Champions Chelsea welcomed Tottenham to Stamford Bridge for one of the most important games of the Premier League season so far on Sunday.
The London derby is always spicy but this time it had extra importance as a game that would be decisive in deciding which of the local rivals would take their place in the Champions League next season.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side went into this one with the better form and confidence and were buoyed by the early return of talisman Harry Kane, who was named among the substitutes for the visitors.
Antonio Conte has overseen quite a steep downturn in form in 2018 and knew his side were in greater need of the victory and despite Alvaro Morata putting them ahead, they contrived to lose 3-1.
That loss means that the distance between the two sides is now eight points and gives Chelsea an absolute mountain to climb if they are to get back into the Champions League next season.
In such a crunch clash, it was the performance of Eden Hazard, valued at £90m by Transfermarkt, that took the attention of the home fans and we’ve examined some of the best reaction…
Arsenal have officially confirmed the signing of 17 year-old defender Krystian Bielik this afternoon, but he’s by no means the only talented teenager on the north London club’s radar.
Indeed, Arsene Wenger has an insatiable appetite for young and talented prospects, harking back to his acquisition of Patrick Vieira way back in 1996 and Theirry Henry in 1999 – two youthful signings that would go on to change the course of Gunners and Premier League history.
There’s plenty of speculation linking Arsenal with teenage prodigies from across the globe once again, so, being the lovely bunch we are at Football Fancast, we’ve listed FOUR of them.
So, without further ado…
JEAN KEVIN AUGUSTIN
According to the Metro, Arsenal are plotting a move for PSG prospect Jean Kevin Augustin, whose Parc de Princes contract is set to expire at the end of the season.
Those of you ITK with all things Parisian might be somewhat surprised that his contract is being allowed to wind down, having made Laurent Blanc’s bench on four occasions already and regularly represented France at U18 level. But it appears Augustin has grown so frustrated with PSG’s prolific spending blocking his path to the first team that he’s now considering offers from abroad.
The 17 year-old striker’s availability has attracted interest from Porto, Juventus, Benfica, Roma and West Ham, according to Mirrror Football, but ESPN moot the Gunners as the front-runners, claiming they’ve already made contact with Augustin’s agent.
MAX MEYER
Germany’s academy system is perhaps the healthiest in Europe at this moment in time, evident enough through their World Cup triumphs during the summer with a squad that boasted an average age of just 24, including eight players of that age or younger.
And the latest product to emerge from the Mannschaft conveyor belt is Schalke starlet Max Mayer, compared to Mesut Ozil, Mario Gotze and Lionel Messi, amongst others, for his dribbling speed and technique, allegedly generated via his love for playing Futsal whilst progressing through the Miners’ academy.
Unlike the majority of the teenager showstoppers on this list, the 19 year-old has already seen plenty of action at senior level – 68 appearances-worth to be precise, amassing a return of ten goals, in addition to picking up his first cap for Germany in a pre-World Cup friendly against Poland last May.
Arsenal were strongly linked to the attacking midfielder’s services during the summer, along with Liverpool and Chelsea, as reported by The Express. Ever-increasing in his importance to Schalke however, this term claiming two goals and one assist in 11 Bundesliga starts, the Gunners would likely have to pay an arm and a leg to prize Meyer away from the Veltins Arena this month.
KEITA BALDE DIAO
Another Arsenal-linked teenager with plenty of first team football under his belt is Lazio striker Keita Balde Diao, who boasts a promising return of 15 goals in 48 Serie A appearances for the Stadio Olimpico outfit. This season, he’s netted three goals from three outings in the Coppa Italia.
The Spanish striker began his career at Barcelona’s famous La Masia set-up, but elected to leave the club in 2011 by way of a bizarre ice cube prank that resulted in him being sent out on loan to Cornella, where he racked up an incredible 47 goals for their youth team.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
He then joined Lazio for just £300k and has been attracting interest from Arsenal and Liverpool ever since, with the Daily Star reporting a £15million transfer tussle between the Premier League clubs as recently as the start of the January window.
Blessed with pace, brawn, firepower and a uniquely direct style of play, the 19 year-old certainly possesses the natural requisites to be a success in the Premier League. Whether the Gunners will make good on their interest this month however, or allow the Keita transfer saga to continue, remains to be seen.
