To say the transfer window (so far) has been uneventful is tantamount to saying the Arctic is a bit nippy, as the majority of Premier League clubs are seemingly being careful with their finances. In some cases clubs simply have to sell before they can buy, much to the frustrations, no doubt, of many managers and supporters.
The lack of spending at the top of the Premier League has surprised many, especially given the open nature of last season’s title race. You would have thought the likes of United and Chelsea would have looked at a big outlay this summer, to ensure the also-rans remain at an arm’s length in their pursuits of the title. Only City have made substantial moves this summer, although you do feel that they may well struggle to strike a balance. This means this season’s race for the title, Champions League and Europa League places are very much as they were last year, unless we witness a major change in the transfer wind in the coming fortnight.
The media is predicting that a transfer storm is set to erupt, but it begs the question as to whether Arsenal really need to partake in some last minute shopping.
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Does Wenger need to bring any players in before the transfer window shuts in 4 days time and if so who would you like to see him bring in to the Emirates?
Stoke ended a run of four consecutive Premier League defeats after they saw off a feeble fight from Blackburn at the Britannia Stadium to move into the top of half of the table.
The Potters went into the game desperate not to make it five top flight defeats in a row for the first time since the 1984/85 season and after a nervy opening finally took the lead through the unlikely source of Rory Delap. Tony Pulis’ side had to wait until the second half before securing victory with Glenn Whelan steering in his first goal for 18 months just before the hour before Peter Crouch wrapped up the win with 18 minutes left. It was their first three point haul since beating Fulham in mid-October and kept Blackburn deeply rooted in the relegation zone with boss Steve Kean once again presiding over a lifeless display from his side with Ruben Rochina grabbing a late consolation. Rovers had showed great resilience to claim a point at fellow relegation rivals Wigan last week but that fights spirit was missing at the Potteries as the home side strolled to an easy victory. The pressure is now firmly on Kean who, despite signing a new deal this week, was once again subject of protests from his own fans with the club looking like firm candidates for relegation. Stoke on the other hand moved back into the top half after inflicting an eight defeat of the season on a beleaguered Rovers side.
It was the away side who started the game in the ascendancy though with Kean’s players looking full of running and energy in the early exchanges although a distinct lack of quality in the final third with Rochina’s long range effort on the stroke of half time their only real effort. By the time that came Stoke had already taken the lead with Delap meeting Jermaine Pennant’s superb free kick to power a header past Paul Robinson just before the half hour. After a rather dour first forty five minutes the second half proved to be much better viewing with Blackburn once again starting with vigour only for them to fade as the game went on. They did have a superb chance to equalise just after the restart with Rochina’s dribble and subsequent cross finding Mauro Formica only for the striker to mis-cue his shot from six-yards. The away side’s confidence soon fizzled out allowing Stoke to take control of the game and it was no surprise when they doubled their lead on 58 minutes through Whelan. Some neat build up from Matthew Etherington and Jon Walters saw the ball find the Republic of Ireland midfielder 18-yards from goal and he made no mistake slamming the ball past Robinson via a deflection off Scott Dann.
Two became three soon after with Crouch smashing home a precise finish from 12-yards after Marc Wilson’s long ball had caught the Rovers defence cold allowing the England striker the freedom to pick his spot and wrap the points up for the Potters. The travelling Blackburn support continued to vent their frustrations over Kean’s tenure but did have something to celebrate after Rochina drilled home a consolation with four minutes to go. However a the pressure remains on him to turn things around at Ewood Park with a run of six wins in 33 good enough to get any other manager the sack rather than a new contract. Rovers fans will be demanding improvement in the coming weeks with the club four points adrift of safety and facing games against Swansea, Sunderland, West Brom and Bolton over the festive period.
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Kenny Dalglish’s midas touch is paying great dividends at Liverpool and the Reds look a good outside bet for a top four finish this season. It would be a remarkable achievement and more than justify the decision of NESV to part company with Roy Hodgson.
