Free Kick November Issue

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FREE KICK www.free-kick.co.cc November 2009 Will the money transcend into success? - Kyle Smith questions the success of Galacticos v2.0 Also featuring FeverPitch in the hot seat!!! Photo: Official Presentation of Cristiano Ronaldo, www.realmadrid.com

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2 Free Kick Magazine Editors: J. Gardiner, Jay Telfer, Maaz Ahmet, Craig Ritchie, Chibueze Osuoji, Mohammad Saleh, Kyle Smith © 2009 Free Kick Magazine. All rights reserved. The information written by Free Kick Magazine may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the prior written authority of Free Kick. Free Kick Plus editions available for $4 USA, $4.50 Australian, $5.50 New Zealand, £2.50 UK, €2.75 Euros Free Kick Plus contains extra and exclusive articles, local news, and less ads! Free Kick Plus shall begin next issue and coincide with a free edition. Contact the Free Kick staff today to find out if you can buy an issue. Free-kick.co.cc www.free-kick.co.cc

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3 Staff Section Message from the Editor: It looks like it’s going to be another amazing issue, another huge success. Really, guys, thanks for your support – we couldn’t do it without you. This month, Free Kick has seen huge changes. We’ve seen freekicks.tk exit, and what is at the moment free-kick.co.cc has become our new (albeit temporary) home (we’re looking to buy the URL freekick.com). So thanks again, guys, for your support of our new website. Here’s why it’s worth a look (and much more!): First of all, our website is very new and there are still some bugs we need to fix, as well as add a much greater amount of content. But we are playing to have 24/7 news and analysis for each league. We’ll also continue Around the World, a daily roundup of the most major news of that day. Of course, the website is great in that we can communicate with the reader no matter when the next issue is set to release. We are going to try and give you match previews, recaps, and analysis, so stay tuned to our website for quality journalism. You can discuss articles by writing a comment. And we also have our newest feature: the forum. Here you can sign up and discuss football. We welcome fans of any club, and we will discuss practically anything interesting related to the sport. We have an off-topic forum as well. So far, so good, as we’ve seen about 40 users sign up within the space of 2 weeks, many remaining active. Say hi in the introduction thread, then post with fellow fans of your club in your club’s own forum, and also find some more footballing buddies in the General Discussion and League Discussion forums. Thanks again guys; it’s your help that has been pulling us onward. It’s your support that’s keeping us rolling. And it’s the love of the game that’s fueling all that; and we don’t intend for that to stop us anytime soon. By J. Gardiner, Editor-In-Chief Contribute to the magazine or website by emailing articles to burpertron@hotmail.com.

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4 Table of Contents November 2009 www.free-kick.co.cc State of Play Europe Pg. 5, Worldwide Pg. 12 Fever Pitch in the Hot seat!! Editorials Real Madrid: Will the success transcend into money? Pg. 30, Is Alessandro Nesta back to his best? Pg 33, The Curious Case of Alex Song Pg 37, Age Starting to Catch up… Pg, 40 Is the Gold coast still shining? La Liga Youngsters Pg 43 Legends Player: Ted Drake Pg 48, Coaches: Sir Alf Ramsey Pg 41 Training Grounds Positions, The defender, the midfielder and the attacker.. Pg 58

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5 The State of Play In each issue’s Free Kick, we take a look at what is happening in all of the world’s major leagues. Stats are correct as of the night of Saturday November 7, 2009. English Premier League It is a quite remarkable season in the English Premier League. The average amount of goals per game is over three, 337 goals from 111 games. As I type, the top 3 all have played 11 games, while 4th and 5th (Spurs and Villa respectively) have played 12. Chelsea is currently 1st with 27 points out of a possible 33. Losses to Wigan and Aston Villa have put large dents in their title hopes…but the London club’s consistency and excellent defensive record (8 goals conceded in 11 games is the best in the league) have kept them in 1st. An Arsenal side oozing depth and class is next with 25 points, followed by Manchester United, Tottenham, and Villa. Manchester City is next with 20 points from 11 games. They have had five straight league draws; disappointing for a team with so much quality. Liverpool is 7th with 18 points from 11 games. They have had only one win in eight games. What has gone amiss there…? Sunderland, Burnley, and Fulham (again) have been the teams to create major upsets this season. The bottom is very densely packed. Portsmouth is rock bottom with 7 points from 12 games. Next are Hull, Wolves, West Ham, Bolton, and Birmingham. Everton is surprisingly lagging behind in 14th place, who recently lost to Benfica 7-0 over the course of two legs. Fernando Torres is top scorer with 10 goals in 10 games. Dider Drogba has 9 goals, while Sunderland’s Darren Bent has 8. Robin Van Persie and Wayne Rooney both have 7. Cesc Fabregas is the top assister, with 10 assists. Drogba has 7, and Robin Van Persie has 6. Robin Van Persie was named Premier League Player of the Month for October, while Fulham manager Roy Hodgson won the managerial award.

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7 Spanish La Liga Barcelona is currently 1st with 26 points from 10 games. Real Madrid is a point behind. Sevilla has only 19, but they’ve played a game less. Deportivo, Valencia, and Mallorca are all next in the line. Glancing at the bottom half of the table will tell you that Villareal have managed to improve to…14th with 9 points from 9 games. Atletico Madrid is in the relegation zone, 18th, with 7 points from 10 games. Xerez is last with 5 points from 9. That game in hand could theoretically drop Athletico even farther down the table. David Villa, Lionel Messi, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic all lead the scoring charts with 7 goals. Seydou Keita and Walter Pandiani are next with 6. Cristiano Ronaldo has only 5, but 5 from 5 games.

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8 Italian Serie A Inter is leading the way with 28 points from 11 games. Juve is next with 24 from 12 games. So it seems as if Inter are running away with the title. Sampdoria, Milan, and Fiorentina are the teams that are all almost there, and strong youthful sides Napoli and Genoa are right behind. Roma and Lazio hold 14th and 15th respectively, and Siena is dead last with 6 points from 11 games. Udinese’s Antonio Di Natale is top scorer with 9 goals. Marek Hamsik, Diego Milto, and Giampaolo Pazzini all have 7 goals. Totti and Trezeuget have 6, while Ibrahimovic’s replacement for Inter, Samuel Eto’o, has 5. French Ligue One Bordeaux is once again leading the table, with 25 points from 11 games, 2 points ahead of rivals Lyon. Auxerre and Monaco are surprisingly 3rd and 4th. Marseille is 8th, while PSG is 12th. Winless Grenoble remains last with 1 point from 12 games. Hugo Lloris recently has been one of the standout players of the league, with his exploits in goals for Lyon. Monaco’s Brazilian Nenê is leading the scoring charts with 9 goals. Four players are tied with 6 goals: Mamadou Niang, Youssouf Hadji, Kevin Gameiro, and Loic Remy.

