Champions League Final: an anti-climactic show of Flick’s composure

After 12 long months of competition, the Champions League reached it’s latest ever conclusion in a calendar year on Sunday night (23rd Aug). Hansi Flick’s Bayern Munich were crowned the new Champions of Europe after seeing off French champions Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).

Bayern Munich, Champions League winners 2019/20. 📷: Miguel A. Lopes/Pool via AP

For the first time in the competition’s history, the winners of the trophy have not only gone undefeated, but they have won every single game played in the tournament. A phenomenal effort and a feat not to be laughed at. A feat that Bayern fans can proudly claim as theirs alone.

Bayern’s Robert Lewandowski finally wins a Champions League medal. Seen here celebrating as goal scorer Kingsley Colman holds the trophy aloft. 📷: Jose Sena Goulao/EPA, via Shutterstock

However, much like many finals of major competitions, the game itself failed to live up to the excitement that both the semi-finals and the quarter-finals had billed. Much like the 2018/19 final between Tottenham and Liverpool, winners Bayern Munich and their opponents PSG did not show the quality that their exciting routes to the final had promised. The showcase that many fans were expecting to see – on the biggest stage in European football – failed to come to life. The sparks were minimal; the ignition a failure.

Many were hoping to see plenty of goals with world superstars on show. Kylian Mbappé and Neymar were starting for PSG and Serge Gnabry and Robert Lewandowski ha been selected for Bayern Munich. However, the clinical prowess in front of goal that we have all become accustomed to with these big names in particular, appeared to be in short supply with all four men failing to get on the scoresheet. The only goal came from an unlikely match-winner in the shape of Kingsley Coman who has now become only the fifth French man to score in a Champions League final. Although Coman’s effort was well timed and decisive, many fans were expecting to see goals galore from some of the biggest names in European football.

Shot stats for the game. Fans were left disappointed with only 5 shots on target seen in the game, having expected so much more.
📷www.bbcsport.com

Bayern Munich had notoriously destroyed previous five-time winners of the competition Barcelona, 8-2 in their quarter final, before breeezing past Olympique Lyonnais 3-0 in their semi-final. Similarly, PSG had shown their own finesse when dramatically coming from behind against Atalanta in their quarter-final, after scoring goals in the 90th minute and then the 93rd minute, before cruising past RB Leipzig in their semi-final.

However, similar exciting moments were few and far between in this final fixture. Bayern’s 2019/20 Champions League winning captain, Manuel Neuer, was named Man of the Match in a move reflective of a game where Bayern Munich showed little in attack and spent their first half under fire from PSG.

Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer proving his Man of the Match status in the first half of the Champions League final.
📷: Getty Images

Having said this, it’s not often that a side can reduce PSG to 38% possession with Bayern capitalising on sloppy mistakes and poor attempts to retain possession by PSG.

Coman’s goal in the 59th minute came from what can only be described as Bayern’s best passage of play. A headed goal, met superbly from a Joshua Kimmich cross. A team goal that the Bayern squad will be relieved Coman connected with, as goal-chances were few and far between. Bayern’s only other chance that seemed a certain goal, was pulled wide by Lewandowski from the right-hand side of the box with ten minutes left on the clock.

Kingsley Coman scoring the winning goal against Paris Saint-Germain in the 2019/20 Champions League Final. 📷: Reuters

Wasteful Paris Saint-Germain:

Although Bayern were the favourites heading into the final, it was fair to say that at half-time PSG were on top, with Thomas Tuchel’s side having had the best opportunities to go in ahead at the break. Twenty-one year old Mbappé had failed to take advantage of a mistake at the back by Bayern, firing his shot straight into the arms of keeper Neuer. A pivotal miss for the PSG front-man who is normally no stranger to finding the back of the net. This chance for Mbappé summarised the first half which had seen PSG have the run-of-play with a series of efforts blocked by Neuer, cementing his MOTM performance.

