West Ham United bounced back from three consecutive defeats to pick up a massive victory at home to Southampton on Saturday, winning 3-0 against their relegation rivals in the English Premier League.Scoring all three goals in the first half and putting the game beyond doubt by the interval, the Irons were in superb form, turning around an alarming decline in form and results prior to the international break.David Moyes’ side had lost their last three by a three goal margin heading into the match, but punished Southampton through Joao Mario and a Marko Arnautovic double.[ad_pod ]Fans were obviously delighted with the performance and outside of the goalscorers had special praise for teenager Declan Rice, who impressed massively on the right hand side of a three-man defence.The 19-year-old has only made eight starts in the league for the Hammers this season but supporters believe he is the future of the side if they can hold on to him.They took to Twitter to share their thoughts on his display…
Manchester United and Manchester City could go toe-to-toe for Real Madrid pair Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale this summer, according to Spanish football expert Graham Hunter.
The duo are the most expensive players in the history of the game, with Los Blancos having broken the world transfer record on two occasions to land the pair for fees of £80m and £86m respectively.
But despite the double act having been successful at the Bernabeu, visible signs of unrest between the two players and issues surrounding Real’s form have placed their futures in doubt, and Hunter feels that both United and City could pursue mega moves for them when the transfer window re-opens:
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“There is a very clear opinion among the two Manchester clubs, and I mean City as well as United, that they think they have an opportunity to come and buy Ronaldo.” He is quoted by The Express.
“Honestly, my opinion is we have to wait and see because I think he (Ronaldo) will be tempted. He will be asked by both Manchester clubs. I think that goes for Bale too.
“It has been a talking point amongst the Manchester City players for a great part of the last 10 days.”
Ronaldo and Bale have impressed for Real, but their relationship has shown signs of decline of late, with the Ballon d’Or winner having reacted angrily when the Welshman netted from a rebound from his shot against Levante over the weekend.
And Hunter feels that the pair are no longer a dream combo:
“When Bale arrived, on the training ground he won over Cristiano Ronaldo.” He said. “He gave respect to Bale. Now, (Bale) is working a little bit less, he’s certainly believing that he’s more of a Ronaldo figure in that club, on the training ground.
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“If Bale had behaved as he’s done this season when he arrived last season, I think the cracks in that relationship, that marriage of convenience between them, would have become apparent more quickly.”
Life as a Coventry fan is never easy but two weeks ago things were on the up. We were dreaming of a cup final at Wembley, a playoff place with the hope of promotion and had a manager who was the best we have had in years.
Two weeks on and 3-0 down in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy means a Wembley final looks unlikely, a defeat to Yeovil with other results going against us has left us 7 points adrift of the playoffs having played a game more than everyone else. Then to top it all off rumours broke this week of Huddersfield’s interest in manager Mark Robins. These rumours turned out to be true and the club failed to keep hold of Robins leaving the club in search of a new manager again only months after Robins appointment.
Then there has even been time to rub salt in the wounds as after weeks of silence on the Ricoh rent issue it was revealed that talks have now completely broken down with the club deciding to reject ACL’s latest offer. The club seem to be holding out for some deal that just isn’t going to happen and with talk of SISU planning on building their own ground for the club to play in then who knows what is going to happen, I would suggest anything could. With the clubs accounts suspended and ACL effectively now having control of City’s money we as fans have to question where does the club go from here.
The season was showing so much promise but with all of this, disappointment and heartache look like the only things for City fans to look forward too. We have had everything required to be successful this season and SISU have to be praised for putting that in place. We had a manager who was clearly more than capable and a squad of players which many would suggest were the best in the league. However this has all clearly been a smokescreen to cover up the continued off the field problems.
There has been many points of view on the situation as a whole and I am finding it difficult to decide who to believe if anyone at all. The club and SISU have lied so often in the past and with their work earlier in the season in terms of squad improvement and management choice I was beginning to change my mind on them however I still find myself questioning them when anything remotely controversial happens at the club.
Another player in it is of course is ACL who have also made stories up in the past. They have slated SISU for being unprofessional and yet they seem all too willing to put their business out into the public and playing on SISU’s negative public image. They have also previously stated that they don’t need the club to survive as a business running the Ricoh Arena. This was proven to be a complete lie as everyone expected as they had to be bailed out by Coventry City council after getting into financial difficulties.
