Mourinho Cannot Hide If Chelsea Success Isn't Forthcoming in 2014-15

[Arsene Wenger] is a specialist in failure," said Jose Mourinho in February.

The Chelsea manager's jibe, as reported at the time by BBC Sport in the aftermath of his weekly briefing with the media, was one that spiced up the 2013-14 Premier League campaign like no other.

It was vintage stuff, reigniting Mourinho's long-standing feud with Frenchman Wenger, heaping plenty of pressure on the Arsenal manager to end the nine-year trophy drought he had overseen at Emirates Stadium.

Come May, however, Wenger did just that, guiding Arsenal to FA Cup success over Hull City. In contrast, Chelsea finished the campaign empty-handed.

For some, it's a blip in Chelsea's long-term goal of dominating English football once again. Mourinho's critics, however, will have us believe the pendulum has swung and the Portuguese's failure to deliver a trophy in his first season back at Stamford Bridge puts him in the same regard he holds Wenger.

That's something of an over-reaction, although a repeat in 2014-15 will raise serious questions about Mourinho's ability to repeat his previous success in west London.

Something the Chelsea manager isn't afraid to acknowledge himself.

"If I do that in Chelsea, eight years, I leave and don't come back," Mourinho reflected in that February press conference.

Only, Mourinho may not last beyond next season, let alone a further seven. Not with this squad and not with his reputation.

It's difficult to judge improvement in football, a sport where results are everything.

Take England's national team for instance.

The general consensus is the Three Lions deployed a better brand of football at Brazil 2014 than they did at the previous tournament in South Africa four years earlier. The irony, though, is they crashed out in the group stage and were shamed into registering their worst display results-wise at a World Cup.

Should Roy Hodgson be applauded or dismissed for his team's endeavors? The line between progress and failure is a fine one.

We witnessed plenty of positives at Stamford Bridge last term, notably Mourinho's eagerness to blood his young players as he continues to rebuild the club.

Chelsea enjoyed their best title challenge in a long while and also reached the Champions League semi-final, yet the trophy cabinet told a different story.

This summer has already seen veterans Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole depart, leaving just John Terry and Petr Cech from Mourinho's previous reign as manager.

David Luiz has also joined Paris Saint-Germain for £50 million, per Sky Sports, as Mourinho reshapes the squad in his vision.

In the place of those crowd favorites, Chelsea have an exciting group of young players who are capable of challenging their rivals and the expectation is they will come out on top.

Last season's rationale that this is a team in transition is no longer valid, despite Mourinho's suggestion success is going to be even more difficult to achieve.

"Next season will be very, very difficult, even more so," he was quoted as saying in the Evening Standard last week.

"I know Chelsea will be better, but maybe the other teams will be better, too, so it will again be the kind of league where you don’t know if you’re going to finish first or sixth.

"In this moment I have to think and feel and say we want to finish first."

Anything else would be failure and Mourinho knows it.

The Chelsea manager is disliked by some for being forthright in his views, whether it be outlining his opinions regarding Wenger or his own achievements in the game.

Unlike many, he has often had it in his repertoire to not only justify his stance, but also deliver, backing up his approach with trophies.

It's why Chelsea fans adore him; it's why Roman Abramovich welcomed him back to Stamford Bridge last summer in a bid to restore the club's reputation.

Should those qualities elude him next season, Mourinho is going to need all his guile to wriggle out of it.

Source: Bleacher Report 

By Garry Hayes, 

Arsenal Transfer News on Sami Khedira Bid and Spurs Lead Loic Remy Chase

Arsene Wenger has been spotted catching some sun on the beach in recent days, but it seems that he is not taking his finger off the pulse as Arsenal continue their pursuit of summer transfer targets.

With strengthening needed in both defensive midfield and attack, the Gunners have been linked with Sami Khedira and Loic Remy.

Here we take a look at the recent news surrounding both players.

Sami Khedira

Wenger is blessed with an array of attacking-midfield options, so the manager is now setting his sights on a player who can give the team a solid central base.

Chris Richards of the Mirror writes that the North London club are preparing a £23 million bid for the Germany international, who is currently on World Cup duty in Brazil.