Kylian Mbappé fires a shot straight into Manuel Neuer’s hands just before half time in the Champions League Final.
📷: Twitter: @ChampionsLeague

Coming out for the second half PSG’s earlier promise began to fade. Arguably one of PSG’s most exciting players in the tournament, Ángel Di María, failed to show any real threat when it mattered most, before being substituted – whilst his team were in desperate need of an equaliser – for former Stoke City player and quarter-final match winner Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting.

Ángel Di María struggled to threaten the Bayern Munich defence when it mattered most. 📷: Instagram: @angeldimariajm

Neymar misses the mark:

The 2019/20 Ligue 1 winners struggled to retain possession after falling behind to Coman’s header with sloppy passes aplenty and crosses aimlessly sent far and wide. The usually impressive Neymar also failed in his attempts to help revive his struggling PSG teammates with a series of woeful efforts.

Neymar failed to provide for PSG, looking uncharacteristically sloppy in possession. 📷:Instagram: @neymarjr

In the 86th minute when a goal could still have been a possibility, Neymar was gifted the opportunity to play in Mbappé, however his poor pass was easily cut out by up-and-coming Bayern left-back Alphonso Davies who has continued to show both skill and class since the Champions League restart.

Two minutes later Neymar failed to find Choupo-Moting with a poorly executed cross that simply was not good enough, leaving PSG fans in despair. Edging closer to the full-time whistle, Julian Draxler found a way through the Bayern Munich defence in 90+1, before finding Neymar and creating a chance that was arguably PSG’s best hope at stealing a late equaliser. However, all of the PSG players close by failed to extend a leg and deflect in Neymar’s wayward shot at Neuer’s goal.

Neymar shoots at goal but drags wide in a final PSG attempt on goal. 📷: Reuters

Bayern Munich’s second half performance was much improved, seeing them remain calm and composed in a game that saw both sides turn scrappy at points, with each team picking up 4 yellow cards. PSG’s Champions League Final was summed up by their last opportunity at goal. Neymar cleverly whipped a scintillating cross in to the box, yet there was no player in a blue shirt anywhere close by to receive it: a positive, promising start that resulted in no real threat. No real sparkle. No final product. The magic that was expected in the second half didn’t come. The magic that was possible after a promising first 45 minutes, was in-fact, non-existent.

PSG manager Thomas Tuchel consoles Neymar after losing the Champions League Final to Bayern Munich.
📷: Miguel A. Lopes/Getty Images

Classy Bayern:

This European title is now Bayern Munich’s 6th Champions League title, to top off a season in which they also won the Bundesliga and the German Cup.

Despite the poor second-half showing from PSG, Bayern Munich showed composure and class in order to see the game out. Manager Hansi Flick has to be praised for his revival of Bayern since being appointed interim manager in November after the departure of Niko Kovac. With morale at an all-time low after a heavy 5-1 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt, the treble for Bayern seemed inconceivable. Yet here Hansi Flick stands, a treble winning manager of Bayern Munich.

Flick’s own composure in decision making is evident in his choice to field match-winner Kinglsey Coman instead of seasoned Croatian Ivan Perišić who is currently on loan from Inter Milan. Flick’s faith in both his younger players (like Davies) and his older players (such as Thomas Müller) was clear in his line-up. A fine mixture of youth and experience alike, that ultimately played dividends for the new European Champions.

Manager Hansi Flick being thrown in the air by his Bayern Munich players whilst celebrating their Champions League victory. 📷: Reuters

Flick’s achievements with this Bayern team over a season that has been blighted with uncertainty, have, in fact, been nothing short of remarkable.

A successful season: Bayern Munich also won the 2019/20 Bundesliga as well as the German Cup. 📷: http://www.90min.com

Not only have Bayern Munich secured a trio of trophies, they became the first time to win all of their Champions League games in a single campaign and also prevented an exciting PSG side from scoring in a European Cup game for the first time in 35 matches. Two very impressive statistics, to match three very impressive trophy hauls. Bayern Munich: well deserved 2019/20 European Champions.

