Category Uncategorized

After Theo Walcott’s decision to remind Tottenham fans of the score during the most recent North London Derby, and Wojciech Szczesny putting his thoughts about Arsenal’s rivals into song, Santi Cazorla and Robert Pires were snapped with a fan holding a piece of paper mocking Spurs.

At which point does harmless fun spill over into the unacceptable? Far from where we are now. Cazorla immediately addressed the picture on his Twitter account saying he and Pires had little knowledge about what was written, and while some may be hard pressed to believe the Spaniard’s version of events, it’s nothing that warrants anything other than a smile – from both sets of supporters.

If this latest bout in the rivalry between both clubs is deemed classless and unacceptable then where are we going with the game? Walcott’s gesture to the fans should have been dismissed as nothing but light humour. Just as with the case involving Cazorla and Pires, it’s nothing that breaks the barriers into the shocking or in need of investigation.

It’s football rivalry. If football supporters are going to go into a stadium armed with all manner of wit and insult, then surely there has to be some leeway when it comes back their way. What would have been said by Tottenham fans if the role was reversed?

Cazorla and Pires may have meant little in what they were involved in, but players who are currently long-standing members of the Arsenal team do like to direct subtle jabs in the direction of their close rivals. And it doesn’t just start with those in the team at present.

Ian Wright has been fined for language used towards opposition fans – though Tottenham aren’t the club in question – and Thierry Henry recently revealed the exchange of words he had in the past during clashes with Spurs, most notably following the 2-2 draw in 2004 which saw Arsenal capture the Premier League title.

Players may or may not admit to how much of a part they played in any one incident, if we’re calling it that, but it’s certainly a way for them to endear themselves to their own supporters. Jack Wilshere commented on Walcott’s now legendary status following the North London Derby in the FA Cup.

If we’re going to start reprimanding or accusing players of joining in with the tribalism of football, then we can’t complain if they show little to no loyalty to their club later on. It’s simply a case of one or the other. And if we’re talking about the nature of the game, the former – provided it’s harmless fun – is more than welcome.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Get all your Capital OneCup news here »

As Liverpool slowly start to climb the Premier League table, two of their stars of last season seem to be close to finding their top form once more.

Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger formed a formidable partnership during Kenny Dalglish’s reign last season, so much so they dislodged club legend Jamie Carragher from the starting line up, and haven’t looked back since.

Despite Liverpool’s nightmare league campaign last year, Skrtel and Agger were two of the few players to walk away from the season with their heads held high. Liverpool managed the third best defensive record in the division, despite a lowly eighth placed finish.

Ahead of tonight’s Europa League tie with Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala, goalkeeper Pepe Reina has said how he thinks the pair will only get stronger, following both of their decisions to commit their long term futures to the club.

The Liverpool goalkeeper also believes the pair can go on to form a partnership as formidable as that of Jamie Carragher and Sami Hyypia, who were the central defenders throughout Liverpool’s 2005 Champions League winning campaign.

‘It’s good they’ve signed contracts because it’s a fact that they are one of the best centre-back couples in the Premier League,’ Reina told Liverpoolfc.com. 

‘The understanding between them is great and they’ve been really solid lately. In the last year and a half or so they have been brilliant for us.

‘If I am not mistaken they are similar ages to each other, so they have five or six years still to play their best football.

‘I don’t see any reason why they can’t do the same as Carra and Sami did, though they were one of the greatest centre-back couples this club has ever had.’

High praise indeed for the pair, who you feel will play a critical role in Brendan Rodgers bid to revive the Red’s league fortunes. Back to back clean sheets in the league have done well to lift some of the gloom at Anfield surrounding their lowly league position.

Last seasons defensive form looked a thing of the distant past during the opening thirteen games of the Rodgers era, with a total of nineteen goals conceded in all competitions.

A series of individual errors cost Liverpool dear, with Reina culpable on more than one occasion. Skrtel was caught out twice in the opening two games of the season, firstly conceding a clumsy penalty at West Brom, before a poor back pass gifted Carlos Tevez the equaliser in the 2-2 draw with Manchester City – an error which spoilt an otherwise faultless display.

Agger found himself off the pace early on as well, picking up a red card in the opening day defeat to West Brom for a last man challenge which saw him concede a penalty in the process.

Too often without the injured Lucas Leiva, the centre back pairing have been left overexposed and have looked more vulnerable than usual. The defeat to Arsenal in early September was the most obvious example of this, with the Liverpool back four looking overexposed to Arsenal’s quick counter attacks time and again.

Brendan Rodgers looks to have gone back to basics following the defeat to Udinese in the Europa League, a performance that saw the manager openly criticize the defending of his team. Clean sheets against Stoke and Reading have followed, not spectacular perhaps but certainly a step in the right direction.

Glen Johnson has also slotted into the left back role with minimum fuss, whilst youngster Andre Wisdom has started the last three Premier League games, looking faultless in all three.