MALCOM SILVA
As reported by The Daily Star and Talksport, Arsenal, Manchester United, Barcelona and Chelsea are fighting it out for the signature or Corinthians prodigy Malcom Silva.
The 17 year-old forward has only scored twice in 25 appearances for the Brazilian outfit thus far but, as shown in the video above, appears to be blessed with an eclectic mix of pace, power and creativity that would certainly serve him well in England.
Resultantly however, the Brazil U20 has already been slapped with a rather outrageous £20million price-tag, per The Daily Star once again, whilst other reports claim Barcelona already have a first refusal option on the young striker.
and Venkys have issued an apology over former manager Steve Kean’s embarrassing verbal assault relating to Sam Allardyce’s departure from Ewood Park on 13 December 2010, reports the Daily Mail.
Rovers have apologised for a false allegation levelled in Allardyce’s direction by Kean, who said that the West Ham manager’s sacking in 2010 was the result of his “crooked” nature as a man.
Kean was caught unaware as he spoke to fans in a bar. The fans captured footage of the whole conversation which was posted, and still available to view, on YouTube.
A club statement read: “During the summer of 2011, Mr Steve Kean was this Club’s manager and accompanied the players of Blackburn Rovers on a pre-season tour of the Far East.
“Whilst in Hong Kong, Mr Kean was in a bar and falsely alleged that Sam Allardyce, our previous manager, was sacked by us because he was a crook.
“This is completely false and we apologise to Mr Allardyce for the embarrassment and distress caused to him by Mr Kean.”
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
After the international break, West Ham face a monumental clash against relegation rivals Southampton at the London Stadium.
The Hammers are coming off the back of the 3-0 home defeat against Burnley and of course the ugly scenes that marred that match are still fresh in the mind of both fans and players alike.
Irons fans might have fancied their chances of beating the Saints if they were still managed by Mauricio Pellegrino but Mark Hughes is the new man in the hotseat at St Mary’s and he got off to a flying start by reaching the FA Cup semi-finals with a 2-0 win against Wigan.
[ad_pod ]
The Welshman has a point to prove after his sacking by Stoke and will be looking for a similar result in his first Premier League match in charge of the Saints, to land a major blow in the relegation dogfight.
Unfortunately for David Moyes, he will not have a full compliment of players to choose from. Winston Reid, Pedro Obiang and Andy Carroll are among the absentees and with the help of Premier Injuries, we’ve taken a look at their current situations…
When was Collins injured?: He picked up a knock in the aforementioned defeat against Burnley but given that his season has been interrupted by injuries, Moyes will be keen to ensure that the Welshman is not out for an extended period. He also limped off with what looked like a hamstring injury in the Hammers’ 3-1 friendly win over Dagenham and Redbridge on Wednesday night.
Has he been missed?: The absence of Winston Reid and the sale of Jose Fonte to China has catapulted Collins into a critical role in the survival fight. He has never been the quickest but despite his aging legs, his experience and knowhow will be vital in helping the squad deal with the pressure of a relegation battle. He is one that Moyes won’t want to have to do without.
When was Byram injured?: He picked up an ankle injury in the thrashing against Swansea, which could well keep him out for the rest of the season.
What the manager said: On March 9, Moyes said: “It doesn’t look great for Sam [who could miss the rest of the season].”
Has he been missed?: Byram has never been a regular starter but he is a player with great potential who was meant to spend this season learning from Pablo Zabaleta with a view to taking his spot as the season wears on. This injury has disrupted those plans, quite clearly. Also, Zabaleta was being deployed as a holding midfielder by Moyes but now the Scotsman has been deprived of Byram at right-back, those plans could get shelved.
When was Reid injured?: Like Byram, he was also injured during the humiliation at hands of a relegation rival at the Liberty Stadium.
What the manager said: On March 9, Moyes said: “Winston will be out for the rest of the season.”
Has he been missed?: His leadership was sorely missed against Burnley, when the fans began to turn against the team and the Clarets smashed in two more goals. He is still the best centre-half on the books at the club and it would be hard to see a combination of him and Angelo Ogbonna conceding so many goals that the Irons go down. His absence is a major blow for Moyes.
