Trash Chronicles

At the end of the 2007-08 season, Xabi Alonso’s future was well and truly up in the air. Despite a strong finish to what was an injury-plagued campaign with Liverpool, Rafael Benitez attempted to sell off the midfielder to fund a move for Gareth Barry. Interest from Arsenal, Juventus and Real Madrid amounted to nothing, however – and perhaps just as well, from the Reds’ perspective.

Alonso reported back to Anfield for pre-season in high spirits after a successful summer with Spain at the European Championship. Although he was restricted to a bit-part role with La Furia Roja – barring a man-of-the-match showing in the group stage against Greece – the Tolosa-born playmaker was an important element in Austria and Switzerland, and he had no trouble replicating his international form at club level.

With Javier Mascherano away at the Olympics and Steven Gerrard suffering a string of injuries, Alonso gleefully exploited the opportunity to re-establish himself as the fulcrum around which the Merseysiders functioned. He took it upon himself to direct the play from the middle of the park, exercising his famed passing range and calming influence to their full extent as he helped his side overcome a jittery start to the season.

When ‘Monster Masche’ came back into the team following his return from Beijing, he and Xabi set about forming what some have dubbed Europe’s premier midfield partnership. For even though the Argentine was clearly fatigued, his presence alone granted his Spanish club-mate the sort of freedom that he’d experienced only sporadically since Dietmar Hamann left the club in 2007.

But Alonso did much more than spray 60-yard passes around at his leisure. Not only was his work-rate of an exceptional standard (UEFA statistics from the Champions League showed that he regularly clocked up more mileage per game than any other ‘Pool player); he chipped in with some crucial goals, too. His Lampardesque strike in October ended Chelsea’s mammoth unbeaten run at Stamford Bridge, and he put away a penalty at the same venue later in the season as the Reds crashed out of Europe in epic fashion.


Get In! | Xabi was in peak form for the Reds last term

The 27-year-old’s role within the Spanish national team also strengthened throughout the campaign, as the new coach, Vicente del Bosque, made him a regular starter. He scored twice in a friendly against Denmark in August, and netted from the spot in Turkey as La Seleccion romped towards qualification for the 2010 World Cup. And in the super-friendly against England in February, it was his sublime through-ball that gave David Villa the opportunity to score one of the most memorable goals of the year.

Meanwhile, Liverpool were putting up their first real fight for the league title since Benitez’s arrival at Anfield, and Xabi’s role in their improved domestic form did not go unnoticed. The press praised his professionalism in light of the Barry saga, while his fellow players lauded his ability to exert his influence on any given game. Thus, his omission from the list of nominees for the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award was controversial, to say the least.

Liverpool ended an impressive but frustrating campaign trophyless, and even a stellar season – coupled with solid displays at the Confederations Cup – hasn’t saved Alonso from another summer of transfer speculation. But it’s only natural that Real Madrid would so avidly pursue a player whom many regard as the best deep-lying playmaker going around.

Franck Ribery further enhanced his superb reputation with another impressive season with Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, although the Bavarians would finish the season empty handed. Such is the high esteem with which he is currently held amongst Europe’s top clubs that his name was strongly linked with the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United and Chelsea at the conclusion of the season.

The 2008-2009 season began with Ribery on the sidelines following an injury suffered while at Euro 2008 with France. The midfielder tore ligaments above his ankle during his country’s 2-0 defeat to Italy, which knocked les Bleus out of the competition.

Surgery saw him sit out the first five games of the German season, which was Bayern’s worst start to a Bundesliga campaign in over 30 years. It took a few games to find his form, but it came as no coincidence that Bayern’s season started to improve with the re-emergence of Ribery.

He scored against Wolfsburg in Bayern’s 4-2 win at the Allianz Arena in what was only his third start of the season, managing to hit the back of the net in six consecutive games as Juergen Klinsmann’s side finished level at the top of the table with Hoffenheim at the winter break.

