A human mind needs attention! Its his fuel. He tries to cling onto things that make him feel comfortable. He yearns for love, care and emotional consoling. He prejudices his mind to befriend somebody which might not be remotely possible. But little does he know if there is someone else seeking for the same love and attention from himself. Its a vicious circle and all one needs to do is look around. U will find it! But unlike last time being selfish, this time reciprocate.
That greatest feeling in life!
Is it that smile on a mother’s face when she sees her new born baby in her shivering arms for the first time ever!
Would it be those happy tears of a home-bound soldier as he sees his soulmate’s pensive face through the glimmer of his lantern, reminded of a time when he wished to see her for only one last time at the warfield to tell her that she was the most beautiful thing to have happened in his life.
Is it the excitement on a dad’s face when he sees his child coming back someday with his bike, only to take him for his first ever ride, reminded of the days when he used to teach him his cycle; his mind clinging onto those hazy memories of that last time when he left the kid on his own feet with a gentle push from behind, promising him....come what way that he would always be next to him!
Is it that smile with a scent of achievement of a village girl who has fought her way out from the underprivileged, poor, uneducated and male chauvinistic society that she was destined to be born, finally returning to her village with her first pay cheque only to place it on the feet of her parents and thanking them for all the empty stomach nights they have spent and lot many other things sacrificed in their life.
Would it be that moment when the person whom you love the most, holds you by your hand and tells you eye-to-eye, heart-to-heart that you are the most gorgeous creature in the whole world and bending on the knees gives you that first kiss of your life on your cold hands.
Touchy, emotional and feel good moments these and many others that each and every one can type down, are!!
But for me, if you can be that reason for the little smile amidst the tears of a struggling individual, irrespective of sex, caste, relations, religion what not, that is what I would describe to be the greatest feeling! There is unconditionality, care, love and above all godliness!
Would it be those happy tears of a home-bound soldier as he sees his soulmate’s pensive face through the glimmer of his lantern, reminded of a time when he wished to see her for only one last time at the warfield to tell her that she was the most beautiful thing to have happened in his life.
Is it the excitement on a dad’s face when he sees his child coming back someday with his bike, only to take him for his first ever ride, reminded of the days when he used to teach him his cycle; his mind clinging onto those hazy memories of that last time when he left the kid on his own feet with a gentle push from behind, promising him....come what way that he would always be next to him!
Would it be that moment when the person whom you love the most, holds you by your hand and tells you eye-to-eye, heart-to-heart that you are the most gorgeous creature in the whole world and bending on the knees gives you that first kiss of your life on your cold hands.
But for me, if you can be that reason for the little smile amidst the tears of a struggling individual, irrespective of sex, caste, relations, religion what not, that is what I would describe to be the greatest feeling! There is unconditionality, care, love and above all godliness!
Anbe Sivam!
If there is one movie that has inspired me with a way of
living, it has been Anbe Sivam (“Love is God”), an epic tamil movie that
revolves around a series of events that follow the tryst of two individuals
with varying ideologies. The movie is one that dwells deep into philosophies
like communism, atheism and altruism and brings one goosebumps multiple times
taking him into deep introspective thought zones.
Live the moment. Go back to your past, cry, laugh, jump
around, fist yourself. The future is bleak and random anwyays. Rather than
fighting for the future, if one could become content with what he has and reach
out to others who are struggling and expect nothing in return except that sweet
smile amidst the tears of a struggling individual, and if you can unhesitatingly
do it time and again, then my friend u are that supreme being.
In the end you and I are loners, relentlessly striving for
our identity. Quenching our ego and seeking incentives for every effin thing we
do. There is nothing as God. If it comforts you and satisifies you everytime u
go to a temple, I want to throw it on everyone’s face, we are the biggest
losers and evaders in life. What do you think happens to the Rs.50 you donate
to a temple? Don’t you think giving it to somebody outside, starving off food
would be a better deed? Its simple aint it. But do we care to think different,
such is the depth at which religion and faith have interlaced into our social
life. Such is MEDIOCRITY. 
