Summary: A last minute Emmerson Boyce own goal denied Wigan the chance to move out of the bottom three as Tottenham salvaged a point at the DW Stadium.
The Latics required a victory to leapfrog Aston Villa to the safe-haven of 17th but were undone by one of their own at the death, while a draw prevented Spurs from re-entering the top-four.
Andre Villas-Boas men were on top in the opening stages and almost lead after five minutes when Tom Huddlestone’s free kick came off the post before Gareth Bale put them in front in bizarre circumstances.
A farcical exchange of passes between goalkeeper Joel and Maynor Figueroa in the penalty area ended with the former’s half-hearted clearance collided off Bale and flew into the net. A just reward for the Welshman’s persistence.
That spurred the home side on and they levelled two minutes later when Callum McManaman’s corner was powerfully headed in Boyce before Joel atoned from his earlier error to deny Jermain Defoe and Scott Parker in quick succession.
And four minutes after the break Wigan went in front when the ball fell nicely for McManaman to control and smash a stunning 20-yard volley past Hugo Lloris.
Arouna Kone was denied by the legs of Lloris and substitute Franco Di Santo curled wide before Boyce inadvertently turned in Huddlestone’s drilled free kick from the right as Tottenham avoided an embarrassing defeat.
Roberto Martinez post-match…”The equaliser is what disappoints me. It is not a free-kick in the first place, when you are at the bottom of the table it seems you attract the ball to the back of your net sometimes, but those are the small margins that sometimes affect the results.”
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Andre Villas-Boas post-match…”We did ever so well in the first half, ten shots against their two. The problem is that when we came back on after half-time we thought we were in control and Wigan scored almost straight away and that really shook our confidence.”
Good day for…Tom Huddlestone: Handed a rare start by Villas-Boas and fully repaid his manager with an unblemished display in the heart of midfield. Conducted everything from his central perch, keeping it simple for the most park, while offering a fleeting reminder of his passing range with a few raking balls across the DW Stadium pitch.
Bad day for…Joel: Doubt many will hold it against Roberto Martinez for reinstalling Ali Al-Habsi between the sticks for Wigan’s next fixture after Joel’s role in a farcical opening goal. The Latics can’t afford to persist with a nervous goalkeeper given their Premier League status remains under threat.
Norwich City, West Brom and Fulham are all keen on signing Birmingham City wonderkid Nathan Redmond this summer, according to the Daily Telegraph.
Redmond will have just 18 months left on his Blues contract when next season gets under way and the cash strapped Midlands club may have no option but to sell another one of their prized assets.
City’s owner Carson Yeung is standing trial for money laundering and so Birmingham are struggling to cope financially, despite selling England goalkeeper Jack Butland to Stoke City in January for £3.5million.
Redmond has regularly featured for England under-19’s and has impressed this season with his tricky wing play and pace that is a constant threat in the Championship.
Norwich, West Brom and Fulham are set to test the water with small bids in the next few weeks but no doubt other Premier League clubs will become interested over the course of the summer and Birmingham will hope to start a bidding war.
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After 26 years in charge of Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson has decided to call it a day. As an end of an era draws to a close, a new legacy under David Moyes will begin.
Moyes, who was hand picked by Ferguson himself to be the new manager at Manchester United, has a big decision to make on his arrival at Old Trafford.
His biggest and most publicised decision will be what to do with Wayne Rooney, with Unibet offering short odds for him to leave in the summer. The striker wants out. Rooney has handed in another transfer request and many fans have lost patience with him. The man who first wanted to leave because the club lacked ambition, is now being forced out by the ambition the club has shown. His head is gone and he’s no longer committed to United. Ferguson believes he needs a summer away and time to clear his head.
Moyes and Rooney have history. Moyes gave Rooney his Premier League debut and was heavily involved in Rooney’s early career. But after Rooney left Everton, their relationship turned sour. Rooney claimed in his book that Moyes leaked a private conversation to the Liverpool Echo about why he wanted to leave Everton. Moyes sued Rooney for libel damages and Rooney agreed that the accusations were false. They have since patched up their differences.