The 27-year-old has been with Real Madrid for four seasons now, but Wenger believes the player could help get the best from national team-mate Mesut Ozil, per Richards.

The defensive midfielder suffered a serious injury in the past 12 months and has fallen down the pecking order in the Spanish capital.

He managed to feature 18 times for the Champions League winners in La Liga and Europe last campaign, per WhoScored.com, and a starting berth at one of England's top teams would surely appeal to him as he regains full fitness.

Khedira started for Germany in their first two games at the World Cup but was dropped for the final group match against USA after a disappointing showing against Ghana.

This led ESPN's Dermot Corrigan to tweet:

Sami Khedira dropped for Germany. A surprising move, but a good one I reckons.
— Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) June 26, 2014

Khedira needs to find his best form to earn trust after his injury, but there is little doubt that he is a quality operator in the centre of the pitch. Arsenal are desperate for a player with his skill set to take some of the pressure off Jack Wilshere, who has had in own share of injury problems.

Khedira would offer Wenger some much-needed balance, and he is perfectly built for life in the Premier League. If the Gunners can get him for the quoted price, he will be one of the bargains of the transfer window. 

Loic Remy

It had been expected that Loic Remy would join Arsenal after the QPR player's loan spell at Newcastle during 2013-14 came to an end.

But David Kent of the Mail Online now reports that Tottenham are preparing to hijack the Gunners as they move for the player.

Kent reports that Spurs’ chief talent spotter Ian Broomfield, who played a major role in bringing Remy to QPR, has recommended that Daniel Levy signs the player.

The 27-year-old striker is at the World Cup with France at present and will be available for around the £8 million mark, per Kent.

Remy had a strong season at St James' Park last year, scoring 14 times in 26 Premier League games, per WhoScored.com.

Arsenal need to add power to their striking pool, something Olivier Giroud recently acknowledged. 

The player said, per Omar Hamouda of Squawka: "I can tell you Arsenal will add a striker to the team. We need another striker. Great clubs have several good strikers, who compete with each other."

Remy would be a shrewd capture for Wenger, who would be adding a talent who can score goals for the team without breaking the bank. Arsenal fans might want to see a bigger name added to the squad, but Remy has Premier League knowledge and is a no-brainer at £8 million.

But Spurs also need a player of his ilk after losing Jermain Defoe, and they might see Remy as vital to their next campaign. But if Wenger truly wants the player, surely the allure of Champions League football would give the Gunners the edge in the race for his signature. 

Source: Bleacher Report

By Rob Blanchette,

Manchester United to offer Arturo Vidal a whopping £230,000-a-week

Manchester United will offer Arturo Vidal a whopping £230,000-a-week to move to Old Trafford this summer.

The Chilean midfielder is now Louis van Gaal’s number one transfer target after he secured the signings of Ander Herrera and Luke Shaw in the last few days.

Vidal, who only recently extended his contract at Juventus, has said he would never move to a club that is not in the Champions League.

But reports in South America say United believe they can tempt him this summer with a giant five-year contract worth £250,000-a-week.

United are yet to agree a fee Vidal but MEN says a £30million offer is expected to go in next week, as Van Gaal looks to push ahead with the transfer.

Arsenal are also interested in Vidal, with Arsene Wenger previously confirming his admiration for the midfielder, but are working on other targets first.

Continue Reading From Metro UK>>>

Mexico CAN'T Deal with Robben's Blistering Pace

The FIFA World Cup 2014 knockout stages have arrived, with 16 teams exiting at the group stage and the rest left to fight it out for the ultimate prize.

Brazil and Colombia are already through, and here we preview the next blockbuster clash: Netherlands vs. Mexico. 

Netherlands

The Netherlands' late formation change coming into the competition, switching from 4-3-3 to 3-5-2 due to the absence of Kevin Strootman, has been a godsend for the Oranje.

Louis van Gaal is a master tactician and knows exactly how to play games; if he doesn't crack it from the off, he'll fix it at half-time.

Van Gaal: 'I'm not going to tell you what tactics I'll use. You will see tomorrow. My colleague Herrera hasn't revealed his tactics either.'
— Elko Born (@Elko_B) June 28, 2014

He's being coy, as usual, about whom he plays and how he plays, but Bruno Martins Indi likely won't start due to lingering concussion symptoms.

