Real Madrid Needs Changes

            Today Real Madrid faced off against Cordoba, and with Carlo Ancelotti insisting that his team doesn’t require rotation, nearly came up short. Cordoba played against a disconnected Real Madrid, staying composed in their attacks and being the first to every ball. Going into halftime, Cordoba had plenty of momentum and it seemed almost certain that they would come away with at least one point from the match. Of all things to give Cordoba hope and ruin Real Madrid, Ronaldo getting sent off for violent conduct would be at the top of the list, and Cordoba was sitting pretty well. Then finally, a late penalty for Real Madrid gave Bale his chance at goal which he put away, giving Real Madrid a close 2-1 victory. With a slow start to 2015 for Madrid, Ancelotti may want to reconsider changing the team up more often, especially with greater opponents coming in the future. With games against Sevilla and Atletico ahead and Ronaldo facing suspension time, Madrid needs to regroup and look at what they can change.

            First, a look at the good for Real Madrid in the game. To start, Iker Casillas continued to prove why he remains their top goalkeeper despite some of his poorer performances. While his defense failed him repeatedly, Casillas was able to shut down clear opportunities by Cordoba on goal. Madrid really have their keeper to thank for the three points they earned from the game. While some of Real Madrid’s attacking side was active and lively, they were ineffective a lot of the time. The effort was there, but they were lacking a connection needed to be an effective attacking force. Bale was able to step up and take the winning penalty kick, showing responsibility while the rest of his team lacked.

            As shown by Real Madrid, a team can have some of the best players around on paper but still struggle against a team like Cordoba. This year’s recent Ballon d’Or winner Christiano Ronaldo got so frustrated in the game that he took it out on an opponent, getting a straight red card. Obviously there was a disjointed team playing today, and the world’s best player made a poor choice when dealing with it. Instead of taking responsibility for his team, Ronaldo let it get to him and he hurt his team even further. Maybe the starting team needs some rest, or the players need some rotation, but either way, something needs to be changed for Real Madrid. Ancelotti needs to be more open to changes in lineups and play styles if he wants the team to be successful going forward. Otherwise, in their current state and progression, stronger teams will beat them and they could move down in the league standings. All is not lost by any means, and I have no doubt that Real Madrid will continue to win games, but not without any changes.

2015 Adizero F50

            As both a fan and player of the game, I always enjoy looking into new gear released by all brands, cleats especially. One that I have experienced in the past and still like to look at is the Adidas Adizero F50. Just recently, Adidas has revealed the 2015 model of the shoe along with their “There will be haters” campaign. The boot is set to release in February with leather and take down versions that are typical to the cleat.

Like always, the adizero will be compared to Nike’s Mercurial Vapor, with both being speed boots. Throughout the years, the Mercurial has had a few things that put it somewhat above the F50. First, it featured a bladed stud pattern that gave sharper cuts and turns, and while this may not seem very important, it does give that speed element that previous adizeros lacked with their conical studs. Mercurials also have always had a narrow shape that fit well on smaller feet but somewhat excluded larger ones. This is more of a personal preference, as people with smaller feet will want cleats to be narrower, but this doesn’t apply to all people. Previously, F50s have been known for a wider fit which left many users having a loose fit. Now, they have improved their fit, giving a sort of medium size that should be able to stretch and fit well on most.

To address these issues and beat Nike at its own game, Adidas has changed the boot dramatically to improve it over the past couple of years. For its outsole, last year’s F50 gave a completely new pattern for Adidas, keeping triangle studs in the back but opting for skinnier, almost bladed, triangles in the forefoot. The 2015 model keeps this idea but adds in notches in the outsole between studs giving added traction. Also, it uses only three studs in the heel of the cleat. The cleat features Adidas’ Dribbletex around the entire surface of the shoe, offering performance and control in wet conditions. Surprisingly, the new F50 changes in the opposite direction that it has been over the past few years in the weight area. If the listing is the correct weight that the boot will release at, it will come in at 7.0 ounces compared to a smaller 5.3 ounces on the last model. To some, this may be a disappointment as they like the minimal feel of the adizero. However, for me, this could be a great improvement on previous shoes. Some of the weight is in the added traction in the outsole, but I have to assume that the rest is going into the upper. This could add comfort and protection that the line has lacked in the past, which I think would help with the feel on the ball. While this could be a controversial release, I think that all of the changes are for the better.

Big Win for Arsenal

            The season has not been the most sensational for Arsenal to date, but the game today against Manchester City is sure to bring their hopes up and could drive a turnaround. With their previous trip to Manchester City holding a 6-3 defeat, the Arsenal team that played today had shown no signs of continued scars and instead looked to have learned from their past mistakes. They played a much more disciplined and collected game, not staying as open during their attacking like they were. Despite most of their defensive players of the game having few league starts, they were able to shut down an attacking Manchester City side and remain collected. Cazorla played what was probably the most important role for Arsenal, scoring the first goal and creating the second. This leads to wondering as to whether or not Ozil will make it back into the regular team with Cazorla playing so well. Such a talented, and expensive, player as Ozil will most likely end up somewhere on the field, and if that means Cazorla loses his spot, then that may be the case. While this may not happen so long as Cazorla keeps this up, I think that Ozil will get his chance again at the least, as Arsene Wenger has too much put into him to sit him on the bench.

            As to Manchester City, one thing is not looking the brightest for sure, and that is the return of Sergio Aguero. He has come off the bench during the last few games, and I guess Pellegrini felt that it was his time to have another start for his team. While Aguero was involved in attacks and had a few chances at goal, he failed to convert what seemed to be a few good chances and played at the same level as the rest of his team. Manchester City as a whole seemed disconnected and failed to be successful. If this is a true testament to Aguero’s current state, then there will be much more work for him and his team to put in if he should reach the form he was in before injury.

            Finally, the game proved to be a win for a team not even involved in the actual playing: Chelsea. After crushing Swansea by 5 goals on Saturday, Chelsea is given even more luck during this game. Arsenal’s victory brings an end to Manchester City’s 14 game undefeated streak, helping Chelsea’s lead in the title run. This game puts Chelsea 5 points ahead at the top of the league, all due to their old rivals at Arsenal. This game was truly a big influence on all teams in the league and put the odds in Chelsea’s favor in the long run.