Mother
Teresa, Mahathma Gandhi are all examples for human-gods had science and
documenting not developed so fast. They are all individuals who believed in a
way of life like Mahavir Jain or Gautam Buddha. Altrusim is indeed a romantic philosophy
but I believe it must be inculcated in oneself especially given the pace at
which our lives are progressing. Food for thought I say and for all reasons
including Kamal’s extraordinary brilliant acting, Madhavans subtely powerful supporting
role, the BGMs, the plot and most importantly the message it tells one, the
movie is a must watch for anyone who needs a bit of inspiration and guidance in
life, I think! Here is one video clip that might as well tempt one to watch the
movie.
“Yaar yaar Sivam… Nee
than Sivam”.. “Who is the supreme one… Its none but you”. Deep, profound,
esoteric but I think it is an enlightenment, an indispensable catharsis for mediocrity
and the uninitiated.
E minor… Coffee….. and the rains
This is one of those days when the loner takes a deep gasp
and bows down.
Tired he is, of this meaningless run.
For when he looks up he sees nothing but hollowness.
And the farther he goes there is nothing but darkness.
He is with his love, the only one that struck a chord with
him.
Playing it slow in the E minor, closing his eyes to himself.
The mood is set and apt to that of gloom and grief.
With the drizzling rains in the backdrop and the hot coffee
luring him for a sip.
He is with himself in his world, hoping for the light at the
end of the tunnel.
Only if it was there!
The new force that is Napoli
Napoli had an undoubtedly dominant transfer market presence
this year. Sealing 7 new deals and selling 4 players, the newly appointed
coach, Benitez made sure that he is on the move to create a strong and capable
team. With a last year runners-up finish, Napoli should now be aiming to
challenge for the Scudetto competing with the likes of Juventus and AC Milan
under the guidance of Rafa Benitez.
Transfer Summary
Coach (IN): Rafa Benitez
OUTs
Edinson Cavani – Striker
Mario Santana – Winger
Hugo Campagnaro – Defender
Morgan De Sancti – Goalkeeper
INs
Gonzalo Higuaín – Striker
José Callejón – Winger
Dries Mertens – Winger
Pablo Armero – Defender
Raúl Albiol – Defender
Pepe Reina – Goalkeeper
Rafael
– Goalkeeper
The El Matador and Napoli’s talismanic player, Cavani was
sold to the French giants, PSG for a fee of €64m. One of the most sought after
player in the market, Cavani had played a pivotal role in Napoli’s last year
performance and his transfer justifies its cause and the fee. The funds from
his sale were thoughtfully channelized to capture other world class signings in
the likes of Higuaín (€37m) and Callejón (€10m). The Real Madrid duo have
proved their caliber at a top class level and is bound to prove successful at
this new project. Especially, the classy Argentinian striker, is expected to
continue his goal-scoring form with Real Madrid and Rafa definitely deserves a
pat on his back for luring in Higuain competing against the likes of Arsenal.
Cavani was Napoli’s attacking face and it would only be normal if we see
Higuain carry the responsibility from this season. The team now has a boastful
attacking lineup with the growing talents of Lorenzo Insigne and Marek Hamsik,
and the newly signed Mertens, a talented Belgian winger who seem to figure out
in his first team plans.
In the defensive framework , the departure of Campagnaro,
one of the reliable of Napoli’s defenders apart from Paolo Cannavaro, has been
quite surprising but the arrival of the ex-Valencia defender makes up for it in
a way. Benitez has also sold out De Sancti so as to make space for Rafa’s
ex-Liverpool shot stopper Pepe Reina for a loan.
It has been a good amount of restructuring done by the Partenopei
this season and Benitez must be eyeing to claim the stature he held at
Liverpool with this new and rejuvenated team. Lets have a look at a first team
starting lineup for the new Napoli side.
The squad is well balanced with the likes of Insigne, Pandev
and Maggio available on the bench. There is both youth in the likes of Hamsik,
Callejon and Mertens and experience in the likes of Higuain, Albiol and
Cannavaro.
Will the man who guided Liverpool to the UEFA Champions
League cup be able to emulate Napoli’s golden days of the late 80’s. For sure,
they had Maradona back then, but given Napoli’s current squad with a tactician
like Benitez on board, we could be looking at a project that might start to
flourish in times to come.
