With the international break over (cheer or sigh depending your feelings towards the past two weeks) the Premier League roadshow is once again back in town and that means Fantasy Football returns!
The fiendishly addictive game will have us all scrambling for 3G signal while taking a strange interest in Crystal Palace v Burnley as we plot to overhaul our mates or continue the quest for office bragging rights.
Manchester United provide, perhaps, the most interesting challenge heading into the weekend following their transfer activity, and here is how you could take advantage of Louis van Gaal’s dealings…
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CLICK ON RADAMEL FALCAO TO REVEAL
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IN – Angel di Maria
Having broken the British transfer record and shown signs of promise during his debut at Burnley, Di Maria is likely to be a key cog in United’s XI against QPR on Sunday. The Argentine was La Liga’s top assist maker last season with Real Madrid and has shown in the past he knows where the goal is, making a points return feasible.
He may not come cheap, but Di Maria could become the focal point of your side and potential future captain material.
OUT – Juan Mata
With the raft of attacking additions at United it looks like one man could drop out just to ensure that LVG doesn’t have the most top-heavy team in Premier League history. Even though Mata has impressed so far in terms of points, his Dutch manager may be tempted to add more pace to his side and incorporate his own players, which could see the Spaniard drop out.
IN – Marcos Rojo
After finally being granted a work permit, Rojo looks set to slot into United’s backline in a bid to add some form of solidity. The Argentine was decent at the World Cup in a left wing-back role, and he has shown in the past with Sporting Lisbon that he can occupy a centre back position capably – which is where he could be used.
Rojo won’t break the bank and chances of keeping a clean sheet at home to QPR are relatively high.
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OUT – Tyler Blackett
For anyone who has been using Blackett as a cheap way into a big side’s backline, it may be the time to cut the youngster loose. With Rojo in and Jonny Evans back, the academy graduate’s short run in the first-team might be at an end. Blackett picked up a decent return at Burnley, but that may not be enough to keep him in LVG’s XI any longer.
IN – Radamel Falcao
Now back to the fun stuff. Falcao grabbed headlines on deadline day by completing a loan move from Monaco, and LVG may opt to throw him straight into the action on Sunday. If the Colombian’s record is anything to go by he will guarantee goals, with his spells at Atletico Madrid and Porto having garnered a return of nearly a goal a game! You’re looking at a Wayne Rooney or Sergio Aguero style price tag, but the South American may well be worth it.
The last time these two sides met was that fascinating FA Cup final at Wembley back in May.
Hull had taken a surprise two goal lead inside the opening ten minutes, but the Gunners fought back to win the trophy after a 3-2 win – Aaron Ramsey scoring the winner in extra time.
It was Arsenal’s seventh consecutive victory in all competitions over the Tigers in only their 19th competitive meeting.
But can they make it eight in a row against Steve Bruce’s men? Here’s FIVE things they’ll need to do to make sure they don’t slip up at the Emirates this time around…
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Play Joel Campbell
Football – Everton v Arsenal – Barclays Premier League – Goodison Park – 14/15 – 23/8/14Joel Campbell – ArsenalMandatory Credit: Action Images / Lee SmithEDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.
Despite an impressive season on loan at Olympiakos last season and then enjoying a brilliant World Cup with Costa Rica in the summer, Campbell is still waiting for his first start for Arsenal.
The striker has proven he can perform on the world’s biggest stage and, with the Gunners only having Danny Welbeck to rely on up front, perhaps it’s time Arsene Wenger handed Campbell the chance he desperately craves.
He made a cameo performance off the bench against Everton earlier in the season, but now’s the time to really see what he’s all about in the Premier League.
Stay tight at the back
Football – Arsenal Training – Arsenal Training Ground – 15/9/14Arsenal’s Wojciech Szczesny and Per MertesackerMandatory Credit: Action Images / Andrew BoyersLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
The Gunners may have only conceded five goals in their last seven meetings with the Tigers, but they’ve only managed one clean sheet form their opening seven top-flight fixtures this term.
Hull, on the other hand, have netted 11 goals and are enjoying themselves going forward, which means the likes of Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny should expect to be busy on Saturday and will need to be on top of their game.
If they can shut Hull out then they should come away with all three points.
