SPORTS SATURDAY, AUGUST 9, 2014 Spurs hope Pochettino can find path back to glory days LONDON: Tottenham Hotspur have been one of the Southampton, exuded positive feelings about the chal- Lamela, 26 million on Soldado, 17 million on Paulinho most consistent clubs in the Premier League over the last lenge he faces. “In England major goals can be achieved, and another 35 million on four others including Christian five seasons but they will be delighted to lose that tag no matter how complicated or out of reach they may Eriksen from Ajax Amsterdam, the only one of the seven under new Argentine coach Mauricio Pochettino. seem. “You see Liverpool, Tottenham, (Manchester) City, to make any real impact. Lamela and Soldado were par- Because, despite having a talented squad with great Chelsea, Arsenal, (Manchester) United, Everton - teams ticularly poor. depth, young home-grown players breaking into the first with good footballers, capable of being at the top of the With Spurs failing to gel, coach Andre Villas-Boas was team, regular European football and the expected start to table with the conviction they can win the Premier axed in December and his replacement Tim Sherwood building work on a new 58,000-seater stadium, League. “This is not a two-club league,” he said, “there was jettisoned at the end of the season. Tottenham have under-achieved year after year. will be more clubs fighting for it.” Perhaps Pochettino Spurs turned to Pochettino, impressed by his work at Since he took over in 2001 the goal of chairman could be the one who succeeds where his predecessors Southampton who finished eighth last season, following Daniel Levy has been to turn Tottenham back into the failed, and he has enjoyed a positive pre-season build-up on from his achievements at Espanyol. In contrast to last title-winning, or at least title-challenging, elite European with Spurs unbeaten so far. summer, and by their own previous standards, Spurs outfit they were in the early 1960s. But so far he has The most revealing aspect of the warm-ups was the have hardly dipped a toe in the transfer market yet. failed. For the last five seasons Spurs have finished 4th, form and appetite shown by Eric Lamela and Roberto Defenders Ben Davies and Eric Dier, and goalkeeper 5th, 4th, 5th and 6th. Pochettino is the 10th coach Levy Soldado, two of the seven players who arrived at Spurs a Michel Vorm, are the only arrivals. Midfielder Gylfi has worked with in 13 years. year ago when Gareth Bale went to Real Madrid for a Sigurdsson is the only notable departure as Pochettino In an interview in this month’s Four Four Two maga- world-record 85 million pounds ($143 million). reshapes his squad and Spurs try again to break back zine, Pochettino, 42 and previously in charge of Spurs spent a club-record fee of 30 million pounds on into, and stay among, the elite. — Reuters King Louis can bring the smile back to Man United LONDON: Charismatic, assured and meticulous, Manchester United manag- Jose er Louis Van Gaal has quickly stamped Mourinho his authority on a club desperate to return to the summit of English foot- ball. Chelsea look to Fabregas After a dismal season under David Moyes, United acted quickly to appoint as key to new season the experienced Dutchman to restore them to former glories and he has LONDON: Chelsea fans have grown used to seeing new faces in made an oustanding start. their team at the start of each season but this year it is a familiar Although critical of the demands of one that they are probably most excited about. a long pre-season tour of the United Cesc Fabregas was one of the stars of the Premier League dur- States, Van Gaal led United to five wins ing his eight years with London rivals Arsenal before he rejoined out of five against opponents of the Barcelona, his boyhood club, in 2011. calibre of Real Madrid, AS Roma Inter His return to London looks like it could be one of the most sig- Milan and Liverpool. He decided to nificant signings in English football this summer. Chelsea coach adopt the 5-3-2 formation he deployed Jose Mourinho hopes Fabregas will provide the creative spark with such success to lead the from midfield that contributed to Chelsea’s struggle to score Netherlands to third place in the World goals in the 2013/14 season. Cup and the United players immediate- Mourinho’s side won all but one of their encounters with the ly embraced it. other teams that finished in the top four last season. But they Antonio Valencia, Luke Shaw and often failed to break down the massed defences of less ambitious Ashley Young, a frustrated and periph- Louis Van Gaal sides, dropping the