered them on.

To commemorate all that is now past, here are some of the items from the retro section of the Soccerlens Store.

Maradona 1986 World Cup Jersey

A thrilling 3-2 victory over West Germany in the extra time of the final marked the end of a tournament that was completely dominated by Diego Maradona. It was Argentina’s 2nd title.

The blue and white striped Argentina shirt comes with the name and number of Maradona printed on the back of the shirt.

Click here to buy Maradona 1986 World Cup jersey online.

Juventus 1977 UEFA Cup Jersey

The significance of this triumph for Juventus fans is the fact that this is the only triumph for an Italian side in an official European tournament without foreigner players in its first team squad.

It was a two-legged final against Athletic Bilbao and Marco Tardelli had given Juve a slender 1-0 lead in the home leg. Juve traveled to Spain and striker Roberto Bettega doubled the lead. Bilbao won the game 2-1 after Jose Churruca and Carlos Ruiz scored but Juventus won the title on away goals.

Juve wore this blue away shirt in the second leg of the final:

Click here to buy Juventus 1977 UEFA Cup jersey online.

Cruyff 1974 World Cup Jersey

A lot can be said about Johan Cruyff, he has almost single-handedly revolutionized modern football with the help of the Catalan giants Barcelona – both as a player and a coach.

The first Dutch international to receive a red card, Cruyff, was unlucky to have collected the runners up medal in 1974 and 1978. However, he was the chosen the best player in the 1974 World Cup.

His managerial expertise indirectly resulted in Spaniards winning the Euro 2008 and the World Cup 2010.

Here is Cruyff’s famous shirt with two stripes:

Click here to buy Cruyff 1974 World Cup jersey online.

Brazil 1971 Three Star Jersey

When Brazil beat Italy in the final of the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, it was their third world title. They have gone on to make it five titles now but that was their third in four attempts.

1970 also marked the end of the Pele era, and this three star away jersey from 1971 is how he left Brazil. It took Brazil 24 years to win another World Cup.

Click here to buy Brazil 1971 three star jersey online.

Man City 1969 FA Cup Winners Track-top

The 1969 FA Cup was the last major English trophy that Manchester City had won until their recent 2011 triumph. The ’69 final was played between Man City and Leicester City at the Wembley Stadium.

Neil Young scored the only goal of the game as the cup win earned them the right to compete in the 1969-70 European Cup Winners’ Cup – which City went on to win as well.

Here is the track-top that was worn by the players after they have won the FA Cup:

Click here to buy Man City 1969 FA Cup winners track-top online.

AC Milan 1963 European Cup Jersey

Wembley stadium witnessed AC Milan and Benfica go head-to-head for the 1963 European Cup final. Two goals from Jose Altafini in the second half over-turned the first half strike of the legendary Portugal midfielder Eusebio and Milan clinched the their first European Cup title.

This is the white shirt Milan wore in the final that day:

Click here to buy AC Milan 1963 European Cup jersey online.

Puskas 1954 World Cup Jersey

Hungary was in top form prior to the 1954 World Cup, winning everything that came their way. They were unbeaten in 32 games. They became the first non-UK team to beat England at Wembley – they thrashed them 6-3 and then later 7-1 in Budapest.

In the group stage, Hungary violently defeated West Germany 8-3 and now the Germans were their last hurdle. Ferenc Puskas and Zoltan Czibor gave them a two goal cushion but they failed to capitalize on that. The efficient Germans won the final 3-2 (Max Morlock and Helmut Rahn were the goal-scorers).

Here is the number 10 jersey that Puskas wore in the final:

Click here to buy Puskas 1954 World Cup jersey online.

John Charles 1950s Leeds Utd Jersey

Rated by many as the greatest all-round footballer ever to come from Wales, he was equally adept at center forward or center back. In the peak of his career, he plied his trade at Leeds United and Juventus. He made a return to Leeds at the age of 31 but was soon sent back to Italy as he joined Roma for a season.