Keep Mohamed Diame quiet
Football – Hull City v Crystal Palace – Barclays Premier League – The Kingston Communications Stadium – 14/15 – 4/10/14Hull City’s Mohamed Diame celebrates after scoring his teams first goalMandatory Credit: Action Images / John CliftonEDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please cont
Mohamed Diame has been sensational for Hull since joining from West Ham on the summer transfer deadline day.
Three goals in three games means already Hull’s second top scorer in the league so far this season, just one behind leading scorer Nikica Jelavic.
He’s a dangerous powerhouse in midfield and will need to be kept quiet if the Gunners are to have any hope of winning the game.
Give the ball to Danny Welbeck
Danny Welbeck appears to have settled in nicely to life at Arsenal after his £16million summer switch from Man United.
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His first career treble in the 5-1 win over Galatasary in the Champions League proved just how prolific he can be if given the right service.
Hull haven’t kept a clean sheet since the opening day of the season and have shipped a whopping 11 goals since then, meaning Welbeck should be confident of adding to his Gunners tally on Saturday.
Let Wilshere dictate from deep
Wilshere still has a lot to learn in his new role as a defensive midfielder, but he’s slowly growing in to the position and making a difference from deep.
When the England international is on his game he be one of the most influential players on the pitch and will pull the strings with ease from deep.
He’s already got himself a goal and an assits so far this season and will be itching to add to those tallies with antother good performance for the Gunners on Saturday afternoon.
In the pick of last night’s Premier League action, an out of form Liverpool visited an even more out of form Leicester City at the KC Stadium.
In a typical Premier League clash, featuring four goals, a red card, goalkeeping gaffes, an effort against the bar and plenty of controversial moments, the Reds came away with a 3-1 win, recording back-to-back league victories for only the second time this season.
After what has already been an incredibly turbulent campaign for the Anfield outfit, there were plenty of positives to take from last night’s performance.
So without further ado, here’s SIX.
[ffc-gallery]CLICK ON BRENDAN RODGERS TO REVEAL THE SIX
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Three goals
Football – Liverpool v West Bromwich Albion – Barclays Premier League – Anfield – 4/10/14Adam Lallana (C) celebrates with his team mates after scoring the first goal for LiverpoolMandatory Credit: Action Images / Carl RecineLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact y
Leicester City boast the second-worst defensive record in the Premier League, with their 24 goals conceded only trumped by QPR (27).
But let’s look at the 3-1 result from Liverpool’s point of view – this is only the third time in any competition this season, and the first time since October, the Reds have netted three times in a match.
The first instance came in a visit to White Hart Lane back in August – easily the best performance Liverpool’s campaign thus far – and second was during a needlessly complicated 3-2 win against QPR.
The Reds’ woeful defending has attracted plenty of punditry attention this season but goalscoring has been a major problem too; last term, the Anfield outfit reached a century of Premier League goals, but this year they’re averaging just 1.4 per match. They also have the lowest top scorers in the league – Steven Gerrard and Raheem Sterling – both on three goals.
So hopefully the three strikes against the Foxes exorcised some demons and proved to the players that they’re still capable of the multi-goal score-lines that Liverpool were synonymous with last season.
Gerrard’s role
In the build-up to the King Power clash, how Brendan Rodgers would utilise Steven Gerrard was one of the punditry focal points.
Liverpool’s Captain Fantastic excelled in his unique quarterback role last season but has struggled to create the same impact this year; the likes of Aston Villa, West Ham and Crystal Palace all used the simple ploy of man-making Gerrard in possession before attacking the space behind him on the counter-attack to nullify the midfielder during their respective wins against the Reds. In a nutshell, Premier League opposition have worked out Gerrard in that capacity.
Resultantly, there have been huge calls for the former England skipper to be pushed further forward and against Leicester – in fact, originally tested against Ludogorets last week – Rodgers duly obliged.
Like the lung-bursting, goal-scoring Steven Gerrard of old, the Anfield icon arrived late in the box to net this strike just before the hour mark:
That was Gerrard’s first open play Premier League goal for Liverpool in his last 19 – the rest have all come from the penalty spot or dead-ball situations.
By no means his only contribution however, the aged midfielder recorded the joint-most attemps at goal, the joint-most shots on target, the joint-second-most touches of the ball and the second-most chances created of any Liverpool player:
Some held concerns that the 34 year-old lacked the mobility to support a strikeforce, but the Leicester performance proved this is a tactic Brendan Rodgers can – and should – use again.