Hansi Flick raises the UEFA Champions League trophy above his head after seeing his team Bayern Munich beat PSG in the final. 📷: AP Photo/Reuters

Chelsea: defensively robust and seizing key opportunities12th Sep 2021

Getting fit with Olympic athlete Adam Gemili

Olympic athlete Adam Gemili has set up his own fitness account to help followers with their health and well-being. Follow @adamgemili _fitness on Instagram for more.

British Olympian Adam Gemili has started his own fitness profile in order to help members of the public remain fit and healthy after the Coronavirus pandemic
📸 Matt Lewis, British Athletics, 2017

The Coronavirus pandemic that has swept the globe in 2020 has seen many travesties and has had a devastating impact on businesses and economies across the world. There has been an enormous loss of life and tragic consequences for many people. Despite these horrid consequences, what has seemed to flourish, is the fitness industry.

Getting fit is something that many people, prior to COVID-19, believed would happen to them. At some point. Hopefully. Eventually. When they had the time. However the impact of being in lockdown saw many people have more free time than they were used to having. More free time to try to get fitter, whether through their hour-a-day outside allowance or through online interaction.

Increased social media usage: Instagram fitness

Lots of people across the world have used their lockdown period to follow trainers, athletes and gym experts on social media in order to better themselves. The imposed lockdown due to COVID-19 has seen a large increase in demand for fitness experts, with a large number of exercise based, social media profiles expanding uncontrollably. Instagram accounts have flourished with users flocking to fitness pages daily for helpful tips and pointers. Many people have also seen an incredible growth in their own fitness.

Instagram has seen an influx of users utilising their profiles for fitness purposes

If, you are like me however, you might have been a bit slower to jump on the social-media-exercise bandwagon. You might have tried to get fit, but not really been sure which account to follow, or which trainer is best for you, and have therefore tried to use your time outside more productively instead.

Keeping fit post-lockdown:

Despite this, I know that with a return to work looming, and the fast approaching return of the Autumn weather, utilising social media and the expertise of others will be beneficial for me whilst trying to remain fit. The wealth of expertise available is immeasurable and would be daft to ignore.

With this in mind, I had a million-and-one questions running through my head. Where do I look? Which trainer will be best for me? Who will help me improve? Is there anyone out there who will not expect me to be an expert already? Is there someone who understands that I have not religiously followed a strict routine for the last 15 weeks or so? This plethora of questions, alongside the sheer amount of trainers and exercise profiles available only added to my confusion. Where should I start?

Mindlessly scrolling through my Instagram timeline one day, my questions were answered. I had decided to watch a couple of stories. One of the stories that I came across was that of Adam Gemili, the British 100m and 200m sprinter. Adam explained that he was about to start a new Instagram account, to help those of us that were interested in remaining – or becoming – fit and healthy.

The 2019 British Champion wants to help followers to get fit and remain healthy. 📸:@adamgemili

The fact that this was an athlete-run page, designed for all abilities, but was also in it’s infancy, seemed perfect. However, what piqued my interest was how simply and clearly Adam managed to explain his vision for the page. This initial interest has only grown since I have followed his new page. This is because the workouts posted have also been considered, clear and concise. They are easy to follow and have lots of helpful tips for all abilities.

Adam Gemili’s new fitness Instagram: @adamgemili_fitness

If you are looking for someone who has expertise, but isn’t already 100,000+ followers deep with hundreds and thousands of routines already posted, then Adam Gemili is your guy. He is fun, friendly, consistently upbeat and has expertise that is utilised well for beginners and experts alike.

What are the videos like?

Having published his account about a week ago, Adam is posting videos in between his own training and the athletics meets he is attending around the globe. So far, both of the videos that have been uploaded are easy to follow, easy to understand, and easy for all abilities to try whilst still providing a challenging workout that can be revisited time and again.

The first workout posted was a ‘beginner killer core’ routine that was broken down effectively, with the intention of building up over time. At 6 and a half minutes long, the video is clear with plenty of precise information that will allow the audience an impactful workout, that begins to build up core strength.

His second workout post contained a number of useful, smaller clips that targeted both the glutes and the hamstrings. The videos, whilst easy to follow, were littered with advice, tips for accuracy and of course Adam’s general positivity.

