During his time at Arsenal, manager Arsene Wenger has only lost six of the 44 North London derbies he has been a part of. If there was any time for Arsenal to prove their title credentials, it would be with a satisfying win in tomorrow’s game against Tottenham. Arsenal has won four of their last five meetings with their local rivals, including both of their meetings in the league last season.
The Gunners have not had a bad start to the Premier League season, but things could be better. One of only two sides still undefeated in the league this season (the other is Chelsea), they sit in 4th place with two wins and three draws. The draws against Leicester and Manchester City could have been wins if Arsenal kept tighter at the back, so making sure no repeats of the mistakes that happened in these games will be important this Saturday.
Resilience has been shown this season by Arsenal, after coming back from 2-0 down against Everton to draw 2-2 and picking up a good 3-0 win away at Aston Villa last time out.
Arsenal fans will be hoping their side repeats their performance from the Villa game this weekend. Their passing was accurate with a 90% passing success rate, they were dominant in the air with 79% aerial success, and they had a possession percentage of 71%. They were effective at creating goal scoring opportunities from through balls and from the flanks and they were strong at finishing.
Playing the German Mesut Ozil behind Englishman Danny Welbeck worked perfectly as it helped Arsenal score three goals within the first half of this game. Ozil is beginning to show his value that he is a key player in the squad, forming a good combination with Welbeck which could become deadly force and a big problem for opposition defences in the future.
After picking up his first goal in Arsenal colours against Villa, fans will hope Welbeck can continue his goal scoring, as he has been dubbed by some to follow the same path as Arsenal legend Thierry Henry.
Tottenham haven’t had a satisfying win since the second game of the season and Arsenal should exploit their mistakes with Ozil and Welbeck to pick up a vital three points. A dominant win against Spurs will show the skill class between the two sides and can prove to some doubters that always think Arsenal will be out of the title race come February time.
Arsenal had a horrendous record against the Premier League’s top clubs last season and humiliating defeats at Chelsea, Liverpool and City ended their hopes of winning their first Premier League title since 2004. So far this season though, Arsenal have achieved a home point against Manchester City, which can be seen as two points off a title rival, proving their own title credentials even further.
The Gunners may have been knocked out of the League Cup mid-week after losing 2-1 at home against Southampton, but this shouldn’t damage the confidence of the side in the league.
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Not only is this a must win game because it’s the North London Derby, but also because their next two games, vs Galatasaray in the Champions League and Chelsea in the Premier League, are tough and not far apart from one another. This close game proximity may take its toll on the side and could ultimately cost them points in the league later if they don’t win. Winning the game against Chelsea, a fellow title contender, as well as the game this weekend would prove their title credentials even further as well and sending some of the doubters straight.
Yes, there is still a long way to go in the season but any time is the right time for Arsenal to prove their worth and title credentials.
Crystal Palace boss Neil Warnock has revealed that Wilfried Zaha is desperate to prove his worth to Manchester United this season.
The young winger returned to his boyhood club late on during the last transfer window on a season-long loan after being told that his game time at Old Trafford would be limited by manager Louis van Gaal.
Zaha had only made his switch to the Red Devils proper a year before, but a disastrous season under David Moyes saw him barely given a starting opportunity before he was shipped out to Cardiff for the latter half of the campaign.
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After a difficult spell, the 21-year-old is back in regular action with the Eagles, and speaking ahead of today’s win with Everton, Warnock made it known that Zaha is desperate to ensure that he has a future with his parent club:
“I don’t think his career is in jeopardy,” he is quoted by the London Evening Standard.
“I wouldn’t say we need to save his career, we just need to get games under his belt now and he needs to put himself back in the shop window (for England).
“To do that he has got to consistently be good, week in, week out. That has to be his aim this season.
“He is in that age-group that is breaking into the England squad. He is definitely looking at all these young lads – they deserve it, they have worked hard and done consistency well. It will motivate him.
“The problem has been he has not had enough games. He needs games, last week he ran out of steam a little bit but he is putting the work in on the training ground. Ability and confidence is nothing he has ever been missing.
“He has come here to try and convince the (Man United) manager that he works for that he is good enough to give him a go – that is his aim.
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“His attitude has been spot-on since I met him – there were three or four clubs after him and we got him, but his intention is to try and go back there and get in the team and I think that is great for the young lad.”