When was Obiang injured?: He was forced off in the first half of West Ham’s FA Cup embarrassment at the hands of Wigan and it was later confirmed that he had suffered knee ligament damage.
Potential return date: 02/07/18
What the manager said: On February 6, Moyes said: “We are confident that he will return fit and strong in time for pre-season.”
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Has he been missed?: Obiang adds energy and endeavour to the Hammers midfield and his absence is another big loss to Moyes. He can chip in with the odd goal as well and there is no doubt that he would have featured heavily in the relegation battle if he was fully fit.
When was Carroll injured?: ‘When was Carroll not injured?’ would be the cynical reply in reference to a player who has seen his career decimated by various ailments. His latest issue is a broken foot sustained in a January match against West Bromwich Albion, in which he scored two goals.
Potential return date: 21/04/2018
Has he been missed?: It is easy to forget that Carroll’s injury came at a time when unlikely interest from Chelsea was circling and Moyes was reportedly considering letting the former Newcastle man go in exchange for £20m and a loan deal for Michy Batshuayi, who is now banging in the goals for Borussia Dortmund.
However, Carroll has always been vital to West Ham’s hopes which is what makes it such a shame that he can’t stay fit. Moyes will want him back before the season is out, but if Chicharito can maintain his form then the blow will be softened.
It has been a strange season for Newcastle so far and with various winning and losing streaks, they find themselves in 10th place. The Toon had a poor start to the season with no win in their first seven matches, but then won five consecutive fixtures to climb into the Champions League positions- albeit briefly.
The Magpies soon after went on a four match losing streak, including a heavy defeat in the League Cup tie at Spurs, so overall, a mid-table position is where they deserve to be after such a mixed bag of results. But the defeat to Leicester in the FA Cup this weekend leaves them out of both cup competitions, sitting bang in mid-table with the season in danger of petering out in dull fashion.
Adding to that, we’re only in January and there is now no permanent manager at the helm; what can possibly lie in store for the rest of the season? After 20 matches, there is no danger of a relegation battle being 10 points away from such worries. A top four finish is out of the question, and so too looks like a dreaded Europe League spot, which might not be a bad thing considering how it hampered their season in 2012/13.
It is not exactly an appealing position for any future manager to take, with nothing really to gain from such a dead-end position. Maybe it would be best to keep John Carver in temporary charge until the end of the season, so a new man can be brought in where the club will actually have something to play for.
There also doesn’t seem to be too much ambition shown by Mike Ashley and the majority of the supporters in terms of a league finish. It seems as if the club are happy to finish mid-table or thereabouts every season, which restrains Ashley from pumping multi millions into the playing side of things.
That is not to say Ashley hasn’t spent money this season, but for a club of Newcastle’s size, ambition should be there to give the top five, six or maybe even four a go; which can only be achieved by spending two or three times more than this last summer. This is not an unrealistic point to make, with Ashley’s net worth well over £1 billion. And the fact Sir Bobby Robson showed what can be accomplished at this great club with the right backing, achieving back-to-back Champions League football for the 2002/3 and 2003/4 seasons.
Newcastle haven’t won a major trophy since lifting the FA Cup in 1955 – although they won the Inter City Fairs Cup in 1969 which many don’t consider as a major honour – this is a stat which is bewildering for a club the size of the Magpies. With that in mind, the fact Newcastle made seven changes for the cup match at Leicester surely demonstrates that lack of ambition, especially when they have nothing to play for in the league. A full strength Newcastle side is capable of beating anyone on its day as they showed against Chelsea, and although there are some injuries around, this was a totally nonsensical team selection.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
The lack of ambition can also be suggested through the sales of the likes of Yohan Cabaye, Mathieu Debuchy and Demba Ba in recent years. Selling your best players is not a great sign for the club and one the fans surely can’t be happy with.
The Newcastle fans deserve better and although 10th is a respectable position, Newcastle are a massive club. The Toon could and should be competing with the very best in this division, as Sir Bobby Robson and Kevin Keegan proved many years ago.