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9 German Bundesliga Bayer Leverkusen is 1st with 26 points from 12 games. Bremen and Hamburg are both next with 22 from only 11. Defending champions Wolfsburg is 5th. Surprisingly, Bayern Munich, with world class attackers, is once again underperforming, this time in 8th! Bochum is last with only 1 win. Stefan Kießling is the top scorer with 8 goals. Belgian First Division Croatian Prva HNL Danish Superliga

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10 Super League Greece Dutch Eredivisie

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11 Portugese Liga Scottish Premier League Primera Division Argentina

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12 Turkish Super Lig A-League

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13 Brazilian Serie A

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14 MLS MLS CUP FINAL TO BE PLAYED ON November 22 at 5:30pm Pacific time State of Play Done by J. Gardiner

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15 Feverpitch The Hotseat We recently caught up with a man known to many as “Feverpitch.” He used the website Goal.com’s forums almost religiously, as he gives his (somewhat) intelligent views of Arsenal Football Club and their rivals. Feverpitch answered our questions, as well as some of yours, so here’s what the man had to say: First, a little about me. I am a 24 year old Arsenal fan from Australia. I have been a member of Goal.com forums since the early days of October 2008,and I’ve enjoyed many a battle and met some amazing and interesting people from Goal.com forum’s richly diverse membership.   I want to take this opportunity to publically acknowledge J. Gardiner and his team at Free Kick and thank them for the effort they put into this magazine; it’s very inspiring to see such committed football fans starting up their own grassroots publication.   Now to the questions . . .

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16 paddymayo: Fever, recently you tried to tell me that because Eamon Dunphy saidCristiano Ronaldo wasn't world class, it must be true. Do you get your logic and stubbornness fromlistening to controversial commentators like Eamon Dunphy? Fever: Top o’ the mornin’ to ya, paddy, thank-you for your question. I can still remember the first time I laid eyes on the young Portuguese winger. It was the Euro 2004 final featuring Portugal vs Greece in Portugal and I had stayed up to watch the final at the insistence of my friend who knew I loved international football. Without any prompting I messaged my friend over MSN ‘lol, check out the pimply one with the woman’s earrings who keeps going to ground looking like he is having an epileptic fit every time someone goesnear him, what a clown!’. This was my very first impression of Cristiano Ronaldo, before I had even developed a strong knowledge or passion for club football, and it hasn’t changed much since. On another note, I will also remember the 2004 Euro final for one other thing, the first time I got to see Jimmy Jump in action . C. Ronaldo has developed into a great finisher, but never has been and never will be a great player. As for Eamon Dunphy, he is pure entertainment, that’s why he gets to keep his job and I’m glad that I’ve found my soul mate when its comes opinions on C. Ronaldo. sbaggio: How do you feel about Christian Vieri (Italian-Australian)? Fever: Buon giorno sbaggio, thank-you for your question. I can’t say I’ve watched many games featuring Vieri, he isn’t the easiest player to keep track off given his passion for travel ; ) I know he likes to play like an Aussie and benefits from a physical game. I’m proud that a footballer who has carved out such a long career in a top league in Europe enjoyed some of his foundation years down here in Australia and his continued acknowledgement of this wins him many fans down under. I also know that his brother Max has played for The Socceroos and his family has strong roots within the Australian football community.

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17 messi_10: Do you hate Pique because he used to play for Man Utd? Fever: Greetings, messi_10, thank-you for your question. No, since he doesn’t play for my team, Silvestre on the other hand . . . . And I’m not one to pour scorn on a player every time just because of their previous employers, I’m much more subjective. Take Gallas for instance who endured playing for the dreadful Chelsea FC, I think he is a terrific player and a welcome member of The Arsenal FC. I think Pique is a fine player and could one day develop into a good centre back if he continues to develop. mjgunner: On a scale of 1 to 10 how would you rate your arrogance?  Fever: Hi mjgunner, thank-you for your question. I’m like the Spinal Tap of goal.com forums, I go to 11!

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18 Free Kick Editor Jay Telfer: Have you actually read the book "Fever pitch" by Nick Hornby or watched the movie? Fever: G’day jay, thank-you for your question. Yes and No. I hear the movie is terrible. The book, however, is fantastic, I could not recommend it more and it is one book that every young man should read. Even if you are not an Arsenal fan, it is full of laughs, facts and well learnt lessons. It was the first book I read after graduating from university and I finished reading it around the time I joined goal.com forums, thus the inspiration behind the name ; ) realgunner: Fever how fast is your typing speed? Fever: I can be the pre-09/10 Aaron Lennon on a keyboard when I want to be. Lighting quick I’m sure there is a website where I can test myself, now all I need is the motivation ; )

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19 zllatko: Do you watch Porn ? Fever: Halo zllatko, thank-you for your question. I thought for a minute how I could relate this back tofootball. . . Then I remembered, there was this fantastic young keeper Isigned from Spurs when playing my beloved Pro Evo Master League a few versionsago. His name was Ben Alnwick and since it is hard for a youngkeeper to hold down a starting role he has a lot of spare time on his hands soit seems. paddymayo: Have you seen 2 girls1 cup? Fever: Another one from paddy.  Only the first few seconds. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about and didn’t watch anymore once I realised what was going on. I’d much prefer to see Arsenal Squad 1 cup ; )

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20 vcffan: What do you do in your free time when Wikipedia is down? Fever: Ahoj vcffan, thank-you for your question. Working in the higher education sector Wikipedia tends to have a bad rep amongst my colleagues. But for someone like you who is new to the game of football, it can serve as a useful tool for fundamental facts about the game. But be careful not to trust it to the full. On that note, I highly recommend everyone go watch ‘The Last Lecture’ by Randy Pausch. I finally saw it for the first time the other day on Youtube and intend on purchasing the DVD. Prof. Pausch notes that when he was younger one of his dreams was the write an article for the Encyclopedia, and when he finally achieves this later in life he questions why everyone bashes Wikipedia given that he witnessed first hand how lapse the filters were for people to write for the Encyclopedia.

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21 Free Kick Editor Jay Telfer: Were you drunk when you decided to support Arsenal (as is usually the case with Arsenalism converts)???????? Fever: Another one from jay, so if he is posting all these questions then who is watching the sheep? ; ) No, the first time I watched Arsenal I was in a church…it was a truly religious experience. That night, I experienced the most wonderful conversion ; ) zefroth: Are you a WUM in real life as well? Fever: Salutations zefroth, thank-you for your question. Girls say I’m a bit of a tease but I take no joy from making people frustrated, unless they’re some troll on an online football forum. Then it is a thrill sport, and a piece of art when done correctly.

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22 Manurooney: Why are you the way u are? Fever: Ello’ ello’, whats all this then? Thank-you for your question. Jeremiah 29:11 Checazzofai: Are you still avirgin? Fever: Grazi checazzofai, bellissimo question. AC Milan 0-2 Arsenal. Better than sex.