When Moyes arrives, Rooney’s situation needs to be dealt with quickly. He needs to stamp his mark on this squad. If he feels he needs Rooney in that squad, then Moyes will need to talk Rooney round and assure him he is a vital part of that team. If not, then it’s time for Rooney and United to move on.
The squad that Moyes will inherit is in great shape. That is the belief of the departing manager anyway. Ferguson believes that he is leaving the club at the right time with the squad being in the best possible shape.
Not everyone agrees with Fergie though. Many people believed that this current squad was not one of Ferguson’s best. It lacked the real quality of the Champions League winning sides of 1999 and 2008. But if it was one of Ferguson’s poorer sides, then comfortably winning the Premiership back from their noisy neighbours will satisfy all United fans.
Even with the critics, Ferguson believes that the balance of the squad that he will leave behind bodes well for continued success. The balance of experienced players like Van Persie, Carrick, Giggs, Ferdinand and the mix of youngsters like Jones, De Gea, Rafael, Welbeck, will yet again see Manchester United challenge for the title next season.
United’s youth team is incredibly strong also. Ferguson believed in developing youth and their current youth squad will see future first team players in the not to distant future. Moyes also believes in developing youth and giving youngsters a chance.
Moyes will look to stamp his own mark on the squad. Even though the current squad won the title, it needs improving. Getting knocked out of the Champions League to Real Madrid in the last 16 is not good enough for a club like United and they will look to mount a challenge next season.
It looks certain that Moyes will look to raid his old club Everton. Leighton Baines looks a target, as does Marouane Fellaini and Phil Jagielka. If Rooney leaves, then a replacement will be needed. With Rio Ferdinand yet to sign another contract, tying the centre half up for another year will be a great signing for Moyes. With Paul Scholes retirement and a lack of quality in depth in midfield, a centre midfielder is a must for United this summer.
With Moyes having to deal with the Rooney issue, he also has to deal with the pressure of succeeding the most successful British manager of all time. There will be a lot of pressure on Moyes when he arrives at Old Trafford.
The shadow of Sir Alex will certainly loom over Moyes, but it shouldn’t let it worry him. Ferguson will still be around the club and helping Moyes behind the scenes. Moyes will need help behind the scenes due to the enormity of the brand that is Manchester United.
On the pitch, Moyes will be encouraged to play his own brand of football. Fans will demand that it is an attractive style of football and Moyes will look to deliver that.
The role that Ferguson will play in Moyes’ early days at Old Trafford will be like an apprenticeship. Ferguson will groom Moyes into the role as Manchester United manager and after a period of time, when Ferguson feels like Moyes knows all he needs to know about being Manchester United’s manager, he will slowly ease away.
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As helpful as it is that the great man will be around to help, it is a performance based industry. If results are not going Moyes’ way, then it will be interesting to see how the United fans react. Moyes has signed a six year contract. Success may not be in his first season. It may take time for Moyes to get to grips with managing one of the biggest clubs in the world. If it does, then the fans need to be supportive. Sir Alex Ferguson did not achieve success straight away. In 1989, fans were calling for Fergie’s head. They wanted rid of Ferguson as they believed he couldn’t deliver success. Now those same fans are hailing the greatest manager of all time as he enters retirement.
It’s going to be a huge challenge for Moyes, but one that he will cherish. Moyes shares the same qualities as Fergie, hence why the Scotsman hand picked Moyes to replace him at Old Trafford. They are both incredibly loyal, share the same immense work ethic, get the best out of their players, clever in the transfer market, media savvy and have an incredible will to win. With Moyes and Ferguson being so alike, this should enable a smooth transition over the summer.
There will never be a manager like Sir Alex Ferguson again. Moyes will try everything he can to emulate Sir Alex. United don’t want a repeat of life after Sir Matt Busby where they faded into the wilderness. They are one of the biggest clubs in the world and success is demanded.
Arsenal’s vulnerability has reached near-critical level at this point of the summer. Real Madrid played Arsenal like the high-spending, big market veteran that it is. The La Liga club called Arsenal’s bluff on the Gonzalo Higuain deal and ended up selling the Argentine striker to Napoli. It’s what you get when you’re new to this sort of game and other clubs are well aware of your apparent intentions and ability to spend.