It’s clear that Kolo Toure is the best partner for Martin Skrtel
Dejan Lovren and Mamadou Sakho are both very talented defenders – talented defenders that cost Liverpool a combined £35million, in fact.
But amid their 35 collective Premier League outings for the Merseysiders, neither have proved particularly effective partners to Martin Skrtel.
In my opinion, there’s no question that the Slovakian international deserves to be a near-permanent fixture at the heart of defence; just look at his stats compared to Liverpool’s other centre-back options:
So in search of a solution, Brendan Rodgers fielded Kolo Toure alongside Skrtel last night – the centre-back partnership that helped the Reds escape the Bernabeu last month with just one goal conceded.
And following on from his impressive showing against European champs Real Madrid, Toure produced yet another convincing performance.
It wasn’t particularly outstanding but the 33 year-old did the simple things well, winning three aerial duels, two tackles and recording a pass completion of 94% – which was actually the best rate of any Liverpool player:
It’s certainly not a long-term solution, considering Toure’s age and how much Liverpool spent on Lovren and Sakho. But until those two return to confidence and form, the former Arsenal and Manchester City defender is a more than capable and highly experienced stand-in – as he proved against the Foxes.
Lambert and Lallana proving their worth
Football – Liverpool v Swansea City – Capital One Cup Fourth Round – Anfield – 14/15 – 28/10/14Liverpool’s Rickie Lambert looking dejected after being substututedMandatory Credit: Action Images / Jason CairnduffEDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account represen
Liverpool just aren’t the same team without Daniel Sturridge and that could see them fare rather badly over the next few weeks when facing Manchester United and Arsenal in the England international’s prolonged injury absence.
But when it comes to the Premier League’s more rank and file opposition, Rickie Lambert and Adam Lallana both proved against Leicester City yesterday evening that they’ve got the quality to get the Reds over the winning line.
Lambert didn’t have too much fun in front of goal – in fact, he didn’t actually record a shot against the Midlands outfit – but he ran the line well, occupying the Leicester City defence with his power, aerial ability and footwork before forcing Foxes skipper Wes Morgan into this red card on the hour mark:
And Lambert’s prior duelling with Morgan directly lead to Lallana’s 26th-minute equaliser:
Both have largely struggled since swapping Southampton for Anfield during the summer, at a combined cost of £31million, but through consistent performances against sides like Leicester, the duo can start justifying their transfer fees.
Jordan Henderson in general
With Steven Gerrard sitting out against Stoke City at the weekend, there’s been plenty of talk about how the Reds will cope when their Captain Fantastic eventually retires.
But I see a genuine successor in fellow midfielder Jordan Henderson, who was yet again in exceptional form for Liverpool as they took on Leicester City yesterday evening.
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The England international was at the heart of all the action, creating the most chances and second-most passes of any Liverpool player:
Before popping up with this simple finish on 83 minutes to secure Liverpool a victory:
Many have questioned Liverpool’s leadership, industry and quality this season, but I see all three in Henderson.
Consistently improving by the game and emerging as one of Liverpool’s most media-friendly players over the last few months, there’s no question that Henderson’s made of the right material to become the next Anfield skipper.
A simple, gritty win
Football – PFC Ludogorets Razgrad v Liverpool – UEFA Champions League Group Stage Matchday Five Group B – Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria – 14/15 – 26/11/14Lucas Leiva – Liverpool applauds fansMandatory Credit: Action Images / Andrew CouldridgeEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
It’s almost as if Liverpool have been overcomplicating things this season, but much like their victory over Stoke City at the weekend, against Leicester they went back to basics – securing the win with organised defending, efficiency going forward and grittiness.
Indeed, the Reds completed 29 tackles and won 30 aerial duels – a vast improvement on their defeat to Crystal Palace a few weekends ago:
They also netted three goals from just three shots on target. But in terms of how well they defended against Leicester – with the exception of some penalty box chaos for the Foxes’ goal after 22 minutes – Lucas Leiva and Martin Skrtel were the heroes of the hour.
The former recorded the most tackles and interceptions of any Liverpool player by quite some distance:
And the latter made an incredible 20 clearances and four blocks, earning him whoscored.com’s Man of the Match award. But as viewable below, every player put in a solid defensive shift:
If Liverpool are to get their campaign on track, performances like this will be vital.
