Riccardo Montolivo

In Italy it seems it takes a decade for a new number ten playmaker to come on the scene. This year a number of them have come onto the scene, but the one who has been able to flex his muscle the most in the senior Italian squad has been Riccardo Montolivo.

The Fiorentina playmaker has been putting in great performances with his club and lately has caught the attention of Marcelo Lippi.

Montolivo’s style cannot really be compared to any other playmaker in the Italian history books. He has molded himself into a player whose reaction is quick and on point. His passing is superb and he also has a keen eye for the goal.

Watch any Fiorentina game where he has appeared and you will notice the incredible talent and bag of tricks this young man has. He is highly coveted by a lot of teams, but seems content with staying with Fiorentina. If he stays with the club the way Alex Del Piero has stayed with Juventus, he could help Fiorentina reach the heights they haven’t achieved since Rui Costa and Batistuta last played for them. He could also find his way to one of the bigger Italian clubs such as AC Milan. The Milan club is a little crowded right now, but he can still add something to the club especially since Andrea Pirlo and Clarence Seedorf are getting close to their retirement years.

Riccardo has a great future ahead of him with the Italian national team and it would be a fool who doubts this young man.

Neven Subotic chooses Serbia and US fans are pissed

I don't understand US fans sometimes. Somehow these people who sit behind their computers and whine about the game, think that players of foreign origin owe something to the United States' men's national team just because they lived a day in the US. Players will often pick a team that wants them and where their hearts lie.

When Rossi chose to play for Italy instead of the United States, fans went crazy and spread as much hate as they could. And now fans are spreading their hate for Subotic, especially on www.soccerbyives.net, just because he decided his heart was in Serbia. The kid did not really grow up in America. He gave the US a chance until he was scorned by Thomas Rongen at the U-20 world cup in Canada.

Now that the player has decided to play for the far superior Serbian team, fans are wailing against him and wishing that his legs get broken. These bitter fans need to grow up and realize that a player of Subotic's talents will only play for a team that wants him the most, not simply one that needs him. He is a fantastic defender for Dortmund and will grow to become an even better one in the years to come, and his ambitions will drive him to succeed with his chosen national team. People once said that Rossi will never make it into the Italian national team and we all know what happened in that well documented case. Best of luck to Subotic.

Profile: Zlatan Ibrahimovic

There’s very little to say about Ibrahimovic that hasn’t already been said. He may not be the most popular player in the world, and he may not be collecting the accolades this year as Mr. Ronaldo is doing, but there is no denying the talent of Ibrahimovic. The tall Swede has some of the best tricks in any book of tricks. Since his days with Malmo, he has been mesmerizing fans and players alike.

Ibrahimovic is a player that enjoys playing the game, the way Ronaldinho used to enjoy the game. He threatens to score every time he touches the ball. In a recent game he pulled a tricky pass out of his bag that urged the fans and players on the field to applaud him. No other player has his type of charisma. To add to the charisma, he has the technical skills to do anything with the ball he pleases. He may not always score when he should, but Ibrahimovic is a player that is at the top of his technical best and threatens to get better with each passing year.

That Boy Is Something Special: Sebastian Giovinco

It has long been rumored that Giovinco is the second coming of Alex Del Piero. But then Del Piero decided to have a stellar year and is scoring goals left and right.

Making it in the starting lineup at Juventus is not an easy fit, but Giovinco has been able to get games under his belt due to his technical ability. No other young player in Italy has as much work to do in order to break into the starting team at a club team such as Juventus. Giovinco’s technique is so smooth that he doesn't resemble an Italian player with the ball at his feet.

Not since Cassano came unto the scene has an Italian player been able to dazzle defenders like Giovinco has. From his days playing in the youth teams and the Olympics to now, Giovinco has played the game his way and has delivered when he needed to. He wears the number ten when playing for Italy, and it won’t be long before he grabs the shirt off Del Piero’s back.