But how much of Arsenal’s need to appease its fan base has distorted the real bargains out on the market?
Monaco, amid huge signings of intent in bringing the Porto band back together in Joao Moutinho, James Rodriguez and Radamel Falcao (as well as Ricardo Carvalho), have also been surprisingly astute, picking up Jeremy Toulalan from cash-strapped Malaga for €5million. It’s not really prudence if it’s an unbelievable deal for a very good and experienced international. The question is where were Arsenal before the deal went through?
[cat_link cat=”arsenal” type=”list”]
It’s further proof that some of the best players don’t always demand inflated fees. Is Toulalan not a player Arsenal need? There can be no discussion as to whether he’d be a signing of necessity. A player in his mould and of his calibre as a defensive midfielder is absolutely necessary. A hitch may be with his age at 29, not being too much younger than Mikel Arteta, but issues like that shouldn’t matter when bargains are waiting to be cherry picked. There’s no doubt the Frenchman would have made an immediate difference at Arsenal, and maybe this highlights a wider criticism of the club during the summer months.
Even prior to Toulalan’s move to Monaco, it has to be asked where Arsenal were in 2011 when he made the switch from Lyon to Malaga. Would Arsenal have been dealing with a financial giant? Well not really. Malaga signed Toulalan for €12 million and were nothing of the financial power that Monaco and PSG are. Furthermore, the European football on offer at the Emirates over La Rosaleda could have been a deciding factor.
But Arsenal rarely seem to be able to work on multiple transfers at once. The truth is we don’t really know, but that’s the general impression that’s created. I’d love to think that the transfer department at Arsenal is a well-oiled machine working diligently and purposely creating a false mask of ineptitude. But that could be a little out there.
This summer has been so central to finding a world-class striker that there has seemingly been total neglect over other areas of the squad in desperate need of attention. Oh, the club have lodged bids for Marouane Fellaini and Lars Bender, but those resembled passing interest over what is at stake in the striker market. Just like Monaco and its counterparts in the market, Arsenal need to make an impression and names like Bender and to an extent Fellaini will do that. But if they’re not there, if all the money in the world can’t prise them from their clubs, players like Toulalan offer an excellent stop-gap until next summer’s window.
Toulalan has the Champions League experience that’s required at Arsenal, as well as the title success garnered from his days with Lyon. He aided in Ignacio Camacho’s development last season, something that could be used in Aaron Ramsey’s redefining as a deep-lying playmaker/holding midfielder. It’s win-win, and for a club who previously boasted of its spending capabilities being in excess of £70 million, a €5 million deal for a player who will add much, much more than just a backup is not something to fret over or pass up.
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Have Arsenal missed a bargain in Jeremy Toulalan this summer?
At first glance and without much inspection, it appears as though Tottenham are back on course. Four points from a possible six, one of which was secured in a 2-2 draw against Manchester United, is a positive turnaround from the weeks leading up to it. But that doesn’t alter the fact that Andre Villas-Boas still has a lot to do.
What the Spurs manager doesn’t need is the interfering of the club’s hierarchy, who are reportedly in favour of a tactical switch that includes two strikers. It convolutes and in turn exacerbates the situation. Villas-Boas may be experiencing some difficulties, but the Tottenham board wouldn’t have appointed him last year if they didn’t believe he was up to the task.
Which is why thoughts, however accurate the reports are, of Villas-Boas’ sacking should be thrown out the window. He did a lot more good than bad last season, making clear steps to climb the Premier League table that would see Tottenham remain there long term.
So what has changed? Talk of title challenges in the wake of losing the team’s best player was premature, unnecessary and wholly unrealistic. It doesn’t matter how good the new recruits are or can be, the bedding-in period lasts longer than a group breakfast and a kick about on the training pitch. Importantly, Villas-Boas wasn’t one to fuel such claims of titles in May.
The expectancy for some kind of progression this season considering what was spent in the summer is natural. But expectancy shouldn’t distort the very logical fact that moving from one style of play – the Gareth Bale-focused football of last season – to something involving more or less a new attack creates a difficult bridge between the two. Villas-Boas may have gotten a few things wrong this season, but there is nothing totally out of hand about the difficulties he’s experiencing in losing his best player and finding other means to winning games.