And now that the Reds have rediscovered their quality when it comes to the nuts and bolts of the beautiful game, they can build upon that to start reproducing some of their stunning performances from last season.
When Brendan Rodgers first became Liverpool boss two-and-a-half-years ago, although results were inconsistent, his progressive, possession-based philosophy was continually praised.
It was viewed as modern and vibrant yet befitting of the club’s ancient values – reminiscent of the definitive give-and-go’s of the 1970s and 1980s – but this season it’s manifested into something dangerously dogmatic.
Unless Rodgers accepts his Liverpool side must begin taking a more balanced approach, the Reds will soon be walking in the footsteps of another top Premier League club forever shackled by their own philosophy – Arsenal.
Both sides have struggled this season for precisely the same reasons, although materialising in slightly different ways. Arsenal’s 62% possession average is the highest in the league and Liverpool aren’t far behind on 57%, whilst they boast 86% and 84% passing accuracies respectively. As a consequence, the Gunners rank second and the Reds fourth in terms of chances created this season.
Yet, football is decided by a side’s efficiency to score goals – not domination of the ball. You can have the ball for 30 seconds and still win a football match; you can have the ball for a whole 90 minutes (plus stoppage time) and still draw 0-0.
Meanwhile, Arsenal and Liverpool can both be accused of overlooking their defensive problems. Manchester United’s second goal against the Gunners at the weekend – a counter-attack involving just a handful of passes as pushed up full-backs left Per Mertesacker and Mikel Arteta as the only men behind the ball – was all too predictable, as was Ludogrets’ last-minute equaliser from a converted corner against the Reds yesterday evening, marking the 13t goal they’ve conceded from set pieces since the summer.
Not that Rodgers has ignored Liverpool’s defensive weaknesses in the same manner that’s turned so many supporters against Arsene Wenger in recent years. He somehow allowed Arsenal to enter the season with one defender less than last year, whereas the Liverpool boss has spent around £57million to bring six new defenders to Anfield since taking the hotseat in summer 2012 – not to mention an extra £10million on holding midfielder Emre Can. To claim he’s not at least attempted to rebuild the Reds from the back would be folly.
Yet, when all have struggled to prove good value for money – except perhaps Kolo Toure, who arrived on a free transfer – you have to start considering the nature of Rodgers’ philosophy and whether he’s beginning to echo Wenger’s worryingly idealistic approach.
For example, Rodgers insists upon the Reds playing out of the back as much as possible, even with impending danger looming on his defenders. There’s certainly nothing wrong with that – just ask Barcelona – but Mamadou Sakho, Dejan Lovren and Martin Skrtel all give the aura of centre-halves continually battling against the unrealistic demands of Rodgers’ possession football.
It’s no coincidence that Liverpool’s backline takes far more risks than the vast majority of its Premier League counterparts and the Reds have inflicted upon themselves the second-most errors leading to goals since the start of 2014 with 18, only trumped by the ever-self destructive Tottenham with 23. Unsurprisingly, Arsenal are third at 13.
Likewise, consider the style of team Liverpool have come unstuck against this season; Aston Villa, West Ham, QPR, Hull, Newcastle, Chelsea and Crystal Palace. All direct, well-organised and physical sides – the phrase ‘a rainy Wednesday night in Stoke’ – who, incidentally, Liverpool face on Saturday – quickly comes to mind.
These are the rough-n-ready calibre of opposition that have haunted the Gunners for years and one can see them troubling also Liverpool for the campaigns to come. Much like Arsenal, Liverpool currently lack the height and athleticism throughout their midfield and attack to deal with this type of opponent, with both managers clearly preferring the more diminutive, technical variety of player.
In foreign top flights, La Liga for instance, such imbalances would be overlooked. But we’re talking about primary requisites of the Premier League here; Liverpool will never be able to grind out wins against the division’s rank and file sides or compete with the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea without having a more complete, better-rounded starting Xi that can win games in more than one way. Vigilantly keeping hold of the ball has rendered Liverpool and Arsenal both worryingly one-dimensional this season.
Fortunately for Rodgers, Arsenal provide the perfect template of where Liverpool are heading under his current philosophy.
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They should serve as enough warning for the Ulsterman to accept the Reds can’t get by on possession football alone; it was all well and good when Liverpool were enjoying their best form for nearly a decade last season, but when momentum alone isn’t attaining positive results, we need to see a different, grittier and more direct side to the Anfield game.
