Liverpool have been linked with the Stewart Downing since January. A lot of the complaints about us being linked with him have been down to one fact among many Reds fans: he isn’t Juan Mata . From my point of view though, the comparisons between the Spanish playmaker and the England winger are completely unfair, they are not similar styles of player at all. Mata on the one hand could only be loosely described as a winger as he prefers to play in the whole behind the strikers, while Downing has always been more comfortable down the flanks.
One of the probable reasons why Downing maybe a bigger priority for Dalglish and Comolli than Mata currently, maybe because they are looking for a more natural winger to compliment the characteristics of Andy Carroll. Of course Mata maybe a superior dribbler and has a better passing range, but I feel that Downing maybe favoured purely because he would give the team more width than Mata would.
For sure, Downing has played as a central midfield player both at Middlesbrough and Aston Villa , but you only have to look at the video footage by ElPistoleroJFT96 below to see that most of his assists last campaign came from crosses, many of which came from his weaker right foot too:
Even from a 3 minute clip, a person who hadn’t even seen the player before can see that Downing can keep genuine pace while running with the ball, can shoot and pass with either foot, and has a variety to his game which means he can provide through balls as well as being a decent crosser.
7 goals and 7 assists in a poor season for Villa, as well as the club’s player of the season award isn’t a bad case to put forward for buying the player.
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The question becomes though, is he worth the £15million being suggested? With two years left on his contract, would we be just paying over the heads for an above average player?
Somebody like Mata is only valued a £3million more, and at 23, he is 3 years Downing’s junior with probably a greater amount of vision and skill on the ball. Going by the stats, Downing wasn’t fantastic at either dribbling and delivering decent crosses last season, and although he has had a very good season, is he the sort of player which will push the club up to the next level of being league contenders once again?
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For many fans the answer is no, and every time I have put up a transfer rumour on this site linking the player with us, a few fans cry out at the apparent waste of money.
Still, I go back to the point I made at the top of the article. What sort of player is Kenny Dalglish looking for? He is looking for width, pace and guile to help out Andy Carroll and to give the side a different dimension, and if we do purchase Downing, it will be certain that he believes the 26 year old is the man to do that. Whether he is right, we will have to find out next season and how many assists he provides for the likes of Carroll.
A common line that has begun to tag itself to any transfer conducted by Manchester City is that whoever they are signing is ‘going there for the money.’ Now I’m not disputing that players are attracted to the riches that come with pulling on the sky blue of City but I honestly don’t think that money is the primary motivation for the players who have decided to join City in the window.
Watching City splash HUGE amounts of cash on individuals has become common practice in the transfer window ever since the Abu Dhabi group bought the club in 2008. Fans, managers, players and agents have come to accept that they will never be able to compete with City’s financial muscle. But one term that always seems to linger at the end of every big transfer made by the club is that the player they are signing is only interested in the money going into his bank account at the end of each month. Like I said, I’m not going to disagree with the fact players are interested in earning the highest wage possible. A football career lasts for 15-20 years at best and it’s no shock that players will make a move to better themselves financially in the future. But to suggest that money is the primary motive to make a move to Man City is foolish and naïve.
In the window just gone Samir Nasri and Sergio Agüero both signed for City in a double deal that cost the club almost £70 million in transfer fees not to mention they’ll both be earning just under £200,000-a-week at the Etihad Stadium. Nasri was instantly labelled as ‘greedy’ and a ‘sell-out’ and was only joining City because they were offering to treble the wage he was on at Arsenal. The manner of his departure stung Gunners fans and many others in the country. The same wasn’t said for Agüero though who was glorified by both the press and fans. Why?
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Probably because he didn’t leave Atletico Madrid in acrimonious circumstances. But surely he is after the riches City are offering? In my opinion both moved to City for the money but also to be given the chance to actually challenge for trophies. It’s not like either of them are bursting at the seams with medals. In fact Nasri has NEVER picked up a winners’ medal during his time in England whilst Agüero only has the Europa League and Super Cup to show after five years playing for Atletico. Despite both being labelled world class they’ve won hardly anything in their short careers. Therein lies my point. Both players see City as a viable avenue to triumphing in cup competitions.