Villas-Boas apparently has the backing of the board, but that should include a step away from first-team matters and the delegation of full control for the manager, as well as faith that he will improve results.
After all, does Villas-Boas have the tools to successfully deploy a two-man strike force? Tottenham, and many others, haven’t played that way for many years. Not only can it add greater confusion to a team who are trying to find a rhythm, but are Jermain Defoe and Emmanuel Adebayor really the answers to bringing immediate results? One is reportedly off in January, while the other was banished to the reserves with the implication that he’d never play for the first team again. Not exactly the most ideal players for what the hierarchy want.
Villas-Boas deserved criticism for his perseverance with inverted wingers. They weren’t bringing results and they weren’t helping Tottenham’s £26 million striker investment to find the net. Aaron Lennon was introduced, finally, on the right-wing against Manchester United and Tottenham’s attack instantly looked far more dangerous. Why not persevere with something that genuinely looks to be productive?
It possibly speaks of the manager’s attitude to do things his way, which isn’t always a bad thing. The situation at Tottenham is bigger than whether to play Lennon on his natural right side or not. It does take time for a large volume of new recruits to find a winning formula, not to mention to acclimatise to the surroundings of an unfamiliar country.
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It’s still early days for a new-look Tottenham. But if Villas-Boas was good enough to help oversee the club’s progression last season, that trust should continue into this season.
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has admitted that young striker John Guidetti could leave the club on loan this month, as reported by the club’s official Twitter page.
Guidetti was expected to play a part in City’s first team over the past 18 months but was ruled out with a serious injury for over a year, leaving match practice non-existent.
Now fit, Pellegrini is hoping that a six month loan could boost the Swedish international back to his best and some Premier League experience would first choice.
After scoring 20 goals in 23 games on loan at Feyenoord in 2012, the 21 year olds attributes are clear and so West Ham and Stoke are preparing loan moves for him as both clubs are hugely struggling for goals this season.
Spanish side Malaga are also interested but Pellegrini’s main thought is just to get his player first team football.
“It’s true; I think that John [Guidetti] must go on loan. He’s coming back from a long injury for about 18 months,” Pellegrini said.
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For much of the Premier League season, most prolifically during its winter period, Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis has been boasting a new contract in the pipeline for Arsene Wenger, that will take the Frenchman’s tenure into an unprecedented third decade at the club.
Back in January, the South African businessman informed journalists; “Arsène will be extending with us and, at the right time, we will make that announcement. We have always supported Arsène, the board and Stan Kroenke have always been completely behind him. Arsène has always been committed to the club. He’s the right person to see us forward.”
But when that optimum occasion will actually be is still awaiting confirmation; recent reports in the tabloids, namely the Daily Mirror and The Metro, have claimed that the 18-year serving Gunners gaffer is getting cold feet, and could decide to ‘walk out’ at the end of the season.
Usually I tend to take speculation from the British press with a pinch of salt, but the £160k per-week contract, that would affirm Wenger’s position as one of the best-paid managers in world football, was agreed in principle over twelve months ago. At the same time, with this being by far the latest the Frenchman has ever left it to extend his contract since arriving in North London in 1996, one can safely assume that Le Prof is having some doubts.
In my opinion, quite rightly so. A few weeks ago, Arsenal were flying high at the summit of the Premier League table and comfortable contenders for the English crown for the first time in the best part of a decade.
But as they enter a final stretch of burdening league fixtures, that includes Tottenham, Chelsea, Manchester City and Everton in the coming weeks, whilst Liverpool’s form appears to have found a whole new gear, there’s now a greater likelihood that the North Londoners will finish the season in fourth place than at the top of the table.
Should that be the case come May-time, then Arsene Wenger owes it to the club to refuse his new contract and step down.
That may seem like a fairly radical view, but it would be rather disturbing to witness a Gunners side that lead the Premier League title-charge for four months end up in the same ultimate position they found themselves in last year. They may as well have not bothered debasing the club’s entire transfer policy by forking out a record-breaking £42million on Mesut Ozil in the summer.