The prevailing concern however, is that in direct parody of Wenger, Rodgers would rather live and die by his own ideals than adapt to their limitations.
Technically, Jermaine Defoe is the deadliest striker in Premier League history. His, low, powerful strike against Swansea last weekend made him the first player in history to score at least one goal against every current team in the Premier League.
In a career which has seen him grace the grounds of West Ham, Tottenham, Portmouth and Sunderland he’s has now scored 126 times – level with Robbie Keane – making him the 11th highest Premier League goalscorer of all time.
And his return from a brief sabbatical at Toronto FC has already seem him surpass Jose Altidore’s prolific stint of one goal in 42 games. It’s taken him just three games to achieve that, and Sunderland finally have a goal threat up front capable of influencing games.
For now, it all looks good. But long-term, this is actually an incredibly contentious deal when placed in the context of the financial constraints of the modern game.
Defoe and his agent have had an absolute field day on this one. At the age of 32, The Guardian reports he’s managed to seal a £70,000, three and a half year contract. This equates to about a £12.5m deal for a player who’s likely decline sharply in the very near future. Altidore had about £4.5m left on his contract, so ipso facto, this is essentially a staggered £8m deal that will run until 2018. Naturally no one will think twice about Altidore’s value given his traumatic tenure in England, but abstractly, he represents a £6m asset leaving.
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Whatever way you look at it, Sunderland have invested a huge amount of money in an ageing Premier League player. And for now it’s absolutely fine – Defoe will give them the shot in the arm they need to maintain their Premier League status for another year.
But terms of the deal after this auspicious honeymoon period will be significantly more dangerous when his fitness will inevitably lapse. That’s not a direct criticism of Defoe himself, more just a general observation on any player entering this stage of his career.
Without any access to immediate financial figures, the picture up north in fiscal terms is perhaps slightly darker than many people realise. In the financial figures released this time last year, The Mirror reported that Sunderland made a loss £23m with attendance turnover down to £12.6m from £14m and conference and banqueting revenues halved.
Granted, the windfall from increased Premier League TV rights may help wipe out a portion of that debt, but ultimately Defoe is the kind of signing that a team in this financial predicament should be avoiding. What happens, if, in two years time, when the team plateaus to a similar place near the relegation zone and Defoe is injured for three months, out of form, and inadvertently sucking the club money dry? What if the club get relegated and those lucritvie TV streams of money run dry?
While that may be the worst-case scenario the point remains: was there nobody in the world, nobody active on the radar of the extensive Sunderland scouting network, who could offer a more financially viable alternative?
And what message does that send to Conor Wickham, the man who showed glimpses of potential at the end of last season, or Duncan Watmore, or any of the young players working hard to have their chance in the first team?
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It sends a mixed, broken message to every player in the youth academy that chances will likely be limited in this Gus Poyet regime. Watmore and Wickham aren’t Harry Kane, but Mauricio Pochettino’s audacity to place faith in youth has paid unyielding dividends. The same can be said of Brendan Rodgers with a 17 year old Raheem Sterling and Jordan Ibe.
Sunderland should have looked to the future. Defoe’s arrival is more synonymous with Chelsea and Man City’s backward club cultures with regards to youth, and the polar opposite to Southampton’s extraordinary break-through into England’s elite.
There’s no doubting that Defoe offers a very viable short-term solution to a long-standing Sunderland problem. He’ll see them through for the next six months but after that it’s back to the drawing board for long-term progress. And for the financial ramifications that come with him, you can’t help but think there must have been some better alternatives to this expensive January outlay.
As a young footballer making their way in the game, which is more important; consistent football at a club or a move to a big side where opportunities are sparse?
The three examples we will look at all point to the fact that a move to the established ‘big boys’ may do more than harm than good.
Wilfried Zaha in the 2012-13 season, was playing the best football of his young career. He was spearheading his Crystal Palace side to promotion and was undoubtedly one of the best talents outside the top division and arguably the best in the whole country.
When Manchester United came knocking in January 2013, offering to buy the winger and loan him back to Palace, the deal seemed perfect for both parties. Sir Alex Ferguson was clearly a fan and could take the mercurial wide man under his wing and possibly turn him into one of the best players in Europe.
