Spain Take A Gamble By Including Costa

Surprisingly, the current world champions, Spain include Diego Costa in their final 23-man squad of the World Cup which would be featuring at Brazil. This squad unfortunately ruled out Jesus Navas and Alvaro Negredo. 

The European giants look set to surprise the football fans by keeping the in-form but injured Atletico Madrid's striker, Diego Costa in the squad. Costa's name on the squad list had a question mark as there were lingering worries over a leg injury.

Costa, who is a Brazilian-born Spanish national, is expected to start ahead of the likes of David Villa and Fernando Torres who are also in the Spanish squad. As expected, winger Jesus Navas had no place in the squad while on the other hand, Juan Mata would be seen at the tournament despite a mixed season at Premier League with Chelsea and Manchester United.

Spain opens their 2014 World Cup campaign against Netherlands on June 13 in a repeat of the Final of the last edition of the tournament. They would face Chile and Australia in the Group B.

Del Bosque seemed to add the players like Juan Mata and Torres after considering their experience was more than Jesus Navas and Alvaro Negredo. Real Madrid's young play-maker Isco was also not included in the 23-man squad alongside Thiago Alcantara who was unavailable due to an injury.

Del Bosque stuck at Costa even after the options of Manchester City's Negredo and Juventus' Fernando Llorente. Negredo joined the starting-11 of his club at the end of the club season but Llorente has enjoined his debut season with the Italian-giants with a total of 16 goals. Llorente, who is packet of world-class of talent, featured in the 2010 World Cup in which Spain were crowned the champions and also in the 2012 European Championship. But he only played for a total of just 31 minutes, and this time, he is not even in the final team.

Vincente Del Bosque said on friday that Spain's 2-0 win over Bolivia helped him gain confidence over Torres who just had five Premier League goals this season. David Villa, the country's all-time top scorer was a little bit out of form for Atletico Madrid ( according to Bosque ), but Bosque stated that he would perfectly fit in the " Tiki-Taka " play of Spain.

Captain Iker Casillas would be in front of the goal with Pepe Reina and David De Gea as secondary options. Javi Martinez, on the other hand can step in for Sergio Ramos or Pique in the center-back position if needed.  Cesar Azplicueta's strong and impressive performance against Bolivia has proved that Spain has a sturdy and cemented backbone.


Midfield magic would be provided by the experienced legs of Xabi Alonso, Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta, Davil Silva, Xavi Hernandez and by the young-electrifying players like Santi Cazorla and Koke after a standout season with Atletico Madrid. Cese Fabregas is expected to show his unorthodox passing on the pitch.

Spain squad

Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Pepe Reina (Liverpool), David De Gea (Manchester United)

Defenders: Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Gerard Pique (Barcelona), Raul Albiol (Napoli), Javi Martinez (Bayern Munich), Juanfran (Atletico Madrid), Jordi Alba (Barcelona), Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea)

Midfielders: Xavi (Barcelona), Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), Koke (Atletico Madrid), Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), Santi Cazorla (Arsenal), Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona), Juan Mata (Manchester United), David Silva (Manchester City)

Forwards: Pedro (Barcelona), Diego Costa (Atletico Madrid), David Villa (Atletico Madrid), Fernando Torres (Chelsea).

Even after a big gamble with Spain's attack, do you think Spain can successfully defend their title?

Scout Report - Yevhen Konoplyanka

Manchester United are being linked with Ukrainian winger Yevhen Konoplyanka

The Red Devils are continuously linked with a plethora of  big name players but in Yevhen Konoplyanka's case the name is big enough to drive English commentators nuts. He's one of the lesser known players United are in  pursuit of and rightly so, he's got sheer quality. And the name, apart from being big in size is sure to gain stature in prominence as well.

The 24 year old Ukrainian marvel , who currently plays for Dnipro in the Ukrainian League has also been identified as a target for both Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur. Despite his tender age, the young man has succeeded in winning certain laurels for his performances , which includes the Ukrainian Player of the Year accolade in 2010, 2012 and 2012.

Often touted to be the "Next Eden Hazard", Konoplyanka has got a incredible burst of speed. And this is a quality that has guided many players to the pinnacle of the football world and carve out a reputation for themselves. He can break out from deeper positions, especially during swift counter attacks.