Similarly, the sagas of Arsene Wenger’s January windows are becoming like Groundhog Day. Once again confronted with the task of adding a striker to his roster, the North London boss hesitated and dwindled, before telling the British press he wasn’t interested in any of the targets the club had been linked with in the tabloids.
Then, after trying to convince Schalke to sell him Julian Draxler for significantly less than his actual worth, Wenger brought in 31-year old, injury-stricken loan signing Kim Kallstrom – hardly what you’d call an ambitious acquisition – before remarking that he wouldn’t have launched a bid for the Sweden international if he had more time.
Preposterous. Wenger had a whole month to actively negotiate with other clubs – in addition to an entire half-season to plan for the winter window – and although the likes of Dimitar Berbatov, Alexandre Pato, Mirko Vucinic or Sebastian Giovinco may not have been the most long-term signings, they could have provided the fire-power to get the Gunners over the finishing line this season. Berbatov for example – a two-time Premier League title-winner, which would have made him the only prior English title-winner on the Arsenal roster – left Fulham for Monaco on a free transfer. A rare flex of pragmatism, and Arsenal’s title charge could still be in full flow right now.
It’s not so much Arsene Wenger’s qualities as a manager; just glancing at the Gunners alumni that blossomed under his leadership tells you everything you need to know about the Emirates manager’s abilities to nurture, develop and transform talented youngsters into world-class players.
But rather, his ideology of persistently building from within; of viewing every acquisition in terms of cost-effectiveness rather than quality; of planning ahead in five, ten and twenty year cycles rather than committing himself to solely focusing on a single campaign; comes with disturbing limitations. Translated into successes and failures on the football pitch, that limit appears to be fourth in the Premier League table, and a continual malaise of silverware.
Don’t get me wrong, the Gunners have decisively improved from their hot-and-cold campaign last season, particularly becoming more consistent against the Premier League’s more rank-and-file opposition. But the worry is that, despite this obvious progress, the North London side have been left no better for it. It seems that the Wenger philosophy, as morally justified and commendable as it is, will always lack the ruthlessly cruel efficiency required to take the club to another level.
The coming summer window could parallel last season’s in terms of its importance to Arsenal’s cause. A new sponsorship deal with Puma worth £150million over its five-year duration will, according to the Telegraph, leave Wenger with autonomous control over an £80million transfer budget ahead of next season.
That money could be trusted in the hands of the current Arsenal boss, who will probably spend it on several players under the age of 24 who may or may not go on to great things in their later careers, in another five-year plan. Or it could be given to a new manager, with new ideas and with the confidence to take the club in a different direction. Most importantly, it could be given to a pragmatist that will view silverware, rather than the progression of young talent, as the club’s ultimate priority.
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Gazidis and co. will shudder at the thought of Arsene Wenger walking out of the Emirates after the disaster campaign David Moyes has endured in the wake of Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement at Manchester United.
But that’s why it’s down to the Frenchman to make the decision for his employers; like Ferguson at Old Trafford, Arsenal as a club has institutionalised around Wenger’s personality and philosophy, and resultantly, the fear of losing him will always outweigh the optimism of finding an adequate successor.
A near-decade out of the title race and almost nine years without a trophy however, should Arsenal’s season end as fruitless at the last, Wenger owes it to himself and the club to admit that wholesale change is necessary by refusing a new contract.
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Arsenal may have just ended their nine-year trophy wait, but the manner of the victory over Hull has raised a fair few questions. The Gunners were slow starters at Wembley as they fell behind to two efforts from James Chester and Curtis Davies and struggled to truly get going even though they took the win with an extra-time Aaron Ramsey effort. Hull are by no means a poor side, but as a team only just out of the second tier, the Londoners should really be dispatching them with a little more ease than they eventually did. Arsene Wenger could be about to pen a new contract at the Emirates Stadium, but here are three reasons we think the club should take their paperwork off of the table.
Poor signings
It’s easy to forget that Yaya Sanogo looked likely to be one of Arsenal’s major signings last summer. The cumbersome forward was thrust into the FA Cup Final even though he is yet to open his Gunners account and looked more than a little out of place on the Wembley turf. Mesut Ozil also failed to shine despite costing over £40m, while the less said about Kim Kallstrom – who didn’t even make the bench today – the better.