The duo left clubs who are in a state of decline and firmly out of the Champions League picture. Players of their undoubted calibre need to be testing themselves against the best players in the world. If someone came to me and said Nasri and Agüero lacked ambition I’d laugh straight back in their face. Any world class player that looks at City at this current time will will see a club who are prepared to spend the money necessary to make them capable of holding their own against the best. That is something they both see and who can blame them for wanting to join a club brimming with aspirations like that? Whilst there a few players at Manchester City who’s sole purpose is to earn money I’m not afraid to say that a vast majority of the current crop see this club as a sleeping giant ready to win leagues and cups. David Silva, Edin Dzeko, Vincent Kompany and even Joleon Lescott joined the Citizens to win trophies. Obviously I don’t condone what clubs are paying players these days but to say that Nasri and Agüero are joining City solely because of the number of zero’s on their monthly cheque is absurd. Even Gael Clichy, who left Arsenal on a free to join City, has an eagerness to win trophies, improve himself as a player and pick up a tasty wage, which is something he’ll do at the club.
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Many fans hold a grudge against City, which is driven by jealously. The same old lines of ‘they’re trying to buy the title’ or ‘there should be a cap on their spending’ are continually bandied about. However would you complain if your club had resources like that? I’m guessing no. Players see City as a means to both money and silverware – not one or the other. Lets just accept it, move on and enjoy watching the football they play. Admittedly it is delicious at the moment, don’t you agree?
After a busy transfer period for many Premier League clubs, several managers will be looking to complete any unfinished business in time for the start of the new season this weekend. For a number of players, their future with their clubs remains to be resolved, and with 123 players being released from their clubs earlier in the window, a large number of these remain free agents going into the new campaign. While many will be eager to stay and fight for a place at their club, it seems their managers may have already decided their fate.
I have put together a Premier League ‘Unwanted’ XI, made up of players who are either free agents that have been unsuccessful in finding a new club, or are still attached to their clubs but look unlikely to feature much, if at all, in the coming season. This XI is best suited to a 4-3-3 formation, and between them hold a wealth of Premier League experience. At the peak of their careers this side may well have stood a chance in the Premier League, but for many of this XI their careers have gradually deteriorated in recent years, and it is therefore perhaps less surprising to see that other clubs have shown such a lack of interest.
Click on Bentley below to see the Prem’s Unwanted XI
The Thai Tims and Paul Lennon need help to reach their goal. In the memory of Reamonn Gormley, lets get: “Just can’t get enough” by the Thai Tims to Number 1.
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The above is the official video for a charity single released by the Good Child Foundation (Thai Tims). This song came about after Reamonn Gormley was tragically killed after watching Celtic in an unprovoked attack. Reamonn in his gap year worked at the Good Child Foundation in Thailand.
Below is the news clip of the singles launch at Celtic Park.
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The Good Child Foundation was set up by Celtic Fan Paul Lennon and his wife to provide Love – Inclusion – Education – Independence to all and is the only school that offers placements to children of all abilities including pupils with Downs Syndrome at its school in Thailand.
To get an idea of the work they do read the story below.
This wee lad in my arms is called ‘Bee’. He goes to school with the Thai tims and he has Down syndrome. Bee needs an operation on his eyelids to improve his sight. His parents collect rubbish by the side of the road to sell for it’s recycle value. They are very poor and can’t afford the transport and care costs for the hospital trips to Bangkok, where the surgery must be carried out.
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The good news is that Bee and his family are not alone. The Celtic family is behind them and through the Good Child Foundation, little Bee’s family are in the arms of The Celtic Family.
The good news is that Bee will travel next week to start his hospital appointments. All down to the work of the foundation.
