Who is he? Where does he play?
He is another off the Barcelona production line, the immensely gifted midfield graduate of the famed La Masia academy in Catalonia and potential heir to the aging Xavi. He is 22, has 3 caps for Spain despite being born in Italy and is hogging all the newspaper gossip column space as he seems on the verge of heading to Manchester United.
Leaving the sunny, success-laden Barcelona for Salford?!?
Yes, he may be mad but he also seems to be hugely ambitious, aiming to move to Manchester United in the search for more first team football after being limited to just 15 starts last season under Tito Vilanova. That has dropped his release clause from 90 million euros to 18 million euros as he appeared for less than 30 minutes in 60% of Barcelona's games last season. All work and no play makes Thiago a dull boy, clamoring for an apparent move to the Premier League champions.
What's Vilanova playing at?
He did have Iniesta, Xavi, Fabregas, Busquets and co. at his disposal after all, Thiago faces a massive competition for places at Barcelona but he did manage 41 appearances under Pep Guardiola the year before, the year after winning the Under-21 European Championship with Spain and signing a new four year deal at the Nou Camp worth £30k a week. There is no doubting his potential or talent, just his misfortune at having to compete with a generation of phenomenally gifted players as he wants to break into Vincent Del Bosque's permanent plans ahead of next year's World Cup, he currently has 3 caps.
So Manchester United are giving him a way out?
Reportedly set to offer him an eye-watering £6.2 million a year, it certainly looks like David Moyes wants to make him his first significant import as Old Trafford boss. He will undoubtedly fill the troublesome central-midfield slot at the club in which Michael Carrick is the only established talent. Alcantara's genius in carrying the ball from deep, beating players or even dictating the tempo with smart, measured passes ahead of the defence will be a massive asset to Moyes's United, as it was to Spain's under-21s as they triumphed in this summer's European Championships in Israel.
What will they get for their money?
For a reported £17 million, they will get fine balance which allows his diminutive 5ft 7 inch frame to spin away from the more imposing players in the centre of the field. He can create chances with nimble footwork just as he can take them, as his hat-trick against Italy under-21s out in Israel showed. If Thiago does decide to move to Manchester, Barcelona will lose a hugely talented member of their squad and that is testament enough to his promise.
Showing posts with label Spain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spain. Show all posts
Tuesday, 2 July 2013
Wednesday, 12 June 2013
ASIER ILLARAMENDI
Who is he? Where does he play?
Xabi Alonso went from the heart of the Basque country with Real Sociedad all the way to the very top of the game with Spain's World Cup winners, now Asier Illaramendi is following him as the heir to the throne of the Spanish metronome. 23 and a graduate of the potent Sociedad academy, the small defensive midfielder is passing his way to greatness.
Not hard to guess what he does then....
Just passes, passes and passes the ball. Besides Markel Bergara in Sociedad's 4-2-3-1 system, the deep-lying Spaniard attempted a mammoth attempted 1606 passes last season and completed 1296 of them, giving him a pass percentage of 81%. He created a total of 33 chances though the majority of his work is done deep in midfield, where he is tasked with winning the ball back (121 tackles in total) and moving it on. His gifted use of the ball helped Sociedad qualify for the Champions League as Phillipe Montanier's men completed a superb year in La Liga.
So just like Alonso then?
He is blessed with intelligent use of the ball but, rather like Alonso, the defensive side of his game usually goes underrated. Last season he intercepted attacks at a rate of 2.3 per game, totaling 75 and suggesting he is adept at nipping attacks in the bud with fine reading of the game and positioning. His work-rate is also very commendable, showing willingness to win the ball back for his team, though he needs to work on his discipline, 49 fouls and 11 yellow cards suggests he can be slightly over-enthusiastic.
Currently out in Israel with the under-21s isn't he?
He is, chalking up a pass percentage of 93% out there, "you can take the midfielder out of Spain" and all that..... but cringe-worthy adages aside, if he wasn't competing with such sublime talent, he'd probably be worthy of a place in the senior squad. He now has 14 caps for the under-21s after representing the under-19s and the under-17s before that, with the latter he finished runner up in the U-17 World Cup back in 2007.
Will he stay at Sociedad?
He is contracted in San Sebastien until 2018 and Sociedad now have the lure of the Champions League to offer him, so the odds on him staying will be pretty good, though that has not deterred Real Madrid who seem desperate to land Illaramendi. The release clause in his contract stands at 30 million euros and rightly so given the quality he has shown. Manchester United and Chelsea have also been linked with the player, summed up in this neat little article.
Xabi Alonso went from the heart of the Basque country with Real Sociedad all the way to the very top of the game with Spain's World Cup winners, now Asier Illaramendi is following him as the heir to the throne of the Spanish metronome. 23 and a graduate of the potent Sociedad academy, the small defensive midfielder is passing his way to greatness.
Not hard to guess what he does then....
Just passes, passes and passes the ball. Besides Markel Bergara in Sociedad's 4-2-3-1 system, the deep-lying Spaniard attempted a mammoth attempted 1606 passes last season and completed 1296 of them, giving him a pass percentage of 81%. He created a total of 33 chances though the majority of his work is done deep in midfield, where he is tasked with winning the ball back (121 tackles in total) and moving it on. His gifted use of the ball helped Sociedad qualify for the Champions League as Phillipe Montanier's men completed a superb year in La Liga.