More so, unlike some other speedy wingers who lack the final pass quite often, Konoplyanka has got a knack for supplying the final threaded pass to the accompanying forwards. The 24 year old is a deadly force in the final third and can create and score goals from the position he actually tends to occupy.

The Ukrainian also possesses exceptional ball control , allowing him a better opportunity to take on opposition full backs. With the help of this, he can also hold up the play quite well, allowing his team mates to join the attack in crucial positions.

He's primarily right footed but is often deployed as an inverted winger on the left. From an advanced position on the edge of the box, he's keen on showing off some trickery and then bomb inside.

Since joining Dnipro in 2007, the 24 year old has made 136 outings and has managed to score 28 times, which includes 13 goals in the 2013-14 season.

Under David Moyes, United lacked the speed and creativity to break down the defenses of the opposition and Konoplyanka is someone who can do that almost inch perfectly. An almost exact replica of Arda Turan when it comes to playing style, Konoplyanka has got everything we need as of now.  He can be a great addition to a somewhat in-decline United and given his attributes, can help Louis van Gaal resurrect the fallen giants of Manchester.

Are Liverpool right in signing Lambert?

Liverpool are set to sign Southampton ace Rickie Lambert

Amidst the news of an exodus of players being linked with Manchester United, many football fans failed to pay heed to the news that Liverpool have had a bid in the region of 4 million accepted by Southampton for Rickie Lambert. The 32 year old England International, who will travel to Brazil this month has been a key figure in Southampton's 8th place finish this previous season.

The move , far from being a signal of intent by Liverpool, may just suggest something else in particular. Liverpool hit man Luis Suarez is being constantly linked with a move away from Anfield and the 32 year old may be seen as a replacement for the 27 year old Uruguayan. Although, the decision is still in doubt.

Lambert was released by Liverpool as a schoolboy and has,after that spent his days at clubs such as Blackpool, Macclesfield , Stockport, Rochdale , Bristol and finally flourished at Southampton. The Englishman joined the Saints back in 2009 and since then,has scored 106 times in 207 outings. Considering Lambert's age, it does come as a bit of surprise that Liverpool are interested in buying him only for keeping him as a 2nd or a 3rd choice. But, the move would provide a chance for the under-rated striker to head back to his home town and live in a city where his family resides.

He has been often described as a "far better footballer than he is given credit for" by Brendan Rodgers himself. The Liverpool gaffer also added that "He has never got the recognition for what a really good footballer he is". Resembling Andy Carroll in a number of ways, Rickie Lambert is a gem of a striker in the air and a burly contestant especially when being tackled. He has the ability to shrug off defenders at will and owing to decent balance and jumping ability, virtually increases his height. More so, he's someone who is adept in threading through balls and playing passes to the players around him. He's got a hammer of a right foot and is very good in playing dead balls. And not to forget, he's a God in Penalties and has missed only one in his entire career.

But, the Liverpool style of play is more free flowing and fast than what Lambert can sought to play with. Wingers hardly knock crosses into the box and strikers such as Daniel Sturridge hardly hide behind the last defender to knock one in. But, Lambert is that kind of a player who a side can rely on to let him bang around and sneak past defenders to find headers . Moreover, he can press the opposition OK when his side is without the ball, on the contrary to Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge and can't really harry a defender into a mistake.

If Liverpool are planning to offload outcast Iago Aspas, even then Lambert would be considered as a 3rd choice behind the pecking order to Luis Suarez or Daniel Sturridge. But for years, Liverpool have been aching to get a player with a bright mind and a physical presence up front . Andy Carroll could never do so but Rickie Lambert can finally give them that. And spending a mere 4 million on a someone like him looks quite good, if Brendan Rodgers wants to give his side a 'complete' look and also if he needs quality depth all over his side. But,it would have been better if he could have been 4 or 5 years younger.

Top Stars Who Wouldn't Play At Brazil

Petr Cech ( Chelsea and Czech Republic ) 

One of the best goalkeepers currently in the Premier League, the tall man with his headgear would not be seen at the Brazil World Cup 2014 in front of the goal. He has only played in one single World Cup, in 2006. Last time in South Africa, Czech Republic's defeat to Armenia proved to be costly in the qualifiers.