I’m going to go all Bob Geldof here. If like me you have become a big bubbling wreck after watching the above videos and reading Bee’s story then Download the fecking single now. Not, next week, not when you come back from the shop. Now. It will help children like Bee and also help stop knife crime that decimates the lives of innocents. Click on the image, buy each track separately it all helps.
This week, here at Football FanCast we are having a look back at some of the foreign players to have played ion the Premier League. As the transfer window closes again for a couple of months, I feel it a good time to look back on the years of the Premiership and pick out some foriegn players that have had an influence on the nature of the Premier League. The ‘foreign player’ in the English game has been summed up as the opposite of British, ie: flair and technique. On the other hand, the English stereotype has been characterised as strong physically and determined defensively.
Here is a list here of the ones who have had the biggest impact on the fabric of the Premier League, either through their style of play, or the amount of success they have had in the league…
Carlos Tevez: his late season goals kept West Ham up in 06-07. He then went to United, before leaving for City where he now gets paid outrageous amounts of cash. His earnings are represent the state of the game today. He is the ‘other’ type of foreigner to what you might expect on this list, in that he is not all glamour and certainly not a ‘looker’ but he couples skill and pace with genuine determination.
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Patrick Vieira was a midfield general, bully and tactician. He played 9 seasons at Arsenal, and while others grabbed the headlines he was hugely important to their success. He is one of three arsenal players in the list, but that is only because they have always relied on foreign players. He won 3 Premier League titles and 4 FA cups. He may not have changed the fabric of the game to such a degree as the others but he certainly influenced it when he was playing and is often referred to now Arsenal’s midfield is no longer so physically strong.
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Didier Drogba: People just fall off him, he is so ridiculously strong and of such good physical technique that he can hold the ball up as well as anyone I have ever seen. He has scored 93 league goals and enabled Chelsea to play 4-3-3 so effectively because of his ability to play on his own. He brought that formation back into fashion. Drogba is genuinely feared and representative of the physical aspect of the league which sets it apart from Europe.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3_n9-FrsYE&hd=1
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Peter Schmeichel’s contribution was due to the fact that he was one of the best players in the world while at Manchester United. His name was synonymous with United in the 90’s, being a Premier League champion 5 times. It would be unfair to have a list without him.
This clip was voted as the best save of the decade.
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Gianfranco Zola didn’t score as many goals as some of the others but he was one of the first inspirational foreign players to grace our Premier League. When he scored goals they were always good. The tiny play-maker’s 7 seasons at Stamford Bridge brought a joy and beauty to the game that has helped the EPL to become what it is today.
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Eric Cantona was unforgettable. He was probably responsible for the most famous piece of non-action football footage ever; when he karate kicked a Palace fan. He summed up the image of a foreign player that Di Canio too shared, the bad boy. Cantona brought emotion, passion and a desire for beautiful football to the Premiership, Along with a fiery French temperament. Everything that one might think of in a ‘foreign footballer’ was encapsulated in Eric Oo-Ah Cantona, say oo ah Cantona…
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Cristiano Ronaldo joined United in 2003 and quickly went from a skilful little so-and-so to a goal scorer and probably best player in the world. When he joined I hated him, when he left I loved him. He could do anything, literally. He scored goals, with both feet and in the air. He got tap-ins, he scored free kicks, he was a goal threat from anywhere on the pitch. He also created goals with his unrivalled skill and flair. He was the culmination of the Premier League’s obsession with foreigner and I doubt there has been a better one before and don’t think there will be for a long time to come.