So just like Alonso then?
He is blessed with intelligent use of the ball but, rather like Alonso, the defensive side of his game usually goes underrated. Last season he intercepted attacks at a rate of 2.3 per game, totaling 75 and suggesting he is adept at nipping attacks in the bud with fine reading of the game and positioning. His work-rate is also very commendable, showing willingness to win the ball back for his team, though he needs to work on his discipline, 49 fouls and 11 yellow cards suggests he can be slightly over-enthusiastic.
Currently out in Israel with the under-21s isn't he?
He is, chalking up a pass percentage of 93% out there, "you can take the midfielder out of Spain" and all that..... but cringe-worthy adages aside, if he wasn't competing with such sublime talent, he'd probably be worthy of a place in the senior squad. He now has 14 caps for the under-21s after representing the under-19s and the under-17s before that, with the latter he finished runner up in the U-17 World Cup back in 2007.
Will he stay at Sociedad?
He is contracted in San Sebastien until 2018 and Sociedad now have the lure of the Champions League to offer him, so the odds on him staying will be pretty good, though that has not deterred Real Madrid who seem desperate to land Illaramendi. The release clause in his contract stands at 30 million euros and rightly so given the quality he has shown. Manchester United and Chelsea have also been linked with the player, summed up in this neat little article.
Friday, 23 November 2012
MARTIN MONTOYA
Who is he? Where does he play?
In keeping with the recent Barcelona theme, Montoya plays for, you've guessed it, Barcelona, at right-back and is 21 years of age. The steam-train-esque Dani Alves also plays right-back in Catalonia, but is under threat for his place by Montoya who has a decent amount of first-team experience considering the competition for places and his age.
He's playing a bit then?
Oh aye, Alves's flirts with injury has bought Montoya 21 appearances in the first team squad over the past three years and new coach Tito Vilanova is a big fan, trying to integrate him into his plans by already giving him 9 appearances this season (Alves has been sidelined with a thigh injury). He is also a regular in Spain's under-21 and under-23 national squads (part of the U-21 squad that won the European Championship in 2011) whilst his progression has not gone unnoticed by Vincent Del Bosque who gave him his first call up to the full senior squad for this season's matches against Chile and Liechtenstein.
How does he play? Like Alves?
Yes, pretty much. Montoya is a very intelligent full-back who can easily balance the need to defend with the need to push forward. He's not afraid to providing the width in Barcelona's essentially narrow 4-3-3 system whilst also proving to be dependable at the back. Stamina plays a huge role in being a Barcelona full-back and Montoya is typically motor-driven, bombing up and down that right-flank like a footballing Duracell Bunny. Like an Alves-lite if you will.
The next Alves?
I wish we could stop talking about Alves but yes, it really does look that way. In fact, Barclelona are lucky to have Montoya, as in early 2011, Valencia were on the verge of signing the right-back for his 3 million Euro buy-out clause, but he stayed at the Nou Camp, and look what's happened to him? A real Charlie and the Chocolate Factory story eh?
Eh!?
Yeah, I don't know either. Simply put, put money on the 21 year old Montoya being Barca's right-back for the next ten years, and perhaps Spain's as Del Bosque looks for a fill in as he moves Sergio Ramos to become the natural heir to the ageing Carles Puyol at centre-half.
Anything else to add?
Oh yeah... this.... LOOK... HE DENIED IT... ok?
In keeping with the recent Barcelona theme, Montoya plays for, you've guessed it, Barcelona, at right-back and is 21 years of age. The steam-train-esque Dani Alves also plays right-back in Catalonia, but is under threat for his place by Montoya who has a decent amount of first-team experience considering the competition for places and his age.
He's playing a bit then?
Oh aye, Alves's flirts with injury has bought Montoya 21 appearances in the first team squad over the past three years and new coach Tito Vilanova is a big fan, trying to integrate him into his plans by already giving him 9 appearances this season (Alves has been sidelined with a thigh injury). He is also a regular in Spain's under-21 and under-23 national squads (part of the U-21 squad that won the European Championship in 2011) whilst his progression has not gone unnoticed by Vincent Del Bosque who gave him his first call up to the full senior squad for this season's matches against Chile and Liechtenstein.
How does he play? Like Alves?
Yes, pretty much. Montoya is a very intelligent full-back who can easily balance the need to defend with the need to push forward. He's not afraid to providing the width in Barcelona's essentially narrow 4-3-3 system whilst also proving to be dependable at the back. Stamina plays a huge role in being a Barcelona full-back and Montoya is typically motor-driven, bombing up and down that right-flank like a footballing Duracell Bunny. Like an Alves-lite if you will.
The next Alves?
I wish we could stop talking about Alves but yes, it really does look that way. In fact, Barclelona are lucky to have Montoya, as in early 2011, Valencia were on the verge of signing the right-back for his 3 million Euro buy-out clause, but he stayed at the Nou Camp, and look what's happened to him? A real Charlie and the Chocolate Factory story eh?
Eh!?
Yeah, I don't know either. Simply put, put money on the 21 year old Montoya being Barca's right-back for the next ten years, and perhaps Spain's as Del Bosque looks for a fill in as he moves Sergio Ramos to become the natural heir to the ageing Carles Puyol at centre-half.
Anything else to add?
Oh yeah... this.... LOOK... HE DENIED IT... ok?
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