The new style of football Rodgers is trying to implement has seen the side make several mistakes, gifting possession to the opposition in dangerous areas. On almost every occasion Liverpool have been punished, with sides able to rob possession and counter attack at pace far too easily.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

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 is not to be underestimated how much of a loss Lucas Leiva has been however, the one out and out holding midfielder on the clubs books, since Jay Spearing was sent to Bolton on loan. Joe Allen, Steven Gerrard, Jonjo Shelvey and Nuri Sahin have all taken it in turns to try and shield the back four, all with limited success.

The last two Premier League games however have seen the side defend far better as a unit, and Liverpool fans will long hope it continues. The signs have been encouraging since Rodgers took the Anfield reigns, and Skrtel and Agger’s form will be crucial in determining how successful he is at Anfield. The fact both have committed their long term futures to the club bodes well for the clubs future, and shows the belief they hold in the new manager.

It’s all about small steps in the right direction for Liverpool at the moment. A first win of the season was followed by a first clean sheet of the season, which in turn was followed by a first home win of the season. With six goals conceded in their opening two Europa League matches, a clean sheet last night was very welcome indeed.

Follow me on Twitter @LukeGreenwood89

Portuguese international Joao Mario spent the second half of last season on loan with West Ham, beginning to impress towards the end of the campaign.

Even now David Moyes has departed and Manuel Pellegrini seeks to oversee the brave new era Hammers fans were promised when they moved to the London Stadium, the club is still reportedly interested in the pacy wideman.

However, it is suggested that the £24.5m (28m euros) being quoted for his signature is putting off the East London club, despite it not being too far above his Transfermarkt valuation of £22.5m.

As Mario gears up for this summer’s World Cup, he played in a pre-tournament friendly against England’s opening opponent Tunisia, as the African outfit pegged back the European champions to a 2-2 draw.

The winger put in the kind of performance that, if replicated on the bigger stage in Russia next month, could see that valuation escalate.

He netted the hosts’ second goal of the game from one of his three shots, putting them 2-0 ahead. His all-round game was solid as well, making two interceptions and tackles, to go with a reliable 83% passing accuracy.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

West Ham might regret it if they dally pre-World Cup only to find an increased interest and asking price if Mario impresses at the World Cup.

[ad_pod ]

Arsenal are in need of an overhaul, and with the possible departure of both Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil this January, they might just get it.

And yet there are two problems. One is that you probably shouldn’t rip it all up and start again in January – the summer is more conducive to that approach, giving new arrivals the chance to get acquainted with the club, teammates, and a new city – whilst selling the players they may be about to get rid of in the summer, when they had the chance, would have helped not just on this front, but would have brought in a whole lot more money, too.

Still, as useless as it is to repeat it, the Gunners are where they are: it’s time to make the most of it.

But with rumours flying around left, right and centre, those which have been touted as possibilities – a deal which involves Alexis Sanchez to Manchester United and Henrikh Mkhitaryan going the other way, one which takes Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to the Emirates, and another to bring Bordeaux’s Malcolm into the fold – simply do one thing: replace what Arsenal are losing.

If the three departures are to be Sanchez, Ozil and Theo Walcott – who is finalising a move to Everton – the Gunners will have replaced their Chilean winger with a young player with one for the future, their German playmaker with the exciting but unproven in England United attacker, and their back-up forward with an undoubtedly superior player.

Would that be good business? Possibly. Certainly Aubameyang is an exciting upgrade, whilst the other two would make for good signings in isolation. But the problem isn’t with the calibre of the players linked – and remember, we do mean linked, and the Gunners have been burned by plenty of rumours in the past.

Even if they do pull off a transfer window with all of the exciting names above joining this month, it might mean perfect execution, but will it have been a perfect plan?

To lose three players and replace them like-for-like, even if we’re talking about an upgrade here and there, it’s not much of a strengthening – more a redecorating job. Whilst the Gunners are reasonably strong in attack – though still have the worst goal return in the top six apart from Chelsea, with whom they’re level – you might be forgiven for thinking that it’s other areas of the pitch which need the most work.

Take the return of Jack Wilshere, for example. As exciting as it would be to have him fit and healthy in the long term, and to have him committed to Arsenal for the future and on the path to reaching his absolute peak, even if that were the case, what do Arsenal do about the returning Aaron Ramsey if that’s the case? Surely a defensive midfielder who acts more like the now-departed Francis Coquelin – only much better – would be a signing to allow both to play in the same midfield? A player like Everton’s Idrissa Gueye or Leicester’s Wilfred Ndidi, who have taken over from N’Golo Kante as the Premier League’s top tacklers, for instance.

That’s the kind of area Arsene Wenger, or whoever is in charge of transfers these days, should be looking to target, not just because it’s a position the side have struggled in since the days of Patrick Vieira and Gilberto Silva, but because it would utterly transform the midfield in a positive way. And lord knows Granit Xhaka can’t be trusted to do it.