Robin van Persie is back from suspension, Daley Blind will move back to left wing-back and Nigel De Jong will continue to marshall the midfield.

Expect a team not too dissimilar—if at all dissimilar—to the one who beat La Furia Roja in the opener. 

Mexico

Mexico have entertained the masses thus far, combining superb wing-back play with attacking intent and defensive resilience.

Rafa Marquez has been fantastic at the heart of the defensive line, dribbling out with the ball and dominating aerially; Oribe Peralta and Javier Hernandez are spurring each other on to new heights, while the midfield have created and tackled with aplomb.

Miguel Herrera has a happy group who've already overcome two incredibly stern tests in the form of Brazil and Croatia. Could the Dutch be the next on the list?

Looking ahead. #MEX could control game vs #NED but not enough in attack IMO in the end to overcome very strong counter-attack threat.
— Karl Matchett (@karlmatchett) June 28, 2014

The only concern heading in is the suspension of Jose Juan Vazquez. After Vazquez picked up a second booking versus the Vatreni, Mexico need to reconfigure in midfield.

2 Tactical Clashes

1. Pace vs. Age

The Netherlands don't control from their 3-5-2 formation—they react.

Against Spain they soaked up lots of possession then released their runners into space over the top. Blind and Co.'s expert through-balls found their targets, and Arjen Robben combined with Robin van Persie for a five-goal display.

It will be particularly interesting to see how the creaking, aging back line of Mexico deal with Robben's ability to stretch the pitch. The strikers they've come up against so far—Samuel Eto'o, Mario Mandzukic and Fred—haven't been able to get them on the turn.

Vazquez's stellar passing vs. Cameroon.

2. Replacing Vazquez

Jose Juan Vazquez has been a key figure in Mexico's strong form early on, so to lose him to suspension for the fourth game is a big blow.

He's an important conduit for possession, bringing the ball out from the back and moving it quickly into his dangerous colleagues' feet. He also tackles well, breaking up attacks with an average of two tackles and 1.7 interceptions per game (per WhoScored.com), sparking quick counters.

There is no like-for-like replacement on the squad, so Herrera must turn to different options in Marco Fabian or Carlos Salcido. Will they be able to quell Wesley Sneijder?

Source: Bleacher Report

By Sam Tighe , World Football Tactics Lead Writer

Chelsea: Pogba Deal Doesn't Justify Club-Record Expenditure

Since gaining prominence in the Juventus midfield following a 2012 move from Manchester United, Paul Pogba has risen to become not only one of the most promising talents in his position, but arguably one of the best right now.

In keeping with the Blues' transfer model, it's therefore of little surprise to hear that Chelsea are one of a number of European giants willing to break the bank for his signature, per Wayne Veysey of Goal.com.

By all means, it's a smart move. United will assuredly regret letting such a prospect leave their shores two years ago, since which he has become one of the most respected and well-rounded central midfielders on the continent.

However, each deal, even with Chelsea's oligarch billions, should be treated contextually, and Veysey proclaims that were the Frenchman to arrive at Stamford Bridge, he would do so as their newly highest-paid player:

@ossianshine Pogba? In light of monster PL deal, yes, that's true. But would still be installed as top earner at CFC if deal went through.
— Wayne Veysey (@wayneveysey) June 27, 2014

It's of course a known twist in football over the last decade, but more specifically in recent years, that even young talents can garner massive fees and even bigger wages these days, but sometimes the figures simply can't be tolerated.

Veysey mentions that Juve would only listen to offers in the region "of around £65 million," the kind of sum that will inevitably be followed by a huge salary.

In Pogba's case, this would be at least £180,000 a week, the wages that Cesc Fabregas, Fernando Torres, John Terry and Eden Hazard are currently on. For the sake of discussion, let's assume the 21-year-old would rake in a slightly higher amount of £185,000 a week.

By that math, the youngster would cost the club £9.62 million a year in salary. Over the course of a five-year contract, this would amount to £48.1 million which, taking the transfer fee into account, puts the deal at a little over £100 million.

Those aren't the kind of numbers one splurges every day, even in West London.