Towards the end of his career, he could be seen at Cardiff City and as a player-manager at Hereford United and Merthyr Tydfil.

To commemorate this great all-rounder of football, here’s a shirt from one of Leeds’ dressing rooms of the 1950s (not literally):

Click here to buy John Charles 1950s Leeds Utd jersey online.

Italy 1934/1938 World Cup Winners Jersey

In 1934, Italy hosted the World Cup tournament themselves and defeated Czechoslovakia. In 1938, France hosted the World Cup but Italy managed to defend their title successfully as they defeated Hungary 4-2.

Inter Milan legend Giuseppe Meazza played both the World Cups and he played instrumental parts in their triumphs.

Click here to buy Italy 1934/1938 World Cup winners jersey online.

Uruguay 1930 World Cup Final Jersey

Uruguay hosted the inaugural FIFA World Cup in 1930. Uruguay faced Argentina in the final which was a repeat of the match-up in the 1928 Olympic final – which Uruguay had won 2-1. The final was won with the same ratio of goals but the scoreline was 4-2.

93,000 fans watched the final where different balls were used in each half but those are just details. This is the shirt Uruguay wore in the first-ever FIFA World Cup final:

Click here to buy Uruguay 1930 World Cup final jersey online.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

There’s only one more month left in 2011, and it looks like the year will go out with a real bang from a football standpoint.

December features several must-see matches, with a few that will have title implications on top of deciding bragging rights between fierce rivals.

Watch the best of Premier League action this Christmas with Sky HD. Already have Sky? Upgrade to Sky Sports online and save £5. Get Sky HD or upgrade to Sky Sports now.

La Liga: Real Madrid v Barcelona

Few matches on the calendar from here to May will match the anticipation and importance of the two Clasicos.

The importance of the first showdown, which kicks off at 9:00 pm BST on the 10th, may have been amped up even further with Barcelona’s weekend defeat at Getafe, which, combined with Real’s 4-1 win over city rivals Atletico Madrid, sees Real Madrid with a six-point lead at the top through 13 rounds.

Due to their participation in the Club World Cup, Barcelona have two league matches before their visit to the Bernabeu, while Real have one, with their game in hand being on the 17th, a home tie against Espanyol. Provided results go as expected in those matches, a win over Barca could position Real to have a nine-point lead when La Liga play resumes in January.

And though there will be more than 20 rounds left in the season, it’s very difficult to see Barca being able to overcome such a deficit.

On the other hand, if Barca are able to continue their recent dominance of Real, they will at worst be three points back if the other results go as expected, and that’s a far less daunting deficit.

At this point, however, you’d have to favor Real to triumph if there’s a winner in next month’s clash. Not only are the Galacticos in blistering form at the moment, Barcelona have struggled away from home this season, with two wins in six away league matches to date.

Saturday, 10th December 8:30pm on Sky Sports 4 and Sky Sports HD4.

English Premier League: Chelsea v Manchester City

All eyes will be on Stamford Bridge for a massive Monday night match-up, and a lot will be at stake when these two sides face off on 12/12, with the action getting underway at 8:00 pm BST.

Chelsea are currently 10 points behind Manchester City in the English Premier League table, but a win could kick-start a push to get back in the thick of the title mix. A draw, while it would not help their own cause, could help Manchester United, who are currently five back, and in-form Tottenham, who are seven back with a game in hand.

Meanwhile, a win for City would beef up their title credentials, even if the three points doesn’t see them put more distance between themselves and their closest challengers.

Monday, 12th December 7:00pm on Sky Sports 1, Sky Sports HD1 and Sky 3D.

English Premier League: Manchester City v Arsenal

This match will be one to watch no matter what happens in the above match, but if Chelsea down the league leaders at home, City’s visit from Arsenal the following Sunday will be made all the more important.