However, as we now all know, Ferguson was to leave Old Trafford and his replacement, David Moyes, never seemed to rate Zaha as highly. His opportunities were extremely limited in Manchester and he soon went from the potential future of English football, to another player seemingly destined to waste their talent.
Nearly two years after signing for United, he now finds himself permanently back at Selhurst Park and finally enjoying his football again and beginning to replicate the form he shown that earned him the move in the first place. But there is no doubt his move to Old Trafford stalled his career dramatically.
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The next case is Jack Rodwell, a man who burst onto the scene at Everton and found himself on the cusp of the England team. A multi million pound move to Manchester City followed and similarly to Zaha, his career stopped. Almost a two year break in his career.
Only sixteen appearances in two years meant Rodwell has almost had to restart his burgeoning career from a lower point than when he left Goodison Park. He is slowly rebuilding his career at struggling Sunderland but at least he is playing football. Whether he can fully recover from his two year hiatus is yet to be seen.
The final case, although of course there are many more is Scott Sinclair. This one is arguably the most peculiar as it could be argued he has found himself in the same position twice. After spending his formative years at Chelsea, he forged his whole reputation away from Stamford Bridge on loan. After finally leaving the West Londoners for Swansea he regularly gained plaudits for his outstanding performances. So when the opportunity to go to Manchester City it was one simply too good to turn down.
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However, his career at City has resembled his one at Chelsea perfectly. Only 13 times has he made it onto the pitch in City’s Sky Blue. His recent loan move to Aston Villa is enabling him to play consistent football and he is beginning to get him back to the level many have seen him reach before. His career at City appears to be over, so his next move may be his most vital.
Now moving to a big club doesn’t always end in disaster for young players, but there are certainly plenty of examples to point at where it has gone wrong. Although the opportunity may be too good to turn down, sometimes simply playing football is vital for a young player.
Newcastle fans could not wait to get rid of Alan Pardew earlier this season, and were viciously calling for his sacking.
Little did they know, they were doing Alan Pardew a favour. He had become stalemate during his final weeks at St. James’s Park, but Crystal Palace saw his worth and, since arriving at Selhurst Park, he has recorded some big wins for the Eagles.
Alan Pardew was announced as Crystal Palace’s manager back at the start of January. Since then, he has lead his side to victories over the likes of Sunderland – thanks to a superb Yannick Bolasie hat-trick – West Ham and, most importantly, champions Manchester City.
Of the last possible 21 points on offer, Crystal Palace have bagged themselves a staggering 15, winning five games and losing just two. Considering they did not record a single win in December, this is an immense turn around, and the Eagles now find themselves in 11th place and well clear of the bottom three.
It has to be said, much of this is down to the appointment of Alan Pardew. Things may have turned sour for him at Newcastle United – and things aren’t much better at St. James’ Park since he left – but he did bring them European football back in 2012. He was also awarded the Manager of the Year award, and Newcastle rewarded him with an eight year extension.
Now he’s doing wonders at Selhurst Park, pushing his side further and further up the table. He has turned the Eagles around, and they could still end up finishing in the top half of the table. At the end of 2014, Crystal Palace had been sitting in the relegation zone. His former Newcastle side, on the other hand, now trail Crystal Palace by seven points.
Pardew for Manager of the Year again? Never say never, but he will have some strong competition from the likes of Louis Van Gaal, Jose Mourinho and Ronald Koeman.
Even if Pardew cannot receive the accolade – as his best work has only been done within the second half of the season – the way he has revived Crystal Palace cannot be ignored.
They could have ended up playing Championship football by August, now they have Premier League football all but secured for a third successive campaign.
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Manchester United’s return to the Champions League will have a huge positive impact on their already impressive financial situation, City Index’s Chief Market Strategist, Joshua Raymond, has told FootballFanCast.com.
The Red Devils look on course to reach at least the qualification phase for next season’s top European competition, with Liverpool needing to make up six points and 14 goals in two games to overhaul Louis van Gaal’s side.
Such news is undoubtedly positive for the club, who have seemingly only missed one term in the big time in what has been a tricky period following the exit of Sir Alex Ferguson and the disastrous spell under the guidance of David Moyes.