The council is clearly also important and their stance has been a mixed one. They seem to not want to take a position and have often tip toed around the topic. There have been a couple of outbursts at SISU but all in all they have offered very little in information and in terms of help for the club. The club is a massive part of the city and for me the council should be doing a lot more to try to help.
Another man who agrees with this is ex manager Mark Robins. He has given his reasons for leaving the club in the way he did and the blame lay at the feet of city owners SISU who in his words were unable to give him the assurances he required to stay on in the job.
Out of everyone I feel like I believe Robins. Yes he has walked out on us and yes there is every chance he could be another to jump on the SISU hating band wagon but in his brief spell with the Skyblues I have felt that one of his biggest assets has been how brutally honest he has been. He has never been afraid to say what he was thinking especially with his players. It ranged from his subtle dig at Cody McDonald suggesting he wanted intelligent players within his squad all the way too his very honest appraisal of Leon Clarke’s recent performances and lack of goals.
With all the issues I still find myself being the most disappointed about the departure of Mark Robins. He is in my opinion the best manager we have had in my time as a city fan. Ambition, tactical nous, multiple game plans, eye for talent, great motivator are just a few of his seemingly never ending list of qualities.
The one that stood out for me though was his passion and desire to win and how his teams never give up and do everything in the power to win the game. This is a trait which stands out in the so called ‘special one’ and in many ways Robins reminds me of Mourinho. I have no doubt that he has bright future in the game and if given time and the right backing he could take any club to the next level. I do however feel he will use Huddersfield as another stepping stone to greater things and it won’t be too long before we see him managing in the premier league.
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He is a massive loss to the club and in terms of other candidates I am not very hopeful of finding a good replacement. The only one which really stands out for me is Nigel Adkins, he did wonders at Southampton but I feel I am being far too ambitious in hoping that we could get him. Thinking more realistically and the name that I personally think will get it is Phil Brown, not sure if it would be a good appointment but we have to give whoever gets it a chance and back him all the way.
Everton want to snare Paulo Fonseca from Shakhtar Donetsk in the summer to replace Sam Allardyce but will have to match or beat the £8m per year that the Ukranians are prepared to offer the highly-rated manager, as per the Sun.
That would be a major financial gamble to take and I am convinced that Marco Silva is still a better option.
What’s the story?
Allardyce was only appointed in November but his stock could not be much lower among the Everton fans. He also does not tend to build long-term and for those reasons, his job is already under threat.
Fonseca is reportedly top of the Toffees’ wishlist but Donetsk rate him just as highly and are willing to offer the Portuguese boss an annual salary of £8m to keep him at the club and out of Everton’s clutches.
That is sure to test just how flush Everton are feeling these days and their commitment to spending again to improve their league position.
Silva is the better option
Those demands should do what Donetsk are hoping; price Everton out of the running for Fonseca. £8m per year is Guardiola and Mourinho territory; managers who attract the biggest names and who have won Champions League titles.
It is not good value for a manager who has never managed in England. Fonseca might well be worth a punt – that’s how Silva got his chance in England after all – but at £8m per year and potentially demanding a long-term contract, it’s too much of a risk.
Silva suffered a blip at Watford because there was a perception that he took his eye off the ball but you have to remember it was always likely that he would get the sack anyway, given the Hornets’ track record with managers, so it shouldn’t do too much damage to his reputation.
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Silva knows the league now, plays attractive football and would look to build a more attractive side than the one Allardyce is operating with at the moment.
With the January transfer window now closed, it’s time for Tottenham to start planning their summer recruitment – and before anything else comes the Bosman market.
The rule, first created in 1995 by the European Court of Justice to allow footballers to move freely upon the expiration of their contracts, has completely changed where power lies in the beautiful game. It’s now the players – not the clubs – that have the upper hand.
Not that clubs like Spurs can’t benefit from picking up players on free transfers – in fact, quite the opposite. And with that in mind, we’ve listed the FIVE contract rebels the Lilywhites should be looking to add to their squad this summer.
YEVHEN KONOPLYANKA
One coveted contract rebel Tottenham fans will already be familiar with is Dnipro winger Yevhen Konoplyanka, who was heavily linked with a White Hart Lane switch last season and again in the January transfer window.