Bayern ultimately finished second in the Bundesliga behind surprise winners Wolfsburg, but Ribery was once again clearly the best player in their squad. Though not hitting the absolute heights of his first season at the Allianz Arena, his level of skill and ability had no better in the entire league. The numbers speak for themselves: nine goals and 12 assists in 25 matches.

Lisbon Lion | Ribery single-handedly
demolished Sporting

The French wizard also showed his class in the Champions League, although Bayern were ultimately shown up and knocked out at the quarter-final stage by eventual winners Barcelona. Indeed, Ribery probably had one of his worst games of the season at the Nou Camp during Bayern’s 5-0 defeat.

In the group stage, he provided five assists in five games, scoring against Lyon in France to boot. He then single-handedly tore Sporting apart in Lisbon, scoring two and laying on another two in Bayern Munich’s 5-0 win in Portugal in the first knock-out stage. Following the debacle in the Nou Camp, he did make partial amends by scoring Bayern’s goal in the 1-1 draw in the return-leg.

The past season saw him run out three times for France in World Cup qualifiers, and the maestro scored in each of the three matches - one in each of the games with Lithuania and once in the 2-2 draw with Romania. Ribery really has taken on the mantle from Zinedine Zidane in the French national team, and the great ‘Zizou’, in his role as advisor to Real Madrid supremo Florentino Perez, is one of Ribery’s biggest fans.

"There are very good footballers in the world, like Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi, but the best for me is Ribery," Zidane told ESPN. "And I am not saying that because he is French, but because he is very good."

Despite reportedly confessing his desire to join the new Galactico revolution at Real, it sees Ribery is destined to stay at Bayern for at least another season. However, the Bavarians won’t be able to hang on to their own little superstar for too much longer if he keeps on producing the goods he has done for the past two seasons.

Diego Forlan struck up one of Europe’s most tantalising goal-scoring partnerships with fellow South American, Sergio Aguero during his first season at the Vicente Calderon in the 2007-08 term.

Together, they amassed 35 goals in the Primera Division and a lot more was expected of them in the 2008-09 campaign. Forlan, however, was always seen as the supporting act to the superstar that is ‘El Kun’, but instead the Uruguayan surprisingly took over the leading role upfront, although you wouldn’t be able to tell at the start of the season.

‘El Charrua’ wasn’t all that electrifying in the first half of the term, scoring twice in the 4-0 win over Malaga in the opening game before being ruled out for a month with a hamstring injury.

By the turn of the year, he had only netted ten league goals, not a shabby figure by any means, but far from impressive - though that figure would be the exact total number of league goals he scored during his entire three seasons at Manchester United.

But from February onwards, his luck and form would change dramatically. He started banging in goals for fun as he quickly improved his haul for the season, scoring seven times in six games at one point, including two extremely vital strikes in the sublime come-from-behind 4-3 win over Barcelona in March. He also went on to score against city foes, Real Madrid, as well as direct rivals, Villarreal and Valencia.

He ended the season with a remarkable streak of 13 goals in the club’s last ten games, with four assists to boot. Overall, he netted 32 times in 33 league appearances, and that sudden explosive flurry of goals late on undoubtedly helped Atleti nail fourth spot in the table to secure a place in the Champions League qualifiers, the Rojiblancos winning each of their final six La Liga games.


Unstoppable | Forlan celebrates his hat-trick
against Athletic

It also allowed him to overtake rivals such as Samuel Eto’o, David Villa and Lionel Messi to clinch the Pichichi award, while he steamed past Salzburg’s Marc Janko to claim the Golden Shoe.

The striker, once rejected by mighty Manchester United, has now become the first La Liga player to win the Golden Shoe twice, joining other world class icons such as Thierry Henry, Eusebio and Gerd Muller.

Forlan is more than just a target striker. He often backtracks and drops deep, and that allows him to score some spectacular goals from distance. That’s also part of the reason why was able to provide as many as nine assists last season.