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Although financial results show that United have indeed posted a £2.9 loss over the course of the first three months of the year – the same period 12 months ago garnered an £11m profit – Raymond believes that returning to the Champions League puts the giants on track to re-establishing themselves as one of English football’s top forces:
“Manchester United reported Q3 total revenues of £95m, in line with forecasts, but raised their earnings guidance for the full year to between £385m and £395m, a rise of around 15% on prior guidance. The club also rose its EBITDA guidance to between £103m and £110m.” he said.
“What we have seen from these numbers is growing confidence in the recovery of the Man Utd team’s performance over the coming year, with a return to Champions League football all but assured, assuming smooth progression through a qualification stage, likely to help the club increase both match day and broadcast revenues. This, alongside with another strong set of commercial revenues has helped the company to hike its guidance.
“What remains starkly clear is the impact of no Champion’s League football at the club, with match day revenue falling £11.6m and broadcast revenue dropping by £13.9m in the quarter, largely as a result of no European football. Despite this, the board remain confident on their commercial growth and it is admirable that the dramatic loss of form in the team has not had a derogatory impact on the commercial side thus far.”
United are likely, unless they can finish ahead of either Arsenal or Manchester City to end the season in fourth, which will see them entered into a two-legged play off with, potentially, a strong continental side.
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Manchester United have been increasingly linked with Southampton midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin in recent weeks, and their are strong suggestions that the Frenchman is close to a £24m switch to Old Trafford.
But of course with every transfer rumour or deal we do have to take it with a pinch of salt, and there are no guarantees that everything will go swimmingly. But the fact some bookies are suspending betting on the deal tells you it is pretty likely.
This is a move that United really need to complete, Schneiderlin is the exact defensive midfielder they need. He is good at breaking things up, whilst being economic with his passing, but not passive as he looks to go forward in possession.
United of course already have a man capable of all of that in the form of Michael Carrick, and if the former West Ham man was four or five years younger then Louis van Gaal would not be looking to do a deal for Schneiderlin. But Carrick’s age, coupled with his injury record in recent years, means United desperately need a top drawer defensive midfielder and the ex-Strasbourg man fits the bill.
United do have other midfield options, like Marouane Fellaini and Ander Herrera, but neither of those two are proper enforcers who sit in front of the defensive line, with their attacking instincts too strong.
Fellaini is far more effective when deployed in a more forward-thinking role, as was shown when he struggled in David Moyes’ Everton side as a holding player.
Herrera is a more attacking player too, he is more box-to-box than Fellaini and his high energy levels would be somewhat wasted in a shielding role.
All of which tells you that the signing of Schneiderlin is not only important in finding a suitable player to perform that all important role in front of the defence, but to allow United’s other midfielders to play their natural roles and perform to their best.
A good defensive minded midfielder is key for any successful side, as they perform a vital, if unsung, set of jobs. Breaking up possession from the opposition, using the ball neatly, passing forward between the lines to team mates and providing cover for the defence when players are pulled out of position, all of which build a foundation.
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All the top sides have good defensive midfielders, you only have to look at Chelsea with Nemanja Matic, and Claude Makelele even further back, to see the importance of a top drawer player in that area of the pitch. United are looking to get back to that level, so a signing like Schneiderlin is exactly the sort of deal Van Gaal needs to do.
Schneiderlin has all the key qualities a defensive midfielder needs along with good Premier League experience, that combined with the fact he is 25-years-old and in his prime, means he’ll only build and improve. He is already a quality player, and the fee of £24m looks like a steal for United.
The summer transfer window seemingly never ceases to provide fans of the English game with their fair share of excitement and sensation with every passing season.
Regardless of the criticism it constantly receives among Premier League fans and managers alike, football simply wouldn’t feel the same without all the last minute bargaining and desperate deadline-day dealing.
However, in the case of Manchester United in particular, the culmination of the summer transfer window ultimately offers Louis van Gaal one last chance to perfect his squad ahead of what’s going to be an incredibly important season at Old Trafford.
Despite the multitude of high profile names that have already made the switch to his club this summer, van Gaal has so far mainly focussed his respective transfer activity on sourcing quality midfielders, rather than improving United’s somewhat fragile looking back-line and isolated strike-force.
So then, with just a few weeks left to go before the summer transfer window eventually slams shut, here are five potential last minute transfers Manchester United should make this deadline-day…
Antoinne Griezmann
Since Chelsea only recently ‘stole’ Barcelona’s Pedro from the grasps on Manchester United, perhaps it’s time the Red Devils ‘stole’ their very own former Blues target, this time in the form of Antoinne Griezmann.
