Jonathan Wilson's Blog, page 95

Arsenal display more reason for optimism than they have had for years | Jonathan Wilson

Mikel Arteta has a modern plan and is exhibiting the personality to put it into effect at the Emirates Stadium

It was only the Community Shield. It’s unlikely to be remembered in a month, never mind in a year or five or 10. Sports historians of decades to come will probably not be basing grand theses around some slightly tentative probing between two undercooked teams on a damp and blustery afternoon at Wembley. But it was another success for Mikel Arteta, further evidence that he might be building something exciting at Arsenal.

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Published on August 30, 2020 06:54

Forget the romance, a Messi-Guardiola reunion would not make City better | Jonathan Wilson

A possible Pep and Leo show at the Etihad is a mouthwatering prospect but a defensive rejig is more pressing for the club’s title ambitions than the addition of a strolling goalscoring genius

A fortnight ago, two key storylines emerged from Lisbon. There was the collapse of Barcelona and another premature Manchester City exit. From a narrative point of view, the reunion of Lionel Messi and Pep Guardiola makes perfect sense, a fusion of two current storylines, the rekindling of one of football’s great romances.

Messi is not the solution to a glass jaw, just a finer grade of crystal

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Published on August 29, 2020 12:00

For PSG this final defeat signals a dream not ended but deferred | Jonathan Wilson

Bayern Munich prevented all-out victory for sportswashing but PSG, with the Qatari state behind them, are not going away

Football, or that part of it that professes to have a conscience, breathed a huge sigh of relief but as it did so, some still small voice perhaps niggled. The only goal of the Champions League final was scored by Kingsley Coman, a player convicted in 2017 of twice assaulting the mother of his child.

The game was won by Bayern Munich, the swaggering superclub whose eight straight league titles means they have won more Bundesligas than the rest of Germany put together. Since 2011, they have regularly trained in Qatar, an emirate with a highly questionable human rights record, and in 2018 they signed a sponsorship deal with its state-owned airline. And somehow, their win represented a victory for the good guys.

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Published on August 24, 2020 02:12

Bayern Munich crowned European champions – Football Weekly

Max Rushden, Barry Glendenning, Jonathan Liew and Jonathan Wilson look back at all the Champions League final talking points, as Bayern overcame PSG. We also take a brief look at Sevilla’s Europa League glory

We look back at the Champions League final between Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, a game which promised goals galore, but ultimately it was just the one that secured Hansi Flick’s Bayern another treble. All the talking points are in there, including stunning performances by Manuel Neuer and Joshua Kimmich, Tuchel’s poor substitutions, Mbappé’s miss and Neymar’s tears at the final whistle.

Of course, we make sure we delve into the more serious side of the game, like whether the Champions League trophy is the most aesthetically pleasing, if Niklas Süle would do well in a Tony Pulis team and is Alphonso Davies a poor man’s John Beresford?

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Published on August 24, 2020 01:44

Ángel Di María a tactical schemer focused more on structure than star quality | Jonathan Wilson

The Argentinian has often been underappreciated but he is the man who makes PSG’s bigger names tick and will be crucial in Sunday’s Champions League final

The critical moment of Lionel Messi’s international career, perhaps, came a little after 1.30pm on a Saturday afternoon in Brasília. Argentina led Belgium 1-0 in their 2014 World Cup quarter‑final. They were in control, playing well. The forward line, as usual, felt a mismatch of extremely talented but not particularly complementary players, but with a solid and well-balanced midfield, it didn’t really seem to matter. Then Ángel Di María pulled his hamstring.

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Published on August 22, 2020 12:00

Bayern Munich's Thomas Müller the spaceman from a different galaxy | Jonathan Wilson

His reading of the game, his instinct for where space and chances will appear and his work rate are remarkable

As Serge Gnabry pulled off the back of Maxwel Cornet, Joshua Kimmich played a classic full-back’s ball down the channel. Marçal was forced across from the left of the three Lyon central defenders to cover as Gnabry, turning inside, took the ball down. Marçal checked back but found his way blocked by Thomas Müller, making a run from the centre out to the right. Marcelo had already been distracted by Müller’s move across him so his weight was going left as Gnabry flashed by to his right.