Top Seven Current Performers

In No Particular Order:

Yoann Gourcuff

Lionel Messi

Alex Del Piero

Frank Ribery

Robinho

David Villa

Robin Van Persie

Arsenal Comeback

In a comeback fashion, today Arsenal came back from the purgatory to beat Chelsea. The blue half of London had taken a lead through a Johan Djourou own goal from a shot by Bosingwa, but then things seemed to go down hill for Chelsea.

The second half started with Arsenal putting some steel into their play. The Chelsea players seemed as though they could not pass the ball if their lives depended on it. Arsenal came back with what looked like a slight offside that was not called. Robin Van Persie took his chance and blasted the ball in.

Then the Chelsea defense slept a little and allowed Van Persie to punish them once more. It seems like Arsenal are on their way back into the top half of the league.

Freddy Adu: The Comeback Kid?

I just had to put this picture up. I think he's looks a better number ten than Donovan. I hope Freddy turns things around at Monaco soon. He is too talented to let his skills go to waste. He needs to express himself more and not be shackled by Bradley's defensive game. GO FREDDY.

The Case For The Arsenal Captaincy

I'm obssessed with the captaincy now. Here are the ones that I think should go for the job:

Fabregas: The spaniard is talented but beyond that, I think he is a good leader. He brings a lot of energy and since he plays in the center, it would be easier for him to call the shots. The added responsibility will also add to Fabregas' game.

Gael Clichy: He is one of the fiercest defenders in the league. He has already worn the armband on several events. I think he would be a good choice but I don't like the idea of a defender wearing the captain's armband. He would be out of synch with the other players.

Emmanuel Adebayor: I don't like the idea of a forward being captain because they make the game about them, but no one can debate the fact that the Togo international is an effective player. Maybe as captain he will bring a hungry element to Arsenal's game. Maybe giving him the armband will keep him from jumping ship next summer.

William Gallas, Shut Your Trap

The captain of a team has one duty: to lead the team. William Gallas is an idiot. As the leader of the team, you don't go to the media to bitch and whine about players in your team. You make sure that you do all you can do to clean the house up and make sure that everyone on the team is on the same page. It's a good thing that he did not name the player he referred to in his statement to the press, but even going out and talking about it does nothing to help the matter. He has no doubt alienated the player that is the supposed cause for the rift in this film.

Since his move from Chelsea, Gallas hasn't shown any of the leadership skills and tenacity of a John Terry or Patrick Viera. Gallas' mouth puts in more effort than the player himself. If things are to be fixed in the arsenal camp, Gallas needs to close his mouth and talk face to face with his teammates. He needs to address the issues in the team and make sure that disgruntled teammates know that he will be there to solve problems with them and not fuel them by making unnecessary comments to the media. He needs to step up as a leader or be replaced by Mr. Wenger. I wonder how Fabregas would do as a captain, or Toure? And i'm still pissed that he wears the number ten shirt.

That Boy Is Something Special: Frazier Campbell

Who would have thought a player who shined in the championship would be a hit in the premiership. The English leagues are littered with players who showed promise at one point, only to falter at the moment of truth. Francis Jeffers came on the scene and departed with a snap. Remember Kevin Phillips? When he was knocking in goals for Southampton it was believed that he was going to challenge Michael Owen for a place in the England national team. Both of those players are decent in the Championship, but neither one has cracked the egg in the Premier League.

Frazier Campbell is a special type of player. He, like Villa’s Agbonlahor, is not afraid of blazing past his opponents. In a recent game against Liverpool in the Carling Cup, Tottenham’s new golden boy made the rounds past the aging Pool centre back and centered for his strike partner to score. The Tottenham fans were full of cheer and kind words for the young lad, but deep down it must be said that they know he is not theirs. Campbell belongs to Manchester United. He is one of the very few youngsters that have popped out of the United Academy with a die hard attitude. He’s got talent, pace, and above all, the work ethic that will push him pass the likes of Rooney in the next few years. Just watch that game against Liverpool again to catch a glimpse of this young boy’s ferocity.