Having monopolised the Ukrainian Player of the Year award between 2010 and 2013, winning it thrice, and also claimed the Ukrainian Premier League’s Player of the Year award for 2013, the 25 year-old is widely considered to be one of the top talents outside of Europe’s five leading top flights – originally gaining continental notoriety for his stunning goal against England at Wembley in 2012.
He boasts an impressive return of 32 goals in 149 league appearances for Dnipro, but the Ukraine international is better famed for his playmaking abilities, often drifting into the channels from wide positions to create scoring opportunities.
Konoplyanka’s best position remains the left wing – which is exactly what Tottenham need this summer. Although many have been impressed with the goalscoring form of Nacer Chadli this season, the Dnipro talisman represents an unequivocal upgrade in that department, and a more feasible option long-term.
He turned down a move to Roma during the January window according to the Daily Star, likely leaving the Lilywhites to battle it out with fellow suitors Liverpool for his signature this summer.
ANDRE-PIERRE GIGNAC
Despite the recent heroics of Harry Kane, Tottenham’s front-line desperately requires a reshuffle this summer, bringing in new faces to replace the unwanted Emmanuel Adebayor and £27million flop Roberto Solado – who have netted just thrice between them in the Premier League this term.
One bosman-based solution comes in the form of Andre-Pierre Gignac, currently amid the best for of his career with 16 goals in 24 appearances across all competitions for Marseille. That includes a 14-goal haul in the league, which has fired L’OM to second in the Ligue 1 table.
In terms of strength and height, the 6 foot 1 striker – once heckled with jeers of ‘un Big Mac pour Gignac’ regarding his weight – is perfect for the Premier League, and would certainly offer something a little different to Tottenham’s attacking line-up to the comparatively slender Kane.
The 19-cap-five-goal France international’s age, 29, might muffle Spurs’ interest somewhat. But available on a free contract come the summer, he could prove to be an astutely cheap short-term addition for the Lilywhites until a more permanent understudy to Kane is found.
LUIZ ADRIANO
Offering an equally costless alternative to Gignac is Shaktar Donetsk star Luiz Adriano, who’s currently leading the Champions League’s scoring charts with nine goals in just six appearances, eight of which came in back-to-back drubbings of BATE Borisov.
Throughout his career with the Ukrainian Champions, the Brazilian boasts a potent return of nearly one-in-two, or more specifically, 122 goals in 253 appearances – including 20 goals in just 25 league outings last season.
More than just firepower however, Adriano offers all the power, pace and directness one could want in a Premier League striker, and his recent form has earned a place in the Brazil national team, suggesting he could be on the verge of advancing his game to a higher level.
That also would likely require a move to a more competitive league and there’s plenty of clubs reportedly willing to offer him that opportunity, including Arsenal, Liverpool and Roma.
Tottenham would be wise to weigh in, but a lack of involvement in the Champions League does put them at a significant disadvantage.
WINSTON REID
Now into the final six months of his contract and unlikely to qualify for European football with eighth-place West Ham this season, star defender Winston Reid will almost certainly be plying his trade with another Premier League club next year.
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In fact, some sources claim he’s already agreed a move to White Hart Lane and although the New Zealand international may not be the most talented centre-back to represent the Lilywhites in technical terms, he’s an undisputed master of the nuts and bolts of the defensive trade, bringing a new sense of grittiness and physicality to Tottenham’s backline.
Whether the rumours prove true, however, remains to be seen. The 26 year-old has also been strongly linked with Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United throughout the season, so the Lane is hardly the only Premier League destination on his radar.
FABIAN SCHAR
Although Winston Reid remains an impressive centre-back option for any top half Premier League club, in my opinion, FC Basel prodigy Fabian Schar, also yet to extend his contract past the summer, constitutes a far superior potential signing for the Lilywhites.
Indeed, the 23 year-old recorded the best statistics of any centre-half involved in the Champions League last term, averaging a near incredible 3.3 tackles, 4 interceptions and 6.7 clearances per match, and continued to impress in the tournament this year with a Man of the Match performance against Liverpool in Group B.
That impressive form, combined with a front-footed style, the confidence to bring the ball out of the back with striking similarities to Jan Vertonghen, and some decent performances for Switzerland at the World Cup, has generated plenty of interest in the Bebbi star however, with Arsenal, Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund and Spurs all linked to his signature throughout the season.
