Just for fun and to stir up some more controversy i have made 'style' assessment ratings for the Quarter-Finalists based on technical, controlled, attacking football and the attitude and behaviour of coach, club and supporters. Do you agree with the following?
AC Milan: Without a shadow of a doubt the strongest squad in the tournament. They have an ummovable starting XI minus some defensive issues. Based around a strong defensive basis they employ only 2 Italian midfielders, Pirlo, a silky playmakers played ahead of the defence. The other is a soldier first, hacker second and then lastly a technician. They have further technical and creative skills through a continuity player and then a playmaker; Kaka. The Brazilian is about balance and goals more than mazely dribbles however. They play with two out-and-out attacking strikers. In reserve they have two further playmakers, outright width in Serginho and a second striker in Tommason and an absolute goal-smasher in Fillipo Inzaghi. All-in-all pretty strong. Performances so far have not been attacking. Despite playing football the 'correct' way they still have an Italian backbone and the likelihood of Italian team clashes in the knockout stages will impair the rating for me. I mean Juve-Milan or Inter-Milan is hardly going to be the most exciting contest is it?
Style rating: 8/10
Bayern Munich: this is going to surprise some people but Bayern are no longer a defensive team. Felix Magath has turned the team into a side that can once again compete for this competition. They play again with 2 out-and-out forwards, with Makaay who can work the wings well. Even more appealing is that they use Michael Ballack in a holding position allowing them to accompany Deisler, Frings, Scholl and the young German i shall not attempt to spell.
Style rating: 9/10
Chelsea: where do we start? we know so much already about Mourinho's style. But why are they are so much more anti-football than other teams. Well i'll explain. Firstly, let's look at the strongest point of the team: the defence. They are good but in no ways better or more effective then Juve, Milan, Bayern or even Lyon in that aspect. where they differ is that their back four accompanies no attacking players. Full-backs are reserved for defensive players. Gallas for instance is hardly the most dynamic attacker. This is defence first mentality. All other sides in competition have full-backs who's job is to provide the width, Chelsea's comes from the attacking forwards. Next up is a triple-pivot in midfield. With arguably the best conservative midfield player in Makelele why do you need to surround him with Tiago and Lampard. The latter could be described as a similar player as Ballack, yet he does not play a holding position but is deemed an attacker in this system. On too the attackers, Chelsea is the only team that does not have at least one outstanding striker as i do not see Drogba as one. Damien Duff does most of his running off the ball. Robben is an asset and adds everything Duff can't mainly pace and a jack-hammer of a shot and finishing ability. With Chelsea it is clealy a sum-of-the parts. Which then leads me to the biggest contradiction but backup to my argument: Joe Cole. Undoubtedly my favourite English player. Yet his development at Chelsea is insignificant. He is asked to play in a way that so many English players play. I heard so many favourable comments about his performance against Barcelona. I was not impressed as he played like any other Gerrard/Beckham/Lampard clone. Rarely did i see the technical qualities that makes him superior to those players. Oh how i would love to see him play in the #10 role alongside Robben and Duff supporting a lone striker. Mourinho is not with me and instead Joe Cole will be a victim of the inefficiency and 'don't care' policy of Ambramovich.
Style rating: 6/10
Inter Milan: Very quickly i don't like them. They lack midfield creativity. Veron is one of many players in Europe - just an overrated passer. Emre the only real creative talent is mainly left on the sidelines. The attacking power is mainly through the stikers of Adriano and Martins and this usually hides a midfield weakness. Still the option upfront and Mancini's belief in attacking football gets them an OK rating in my eyes.
Style rating: 6/10
Liverpool: with a team devoid of quality it is hard to say. On Rafa Benitez previous teams it is clear his side plays innovate passing football built on a strong foundation. But with Xabi Alonso missing this is not happening at Liverpool. They are missing serious quality. But any team that think Gerrard is an outstanding playmaker is sadly deluded. His game is about passion and a high-tempo. He is a poor-mans Frank Lampard and i hope Chelsea do not sign him as he adds nothing. Their defence is shocking too, i expect an imminent exit. For implementing players such as Milan Baros and Luis Garcia i will give them an OK rating.
Style rating: 6/10
Lyon: an outstanding and underrated team by all accounts. People must realise that this is a team now without Dhorasoo, Lyuindula and Elber from last year. Lyon is a fine example of how you can implement cautious but innovative football at the same time. Strong resilient defence, with an abundance of attacking options in midfield. The veteran Brazilain Juninho a major force, but with support from Essien, Malouda and Govou. Their weakness lies upfront with a lack of a formidable striker. This will be their main priority in the summer. They have the young Brazilian Nilmar who will be fantastic but as of yet is a little lightweight. An excellent side my favourite of the tournament thus far.
Style rating: 8/10
Juventus: possibly the biggest name anti-football team of recent years. There is always a perception of how Juventus play the game and in many ways this still exist with Capello in charge. It was his decision to sign Emerson who despite his nationality is very much a solid player. Yesterday both Camoranesi and Zambrotta were excellent in the wide areas but they are both Italian (or at least one is!). Unlike Milan their Italian midfielders are used as creative aspects and the reality is Italy has struggled in this area for some time. Juventus are capable of creative, tactical and disciplined performances and Italian players still have finesse and technique but the reality is foreign help is needed in this area. So why have they been given a higher rating than Chelsea? Simple Capello has demonstrated his attacking intent of late. Playing with 3 stikers shows this. Trezeguet was on the bench and Mutu may be available at some stage. Also they have one of the finest midfield playmakers on his day in Pavel Nedved. I think Juventus and Capello will do what Bayern and Felix Magath has done. Once a trophy is secured this summer he will have the freedom to oversee the attacking revolution he wants. Who knows next year it will be Juventus achieving the highest rating?
Style rating: 7/10
PSV: the worst side left in. They play a typical dutch 4-3-3. The strongest point is the defence and organisation brought by the coach Guus Hiddink the man who coached S.Korea to Semis on WC2002. They have midfielders of the like of van Bommel, Vogel and Cocu. Upfront it gets better mainly through Peruvian Farfan. I think Wolverine, will agree that domestically both AZ Alkmaar and Feyenoord play better attractive football. However, they have done well to get this far so i won't hold it against them too much I'm not a fan.
Style rating: 3/10
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Of course some of them are violent, but it would be really stupid to claim that all of them are hooligans, because it certainly isn't the case. The work of ultras is very well organized and they might fight with rival ultras sometimes, but 'in the scene' it's always a tragedy when someone dies or or gets his fingers slashed of.