At FFC this week we have seen a mixed bag of Liverpool blogs that includes what to do with Raul Meireles; £58m well spent by Liverpool, while Kenny’s the man to restore the Reds to glory.
We also look at the best Liverpool articles around the web this week.
*
The Premier League’s LET DOWN XI
Top TEN Premier League Wags…well I would!
Liverpool braced for a transfer spree?
THREE deals to solve Liverpool’s underlying problem
What to do with Raul Meireles?
THREE deals to solve Liverpool’s underlying problem
Is he really that irreplaceable at Liverpool?
£58m well spent by Liverpool?
Have Liverpool unearthed their own Wilshere?
Why Liverpool could do a lot worse than sign City reject
The man to restore Liverpool to their former glories
Are we set for the biggest summer transfer sprees in years?
*Best of Web*
Summer reconstruction still essential – This Is Anfield
Little Red Shoots of Recovery – Kopblog
The Unwritten Law of Managerial Suitability Tomkins Times
5 Keepers Who Could Be Ready To Step Into Reina’s Shoes? – Live4Liverpool
David N’Gog – Should he stay or should he go? – This Is Anfield
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Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed that he has been offered the opportunity to manage England twice in the past but rejected the chance on both occasions.
It is believed that Ferguson was considered as a replacement for Terry Venables in 1996 and was handed the chance to succeed Glenn Hoddle three years later.
Ferguson, speaking as his side prepared to begin their North American tour, said:"I was offered the chance to manage the England team on a couple of occasions but, of course, it was just out of the question.
"It's a poisoned chalice anyway. I think it's a terrible job, plus the fact that I would have had a tremendous handicap being Scottish. No matter which way you look it, that's important."
Meanwhile, the veteran Scot has reiterated his belief that England's dreadful displays during this summer's World Cup in South Africa were down to tiredness.
He added:"The English season is exhausting. Look at December, for instance, when we play eight or nine games even though it's the worst time of the year for the pitches, when they are heavier and the weather is at its worst.
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"In the second half of the season, you then find lots of players are carrying little strains and pulls. But because of the importance of the games they keep on playing and, when they get to the end of the season and there's an important tournament such as the World Cup, they are not 100 per cent.
"They can't be because they need that rest factor to bring the energy back into their system."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
According to reports in The Sun on Sunday, via Sun journalist Alan Nixon on his Twitter account, Arsenal are keen to sign Spain international Rodrigo, rated at £36m by Transfermarkt, this summer.
What’s the word, then?
Well, The Sun on Sunday says that the Gunners, along with Premier League rivals Chelsea, are both keen on the 27-year-old following an impressive campaign for Valencia.
Having managed Sevilla for a number of years new Arsenal manager Unai Emery, who can get something that Alex Iwobi and Danny Welbeck can’t give him if he signs another £17.5m attacker, will certainly know all about the striker, who has come on leaps and bounds since an unsuccessful loan spell with Bolton Wanderers in 2010.
The arrival of the Spaniard at the Emirates Stadium would be strange in a sense though given they already have Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Danny Welbeck to play in the centre-forward spot.
How did Rodrigo do during the 2017/18 campaign?
He was excellent.
The 27-year-old scored 19 goals and provided a further seven assists in 44 appearances in all competitions.
The Spain international showed that he is a good all-round striker in terms of being able to score with his feet and his head on a regular basis, as well as being good in possession, at dribbling and at holding the ball up to allow his teammates to catch up with the play.
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Would he be a good signing for Arsenal?
Even though he only scored once in 17 appearances for Bolton eight years ago, it is clear to see that the 27-year-old has matured and come on leaps and bounds since then, and his goal record and the fact that he is in the Spain squad should prove that he can be a success in the Premier League now.
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The arrival of the striker would surely throw the futures of the likes of Lacazette and Lucas Perez into doubt however, and the north London outfit should also be wary of how Alvaro Morata and Sandro Ramirez have struggled in the English top flight having been prolific in La Liga previously.