Manchester United are still confident of signing Crystal Palace winger Wilfied Zaha this month despite interest from Arsenal according to the Daily Mail.
Arsene Wenger this week publicly admitted that he is looking at the possibility of bringing Zaha to the Emirates before February along with Edinson Cavani.
However, United believe they are still in the driving seat for the pacey wingers signature after reopening talks with the South London club this week.
Palace initially rejected an opening bid of £6million from Sir Alex Ferguson but the Red Devils are planning to go back with a tempting £10million offer than would include Zaha remaining at the Championship club this season to help them towards promotion.
Zaha tweeted last week that he was on his way to the top of the Premier League before quickly deleting it, hinting that United’s talks have gone well.
Arsenal will need to outbid United in order to keep Zaha in the capital.
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Liverpool midfielder James Milner has lavished praise on Reds teammate Andrew Robertson, claiming that the full-back ‘has been brilliant’ this season.
Robertson joined Liverpool from Hull City in last summer’s transfer window, and initially struggled for action due to Alberto Moreno’s presence at left-back.
An injury to Moreno in December opened the door for Robertson, however, and the Scotland international has been an ever-present for Jurgen Klopp’s team in recent weeks.
Indeed, the 24-year-old has started each of his team’s last nine Premier League matches, and made his Champions League debut in the 5-0 win over Porto last month.
Milner has said that Robertson’s qualities both offensively and defensively have made him a key player for the Reds during the 2017-18 campaign.
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Milner told Premier League Productions in quotes carried by Liverpool’s official website:
“Robbo has been brilliant. I’ll help where I can but he’s a good player – he has shown that going forward and defensively as well. Sometimes you just see him going forward but he does some great work defensively as well.
“He is a great lad to have around the dressing room. He is similar to how he plays on the pitch, a bubbly character. We love that as a group, it’s fantastic.”
Robertson, who is currently on Scotland duty, is expected to be in the Liverpool XI for Saturday’s trip to struggling Crystal Palace.
Its taken four months, 13 Premier League fixtures, five defeats and the introduction of three academy products, but Tottenham are finally beginning to resemble a Mauricio Pochettino side.
Their 2-1 home victory over Everton on Sunday was inspired by the blend of passion, tenacity, organisation and elegance that became synonymous with the Argentine at Southampton. The second goal particularly; a full-blooded tackle from Harry Kane deep in Everton’s half was quickly turned into the deciding strike, with Aaron Lennon providing and the misfortunate Roberto Soldado netting his first Premier League goal of the campaign.
Yet, there’s still a long way to go before Tottenham become the bona fide ‘Pochettenham’ that the manager, the fans, the players and the boardroom dream of. Clearly his ideas are beginning to transition into positive results – even the infamously slender, elusive and inconsistent Christian Eriksen appears to be buying into the more industrious side of things – but the weakness of Spurs’ starting line-up against Everton said it all.
There’s nothing wrong with giving first team opportunities to young players – in fact, quite the opposite – but if Pochettino felt he had a genuine choice in the matter, it’s unlikely a midfield partnership of Ryan Mason and Nabil Bentaleb, boasting just 26 Premier League appearances between them, would have been selected against the Toffees at the weekend. The same can be said for fan favourite Harry Kane – a promising prospect by all means, but one still way off the standard you’d expect to be starting regularly at a top six Premier League club.
Of course, whilst they provide passion, grit and local connection, growing in confidence and stature as the supporting volume around White Hart Lane swirled louder and louder, those left out of the starting line-up to face Everton are worryingly less responsive to both Pochettino and the fans.
Mousa Dembele, Etienne Capoue, Emmanuel Adebayor, Erik Lamela and Paulinho, who cost the club around £61million in transfers and an unimaginable amount in wages, were the notable exclusions as Spurs produced their first genuine Pochettino performance of the season – although the latter South Americans were both brought in the last half an hour.
Clearly, if this manner of performance is to become Tottenham’s defining philosophy long-term, Pochettino needs Daniel Levy’s backing in the transfer market.
This did NOT happen by any stretch of the imagination during the summer. £32million spent – just £8million net – is an incredibly modest budget for an incoming manager, especially considering £3million was devoted to a signing that won’t actually be at Pochettino’s disposal until January at the earliest, DeAndre Yedlin, and another £4million went on a back-up goalkeeper.