Mesut Ozil and Arsene Wenger’s bolstered attacking force
"People
don't look at the quality we have and just want to buy because they feel fear
but I maintain what I said before we will only add super quality to our squad
if we can do it or nothing”. Arsene Wenger
There was a time when these words from one of the most
experienced coaches in the Premier League did not prove satisfactory to the
millions of gunner fans, who were frustrated by Arsenal’s lack of ambition in
this summer transfer window. With arch rivals Tottenham, big money spenders
Chelsea and City sealing deals one after another, it was understandable when a bunch
of arsenal fans went to the extent of writing a plea to the management to look
into matters.
But one man, adamant as ever, not willing to compromise on a
players’ quality came up with the best of retorts with a bonanza signing for
the summer- the Real Madrid number 10 and the German international first choice
playmaker, Mesut Ozil. Since the days of Fabregas had ended at Arsenal, Wenger
would be proud to have the prodigal playmaker in his squad who can provide
those killer passes that would fetch him important goals.
“I have said throughout the summer that we have been working
hard to bring in top quality players to this football club. This has involved
many, many people across the club and I have always had the full support of the
club in making decisions on the football side.”
Eventhough Wenger’s priority would have been an addition in
the striking department alongside
Giroud, bringing in Ozil would definitely bolster the Arsenal squad. Much
acclaimed for the midfield quality with the likes of Cazorla, Wilshere, Arteta,
Rosicky and the rejuvenated Ramsey, Arsenal could already have been argued to
have one of the best midfield forces in England. Now with Ozil moving in,
no-doubt the midfield is going to get even more dangerous, probably one which
Wenger would leverage to implement his romantic concept of beautiful football.
Let us look into how Arsenal’s attacking lineup is going to
look like with the playmaker added to the equation.
1. Ozil on the Left wing as a Left Attacking Midfielder (4-1-4-1)
Ozil’s strengths can be clearly attributed to his creativity
and dribbling. Alongside the Spanish maestro Cazorla Ozil could find himself in
the left center attacking midfield, play the role of an orchestrator and feed
the likes of Giroud and Cazorla. This is quite similar to the days with
Bergkamp having Pires on his left and Henry upfront. The trio of Wilshere,
Cazorla and Ozil will be a threat any defensive setup would fear to handle. One
could easily visualize a lot of link up plays on the field with Wenger having
more options in the diligent Ramsey and creative Rosicky on the bench. Podolski
also would be a safe bet on the wings and could replace either of Cazorla or
Ozil when required. This formation setup would eventually help Wenger emulate a
neat and clean passing gameplay with 5 midfielders maneuvering the ball across
the park. Could be a new version of Tiki-Taka in the making!
2. Ozil in the right flank (4-4-2)
This formation would have to force Walcott upfront as a
striker with Giroud. Wenger has always lauded Walcott’s striker instincts. "I
always said that he will be a striker so we are on the same wavelength there. You
feel it or you don't. He has the qualities to play there."
With no major additions in the striking department, this formation
looks likely against teams that maintain a high-defense line and with so much
of creativity in the midfield it would become easy for Walcott to sprint for
those Bolt-runs and tap the ball into the goal. Ramsey could start in this
framework as the defensive work rate would be higher as the midfielders are
spread to the flanks resulting in lots of box-to-box spaces. Ozil has often
played in the right attacking midfield at Real Madrid and this formation would
give him space, which has proved to be the key fuel to his engine. Ozil prefers
space and this formation would free him from the presence of defenders near the
hole. In this role, Ozil would be a sole attacker with the game being dictated
in the centre of the pitch and moves made majorly through the flanks.
3. Ozil in the hole (4-2-3-1)
This has been Ozil’s usual position in the Real Madrid squad
and he is probably the best-suited here. This formation can also utilize the
shooting skills of Podolski on the left wing and the presence of Walcott on the
right flank. Cazorla can be brought in instead of Ozil if need be and so can
Arteta and Rosicky replace the other midfielders. In this position, Ozil would
be asked to play upfront performing minimal defensive work, but feeding the
incisive passes which he is best at.
Independent of where he plays, Mesut Ozil pumps in
creativity and footballing sense in the already powerful midfield that Arsenal
can be proud of. With his addition, Wenger will have more options in the
midfield in terms of strategic flexibility and bench strength and he is more
that excited to have a world class star like Ozil in the squad.