Beginner killer core work out 🏋️‍♂️ on Adam Gemili’s new Instagram fitness page. 📸@adamgemili_fitness

Having filmed this second post in the gym of his Stockholm hotel, Adam carefully explained on his own Instagram stories that he will be building up his content over-time, especially when not having to travel for competitions.

As an incredible athlete with a large following, it is great to see that Gemili is so encouraging and is refreshingly invested in all of his followers. He asks to see pictures and videos of his followers’ routines as well as their improvements. Alongside this, he responds to questions and and offers advice where necessary. This approach by Gemili has only enhanced my opinion that this is the page for me.

Gemili offering pointers to his followers mid-workout whilst in Stockholm, Sweden 🇸🇪
📷@adamgemili_fitness

So, if you too are looking to keep your lockdown fitness journey going having now returned to work, or you are somebody that wants to start getting fitter and seeing an increase in their physical and mental health, I couldn’t recommend Adam Gemili enough. He is encouraging, clear and makes his audience feel exceptionally positive and at ease. Follow him on Instagram @adamgemili_fitness and complete his workouts at your own pace.

For a fitness journey with an Olympic athlete who is humble, positive and exceptionally helpful, Gemili’s new page is the place to start.

Chelsea: defensively robust and seizing key opportunities12th Sep 2021

Brentford promotion woes

After a scintillating second-leg semi-final in the Championship play-offs, you’d have been forgiven for mistaking Thomas Frank’s Brentford side as a team already in the top flight of the English football.

Yet after a dismal performance on Tuesday night, with many of the usual stars failing to shine, Brentford are now destined to remain in the Championship for another season.

Having watched a delightful performance in the semi-finals, Brentford seemed on course to write their own History and achieve their long awaited goal: destination Premier League. Hopes were crushed after a 2-1 defeat saw 4th placed Fulham take the top-flight spot instead.

Quality was present in abundance in The Bees’ fight back against Swansea in the semi-final second leg. Particular players shone brightly. So much so that they seemed a perfect fit for the Premier League. In particular, the front three of Said Benrahma, Bryan Mbeumo and Ollie Watkins – ‘Brentford’s BMW’. The trio ignited the team and showed immeasurable talent. Alongside impressive keeper David Raya and pacy left-back Rico Henry, Brentford were on course to hold their own amongst the top teams.

The usually on-form trio of Said Benrahma, Bryan Mbeumo and Ollie Watkins. Image: Rex Features

Lack of attack:

Yet despite this promise, the light went out on the promising team in a 2-1 defeat to Fulham. Many of the usual characters failed to show when it mattered most, leaving Brentford falling short of promotion, not for the first time this season.

The usually formidable front three all failed to deliver when it mattered, showing a lack of flare and finesse. Ollie Watkins had the best of Brentford’s chances but failed to convert them following a lack of service for the majority of the game. Mbeumo was taken off by Thomas Frank, perhaps prematurely, in the 61st minute after also falling flat in the first half. A number of errors were committed at the start of the second half, from which the French winger could not recover.

Both of these performances seem less criminal however than that of Said Benrahma who was no where to be seen for a large majority of the game (except at the end of the second half when pummelling a free kick straight into the Fulham wall). Having shown immense talent on Wednesday in Brentford’s last game at Griffin Park, tonight’s showing was dismal across the board with Benrahma having little impact on the team.

Troublesome night for in-form Raya:

Although largely effective, David Raya will also want to forget his performance on the night. Raya was on the unfortunate end of a witty free kick, slotted in by Fulham left-back Joe Bryan. Bryan, who scored both of Fulham’s goals in the final, curved the ball past Raya who was solidly planted ready to dive in the opposite direction. Despite the fact that Raya has had an impressive season and is arguably one of Brentford’s best, he is likely to be remembered as the keeper who was outwitted in the play-off finals by a sneaky free kick. It seems cruel though that the play-off final had to include such a moment for someone who has shown so much promise thus far. You can’t help but wonder whether Raya will be snapped up by another team, possibly one from within the Premier League, if they have been monitoring performances throughout the season, rather than on tonight alone.

