Possible Andrea Pirlo replacements for Italy.... 

Well , They say he gets better with age , such is the aura of this classic bearded Italian Legend who's been the driving force for club and country for what seems like ages ,now . Football fans in general won't like the sight of him hanging up his boots but , eventually  Andrea Pirlo will have to setlle for a lesser role in the coming years.  Yes , he can't be replaced by Italy nor  by Juventus but someone will have to fill this gap left by him. This gap by no means is a small one , as Italy's all round play will depend on the one who fills this gap.  The one who comes in will obviosly under the kosh for a while , down to the fact that he's come in for a player like Andrea Pirlo . With Pirlo possibly playing his last International tournament for Italy here , we examine the players capable of filling that huge gap.  

Marco Verratti -  Paris  Saint  Germain  

At 21 years of age , Marco Verratti is one of europe's brightest midfield prospects. The former Pescara player is a Defensive Midfielder with some qualities which are rather surprising for a player in his position. Technically gifted , he's a supreme  passer of the ball, particularly in difficult circumstances. His remarkable technique to get away from players helps a whole lot here. He's also a quick , sublime dribbler and finds the right pass even when it comes to the passing in the final third. Paris Saint Germain soleley depend on Verratti to getting the ball out of the defense and linking up with the likes of Javier Pastore etc. 

Even though  being small in size , his ability to retain the ball is one of his major assets. Being quick , he isn't afraid to dive into tackles in which he often comes out on top winning the ball for his team. Verratti can also operate behind the striker in the no.10 role , when needed.  His technique  of going about things on the pitch and his abilities to pass and  to find a teammate in the most difficult of circumstances make him a player capable of filling the void which will be left by Andrea Pirlo. At such a young age , he's the perfect player around whom Italy can raise a team in the near future.  

   

Claudio Marchisio - Juventus 

The Experienced Juventus vice captain is already a main fixture in the Gli Azzurri side. He's been immense playing in front of the likes of Bonnucci , Chiellini , Barzagli etc , along with that his defensive contributions have also led to Pirlo having sufficient space to orchestrate the play. Marchisio is a mixture of an attacking midfielder and a Defensive midfielder. A proper Central midfielder in simple words. He's very good going forward and can see a final pass. On the other hand , he's a workhorse when it comes to his defensive contributions. 

 He acts as a shield for his back four , be it for Italy or Juventus. Intercepting and breaking down play are one of his major qualities.Moreover , he's a textbook passer of the ball who often likes to play one touch passes. When given time and space , he's also a good long range shooter. The  ever present Claudio Marchisio will have to take over more responsibilities when Pirlo isn't there. He's certainly capable of doing so , as he's shown that at Juventus at times.  

Andrea Poli - AC Milan 

After joining Milan , we've seen that Poli , a Central midfielder by trade , is very versatile and can also play as an Attacking midfielder. This is a player who was dubbed as "The New Pirlo" a few years ago. These expectations were too pre-mature considering his perfomances weren't consistent. Nevertheless , he's always been a talented player. Poli operates well in a three as well as a four man midfield. He likes to have more of the ball and always  has an unexpected turn or a flick up his sleeve. He's the one on whom AC Milan often rely for dictating the tempo of the play. A smooth passer and a brilliant interceptor , Poli is a very versatile player as he can also put a shift in at Right back. At 24 years of age he's a player entering the prime years of his career and will only be getting better every season. He can well be the one who fills Pirlo's role in the near future if he showcases his talent on a consistent basis. 

  

There are many players who can fill that Andrea Pirlo role for the time being , the likes of  Daniele De Rossi , Ricardo Montolivo , Thiago Motta are close calls for this job , but the  three mentioned above, are the best when considering a long term solution for Italy's  Midfield Anchorman role .

The Youth system of FC Bayern Munich ,  "The Bundesliga". 

Bayern Munich , The supreme power in Germany.

Winning their first ever Club World Cup meant that it was a 5th trophy in the bag for the year for the mighty Bayern Munich. The fans couldn’t have asked for more in 2013 , their team had won everything , yes everything which was there to be won. The best club in Germany has been a dominant force in Europe for many years now. What is the reason behind all this success ?? Yes, its “The Bundesliga” , which is these days commonly known as the youth system of Bayern Munich.

Unlike many other European heavy weights , Bayern have mostly invested in young or experienced players from Germany itself. This also showcases that the amount of upcoming talent in Germany is second to none , but Bayern buying almost all top talent has weakened the Bundesliga . In many ways, the German league is a direct supply unit for Bayern , which also reduces the chances of the others beating Bayern because they rely immensely on the talent of the players who they end up selling.

