Goal Post!!! – By Chetan Narula.

Its all about winning now……

Man U boss Sir Alex Ferguson and his Chelsea counterpart Jose Mourinho had a 200 pounds bottle of wine after the 1-1 draw at old Trafford this Sunday. Irony is that only one of them will be opening champagne bottles at the end of the season.

Why will it again be Chelsea? Because simply put Man U blew their best chance of the season to gain a 6 point advantage over the defending champions. You are 1-0 up on your turf and letting that slip away was the big mistake. But was it really a mistake or it just had to happen. After all its only Chelsea that can go down by a goal and come back in the second half and swamp the midfield. So much so that the Blues’ possession in the second half was a staggering 70 percent which contributed to an overall 61% match possession. Yes only Chelsea is capable of such a thing in world football at the moment.

Why it won’t be Manchester United? Simply because they have to play away at Arsenal, Liverpool, and of course Chelsea. Arsenal might be a dicey game to predict, because that is what the Gunners have become ever since they left Highbury. Unpredictable on even their home turf. Liverpool is another sad story at the moment. True they can’t seem to win away from Anfield but against United and at home would be a different story altogether. Plus their home form has been not that bad. Last but the most important is the trip to Chelsea. The mere fact that they haven’t lost at Stamford Bridge in the premier league under Mourinho is scary enough if you are a Reds’ fan but add to it the pressure of season ending games and one will understand why Sir Alex’s young team is going to struggle.

So what many may say? That’s just three matches, nine points. But one can be forgiven to think so. These are nine big points. Who can today bet that Man U will get nine out of nine, or six out of nine or even three out of these nine at stake. And that’s what puts the title race in to perspective this year. The Christmas period is right on the doorstep and this is un-chartered territory for this Chelsea side which has never trailed before. Sort of a challenge for Jose one would say and believe me they will go all out.

Chelsea has had their share of bad luck this season. One of their key strikers is not firing, there is even talk of sending Shevchenko back to Italy. Ballack hasn’t settled down either and only God knows when Cech is going to return to the Chelsea defense. Plus they have already lost two games this season and I am pretty sure this number will not rise again.

Manchester United has just lost the one game against Arsenal at home and frankly speaking this is what worries me. Imagine a Tottenham or Bolton side going ahead against them and then just laying down their lives to defend it. These sort of games happen in the league almost every year and there is no telling when it might not be your day. Plus their defense is as solid as only Van de Saar, with no knowing when Ferdinand and others might just fowl up. And they have been known to foul up, especially Ferdinand.

Of course the scenario could happen to Chelsea too but I think it has already happened to them twice this season. The chances of lightning striking a third time at the same place are quite rare as compared to say, striking down United for the first time. Plus how many times do Terry, Carvalho and co. leak goals as compared to the United defense and you will get your answer. Compare the attacking options, and Chelsea is ahead still. Ferguson may go gaga over Saha and co. but deep inside he knows his only reliable bet is Rooney. With Chelsea goals have come from Geremi, Terry and Carvalho. Add Drogba who simply can’t stop scoring plus Joe Cole, Robben and Lampard with a touch more form. Scary isn’t it and I haven’t even mentioned, what if Shevchenko finds his touch.

All is not lost though. The best part is that they still lead Chelsea by three points and with the transfer window opening up soon, Manchester united can reinforce their squad by adding Fernando Torres and Owen Hargreaves, although these might just end up as rumours.

But one thing is for sure. By drawing that game, Jose has played his move and is setting up Ferguson for a check mate. The onus, nay pressure, to respond and prevent it, is on Manchester United.

Yorked!!! – By Chetan Narula.

Get your battle fatigues on.…..

Before you read this article I must warn you that you should not expect any comments regarding the 91 run rout at Durban or the mauling in Cape Town. No I haven t got any words for those two matches in my dictionary. It’s the next two I am bothered about.

India is in their favourite position once again. And yes I expect some great things from them in the next two ODIs. You must be thinking that I am talking through my hat. But no. You see the Indian cricket team is cornered again and this is the exact frame of mind they work best in. It has happened before when they were routed on the tour to New Zealand and came out with flying colors in the world cup. So it is actually good Chappell sir that the politicians are talking as they somehow manage to inspire your boys to deliver their best, which you have somehow failed to do in the current series.

