10 Football Opinions You Would Never Say 3 Years Ago

In 2011, Robin Van Persie was on the verge of being an Arsenal hero, Andrea Pirlo getting booted from AC Milan in what seemed to be the end of his career, Sir Alex Ferguson looked like he was going to manage Manchester United for another 20 years, and Miley Cyrus and Justin Bieber were just another of those 'innocent child stars'.

Three years later, how wrong were all of those were? I would have looked like an idiot if I stood by with my opinions I made 3 years ago. Then there are these 10 opinions in the present that would have sound ludicrous in 2011. Imagine back then you heard this come out from someone:

1. Iker Casillas spot for Spain in 2014 World Cup is under threat.

Fig 1. Iker Casillas in his seat

Captain of La Roja's successful Euro and World Cup campaigns, the legend only 32 years of age, is sweating over his place at the next World Cup in Brazil.

He's not even playing for his club besides Copa del Rey and Champions League ties, and that could harm his confidence. No disrespect to Diego Lopez, he's done brilliantly as well in the net. With Pepe Reina and Victor Valdes on the verge of breaking the understudy status, Santo Iker will have to make way.

2. Jordan Henderson over Jack Wilshere and Tom Cleverley any day.

Fig 2. Jordan Henderson with Liverpool 

3 years ago, we would have thought Jack and Tom would be the future of England, while Jordan Henderson would be another overpriced young English midfielder back in 2011 when he moved to Liverpool for 20M. 3 years later, he's a mainstay in the Reds XI with Captain Steven Gerrard having the best season of his career so far.

Jack Wilshere hasn't developed as well as expected, while Cleverley has probably 'declined' to an extent even his own clubs fans are amazed how he's still getting picked with the form he is in. If these 2 players are picked ahead of Jordan for England's World Cup squad, plenty of critics will be heard for Hodgson.

3. Manchester United is going to finish outside the top 6.

Fig 3. Moyes Haters get creative

United are having a wreck of a season. Even if Sir Alex handed David Moyes a squad that was failing, certainly no one expected a campaign as bad as this. The team are filled with seasoned champions, yet they just can't seem to win more than 3 games on the bounce.

As a United fan myself, I must admit that Moyes' handling of the club has been atrocious this season, and it is fine to admit flaws in things you care about so much. But how most of his decision makings always seems to obviously disappoint. He needs to change his mindset, otherwise he goes.

4. Daniel Sturridge is a gifted goalscorer.

Fig 4. One of Daniel's signature choreography

Well, I always thought Sturridge is a #BEAST of a striker, I'm just surprised why Chelsea never gave him a fair chance and always played him wide and out of position. They rather spend 50M on a morale-ridden Fernando Torres than give him a start up front. To be fair, he always seemed selfish on the pitch, deciding to shoot rather than pass, and looked low on confidence.

However 3 years and a 13.5M Liverpool move later, things have changed. As of writing this post, he's second in the goalscoring charts only behind teammate Luis Suarez - who is having the best football he's ever shown. Would be a definite surprise if he was not to be included in the World Cup squad for England.

5. Pep Guardiola is nothing without his Barcelona team.

Fig 5. Pep predicting the number of goals Bayern will score in a game - 11?

The media and those peoples who consider themselves "experts" did not acknowledge Guardiola's influence on Barcelona too much during his tenure at Nou Camp where the Catalans basically destroyed every single team in sight and were the team everyone was afraid of. Most said he was lucky because he already had the best players in the world anyway so it would be easy for him and of course, Lionel Messi.

And then he moved on to Bayern Munich. Sure, he's taking over a team who won the Treble the proceeding year, so it was a big challenge to emulate - or even surpass - the previous team Jupp Heynckes built. And he has with some style. He's wrapped up the Bundesliga in March, unbeaten, and are front runners to defend their Champions League trophy. Barcelona? Well, they aren't as dominant post-Pep era. Next challenge - take a neigh-average club and turning them into world beaters in a season.

6. Massimo Moratti will be looking to sell his club.

Fig 6. Erick Thohir (left) and Massimo Moratti.

Ex-Internazionale owner, Moratti was always connected to the name of the club. He loved this club. Everything he did since he took over in 1995 was in the best interest of the Milan-based team. Under his presidency, Inter has won numerous titles, including 5 Scudettos and 1 Champions League medal.

18 years later, he has sold most of the club to an Indonesian businessman, Erick Thohir, and stepped down from his presidency. 3 years ago, you would have never thought of Inter Milan without the eccentric Moratti. Yet again, if Jordan Henderson could change, so can Inter Milan.

