The Half Volley

These are our opinions on soccer.

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The Premier League recently decided to remind us that today is the seventh anniversary of an exhilarating 4-4 draw between Liverpool and Arsenal in the Premier League.

As the Premier League’s Facebook page reminds us, this was Andre Arshavin’s best performance in an Arsenal shirt. It’s worth looking at that Gunners lineup and recalling how many failed transfers are in that team. Arsenal fans will not look back fondly on Mickael Silvestre, Denilson, Nicklas Bendtner, Lukasz Fabianski or indeed Arshavin. The Russian is very talented and I personally found his Euro 2008 performances exhilarating, but he never managed to consistently harness that form after leaving Zenit St. Petersburg. A player with his almost otherworldly vision and elastic technique should be playing somewhere better than Kairat Almaty.

It’s also notable how solid the spine of that Liverpool team is. Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano was a central midfield combination good enough to win the Premier League. Fernando Torres was one of the best strikers in the world during his time at Liverpool. Only in retrospect do we truly realize what a good player Dirk Kuyt was. But Rafael Benitez allowed himself to be content with too many mediocre squad players (Yossi Benayoun and Albert Riera) and seemed to fall for fools gold in the market for young players too often (Nabil El Zhar and Ryan Babel came on as substitutes in this match).

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Newcastle paradoxes, pt. 3. Jamaal Lascelles

Jamaal Lascelles is a 22-year-old center back Newcastle signed in the summer from Nottingham Forest. He shows few signs of being particularly good. Yet he is also seemingly the only Newcastle player who can speak to the media in a way that reassures the fans. This makes him effectively undroppable.

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Newcastle paradoxes, pt. 2. Mathieu Debuchy.

Before leaving Newcastle for Arsenal, right-back Debuchy was often cited as the only Newcastle outfield player playing to his potential. He started France’s four meaningful games at the 2014 World Cup and got himself a move to Arsenal.

His successor at right-back was Daryl Janmaat. Like Debuchy, he is often cited as the only Newcastle outfield player doing his job.

In Janmaat’s injury-enforced absence, Vurnon Anita has taken his spot at right-back. Until then, Janmaat’s Dutch compatriot had been a pretty unimpressive central midfielder for Newcastle, although he had played at right-back earlier in his career.

In the April 21 edition of The Guardian’s Football Weekly podcast, deputy sports editor Barry Glendenning described Anita as “a revelation” at right-back. Meanwhile Mathieu Debuchy is caught in limbo at Arsenal, not really even on the bench.

So is there some special magic about the right-back position at Newcastle?

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Newcastle paradoxes pt. 1. Jonjo Shelvey.

Four months ago, Jonjo Shelvey signed for Newcastle. He looked like a potential savior for the relegation-threatened club. He not only had good technique and passed with truly rare range and accuracy, but he looked to be one of the only players actually fighting for the shirt.

Three months ago, Jonjo Shelvey became Newcastle’s captain. It seemed intuitive to give the armband a player that young and talented, who appeared to be setting an example to lead by.

Two weeks ago, new Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez dropped Shelvey and stripped him of the captaincy. The heretofore undermotivated Moussa Sissoko took his armband, the heretofore undermotivated Cheick Tiote took his spot in midfield, and Newcastle got a win and a draw.

Shelvey is a rare talent. He can pass the ball crisply and accurately over 80 yards, which is something hardly anyone can do. At times when you watch him, he can give you the impression you’re seeing the game played in a whole new way. So what the heck is wrong with him? Why can’t he just make that talent count?

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The 17 year old's stellar movement coupled with a seasoned first touch was a thing of beauty. Pulisic has consistently caused havoc down the left wing this season with his pace, but his smart movement and clinical finishing were on display early for Dortmund. It's hard not to be cynical hearing about "the next young American star," but it's hard not to be overly excited about his meteoric progression prior to legally being able to vote.

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The scoring has slowed a little. Now we are only on course for Tigres 10-5 Dorados. It’s Gignac’s second.

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Oops. Looks like it was actually his first. Rafael Sobis scored the first goal for Tigres. Jurgen Damm has since scored a third.

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The scoring has slowed a little. Now we are only on course for Tigres 10-5 Dorados. It’s Gignac’s second.

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If the goals continue to come at this rate, this game will end Tigres 30-30 Dorados. I will be OK with that.

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Bayern needs a creator

Bayern has dominated the ball against Schalke today, but the game went into halftime goalless. To me the problem seems to be the absence of anyone who can dictate the play. Players who usually do that (Thiago Alcantara, Xabi Alonso, Joshua Kimmich, Jerome Boateng) are on the bench. David Alaba appears to be the man tasked with switching the play and making penetrative passes.

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I’m going to say I was wrong about this. For one thing, Arturo Vidal improved the tempo of his passing in the second half and Bayern did better. For another, it turned out the appropriate strategy was crossing. Schalke was trying to duplicate the formation Juventus had used to frustrate Bayern on March 16 in the Champions League. In that game, Bayern eventually drew level by firing in crosses. That was how Bayern won this game too, targeting Schalke’s right flank. First David Alaba played a high ball into the Schalke right-back zone that found its way to Robert Lewandowski. Then Rafinha placed a beautiful cross on Lewandowski’s head from the left wing. Then Franck Ribery bustled into the box to square for Arturo Vidal. The game really emphasized the multitude of different ways Bayern can hurt opponents. Schalke showed a lot of discipline and organization in the first half, though, and can take heart.

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Here’s Bayern’s zonal marking system right before the final whistle. It’s notable from this corner how easily Dennis Aogo, over the ball, found Joel Matip (No 32), one of two players along with Alessandro Schopf (21) in Kingsley Coman’s zone. Nevertheless, the Fox broadcast team says Bayern has not conceded from a set piece in the league this season, so the zonal system must be working.

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It had nothing to do with Sacha Reither’s aerial abilities, but it’s notable that the Schalke defender (27) was beaten badly twice by Franck Ribery for Arturo Vidal’s goal, Bayern’s third.

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Another cross targeting the right side of Schalke’s defense, another goal for Robert Lewandowski. Note that Sacha Reither is way out of position above Roman Neustadter, closest to Lewandowski, and Joel Matip. A very good cross from Rafinha.

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Joshua Kimmkich comes on for Medhi Benatia. This substitution really goes to show Pep Guardiola’s confidence in Kimmich in this role, and how unconventional he is as a coach. He’s trying to guard a lead, so he takes off his only recognized center back.

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Who just said balls from wide areas to the Schalke right would be the most fruitful avenue for Bayern?

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More Bayern-Schalke thoughts

It just occurred to me that Schalke’s tactics are an attempt to replicate what Juventus did against Bayern in the second leg of their Champions League Round of 16 game. In that match, Guardiola changed Bayern’s tactics completely and started relying on crosses, Especially on Bayern’s left, where they could capitalize on Sacha Reither’s small stature, that could be a fruitful avenue for Bayern here.

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Bayern needs a creator

Bayern has dominated the ball against Schalke today, but the game went into halftime goalless. To me the problem seems to be the absence of anyone who can dictate the play. Players who usually do that (Thiago Alcantara, Xabi Alonso, Joshua Kimmich, Jerome Boateng) are on the bench. David Alaba appears to be the man tasked with switching the play and making penetrative passes.

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Tom Davies of Everton. Today 17-year-old had an eye-catching debut against Southampton today. His best moment came when he slid in to steal the ball from Steve Davis in the Everton penalty area, then dropped his shoulder to beat two Southampton players and slid a pass to fellow debutee Callum Connolly. His touch is assured, his passing is clever, and he looks robust. I’m excited to see more of him soon.