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23 RealMadridStats.com By Free Kick Writer Craig Ritchie

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24 Real Madrid Will the Money Transcend into Success? Kyle Smith answers the question on everyone’s mind. Can the Spanish giants reap success this season after their lavish summer of spending? It was at the Hotel Ritz in Madrid where Florentino Perez announced his return to the presidency of Real Madrid. He adopted a single slogan: The dream is back “We will build a spectacular team with top-notch players,” he said, “We have a strong sporting project which will call upon footballers to turn every match into a fascinating rendezvous.” Perez has us all eating out of his hands

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25 A season encompassed by one word, “crisis”, seemed to enforce amnesia onto Real Madrid fans all over the world. A 6-2 defeat to Barcelona at home, as well as a 5-0 knockout blow by Liverpool in the Champion’s league (their 6th consecutive elimination in the round of 16) had Los Blanco’s fans begging for a change. They instantly forgot the infamous first reign of Perez that conceived the birth of a team dubbed Los Galaticos because they were hearing whispers of names such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka. Add the name Zinedine Zidane to the mix and the Euphoria that once surrounded the club at the dawn of the millennium had returned.

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26 Perez’s first reign was, contrary to popular belief, initially successful. In the first 4 years, the club had claimed a Spanish League title, a 9th Champion’s League trophy and also a runner-up spot in the less sought after Copa Del Rey, along with a European Super Cup. The initial success was blemished by a downward spiral. A four year trophy drought was brought about by the infamous sacking of Vicente Del Bosque (Real Madrid’s coach during those days), the refusal to buy Ronaldinho because of his looks and sale of Claude Makalele, who was instrumental in Real Madrid's midfield but deemed boring by Perez, and not to mention, the release of the Merengues’ captain Fernando Hierro. Perez eventually resigned in 2006 to be succeeded by Ramon Calderon, who resigned in January this year after a rigging scandal. Calderon’s reign did see two consecutive La Liga victories, but Champion’s League embarrassment was part and parcel of the reign. Perez eventually returned as the club president on the 1st of June and his first signing was Villareal’s head coach Manuel Pellegrini. To follow him were star players Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Raul Albiol and Xabi Alonso. All these players seemed to be signed with minimal fuss, a trademark of Perez’s, and each signing sent waves of shock around the globe.

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27 Okay, now that we’ve covered everything for those who’ve had their heads in a hole for ten years: Now, the club is in a fragile state after a few too many poor performances, emphasized by a 4-0 defeat to Segunda B side Alcorcon. Perez is very successful in his dealings off the pitch, demonstrated by the now global brand that is Real Madrid, but his success on the pitch is a different story. An £80 million smile Kaka was the first to come. I’m just going to stray off-track for a moment and emphasize on the brand of Real Madrid. After the 2004–05 season, Real Madrid finished Manchester United's eight-year reign as the principal earners in world football. Real Madrid's turnover to the year ending 30 June 2005 jumped 17 % to €275.7m (£190m). In September 2007, Real Madrid was considered the most valuable football brand in Europe by BBDO; a study at Harvard University reached the conclusion that “Real Madrid is one of the 20 most important brand names and the only one in which its executives, the players, are well-known. We have some impressive figures in regard to worldwide support of the club. There are an estimated 287 million people worldwide who follow Real Madrid.”

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28 With the money earned from Real’s brand name, they’ve been able to snap up players like: Luis Figo: £38 Zinedine Zidane: £48 Ronaldo: £30 David Beckham: £24.5 Ruud Van Nistelrooy: £15 Arjen Robben: £24 Kaka: £57.5 Cristiano Ronaldo: £80 Benzema: £35 In total, Madrid spent approximately €250 million this summer and the star signings are bound to convert into even greater revenues for the club and all debt will likely be paid off after a season or two. Although, with the exceptions of Ronaldo and Raul Albiol, the stars don’t seem to be operating well together and for Madrid’s fans, anything less than the best is considered in the same light as what other fans would consider relegation as. It is true that the season is barely underway and we’re barely into November and with most players contracted until 2015, this team has a lot of time to develop and grow together. With the Champion’s League final being contested at the Santiago Bernabeau in May 2010, this team needs to gel quickly and start becoming a throwback to the Madrid team of the 1950s. With Pellegrini, an established genius in football, at the helm, operating on the right tactics, with Ronaldo settled down, with Kaka playing with God on his side, with Alonso dropping shots from 45m out, do you think that it is possible to eclipse Di Stefano, Puskas, and Gento etc.?

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29 Under the right circumstances and using the right tactics, this team could easily replicate Barcelona’s treble-winning season. Perhaps I’m biased but, you can’t help but think, with Ronaldo, Kaka, Alonso, Benzema and the more familiar faces like Casillas, Higuain, Raul and Pepe, this team is destined for success and the money will transcend into a trophy sooner or later. Can Ronaldo live up to the great Puskas? By Kyle Smith

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30 Is Alessandro Nesta Back to His Best? At the beginning of May this year, the Italian media was full of speculation that Nesta was going to retire from football. Due to chronic back problems, the 33-year-old’s last official appearance had been during a 3-1 defeat to Napoli at the Stadio San Paolo on May 11, 2008. Nesta had played in a friendly against FK Tirana in October 2008 and seemed close to making his comeback, but suffered a relapse and underwent surgery in February.Not many people would have guessed that five months later we would be talking about a Nesta who not only looks as healthy as ever, but is also back on his rightful throne as the best defender in the world. “As for Nesta, what more can I say? He has become far more than a player for us and he's indescribable. He needs a halo at the moment,” exclaimed Milan coach Leonardo.“He started this season not really knowing if he would ever play again.”That Milan now find themselves in joint-fourth position in the Campionato, and in a strong position to qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League as they rightfully sit in 2nd behind Real Madrid only by goal difference is mainly thanks to one man – Nesta. Take him out of this Milan team and it becomes unbearable to imagine who would replace him.

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31 For attackers, a fit Nesta is a nightmare. You can’t outpace him, you can’t outskill him, you can’t outjump him, you can’t outpower him, you can’t out-think him. Quite simply, the former Lazio captain is the perfect defensive specimen. The only things that critics can hold against him are the rare lapses of concentration, and of course, being so injury-prone. This problem forced Nesta to announce his international retirement shortly after the 2006 World Cup triumph, a success he only played a small role in after missing the entire knockouts with a groin problem.But his return to brilliance this season, though, has led to the whole of Italy calling for Nesta to return to national duty in time for the World Cup. "I won’t come back, not because I don’t want to, but because it puts stress on my body,” he said.“I know what people have been saying, but I know that [Marcello] Lippi understands where I am coming from, so I look forward to cheering for Italy in South Africa."