Pogba will be difficult to prise away, too, given that it was only in May that he told French newspaper L'Equipe (h/t Sky Sports) of his commitment to the Serie A champions:

I hear reports placing Pogba here and Pogba there. I haven't spoken to Juve regarding what I hear and there's nothing. Recently the press spoke about me getting a telephone call from (Real Madrid assistant coach) Zidane to join Real.

I have not received a recent call nor have we exchanged numbers. My aim? To win another Scudetto, why not?

Queens Park Rangers defender Rio Ferdinand evidently believes ex-clubmate Pogba is an immense talent, but even he may not be taking the finances into account:

"@bugpowder9: @rioferdy5 @Kenty234 don't the want like 50 mil for pogba?" > in today's market, I'd fly over & headlock him to sign up!!
— Rio Ferdinand (@rioferdy5) June 27, 2014

"@Kenty234: @rioferdy5 rio, what do you think of vidal? Midfield beast?" Really like him, Pogba better value for money now though....
— Rio Ferdinand (@rioferdy5) June 27, 2014

In Fabregas, Jose Mourinho's side have already added one elite playmaker to their ranks this summer, and for £28.4 million, less than half of what Pogba would be rumoured to cost. Granted, Pogba's age makes him a better investment in the long term, but by no means would the France star guarantee success.

As Veysey suggests, Chelsea will clear a significant portion of their wage bill with the departures of Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole this summer, but that salary space could accommodate four or even five higher-risk but potentially equally profitable purchases.

There's a myriad of factors to take into account, too. Seeing one so young come into the squad commanding such figures wouldn't necessarily affect some of the squad's bigger egos for the better, and the  knock-on effect could see other Blues demanding a rise, or worse, threaten to leave.

This is all theoretical, of course, but in the world of the Premier League diva, stranger things have happened.

Juve did terrifically well to pick up Pogba when they did and in the cut-price manner they did. And as such, it's they who are in the driving seat with his future—it's their deserved reward.

The puppeteer is currently in Brazil impressing with Les Bleus at the World Cup, which as WhoScored.com points out is going swimmingly:

Paul Pogba: No player has completed more passes in the final third in a World Cup 2014 match than @paulpogba did vs Ecuador (30) #fra
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) June 26, 2014

When speaking in terms of the money that Roman Abramovich commands, the odd million here and extra £10,000 a week or so there are not deal-breakers, but we're talking of substantially more in this case.

After all, it's not as though Pogba is the only solution in the market. Somewhere out there is a talent superior to even him and undoubtedly better value for money, too. It's just a case of Chelsea, a club with the means to boast one of the best scouting networks in the world, rooting these players out.

 

Would Pogba improve Mourinho's line-up? There's no questioning it. In a few years' time, will he be mentioned in the debates for who should win the Ballon d'Or? There's a very good chance, yes.

But in a world of crazy transfer expenditures based on short-term results when there are other options on the table, even Chelsea should consider themselves out of their depth on this occasion.

Source: Bleacher Report 

Tom Sunderland

Factors that will influence U.S.advance against the winners of Group H, Belgium, on Tuesday

Although the United States men's national team lost to Germany 1-0 on Thursday, the narrow defeat combined with a 2-1 victory by Portugal over Ghana was enough for the U.S. to advance to the round of 16 in the 2014 World Cup.

Now that the team is moving on to the next round, here are five things U.S. fans can look forward to.

lthough the U.S. fell short against Germany, its win against Ghana in the opening round of group play coupled with its draw against Portugal was enough to get the Americans through to the knockout round.

The U.S. will now face the winners of Group H, Belgium, on Tuesday. 

More Jermaine Jones

For years, Jermaine Jones' performances with the USMNT ranged from nondescript to downright bad. Yet, through it all, U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsmann stuck with the German-American midfielder.

Occasionally—like against Mexico last fall—U.S. fans would get to see a glimpse of Jones' potential, only to have it overshadowed by a series of lackluster efforts.

However, in the three group matches in the World Cup, Jones has been one of the team's best players. His effort has been fantastic, and Klinsmann has finally found a system that can take advantage of his rampaging runs forward without exposing the U.S. defense.