Amid what can only be described as a rather underwhelming weekend in the Premier League, Tottenham’s trip to Southampton stands out as a fixture that might offer something resembling a close-knit game.
Spurs were a class above Saints in the reverse fixture at Wembley on Boxing Day, but the latter know they need to start picking up points at home to turn their season around, currently laying just one point and one place above the relegation zone.
Of course, that’s easier said than done, especially with Spurs winning eight of their last ten across all competitions. But could they come unstuck against Southampton this weekend? Here’s everything you need to know before Sunday’s 4pm kickoff…
What History Tells Us
Tottenham and Southampton once had almost complete parity in this fixture, but since the latter’s return to the Premier League in 2012, the former have dominated. Indeed, that nine-game difference in terms of wins is the exact number of victories the Lilywhites have claimed from their eleven meetings with the south coast outfit during the last six years.
Accordingly, Spurs have scored more goals and conceded less yellow cards, and even their win-rate at St. Mary’s is a healthy 33% – just 11% less than the home side’s.
The good news for the neutrals though, is that there have only ever been three scoreless draws between both clubs in the Premier League – and the last was all the way back in 2001 – while Spurs have scored at least two goals during their last five visits to St. Mary’s. That suggests we’ll see plenty of goalmouth action on Sunday.
Referee Influence – Kevin Friend
Kevin Friend is amongst the Premier League’s most lenient referees, ranking in the bottom five from the 18 to officiate in the top flight this season for fouls per game, fouls per tackle and yellow cards, and Southampton simply must take advantage of that on Sunday.
A win over Tottenham, especially with Harry Kane in such fine form, will require an expert rearguard display and Friend has consistently given teams license to make physical challenges that blur the line of acceptability – not to mention allow those who do commit fouls to go largely unpunished for it.
That will be vital to stopping Tottenham’s fluid attacking play and Friend’s huge home bias this season, 83%, is another big positive for Saints to take into the weekend – that’s the greatest percentage of any Premier League referee this season.
However, the number of penalties Friend has awarded is a clear warning for both sides; despite his leniency in other areas of the pitch, the 46-year-old has taken a no-nonsense approach to any shenanigans inside the box. Both teams must take that on board or it could be a decisive factor.
Team News
Southampton may be without a Premier League win since November but Mauricio Pellegrino at least appears to have settled on something of a first team formula in recent weeks, with Alex McCarthy preferred in goal and Shane Long replacing Manolo Gabbiadini up top. With the Irishman scoring just one Premier League goal so far this season though, striker Charlie Austin still represents a big loss for the south coast outfit.
Overall, however, we’re expecting Pellegrino to name an unchanged side from the one that drew with Watford last time out – although we could see Sofiane Boufal or Nathan Redmond brought into the fold out wide purely to offer some extra pace on the break.
Tottenham too, are likely to stick with their trusted XI on the most-part. However Hugo Lloris is now a doubt due to illness, so his reliable understudy Michel Vorm could be deployed between the sticks instead.
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In midfield, meanwhile, anchorman Victor Wanyama could make his first Premier League start since August at the expense of England international Eric Dier – the powerful Kenyan has been regaining his fitness with substitute appearances in recent weeks.
Spurs’ attack picks itself these days with Heung-min Son, Dele Alli, Christian Eriksen and Kane all in predictably strong form, and with Danny Rose absent through injury, the only other real spot of contention is at right-back. Serge Aurier started last time out, so we’re predicting Kieran Trippier to get the nod this time.
When David Moyes looks back to the end of last season – a small, glorious period in which he was celebrated nationally for his decade-long service to Everton as he marched towards the Old Trafford throne – he’ll probably wonder where it all went so wrong.
Last week, Manchester United came away from a Champions League tie against Olympiakos with a two-goal deficit, making it seven out of a possible twelve defeats for the club in 2014. Regardless of domestic form, unless we witness a dramatic turn-around in the second leg at Old Trafford, the Red Devils’ shocking performance in Greece could well be the most defining one of their season.