7. AC Milan is a club in crisis.

Fig 7. Silvio Berlusconi

Back in 2011, you would never see AC Milan being in mid-table 3 seasons ahead. A team with so much history, so much glory in past players, now suffering underachieving status. AC Milan, as we know it, is having an even worse season than what Manchester United is suffering.

Most of the blame must be down to owner and President, Silvio Berlusconi, has his focus divided with personal political ventures, and his love for young women. Rossoneri will hopefully improve next season, though. With a core players of Kaka, Balotelli, Montolivo, and El Sharaawy should be enough for the club to bounce back in campaigns to come.

8. Arsene Wenger is spending his money.

Fig 8. Arsene getting a bit angry

Le Monsieur was tight with his budget. Not because the club was in need of money, he just didn't feel entitled to spend it. He was on a project to develop players from scratch in the space of 5 years to become world beaters. But things have changed when that didn't work out. 

In the past 3 years, Wenger has spend big on players such as Lukas Podolski, Olivier Giroud, Gervinho, and the biggest of them all, German playmaker Mesut Ozil. Sure, they haven't won anything yet, but for the last 9 years, they haven't gone without trying, and this year might be different. If they still don't win a trophy, the Arsenal manager would not hesitate in buying again.

9. Seamus Coleman is the best right back in the league.

Fig 9. Seamus Coleman giving away kisses

This is highly debatable now, but you can't say that this season he has been one of the better performing right-backs this season, challenging Glen Johnson and Pablo Zabaleta in a best right-back category. This Irish wing-back 2 years ago couldn't even get into his national team Euro squad, and now he's giving Leighton Baines a run for his money in who's the better fullback in the team.

If I said that Coleman was the best right back in 2011, I would probably get a lot of "who's Coleman?" responses. But look at him now. He's getting forward, defending well, providing, and chipping in a few goals as well to his repertoire. Seamus has come a long way since his Sligo Rovers days.

10. It is gonna be their year.

Fig 10. PFA Player of the Year-bound Luis Suarez

It has been a running gag for about a decade, but it seems to me that this year may well be Liverpool's year. The scene is set perfectly for them to be a fairytale season. A World Cup year, captain Stevie G has won all but one trophy that he has craved for so long. Main striker Luis Suarez missed 8 opening fixtures but he's now the league's top scorer, and partner Daniel Sturridge is helping out well. Not to mention boy wonder Raheem Sterling showing why he's old enough to be a father of three and be a regular for a Premier League team. Not to mention rivals Man United having a stinker of a campaign.

Its April and with 7 games to go, they are on top of the table as of this post. Sure, Chelsea and Manchester City are not going to give up, but the only thing that can hurt a United fan the most this season is to see Liverpool lifting that trophy in May. That enough would be enough motivation for Reds to go on and win it.

Stubborn Guardiola and Thiago Alcantara

There's a popular saying that that men will always seek improvements since they are never content. Another popular quote is that sometimes the grass is always greener on the other side. But there is also another saying that too much of anything is never good. This is not an attempt to write a philosophical article, it's just that it seemed like the best way to open this particular piece.

Fig 1. Thiago Alcantara

Pep Guardiola - the new Manager of treble-winning German side Bayern Munich - declared his interest in signing Spain wonderboy Thiago Alcantara from his former employers Barcelona and is very keen on signing him. Although nothing is official yet as of the writing of this piece, reports have said that he is close to sign a 4-year contract.

I'm going to be mainstream on this article and say that I do not approve this move at all. Not because of being a United fan and is pissed that he would rather go to Allianz instead of Old Trafford, but because of the wealth of talent in midfield Bayern already have in their locker room. This side has a squad depth in every department which makes even Real Madrid and Barcelona jealous of. The last thing either of those clubs would want to do is strengthen the Champions League holders.

Fig 2. Bayern Munich's Champions League Final Line-up

Above is the line-up former Manager Jupp Heynckes fielded at Bayern's last season's Champions League Final. Note that classy defender Holger Badstuber and midfield maestro Toni Kroos were out injured. The team that played brilliantly against Borrussia Dortmund wasn't even their best team and still were able to win. Javi Martinez, who tackled and passed the whole night, was covered by Bastian Schweinsteiger, who played in front of the defense, were a perfect compliment to the hard working mentality of Thomas Muller that night, who also had the flair of Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery on each flank - the former scoring the winning goal and made another - nicely foiled their main striker Mario Mandzukic for every chance that came his way. Again I will state, this is not their strongest team. Kroos' absence shows how well of a team Bayern actually created.