Jones' goal against Portugal was outstanding, and he suffered through a broken nose in Thursday's match against Germany.

He's simply been one of the U.S.'s most important players in the tournament. 

Higher Blood Pressure

Say what you want about Klinsmann's men, but they surely aren't boring. After going up against Ghana in only the first minute of play, they conceded the lead late, only to then find the winner in the 86th minute.

Against Portugal, they rallied from a deficit to take the lead, only to draw when giving up a goal in the 95th minute of play.

Against Germany, the U.S. lost 1-0 and relied on a favorable result in the Ghana-Portugal match to assure advancement to the round of 16 that wasn't secure until the final whistle blew in both games.

Make sure to take your blood-pressure medication before Tuesday's match.

 

Trying to predict the lineup, formation or tactical choices of Jurgen Klinsmann has become a fool's errand.

First, he cut several veterans from the squad before the team left for Brazil. He then radically changed the team's formation.

When it has come to personnel, Klinsmann has constantly surprised fans as well. He started Kyle Beckerman in all three group games, dumped Geoff Cameron after Portugal for a recently shaky Omar Gonzalez and used DeAndre Yedlin as a midfielder in the last two matches.

No one knows for sure what surprises Klinsmann will have in store for U.S. fans against Belgium, but there will surely be more. 

The Return of Jozy Altidore

Jozy Altidore's return to the lineup against Belgium is not a guarantee. He hasn't played a single minute since injuring his hamstring against Ghana in the team's opening match.

When the U.S. plays Belgium on Tuesday, it will have been 15 days since Altidore first went down. If he can make it back, it would be a major boost to a U.S. attack that has just not been the same without him.

Lacking a true target forward, the U.S. has found it difficult to get out of its own end for long stretches in all three games. Clint Dempsey is doing his best at the position, but without a like-for-like replacement on the U.S. roster, the return of Altidore could do wonders to boost the attack.

Source: Bleacher Report

John D. Halloran

Sakho riding high in World Cup ranking

Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho has been ranked in the top 10 players at the World Cup by a statistical index after the group stage fixtures in Brazil.

The 24-year-old centre-back started each of France's three Group E matches as Didier Deschamps' charges sealed top spot with two victories and a draw.

Next up for Sakho and Les Bleus, who last won the tournament on home soil in 1998, is a last-16 encounter against Nigeria, to be played in Brasilia on Monday evening.

Ahead of that match, the Reds' No.17 was positioned 10th of all the players at the tournament by a dedicated analysis system in use by FIFA at the competition.

The index measures the positive or negative impact of every pass, tackle and move during a game to produce an overall score for each individual out of 10.

Sakho's result after three run-outs to date is an impressive 9.47, the fourth-highest of any defender competing in South America, and immediately above one Lionel Messi.

Source: LiverpoolFC

Neymar Exclusive: 'Pele told me to snub Chelsea'

Neymar carries the hopes of the Brazilian nation on his shoulders — and is delivering some sublime football. Ahead of Brazil’s game against Chile, Sportsmail publishes a fascinating extract from his autobiography in which Neymar, 22, and his father chart the rise of a boy the family call Juninho.

Lucky to be here: Neymar's father feared his son was dead just four months into his life after a car crash

THE DAY I FEARED HE'D DIED

(by his father, Neymar Snr)

IN June 1992, four months after the birth of my son, we went to Santos to visit some relatives. I had played for Uniao FC on that day. I was driving with my wife Nadine at my side and our son Juninho was sleeping soundly, strapped to the baby seat at the back of my red car.

Driving down the mountain on a rainy day is always dangerous — especially on a road with a single lane and two-way traffic. A car came in our direction. I swerved to the left.

The other car crashed into us and went through my door. My left leg ended up above my right leg. My pubis and pelvis dislocated. I was in shock and yelled to my wife ‘I’m dying, I’m dying’. It all happened very fast and confusion settled in. The feeling that came next was even worse than pain and fear: Where was my son? Me and my wife couldn’t find Neymar Jnr. I thought he had been thrown out of the car. 

Firepower: Neymar curls a freekick towards goal as he limbers up ahead of the knockout stages

We were almost certain we had lost our son. In the middle of the despair and with the pain in my pelvis, I can only remember  praying to God to take me instead of my son.