The most recent case has been that of Mario Gotze. The 37 million man had his mind made up about joining Bayern and eventually, he got what he desired. This “desire” which players often have , of joining Bayern is not a new thing in Germany. In previous years , we’ve seen players like Michael Ballack and Ze Roberto, who led Bayer Leverkusen to new heights, before jumping ship to join Bayern Munich.

Mario Gotze moved to Bayern in the summer.

The all time leading German goalscorer , Miroslav Klose was snatched from Werder Bremen. Similarly, Schalke goalkeeper Manuel Neuer who was then dubbed to be the future best goalkeeper in the world was reportedly a Manchester United target until he opted to join the German side for a huge fee of 25 million euros (for a young goalkeeper). In all fairness , he’s certainly lived up to the hype.

Bayern have also invested in experienced players who over a period were excellent for their respective clubs. The purchase of Mario Mandzukic from VFL Wolfsburg in a reported 15 million Euro deal serves as a great example. Borussia Mönchengladbach stopper Dante was bought last season to shore up the Bayern defense. Most notably, the now Fiorentina striker Mario Gomez’ 26 million move to Bayern was a record breaking transfer in Germany at the time.

Speaking of records, Bayern have been  involved in most of Germany’s record breaking transfers. They’ve also had a tendency to have a veteran striker in their ranks; Ivica Olic and Claudio Pizzaro being the most recent names on that list.

When given a choice , players in Germany have opted for big wages and the chance to lead their already settled lives in the country itself , over joining foreign clubs and experiencing a different football culture, bar the likes of a few select superstars like Mesut Ozil and Sami Khedira etc. In addition to this , The appointment of Pep Guardiola has given the club, a big advantage in convincing young talents from Germany or abroad to join the club. Almost every player admires Guardiola’s brand of tikki – taka football and will obviously be eager to experience it.

The German league is now similar to a factory which finds and develops young talent , and then is on the receiving end of huge amounts sanctioned by Bayern Munich to hand over these players. Sadly, if players don’t join other big European clubs or choose to stay at their club, the Bundesliga might be a one horse race for many years  to come.

Recently , Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said  ”Bayern will not stop signing Dortmund stars” . Having said that , another Dortmund player in Robert Lewandowski is set to arrive in Munich come next season which will prove to be a huge lift for this already unbeatable Bayern side. It’s almost impossible to compete with such a squad. They look like Invincibles , and they might be prove to be invincible for a long, long time.


This Article is also posted on Sporstkeeda.com and Innofthewoodwork.blogspot .

AS-Roma's Resurgence under Rudi Garcia....

Seen as a Messiah by many Roma fans , Rudi Garcia who was third behind Massimiliano Allegri and Walter Mazzarri in Sporting Director Walter Sabatini's list to take over the reins in Rome has certainly transformed AS-Roma into the giant they once were. Furthermore , by the looks of it , there's more to come from them in the coming years. The classy and composed Frenchman came with a reputation of being a success in France , being voted French football manager of the year in 2011 & 2013. He has succesfully built a side which is well capable of challenging the best of teams around in Europe.

In the past year , Roma weren't in the best of financial conditions and being under pressure had to sell the likes of Erik Lamela , Pablo Osvaldo and Marquinhos. Garcia , now had the task to replace as well as build a side he wished to. Experienced goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis and Maicon led the list of arrivals in Rome. Mehdi Benatia, Kevin Strootman and Adem Ljajic were bought too. Although seen as a risk , Garcia also bought Gervinho from Arsenal, who had been excellent under him previously at Lille. These set of players have so far flourished under the Frenchmen's style of play.

Garcia likes his team to build from the back as seen in his previous sides. In Leandro Castan and Benatia ,Roma have one of the best young centre backs in Italy. This is a partnership which has been rock solid this season and has been a major part in thier transformation. The fullbacks have also been on par with the men in the middle. Maicon has as always contributed a lot in the attacking third as well as defensively. Dodo and Balzaretti on the other hand have been consistent too.

The Core of this Roma side , the trio of Pjanic - De Rossi and Strootman have worked wonders this campaign. Daniele De Rossi is a re-born player under Garcia. He's been allowed to play as an Orchestrator  in that that midfield along with Strootman. The Dutchman has been Roma's most consistent player this season . Garcia has found the perfect balance offensively and defensively as well as a blend of youth and experience. This in return has led to the team conceding only one goal in the first 10 fixtures of the season, proving that Roma are indeed an excellent defensive unit.