“Mesut is a top quality footballer who will be a fantastic
addition to our talented squad. We are all looking forward to him joining up
with us after his international matches with Germany and working with us as an
Arsenal player."
The feeling is definitely mutual when Ozil had to say:
"I am thrilled to be joining a club of the stature of
Arsenal and am looking forward to playing in the Premier League. It will be
great for my own personal development as a player and I am particularly looking
forward to working with Arsene Wenger.”
In the coming years, the €50m man should definitely
ameliorate the chances of much-awaited silverware for Arsenal and should
relieve the gunner fans from any more frustration. But how and when, only time
will tell!
Bale and the new force that is Real Madrid
After a plentitude of discussions, speculations and heated
arguments, the Bale-sale finally seems to be sealed and the ex-Spurs man is
all-set to wear the much coveted Madrid jersey as he lines up for the new Ancelotti
chapter at Santiago Bernabeu.
The winger would now move from the North London side to Madrid
for a whopping record-fee of €100m, breaking the previous €94m transfer record
of Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United to the Spanish capital. Constantly
compared to CR7 for his tremendous speed, long-range shooting and aggressive
runs down the flanks, Bale will be the new firing arm for Madrid’s warship. Similar
to the way Neymar has lined up with Messi at their rival club, Bale would also
pair alongside his footballing idol, CR7 and then, they are a certainly a force
to reckon with.
But tactically how would adding Bale to the equation, affect
the other players and their positions at Real Madrid. Lets have a look into
this.
1. Bale on the right wing (4-2-3-1)
2. Bale on the left wing (4-1-3-2)
Alternatively, Ancelotti might also try out this option,
with CR7 playing a more advanced role alongside Benzema in the attack. Bale
would continue to play in the left wing with his ex-Spurs comrade Modric
playing above Alonso in the midfield. Isco would find himself shifted slightly
to the right midfield and defensively Ancelotti could prefer Pepe over Varane
to aid Alonso with the defensive midfield tasks. This setup offers a physically
adept two-striker option for Ancelotti and could also leverage the long-range
crosses from Alonso and Isco. This framework would be something he might try
against the likes of Barcelona which are relatively unreliable in the air.
Traditionally, CR7 has been on the left wing and this formation might just
lessen the impact he has over the game, but if Bale can make up for this in his
position, then things remain good.
Undoubtedly, Bale’s arrival will be an epic boost to this
current Real Madrid squad and how much ever we argue about his price tag, which
might be a result of the inflated transfer market scenario; combined with CR7,
this squad should be legitimately prepared to become the best club in Europe.
The Ultimate Star of Europe
UEFA had released a 26
member shortlist of Europe’s top footballers for the prestigious ‘UEFA Best
Player in Europe Award’ on July 9. Bundesliga players undoubtedly dominated the
list along expected lines following their dominance in the UEFA Champions
league 2012/13, culminating in the final at Wembley. Not surprisingly, the list
is flooded with strikers and attackers, undermining the efforts of reliable
defensive talents.
Here is an overview of the
league-wise split of the shortlisted players. Many unspoken talents from
Germany are now in the spotlight and football is continuing to prove the fact
that talent will never be left unrewarded. This year’s list of best players in
Europe pays a tribute to the quality and spirit of German football.