The car stopped on a cliff. There was a stream below. We were hanging just above it. Nadine had to get out through the back window. I was trapped by the seatbelt. Juninho was missing. The people who came to our rescue found Juninho under the back seat. Thank God! When they took him out, he was covered in blood and taken to a hospital. All that blood was from a small cut in his head made by a shard of glass.

Quiet reflection: Brazil's talisman takes a moment out from the session, hidden behind a static 5-man wall

SNUBBING CHELSEA

IT was August 23, 2010. My father and I had a meeting with president Luis Álvaro at the Santos headquarters, inside the Vila Belmiro. Chelsea had made a huge transfer bid. In the middle of our conversation, the president turned off the lights and pointed at an empty chair.

Samba magic: Neymar has scored four goals at this World Cup to fire Brazil into the last 16

‘This is the chair of the great national sports hero. Since Ayrton Senna’s death, this chair is vacant. If Neymar Jnr stays in Santos and refuses Chelsea’s proposal, he will give his first step to sit in this chair.’

That made us think. That decision would be a turning point in my life. Even Pele called me. Can you imagine how important I felt? The King of Football called and asked me to stay.  

He reminded me of his entire career with Santos, his five world titles with the national team and the club, and all the recognition he received. It wasn’t easy but it was the right decision for us. We did the right thing for our family, friends and my career.

ll pays off: Neymar is now the hero of millions as Brazil seek to win the World Cup on home soil

TRAINING TO IMPROVISE

Improvising is essential in football. I learned this early in life. You might have some play in mind and train for that a lot. But it’s in the heat of the game that you’ll know if it works or not. The secret is that it’s possible to ‘train’ how to improvise. How many times did I do that at home? I used to get the ball, set up the furniture and go around dribbling anything that popped up in front of me.

That’s how I spent my childhood at my grandfather’s house, where I lived with my parents. We shared a small room: me, my sister and my parents. From the door, there was a mattress to the left, where we all slept. In front of the mattress there was a trunk and a wardrobe.

There was a small space between the mattress and the wardrobe and it was in this narrow corridor that I used to play with the ball. I used to love to kick the ball around there and also liked to throw myself at the mattress as a goalie.

My cousins also played. I mean — they were part of the game. Jennifer was one of the goalposts. Rafaela, my sister, was one of the posts for a long time. Lorrayne and Rayssa were the opponents (actually, more like training dummies, with all due respect).

They stood as obstacles and sometimes even wore sports jerseys so I could pretend it was a real match.

Later, at the little house my father was able to build, the ‘pitch’ was very simple. One of the goals was on the back door. I played, narrated and cheered. ‘And then Neymar scored! Neymarzinho!’ Me! I miss all that.

There were even ‘fouls’. When I  dribbled and hit the sofa, I  complained to the imaginary  referee. But I played like it was for real.

The other day, I did a photo shoot for an ad campaign. When we finished, I asked for the ball we used. I went to the elevators doing freestyle ‘kick ups’. I continued for the whole trip down. At the lobby, a couple of kids asked for autographs. After a few pictures I continued to play with the ball all the way to my car. I’ll tell you, I can’t live without the ball.

MOBBED AT THE SHOPS

I realised things had changed on a Tuesday afternoon, right at the beginning of my career in 2010, when I left after a training session. I decided to go to the mall to buy a music player. I parked my car and, when I stepped out, there were about 10 people asking for autographs and pictures. I started to give the autographs and a big line formed at the parking lot. Suddenly, it was a real crowd.

I thanked everyone, put my cap on and entered the mall fast. But people followed me. When I entered the store, a full commotion was formed. The mall security and the manager had to  create a security operation. I don’t even know how I got out of there.

At first, I didn’t understand all that. It was a bit scary. Some girls would cry so much when they saw me. And there were a lot of kids with the hairstyle I had. All this affection is rewarding, but it did scare me.

Source: Daily Mail UK

Brazil vs. Chile: Tactical Preview of World Cup Round-of-16 Match

The FIFA World Cup 2014 knockout stages have arrived, with 16 teams exiting at the group stage and the rest left to fight it out for the ultimate prize.