At 30-years-old, he’s not particularly the sprightly, young sensation football clubs are after these days. But such was his devastating form that Spain’s big two, Real Madrid and Barcelona, have been constantly linked with his signature during this summer’s transfer window.

A true test for Forlan now will be to see if you can replicate his scoring ratio in the 2009-10 season. Atletico are expected to inject a significant amount of creative, attacking fire-power into the team, especially in midfield, and if he can top score again, he could become the first player in history to win the European Golden Shoe three times.

Like every other member of the England national team, Steven Gerrard came into 2008-09 well rested after a summer spent watching his Spanish club-mates romp to victory in the European Championship. Fresh from another individually impressive yet ultimately trophyless season with Liverpool, the skipper backed up with a marvellous showing – although there were a few hiccups along the way.

The Reds kicked off their Premier League campaign in less-than-convincing fashion. However, it didn’t take Gerrard long to find his feet, as he scored a last-gasp winner in their comeback victory over Middlesbrough in August. Unfortunately, he was then forced to undergo groin surgery and wouldn’t return until the September 16 Champions League clash against Marseille, in which he scored twice – including a goal-of-the-tournament contender – to seal a 2-1 victory.

The following weekend should have marked a milestone for the Whiston-born superstar. In the midst of a frustrating home game against promoted Stoke City, he scored what would have been his 100th goal for his boyhood club – only for a dubious offside call to halt the celebrations. He would have to wait until the 3-1 CL win over PSV Eindhoven in October to officially notch his ton.

He was knocking them in on the international stage, too. Although he was forced out of the first three World Cup qualifiers with a groin problem, Gerrard lined up against Belarus and opened the scoring as England recorded 3-1 win to keep their perfect run going.

While Fabio Capello was using him on the left wing, ‘Stevie G’ spent the early part of Liverpool’s season playing predominantly in central midfield – partly to allow Javier Mascherano some much-needed rest, but also due to the arrival of big-money signing Robbie Keane. But it wasn’t until the gritty Argentine reached something like full fitness and the Irish striker fell out of favour that Gerrard hit top gear further forward.

Perhaps the Scouse superstar’s most devastating display of the season came in the Reds’ last game of 2008. He ran rampant, scoring twice and wreaking general havoc as his side slaughtered Newcastle United 5-1 at St. James’ Park – a result that cemented Liverpool's place at the top of the table at the turn of the year.


Milestone | Stevie celebrates a century of Reds goals

That high point was followed by a nadir just hours later, as Gerrard was arrested after he and his friends allegedly assaulted a DJ in a Southport pub. But although the looming court case and possibility of jail-time threatened to distract him, ‘Captain Fantastic’ went about his football with unwavering focus.

Nevertheless, the Anfield club’s form took a dive following the February international break – in which Gerrard was again conspicuous by his injury-induced absence – as they were ousted from the FA Cup and fell at Middlesbrough in only their second league loss of 2008-09. But their season was far from over, contrary to what the pundits said at the time.

It was in the Champions League that Rafa Benitez’s men rediscovered their form, Gerrard scoring twice in the second leg as he led his side to a 5-0 aggregate mauling of Real Madrid in the knockout phase. With the skipper and Fernando Torres finally able to play together for an extended stretch, the pair tore through the back-end of the season in spectacular fashion as the Reds romped into title contention.

Liverpool would fall agonisingly short in their bid to bring the Premier League crown to Merseyside for the first time, but Gerrard would not end the season entirely trophyless. In recognition of a campaign that saw him notch up 24 goals for his club, he was named the FWA Footballer of the Year – making him the first ‘Pool player to take the title since John Barnes in 1988.

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard, despite being one of the Premier League's most consistent performers for the last half-decade, enjoyed something of a breakthrough campaign in 2008-09.