By the time he scored this goal it was almost expected that he would do something out-of-this-world but it still never fails to amaze me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OI0YLtfiQp4
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Thierry Henry’s 174 goals in 8 seasons is a remarkable feat. His lowest ever season tally was 17, in his first year. Pace, skill, class an composure are a few words that could describe him, but you need to witness his consistency in combining them to truly understand why he was great. He was a fundamental reason for Arsenal’s success, particularly in their unbeaten season. He was reflective of a time in Premier League football that was becoming more filled with pace and he was probably the quickest of them all until perhaps Ronaldo. But Henry’s premier league goals outweigh even his.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iz9j0mPR8Jg
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David Ginola, the exotic foreigner; hair adverts, calendars, glamour and skill. He gave the Premier league little bit of French. He never played for a top 4 club, but was capable of moments of individual brilliance. It is because of the likes of Ginola that managers always look abroad, it is hard to imagine an Englishman doing things like Ginola did.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBVhlcB60QY
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Dennis Bergkamp was the original. He played most of his games just behind the front man and his creativity and awareness made anyone he played with a little bit better. He certainly made Wenger’s life easier. He is the only man to have come first, second and third in Match of the Day’s Goal of the Month competition. He played 11 seasons at Arsenal and anyone who watched him play was truly lucky to see such a cultured foreign player in action.
At the time of writing everyone connected with Oldham Athletic are tentative. If Robbie Simpson had missed a last-minute penalty on Saturday to dramatically rescue a point the feeling would be on the verge of panic.
Wycombe, Saturday’s opponents, have been kept at arm’s reach. Oldham are safe, so the majority of Athletic supporters sigh. However stranger things have happened. Only last week did Dean Saunders, the Doncaster Rovers manager, defiantly wander down memory lane – more in comfort than happily – as he reminisced about Bradford City’s sensational escape from relegation, owing to Wimbledon’s disastrous ten-match losing streak. As it happened, Portsmouth nailed the final nail into the Rovers’ coffin as they were relegated. But the point stands: stranger things have happened.
Oldham have three matches to rescue a season that has collapsed since Christmas. From Athletic’s point of view, it is by the saving grace of God that he has made it doubly hard for Gary Waddock’s men, as they face the daunting prospect of staging their amazing survival act on The Valley and Hillsborugh’s fine turf. It isn’t the turf that perhaps makes their task tilt in the direction of impossible, it is the fact they have lost four league games between them this season.
Should Oldham survive, which is highly probable, has this season been a success? The initial mood of this article certainly suggests a resounding no. How has Paul Dickov, with the likes of Shefki Kuqi, Zander Diamond, Kieran Lee, Dean Furman, and Robbie Simpson, come so close to leading Oldham into England’s last professional division?
In truth, there are valid excuses. A calamitous injury curse struck throughout the season, meaning Dickov has been forced to turn to the loan market or call upon unrespecting youth players. The Scot has rarely been able to field his strongest eleven, but their sudden descent after Christmas alludes to Dickov’s weaknesses.
Is he a manager who can only work when he has his best squad available? It might sound a little silly to say such a thing. Of course managers should only be analysed after working with the best that they have. Or should they? In a league dominated by five or six large budgets, it has separated the best clubs the league has accommodated for years and the rest. The rest are more or less on equal footing, so why then have Oldham been unable to beat Scunthorpe, Yeovil, Leyton Orient and Wycombe in recent weeks? Or Exeter, Colchester, and Rochdale before that?
The injuries to key players, particularly Dean Furman, Oldham’s captain, and James Wesolowski, ripped the heart out of the midfield, that much must be acknowledged. However, what has frustrated sections on the crowd this season is the manner in which teams have beaten Athletic with relative ease. Teams have arrived at Boundary Park, been met with a home side with no confidence, and more worryingly no fight. When boys had an opportunity to become men, to grip games, to show character, they wilted and faded,
It hasn’t been a season littered with gloom, and there have been moments of sheer joy. Dickov battled on three fronts for the initial stages of the season, contesting the Johnstone Paint Trophy (JPT) and the FA Cup whilst attempting to guide his side up into the top half of League One. For much of this season (owing to another winter of postponements) Athletic have mirrored that of a Champions League side playing twice a week.