Miralem Pjanic's creativity and awareness has been second to none in that midfield as he's been a constant provider to the likes of Francesco Totti ,Alessandro Florenzi , Ljajic and particularly Gervinho , who's pace has been terrifying defenses and is in excellent form this year. In Pjanic , Roma have that composed No.10 every top team needs. The Bosnian has an eye for a killer pass and can pick out players in difficult circumstances be it with through balls or long balls. No wonder , the transition from defence to attack this season has been a pleasure to watch. All credit to these three midfield men who have been the driving force this season.

Francesco Totti has often been deployed as a False no. 9 this season. A role in which he has previously excelled and as of now is arguably his best position considering his age. The captain has a great understanding with the wide players in Gervinho and Florenzi who have been great in providing as well as scoring themselves. The likes of Adem Ljajic and Mattia Destro have also been sharp and decisive when called upon.

All in all , Rudi Garcia has formed a team that can not only play the creative brand of football he desires them to play , but can also do a job in the most difficulct of situations. The young talented players in this team are only going to get better and learn from the experienced ones. It's safe to say that AS-Roma have made a bright start in thier quest to dominate Italian football on a consistent basis again.


This Article is also published on Sportskeeda and InnOffTheWoodwork....

Markel Susaeta ,   The Stylet.... 

"El Estilete" (The Stylet) as he's known and called by the fans of Athletic club , Markel Susaeta , was a youth product of Athletic Bilbao  has over these years established himself as one of the main fixtures in the starting XI. Seen as one the leaders in the team , Susaeta has contributed a lot and has stepped up from time to time when his team needed him. He's come leaps and bounds over these past years and has arguably been the most consistent player at the club.

 A real fan favourite at the San Mames , the 26 year old attacking midfielder  is a pacey customer and is a danger for any defence. He mainly operates on the right flank and is excellent at streching the opposition by making good runs. Calm and composed on the ball , he's a quick natrual dribbler who does like to cut in from the right flank and switch positions at times. 

Some of the major standout qualities he has is his ability to run at defenders and to cross. He's very intelligent in and around the penalty area , this is another unique quality possesed by the spainard. Being a set-piece specialist his freekicks and his crosses are second to none. He's scored some great freekicks over these years. A clinical finisher , he's also good at shooting from range and does take his chances when given time and space , be it on his favoured right foot or his left.  Susaeta is equally a provider and a goalscorer. Although he's always on the lookout for a killer pass , picking out a teammate via a cutback or laying off someone for a shot. His passes in the final third are very accurate aswell.  His pace , dribbling ability and his quality crosses are one of the main assets on which the team depends upon.

Unlike many players who are often criticized for not playing thier defensive part , Susaeta does track back from time to time and is not afraid of making  a tackle or two. The 2011-12 campaign proved out to be his best season with 13 goals and 15 assists. So far this season , he has 5 goals and 7 assists to his name in all competitions. A consistent player indeed. In the summer of 2012 , Susaeta was linked to many clubs like Arsenal ,Manchester united and Chelsea as he was out of contract the following year. The feeling in spain was that he was going to leave for pastures new , but he signed a contract extension after a few months. It would've been brilliant to see a player of his quality in the premier league but it just wasn't in the script. Though , you never know what the future holds...

At 26 years of age , he's a gem of a player entering the peak of his powers. El Estilete is rightly considered as a quality Attacking Midfielder in spain. His perfomances justify that.  

This Article is also published on Sportskeeda.com & Inoffthewoodwork.blogspot

 Patrick Herrmann :- One of Uchtelfangen's finest products

It's been two years since this lad scored twice in a big 3-1 win over league leaders Bayern Munich. He's come a long way from that perfomance , and has developed into quite a player .

The talented German has been the standout individual at Borussia Mönchengladbach for some time time now. One of the highly rated youngsters in the Bundesliga , He's been in the spotlight for his club since the departure of Marco Reus , who left for Borussia Dortmund .
Hermann , a right winger by nature  can play on the left wing and also as an Attacking Midfielder (as a No.10). He's an unpredictable player with great dribbling skills. He does like to play one-two touch football whenever possible. He's also a good header of the ball when presented with a chance. A clinical finisher with excellent off the ball runs.