It speaks volumes about control of transfer policy at White Hart Lane that injury-free £4.7million signing Benjamin Stambouli, signed on deadline day as an alternative to Morgan Schneiderlin, hasn’t featured in the Premier League since his September debut.
So if Pochettino can make a Pochettino side out of players he inherited, signings he had little part in and youngsters – one of which, Mason, didn’t see the light of day under the last three manages at White Hart Lane – imagine what Spurs could be capable of with a squad tailored by him personally. The areas that require immediate addressing in January are already obvious; the strike force, the heart of midfield, the left wing.
And it’s not only on the incoming front where Pochettino needs full backing from the board. If his ideas are to truly take effect and not become lost in the more apathetic areas of the squad, the Tottenham manager must be given complete say on who is moved on too. Some faces, like Dembele, unfortunately just don’t fit, whilst others, like Adebayor, just aren’t fit for purpose.
Perhaps you could make this argument for any club with a new manager, but for Tottenham it has particular resonance; their transfer model of buying European prospects for future profits, purchasing players seemingly for financial reasons alone, is the corrosive disease that engulfed Andre Villas-Boas’ regime and up until last weekend, appeared to be eating away at Pochettino’s too.
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However, there are signs already that Levy will support Pochettino when the January window arrives, albeit with some compromise. Last week, Spurs secured the services of former Southampton Head of Recruitment Paul Mitchell – someone who not only fits into the Lane’s current management structure, but also boasts a proven track record of working with Pochettino.
That’s certainly a step in the right direction, so now the ultimate question is finance. Tottenham have generated a net spend of negative-£13million since summer 2010 and clearly, fingers were singed by the fire that was Spurs’ £110million spree after Gareth Bale’s departure to Real Madrid. But if he wants Pochettino to be a long-term success in north London, Levy must think big – and that needs to be reflected in the Lilywhites’ transfer budgets over the next two windows.
Darren Fletcher has attributed Manchester United’s Premier League form to a “never-say-die” attitude.
The Red Devils have had to come from behind to win on numerous occasions this season, due to defensive frailties, but still sit atop the table.
Traditionally, Sir Alex Ferguson’s men perform well during the hectic festive schedule, and Fletcher believes that it will be no different this year due to the opposition being wary of their attacking strength:
“The never-say-die attitude is ingrained in this club,” he is quoted by SkySports.
“It comes from the players, who believe in themselves, and opposition teams, who fear it.
“The club has such a history of it you almost expect it to happen. We have a great bunch of players with a great attitude.
“We will fight right to the very end. And the history of the club definitely plays a part.
“There is a psychological factor of going into the last 10 minutes knowing United will throw everything at them. They withdraw because they realise what is coming.”
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The Scotland international went on to state that keeping calm has been key in scoring late goals:
“We are very patient. It is not route one and it is always with a purpose. We get the ball wide and try to create chances. Long may it continue.”
Leeds fans do not think Caleb Ekuban is good enough for the club, after the striker revealed all on his injuries and goal drought.
Ekuban moved to Elland Road last summer from Italian side Chievo Verona. The 23 year-old had enjoyed an extremely successful loan spell at Albanian side Partizani Tirana, where he had grabbed 17 goals in league games.
The Ghanaian striker had high hopes when he joined Leeds, but told the Yorkshire Evening Post injuries “killed” his first year at the club.
“It’s been tough but it’s all about learning and growing up. I had a couple of injuries that, let’s say, killed the season for me personally, but now I’m back and I’m trying to find my rhythm,” Ekuban said.
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“I’ve had quite a lot of opportunities to play and I just hope to get the momentum going.”
The 23-year-old miss the first part of the season with a foot injury, only to break his foot almost immediately on his return to action. He returned once again in the 2-1 defeat at Sheffield Untied in February, but has failed to really cement a place since then.
“The more you play as a striker the more you feel confidence. That’s what I’m searching for and, hopefully, I can score one or two goals and have more confidence in myself. I just need to read situations better and have the chance to score.”
There’s no doubt the striker will be struggling for confidence, having started just six leagues games so far for Leeds, and still without a league goal. He nearly found the net against Reading on Saturday, and has vowed to start finding the net for his side.
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Leeds fans have been discussing the quotes on Twitter, and unfortunately for Ekuban it seems most have already given up.
Some of the best Twitter reaction can be found below…