|
Gareth Bale
|
Tottenham
|
Franck Ribery
|
FC Bayern München
|
|
Robin Van Persie
|
Manchester United FC
|
ArjenRobben
|
FC Bayern München
|
|
BransilavInvanovic
|
Chelsea
|
Bastian Schweinsteiger
|
FC Bayern München
|
|
EdinDzeko
|
Manchester City
|
Thomas Muller
|
FC Bayern München
|
|
RadamelFalcao
|
Atlético de Madrid
|
Manuel Neuer
|
FC Bayern München
|
|
Xavi Hernandez
|
FC Barcelona
|
Dante
|
FC Bayern München
|
|
Lionel Messi
|
FC Barcelona
|
Mario Mandzukic
|
FC Bayern München
|
|
Andres Iniesta
|
FC Barcelona
|
Philip Lahm
|
FC Bayern München
|
|
Cristiano Ronaldo
|
Real Madrid CF
|
Javi Martinez
|
FC Bayern München
|
|
Andrea Pirlo
|
Juventus
|
Robert Lewandowski
|
Borussia Dortmund
|
|
Arturo Vidal
|
Juventus
|
IIkayGundogan
|
Borussia Dortmund
|
|
EdinsonCavani
|
SSC Napoli
|
Mario Gotze
|
Borussia Dortmund
|
|
ZlatanIbrahimovic
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Paris Saint-Germain FC
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Oscar Cardozo
|
SL Benfica
|
On July 9, a second round
of shortlisting was done and a new 10 member list was released. The list is one
with world-class impactful players including 6 wingers, 3 strikers and 1
central midifielder. No major surprises, except that unlike the past years,
there are no Spanish internationals included in the shortlist of 10 stars who
could pocket the much coveted award. Last year, the award went to Andres
Iniesta. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo took the runners-up positions, with
the same number of votes. This year, owing to the emergence of Germany as a
footballing superpower, we can clearly see an upsurge in the number of german
league players in the European best player shortlist.
 |
Andres Iniesta – 2012 UEFA Best player of Europe
|
1. Gareth Bale (WAL) – Tottenham
Hotspur FC
Achievements: EPL-5th
Personal highs:
a. Bale grabbed 3 goals in the 4-0 away win against
Aston Villa , marking his first PL hat-trick
b. He shined brilliantly in the 3-1 EPL home win
against Manchester City, pitching in a goal and an important assist to Dempsey.
c. He won
the PFA Players' Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year and the FWA
(Football Writer's
Association) Player of the Year Award, making him one of only two players who
have won all three in the same season, the other being Cristiano Ronaldo in
2007.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo (POR) – Real Madrid
CF
Achievements: La Liga-2nd, Runners up Copa del Rey and UCL semifinalist
Personal highs:
a. Ronaldo scored his 200th goal for Real Madrid in
a 6–2 win against Malaga. This feat made him sixth in the list of
the club's all-time top scorers and the player that took the least number of
matches (197) to reach 200 goals.
b. He scored his first career hat-trick in Champions
League as he led Real Madrid to a 4–1 victory over Ajax.
d. He scored the winning goal in a 2–1 victory
against his former home, Manchester United. CR7 showed his respect to his
former club, by refusing to celebrate the goal
e. He scored the next week against Sevilla, his 21st
hat-trick of his career and his 17th in La Liga
f. He was named by Marca as a member of the "Best foreign
eleven in Real Madrid's history". He
closely missed out on earning the 2012 FIFA Ballon d'Or
and came runners up for the fourth
time behind Lionel Messi
3. Zlatan Ibrahimović (SWE) – Paris Saint-Germain FC
Succoring
PSG to their much awaited French title since 1994, Zlatan was extraordinary
last season . The 31 year old controversial Swedish striker piled 35 goals,
last season and proved value for money for his transfer from the Italian giants
to the new land of football in Paris . The languid and agile striker that he
is, he has crafted the reputation as one of world’s best target man or one-man
striker of the current generation and clearly deserves to be in top 10 in the
list.
Accolades:
Ligue1 Champion, Trophée des Champions trophy
Personal
highs
a. Zlatan was awarded with the Ligue 1 player of the
year title.
b. He was the assists leader with a total of 7
assists in the 2012-13 UCL tournament
c. He scored twice in the second half for PSG to
help them rebound from 2–0 down at half-time to salve a 2–2 home draw with Lorient in the opening 2012–13 Ligue
1 match.
e.
He scored
both of PSG's goals in the Ligue 1 Le
Classique derby at the Stade Vélodrome, with the match finishing 2–2.This included the famous
Taekwondo kick goal and a curling freekick that went in.