  A very intelligent player indeed .  Hermann has been critiscized for being a poor crosser when it comes to putting the ball in the box. In recent games over the past year he looks to have improved that side of his game  .He also tracks back to help his fullback every now and then. This is certainly a player with bags of promise who's en-route to become a top winger in the near future. The 23 year old winger already has 110+ apps under his belt for the Die Fohlen. He's been as impressive this season with 3 goals , 5 assists and has created a total of 72 chances for the german side.
 Yes , he is the one who makes them tick all boxes. He's also scored three times for Germany's U21's and even though being called up for the Senior squad , Joachim Löw  is yet to give him a chance with the seniors . Throughout the summer and  the january windows , English clubs like Manchester United , Arsenal and Spurs were reportedly interested in Hermann .  He'll probably leave for nothing less than a fee in the reigon of  €15 million euros .

Who signs him , remains to be seen. Whoever it is , will have invested in a talent well worth investing !! 

Pablo Piatti , It's about time you know him...

An ordinary story of a Unique Talent from Argentina not known to many. The player who rejected the advances of Stade Rennes a year ago is finally finding his feet and flourishing into a star at the Mestalla.... 

Pablo Daniel Piatti , a youth product of  hometown club Estudiantes de La Plata, a small sized player (5ft 4inch)  having a rare flair , a great crosser of the ball with a sudden burst of pace and a Left Foot that can hurt any Defense . The native from La Carlota has many Characteristics quite similar to that of Leo Messi. Piatti has everything but a sincere recognition of his talent by the Football world....

It all Started....

A young Piatti had put in many good perfomances in Argentina to impress European Clubs. He was subject to a record undisclosed bid from spanish side UD Almeria which was later accepted. His coach at the time and Mentor Diego Simeone (present manager of Club Athletico de Madrid) was also certain that a new star was about to hatch.Piatti joined an Almeria side which had the likes of Alvaro Negredo playing for them. In the next three years he turned out to be the main man at Almeria and "Pablo Piatti" was the name to watchout for in the south of spain. His development had taken a huge leap. By then , Spanish Heavyweights Valencia were interested in him and saw him as a replacement for Joaquin , who had joined Malaga. The reported 8 million euro deal went through and Piatti was presented as a Valencia player in a fortnight.

Valencia CF

Piatti found it hard in his first few months at Valencia. The club wasn't having the best of times. Managers like Unaï Emery, Mauricio Pellegrino and Ernesto Valverde did not actually have the confidence in him. He was under the likes of Andres Guardado and Sergio Canales in the pecking order. Competition was tough , but Piatti never really gave up. In 2013, french club Stade Rennes made Valencia known of thier interest in Piatti. Piatti though , declined for a move as he wanted to fight for his place at Valencia. He always had the mind and will to do so.

Appointment of Argentinian coach Pizzi 

The sacking of  Djukic didn't come as a shock considering the embarrasing results Valencia had under him.

Juan Antonio Pizzi took over the role at Valencia. Under pizzi , Piatti has been a revelation so far in that young Valencia side. He's mainly played as a left winger, or in the no.10 role behind Paco Alcacer / Jonas.

Suddenly , Piatti has finally found a coach who has the confidence in him which others didn't have in the last three years. Is it the Argentinian connection ?? well , maybe . whatever it is , it's resulting in amazing perfomances from Piatti and the whole team.

Piatti is still 24 years old and has a bright future ahead of him. He has more than enough talent to be a star at the Mestalla in the coming years. So yes , It's about time you know this Little Genius....

Sergio Canales :- The “Stop-Gap” Golden boy of Spanish Football.

There was a sense of belief among the Valencia Faithful when the news came out that Sergio Canales was about to join the club from Real Madrid on a two year loan deal with an option to buy. Arguably the best young prospect at the time in the whole of spain , Canales had an aura about him. Sublime on the ball with great awareness , Technically excellent with a sweet left foot .

Everything was in place for this young lad from Santander to make a top player out of himself. Unfortunately, all these things panned out in the wrong way for the Cantabrian. Injuries have ruined his recent years. Notably the Cruciate Ligament Ruptures he suffered in the 2011/12 season.

It  actually never worked out for Canales at Valencia. Immensely Talented but sadly , injury-prone. Still 22 ,he needs to play regularly .Canales , when at Real Madrid was as highly rated as Isco(when at Malaga) and rightly so. The Real Madrid effect obviously played a big part. Everyone knew that the Talent was there but that luck factor wasn’t. Canales remains one of the best talents in spain .

It will be interesting to see Canales' development at La Real. He can be a top Midfielder if he's able to stay fit and remain consistent . Not to forget that a few years ago he was expected to hit it “Big Time” at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu.The reported €3.5ml spent by Real Sociedad for Sergio Canales might prove out to be a Bargain in the near future. But for a player as talented as him , It’s a risk worth taking. I personally reckon that he’d prove out to be a bargain.

Article also published on Sportskeeda.com & Inoffthewoodwork.blogspot .