It seems unfair that the box-to-boxer has had to win over England fans when he had already earned the respect of Champions League-pedigree coaches such as Jose Mourinho and Guus Hiddink, and a World Cup winning manager in Luiz Felipe Scolari. Not to mention being a key cog in the Blues' back-to-back title-crowning campaigns.

Lampard has witnessed cat-calling, jeering and below-the-belt pot-shots at his perceived ownership of a bulging belly that was borne in the minds of the Wembley-paying public when the 31-year-old appeared in the middle-spread of newspapers while sunning during one restful summer holiday.

A season in which Lampard has continued to dazzle in front of goal, as well as in the middle-third, where he has cut defences open with accurate-and-pacey trivela-type passes struck over distance, has helped dilute the thoughts of even his most ardent doubter.

This was especially important for 'Lamps' following a summer in which a much-publicised new mega-money contract (making him the highest-paid player in the division) attracted critics for the weekly numbers on show.

Last season, the former Hammer excelled under the tutelage of two different types of manager - Scolari's uncompromising authoritarian stance and Guus Hiddink's tactical nuance - an indication that the managerial merry-go-round at Stamford Bridge has little effect on permanent class.


CL Glory | The boy Frankie strikes in Europe
During the latter part of the decade, Frank has adopted a deeper role than his early days, when he was labelled as an 'attacking midfielder'. His fitness levels continue to stagger, and his form toward the season's death even prompted Dutch master trainer Hiddink to tag him with the moniker of the "complete box-to-box player". Previously, Scolari - the man Hiddink replaced - beamed in a post-match interview in November, that Lampard's third minute lobbed-goal against Hull City was the best he had ever seen.

The 2008-09 campaign was also to be one of multiple accolades for the Romford-born England international, as his strong goal-haul at the genesis of the season helped him reach a ton of strikes in top flight action.

Scolari enthused after the game, "Lampard can score 150 goals in his career. One goal every two or three games is fantastic for a midfielder. I think this season we need to think who is the best in the world. It is Frank Lampard."

Then, at the turn of the year, in a fixture against a battling and newly-promoted side, Stoke City, Lampard's inclusion guaranteed him his 400th club appearance at Chelsea, a feat made the more impressive when one footnotes the statement with the fact that he had only made his debut for the west London outfit eight-and-a-half years prior.

His ability as a big-game player continued to marvel his admirers as he recorded a deuce against Liverpool in a Champions League tie, in the same seven days as he fired in a brace of assists against Arsenal.

Lampard's 20th goal of the season in all competitions (he struck a dozen in the league) was, fittingly, sealed against Everton in the FA Cup final.
He was named the club's Player of the Year.

Julio Cesar's season can be summed by the term 'peak performance', as he was always consistently at a high-level for both club and country.

Playing in 44 matches for Inter last season, Cesar's wonder-saves made the Nerazzurri an even more awkward force to be reckoned with - as coupled with their classy outfield players, they had a goalkeeper that could pull off the odd miracle when necessary.

Cesar's parries no doubt frustrated many a striker in Italy, and that trend will likely continue as the South American continues to challenge as one of the elite goalkeepers in the league.

Sir Alex Ferguson could also tell you of the merits of the 29-year-old, as he put in a man of the match performance at the San Siro in Inter's Champions League round of 16 first-leg encounter against Manchester United.

The Red Devils controlled proceedings, but some fine stops from Cesar - on Cristiano Ronaldo and Ryan Giggs, in particular - kept Inter from what would have been a deserved loss, which would have effectively ended any hopes they had of progressing in the competition with 90 minutes to play. Despite their custodian's heroics, Jose Mourinho's men came up short at Old Trafford in any case.

Inter's waltz to yet another Serie A title should in part be attributed to the former Chievo man's heroics. He was arguably one of their top three performers, along with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and compatriot Maicon. Even when Inter did slip up, like in a 1-1 draws against Torino and Cagliari in mid-season, the scoreline could have been worse if not for the agile man between the posts.