Tactics out-dated
Even though they came back, Arsenal were more than a little lethargic against Hull. Much of their attacking play was predictable, and it looked as if Hull boss Steve Bruce knew exactly what he would be up against.
Arsenal need a fresh start
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While Arsenal were huffing and puffing to a first trophy in nine years Diego Atletico Madrid lifting the La Liga title with a fresh and imaginative coach in the shape of Diego Simeone at the helm. Gunners fans could be forgiven for wishing they had the Argentine in the dugout.
According to Mirror Football, Arsenal have been given a boost in their plans to sign Angel di Maria, with the Real Madrid admitting he’s unsure of his future at the Bernabeu.
The news comes as some surprise, considering the Argentine featured heavily for Los Blancos in a new-found central midfield role last season as the Spanish giants marched their way to a Champions League title.
The 26 year-old also lead La Liga’s set-up charts, with a stunning 17 assists in 34 league appearances.
Several Premier League clubs, including the Gunners, Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham have been eying the South American for some time, but it’s believed the Emirates are currently his most prevalent suitors.
But with Arsenal’s new sponsorship deal with Puma reportedly giving Arsene Wenger the largest transfer budget in Gunners history this summer, it’s unlikely Di Maria will be his only purchase in the coming transfer window.
With that in mind, here’s a list of SIX players who could follow the Argentina international to the Emirates – some inspired by his arrival, others more coincidental.
[ffc-gallery]CLICK ON ANGEL DI MARIA TO REVEAL ALL
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SAMI KHEDIRA
//www.youtube.com/embed/6GMNjPao7Ew?autoplay=1
Angel Di Maria could soon find himself joined at the Emirates by Real Madrid team-mate Sami Khedira, with the Daily Express claiming the Bernabeu star has emerged as a transfer target for Arsenal and Manchester United…
Widely considered to be one of Europe’s top ball-winning midfielders with a powerful 6 foot 2 frame, the 27 year-old would certainly address the Gunners’ need for a more defensive element in the middle of the park.
Compatriots and former Los Blancos team-mates, having both earned their moves to the Spanish giants after the 2010 World Cup, the Germany international has a strong on-pitch understanding with Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil, as demonstrated below…
Furthermore, the Spanish press have speculated that the former Bundesliga winner will be moved on this summer to make away for new recruits…
That could see him arrive in the Premier League for between £15million-£20million, but along with United and Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool have been strongly linked too.
KARIM BENZEMA
//www.youtube.com/embed/2LvJ2Z-owQ8?autoplay=1 Another Real Madrid star often mooted with an Arsenal switch is front-man Karim Benzema.
The France international has shown unbelievable form in the World Cup, with Whoscored.com ranking him the competition’s top performer thus far for his three goals and two assists in just two appearances…
That includes this tidy finish following an Emile-Heskey-esque clearance from Philip Senderos…
But unfortunately not this incredible strike, with the referee blowing the final whistle just before it left the 26 year-old’s boot…
Arsene Wenger will be keen to tap into the powerful striker’s ability to score and create – during his last season with Mesut Ozil at the Bernabeu, the attacking duo racked up 20 goals and 25 assists between them in La Liga.
Recent speculation suggests a summer switch involving Liverpool’s Luis Suarez could be on the cards…
MARIO BALOTELLI
Karim Benzema isn’t the only frontman Arsenal are reportedly targeting this summer, with the North London club also strongly linked to AC Milan’s mercurial star Mario Balotelli.
Just in case you’ve forgotten how disruptive an influence the former Manchester City badboy can be, here’s a video of the 50 Craziest things he’s done so far in his career…
//www.youtube.com/embed/BepDexjVfG0?autoplay=1
But there’s no doubt the Italy international has the quality and firepower to address Arsenal’s desperate need for a dependable goal scorer.
The 23 year-old contributed a vital twelve goals to the Citizens’ first Premier League title in 2012, and since joining AC Milan in January 2013 has netted 30 times in 54 outings, not to mention this dream-crushing header for Italy against England..