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32 How the Azzuri could do with Nesta. When you look at the backup options to centre backs Fabio Cannavaro and Giorgio Chiellini, there are real worries over what will happen to the Italy in South Africa should one of the Juventus duo be suspended or injured. It is very rare for a country to go through an entire World Cup with the same centre halves. If Italy are to go far in the tournament, they will have to use the likes of Materazzi or Legrottaglie. The results would be disastrous. Imagine how much stronger Italy will be if they travel to South Africa with Nesta, Totti and Cassano. The Azzuri would be a match for anyone. Unfortunately, the only player likely to feature out of the three is Totti – and even this hinges on the Roma star’s unreliable fitness.By Mohammad Saleh

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33 The Curious Case of Alex Song It was on 29th November 2006. Arsenal were playing Fulham at Craven Cottage just days after a 3-1 defeat to Sam Allardyces’ Bolton Wanderers. However, the Gunners never recovered from a nightmare opening twenty minutes which saw Arsene Wenger’s side go 2-0 down. Robin van Persie’s wonderful free-kick threatened to bring the away side back into the game but it ended in a 2-1 defeat. Arsenal favourite Paul Merson was commentating on the game on radio and couldn’t believe what he saw. “Arsenal are getting destroyed and Alex Song needs to come off”, it was only half time but the former England midfielder continued, “I’ve not really seen Song play before but the Arsenal fans are absolutely slating him and I think Wenger will have a song to sing to him at half time about his performance”. Alex Song was replaced at half time by Cesc Fabregas. Song had had a nightmare. He was clearly at fault for the second goal when he allowed Luis Boa Morte to nutmeg him and then run past him with such ease to set up Fulham’s second goal, scored by Steed Malbranque. But it wasn’t just this disastrous piece of defending that had upset the watching Gooners, several misplaced passes, missing tackles and almost scoring an own goal rounded off a horrifying first half performance.

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34 The days that followed made for unpleasant reading for the Cameroonian. The then teenage midfielder was victimized by several football forums across the internet, whilst the media covering the match are quick to pick up on the then-19 year-old’s display. One point made at the time rather infamously, was that Alex Song was Arsene Wenger’s ‘worst ever signing’ despite a handful of appearances. No one could surely have predicted that three years later that the African would be an important part of the gunner’s midfield and most fans dreading the holding midfielder’s impending absence due to the 2010 African cup of nations. It has been quite a turn around. At the end of the 2007/08 season Arsene Wenger decided to let experienced midfielder Gilberto Silva leave the club, whilst Mathieu Flamini who had endured a terrific season left on a free and joined Milan. Frenchman Lassana Diarra was also allowed to leave in the season.

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35 Alex Song in his days with Bastia in France January window during the season, joining Portsmouth, before becoming a vital part of Real Madrid. The lost of three top defensive midfielders within the space of 6 months was heavily publicised, and in some quarters still is, by fans and the media. This meant that the gunners began last season with just one recognized holding midfielder, Alex Song. Though, it was Denilson who was given the nod alongside Cesc Fabregas in the early point of the season whilst the likes of Song, Abou Diaby and Aaron Ramsey had to look on from the bench. 5 defeats in 15 games was evidence that something was missing. It was also evident that Denilson was too similar to Fabregas. Denilson, like Song in 2006, was criticised by the fans despite Wenger’s constant applauding of the Brazilian. Captain Fabregas then picked up a knee injury in a clash with Liverpool and it was revealed he would be out for 4 months. This could be seen as the moment that put Song where he is today. He rotated with Diaby and Denilson in the midfield until Fabregas’ return, when he was installed permanently in midfield alongside the Spaniard. His good form had seen him move significantly up the pecking order. One by one, gunners everywhere began to change their opinion of the 22 year-old. Admissions such as “Is this the same player?” were common inside the Emirates Stadium. Though, the season ended in disappointment. Knocked out of the champions league comprehensively by Manchester United, defeated by Chelsea in the FA cup and 4th place in the league means a fourth season in a row without a trophy. Cue the intense calls for summer signings. Many defensive midfielders were linked with a move to Arsenal. Marcos Senna, Lorik Cana and Blaisue Matuidi the most common. But just defender Thomas Vermaelen was added to the squad, whilst Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor are sold.

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36 Song Playing for Arsenal This Season Wenger changed the Arsenal formation during the summer, from a 4-4-2 to a Barcelona-like 4-3-3. Thus far it has worked wonders and Alex Song has developed into one of the most important players in the formation. His early season performances at Celtic and Everton were praised by the media. Song has featured dominantly alongside Cesc Fabregas, whilst Abou Diaby and Denilson, who have also enjoyed a terrific start to the season, have also played their part. Some people are still unconvinced though. Controversial ex-footballer Stan Collymore even recently suggested (bizarrely) that Song was the “weakest link” in the Arsenal side. Gunners fans everywhere could find out a lot more about the African in January when Song participates in the African cup of Nations. His impending absence will leave Wenger with a large hole to feel in the midfield. Unless anyone is bought, the more attack minded Diaby, Denilson and Samir Nasri could be asked to feel this combative position in a month which sees Wenger’s side face trick games away to Aston Villa and Bolton before a home clash with Manchester United. Whether Song is the answer could ultimately depend on whether or not the trophy drought is ended this season. By Samuel

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37 Age Starting to Catch Up... They talk about teams like AC Milan, for example, at the start of a new season being too old to win or even get anywhere, and that this time they may well miss out on qualification for the UEFA Champions League. Yet in many cases, notably the 2006-2007 season, the critics are proven wrong as AC Milan won the UEFA Champions League despite being written off at the start of the season. Though being the big club they are, no-one could call it a shock result. They fully deserved it in the way they played, with star player Kaka pulling the strings in midfield. Though nowadays, particularly this year, when the critics say a player is too old, he is too old. This may not necessarily affect a team, but it certainly affects a player. Gone are the days when he could run round like in his prime, with his muscles and bones at the peak of their condition. With the exception of many a Goalkeeper, their days at the top are or should be, done. Continue, and this is what can happen… Look at Marek Jankulovski, Gianluca Zambrotta and even Massimo Ambrosini and Gennaro Gattuso, all from AC Milan. They are all players that are past their best, and despite 3 of those 4 given legendary status at the club, they wouldn’t exactly make in into a World XI team, at least no longer.

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38 Zambrotta, the odd one out (though he is considered a legend at Juventus) his career went downhill after Italy’s 2006 World Cup win with an unsuccessful move to Barcelona. Returning to Italy he has found the game there not entirely his forte anymore and has been dropped in favour of younger stars Ignazio Abate and Mathieu Flamini. Inter Milan’s Marco Materazzi shares a similar story. A real star of the Italian World Cup victory in 2006, things just kept getting better and better with 2 outstanding seasons with the Nerazzurri. Cometh Italy’s 1st game of EURO 2008 Group C vs the Netherlands, and he looked like someone who had never played Football before as the Dutch routed the Azzurri 3-0 with Materazzi at fault for 2 of the goals (he is a Centre Back). His career has never really recovered from THAT GAME as he lost his place in the Italy squad and was dropped from the Inter starting XI. Defender Ricardo Carvalho, of Chelsea and Portugal, has again a similar story. A star of every team he played in up until an injury in the 2008-2009 season which allowed the impressive Brazilian Alex to step up alongside John Terry in the heart of the Chelsea defense. When Carvalho returned, against Liverpool in a UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg at Stamford Bridge, he had a game to forget as the game finished in a 4-4 draw with Chelsea winning on aggregate (they had beaten Liverpool 3-1 at Anfield in the 1st leg). Alex and John Terry remained Chelsea’s 1st choice Centre Back partnership for the remainder of the season. When new manager Carlo Ancelotti took charge at the start of the 2009-2010 season, he restored Carvalho’s place in the Starting XI ahead of the injured Alex. But a dreadful start to the season saw him benched in favour of Serbian Branislav Ivanovic for a UEFA Champions League Group D game against Atletico Madrid. With Alex having made his return from injury, it appears Carvalho’s reign in the Chelsea Starting XI is over.