Arsenal missed a chance to make up some ground on City and United this past weekend, as they surprisingly drew at home against Fulham. However, the Gunners had won five Premier League matches in a row prior to that stumble, including a 5-3 win at Chelsea in October, so their chances of getting a result at City can’t dismissed.

If City lose at Chelsea, or even draw, more dropped points against Arsenal could see things tighten quite a bit at the top. However, if City win at Chelsea, following it up with a home win over the Gunners could cement their status as title favorites, especially since they will have United, Spurs, Chelsea, and Liverpool all at home in the second half of the season.

Sunday, 18th December 4:00pm on Sky Sports 1, Sky Sports HD1 and Sky 3D.

English Premier League: Tottenham v Chelsea

In a rare Thursday night tie, the Premier League’s pre-Christmas slate will wrap up on the 22nd when London rivals Tottenham and Chelsea square off at White Hart Lane.

This is a vital match for both sides, as they are both trying to stay in the title conversation heading into the new year. Many still may not be taking Spurs too seriously, but continuing their current hot streak to and through this match could start convincing some of the skeptics that they are more contender than pretender.

For Chelsea, wins over City and Spurs could not only help them as far as the title race is concerned, but it will also take some pressure off of manager Andre Villas-Boas, who’s been under some heat in the first few months of his tenure at the club. At the same time, defeats in both of those matches will only turn up the pressure on AVB and leave Chelsea needing to make a big run in the second half of the season to come close to reaching Roman Abramovich’s minimum expectations.

Thursday, 22nd December 7:30pm on Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports HD1.

Scottish Premier League: Celtic v Rangers

As is the case every season, Rangers and Celtic are battling it out for the Scottish Premier League title, and the latest Old Firm derby could see momentum move definitively towards either side heading into the new year.

Only a little over a week ago, Rangers, the three-time defending champions, had a 12-point lead over Celtic. But with Rangers drawing at home against St. Johnstone and losing at Kilmarnock and Celtic scoring wins three wins in that span, at Inverness Caley Thistle and at home against Dunfermline and St. Mirren, the lead has been cut to four in a flash.

Both sides have four matches, two home and two away, before they meet on the 28th, and if the deficit remains the same going into the derby, Celtic could close the gap to one with a win, which could be quite a blow to Rangers’ confidence after having a sizable lead only a short time ago. But if Rangers can win at Hampden, it’d help restore some of the lead that they gave up, and it’d also be huge for their confidence going forward.

Wednesday, 28th December 7:00pm on Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports HD1.

Watch Live Football On Sky HD

Don’t miss out on any live Premier League games over the holidays – with Sky Go, you can watch live football wherever you are over the holiday season, on your iPad, iPhone or laptop. Get Sky Go.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

If Los Angeles Galaxy supporters needed an extra confidence boost ahead of Sunday’s MLS Cup final against the Houston Dynamo, here’s an interesting tidbit, which ESPN analysts happened to mention before I could:

At both of David Beckham’s previous permanent homes, Manchester United and Real Madrid, he won a league title in his last season.

Given that Sunday will more than likely mark the end of Becks’ stay with the Galaxy and in MLS, and that the Galaxy are favored to claim the crown, it’s a piece of information that merits a mention. It would be quite fitting for him to mark his final MLS campaign, and his best one at that, by continuing that trend and help lead the Galaxy to their first title since 2005, wouldn’t it?

Of course, even if the Galaxy are tangling for the title in the very, very friendly confines of their very own Home Depot Center, it’s premature to put their name on the trophy already, as the Dynamo, even without their biggest threat, will be raring and ready to upset the odds and end their own title drought.

PAST AND PRESENT

The Galaxy are making a record seventh MLS Cup final appearance, with their most recent appearance coming in 2009, when they lost to Real Salt Lake on penalties. A win would give them their third title, following their triumphs in 2002 and 2005. On both of those occasions, they outlasted the New England Revolution 1-0 in extra time.