Talking about the resources available to the team at the moment and Zimbabwe looks a much better squad in comparison. Dravid’s injury could not have come at a worse moment and it is up to Sehwag and Sachin now to resurrect the sagging Indian fortunes. But the big question is how long can you rely on Sehwag, if at all. Somebody who has been hiding his poor form under the cover of his “natural game” now finds the reins of the team in his hands. An out of form captain and a team reeling under tremendous pressure reminds us of a year back when Ganguly was forced to relinquish his throne. So again I ask, should Sehwag be the one leading the team at the moment?

Returning to the resources part, VVS Laxman has been sent to reinforce the team in the absence of Dravid and again one can question that logic. Somebody deemed unfit for ODIs is again picked to act as a saviour, and again you could question Greg’s team selection policy during the past year. My sympathies go out to the poor Hyderabadi batsman. In no certain terms am I saying that he should be in the ODI squad (he cant field anywhere except the slips, for god’s sake), my point being that if he is drafted in to the squad and if we lose again which we will, its his head which will roll and that is very unfair to him as a player. But who says Indian cricket is fair? Ask Sourav or even Kumble.

Mention Kumble and we come to bowling department, which surprisingly has done much better than the famed batting line up. Sure the fast bowlers have only fired in spells but they have been good spells. Zaheer is back to his best and Kumble is giving him good support in the middle overs. What they need is for some one else to stand up and be counted. Pathan for example, it has been a long time since he bowled a good spell or two. Harbhajan has looked below par so far but the pitch at Port Elizabeth is drier than even the Cape Town strip so you may never know. Grapevine is that Sreesanth may get a look in which might not be a bad move given that Munaf is injured and Agarkar is back to his getting spanked ways.

Much is not expected from Mongia and Raina even if they play, but Jaffer might get a look in again if the team decides to drop Tendulkar to number 4. This is one move which might just lend the batting the teeth it has been missing so far. All in all here’s hoping for a face saving win. Is that too much to ask? Ok, I will rephrase, guys give us a respectable defeat.

Yorked!!! – By Chetan Narula.

Prelude to the Ashes……

I have been watching cricket since 1991, and the only major achievement of the English cricket team all this while has been, well the Ashes series they won last year. So much so that many English dailies called it the biggest prize in world cricket, ironically overlooking the World Cup, a tournament they started and have never won. You might argue that they had an amazing run of “achievements” when they beat both Pakistan and Sri Lanka in their own dens, but almost the whole of Britain would agree that they were mere blotches.

So now let us get realistic as to how much chance do they have of taking back the prized urn. None if you are an Australian but luckily for the English, not every one in world cricket is. The romantic cricket fan would really love to see them give it back to the Aussies like they did last year, but then a realistic fan would grimace at the difference b/w the English side this time and the Ashes winner last year.

Much has changed since then. The Ashes winning side of last year had just come back from a successful tour of the Caribbean. The players were all fit, in-form and geared up for the battles ahead. Plus they had already stuck it up to the Aussies in the pre-test ODI series. This time though, it is different. Half the side has changed, due to injuries (Michael Vaughan, Simon Jones), poor form or breaking down due to excessive cricket (Trescothick). The three names I have mentioned here will be the most missed by the English fans as the tour goes on. Their absence means that Strauss, Pieterson, Flintoff and Harmison will have to be the beasts of burden and that puts additional pressure on Flintoff as captain.

But the major disadvantage this time will be the run in they have had before the tour down under. They were bruised and battered not only in India, but also humiliated at home against both Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Only their test performances at home would give them a splinter of hope. But the early form in the practice matches in Australia suggests that they are ready to be blown away both by the bat and the ball.

Much has changed in the Australian camp too, since then. Albeit only minor changes, but significant changes. The Aussies last year were all conquering and needed a jolt of some sort as many would argue that a bit of complacency was creeping in. Plus they had lost Mcgrath and the batsmen’s form mid-series and nobody stood up to support Warne’s efforts. This time though, it is different. All their players are in form thanks to good outings in both Kuala Lampur and the Champions trophy in India. The team is again a heady mix of youth and experience and the old guns, Mcgrath, Gilchrist and Warne are charged up because this might be their last chance at redemption. Add to that the revenge of Ponting’s bat, the zing of Symmonds, Clarke and Martyn, or the nip of Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson, and I bet if anybody would want to be a part of the touring English party.

The English team has arrived for the Ashes at a really horrible time given their resources, mental strength or form, or should I say the lack of them. The point is if they do consider the Ashes a greater prize than the World Cup itself, it would be really hard for them to give it up.