International break provides valuable opportunity for Premier League clubs By Michael Cox Once upon a time, an international break was extremely useful for almost every Premier League manager. In the days before foreign imports dominated Englands top division, relatively few players were selected by their country -- put simply, the majority of players in the division were English, but only around 25 were called up to the England side. Therefore, the majority of the squad would continue to train at the club -- although they might, however, use the absence of upcoming matches to spend the afternoons at the pub. As an example, take Chelsea at this point 20 years ago, the 1994-95 season. They were a solid midtable side, finishing 11th from 22 clubs, although they went on an impressive Cup Winners Cup run, reaching the semifinals. Nevertheless, their first-choice XI contained barely any internationals. Right-back Steve Clarke was no longer in the Scotland squad, the late David Rocastles England career was behind him, and player-manager Glen Hoddle was a couple of years away from coaching England, never mind playing for them. Only a couple of players were still involved with their international sides -- Norways Erland Johnsen and Scotlands John Spencer. But thats little different from having a couple of players out injured -- Hoddle was able to work with the vast majority of the squad, concentrating upon solving any weaknesses evident in the opening weeks, and preparing for upcoming challenges. Todays Chelsea, now packed full of world-class talent, would be an unfair comparison. But consider a team in the equivalent position, Aston Villa, and youll find various internationals, from countries as varied as Holland, Belgium, Austria, Colombia and Switzerland. International week has become much more chaotic for the Premier League. Therefore, not every manager has much to work with on the training ground for the next week. For some clubs, however, this is an important period that should ensure improvement ahead of upcoming matches. Everton After Roberto Martinez enjoyed a fantastic debut campaign at Goodison Park, with Everton briefly looking capable of winning a Champions League place, Martinez is enduring a form of personal second-season syndrome. Everton traditionally started seasons slowly under David Moyes, and perhaps this habit has continued after his departure. Everton always own a plethora of players underappreciated by their international side. At one point, they boasted arguably the three best uncapped players in the Premier League -- centre-back Sylvain Distin and midfielders Leon Osman and Mikel Arteta. Osman won his first England cap at 31, and Arteta has moved to Arsenal -- but Martinez will nevertheless have a few players to work with this week. A couple look like they need a rest. Tim Howard was the United States outstanding World Cup performer, returning home to a heros welcome after the second-round elimination by Belgium, but hes taking a years break from international football. Martinez will be particularly pleased, since Howard has made a succession of mistakes so far this season, uncharacteristic errors for an established, consistent performer. Gareth Barry, too, might benefit from a period without matches. The ex-England midfielder was terrible in the recent Merseyside derby, a 1-1 draw, and was fortunate not to be dismissed within the opening 15 minutes. For all the talk of Evertons dodgy defence -- theyve conceded 16 goals, more than any other side -- its the players either side of the back four, Howard and Barry, who need to improve. Liverpool Brendan Rodgers is in a different situation. Hes lost plenty of players to international duty; even two not representing their full side, full-back duo Alberto Moreno and Javier Manquillo, have been called up to represent Spains U21 squad. Rodgers work, however, doesnt have to be on the training ground. Instead, he might appreciate the opportunity to sit down and analyse Liverpools performances so far this season, as he continues to search for the right blend of attacking talent after Luis Suarezs departure. Last season, with Liverpool not in European competition and exiting both cup competitions relatively early, Rodgers had plenty of time for post-match debriefs. Now, with Champions League football in midweek, preparation for the next match takes precedence over analysis of past results. As an intelligent, methodical tactician who appreciates post-match performance statistics, and video analysis of past displays, this is a significant change. Equally importantly, however, Rodgers has the opportunity to work with Steven Gerrard on the training ground. The ex-England captain retired from international duty after a disappointing World Cup, and following a couple of poor performances against Aston Villa and West Ham, Rodgers admitted hed devised specific training-ground drills to help Gerrard improve in his deep-lying midfield role. Wed done some work in the week to help him find spaces to come in and find the ball, and he worked that very well against Everton, Rodgers said. Gerrard wasnt a huge influence in open play, however, and Rodgers will be keen for further improvement. Stoke Having finished last season strongly, its surprising to see Stoke currently hovering just above the relegation zone. Two wins, two draws and three defeats isnt a terrible record, but Mark Hughes will be surprised his side have managed just six goals in seven games, considering his squad features so many dangerous attackers. The likes of Mame Biram Diouf and Marko Arnautovic are away with Senegal and Austria respectively, but Hughes can work with a decent front four in training -- ex-England striker Peter Crouch, supported by Spains one-cap-wonder Bojan Krkic, plus Nigerian duo Peter Odemwingie and Victor Moses, neither of whom have been selected for Stephen Keshis current squad. It feels like Hughes needs to determine how he wants Stoke to play in the final third. Their defensive record is good, and their counterattacking victory away at Manchester City showed tactical discipline and speed up front. However, Stoke no longer play with good crossers to bring the best out of Peter Crouch, and using so many quick, direct runners doesnt work against teams who defend deep. Hughes will also be encouraging those forwards to improve their shooting, considering Stoke have taken the sixth-highest number of shots, managed just the 13th-highest number of shots on targets, and only the 17th-highest number of goals. No other Premier League manager knows as much about goal scoring as Hughes, who scored 164 goals as a striker over a 22-year career. A week on the training ground with his best attackers, without the need to prepare for an upcoming match, is an invaluable opportunity.
Posted on: Tue, 07 Oct 2014 18:03:47 +0000
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