Blowback from Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement was always expected; perhaps not to such an extent the reigning Premier League champions’ title defence would be over by Christmas and they’d soon go on to lose 2-0 to a striker-less Olympiakos in Europe, but none the less, this debasing form that’s rocked the Old Trafford camp had been anticipated as a distinct possibility, even by the most faithful of Manchester United fans.
Rather, Moyes’ biggest error, his most fatal and intrinsic of flaws, has been his continual inability to step out of the shadow of his monolithic predecessor and differentiate from the old regime.
In many ways, you can’t hold it against him. After all, Ferguson selected Moyes as his heir to the Carrington throne personally, presumably due to the incredible similarities between the two. Both are club men, rather than careering go-getters, both, through their Scottish roots and aggressive demeanour, share that determined, ruthless spirit customary north of the border, and although the former Everton boss may not be the master of the hairdryer, he does come with those frightening light blue, bulging eyes to assert his will in the dressing room. Furthermore, during his Goodison days, Moyes always promoted an intrinsically English style of football in-keeping with Manchester United’s traditional identity.
At the same time, the United boss inherited a squad that had strolled their way to a Premier League title the year previous – it would take a brave man, especially considering the Scot’s inexperience at major clubs, to rip up the blueprint simply for the sake of change.
But the paradoxical after effect has been that, barring results, the only difference one can draw from Manchester United this term in comparison to the last is that era-ending change in leadership. In a nutshell, David Moyes has become Sir Alex Ferguson-lite, and the Red Devils have become Diet-United. That ultimate ingredient in the Carrington club’s successes – Ferguson’s magic – has been replaced by a synthetic substitute that just can’t replicate the flavour.
Had Moyes formalised some of his speculated signings in the summer, perhaps things would be different.
That’s no diss to the current Red Devils squad; yes, their limits were well-documented even as they lifted the Premier League trophy, and yes, those who were expected to shoulder the majority of responsibility this season have decisively shirked it, but regardless, the United roster is still a better assembled cast than Everton, Tottenham and Liverpool’s.
But the likes of Ander Herrera, Angel Di Maria and Ilkay Gundogan arriving would have been a breath of youthful, fresh air in an otherwise ageing squad. Most importantly, all three – in addition to United’s many other targets from summer 2013 – would have significantly changed the way United play.
Now however, the tactical differences between the Red Devils under both managers are virtually non-existent. No matter how United’s line-ups are portrayed during match-day coverage, it’s still essentially the same 4-4-1-1 system – two wingers as a permanency, and Wayne Rooney in his dual No.10 role – that was used by the old regime throughout the entirety of last season. Once again, the only differences are the outcomes and the man in charge of selection.
For example, United were sternly criticised for their record-breaking number of crosses during their 2-2 draw with a bottom-of-the-table Fulham side last month. Under Ferguson, the Cottagers would probably have been praised for their bus-parking performance, but under Moyes, it was labelled a statistic that highlighted the side’s lack of creativity.
More than anything else, it was the fact we’d heard this song before, and so had Rene Meulensteen, who commented after the game; “When I saw Manchester United today I thought the game-plan was quite straight forward – get it wide, get it in. If you’re well organised and the goalkeeper is in good positions to come and collect the ball, it can be easy [to defend against].”
Not that I’m suggesting Manchester United would be in a different position than they are now if Moyes had arrived at Old Trafford in the summer immediately announcing plans to go against every tactical principle of the club’s identity – although there have been signs of the Red Devils’ need to modernise tactically for some time. That would be purely through the benefit of hindsight alone.
But amid the current situation David Moyes now finds himself in, in which Manchester United could finish the season with the unenviable title of the worst championship defence of the Premier League era, the Scot would at least have the safety net of trying something different.
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Regardless of results, he could have answered his critics honestly with the undeniable truth that he was attempting to move the club in a new direction, rather than his futile efforts of prolonging an era that was orchestrated, masterminded and personified by the one man no longer at the club.