Burnley are a ‘nice’ team, but is that worth anything during a relegation battle? Sean Dyche seems like a respectable manager, and he doesn’t get drawn into any slanging matches with other managers or ever try to pass the blame. His squad is built entirely of British and Irish players with one English born Austrian – a remarkable achievement.
Except the quality of their squad quite simply isn’t good enough for the division that they have found themselves in. As expected, of any promoted side, the majority of the squad are of a ‘Championship level’ and it can take a season or two of hard-fought survival to turn that around. In their 25-man squad for the Premier League season only 13 have any previous experience of playing in the Premier League, with most playing around 10 games or fewer in the competition. Compared to that of fellow promoted team QPR who’s 26-man squad contains 19 players who have previous Premier League experience, and a further two loanees from Italy’s top division, Serie A.
Credit where credit is due, Burnley finished 2nd in the Championship last season and fully deserved their promotion. However, after being the final team in England’s professional divisions to pick up a victory this season, it’s clear they are in for a season of struggle. With eleven games gone the Clarets are rock bottom of the league having scored just six goals. One positive note for them so far this season is the fact that they can effectively shut off some opponents, so the lack of goalscoring isn’t completely painful. Early on in the season Dyche’s men managed three bore draws in a row against Manchester United, Crystal Palace and Sunderland, before conceding four to West Brom. After scoring in the opening weekend defeat to Chelsea, they went six games in all competitions without another. And to be fair to them, they’ve hardly had the easiest run of fixtures to start off with.
Having a squad with no standout quality isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as a squad of team-players can sometimes be enough to survive in the top division. But should Burnley stick with Sean Dyche through what seems like an impending relegation?
Any manager who gains promotion from the Championship will be very much aware of the trouble that the following season will create, and although one of the promoted sides usually overachieves the other two ultimately struggle to survive. Then again, is football all about surviving? Burnley supporters will cherish the victories in the Premier League this season even if they are relegated, more than they cherished the 26 victories during the last campaign in the Championship. Dyche led his men up and with little resources made the best squad that he could. It was a fantastic achievement and automatic promotion in the Championship shouldn’t be undervalued.
I believe that Dyche has taken this squad to it’s absolute peak by reaching the Premier League and they inevitable relegation is looming. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that his days are numbered. The money earned and the players gained will only make Burnley stronger for next season should relegation arrive, and the problem isn’t of anyones fault. It’s a rare thing in football for nobody to pick up the blame for poor performances, but the manager is aware of how difficult the Premier League is and how much greater all the other sides are in terms of quality – and he’s right.
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If Burnley do get relegated – as seems most likely – it will be through no fault of the players or the manager. Not the fault of any trouble maker or lazy individuals. But a squad of almost entirely British and Irish players just not being good enough. Perhaps the best way to go down, but still, come on Burnley – it would be one of the greatest triumphs in the Premier League if Sean Dyche can mastermind this rather average squad of players to survive relegation this season.
Roberto Martinez undoubtedly had an excellent first season at Everton. The Toffees finished fifth in the Barclays Premier League and qualified for the Europa League. This season though, despite comfortably progressing into the Europa League knockout stages, Everton have struggled to replicate their fine league form from last term, and currently occupy 11th spot.
It seems to be a case of one step forward and two steps back for the Toffees. Everton have secured just one win in their last six games in all competitions. After an impressive 3-1 home victory over Queens Park Rangers a week ago, the Toffees travelled to St Mary’s, to face a Southampton side, who were also struggling for consistency. The Saints ran out comfortable 3-0 winners, leaving Martinez bemoaning his defensive woes in his post-match interview.
Everton, who were tipped to ruffle the feathers of the top four this season, certainly have to pick up their form if they are to better their 5th place finish from last year. Too many of Martinez’s senior players have let him down so far this term. We take a look at the FIVE players who have disappointed the most at Goodison Park.
Sylvain Distin
First and foremost, Sylvain Distin has been a great servant to Everton over the years. The defender has been at Goodison Park for over five years and has played over 160 league games for the Toffees.
Unfortunately for Distin, at the age of 37, his best days seem to be well and truly behind him. Anyone at his age would struggle to keep up with the pace of the modern game, especially the relentlessness and speed of the Premier League. Due to John Stones’ injury, the 37-year-old is probably playing more games than he would have anticipated this season. Martinez has also utilised him in the Europa League and the Capital One Cup this term.
On Saturday, Distin struggled to keep up with the pacey Shane Long, and the Saints’ striker is not the first, or the last, who will give the Frenchman a tough time this season.