4. Robert Lewandowski (POL) –
Borussia Dortmund
The
pole is undoubtedly one of the best strikers around and it was a roller coaster
ride last year, his tournament high reaching with 4 goals against Real Madrid
in a UCL semifinals. He belongs to the age-old class of strikers, the likes of
Bergkamp, Owen and Raul. The soft first touches, smart positioning, timely
sprints and spot-on finishing are characteristics of all these players. This is
quite in contrast to the typical lone striker we find in Europe, the likes of
Falcao, Benzema, Mandzukic, Zlatan and Torres. Lewandowksi, has time and again
proven that he is a match winner and last season, he was a vital part of the
second best European team in the world, the Schwarzgelbens, scoring a personal
goal tally of 36.
Achievements:
Bundesliga-2nd , UCL finalist, 2013 DFL-Supercup winner
Personal
high:
a. Lewandowski became the first player to score all
the four goals in a Champions League semifinal as Dortmund beat Spanish
champions Real
Madrid 4–1 in the first leg.
b. He scored at the dying minutes of the CL group
stages defeating Ajax by 1-0.
5. Lionel Messi (ARG) – FC Barcelona
Well
no explanation needed here we guess! We would rather just say that Messi is
arguably the best player in this planet currently, with only CR7 proving to
giving him stiff competition. If we were to let this award go to the best
player on a technical and personal-impact based analysis, Messi would have to
just open his gate at the next doorbell and the award would be waiting there!
But we need to realize that there is a little more to football than achieving
personal feats. Bayern’s emergence as the new powerhouse of European football
might offer challenges to his claim over the award. Having said this, it still
becomes logic-bound to quote him as the favourite to grab the award with a
mammoth personal goal tally of 60 and leading the Catalans to yet another La
Liga title and a UCL semifinal finish.
Achievements:
La Liga-1st , UCL semifinalist,
Personal
highs:
a. Messi scored two goals, and aided the fourth, to help
Barcelona defeat A.C.
Milan (4–0) in the 2nd leg of their Champions League
game and reach the quarter-finals. He became the 2nd all-time top scorer in the
UEFA Champions League, (excluding qualifying rounds). Messi's opening goal against Milan compared
by critics to Maradona's famous goal against Greece in the 1994
World Cup.
b. He won the FIFA Ballon d’Or for a 4th
time.
c. He scored 4 goals in a 5–1 win against Osasuna,
including his 200th goal in La
Liga, becoming the 8th player and the youngest player
to do so
d. He scored twice against Real
Betis, his 85th and 86th goals in
2012, surpassing Müller's milestone of 85 goals scored in a calendar year in
1972 with Bayern
Munich and the German national team, as well as surpassing Rodríguez's record for
most league goals for Barcelona
e. He scored for the 19th consecutive La Liga game,
netting Barcelona's second goal at Celta
de Vigo and
thus becoming the first footballer in La Liga's history to score in consecutive
matches against every team
6. Thomas Müller (GER) – FC Bayern
München
As
the commentators often quote: “There are two Mullers
who have marked their names in the history of German football, the first, the
legendary Gerd and the next, the young Thomas”.One of the key Bayern players
this season, Muller offers flexibility in terms of attacking roles for the club.
Traditionally a winger, we could often spot him in the centre of the midfield
in a wide role, in the hole and even as the target striker. There are only a
few players who can offer such versatility in terms of attacking outlook. This
coupled with his penchant for goals (22 last season) keeps him in the league of
best players this year.
Achievements: Bundesliga-1st , UCL
winners, DFB Pokal Cup-Historic Treble
Personal
highs:
a. Muller netted a brace against the recently
promoted Fortuna Düsseldorf in their 5-0 victory, registering their 8th
consecutive win in the league
b. He scored a vital goal against arch rivals,
Borussia Dortmund helping the Die Rotens seize the DFL Supercup
c. He scored 2 goals and assisted a goal against
the promising FC Barcelona at Allianz Arena
d. He scored yet another goal against the mighty
Catalans in the return leg, sealing the dreams of another UCL finals for
Barcelona
e. He scored a penalty in the final of the 2012-13
DFB Pokal final against Stuttgart
7. Franck Ribéry (FRA) – FC Bayern
München
“I
think I’ve done everything to be the world’s best player. I’ve played a very,
very good season. It’s either now or never for winning this prize. I can’t play
any better than this”. This was his message to the Bundesliga official website and it only becomes logically
justified to nod in acceptance to this claim of his. Franck Ribery has been the face of the attacking
threat of the historic treble winning Bayern Munich team this year. It would
have been a daunting task for Bayern to do without him. His experience coupled
with his immaculate attacking sense was leveraged perfectly by the Die Rotens this
season. His season ended with a tally of 10 goals and 14 assists thus part of
c.25% of FCBs goals. He was the highest assist contributor for Bayern Munich
and key indicators like successful dribbles per game (4.5) and key passes per
game (3.2), site him in a league of his own. He was remarkable with his runs in
the flank and efficient defensively, also clocking the highest playing time for
an attacker in the Bundesliga. His creativity and close control is world class,
comparable to the likes of Iniesta with a wider range of crossing, tackling and
aggressive abilities. He was in the peak of his form and eventually becoming
pivotal in helping Bayern claim the historic treble. Ribery might have grown
older, but his magic can still be seen on the field and for the contributions
last season, he truly deserves a top-spot finish in this race for personal
glory.