Overall, he started 36 of 38 Serie A matches and was as reliable as coach Jose Mourinho could hope for - Inter only conceded 32 goals in their title-winning run and the ex-Flamengo man is disproportionately responsible. The domestic campaign ended with well-earned silverware for Cesar.


Team Player | Cesar celebrates the Scudetto

As with any team that typically wins titles, Cesar sometimes only needed to make one key save per match, but he was always ready and on his toes when called upon to be the difference.

Finally, the shot stopper's season ended on a very high note, helping Brazil to Confederations Cup champion status in South Africa. He played in all five matches for the Selecao, and although the Brazilians were dominant for a majority of the tournament, he made a couple of very important saves against South Africa in the semi-final, which was won by a late free-kick from Dani Alves.

Taking home yet another medal only enforced what anyone who has followed his career already knew, Julio Cesar is one of the top goalkeepers on the planet.

Barring any major loss of form or injury, the man worthy of the Selcao will be the starting goalkeeper for Carlos Dunga at next year's World Cup and in 2009-10 he will once again try to bring Nerazzurri president Massimo Moratti the Champions League trophy he has coveted for so long.

Twelve months ago few fans outside of the Bundesliga or Bosnia had heard much about striker Edin Dzeko- a bargain signing for Wolfsburg in the summer of 2007 from Czech side Teplice. Eight goals in his first season gave no indication of what was to come, but the 2008-09 season saw the Sarajevo-born forward explode onto the radar with a hatful of goals for both club and country.

With Milan selling Kaka to Real Madrid, the first player the Italians tried to buy to replace the Brazilian was Dzeko, the star of the Bundesliga season. Such was the rate that his reputation had grown over the past campaign that a fee of €26 million was being reported. The Italian giants were ultimately frustrated in their quest to sign him, but it seems that Dzeko is destined for bigger and better things.

The season began rather slowly for the Bosnian and in the first half of the campaign he scored five times. His best performance came in a 4-1 win over VfB Stuttgart in November when he netted twice. Even if the goals were not exactly flowing in the first half of the campaign, the relationship that was developing between Dzeko and Grafite was certainly beginning to blossom.

He provided seven assists in the first 17 games and the scene was set for a spectacular second half to the Bundesliga campaign, which was to culminate in Wolfsburg’s first ever league title triumph.

Dzeko instantly hit a rich vein of scoring form after the German winter break scoring in six consecutive games with doubles against both Bochum and Hertha Berlin, as Felix Magath’s side put together a fantastic run of results seeing them win ten games in a row.

A 5-1 home demolition of Bayern Munich in April saw Dzeko score twice against the Bavarians although it was strike partner Grafite who grabbed all the headlines with his ‘Goal of the Season’. Wolfsburg were on course for the title and the Bosnian's goals in the final five games of the season proved decisive.

His first hat-trick of the season came against Hoffenheim and he scored a total of ten goals in the last five games of the season, including another hat trick against Hannover and a brace against Borussia Dortmund. He finished the season with 26 goals from 32 games played. and, together with strike partner Grafite, who netted 28, became part of the most prolific strikeforce in Bundesliga history with 54 goals over the season, beating the previous record held by Gerd Muller and Uli Hoeness.

Deadly Duo: Dzeko & Grafite
Deadly Duo | Dzeko's & Grafite's goals brought the Greens glory

His goals however were not just reserved for his German club, though, with his country also benefiting from his predator's instinct. He scored in five successive international appearances as Bosnia have moved into second place behind Spain in World Cup qualifying group 5.

He netted another double against Estonia in a 7-0 win back in September and added a goal against both Turkey and Armenia. He then scored three more in the double-header with Belgium to give him impressive figures of seven goals in five games.

No wonder then that Milan headed the queue to sign him this summer although the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea have also been linked with him. He has committed his immediate future to the Volkswagen Arena, but if the goals continue to flow expect to see Edin Dzeko at one of the European giants before too long.