The players’ hard work was rewarded with a dream cup date at Anfield, in which Robbie Simpson scored a brilliant goal in front of a disbelieving Kop. Sadly, with the help of some bad luck, Latics were defeated 5-1, but it is a game few fans will be in a hurry to forget.
Then there was a run to the Northern Area Final of the JPT. After recording a ridiculous 44 shots over the course of the two-legged affair with John Sheridan’s Chesterfield, Dickov saw his side lose both legs and fail just a step before a trip to Wembley.
This leads onto two fundamental issues that have arisen from this bizarre season. How could a side have over forty attempts on an opposition’s goal and only score a single goal? Shefki Kuqi arrived at Boundary Park amidst genuine excitement, but after a purple patch the Finn’s goal scoring form has fizzled to a point where it is non-existent. The 36-year old last scored a goal inside the opposition’s box, that wasn’t a penalty, on 19th November.
During the second-leg against Chesterfield was an example of Oldham’s other woe this season. A calamitous mix-up between keeper Alex Cisak and defender Jean-Yves M’voto, Jack Lester was able to end the contest by scoring a 90th minute goal to stretch the Spireites aggregate lead to two goals.
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Oldham’s defending, overseen by assistant manager and former defender Gerry Taggart, has been error-strewn and at a standard that even the struggling sides in League One have not been made to fight for their goals, and so Paul Dickov’s task is difficult and could prove troublesome.
What is needed for next season? What must be done to improve on this season’s woes? That will all be in a future article.
As the Premier League reaches its quarter stage, many players have excelled and impressed in the opening nine games with some high score demolitions and last gasp winners. However, some players have not been up to expectations and this is a chance to name and shame.
The Champions of last year have been embarrassed by their rivals; however they have inflicted similar defeats of their other rivals. Some teams have underachieved so far and some the complete opposite but there is no denying that some players have just been poor. Whether it be missed chances, lack of effort, goalkeeping howlers or defensive mistakes, plenty of performances have raised eyebrows this season for good and bad reasons and here is a list of the top 10 players that have disappointed so far this season.
Click on Roger Johnson to unveil the top 10 players to have disappointed this season
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List compiled by Brad Pinard
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Every season the Arsenal defence is barracked for being diabolical and costing the club every trophy under the sun. Regular comments that come from the terraces at the Emirates single out the need for a world class goalkeeper and central defender to replace the so-called imbeciles currently taking the shirts.
And in some cases it is true. The 2011 League Cup is the most glaring example, when an embarrassing mix-up between Szczesny and Koscielny gifted Birmingham the win and this can be seen as the point that ruined a season where Arsene Wenger’s side were fighting on four different fronts.
But it could also be argued that Arsenal are losing just as many games because of problems much higher up the pitch. Take the same game for instance. In the League Cup final, they had umpteen chances to close out that match, with Ben Foster making some top drawer saves to keep out Bendtner and Arshavin, as well as denying Nasri on three separate occasions. If a third of the chances Arsenal had in the game had gone in then that blunder would have meant nothing to the result.
The same thing has shown itself this season. They wasted far too many goalscoring opportunities on the opening day against Newcastle and failed to score again when Liverpool visited the Emirates, while only scoring one against Swansea who were still finding their Premier League feet at that point and it is just as problematic as the back line for the Gunners.
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Yes, Robin van Persie is fit and on fire recently which means that goals are almost guaranteed. If it wasn’t for him, the win against Stoke on Sunday would have been a draw, the victory over Sunderland a defeat and many more of Arsenal’s 13 points would be relinquished without him. But where do they go when he can’t play? And what can the Dutchman and his fellow strikers do if things start to go wrong? The answer, it seems, is nothing.
When Emmanuel Adebayor left for moneybags Manchester City in 2009, Arsenal lost their plan B attacking style. Not to say that the Togolese striker was only good for an alternative style of play because he had great feet but his height and strength meant that if things weren’t going well there was a target man to aim a long ball to.