It would be wrong of me to suggest that David Moyes is entirely to blame. The fact is that Manchester United is a club shaped in Ferguson’s image – his influence can be felt at every level of the Old Trafford hierarchy, in the club’s every department and, barring Juan Mata and Marouane Fellaini, every player in the first team is a Ferguson signing.
A more daunting battle than confronting his predecessor’s almighty shadow and reputation is the task of overcoming the institutionalised legacy Ferguson has left behind. In essence, if Moyes is to ever instigate significant change at Old Trafford, the history, beliefs, ethos and character of the club itself – all molded in Ferguson’s effigy – remains his biggest nemesis.
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Manchester United midfielder Tom Cleverley has stated that his side must not take their foot off the gas when winning games.
The Old Trafford outfit lost the Premier League title to Manchester City on goal difference last term, and as such the England man feels that the Red Devils should look to win each game by as many goals as possible.
“We know when we are winning two or three-nil we need to go and win five or six-nil,” The Sun quote Cleverley as saying.
“It does not need the manager to tell us we let sides back into games last season.
“With 60 or 70 games a season, if you’re two or three up you might think ‘We have another big game Tuesday so we can take our foot off the gas now’.
“But we have a squad to cope with the number of games so we can go all out for 95 minutes every game,” he commented.
Cleverley feels that Chelsea and Arsenal will have a big say in the title race this term, and the battle may well go right down to the wire once more.
“The way the four teams have started you can definitely see a four-horse race.
“Arsenal are probably playing the best stuff at the minute while Chelsea are winning games — which is what they are good at.
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“It’s dog eat dog up there. You know if you get a bad result there’s going to be two or maybe all three of the other teams winning.
“You have to be on your game every week and a bad three or four-game run could be very significant. I think it will be the most competitive season ever,” he concluded.
As reported by The Scottish Sun, Aston Villa are one of the teams interested in signing Liverpool’s Harry Wilson this summer.
What’s the story?
The 21-year-old hasn’t yet broken through fully into the Liverpool first-team despite signing a new long-term in contract in January.
After a successful half-season on loan at Hull City, it appears there are plenty of teams eager to offer him regular action next season.
The Scottish Sun report one of those teams is Aston Villa, who join Rangers, Leeds United and Huddersfield in their desire to sign him on loan.
The paper say Liverpool are looking for a loan fee of £250,000 to snag the impressive winger, a deal that would also see financial penalties issued should he not get the required amount of first-team action.
What does he offer?
Still just 21 years of age, Wilson doesn’t have extensive first team experience to draw too many conclusions from, but did demonstrate on loan at Hull City that he has quality that could be a benefit to Aston Villa.
He scored seven Championship goals from the left flank, also creating three assists, in half a season at the Tigers. Also netting his first goal for the Welsh national team, it’s been a big year for the youngster.
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It’s clear he has huge potential and already has the cutting edge to be a success in English second-tier and although the Villans likely have enough quality at their disposal to compete strongly in the Championship again next season, if they don’t win their play-off, Wilson could give them serious depth.
Loan deals are never ideal, permanent signings are what supporters want to see, but this is one that could be a positive for all parties and something Steve Bruce should strongly consider.
Leeds United announced on their official Twitter account on Wednesday that defender Luke Ayling will be out for the rest of the season after undergoing surgery on an ankle injury he picked up against Nottingham Forest on New Year’s Day, and Whites fans have been quick to have their say on the news.
The 26-year-old limped off against Forest following an innocuous looking challenge from former United midfielder Liam Bridcutt, and it was originally thought that it was an issue that wouldn’t keep him out of Championship action for too long.
However, the sixth-place Yorkshire outfit confirmed the right-back’s long-term absence on Wednesday, and it is a big blow for Thomas Christiansen considering Ayling has been such a key part of the team over the course of the last couple of seasons.
Leeds supporters took to social media to give their thoughts on the announcement, and while one said it is “going from dream season to disaster season rapidly”, another said “any play-off chances are absolutely gone”.