Here’s a shot clip of the Azzurri star’s top ten goals:
//www.youtube.com/embed/hZ2GEP2pPX8
The Metro believe a deal could be imminent…
But surprise interest from Napoli could prove a stumbling block:
Which brings us nicely onto…
GONZALO HIGUAIN
According to the Express, Arsenal are set to revive their interest in Angel Di Maria’s former Real Madrid team-mate and current Argentina ally, Gonzalo Higuain.
The Albiceleste forward is famed for his potency in front of goal, with an international record of 20 in 37 and a La Liga record of 107 in 190, subsequently firing Los Blancos to three Spanish titles.He’s a short vid of Higuain’s best goals for the European champions:
//www.youtube.com/embed/jtJXvedyY7Q
Arsenal were strongly linked with the 26 year-old last summer before his £34.5million move to Naples, where he’s since claimed 24 goals and eleven assists in 44 appearances, helping the Serie A side claim last season’s Coppa Italia.
And following news that he could again be made available this summer by Rafa Benitez, the Gunners are reportedly considering an offer.
But recent speculation from Italy suggests Barcelona are currently leading the race for the 6 foot 1 striker’s signature.
EZEQUIEL LAVEZZI
Another Argentine said to be on Arsenal’s radar this summer is PSG winger-forward Ezequiel Lavezzi.
The 29 year-old offers a blend of pace, creativity and firepower, as demonstrated in the below video:
//www.youtube.com/embed/Uz2G4u0RiEo
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He’s been in good form this season too as the Parisians marched their way to a second consecutive Ligue 1 title, finding twelve goals and ten assists across all competitions – including this strike against Chelsea in the Champions League…
The Daily Star believe the Albiceleste international, who provided an assist to Lionel Messi against Iran on Saturday, has emerged as one of Arsenal’s priority targets from the World Cup…
But long-term interest from Chelsea, as reported by the Metro, could prove to be an issue.
JUAN CUADRADO
Another winger option the North Londoners are believed to be strongly considering is Fiorentina’s Juan Cuadrado.
The Colombia international was in sensational form last season and is now transitioning his talismanic displays into the World Cup, as seen below…
In fact, only Daley Blind has matched the 26 year-old’s three assists at Brazil 2014, and he was unlucky not to mark his first World Cup goal with this effort against the Ivory Coast..
Arsene Wenger will be keen to tap into the South American’s versatility too, having featured in no less than eight different positions this season…
And his mixture of pace and trickery would certainly address Arsenal’s lack of natural penetration out wide. Here’s a short vid showing Cuadrado’s fancy footwork…
//www.youtube.com/embed/yWhmdK5YCA8
The Daily Star speculate the Gunners have already opened talks with the winger’s agent…
But they’ll face stiff competition from Juventus, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Monaco for his signature.
Hot off the press this morning, according to the Daily Mail, Raheem Sterling is in no rush to sign a new contract at Liverpool, despite the Premier League side being more than prepared to offer him an improved package on his current deal.
The Reds attacker currently takes home £1.5m per-annum and has two years remaining on his Anfield contract, but coinciding with reports that Real Madrid are targeting his services, has raised concerns over his long-term future by insisting he won’t be hasted into contract talks.
We at Football Fancast however believe the 19 year-old is making a grave error; Liverpool have transformed him from an anonymous teenager into the Premier League star he is today. And to prove our point, here’s FIVE reasons the England international should sign on the dotted line.
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REAL MADRID ARE IDIOTS
It can only be assumed that one of the underlying reasons Raheem Sterling has stalled on contract negotiations is because he’s allegedly emerged on Real Madrid’s radar:
They may be the reigning European Champions, but when it comes to young players and transfers, the Bernabeu outfit are complete idiots.
Take the recent plight of Isco for example – a former Golden Boy award winner, brought to the Spanish capital in summer 2013 after impressing at Malaga.
Since the attacking midfielder signed on the dotted line, Los Blancos have forked out no less than £152million on players in his position, specifically James Rodriguez and Gareth Bale. The rise of the latter saw the 22 year-old miss out on a place in Spain’s World Cup squad, and he’s made just two out of a possible six starts in La Liga this season.