Last season, the Galaxy claimed the Supporters’ Shield (given to the team with the league’s best regular season record) only to get trounced 3-0 by Dallas at the Home Depot Center in the Western Conference final. But this season, they finished ahead of Real Salt Lake in the competitive Western Conference and won a record-tying fourth Supporters’ Shield, and they’ve carried that fine form into their playoff run, which saw them dispatch the New York Red Bulls 3-1 on aggregate in the Western Conference semifinals and top Real Salt Lake 3-1 in the Western Conference final.

As for the Dynamo, this is their third MLS Cup final appearance, and they’re looking to make it three wins in three trips, following up on their wins over New England (always a bridesmaid…) in 2006 and 2007.

After a disappointing 2010 season in which they missed the post-season for the first time in their history, the Dynamo made the move from the Western Conference to the Eastern Conference to accommodate the expansion Vancouver Whitecaps, and it’s a move that paid immediate dividends for the Dynamo.

By virtue of getting hot down the stretch, the Dynamo finished second in the East, two points behind Sporting Kansas City, which booked them an automatic place in the conference semifinals. In the Eastern Conference semis, they defeated the Philadelphia Union 3-1 on aggregate, and they followed that by stunning Sporting 2-0 on the road in the Eastern Conference final.

TEAM BREAKDOWN

Los Angeles Galaxy

When you look at LA’s squad, it’s hard for three names not to stick out, given that they’re three of the most well-known and gifted talents currently playing in MLS.

Beckham, Landon Donovan, and August acquisition Robbie Keane are certainly key to the Galaxy’s run to this point and will be once again on Sunday.

Becks notched 15 assists in 26 appearances in the regular season, and he’s picked up an assist in each of the Galaxy’s three playoff matches. Donovan has been ever-present this season as well, scoring from the spot in the last two matches after finding the target a dozen times in the regular season. And Keane, who was sidelined by an adductor injury for a few weeks in October, was the best player on the pitch in the Western Conference final, as he scored once and should have had a few more with it.

But you can only accomplish so much without the right supporting cast, and the most notable member of the Galaxy’s supporting cast is forward Mike Magee. It might be easy to lose track of Magee with other threats to tend to, but he’s shown in the playoffs that he should be far from an afterthought, as he’s been on the receiving end of each of Beckham’s three playoff assists.

And as formidable as they might be expected to be in attack, the Galaxy posted the league’s best defensive record in the regular season. They allowed only 28 goals in 34 matches, which made them the only team in the league to allow an average of less than one goal per game. Their tightness is at the back is thanks in no small part to having continuity at the back, with the quartet of Todd Dunivant, Sean Franklin, Omar Gonzalez, and A.J. DeLaGarza all with more than 30 appearances this season.

Even the best back line is prone to the occasional error, so the keeper has to be counted on to step up in crunch time as well, and Josh Saunders is coming off of a fantastic performance against Real Salt Lake. Josh Saunders stepped in when Donovan Ricketts was injured against San Jose in June, and he kept his place in the starting XI even after the Jamaican, who had been L.A.’s #1 keeper for two-plus seasons and was named the top keeper in MLS just last season, returned to fitness.

There is some bad news on the injury front, however. Striker Chad Barrett, who has seven goals and five assists this season, will miss the final after dislocating his right ankle in training last Thursday. With Barrett out, Bruce Arena will likely partner Keane with Adam Cristman, who scored one goal in 11 appearances in the regular season.

Houston Dynamo

While LA are dealing with the loss of a key starter, Houston head into the final with a much more significant injury blow.

Brad Davis was Houston’s top creative force this season, notching four goals and a league-leading 16 assists in the regular season and picking up an assist in each leg of the East semi against Philadelphia. However, he suffered a torn quadriceps in the first half of the East final and won’t be on the pitch against the Galaxy.

That’s big, big blow for Houston’s chances, but to write them off would be a mistake.