Since then there has been no plan B at the Emirates and if Arsenal are going to seriously challenge for titles they need to be able to switch systems when their backs are against the walls in big games.
Take the humiliation they suffered at Old Trafford (the home of hammerings this season) and Arsenal were still trying to play passing, attacking football when they were being torn apart. There was no long ball tactic or striker that could hold the ball up so the waves of red shirts kept coming back at them relentlessly.
The team has been crying out for a no-nonsense centre-forward to come in and make that position their own. Van Persie is a brilliant forward but he is better suited to collecting the ball, having it at his feet and doing something special rather than being confined to an aerial battle and that is the predicament Wenger has with all of his striking options.
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Marouane Chamakh is the person closest to filling that gap but his heading ability is poor. Like Van Persie, deliver the ball into the Moroccan along the floor and his quick feet and pace will cause defenders problems. However, he hasn’t hit the height expected of him when he brought his fantastic Ligue 1 scoring record across the Channel. With players around him showing similar skills but scoring goals while he struggles to adapt he cannot be given a role of leading the line and the rumours of a move back to France may well spell the end of his time at the Emirates.
Another French import is summer signing Gervinho, who has fared better since his move. Although only scoring two goals so far he has fitted into the side quickly and had his best game for the Gunners on Sunday, scoring one and setting up both Van Persie goals in the 3-1 win. He is also a more physical prospect than Chamakh as was proven by him slapping Joey Barton on his Premier League debut. But again he is still a player best suited to football on the ground and has been wasteful of chances which at the highest level can be very expensive.
Fellow new signing Chu Young Park will not be able to fill the glaring hole at Arsenal either. Signed for £3.4 million, the 26-year-old has been dubbed ‘not ready’ for the first team by Arsene Wenger, a worrying admission by a man usually so frugal with money. He averaged one goal every four games for Monaco which is not a bad record, but like many of Wenger’s French imports the pace and brutality of English football see them fall from grace. The player has all the attributes for a top striker but is once again in this mould of player that wants the ball to his feet and will struggle to fight for it.
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And finally there’s the talisman, Robin Van Persie. A prolific goalscorer but all too often injured. He has scored 24 goals in 26 appearances in 2011 and the only player that impressed for the Gunners after the League Cup final debacle. But his injury record speaks for itself. In 2007 Van Persie broke his metatarsal celebrating a goal against Man United, meaning he missed the Carling Cup final which his side subsequently lost 2-1, the following year he was top scorer at the club despite missing most of the season with a knee injury as Arsenal finished just four points off the lead and again last season, missing the first half of the campaign then getting injured again in the infamous final.
While he is on the pitch he is a star, but when he’s injured the cupboard is bare for Arsene Wenger and he needs to change it soon. He has Theo Walcott asking to play up front but his goalscoring record is hardly a shining CV and again he brings nothing to the table that the club doesn’t already have. So who outside the club could they take?
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Although not a likely option, Chelsea’s Didier Drogba fits the bill perfectly. Physical, good in the air and a fantastic finisher, he would be the saviour if he were to arrive at the Emirates. But more realistically, a man such as Roque Santa Cruz, currently not wanted by Manchester City and on loan at Real Betis would be a good addition to lead the line alongside van Persie, or even consistent defender breaker and goal finder Kevin Davies to give Arsenal a dimension so dramatically lacking from their play.
Now for any Gunners fans tearing their hair out at the mention of big bruiser Kevin Davies being the man to save their stylish, sophisticated football club, think of this.
Apart from Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea team, many of the best clubs in the world have had defensive troubles. The famous treble winning Manchester United team weren’t the strongest at the back. They were held together by Peter Schmeichel and maintained the philosophy of scoring one more than their opponents. It is the same with the successful Real Madrid sides at the turn of the century and the Barcelona team of now, there weaknesses are their defence but they score so freely that no-one cares. Even the Newcastle team that nearly made it big had that theory. It’s time Arsene Wenger and Arsenal fans stopped bemoaning their defence and asked the strikers around Robin van Persie to do their job.