Achievements:
Bundesliga-1st , UCL winners, DFB Pokal Cup-Historic Treble
Personal
highs:
a. Ribery played a vital role in the UCL finals,
creating both the goals for Bayern Munich.
b. He was voted Bundesliga Player of the Year by his
fellow professionals.
c. He scored a late contender for ‘Goal of the
season’ as Bayern Munich came from behind to end their triumphant Bundesliga
campaign with a 4-3 win at Borussia Mönchengladbach. He also provided 2 assists
and scored another goal in the same clash.
d. He displayed a top-class performance in the 4-0
bashing of Barcelona. Ribery had a beautiful assist and a cross which was
tapped in by Pique to his credit.
9. ArjenRobben (NED) – FC Bayern München
Achievements: Bundesliga-1st , UCL winners, DFB Pokal Cup-Historic Treble
Personal highs:
a. Robben put forth a man of the match performance
at the UCL finals against Dortmund. He scored a goal and also set Mandzukic up
for another goal.
b. He scored in both the legs of the UCL semi
finals against Barcelona. His movement in the flanks and the centre of the
pitch, constantly disturbed the Barcelona defense, proving critical to the
victory in both the legs
c. He scored a beauty, a curling kick at the
corner, against Borussia in the quarter finals against Borussia Dortmund,
eliminating them from the DFB Pokal tournament.
9. Bastian Schweinsteiger (GER) – FC Bayern München
If Bayern were to identify their diving force or its engine, they would all look for the No.31 jersey, in the midfield. A true gem in the current era of midfielders, it has been a long wait for him to grab the ultimate silverware. It wasn’t a year ago when Schweinsteiger missed the crucial penalty that gifted Chelsea a UCL trophy. But little did people know that he would come back as one of the most threatening midfield forces in Europe. Eventhough, he was struck with an ankle problem that left him injured till about winter, he quickly adapted to the crucial orchestrator role for Bayern Munich. He perfectly combined with Javi Martinez, to develop into a formidable threat in the midfield and eventually the duo successfully cracked the toughest Xavi-Iniesta-TikiTaka midfield code. This was crucial in fueling the 7-0 bashing of Barcelona, helping steer the Die Rotens to the UCL finals. One of the most prolific midfielders of the generation, he personifies versatility. From deep in the defense, he is the one who can orchestrate a whole move and can feed those critical crosses and through balls. One can see him play CB, RWB, CDM, CAM and even on the right flank popping his head out to spot Mandzukic, Muller or Ribery. A true fighter by nature, he is the one they would look upto for any kind of inspiration and coach Heynckes has labeled him as the “Best midfielder in the world currently”. Combined with Martinez, they were the key pillars on which the Bayern team was built upon. Last season, Schweinsteiger gathered 9 goals and 7 assists with an amazing pass accuracy of 87.3% in the UCL tournament. The official Bundesliga site label him as the ‘Leader of the year’ and undoubtedly deserves a spot in the top 10 European players for this season.