While there aren’t the same marquee names on the Dynamo’s roster as there are on L.A.’s, this bunch is hot at the right time, and that counts for a lot. Houston lost only twice in their last 13 regular season games, and they finished the regular season an unbeaten 4-2-0 in their last six, including a 3-1 home win over the Galaxy in their regular season finale. They’ve stayed hot in the playoffs, and after winning in Kansas City, they’ll feel confident about their chances of winning in the Galaxy’s home stadium, even without Davis.

Without their star playmaker, Houston will need to stand tall at the back. That’s been a big part of their unbeaten run, as they’ve allowed only six goals in those nine matches and haven’t surrendered more than one in any of the last eight. With the firepower that they have, the Galaxy will have no shortage of chances, but the Dynamo defense must ensure that few of those chances are clear-cut ones, and keeper Tally Hall, who’s wrapping up his first season as a starter, will have to be at his best.

It won’t be easy to keep the Galaxy off of the scoreboard, but they are prone to defensive lapses, and Houston will have to take advantage of those opportunities. Their chances in attack might not be as plentiful without Davis in there, so they’ll have to make the most of the chances they do get.

The Dynamo don’t have the kind of threats that the Galaxy do, but they’ve gotten production from many sources this season. Their leading scorer is Brian Ching, who had five goals in the regular season and has one in the playoffs, but midfielder Geoff Cameron, defender Bobby Boswell, and forward Will Bruin each hit five in the regular season. And in the playoffs, their five goals have been scored by four players, and their top scorer is defender Andrew Hainault, who struck in the away leg against Philadelphia and notched the opener in the East final.

So, this team knows how to get it done, and with an experienced coach in Dominic Kinnear, who led the Dynamo to their back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2007, they’ll undoubtedly be prepared for the challenge that awaits on Sunday.

MATCH PREDICTION

Why Los Angeles will win: They’re the better team, plain and simple, and they’d be favorites even if Houston had Davis’ services.

And though the Dynamo will certainly have their share of supporters in the stands, this does amount to a glorified home game for the Galaxy. That’s something that can’t be discounted, especially considering that they’re unbeaten at the Home Depot Center this season.

And after the disappointments of the last two seasons, they’re not only due, but it looks like it’s all come together this season, both in terms of talent and in terms of intangibles.

Why Houston will win: Often enough, getting hot at the right time can lead to glory, and the Dynamo are certainly hot at the right time.

Confidence and resiliency can often trump talent, especially when a title is on the line, and even without their best player, Houston will believe they can win. They successfully navigated 50-plus minutes without Davis in a hostile environment in Kansas City, and already knowing that they won’t have him on Sunday means that they’ll have time to prepare mentally and tactically. His loss is a huge blow for the Dynamo, but they’ll be ready.

For what it’s worth, winning the Supporters’ Shield has rarely translated into playoff success. Of the previous 15 MLS champions, only five had won the Supporters’ Shield that season, and the only team who’s done the Supporters’ Shield/MLS Cup double since 2002 is Columbus, who accomplished the feat in 2008.

However, of the six times that the Supporters’ Shield winner has been in the MLS Cup final, they’ve won it five times, with the only loss being Chicago’s 4-2 defeat to San Jose – led by Landon Donovan, with Dominic Kinnear as an assistant coach – in 2003.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

The anti-football of Mourinho and Capello can reap rewards, but more is needed for England to be contenders for EURO 2012.

On the face of it, it was not overly surprising. The 7th best team in the world, England, beat the best team in the world, Spain, 1-0 at home in a friendly international. Bearing in mind that Spain also lost friendlies to Italy, Portugal and Argentina since they won the World Cup last summer, it certainly is not a result that will cause too many ripples in world football.