points which cost them the title. The eral figure under Moyes, relished the Portuguese coach sees Fabregas fitting the hole left by Frank demands of the wing-back role so cru- haunted-looking and baffling perform- midfielders Marouane Fellaini, Nani, Lampard whose attacking instincts made him Chelsea’s all-time cial to the success of the system. ances in front of the cameras. Anderson and probably Tom Cleverley. top scorer despite playing in midfield. Lampard left Chelsea at Van Gaal made it clear from the start An imposing and experienced cen- the end of last season after 13 years with the club. that Robin van Persie and Wayne CONFIDENT SHOW tral defender is a priority along with “I see him everywhere, because he can play everywhere,” Rooney would be his two main strikers The 62-year-old Dutchman exuded another combative midfielder, Mourinho said of Fabregas. “His best quality is the speed with with Juan Mata operating in the num- confidence in his first Old Trafford news although Darren Fletcher impressed in which he analyses the game and executes it. He’s very intelligent. ber 10 position just behind them. conference, recognising the size and the U.S. and Michael Carrick has yet to We need his football brain in our team.” The diminutive Spaniard relished rich history of the organisation he was return from injury. Van Persie did not Fabregas will be expected to help bring out the best in the responsibility of playing in his joining embodied by former United go on the tour following his exertions Chelsea’s other big signings, including Diego Costa who was favoured position and with compatriot player and current director Bobby at the World Cup but Rooney, looking bought from Atletico Madrid in response to the continued incon- Ander Herrera providing tenacity and Charlton. fit and sharp, will be a vital player for sistency of fellow Spain striker Fernando Torres. vision behind him the United midfield He was not afraid to criticise the tour United, who won the Premier League Costa scored 64 goals in 134 appearances for Atletico, a stark looked a cohesive unit once again. schedule nor to change the arrange- title 13 times under Alex Ferguson contrast with Torres at Chelsea who found the net only 11 times A defence shorn of experienced stal- ments made, ordering officials to book between 1993 and 2013. last season. Torres may even be edged out further by the return warts Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand the players into a Holiday Inn closer to Van Gaal has a tough choice to make to London of Didier Drogba, now 36 but guaranteed a hero’s wel- and Patrice Evra also looked compact. their training facilities in Los Angeles about who will be his captain and come by Chelsea’s fans. They will never forget the Ivorian’s last Only four goals were conceded in rather than staying at the opulent although he may appear likely to appearance for the Blues in the Champions League final of 2012 five matches, three of them penalties, Beverly Hills Plaza hotel. favour his compatriot Van Persie, he is when he played a huge part in the win over Bayern Munich. With and Phil Jones, Jonny Evans and Chris Van Gaal knows he still has plenty of well aware of Rooney’s importance to Mourinho under pressure to win silverware after a barren first Smalling adapted quickly to the work to do, not least in the transfer the team and may decide to hand the season back in London, his priority has been to find a way to get demands of the new formation. market with Shaw and Herrera the only Englishman the honour. Chelsea to score more goals. Van Gaal will surely sign at least one major signings made since Moyes left. The opening league game of the But he has also shored up the Premier League’s meanest experienced central defender, with He promised to give the existing season is at home against Swansea defence from last season - Chelsea conceded 27 goals in 38 German Mats Hummels and Belgian squad the chance to show what they City. Twelve months ago Moyes faced games, 10 fewer than champions Manchester City. Thomas Vermaelen reported targets, were capable of on the tour of the US the same opponents in his first com- Brazilian left back Filipe Luis and Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut but with Spanish goalkeeper David de and some players, notably Young and petitive match as manager and a 4-1 Courtois both arrived from Atletico Madrid after impressing in Gea now firmly established the United striker Javier Hernandez, boosted their win in Wales proved to be a completely the Spanish club’s elimination of Chelsea in the semi-finals of last rearguard has a solid look.