Lest you forget that Luis Gustavo's name has not even been mentioned yet. The Brazilian was part of a strong, mobile midfield trio that won last month's Confederations Cup, and even he only made it on the pitch at that final in the 90th minute. Swiss winger Xherdan Shaqiri also was on the bench but he didn't even make on to the pitch. Oh yeah, I must have neglected to tell you that they also signed Mario Gotze this summer. So those 5 spots in midfield will be challenged by 9 world class internationals. The last thing they want is more competition. Oh hang on...

Fig 3. Pep Guardiola

Thiago may not be first choice back at Nou Camp, but the aging pair of Xavi and Andres Iniesta should give him more first-team chances next season. It's hard enough to get into the first team at Barcelona, let alone at Bayern. Their midfield is so blessed with talent, you can't help but say "too many midfielders is not good". 

Guardiola though claimed to the press that he promises Thiago will be a mainstay in the Bavarian's midfield. Okay, he's the one who has 47 caps as a player for Spain and won 15 trophies as a Manager, but with all the stars in his FC Hollywood, he still is keen on a fringe player in Barcelona. Even if my Football Manager CV is way better, it does not count as valid grounds that I am better than him, but of course I'm skeptic over this potential purchase.

Pep admitted that with the possible purchase of Thiago, Javi Martinez would be put in defense where he could emulate his days at Bilbao as a ball-playing defender. It seems like it solves a problem, but it doesn't. Bayern's defence was the strongest, only conceding 18 league goals all season. If Martinez were to play in at the back, who gets to sit on the bench? Dante or Badstuber? Jerome Boateng is like the first choice back-up in defence as he could play anywhere in the backline. His chances may be limited now with this choice of tactic. New signing of young defender Jan Kirchhoff would seem like a waste now if this were true.

Fig 4. Javi Martinez

Another problem with the potential arrival of Thiago is who would partner him, who moves into a different position, who goes to the bench, or who might just leave anyway. With Pep's admittance of Thiago being a key player, he might certainly partner Bastian Schweinsteiger, who could be the 'Busquets' of Pep's formation where he sits in front of the back four, straying magical passes between the opponents, and do his business thoroughly. This will leave Thiago to become the playmaker of the team, a sight which everyone wants to see after his amazing performance in the last Euro U21 competition where he was awarded 'Best Player of the Tournament' after a hat-trick in the final against Italy. Toni Kroos looks to be the best possible personnel between Schweinsteiger and Thiago, not to mention his dead ball skills would be handy.

Since Guardiola loves a man who works like a horse (in a professional way, not the literal meaning), then Thomas Muller would most likely be the man playing on the right-flank, a position that made him famous whilst playing for Germany in the 2010 World Cup. New signing Mario Gotze in my personal opinion would not be a bench-warmer at Munich as Pep - I believe - will play on the left-flank where Ribery is usually played. I expect both wings would get lots of rotation so the likes of Robben and Shaqiri would stay happy.

Fig 5. Thomas Muller (left) and Toni Kroos (right)

The assurance of an out-and-out striker in this team is never guaranteed. Even Mario Gomez has left the club and joined Fiorentina, leaving only Mario Mandzukic and Claudio Pizarro as the only recognized forwards in the first team. Guardiola's system never used a type of target-man type of striker, but Mandzukic isn't one of that despite of his stature being an ideal type of a target-man. Mandzukic is the type of forward that could lead the line by himself, but will come deep to get the ball, run around channels, set up shots for himself and others, and will pop up for a tap in/header. He might be given a go from the Manager, but during the season progresses, I predict Pep will eventually put Muller up front and put either Ribery or Robben on the spare wings. Since all of his wingers can play both flanks, this would not be much of a problem.

This leaves Luis Gustavo without any role in the team. He might be a key player for Brazil, but it seems that he will have difficulty breaking in to this team. What a luxury it may be to have a back-up player such as Gustavo, but if Thiago's move becomes a reality, Gustavo might think of seeking new pastures in order to keep his place in the Brazil squad that will host next year's World Cup.

Fig 6. Potential Bayern Munich Line-up 2013-2014

From this not-so-in-depth tactical analysis, Thiago's potential move to Bayern may work, but the balance of the club would take a huge plunge. We know he's got the talent to do so, but competition for places at Allianz ArenA is far tighter than at Nou Camp. If would not be a loss for either Bayern or Barcelona if he were to stay put, but it could be a potential loss for both sides if the move would happen. If he were to move, it is better if he actually transferred to a team where he would be the biggest star of them all. But if he does sign for Pep's new club, I would love to both Pep and Thiago to prove me wrong.