The talented French international scored an impressive total of 22 league goals in last season’s La Liga proceedings, beaten only by the untouchable likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. He would therefore represent a promising target for Manchester United this summer, even if Atletico Madrid happen to place a pretty lofty price-tag on the winger’s head.
Despite Griezmann’s obvious credentials in the modern era however, his is a position that is already somewhat filled at Old Trafford at this point in time. A move for either a recognised centre-forward or a solid centre-back would seem to make more sense from Louis van Gaal’s point of view in the cold light of day.
Thomas Muller
Football – Germany v Argentina – FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 – Final – Estadio do Maracana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – 13/7/14Germany’s Thomas Muller celebrates after victoryMandatory Credit: Action Images / Carl RecineLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
Whilst his name has never been far from a newspaper story linking him with an illustrious move to Old Trafford this summer, Thomas Muller seemingly has everything in his make-up to become a resounding success at Manchester United should Louis van Gaal decide to move for him on deadline-day.
The recent World Cup winner simply brings goals in abundance wherever he plies his trade. This is an area that the Red Devils dramatically need to improve upon if they are to succeed in the Premier League anytime soon, so the prospect of signing a player like Muller makes sense with all things considered.
Like his former German international teammate Miroslav Klose, the current Bayern Munich favourite is an expert in scoring goals in and around the penalty box. He will finish off chances very few even saw coming if he is given the opportunity at Old Trafford this season, making him an ideal candidate to replace Robin van Persie in the striking department for Louis van Gaal throughout 2015/16.
John Stones
One of the perhaps less convincing names to make an appearance on this list arrives in the form of Everton’s latest defensive sensation, John Stones. The previously capped England international seems to be in the good books of pundits and fans alike this season, even if the 21-year-old still remains relatively untested in the English top-flight for a sustained period of time.
Manchester United arguably need a reliable defensive head to help sort out their back-line this season, yet whilst Stones has no way proved himself to be worthy of such a position so far in the Premier League, Louis van Gaal may ultimately be left with no other choice but to make a move for the current Goodison Park favourite this summer.
The seeming unavailability of the club’s previous defensive targets – such as Nicolas Otamendi, Mats Hummels and of course, Sergio Ramos – may force the Red Devils to turn their attention to John Stones this window, despite his clearly inexperienced nature in playing at the highest level. Manchester United must be able to count on their centre-backs to perform well in the Champions League this season however, which may prove beyond a player of John Stones’ capabilities.
Aleksandr Kokorin
Another potentially surprising name to be linked with a high profile move to Old Trafford this summer is the up and coming poster-boy of Russian football, Aleksandr Kokorin.
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The 24-year-old Dynamo Moscow striker could potentially take the Premier League by storm this season as his previous goal-scoring form suggests, yet his possible arrival at Manchester United this summer would nevertheless represent a huge risk for the club. He remains truly untested at the highest level, without the strongest reputation amongst the European footballing scene.
However, considering the front-man’s relatively young age in the modern game, Kokorin could ultimately prove a gamble that pays off massively for Louis van Gaal. He will be hungry for goals in the Premier League – and that is exactly what the Red Devils require at this stage in the proceedings.
Keylor Navas
Football – Netherlands v Costa Rica – FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 – Quarter Final – Arena Fonte Nova, Salvador, Brazil – 5/7/14Costa Rica’s Keylor Navas Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Andrew CouldridgeLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
Whilst no Manchester United fan out there ultimately wants to see David de Gea leave their club for Real Madrid this summer, sometimes it’s simply pointless trying to halt the inevitable. Should the much anticipated switch between the two giants of the modern game take place before the close of the transfer window, the subsequent arrival of Keylor Navas could prove the perfect sweetener to improve the deal from the Red Devils’ perspective.
The Costa Rican goal-keeper certainly had a World Cup to be proud of last summer – and although he doesn’t quite represent the ideal signing for Manchester United by any means – the 28-year-old shot-stopper could nevertheless add some much needed experience to the squad at Old Trafford throughout 2015/16.
His potential arrival wouldn’t likely displace Sergio Romero from the no. 1 spot at United across the upcoming campaign, yet his possible addition still offers up a fair amount of potential even if most Red Devils fans would rather be counting on David de Gea this term.