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39 What all the players I have mentioned have in common, is that they are all (over) 32 when their decline started. Football, the game just gets more and more intense at the highest level every year, and makes older players like the ones mentioned above unable to cope with it as time takes its toll. By Jay Telfer When Will It Be Time for Some of Milan’s Oldies to Call It Quits?

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40 Is the Gold Still Shining? Being a native of Australia, it saddens me to see what has been going on in the Gold Coast. That is the city where my grandparents live, yet I doubt they care about the football club there. And I also doubt the other people there, even those in love with the beautiful game, care as well. A few years ago, the Gold Coast Titans was formed. The Titans, a rugby club, started playing their games at the 26,500 capacity Skilled Park. Last year, a new Gold Coast team was granted license to play at Skilled Park. This time it was a soccer team. The team was given the name Gold Coast FC and was told they were to be coached by Miron Bleiberg. Even over half a year before the league was set to start, Gold Coast created an uproar as they announced the signing of Shane Smeltz from Wellington Phoenix. Smeltz had already been in great form for the Phoenix that season, and was on his way to claiming the A-League Golden Boot and Player of the Season awards. Another coup was made as former Juventus loanee Jess Vanstrattan signed for the club. But Bleiberg was not done yet. The outspoken manager eventually signed Joel Porter, who had been a sensation in the English League One that season. Michael Thwaite and Adama Traore were also two great new signings for the club. Of course, however, the biggest signing was the capture of PSV midfielder and Socceroo Jason Culina. Culina was 28 at the time and looked like he was about to reach his prime. It seemed that he decided to spend those years captaining Gold Coast, and inevitably raise the profile of the game in Australia.

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41 In preseason, Gold Coast looked like a force. In one game, they faced Fulham FC, who had finished 7th in the English Premiership last season. Fulham took the lead with a free kick by captain Murphy. It was quite an exciting occasion, and Mark Schwarzer made a few good saves to keep his side in the lead. There was even a point where it looked like Fulham had made a deliberate hand ball in the box, yet no penalty was given. Gold Coast could not find a goal. However, two goals were clawed back late on, with Smeltz grabbing the winner. I was there, and Gold Coast’s extraordinary win was in all the newspapers and on TV. And it got even better as Gold Coast recorded their first ever win in the season’s opener over Queensland rivals Brisbane Roar, winning 3-1. It seemed like this was the start of something special, something which the A-League could really profit from. Unfortunately, nothing is as straightforward as that. Gold Coast remained unbeaten in their first few games, the only blip being a shock 1-0 loss to the Newcastle Jets. Gold Coast remained a major force in the league, beating some of the top teams such as Sydney. But in October, the owner of the club, intent on making a huge profit, decided to make a crowd cap at around 5,000, resulting in over 20,000 seats at Skilled Park becoming useless. The Gold Coast fans then protested. Perhaps it got to them as they suffered a tie in the A-League’s worst defeat ever, away to the Kiwi team Wellington Phoenix, and lost 6-0. The next game only 2,616 people showed up in the crowd, despite the away team North Queensland Fury containing one of the highest reputation players in the world, Robbie Fowler. Fowler unlocked the Gold Coast defense and scored a brace, showing the world Gold Coast’s true colours.

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42 But it was not all over. Regardless of the crazy yet economic deeds of the club’s owners, Gold Coast knew they had great players. They knew they had fans. They knew that the owners had not enforced the crowd cap had not come into effect yet, and that no matter what happens, there is more than enough time to show the world Gold Coast is a great team. And in Gold Coast’s next match, Shane Smeltz struck the lone goal to win three points against a Sydney side topping the league. Perhaps Gold Coast can recover and win the A-League. The light may have seemed dim for a while, but now Gold Coast are right back in it. By J. Gardiner

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43 La Liga Youngsters La Liga is full of famous superstars like Ibrahimovic, Messi, Xavi, Villa, Kaka, etc. but there are also many youngsters that are going to become something big in the future. Let's take a look at some of those players: Pablo Hernandez Team: ValenciaPosition: Right WingerAge: 24 yearsThe 24 year old might not be very young but he is just starting to show his ability and is working hard to earn a call up for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Hernandez started his career at Valencia. He would get sent on a couple of loan spells and be sold to Getafe but bought back during the winter of 2008 for only 1 million Euros. He is now one of the most important players in Valencia and things can only get better for him. Pablo got called up for the Confederation Cup to replace injured Iniesta and is a huge contender to be called up for the 2010 World Cup.

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44 Ever Banega Team: ValenciaPosition: Central MidfielderAge: 21 yearsBought from Boca juniors for a high fee of 18 million Euros in the winter of 2008, Banega spent the 2008-09 season on loan at Atletico Madrid. He failed to settle at Atletico and never really proved himself. He returned to Valencia last summer and proved himself with some brilliant performances and becoming a key player in midfield. He is one of the top performers for the team. Banega is a great midfielder: creative and works really hard. Banega won the Olympic Gold Medal with Argentina in the summer of 2008. Banega will be looking to get a world cup call up. If Maradona calls him he would get the boost his career needs. Pedro RodriguezTeam: FC BarcelonaPositon: WingerAge: 22 yearsAfter getting some time in the champions league final, he officially became a first team player this season. Pedro started the season greatly, winning the European Super Cup with a late, late goal against Kiev. With three goals in La Liga and a double in the cup, Pedro is starting to prove himself and out shinning Bojan. He is a very effective player who can get the job done; he proves himself everytime he gets a chance. Pedro will have a great career; if not at Barca, many teams would welcome him. Note: There is more info about Pedro later on freekick.co.cc.

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45 Diego PerottiTeam: SevillaPosition: Left WingerAge: 21 yearsComing from third tier Argentinean team Deportivo Moron in the summer of 2007, Perotti spent a year in the Sevilla B team. In 2008-09, he got some chances and started proving himself. He has started this season as one of the best Sevilla players. Perotti is starting to do really well, and it wouldn't be a surprise if he became one of the most wanted players in Europe. He has never played for Argentina but if he keeps his great form, he would be a huge candidate for a place in the World Cup.

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46 Bojan KrkicTeam: BarcelonaAge: 19 yearsPosition: StrikerIn the season of 2007-08, Bojan made his La Liga debut at the age of 17 becoming the youngest player to feature for Barca in La Liga breaking Lionel Messi’s record. He also became the youngest player to score in La Liga for Barca after scoring against Villareal. He also became the first player born in the 90’s to score in the Champions League when he scored against Schalke. Bojan scored 20 goals in that season breaking Raul’s record for most goals scored in a debut season. in the 2008-09 season, Bojan didn't get as many chances but he did impress when given the chance, scoring a brace against Almeria and 5 goals in the cup including one in the final against Bilbao. Bojan started the first game of the season and impressed with scoring a goal, but he was injured and missed lots of games including the U-20 WC in Egypt. Bojan came back but found chances limited after the great performances of Pedro. Both Serbia and Spain wanted Bojan, but he refused to go to Euro 2008 because of fatigue. He would then play for Spain against Armenia in the World Cup qualifiers. Bojan can become one of the best strikers in the world in the future if he keeps working hard to unleash his talent.