Phil Jagielka
Staying with the current defensive problems, if Distin is going to come under scrutiny, then so should the Everton skipper too.
Phil Jagielka hasn’t been anywhere near his best for the Toffees this season. The England international issued a public apology after the disastrous 3-0 defeat at St Mary’s on Saturday. He and his defensive partner Distin had a difficult time against Southampton, and they were both caught out on a number of occasions.
Like Distin, Jagielka is another player who’s been an excellent servant at Goodison Park. But the Toffees skipper needs to stand up and be counted, and prove why he’s the captain of Everton and England’s first-choice centre-back.
Steven Pienaar
The South African has struggled to make an impact at Goodison Park this season. The 32-year-old has only made eight Premier League appearances for Martinez’s side so far.
With the emergence of Ross Barkley, and players such as Kevin Mirallas, Muhamed Besic, Gareth Barry, Aiden McGeady and James McCarthy – all packing the midfield, Pienaar, who’s in his second spell at Goodison Park, could be on his way out of Everton sooner rather than later.
When he has had his chance to shine this term, he hasn’t done enough to make a significant impression to stamp down a place in the Everton starting line-up. Pienaar can expect some appearances in Everton’s cup exploits, but his Premier League chances are surely going to be very few and far between.
Tim Howard
Tim Howard is another senior player who has underperformed for Everton this season. The American stopper hasn’t been as consistent as the Goodison Park faithful have become accustomed to.
Howard seems to be struggling with the defence in front of him and is majorly suffering as a consequence. The 35-year-old, who has been an ever-present for Everton thus far, has conceded 27 goals in 17 Premier League games – only Queens Park Rangers and Leicester City have let in more. That’s a worrying stat for the Everton fans, and it just confirms Everton’s current defensive frailties.
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Howard has now failed to keep a clean sheet in his last seven Premier League outings, and it’s certainly an area that Martinez’s side have to improve on drastically – if they are to hunt down a European spot.
Gareth Barry
Despite being one of Everton’s better performers in the 3-0 defeat at Southampton, Gareth Barry hasn’t been as effective for the Toffees this season as he was last.
Barry was suspended for the match against Queens Park Rangers last week – but Everton barely missed him – and won the game comfortably. But Martinez shuffled his team around against the Saints to accommodate the former England international. When on-loan from Manchester City last term, Barry flourished in the heart of Everton’s midfield. But the 33-year-old has yet to score since making the permanent move to Goodison Park, and seems to be far less effective in the Everton side.
Barry was a huge part of Everton’s success in the last campaign, but if the Toffees are going to start climbing the league, he must start replicating his form as soon as possible.
It may feel like it’s winter counter-part only slammed shut yesterday, but the January transfer window is already upon us, in what often constitutes a rather chaotic time of year for Premier League clubs.
And it looks set to be a busy one for Tottenham; they’re reportedly planning a winter clear-out to make way for new signings, so we should see some movement on both the inward and outward front at White Hart Lane this month.
There’s certainly some lingering transfer issues that require Maurico Pochettino’s attention and, being the helpful bunch we are at Football Fancast, we’ve outlined the FIVE we view as the most important. So without further ado…
SHIFTING THE DEADWOOD
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Tottenham’s squad is far too large and before the Lilywhites can consider bringing more bodies in, having already added summer signing DeAnre Yedlin to their roster (officially) this month, they need to get rid of the ever-mounting deadwood.
Spurs now have five players capable of playing at left-back for example, Jan Vertonghen, Danny Rose, Ben Davies, Kyle Naughton and Benoit Assou-Ekotto, which is far too many, and in my opinion the latter two should be cut loose this month to make way for new recruits. There isn’t too much interest in the Cameroonian, but Swansea have been linked with a £4million bid for Naughton this week – not a huge sum, but certainly a decent contribution to the kitty.
Likewise, Aaron Lennon appears to be edging closer towards the White Hart Lane exit door with Stoke City mooted as likely suitors. The occasional England international has perhaps been unfortunate to slump down the pecking order over the last 18 months with many positive attributes to his game – particularly, work-rate, pace and experience – but he’s clearly not to Mauricio Pochettino’s specific taste and for that reason alone, may as well be moved on.
Moussa Dembele, linked with Everton earlier this term, is another candidate for the scrapheap, having made just four Premier League starts this season, as are defenders Vlad Chiriches and Younes Kaboul, whilst few tears would be shed if the Lilywhites said goodbye to goal-shy striker Emmanuel Adebayor this month.