Stoke City boss Tony Pulis is set to approach Arsenal to discuss a loan move for right back Carl Jenkinson according to the Daily Mirror.
Pulis is desperate to add quality cover to his right back position with very little competition for the place currently at the Britannia Stadium.
However Arsene Wenger is not keen to allow his second choice right back leave the club, even on a short term basis, as the form and injury record of Bacary Sagna is not great.
Wenger himself is keen to bring defensive cover to the Emirates and one or two new faces could see Jenkinson get his loan chance away from the Gunners until the end of the season.
The former Charlton youth product is also on the radar of West Ham, Wigan and Fulham this month as even an England call-up earlier this season can’t force him in front of Sagna.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
For all the resentment Everton fans have shown towards Sam Allardyce, it’s often forgotten that he’s working with a desperately imbalanced squad and players he inherited from a manager with completely different ideals in Ronald Koeman. Cuco Martina’s regular outings at left-back this season epitomise how the former England boss has been forced to settle for square pegs in round holes and sellotaping ill-fitting jigsaw pieces together for much of his short time at Goodison Park.
After losing their last two outings to Burnley and Watford, the Toffees returned to winning ways against Brighton on Saturday and the man who replaced Martina at left-back – the previously injured Leighton Baines – was a pivotal influence on the result, providing the quality, width and vital balance the right-footed Curacao international has often failed to this season.
Indeed, it was the 30-cap England international who overlapped Yannick Bolasie at the perfect time for the first goal, creating the space for the winger to drift inside and launch a cross that Gaitan Bong then put beyond his own goalkeeper. Baines had a far more direct impact on the second goal – providing the assist for Cenk Tosun’s rifled finish that put the result beyond doubt – and tellingly of how influential he was on Saturday, he had the second-most touches of the ball of any player on the pitch.
Speaking of perfect timing, Baines’ return couldn’t have come at a better time for Allardyce. The 33-year-old not only improves Everton defensively but also going forward as well, his left-footed deliveries from out wide being a defining feature of the Toffees’ attacking play for many seasons now.
And for all the ill-feeling towards Allardyce currently, a positive end to the season – which is far more likely with Baines in the team – could extinguish much of that ahead of a transfer window in which the Everton boss will have the chance to truly imprint his ideas onto the team. Accordingly, Baines’ return to fitness could prove to be something of a turning point for the Toffees’ under-fire manager in the months to come.
With many of the alternatives struggling for both game-time and form this season, is Baines actually still England’s best option at left-back at the age of 33? Let us know by voting below…
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
While Arsenal’s victory away to West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League on Saturday may have offered Gunners boss Arsene Wenger some respite following his side’s unconvincing start to the season, there are still murmurings of discontent among the Arsenal fanbase. Many now feel that a change of manager is needed if Arsenal are to progress as a football club and an ominous banner was unfurled by disgruntled Gunners fans at the Hawthorns which read ‘Arsene – thanks for the memories, but it’s time to say goodbye’.
Major Arsenal shareholder Alisher Usmanov also expressed his concerns regarding Wenger’s leadership, stating recently that his stubborn approach is holding the club back. Wenger has been at the Emirates long enough to understand the demands of the Arsenal fanbase, and he must surely acknowledge the fact that lingering issues need to be addressed if his side is to have a successful season. Here are five things in particular the Gunners boss needs to sort out:
[ffc-gallery]CLICK ON DANNY WELBECK TO SEE THE FULL LIST
[/ffc-gallery]
1. Defensive issues
Football – Arsenal v Besiktas – UEFA Champions League Qualifying Play-Off Second Leg – Emirates Stadium, London, England – 14/15 – 27/8/14Mathieu Debuchy – ArsenalMandatory Credit: Action Images / John SibleyEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
The most pressing worry for Arsenal is the thinness of their options in the backline.
Four defenders left the club in the summer, with only two coming in as replacements. A spate of injuries in defence – including a long-term lay-off for new recruit Mathieu Debuchy – has meant that Wenger has for most of the season been unable to field his strongest back four, and their poor start could in part be attributed to a lack of familiarity.
He must target a central defender at the very least in the January transfer window to make sure that this problem does not persist for the remainder of the campaign.