David Raya could be a target for other Premier League clubs having achieved the highest shot stopping percentage for Spanish goalkeepers across all English leagues this season, even beating Man Utd no. 1. David de Gea. Image: brentfordfc.com

The Bees, whom many would have considered favourites for promotion, have now failed to secure a place in England’s top flight. Turning up in the same fashion as they did in their game against Swansea would surely have seen them left the trophy tonight ahead of Fulham. The dire performance wasn’t up to scratch in what appeared to be a mirror image of Brentford’s end-of-season efforts to secure an automatic promotion spot: showing continuous promise, before crumbling at the final hurdle.

In similar style to their playoff final, Brentford’s run at the end of the season showed considerable promise before falling flat. If The Bees had managed anything other than a loss to 21st placed Barnsley on the final day of the Championship season, they would have secured an automatic promotion place ahead of West Bromwich Albion, however lost 1-2 to Barnsley.

With two weeks before the start of pre-season training beginning, Brentford will need to ask questions of themselves in order to come back stronger and be ready to go again next season. Without the woeful ending this time.

Chelsea: defensively robust and seizing key opportunities12th Sep 2021

Jan Vertonghen: Tottenham Hotspur F.C.’s unsung hero.

When I first dabbled in the idea of starting a football/sports blog, the concept of where to start felt alien. There were so many thoughts swimming around in my head, but there was only one idea of any real clarity. The sole idea, was focused on only one person, one player, who in my mind has always been somewhat of an ‘unsung hero’. I only felt passionate enough to start writing about one player without any real planning and that was Jan Vertonghen.

Jan Vertonghen is leaving Tottenham Hotspur after 8 years at the club. Photograph: Andrew Couldridge/Action Images via Reuters

However, in more recent months, Jan has fallen out of favour with both current manager Jose Mourinho and ex-manager Mauricio Pochettino. I therefore felt my writing wouldn’t have much of an impact, but seeing the news this week, that Jan is set to leave the club on a free transfer, I couldn’t help but think that I needed to express what a profound impact I believe Jan has had on Tottenham Hotspur.

Joining Spurs in July 2012, Jan has served a faithful eight years. He was immediately successful. In his first season in the Premier League, he proved his €12 million fee worthwhile by making the PFA’s Team of the Year. He was selected alongside Rio Ferdinand, Leighton Baines and Pablo Zabaleta which only highlighted his strength and importance as the rock in the heart of the Spurs defence. Vertonghen’s reliability and reading of the game bought immediate stability to the Tottenham back line which continued to flourish under Jan’s influence over the next few seasons. This development seeing him captain Tottenham in the 2015 League Cup Final against Chelsea.

2015 League Cup captains at Wembley. Illustration: -thefootballartist via: https://thefootballartist.wordpress.com

Although the accolades and praise in more recent months have been lesser thrown his way, it is important to remember how pivotal Vertonghen’s role at Spurs has been. He has an ability to read the game in a way that I could only compare to Liverpool’s Virgil Van Dijk. Although Jan’s physicality is not directly comparable to Virgil’s, his reliability and vision are. Now others may say this is too dramatic a statement considering the plaudits and trophies more recently associated with Van Dijk, but nevertheless, it is one I believe to be true. You only need to watch a game from Tottenham’s more recent past to see how influential Jan has been for the club. If Jan had been playing regularly over the past two seasons and was still at his Premier League ‘peek’, I would have happily declared that Vertonghen and Van Dijk would make an impenetrable pairing; the best two centre-backs in the Premier League.

In the 2015/16 season, the signing of fellow Belgian, Toby Alderweireld only made Tottenham stronger as the two centre backs developed a crucial bond supporting goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. The statistics over the next couple of seasons spoke for themselves. Tottenham had the joint-lowest number of goals conceded in the Premier League in the 15/16 season, before the pair helped to break a club record in the following season (2016/17) for the fewest goals conceded in the league.