CUTTING LOSSES
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Paulinho, Erik Lamela and Roberto Soldado constitute the three largest signings in Tottenham history, but none have hit the heights expected since moving to White Hart Lane in summer 2013 and it might be time for the north Londoners to consider cutting losses – before their market values depreciate even further.
Indeed, the former Spain international has gone on to record just three goals from open play in the Premier League, the Argentine has only ever shown glimpses of his true ability and the Brazilian, in addition to enduring a terrible World Cup campaign, tends to be a rather anonymous figure compared to the dynamic nature of your average Premier League midfielder.
Lamela’s future seems safe for now; he’s struggled to adapt to the Premier League but the 22 year-old was always viewed as a long-term investment.
Soldado and Paulinho, however, may not be so lucky. Combined, they cost Spurs a whopping £43million and the Lane outfit need some of that money back.
The former has been linked with a move to Sevilla this month, as part of a swap deal for Los Che’s star centre-forward Carlos Bacca, which would at least save Tottenham some face even if it doesn’t improve their bank balance.
Meanwhile, there’s quite a bit of demand for the latter this month, with The Independent claiming Inter Milan, Schalke and former club Corinthians could all be interested in the £12million-rated midfielder.
Admittedly however, the Lilywhites may be better off waiting until the summer.
Signing players that fit Pochettino’s philosophy
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Tottenham can be considered more guilty than most of making signings that don’t fit any particular philosophy, in-part due to them having three different managers in the last year.
The current complexion of the starting XI says it all, with Harry Kane, Nabil Bentaleb and Ryan Mason regularly included over players the Lilywhites spent untold fortunes on in transfer fees and wages, such as Mousa Dembele, Paulinho, Etienne Capoue, Roberto Soldado and Emmanuel Adebayor, predominantly due to them lacking the energy and mentality to perform well under Mauricio Pochettino’s high-pressing ethos.
The Argentine wasn’t given the support he needed during the summer window, operating on a budget of just £30million and many signings seemingly made beyond his control. But after a string of impressive results in his first six months at White Hart Lane, he deserves full licence to land targets of his own discretion this January.
So who could Tottenham sign, better fitting of the Pochettino ethos? In my opinon, Aston Villa star Fabian Delph, who shares the gritty, lung-bursting styles of Mason and Kane, would be a perfect addition.
He’s developed hugely over the year or so, earning the Villain of the Year award last term and more recently a spot in the England squad, and could be snapped up on the cheap this window, with just six months remaining on his current contract.
According to Mirror Football, Liverpool are plotting a £7.5million bid for the tenacious contract rebel – a figure the Lilywhites can easily match.
Sign another striker or rely on Harry Kane?
The story of the season so far at White Hart Lane has, of course, been the sensational rise of Harry Kane, emerging from the peripheries of the squad to become the club’s top scorer with 18 goals across all competitions, including eight in the Premier League.
Yet, Kane’s superfluous form can’t last forever; right now he’s high on confidence, seemingly fuelled by his undying support from the White Hart Lane faithful, but eventually he’ll hit a dry patch.
At which point, the Lilywhites will be forced to depend upon Emmanuel Adebayor and Roberto Soldado (assuming they aren’t sold this January), who have scored just three Premier League goals combined this term.
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Thus, Mauricio Pochettino must decide whether he’s prepared to rely upon Kane’s form for the remainder of the campaign or needs to bolster his striking options this January.
One target already mooted is Fenerbahce forward Emmanuel Emenike, who boasts a strong return of 14 goals in 40 league outings for the Turkish club.
The Express alleged an £8million bid last week, whilst, adding further weight to continuing speculation, the Nigerian international has been spotted in London this month with his agent.
Goodbye to another Spurs skipper?
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Tottenham said goodbye to long-term captain Matt Dawson in the summer as the former England international made his way to Hull City, and they could do so again this month in the form of Younes Kaboul – just five months after his official appointment.
Indeed, Maurico Pochettino gave the Frenchman the nod at the start of the campaign but he’s not started a Premier League fixture since the beginning of November, with the Spurs gaffer preferring centre-back partnership Federico Fazio and Jan Vertonghen – the defensive bedrock behind Tottenham’s improved results in recent weeks.