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47 Fight for the Right and Comedy will both return next month. Fight for the Right is a persuasive article saying why the World Cup should be hosted in the author’s country. Comedy is a funny twist on a footballing issue, team, or player. It can also be a funny parody of something, even Free Kick! You can contribute to either of those by sending an email to burpertron@hotmail.com with your article. We look forward to reading what you’ve got to say.

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48 LEGENDS Player Name: Ted Drake Born: 16 August, 1912 Died: 30 May, 1995 Place of Birth: Southampton, England Height: 178 cm (5 ft 10 in) Position: Center Forward In this month’s edition of Player Legends, we take a look at former Southampton and Arsenal striker Ted Drake. The goalscoring machine also represented the England National Team. Drake would have probably been Arsenal’s top scorer in competitive action of all time had it not been for the second World War, in which Arsenal played only uncompetitive matches at White Heart Lane. Drake’s playing career ended on a low in 1945 when he was injured beyond repair. Drake was also a talented professional cricket player and football manager—the latter was his profession when he led Chelsea to win the English league title.

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49 Edward Joseph “Ted” Drake was born on the 16th of August in 1912 in Southampton, England. Drake played for the Winchester City youth team as a boy. He was about to join Tottenham Hotspur once, but missed a crucial trial match. In the summer of 1931, however, Drake joined his boyhood club Southampton, then playing in the English 2nd Division. Drake scored 20 goals in his first season, playing only 33 games. Arsenal manager Herbert Chapman tried to sign him after just his friend season, but Drake stayed loyal to his local club. The goals continued to come for Drake in the 2nd Division, and he finally joined Arsenal in March 1934, signed by George Allison. Drake had made 74 appearances for the Saints, scoring 48 goals. Drake scored on his league debut for Arsenal. During his first complete season for the Gunners, Drake scored an astonishing 42 goals in 41 league games, plus a further two from the FA Cup and Charity Shield. Drake scored an entire seven goals for his club in December 1935 against Aston Villa, in a 7-1 win. Drake’s speed, finishing skills, and bravery seemed too much for the opposing teams’ defenders to cope with. Drake would have gone on to score more goals, had it not been for the second World War. His last competitive Arsenal game was in 1939, yet he continued playing noncompetitive games for the club for 6 more years.

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50 During World War II, Drake joined the British Royal Air Force, yet he still played in the majority of the Gunner’s noncompetitive wartime matches at White Heart Lane. An injury forced Drake to retire in 1945. Drake’s Arsenal career had ended with 139 goals in 184 games. Arsenal.com announced in 2008 that Drake was voted as the Gunner’s 31st best player of all time. Drake also had five caps for the England National Team, scoring six goals. He made his debut in 1934 against Italy, scoring in a 3-2 win. Drake played as a professional cricket player for Hampshire during 1931 to 1937. Drake briefly managed Hendon in 1946. He took over Reading in 1947, helping the club to a runners-up spot in the English 3rd Division.

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51 Drake took over as Chelsea manager in 1952, where he stayed almost an entire decade. Drake helped his talented young squad win the English 1st Division in 1955. Drake had a strategy of buying the best young lower division players, rather than giving out huge chunks of cash for a big name 1st Division player. After being sacked by Chelsea in 1961, Drake became Fulham reserve team manager, where his son Bobby played. Drake later became a director then president of the Cottagers. Leaving behind a powerful legacy at Southampton, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Fulham, Drake passed away on the 30th of May, 1995. By J. Gardiner Honours As a Player Arsenal Football League First Division Championship - 1934-35, 1937-38 FA Cup Winner - 1936 As a Manager Chelsea Football League First Division Championship - 1954-55

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52 LEGENDS Manager Name: Sir Alfred Ramsey Born: 22 January, 1920 Died: 28 April, 1999 Place of Birth: Dagenham, England Height: 173 cm (5 ft 8 in) Position: Right-Back In this month’s edition of Manager Legends, we take a look at Sir Alfred Ramsey. Like Ted Drake, he was both an English player and a manager. Ramsey will most likely be remembered for winning the 1966 World Cup as England manager. But he did other things too; he took Ipswich from the 3rd English Division (South) in 1957 to 1st Division champions in 1962. Ramsey was also a very good player; he won the English 1st Division with Tottenham Hotspur in 1951. He also has 32 caps for the England National Team, with 3 goals to boot.

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53 Ramsey was born in Dagenham in 1920. A natural defender, Ramsey went on to have over 300 competitive club appearances, as well as 32 England caps. Ramsey was considered a slow player, but his intelligent, skillful, and beastly play brought him huge success. Ramsey also took penalties, making up many of his 32 club career goals. Ramsey joined Portsmouth, playing in the noncompetitive wartime league, in 1942. Ramsey moved to Southampton the following year, where he went on to play 90 competitive games before he left to go to 2nd Division club Tottenham Hotspur in 1949. Ramsey played a vital part in helping Spurs win the league. Tottenham did not fuss around on their return to the 1st Division; a Ramsey-inspired side helped them win the league immediately on their return. Ramsey retired as a player in 1955, after appearing for Spurs 226 times, scoring 24 goals. Ramsey had 32 caps for England, scoring 3 goals for his country. Ramsey captained England a total of three times.

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54 Ramsey’s managerial career kicked off right when his playing career started. His Ipswich Town side finished 3rd in the 3rd Division (South) during Ramsey’s first season, scoring 106 goals in 46 games in the process. Ipswich won the league during Ramsey’s second season. Ipswich unbelievably won the 2nd Division in 1961 to gain promotion to the 1st Division, which they won the following season! Ramsey had taken what was a low reputation 3rd Division club in 1957 to win the English 1st Division just five years later! Ramsey’s massive success at Ipswich attracted England, in need of someone to successfully guide them to World Cup success. Upon being named England manager in 1963, Ramsey famously said, “We will win the World Cup.” And they did. After previously being a fairly disappointing country in the World Cups, England appeared in the 1966 edition with confidence surging through their veins. Ramsey implemented a 4-3-3 in the group stage, featuring the likes of Jimmy Greaves and Roger Hunt. After winning the group ahead of France, Mexico, and Uruguay, England were drawn against Argentina in the first knockout match. Ramsey showed tactical awareness, and switched from the 4-3-3 to a 4-4-2. England won 1-0 thanks to a header from Geoff Hurst. Ramsey said after the game, "It seemed a pity so much Argentinean talent is wasted. Our best football will come against the right type of opposition - a team who come to play football, and not act as animals."