To talk about anything football, follow me on Twitter @jrobbins1991.
After finally giving up in the quest to capture Wesley Sneijder, Manchester United have turned their attentions to Keisuke Honda in a bid to strengthen their flagging midfield.
Rumours are circulating of a player-plus-cash deal for the CSKA Moscow playmaker with Dimitar Berbatov heading to Russia.
The 25-year-old shot to fame with Japan at the 2010 World Cup with the media labelling him the “Japanse Maradona” and Arsene Wenger calling him a “genius”.
He scored one of the tournament’s best goals with a stunning free-kick against Denmark and since then has continued to excel despite a string of injuries over the past year.
If the rumour becomes reality then it would add the creativity and flair where it is so desperately needed, with United short of quality players in the centre of the park and it would mean that Nani would no longer be allowed to waste a dangerous dead ball situation.
From watching him in the World Cup, last year’s Champions League and in Youtube videos, he has a left-foot that is both cultured and ferocious, coupled with a box of tricks that reminds me of Cristiano Ronaldo.
On top of his creativity he has a magnificent work ethic and will to win that will help him fit in seamlessly to the Premier League and Manchester United.
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However, while it would be an exciting arrival at Old Trafford and would add a spark to a currently lacklustre side, it seems Sir Alex Ferguson is looking for the wrong type of player. Honda has a good engine (pardon the pun) but he is not geared up (and again) to help support the defence and that’s where the real problem lies.
Unlike most big teams United do not use a natural defensive midfielder and when they employ Phil Jones there you can’t help but feel that the back four is weaker without him and with the current injury problems he is even more important in that area.
Apart from Jones the only other available option at present is Michael Carrick but it doesn’t seem to be a position that he impresses in. Although he comes under fire from fans, at the moment there is a place in the team for him, but not as a holding player.
With just under a fortnight left in the transfer window it seems that Sir Alex is forgetting to fill the glaring gap in his squad.
Bringing in the Japanese playmaker would add another attacking option to the team but they are already overloaded in that area with Rooney, Welbeck, Hernandez and for now, Berbatov up front, Nani, Ashley Young and Valencia on the wings and the likes of Anderson, Scholes, Park, Giggs and the returning Tom Cleverley that are all forward-thinking players.
Having been previously linked to Arsenal and Liverpool it would be a great move to bring him to Old Trafford where he would certainly thrive and he is a younger, cheaper alternative to Sneijder but it is unlikely that he would solve the midfield problem at the club and if that is still an issue when the transfer window closes, it may prove costly in the title race.
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Would you sign Keisuke Honda this month and would he solve United’s midfield problem? Tell me on Twitter @jrobbins1991.
Arsenal are facing a battle with Real Madrid with both clubs hunting the signature of highly-rated Lille star Eden Hazard, the Mirror understands.
The Gunners have been chasing Hazard for over two years and failed to sign the Belgian schemer during the summer as he strived to replace Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri after they departed the Emirates.
It’s now emerged that Madrid’s director of football, Zinedine Zidane, has singled out the 20-year-old as the next Galactico and even tried to convince Lille to ignore any approaches from North London.
Bernabeu legend Zidane has made Hazard the number one transfer target for Los Merengues and is prepared to go all out to convince the midfielder to make the move to Spain.
That could prove to be a huge blow to Arsene Wenger’s aspirations of bringing Hazard to the club, with the La Liga giants a more attractive proposition than the crisis-stricken Gunners.
The Frenchman has endured a testing few months of late, losing Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri in the summer before overseeing the club’s worst start to a season during his 14 year tenure.
News of Madrid’s interest in Hazard will come as another bitter blow to his future plans and he knows it will be a huge task to convince Hazard to snub La Liga for the Premier League.
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