Here we analyse Brazil vs. Chile, a match that could quite possibly be the best knockout contest of them all.

 

Brazil

Croatia and Mexico proved testing opposition, but Chile are a different animal altogether.

The Selecao need to be on top form to topple La Roja, and the encouraging thing is their performance against Cameroon was by far their best yet.

With Neymar on the left, Oscar central and Hulk right, coach Felipe Scolari has his best possible attacking lineup in a comfortable, free-flowing shell. Messing with it was a mistake, and it's just a relief he realised the error of his ways during the easier group-stage games.

Fernandinho will probably come in for the underperforming Paulinho, who had 235 minutes to prove he belonged and wasted every single one.  

Chile

Chile defied the odds and qualified from Group B, defeating Spain convincingly in their second game to seal the achievement.

Those judging La Roja without Arturo Vidal are making a serious error, as the Juventus man is the one who turns this team from a good one into a great one. He's an injury concern, per ESPNFC, but will play despite not being at 100 percent.

Gary Medel is also a worry, and losing him would be a bitter blow. Francisco Silva has looked a little ropy at times since coming into the side, and free agent Gonzalo Jara isn't one to hang your hat on.

In this case, attack may well be the best form of defence.

 

Tactical Clashes

1. Chile's Right versus Brazil's Left

"It's not that we want to follow Neymar everywhere he goes, but we respect him deeply," Chile coach Jorge Sampaoli told reporters ahead of the game, via ESPNFC. "We will be very difficult and we will follow him and try to stop him."

Chile's right versus Brazil's left—Mauricio Isla and Alexis Sanchez versus Marcelo and Neymar—is an intriguing two vs. two. The sheer energy and counterattacking threat La Roja possess could catch the Selecao short, with Sanchez, Isla and Vidal coming over, capable of slipping in behind.

Neymar found great joy from the left against Cameroon; can Sampaoli devise an efficient plan to stop him?

 

2. Pressing

Chile were one of the only sides that successfully stifled Colombia during World Cup qualifying, and they did so by pressing high and shutting off the supply to James Rodriguez and Co.

OK, it's easier to push Abel Aguilar and Carlos Sanchez into mistakes than it is Fernandinho, but if Scolari's men aren't ready to deal with pressure in their faces, they're not getting out of their own half.

We've already established that Chile can do it for 90 minutes. Now, Big Phil needs a diversion plan.

Source: Bleacher Report 

By 

Sam Tighe

 

Chile Stop World Cup Practice Due to Brazilian TV Helicopter

It looks like both Brazil and Chile are taking their preparations for their 2014 World Cup round of 16 clash seriously, as the Chilean team reportedly stopped a practice on Thursday because a Brazilian TV helicopter was hovering over the pitch.    

According to the Independent, the helicopter belonged to TV station Globo, and the Chileans were having none of it. A press official was quoted, saying:

"Chile training was stopped today a few minutes after it started because of a helicopter flying above the pitch. Training resumed after it had left."

Hosts Brazil have knocked Chile out of the World Cup on three separate occasions in the past, and in order to avoid a similar fate this time around, La Roja are not taking any chances.

Some fans were humoured by the news:

Brazil has to be extremely desperate to send a helicopter to spy Chile's practice sessions.. #Brazil2014 #WorldCup
— María J. Concha (@MJConcha) June 26, 2014

Chile and Brazil have been two of the standout teams so far during the tournament, both qualifying for the knockout stages with relative ease. With no real injury concerns and both teams preferring to attack their opponents, the match has all the makings of an instant classic.

With little separating the teams in terms of pure talent, tactics could be a key factor in this match, and as reported by Reuters (via Yahoo News), Mauricio Isla explained that was exactly what the team was working on when they spotted the helicopter:

"The one who was worried about the helicopter most was our coach because he was working on tactics at that moment and he did not want our opponents to know our strategies."

It's highly unlikely the helicopter had anything to do with the Brazilian federation or the team in any way, but Jorge Sampaoli wasn't going to give his tactics up to Brazilian TV just like that.

Chile and Brazil will meet on Saturday, and this situation will only add fuel to a match that was already promising to be a dramatic one. 

Source: Bleacher Report 

By Gianni Verschueren