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55 England won the next match against Portugal 2-1 to go to the competition’s finale. England faced one of dominant powers of world football, West Germany. Benching Jimmy Greaves in favour of Geoff Hurst, Hurst repaid Ramsey’s faith by scoring a hat trick in an exciting 4-2 win. It was a moment that will never be forgotten by England fans. Ramsey’s England only finished 3rd in the 1968 Euros. Ramsey’s England spell declined in the 1970s, culminating in England not qualifying for the 1974 World Cup. Ramsey was sacked by the FA. Ramsey returned as a board director and caretaker manager of Birmingham City during 1978 and 1979, and then became technical advisor to Panathinikos during 1979 and 1980. Ramsey was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002 for his ever-lasting impact on the English game. A statue of Sir Alf Ramsey was also erected on Sir Alf Ramsey Way in Ipswich. Ramsey’s success was down to his tactical awareness and willingness to try new styles of play. Ramsey was described as a very proud man, and his legacy shall continue to live on. By J. Gardiner

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56 As a Player Tottenham Hotspur Second Division Title Winner: 1949–50 First Division Title Winner: 1950–51 FA Community Shield Winner: 1951 As a Manager Ipswich Town Third Division (South) Title Winner: 1956–57 Second Division Title Winner: 1960–61 First Division Title Winner: 1961–62 FA Charity Shield Runner-up: 1962 England FIFA World Cup Winner: 1966 UEFA European Championships Third place: 1968 Honours “Never change a winning team.”

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57 Daily News and Analysis of Arsenal’s Reserves & Youth By Jamie Sanderson

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58 The Defender, the midfielder and the attacker.... Here is an introductory article for those who are new to the beautiful game of football. Football as you know, is played between two teams of 11 players on each side. Each team consists of 10 outfield players and one easily distinguishable Goalkeeper. Apart from the goalkeeper, the 10 outfield players can be positioned in any of the 3 broad categories; defenders, midfielders and forwards/attackers. Let's have a look on all these positions in detail........

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59 Goalkeeper: The most defensive position in the game and also the only position defined in the Laws of the game. A goalkeeper is the only player who can touch the ball with hands and arms, however they can only do so in the penalty area. A goalkeeper's job is to guard his team's goal against opposition players and prevent them from scoring. Goalkeeper's are distinguished from the rest of the team by wearing a different colour from their own team and the referee. If the goalkeeper gets a red card for a foul, a substitute goalkeeper is sent on for the sent off goalkeeper, in case there is no substitute available for the goalkeeper, an outfield player takes the goalkeeper's position. Height, good positioning, reflexes, jumping ability, judgment, agility and physical strength are vital attributes of a goalkeeper. Although it is unusual for a goalkeeper to step outside the penalty area, in some situations where the opposition team in on a counter-attack and no defender are available, a goalkeeper may charge outside of the penalty are to disposes the opposition players before they get close to the goal. A goalkeeper is permitted to take penalties and free kicks, but this can be risky for the team as the goalkeeper can be caught out of position if the team is disposed immediately after the free kick or penalty. Exceptionally, some goalkeepers such as José Luis Chilavert (retired) of Vélez Sársfield and Paraguay, and Rogério Ceni of São Paulo and Brazil are well-known free-kick and penalty specialists who have managed to score over 60 goals!!! Renowned goalkeeper Oliver Kahn of Germany and Bayern Munich, doing what he does best

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60 Defenders play behind midfielders and aim to defend against the opposing team's movements towards their goal. The primary duty of a defender is to defend, of course. There are many positions in defence, some focus on defence only, while others play a part in their team's attacking movements too. Lets take a look on the many defensive positions. Centre-Back (CB): Also known as Centre-halves or Central-defenders. The job for the CB is to bring the ball out of the penalty area, clear the ball away when opposition attacks, mark opposing players (usually the strikers), to stop opposing players from scoring and to deny them space from goal scoring positions. In modern football, most teams employ two Centre-Backs, positioned in front of the goalkeeper. CBs follow two defensive strategies, zonal defence and man to man marking. In zonal defence each player is given a specific area to cover on the pitch, while in man to man marking each player marks or covers a certain player. Strength, height, good tackling, good positioning, marking, jumping, heading and long passes from defence to attack are good attributes of a centre-back. Paolo Maldini: One of the best defenders of all time

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61 Sweeper/Libero (SW): As the name suggests, a sweeper will 'sweep' the ball away if the opponents breach the defensive line held by CBs. Sweepers are more versatile CBs and they mark their designated players. The sweeper or libero is positioned behind the Centre-Backs to close down and gaps and pick up loose balls. The sweeper's movement is lateral along the back line, behind the centre-backs, but not too close to the flanks. Since sweeper's are more fluid and versatile defenders than CBs, they also move forward when their team is in possession. A sudden overlap by the sweeper is a threat to the opposing defence since an unmarked player joins the attack and as result easily finds space to shoot or launch an assisting pass. Good ball control, vision and experience are required from a sweeper since the role is analytical and anticipation should be good too. Giacinto Faccheti: In his days for Inter Milan as a left back. Full-Backs/SideBacks (FB/SB/RB/LB): Full-Backs are defenders placed on a wider position, one full back or side back is placed on each side of the field in defence (Right back and Left back). The main job of a full-back is to prevent the opposition from crossing the ball into the penalty area or cutting the ball back in the penalty area. Full-backs can mark opposition players as well. In modern football, full-backs also play a vital role in attack, by taking the ball forward from the wings/flank and crossing or providing back up to wingers or other attacking players.

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62 Since the job of a full-back is to run up and down the field, stamina and pace are usually the attributes of a goof full-back. Full-Backs are also good tacklers and have the ability to cross well, hence many are good free kick takers too. The role of a full-back was created by Giacinto Facchetti under the guidance of Helenio Herrera. Facchetti, who was originally an attacker but due to his pace and skills of a winger, Herrera switched him to left-back. This move proved to be a success, as Facchetti soon mastered the art of defending and maintained his attacking ability. Facchetti was nicknamed as 'the spider', due to his long legs and lightning speed to cover the flanks. Wing-back (WB/RWB/LWB): A modern variation of the full-back. Wing-backs are more attack minded players positioned higher up than full-backs. Wing-backs are often regarded as midfielders by some. The use of a full-back is usually employed in a 3-5-2 formation, where three centre-backs hold defensive duties, wing-backs attack down the flanks and assist in defence, but not as much as full-backs. Full-Backs need good stamina as they are a combination of wingers and full-backs, although their defensive duties aren't their first priority they need to run up and down the field and provide support for strikers and assist centre-backs in defence too by trying to disposes the opposition on the flanks. Real Madrid and Brazil Wing Back, Roberto Carlos in action.