Samir Nasri ( Manchester City and France ) 

When Didier Deschamps announced his squad for the World Cup, Samir Nasri was not included in it. This fact wasn't greeted with much of a surprise. The possible reason is that Nasri doesn't play with the same spirit for his national team as he does for his league team and he is kind of a controversial player. So, the coach hasn't even included him in the 7-man reserves' squad.

Radamel Falcao ( AS Monaco and Columbia )

The former Atletico Madrid striker, Radamel Falcao would be missing out the big tournament as he has been suffering from a knee injury for quite a long time. The Colambian fans and the team had great expectations from this unique talent but unfortunately their star player would not be featuring in his dream tournament, the World Cup 2014 at Brazil.

Robert Lewandowksi ( Borussia Dortmund and Poland ) 

The top-scorer of German Bundesliga this season, Robert Lewandowksi would be missing the big summer tournament in Brazil. He would end this season trophyless as Dortmund were the runners up in DFB Pokal and second in the league also. Poland could not make it through the qualifying stage and would leave other stars of their team sitting at home.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic ( Paris Saint Germain and Sweden ) 

" A World Cup without me is nothing to watch ", said the Swedish star after his side could find their way to Brazil after their loss to Portugal in the qualifiers. According to fans, without the Puskas Award winner, the World Cup would be at a loss.

Gareth Bale ( Real Madrid and Wales ) 

Big players like Ryan Giggs, Ian Rush and Mark Hughes never got a chance to play at big tournaments representing Wales. And Gareth Bale is looking to continue the tradition in 2014 World Cup as the world's costliest player would not be featuring in the tournament.

Simeone Loses His Temper [With Video]

Atletico Madrid manager, Diego Simeone give away his temper on two different situations - one with referee Bjorn Kulpers and the other with Real Madrid defender, Raphael Varane.  Simeone lost his temper as he saw his side blow off their 1-0 lead and loose 4-1 in the Final of the Champions League.

On the first occasion, Simeone charged up onto the field to confront referee Bjorn Kulpers after he appointed 5 minutes of stoppage time after considering the fact that there were no time-wasting incidents in the second half of the match.

The so-called underdogs of LaLiga, Atletico Madrid were in front after Diego Godin's goal in the 30th minute, but the score was equalized after Sergio Ramos' goal took the match into extra-time. The misery wasn't over. From a score of 1-1, Gareth Bale, Marcelo and Cristiano Ronaldo took the Los Blancos to their 'La Decima' title making it 4-1.

In a separate incident, Diego Simeone ran down the pitch to confront young defender Raphael Varane who had kicked the ball towards the Atletico Madrid's bench after Ronaldo's penalty kick had settled the match. He had to held back by the players and other members of the coaching staff.

Simeone offered an apology after the match and said  " I also made a mistake with my reaction. He is a young guy with a bright future. But we old guys don't like this and doing this at a score of 4-1 is completely pointless."

It was Atletico Madrid's first European final since 1974 and the underdogs were seconds away from getting their names on the history books.

You can see how Varane kicked the ball towards Simeone and the fiery manager paid him back by invading the pitch.

Manchester United eye shock move for another Everton midfielder

Man United are being linked with a shock move for Everton midfield battler James Mccarthy

After being handed in a reality check in their pursuit of Toni Kroos ,the latest midfielder Manchester United are being linked with is Everton midfield battler James Mccarthy.

Reports suggest that the Irishman is featuring among the plethora of foreign players Louis van Gaal is in  pursuit of,including Kevin Strootman and Cesc Fabregas.The 23 year old Irishman was bought from Championship side Wigan Athletic almost an year ago in an attempt to replace outgoing Marouane Fellaini in the midfield at Goodison Park.

James Mccarthy has played a central role in guiding the Toffees to a 5th place finish and his significant efforts have not gone unnoticed.More so,United are offering Tom Cleverley to Roberto Martinez’s side to complement the move to occur smoothly.

A  move might take place,despite of Mccarthy’s loyalty to Roberto Martinez but Everton would be hesitant to see the Irishman leave but may just end up offloading James Mccarthy if Tom Cleverley is offered in a player plus cash exchange.