It was the manner of victory that was far more interesting. Some commentators have suggested the victory paid homage to Capello’s ultra-defensive catenaccio ways so successfully employed in the 1990s with Milan, with a solid back four and protection from deep lying and combative midfielders frustrating Spain. Along with much of the Spanish team, Cesc Fabregas labelled England’s gameplan as “negative tactics”, lambasting them for “lacking in talent” and setting up to defend for nearly the entire 90 minutes.

However, the whole scenario has parallels with far more recent events. Given the core of players who make both Spain and Barcelona tick and the similarities in style, to all intents and purposes it is the Barcelona influence (supplemented by the best of Real Madrid) that has made Spain both European and World champions. And the only man who has been able to find the methods to challenge the Barcelona way in the past few seasons has been a long time friend of the English, Jose Mourinho. Two series of fixtures in particular spring to mind.

April 2010 witnessed a Champions League semi-final between Mourinho’s Internazionale and Barcelona. The first leg demonstrated a Mourinho masterclass of defensive pressing and swift counter attack as Inter won 3-1. The 2nd leg, despite Inter losing 1-0, was in truth even more impressive. Down to 10 men for over an hour, Inter soaked up everything Barcelona could throw at them. The statistics were bewildering. Inter managed just 67 passes as opposed to Barca’s 548 and over 80% possession. There were even charges (though denied by Mourinho) that Inter were happy to give the ball to Barcelona so as to not disrupt their own defensive shape.

Fast-forward a year to the latter end of last season. Mourinho’s Real Madrid held Barcelona to a 1-1 draw in La Liga followed swiftly by a 1-0 victory in extra time over their archrivals in the Copa del Rey. In both these matches, Mourinho operated with a ‘trivote’ system, sacrificing an attacking player in favour of a defensive midfielder.

Mourinho used Pepe, a natural central defender, as a midfield enforcer alongside Xabi Alonso and Sami Khedira, all focusing on defensive tasks and keeping Barcelona largely at bay. The use of Phil Jones in a side also containing James Milner, Frank Lampard and the imperious Scott Parker on Saturday bore considerable resemblance to this strategy.

Over these two fixtures, Real Madrid registered a mere 22% possession and 65% pass success as opposed to Barca’s 78% possession and 90% pass success. Yet it reaped dividends for Mourinho – and almost continued to work in the Champions League semi-final between the clubs until Madrid were reduced to 10 men and Messi ran riot.

To anyone who watched England soak up the Spanish possession (71%) and pressure continuously on Saturday evening, this may make familiar reading. This is not to suggest this is the way football should be played all the time. It is definitely not what England should look to repeat too often. And it certainly will not work every time it is tried. But under the right circumstances the methods employed by Capello on Saturday can be very effective.

Ultimately the most important question is whether England can be contenders at EURO 2012. Much has been made of England’s ongoing attempts to emulate the Spanish style, assurance on the ball and technique with the next generation of players. Nevertheless to be contenders in the short term, England must not necessarily look to Spain. The gulf in class is too great at present. In fact we should look to Germany for inspiration.

England should build on the defensive prowess and determination that they have long been renowned for and personified by Scott Parker against Spain. The challenge for England is to add the power, pace and counter-attacking devastation of the type displayed by Germany at the last World Cup to a steely defence. If Bent and Walcott are not the answer, then the likes of Sturridge, Welbeck, Adam Johnson, Ashley Young and Aaron Lennon could well have parts to play in the absence of Wayne Rooney and the increasingly injury plagued Steven Gerrard and Jack Wilshere.

If Capello manages to blend the right personnel before EURO 2012, England might be able to compete with the top nations next summer.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

All of Messi’s 202 goals scored for Barcelona (2005-2011), in a simple, no-frills video. After the constant adulation, it is still ridiculous how good is really is.

Of course, when you’re playing with the likes of Ronaldinho, Eto’o, Henry and Iniesta, it gets a bit easier. But we tend to forget how the young Messi was still phenomenally good, as his early goals for Barcelona show:

For more great football video compilations, check out this YouTube channel.

Spotter’s Credit: Ahmed Umair.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News