2. Where to play Welbeck
Danny Welbeck has made no secret of his desire to be played in his favoured position as a centre forward since his £16 million arrival from Manchester United on transfer deadline day. One of the reasons why the England international decided to leave his boyhood club was his frustration at being played out of position, which, he argued, was to blame for his unremarkable goals return.
Although Welbeck grabbed the decisive winning goal against West Brom over the weekend, he was deployed out wide in the game to accommodate for Olivier Giroud. With the 24-year-old so determined to make his mark as an out-and-out striker, Wenger has a tough decision to make: does he continue to play him occasionally on the wing, therefore running the risk of making the player unhappy, or does he try to fit him in as a second striker alongside Giroud?
3. Ramsey’s loss of form
So instrumental to Arsenal’s FA Cup-winning season last year, Aaron Ramsey has found it tough to carry over his fine form into the current campaign.
The Welshman scored 16 goals in all competitions last season – despite missing 15 league games through a lengthy injury – yet he has struggled to dominate games this time around. It has been suggested that the midfielder is simply trying too hard to make an impact and that his form will return if he plays his natural game, while others maintain that the 23-year-old still hasn’t fully recovered psychologically from the horrific leg break he suffered in 2010.
Either way, Arsenal are a much better team when Ramsey is on song, and Wenger must do his utmost to get last season’s outstanding performer back to his best.
4. Settle on a best XI
So saturated is the Arsenal midfield that Wenger very rarely settles on a preferred combination of players for an extended period of time.
The injuries of Mikel Arteta, Mesut Ozil and Jack Wilshere may in fact be something of a blessing in disguise as the Gunners boss will at least find his options more manageable, yet when this trio returns, they will be fighting for a place in the four or five-man midfield with no fewer than eight other Arsenal players.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Constantly chopping and changing the side surely cannot be advantageous to Arsenal’s chances; Wenger must identify his core starting eleven and stick with them as often as he possibly can.
5. Lack of consistency
The previous point goes hand-in-hand with this one: only once have Arsenal managed to secure back-to-back victories in the Premier League this season, and it is this inconsistency that has reduced them to playing catch-up already with Manchester United in fourth.
Getting anywhere near league leaders Chelsea is out of the question, yet by stringing a run of wins together – which will be helped if he allows the same starting eleven to play together week-in, week-out – Wenger can at least make a decent push for Champions League qualification for the 18th year in succession.
Got any questions? Follow me on Twitter @GruffuddOwen
Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva believes that he is close to returning to full fitness.
The Brazilian missed almost the entire 2011/12 Premier League season due to knee ligament damage, and has been out of action for the most part of the current campaign with a thigh injury.
He made his comeback for the Reds earlier this month, but has looked a little short of his best as the club continue to struggle.
Lucas feels that he is not far from reaching peak fitness, and believes that the hectic Christmas fixture schedule will help:
“After a long time out and two difficult injuries, I’m just very happy to be back,” he told Liverpool’s official website.
“I’m still progressing in terms of fitness, confidence and strength but I will get there again. I just need to be patient and when I get back to 100 per cent fitness and the level I was at before, the better it will be for myself and the team.
“In terms of fitness, I’m very close to being 100 per cent but it’s just a question of time and games, to be honest.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
“It’s very hard to predict how long it will take to get back to my best but I can see an improvement every week, especially in the training sessions.
“I’m starting to feel sharper and better every day so I try to take that into the games. It’s important to play well at this crucial time over Christmas, especially because we have a lot of games.”
As reported by The Times, Everton manager Sam Allardyce will try to sign Manchester United defender Phil Jones in the summer transfer window if he remains boss at Goodison Park.
Everton badly need defensive reinforcements before the new season with supporters losing all faith in the likes of Ashley Williams this term.
Phil Jones has had his own critics at Old Trafford, but with 188 appearances for the club has plenty of elite experience that might help improve the Toffees’ defensive fortunes.
Fans though aren’t keen, believing he is just the latest in a long line of transfer targets that have failed to inspire.
They’ve been linked with a number of English top flight talents over the past couple of months, but supporters are looking for the club to put a bit more effort into scouting and unearth a hidden gem or two.
They took to Twitter to share their thoughts on a potential deal for Jones…