What followed from Gnabry was brilliant, but the avenue along which he charged before hammering a shot – with his weaker foot – into the top corner, was created by Müller’s movement from in to out.

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Published on August 19, 2020 14:56

Gung ho or too tentative? Pep panics as City's glass jaw breaks again | Jonathan Wilson

Manchester City’s much-admired manager last won the Champions League in 2011 and is seemingly haunted by a 2014 thrashing his Bayern Munich side took from Real Madrid

Manchester City can talk about individual moments. They can point to the volley that Gabriel Jesus fluffed and to Raheem Sterling’s miss. They can quibble about Lyon’s second goal, the collision between Moussa Dembélé and Aymeric Laporte and the offside that wasn’t given. They can probably convince themselves they were unlucky. But the fact remains that in four years under Pep Guardiola, the most lavishly funded project in the history of football has never got beyond the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

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Published on August 16, 2020 07:10

Andrea Pirlo's vineyard is not a reason to think he will be a vintage manager | Jonathan Wilson

Juventus legend projects confidence but has no coaching experience and the move shows marketing men are in control

“And what exactly are your qualifications for this position, Mr Pirlo?” “I played 119 league games for the club and won four league titles.” “I see. Any coaching qualifications?” “I signed up to do my pro licence last August.” “Right. Any relevant experience?” “I’m Juventus Under-23s coach.” “Great. And how long have you held that position?” “Nine days.” “And results are good?” “We haven’t actually played any games yet.” “But the training sessions are going well?” “Well, I did go to watch the under-19s play Monza last week.” “Excellent. The job’s yours.”

The world of the super-clubs can seem very odd at times. Football is an industry obsessed with money and status and yet also one when a company with annual revenues of £400m will appoint somebody with zero relevant experience to a key managerial role.

I wouldn't bet a single cent on me becoming a manager. It's not a job I'm attracted to

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Published on August 15, 2020 12:00

Barcelona's disintegration and the decadence that can befall a super-club | Jonathan Wilson

The humiliation by Bayern was a capitulation of a major side on a level not seen since the World Cup semi-final in 2014

Barcelona cannot say they were not warned. Since 2017, their exits from the Champions League have been becoming increasingly embarrassing. Humiliation has followed humiliation. Perhaps finally now, after their 8-2 humbling against Bayern, their worst defeat since 1946, a performance that became shameful in its ineptitude, action will be taken.

Occasionally matches take place that are the meeting of two historical trends. Here, on the one hand, there was the tactical dominance of Germany, the high line and the hard press, the slick muscularity, the rapid exchanges of a well-structured attack, that have become increasingly familiar at the highest level. And there, fatted on success, was the decadence that can befall a super-club.

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Published on August 15, 2020 02:01

Gabriel Jesus needs extra finish to shine up front for Manchester City | Jonathan Wilson

Jesus, superb at harrying, can further press his senior striker claims against Lyon in the Champions League quarter-final

There was a moment a couple of minutes after Manchester City had taken the lead against Real Madrid last Friday when the ball was played to Dani Carvajal, deep in the right-back position. He half-paused, almost visibly relieved at the time he imagined he would have on the ball, a second or two to gather his thoughts and consider his options. Except there was no time because there, scampering towards him, a remorseless bailiff intent only on repossession, was Gabriel Jesus. Carvajal’s pass was hurried and City soon regained the ball.

It is easy to see why Jesus is considered a Pep Guardiola-type of forward. He scored 14 league goals in 2019-20 but otherwise his stats are essentially those of a midfielder. He is skilful and diligent. He has an instinctive understanding of when and where to press, how to block off the passing lanes. Sergio Agüero, whether through something innate or because he was introduced to pressing later in his career, is not quite so effective – although there is no doubt he has improved under Guardiola. “Gabriel is the best striker at making the high intensity pressing in the world,” Guardiola said last October.

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Published on August 14, 2020 05:36