Tom Cleverley,the man who was being labelled as a “scapegoat” for United’s below par showings this season has truly endured a huge amount of condemnation off late.Almost like Darron Gibson’s fate,the Englishman may also end up moving to Goodison Park. 

A move may freshen up his surroundings and you know,during tough times you can’t get any worser. James Mccarthy looks far better than Cleverley as of now and a United are eyeing to put a greater emphasis on their youth products.

Cleverley’s image has been vanadalized lately and a move to the Liverpool based club may suit him and the two concerned parties.

Who Will Win The 2014 Fifa World Cup?

 

With less then a month remaining for the one of the biggest event in sporting history, people are becoming more mad, cheerful and exciting. World Cup is like a stage where an underrated player can become a sensation overnight. Also people are busy figuring and very hot debates are being carried out on who can possibly win the World Cup. So to make the picture little clearer in the mind let's read the rest of the article.

In an interview, the great Zinedine Zidane when asked who can win the World Cup,  gave a very practical answer and said- 

" You cannot predict any thing. Spain are the defending champions and they have the ability to repeat the win. Brazil showed what they can do in the Confederations Cup. They will be playing at home and it's great to remember what we did at home in 1998. Germany and Italy are eternal favourites in the World Cup, while Argentina and Portugal will be blessed to have Messi and Cristiano. Please do not write off France. They can surprise many . "  

But there is one more country who has the ability to become world champions- Netherlands

1. Netherlands

  

The runners-up of the 2010 World Cup, the striker pair of Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben can make a difference. Midfield maestroes like Wesley Sneijder and Nigel de Jong can feed the srikers with chances for goals. Although chances are slim, but anything can happen in this sport. This why people are mad over this sport.

2. France

 

Under Didier Dechamps, there is a slight posibility that France can shock many and win the World Cup. They have players like Karim Benzema, who has been currently shining for Real Madrid. Franck Ribery can make chances and score goals. With rising stars like Paul Pogba and Raphael Varane france have a possibility. They have a good keeper, Hugo Lloris who has made some formidable saves for Tottenham Hotspur. They also have defenders like Evra and Sagna.

3. Portugal

 

The Portuguese national team can win the World Cup because of their prized possession- Cristiano Ronaldo. If the midfielders perform their job nicely, Ronaldo can single handedly lead the team to the crown of World Cup 2014. Fabio Coentrao can also defend well. Currently on the radar of the biggest clubs of Europe, William Carvalho can also perform his magic.

4. Argentina

  

Being captained by Leo Messi, Argenina can win the 2014 WC. The three strikers, Hinguain, Messi and Aguero, can cause havoc in the opponent's defence system and when down on goals they can make a comeback. A.di Maria can provide continuous assists. The speed and dribbling of Lavezzi can surprise many.

5. Italy

 

Being the winner four times, Italy are eternal favourites. They have a classy keeper, Buffon who was and is regarded as one of the best GK in the world. Defender Chiellini is one of the best. In midfield they have Pirlo, there is nothing left to say much about him. One of the forwards, Ciro Immobile is the highest scorer in Serie A with twenty one goals. There is nothing much to say about this team as everyone knows there capability.

6. Germany 

  

The German team is composed of the best. They have the best keeper, Maneul Neur. They have a highly rich midfield composed of Lars Bender, Sami Khedira, Mario Gotze, Marco Reus, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Toni Kroos and Mesut Ozil. Rising star Julian Draxler is one of them. At the defence they have Hummels, Mertesacker and Lahm. They are one of the strong contenders. 

7. Brazil

 

Well, they are going to play at home, a lot is expected from them. Star players like Neymar, Hulk, Oscar and Dani Alves who has the ability to defend and sometimes score in pressure times is a good feature about him. They showed what they can do in the Confederations Cup. A good result is expected under coach Luis Scolari.

8. Spain

  

Spain have the confidence in them as they were the winners of the last edition of the WC. They have most of the best players in the world. Young starlet David de Gea can make his WC debut. The biggest plus point of the Spanish team is that they don't have as such any key players but each player who is in the squad performs his role well. That is why they won the 2010 WC against Netherlands.

There are more countries like England and Belgium and many other but, who knows who will win? This is football. Anything can happen. What do you think? Who is going to be the World Champion?