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63 Midfielders, as the name suggests are players positioned in the middle of the pitch, ahead of defenders but behind strikers. Midfielders are vital, as their job is to be creative, feed the ball to strikers and also to disposes the opposition. The most important job of a midfielder is to hold on to the ball, maintain possession and create chances for other players to score. Central Midfielder (CM): A CM is the link between defence and attack. Central midfielders are positioned in the middle of the pitch and it is their positioning that enables them to get an overview of the game. CM are creative players who go forward and take part in attack by holding on to the ball and passing the ball to the strikers or wingers. Central midfielders also defend when their team is not in possession. Central midfielders require good understanding of the game, combined with good vision, passing long range shots and strength. Such players are usually good free kick takers. Midfield maestro Zinedine Zidane will long be remembered as one of the best midfielders to play the game Defensive midfielder (DM): Also known as a 'holding midfielder' or an 'anchor midfielder'. A DM is positioned just ahead of the defenders for defensive purposes. Defensive midfielder hold off the opponents freedom of playing in space in front of the defenders. This prevents the opposition from building up attacks with freedom. This position is vital in modern football as more midfield is becoming more and more important as the game progresses. The contribution of a defensive midfielder in building up attacks and directing Central/Attacking midfielders towards wings and other areas is one of the reasons why DMs are becoming increasingly important. A Defensive midfielder's contribution in defence, such as covering up for other midfielders, fullbacks and even centre-backs makes them one of the most versatile players on the pitch.

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64 Due to their vision, passing and the ability to create chances, some defensive midfielders are employed as deep-lying playmakers. Deep-lying playmakers are positioned deep in midfield and help their team create chances on goal with their passing, such midfielders are usually accompanied by other DMs who bring a more defensive dimension in midfield. A good sense of positioning, vision, passing, defending, creativity and speed are vital attributes for a defensive midfielder. Attacking Midfielder (AM): An attacking midfielder is a central midfielder, positioned in a more advanced midfield position, usually behind strikers to bring a more attacking dimension to the game. An AM is required to serve the strikers by creating opportunities for them, usually with their defence splitting passes, hence such a midfielder requires good vision in order to read defenders' movements well. Attacking midfielders are playmakers and are known for their shooting ability, pinpoint passing and deft touches that deceive defenders. Real Madrid’s/Argentine star defensive midfielder, Fernando Redondo.

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65 Winger (RW/LW) or Side/Wide midfielder (RM/LM): A winger or a wide/side midfielder is player positioned wide on the 'wings', close to the touchline. A wingers job is to get behind fullbacks in order to cross the ball inside the penalty area or to cut the ball back in to score or create opportunities for other players. Different wingers posses different qualities, hence their styles differ too. Some wingers like to play close to the touchline while others try to cut infield and effectively become part of a team's movement through or close to the centre. In modern football, wingers are a grater threat as their speed and dribbling ability enables them to dribble through defenders and cut inside the box to shoot or to deliver diagonal passes to forwards. Portuguese wing wizard, Luis Figo

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66 Forwards or Strikers are players positioned closest to the opposition's goal as their main job is to score. As the game develops, new positions and styles of forwards are introduced, making the forwards more lethal than ever! Centre forward (CF): The main job of a CF is simple, to score goals! A CF is often referred to as the 'target man', as coaches usually employ one CF with one AM behind the centre forward for support. Centre forwards should be fast, strong and must have the ability to read defences. Sometimes, a CF will distract the opposition defenders to make it easy for other players to score. Some CFs are also used to dribbling through defenders and scoring. Centre forwards must possess good shooting, heading and jumping skills combined with the ability to hold on to the ball. A CF is known for collecting the ball from midfield, with his or her back facing the goal and holding the ball up to allow other players time to enter the play or to simply dribble and score themselves. Striker: Often confused with a CF. Although there is quite a similarity between a CF and a striker, but generally these two players are different. A strikers plays close to the goal area, attempting to beat the offside trap and running fast to beat defenders. Unlike centre forwards, strikers are not given the responsibility of hold up play and leading the front line. O Fenômeno! Ronaldo the goal scoring machine!

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67 Deep-lying forward or Second/Supporting Striker (SS): Through out the history of football, the name given to the Second strikers has varied. In modern football, a second striker is referred to as either a supporting striker, withdrawn striker or a striker 'playing in the hole' (referred to the space between a the opposing team's midfield and defence). The position is a not as specific, hence the player playing in such a position could either be a skilful attacking midfielder or a player between the out-and-out striker and the midfield who can create goalscoring opportunities and score himself too. Hence, an SS can be employed on the wings too, which has become very common in modern football. In Italian football, an SS is referred to as a trequartista, meaning three quarters; a playmaker who plays neither in midfield nor as a forward but effectively assists strikers, create chances and score goals. A good example of an SS over the recent years, is the long serving Real Madrid captain, Raúl González Blanco. Raúl : a prolific striker goal scorer and an equally good team player, perfect example of an SS

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68 The Official FIFA World Records 2010 is a well done book that you may be looking to add to your collection. It has exactly what it is advertised to contain, in that it has many intriguing and jaw-dropping FIFA facts. They are listed for different countries, but there are also competition facts (such as the Euros, World Cup, etc.). It is interesting to go through the book and find your country’s section; you may be surprised by some of the stuff you’ll find. FIFA World Football Records 2010

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69 Some examples of the questions you’ll find answered are: Who broke the Spanish international scoring record? Who is the oldest player to ever play in the World Cup Finals? Who is England’s tallest ever player? All those interesting facts are added to some impressive eye candy; you shall find large mouth-watering pictures of some of the world’s greatest footballers. With an impressive array of interesting footballing facts and some glorious pictures, this would definitely be worth a buy if not for its high price tag of 19 pounds. Nevertheless, you will not be disappointed once you buy it. This article was written by J. Gardiner. I received the book in the mail as a gift of Arsenal FC from London.

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70 NEW FEATURES Polish - a year of polish, making the game faster, more immersive, more realistic and easier to play with better in game feedback and more advice, delivered in a more user friendly way. Improved Match Engine - improved AI, over 100 new animations in 3D mode, new stadiums and crowds, improved pitch degradations and better lighting make for the most immersive pitch-side experience ever. Match Analysis - a match analysis tool that shows you where shots, passes, crosses, headers, tackles, fouls and interceptions have been made on the field for both teams. See this analysis both live in game, and post match, allowing you to pinpoint the weaknesses and strengths of both your team and your opponents. New User Interface - a completely new vibrant look and feel to the game, plus a navigational overhaul. The side menu is replaced by an intuitive tab system, based on extensive consumer feedback and usability studies, which allows you to access all areas of FM 2010 quickly and easily. Tactical Overhaul - a new tactics module makes it much easier to make your team play as you want them to. There are thousands of possible pre-set options and touchline "shout" instructions for making instant changes to your teams playing style. Don't worry; the old system is still there for people who love their sliders. News Center - a subscription based newspaper. Get the news about the football world around you that you want, and not the news you don't want. New Data Editor - including a brand new Competition Editor allowing you to add competitions and extra levels for leagues currently in the game, and add completely new competitions and leagues all via a very simple to use editor. Plus, the new editor allows you to keep your game up to date more easily than ever before. Discuss this trio of new games on our forums, and have the chance to have your critiques featured in our next issue. Email your entries to burpertron@hotmail.com.

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73 Visit our website http://free-kick.co.cc/! --Sensational news updates and match reviews! --Articles from leagues all around the world --Special online-only analyses and debates! --We’re open to comments and feedback! --More issues! Sign up for our website’s forums and discuss football and the magazine! We’ll see you there!

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74 The Forums

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75 Next Month --Fantasy Premier League: Who Were the Bargains? --Video Game Critiques --And Much More!!! Full Time on December the 6th