I’ve never been too fond of Kaboul, a centre-half prepared to rely on his pace and strength to make up for mistakes, rather than preventing them with the subtler powers of positioning and anticipation, so I wouldn’t mind seeing the Lilywhites skipper leave this month.
He’s already been linked with a move to Besiktas by the Daily Mail as part of Tottenham’s alleged winter clearout, but the report claims Spurs will have to reduce their asking price somewhat to complete the deal.
Manchester United versus Liverpool is up there with some of the most bitter rivals in world football, so it is no surprise that former Manchester United defenderÂGary Neville and Liverpool centre-back Jamie Carragher have continued their ‘war of worls’/banter – whatever you want to call it – into retirement.Ever since Carragher followed Gary Neville into Sky Sports for the sport broadcaster’s Monday Night Football show, the duo can’t resist a sly dig at one another whenever they get a chance.[ad_pod id=’football-friends’ align=’center’]The latest ‘banter exchange’ – I genuinely cringed after writing that – was instigated by Neville, who represented the Red Devils from 1992-2011, with a cheeky dig at Carragher’s inability to win a Premier League title during his time on Anfield – the closest the former England international came was in the 2008/09 campaign when Neville’s United finished four points clear of the Reds at the top.Take a look at the latest Twitter conversation between the duo, although, I’m a little sceptical this is becoming something of a staged occurrence to drum up interest in MNF – with Everton taking on West Bromwich Albion tonight, I suppose they need all the help they can get.
Harry Kane’s last minute spot-kick against West Ham on Sunday may have been the cause of great frustration for the many Hammers fans who made the trip across London, but it has seemingly gone down as just another penalty, in just another exciting Premier League match, for the majority of those within the footballing community.
Tottenham triumphantly fought back against Big Sam’s side after going down 2-0 to the visitors. Danny Rose initially struck home after a somewhat chaotic corner-kick for West Ham’s Spanish shot-stopper Adrian, but Harry Kane once again stole the headlines for firing home the equaliser in the dying embers of the match.
Seemingly ignoring the fact that extra-time had long been up after Kane’s penalty was initially saved, referee Jonathan Moss, allowed the 21-year-old rising English star to shoot home the rebound and record a dramatic draw for Mauricio Pochettino’s determined Spurs side.
While such drama seems to have caused great discussion and even further animosity between the two sets of opposing fans, the likes of Mark Lawrenson, Rio Ferdinand and Michael Owen (for the BBC and BT Sport respectively) responded to the incident on TV by claiming that the ref got it right, and ultimately made the correct call.
So then, was Harry Kane tumbled over in the box unfairly, or did the in-form man and current favourite among many Premier League pundits simply take a dive to win back some valuable points for his team?
Although it would be unfair to single out Harry Kane as a diver and a cheat for this one incident – as West Ham themselves have faced their own simulation accusations with James Tomkins’ theatrical face-holding against Everton earlier this season – the answer on this one is simple, he dived.
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Kane is justly made out to be a strong centre-forward who is not easily knocked off the ball. He is meant to be a burley top-man and the proposed future England no. 9, but if he can’t keep on his feet after merely being touched in the box, he really is no different to the rest of them.
There was once a time when English players stood stall against the growing tide of diving and simulation growing in Europe, but with the likes of Wayne Rooney, Raheem Sterling, Ross Barkley and now even Harry Kane, giving in to the temptation of late, those days are now sadly long gone.
However, if you are of the opinion that Kane’s penalty claim was a just and deserved one, then it must be conceded that football is slowly turning into a non-contact sport. If it has in-fact been deemed a correct penalty call, fans of the Premier League may have to turn to the likes of basketball and netball for future indications of how the game will be played. Physicality will soon be ruled out football if such opinions have their way, and as Harry Kane’s weekend tumble clearly highlighted, more and more games will be senselessly decided by overly ambiguous referring decisions.
Pundits use the word ‘contact’ as if it is no longer allowed. Contact this and contact that – if contact happens in the penalty box as it did last weekend for Tottenham, then all a player has to do is go down and plead innocence. Nine times out of ten naive English officials fall for such behaviour, and as such trends continue to take place in the ‘Beautiful Game’, players who display a degree of honesty in the opposition’s penalty box are seemingly left ignored and unrewarded.
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This is sadly the way the game is going today, and although many fans may turn their nose up at such theories with their sides seemingly profiting from the trend, the truth really is obvious in the cold light of day – no matter what certain pundits have to say about the topic.