Achievements: Bundesliga-1st , UCL winners, DFB Pokal Cup-Historic Treble
Personal highs:
a. Scored the backheel flick goal against Eintracht Frankfurt which sealed the Bundesliga title for Bayern
b. Scored a header in the 6-1 lashing against
Stuttgart
Achievements: EPL-1st
a. RVP scored his first hat-trick for United in their 3–2 victory over Southampton, helping pull United back from an initial 2–1 deficit. The match also witnessed the 100th PL goal for Robin Van Persie.
b. He scored a dramatic stoppage time winner from a
free kick in a 3–2 victory over Manchester City, his Manchester Derby debut.
c. He netted an impressive first-half hat-trick
against Aston Villa, confirming Manchester United's 20th league
title with four games in hand. His second goal in the match was one of his
career best, a diagonal volley from a long range cross by Rooney.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hr2fWhQkw_4Ultimate shortlist
Well
the next round of shortlist for the final 3 has already been announced on Aug 6th
2013, and we at Sheer Football are eagerly waiting for the final result to
update you with more information on this. This is the list in the ascending
order of the rankings.
• Lionel Messi
• Frank Ribery
• Cristiano Ronaldo
• Arjen Robben
• Robert Lewandowski
• Thomas Muller
• Bastian Schweinsteiger
• Gareth Bale
• Zlatan Ibrahimovic
• Robin Van Persie
Top 3
This year like any year has been record breaking and goal scoring for Lionel Messi. Messi magic was seen at many vital instances, reinstating the statement that he is the world’s best player. Eventhough his performace was not sufficient to lead the Catalans to any other trophy except La Liga, his personal statistics keep him right at the top of the European players of the season.
Franck Ribery has been the hero of the season and undoubtedly he deserves a final 3 finish for his performance that helped Bayern claim the historic treble. We think this was one of his best seasons and he was the most important link in the whole Bayern Munich framework. Eventhough Bayern is not a one-man team, rather a collective effort of a lot of star players, we think Ribery has been outstanding this season. Given the fact that he has achieved the historic treble with Bayern, he stands a very high chance to land the award.
CR7, again like Messi had many moments of personal glory, but couldn’t register any major silverware last season. Scoring the highest number of goals in the UCL competition and the expectedly high league goal tally, he naturally figures in the top 3 stars of Europe this season.
The attacking talisman of Bayern, the big game player that he is finds Robben slightly missing out on a podium finish. Eventhough he pitched in at critical times, an analysis based on an entire season dilutes his year end performances. He was often struck with injury and missed out on many matches in the beginning of 2013 season.
The Pole’s influential performance was not sufficient enough to outplay the Bayern Munich in the CL and the DFB Pokal quarter finals. His striking ability and his laudable performance against Real Madrid places him below his Bayern stars in the 5th position.
Thomas Muller, another star in the treble winning team has a glorious personal tally with him and places him 6th in the list.
We also think it is fair to give Bastian Schweinsteiger a 7th place, for being Bayern’s motor in their run for the treble. The Bayern orchestrator played a pivotal role in the successful Die Roten season last year and proves time and again that he is one of the top midfielders of his era.
The young Bale, touted as the next big thing has been the best player of EPL and his rather commendable single-handed performance for Spurs, places him 8th in list.
Zlatan, the French hero of the season failed to steer PSG across the Barcelona quarter final barrier in the UCL tournament. His success, last season was limited to France winning the Ligue1 alone, failing to win Coupe de France as well.
Robin Van Persie, although shined as a striker for Manchester United failed to achieve anything beyond the PL title. Manchester United was eliminated by Real Madrid in the pre-quarter finals and also failed to win the FA Cup last season.
Final Verdict
We
will have to wait till August 29th to know who grabs home this much
desired accolade. We think, this year the award will go to the French icon-
Franck Ribery. For all what he has done for the Die Roten while winning the
historic treble and for his brilliant attacking and defensive gameplays, we
feel he might win it over Messi. Obviously Messi remains the favourite owing to
his mammoth goals tally and personal feats, but his impact in his team has not
transformed into silverware and this might very much against him n the final
voting rounds. Messi, despite his first-class season, failed to deliver at key
moments in various tournaments and this justly overshadows the personal glory
of the world’s best player.CR7 would be ranked 3rd only following
Ribery and Messi. This is primarily attributed to the lack of any major
silverware this season. Well this is what we think! Let us have a vote on who
you think would finally grab this much coveted award!
Sheer
vote is running live! Vote for your Ultimate European star for the 2012-13
season!
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