The Belgian centre-back pairing that helped build Tottenham’s defensive reputation, Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen. Picture: via Reuters

Whilst consistently strong since 2012 (disregarding his more recent performances out of position this year) there is a particular performance of Jan’s which should be remembered for the sheer magnitude of his contribution to the team. The game? Tottenham Hotspur 3 – 0 Borussia Dortmund on the 13th February 2019. With Alderweireld, Davinson Sanchez, Juan Foyth and Serge Aurier all playing at the back too, the freedom Vertonghen was given to push forward was something of a revelation. If you haven’t watched the highlights before, do it now (link below). If you have watched the highlights before, watch it again. This time focus on Vertonghen and the vast impact he had on the outcome of the game. Ignoring one largely wayward shot into the crowd, understand his impact on the game. Pause the video at randomly selected intervals and notice Vertonghen’s position, notice how high up the pitch he his, notice his runs and notice his passion for the club. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFGPhEayi3I

The Borussia Dortmund game last February not only epitomises the talent Vertonghen has bought to Spurs in his eight year spell, but also his commitment to the game too.

“WE’VE HAD SOME GREAT NIGHTS AT WEMBLEY AND AT THE LANE, SOME AWAY GAMES AS WELL – I’D SAY IT’S IN MY TOP THREE”
– Jan Vertonghen, Sun 17 February 2019, 15:27 – http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news

When I first attempted to write my piece on Vertonghen I focused on that game. The game in which his talent blew me away, left me awestruck. The game that only increased my admiration for him as a player. This is a small piece of how my draft was left: “Vertonghen was played out on the left, whipping in scintillating crosses and making phenomenal runs through the middle. Runs that we have come to expect from experienced, middle-of-the-park wizards like Coutinho and Hazard. But runs we expect from our stable, consistent centre halves? Not often”. Proving to be a man of many talents, was what left me in awe. Vertonghen seemed surprisingly comfortable and surprisingly penetrative going forward for someone played so far out of his usual position. I rated him highly as a centre-back, so to see this phenomenal forward-pressing tenacity left me wondering why Pochettino had rarely utilised this versatility before.

“Rare, have been the moments when he’s allowed to rampage forward like he was […] as a left-wing-back. Mauricio Pochettino may want to consider making him a more regular part of his offence moving forward”.
Bleacher Report Live (@brlive) February 13, 2019

Deep into the Dortmund game pressure continued to allude him, pressing continuously until in the 83rd minute, a powerful volley rippled the net. Serge Aurier had delivered an inch perfect ball for Vertonghen’s beautifully orchestrated run into the box. A goal so rarely seen finished in that way by a centre-back. It was powerful. It was a reflection of the way Jan had played for the entirety of the game. I was amazed, but I also felt cheated. Cheated that this was the first time in his tenure at Tottenham that I had seen him perform in this way. That night he was a world-class-midfield-machine; a newly exposed chameleon.

Superman Jan, the celebration so apt for a heroic performance. London, February 13: Jan Vertonghen of Tottenham celebrates scoring to make it 2-0 during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 First Leg match between Tottenham Hotspur and Borussia Dortmund. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

To remember that game is incredible, but to only remember that game would also be doing Jan a disservice. Although not successful in terms of medals won in his time at Tottenham, Vertonghen’s dedication, desire and drive to be at the top of the game cannot be faulted, he has helped to unify Spurs. He has helped in their development. He has helped to bring back a desire for success. Both fans and players alike look to Jan as someone who has led the fight to reignite the hope at Tottenham Hotspur. Captain Hugo Lloris wished Jan well and stated that Jan’s attitude has been key in the development of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club. “He’s the kind of person that gives his best, he left everything on the pitch for the Club and he’s a great example as a team-mate.” This is a player who has proved that hard work, commitment and consistency are intrinsic when developing a great football club into an even greater one. He is proof that attitude is everything. A player that will be sorely missed by fans and fellow players alike.

A loyal player, a dedicated man and an unsung hero: Jan Vertonghen.