Likewise, despite emerging as perhaps the most potent creator in Europe last season, as shown below, and bagging the Man of the Match award in the 2014 Champions League final, Real Madrid flogged Angel Di Maria to Manchester United this summer.
In part due to the Galacticos policy, in part due to a presidential system underpinned by the audacious demands of the fanbase, the Spanish giants churn through vogue players at a remarkable rate, like junkies addicted to footballing fads.
Moving to the Bernabeu could be the making of Sterling, but it could also waste several years of his career.
THERE’S CURRENTLY AN OPENING FOR LIVERPOOL TALISMAN
With Luis Suarez moving to Barcelona and Steven Gerrard’s influence naturally waning with age, Liverpool are in need of a new talisman – a player the starting Xi can be structured around.
Of course, a key role of that calibre must be gained rather than gifted, but having produced sensational form since the start of 2014, Raheem Sterling is already upon the periphery of such status.
He’s already proving to be Liverpool’s most potent entity in the Premier League this season, as shown below:
And as the Reds endure some troubling form at the start of the campaign, the stage is set for Sterling to emerge as his club’s new hero – one can already envisage him wearing that famous No.7 shirt one day.
The England international certainly possesses the potential to become Liverpool’s latest long-term talisman – no teenager in Europe played a more crucial role, in a challenge as tough as a Premier League title race, at a club as monolithic as Liverpool, than Sterling last season.
Here’s a look at some of the attacker’s highlights from 2013/14:
ANFIELD IS A FANTASTIC ENVIORNMENT FOR YOUNG PLAYERS
Anfield has always been a hotbed of young home-grown talents, but even more so during Brendan Rodgers’ tenure.
The Ulsterman has proved himself a fantastic developer of young talents – the Liverpool squad that finished in second-place last season was underpinned by the likes of Daniel Sturridge, Raheem Sterling, Jordan Henderson, Mamadou Sakho, Philippe Coutinho and John Flanagan, all of whom are 25 years of age or younger.
Likewise, he’s issued competitive debuts to Flanagan, Jack Robinson, Jordan Rossiter, Jordan Ibe, Connor Coady and Andre Wisdom to name a few.
Rodgers appears to have greater faith in young players than the majority of Premier League managers, embracing their energy and enthusiasm rather than fearing their inexperience.
The Anfield gaffer is unquestionably the right man to continue moulding Sterling, assuring him regular game time and giving the England youngster the freedom to express himself on the pitch.
He trusted Sterling enough to utilise him in the No.10 role last season – a position of enormous responsibility going forward – and clearly plans to continue in that vein for the foreseeable future.
THE SAS
Luis Suarez may have departed for Barcelona, but there’s still an SAS partnership in Liverpool’s midst; Daniel Sturridge and Raheem Sterling.
The England duo aren’t an out-and-out front two but they share an intrinsic, almost telepathic bond as an attacking tandem, linking up well and working off each others’ movement.
Both can act as scorer or provider, albeit from different areas of the pitch, and Sterling would be wise to preserve that partnership by signing a new contract.
Sturridge remains one of the most potent goalscorers in the Premier League; he can make even the most wayward of passes look like a world-class assist.
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Here’s a look at Sturridge and Sterling in action:
//www.youtube.com/embed/LITt3wB58R4?rel=0
Also, from a personal point of view, ‘SAS’ is fantastic headline fodder, so for the Liverpool pair to stick together would make my job considerably easier.
His agent, not Liverpool, are causing all the problems
As Jamie Carragher quickly pointed out on Twitter, it’s Raheem Sterling’s agent, not the player or Liverpool, causing all the trouble:
Obviously, the attacker believes he’s worth more than his current £30k per-week salary, and in the context of the Premier League, he certainly is.
But is it really worth holding the club to ransom and subliminally threatening to leave for Real Madrid just for the sake of a few extra pennies?
Liverpool is clearly the right club for the 19 year-old to continue his development, and at this point in his career, nothing else should matter.
Brendan Rodgers and the Reds have propelled the England international upon the verges of super-stardom; he owes them a show of loyalty, and it’s quite clear Sterling’s agent doesn’t have his client’s best interests at heart.