Everyone is for player protection and the abolition of recklessly cynical challenges, but the state of the game today is just getting silly. If you are seemingly not bothered by the new direction that football has taken in the last decade or so however, then good luck to you, but for the apparent minority of us who are simply tired of this current lack of dignity and integrity in the game, it seems the unwanted theme of play-acting looks set to continue, at least for the foreseeable future.
For the majority of the season Leicester City have looked certain to be relegated after only one year in the top-flight.
The Foxes were sitting rock bottom up until as recently as last week, but out of nowhere the Midlands club have fought back. Picking up maximum points from their last three fixtures has moved them up to 18th, giving a real chance for Nigel Pearson’s men to mastermind a truly great escape.
This well-timed run of good results has lifted the club to within a point of survival in the process, drawing Hull dangerously close to the drop zone with only six games left for them to fight back.
If you compare the two clubs’ remaining fixtures you can’t help but feel that the Tigers might be doomed. Games against Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester United are unlikely to offer Hull the chance to pick up any points whatsoever, while in contrast the Foxes will be playing three of the bottom five.
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With only six points separating the bottom six teams there are possibly more surprises to come and if we are lucky we might just get an exciting final day of the season, where fates will be decided on the day. And that’s what football fans want. The Premier League title has all but been decided so a dog fight on May 24th will add a thrilling and compelling end to the season.
Leicester will still need to stay focussed as their survival is far from confirmed though if they continue in this manner then they should be safe.
Fortunes began changing when the Foxes held Hull 0-0 at the King Power Stadium last month. It was important not only to register a point but to also stop a direct rival from getting the best of them. A defeat to Spurs followed but with three goals finding their way into the oppositions net Leicester had shown that they were not down and out just yet.
Leicester started believing in themselves or perhaps with nothing left to lose they just begun playing without fear. A trio of wins against West Ham, West Brom and Swansea followed, providing nine important points and a potential springboard to finally give themselves something to cheer about. Whether this eleventh hour push has come too late remains to be seen, though.
Leicester gained promotion into the Premier League by topping the table but have found the adjustment just too challenging. They drew their first league game against Everton but didn’t record a win until four matches later, which was surprisingly a 5-3 drubbing of Manchester United.
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Following that spectacular result the Foxes season took an epic turn for the worse waiting until the last match of 2014 before picking up another three points. Stuck in bottom Leicester continued their poor form into the new year but Pearson has kept his job and might be about to repay the boards faith in him.
There are still likely to be a few more twists and turns to this story but if the Foxes do survive then it is a tale that will live long in supporters’ memories. And if they do drop then at least they’ll be able to hold their heads high knowing they didn’t give up without a fight.
Arsene Wenger’s best signing of last season was Alexis Sanchez, so you’d see why Wenger would feel protective of the Chilean attacker.
Sanchez is meeting up with his Chile teammates this month ahead of the start of the Copa America this summer, and the Arsenal manager is wary of his prized asset suffering from overexertion. He’s even promised to give Sanchez four weeks off at the start of next season. Burnout is a problem very much a la mode in modern football, but it’s a very real problem.
Wenger does love a whinge, but this time he’s quite right.
Sanchez is part of a large group of players blighted by the modern way. He’s a superstar, one of the best players in the world who plays week in and week out for a top club. He’s a hero in his country, and a hero to many who have no links even to his continent. He flies around the world to fulfill sponsorship obligations and everyone wants a piece of him.
And then there’s the football. Apart from the physical exhaustion of playing and training – not to mention fixture pile-ups – he also plays for his country. But games for Chile take him all over the world – he doesn’t simply get to stay within a short plane ride of his base.
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But that’s not the main problem. All of that is simply an unavoidable part of modern sport. He’s Chilean, Chile’s games are in South America, so Sanchez has to play some games there.
But that’s not quite what Wenger is worried about. Wenger is not so worried about the intensity of Sanchez’s schedule, more about the length of time he’s had to keep it up.
Sanchez played a full season for Barcelona the season before last. Then went to the World Cup with Chile. He was crucial for Arsenal this season and will now fly off to South America once again to play in another tournament. That’s almost three years without a break.
And that’s the modern way. Football is such big business that the big players need to play all the time. The game reaches so many people that we want to see it on our screens all of the time. Sanchez is paying the price for this, and his body might pay the price much later in his life.
There’s no sympathy for footballers who earn tens of millions of pounds per year, and that’s fair enough – if Sanchez is paying the price for his part in modern football, modern football is certainly giving him a fair salary in return.
But sympathy is not what Wenger is complaining about either. He’s complaining about burnout. Fans might not have sympathy for tired players, but their managers have to. Not from a kind and caring point of view, but simply from a pragmatic point of view. One of Wenger’s responsibilities as a manager is to protect his players.
And that’s also a responsibility for football administrators too. In England there is no winter break, players play at a high intensity throughout the whole season. Then the best players go off to summer tournaments and continue that workout. Then it’s pre-season and fitness work and then it’s a new season.
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Surely if Sanchez only played in half of those games he’d be a much better player – even two thirds of those games. Wenger isn’t worried about tiredness as such, he’s worried about how tiredness affects performance. And for South American players this summer, who have played in a two full seasons and a World cup already over the last two years it’s going to be a hard summer.
And by the middle of next season, when the rest of Europe gets some sort of break, Sanchez will surely be feeling the effects of two and a half years without an extended period of rest. It’ll be a huge feat of professionalism – and indeed of man management on Wenger’s part – if Sanchez can perform for a whole season next year. And given how crucial he was to Arsenal this season, it’s easy to see how Wenger could be upset.
The dreaded Financial Fair Play restrictions have been lifted from Manchester City’s shoulders, allowing manager Manuel Pellegrini unlimited access to the reported £100m war chest afforded him by the Citizens’ owners. Summer transfer windows have been a funny thing for the blue side of Manchester since Sheikh Mansour took control of the club in 2008, yielding varying levels of success. Stellar signings have become a fixture at the Etihad Stadium, however, so to have frustrating flops. This summer is among the most important in City’s history, as the squad needs major work.
Get it right, and City can keep up with their rivals both domestically and in Europe. Get it wrong, and they’ll be left behind.
A pattern has emerged for the Manchester side of late. Step 1: Make some quality additions to the squad that will win you the league. Step 2: After winning the league, sign some distinctly average players who will lose you the league. Rinse. Repeat.
After securing their first Premier League title in the most sensational way you can possibly imagine, they were expected to crack on in the transfer market and build on their momentum. So of course, Jack Rodwell and Scott Sinclair walked through the door. City would then go on to lose their title to arch rivals Manchester United, after they, sensibly, signed Robin van Persie.
That year, City were the new kids on the block and some leniency must be afforded to them. It was their first transfer window following a title-winning campaign, and City were not well-versed enough in how to approach it. After relinquishing their crown, the Sky Blues signed a raft of players who would go on to spur them on to a second league title. The likes of Alvaro Negredo, Fernandinho and Jesus Navas were brought in and played their part in the 2013/14 title-winning campaign.
So City now had the experience in how to approach a title defence. They could now press on, leave struggling arch rivals Manchester United in the dirt and focus on building a successful team for many years to come. UEFA had other ideas, though, and imposed restrictions on the club’s spending that year, so City simply couldn’t go out and buy the players to fend off Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea (although FFP cannot be blamed for the fact £42m was spent on Eliaquim Mangala!)
City ultimately lost the title (shock), as Chelsea usurped them at a canter. But, with FFP restrictions now lifted, City can splash the cash. Top class names have been linked, and the likes of Paul Pogba and Raheem Sterling are reported to be at the top of Pellegrini’s wish list. Those are the sort of names City should be chasing, and this summer they have the chance to add them to their ranks. If City get their signings right, Chelsea can indeed be caught at the top of the league. There are no longer any excuses for the blue side of Manchester, they must get their recruitment right.
If the reported £100m is spent wisely, a rejuvenated City would add an extra edge to the Premier League. The idea of Arsenal, Chelsea and the Manchester clubs fighting it out with squads full of superstars at the top of the league is mouth-watering. In the age of European super squads, the right signings can make up for lost ground in the Champions League. City have the resources.
Should City mess up another transfer window, their Premier League rivals will overtake them. Arsenal are finally buying established stars, and Manchester United are building a team to once again compete at the top of the league. Chelsea will be long gone under the stewardship of Mourinho and Manchester City will be an afterthought.
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City have shown the difficulty in establishing a team as a footballing powerhouse. They’ve enjoyed success domestically, but their struggles in defending their title and early elimination in the Champions League show how competitive top level sport is. Signing expensive players is all well and good, but it’s clear establishing yourself amongst the European giants is not simply a case of making blockbuster signings.
The excuses have run out for City now, they simply have to get this summer right or face being left in the wilderness.