The point here is that the Gunners already had a squad to sort out before January came calling and top players stepped up their efforts to leave. Fiddling around with the one area which already seemed solid might be necessary in light of contract disputes and player disruption, but it certainly doesn’t make the team much stronger – just filled with different faces.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Instead, if they are to actually improve their squad, they’ll need to do some extra business and change the make-up of the players in other areas.

If a squad overhaul is what Arsenal need, then it should be done properly. Simply changing the faces who walk up to the camera on Sky’s lineup graphics won’t do it. They need to change the profile of the team as a whole. And for that, they need to find signings who do more than simply offer a like-for-like swap.

Manchester United have been told they will have to spend big money in order to land Juventus star Arturo Vidal, according to the Daily Mirror.

The Chilean has been one of the many names linked with a January move to Old Trafford, as David Moyes hopes to strengthen his struggling midfield.

The 26-year-old has often stated his desire to remain with in Turin, but reports from France suggest he may be willing to make the switch to Old Trafford should he be offered an extremely lucrative deal.

Any deal would be viewed as a major coup for Moyes, with Vidal only signing a new contract with the Old Lady last month.

Moyes is set to be a busy man during the January transfer window, with Manchester United being linked with a host of new faces.

Vidal is believed to be amongst other targets that include Everton duo Leighton Baines and Ross Barkely.

Moyes is also understood to be plotting a move for Atletico Madrid playmaker Koke.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

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 United boss is likely to step up his efforts to sign new players this week, after watching his side crash to a sixth Premier League defeat of the season at the hands of Tottenham yesterday – a result that leaves their hopes of retaining their title in tatters.

Tottenham have continued their resurgent Premier League form with a 2-0 win over Aston Villa on Sunday.

The White Hart Lane faithful had to wait until the second half for the deadlock to be broken, with Steven Caulker and Aaron Lennon both on target for the hosts.

Andre Villas-Boas chose to field Hugo Lloris instead of Brad Friedel, but denied that the France international would now become the side’s first-choice stopper.

“We spoke among the staff this week about it and we thought it was logical to let Hugo come into a Premier League game because he can’t just play in the Europa League,” the Portuguese coach told Sky Sports.

“Brad obviously was disappointed with the decision but accepted it like the good professional he is.

“Obviously the change was not based on performance because Brad has been immense for this football team,” he stated.

Spurs take on Chelsea next in a mouth-watering clash, and Villas-Boas is looking forward to locking horns with his former team.

“The ambition to be among the top teams we have is immense and it gives us a good opportunity against Chelsea.

“It’s obviously going to be a difficult game but we are showing good levels of competence and we hope to profit from the fact that we play at home, and profit from the fact that we play an unbeaten league leader. That will help on our motivation to try to beat them,” he concluded.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Spurs are in fifth place after the victory.

Reliable club insider @ExWHUemployee revealed on Episode 86 of the West Ham Way radio show that West Ham United are considering making a move to sign Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure this summer.

The 35-year-old is available on a free transfer after it was announced that he won’t be staying with the Premier League champions when his contract expires next month, and while his wage demands may well be beyond clubs like the east London one, he has offered an extraordinary proposal that could mean a deal is possible.

The Ivory Coast international leaves the Etihad having scored 79 goals and provided a further 50 assists in 316 appearances in all competitions, and while he might be in the twilight years of his career he could still be an important player for the Irons across the next one or two seasons, and a name that would suggest to others that they are looking to reach the next level.

We asked West Ham supporters to vote on our poll to see whether they would back a move for Toure this summer, and 61% said they would like to see three-time Premier League title winner arrive at the London Stadium.

Any potential new signings will have to wait until a new Hammers manager is appointed however, following the news on Wednesday that David Moyes’ contract wasn’t going to be extended and that he would be leaving the club.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

[ad_pod ]

According to reports in The Mirror, West Ham United are lining up a shock January move for Everton midfielder Tom Davies, who is rated at €15m (approximately £13.3m) according to Transfermarkt.

What’s the word, then?

Well, The Mirror says that Irons boss David Moyes is keen to bring the 19-year-old to the London Stadium to provide some more energy from the middle of the park for his team.

However, while Everton manager Sam Allardyce is reportedly willing to listen to offers for a number of his players this month, it remains to be seen whether the highly-rated youngster will be one of them.

Nevertheless, the report adds Moyes is ready to test the Merseyside outfit’s resolve with a bid for the England U21 international, as well as a hefty pay rise to try and tempt the midfielder south.

How has Davies done this season?

After making his breakthrough under former Toffees boss Ronald Koeman last term, the teenager has continued to appear regularly for Everton during the current campaign as well.

The 19-year-old has made 30 appearances in all competitions – providing two assists – although he has been in and out of the side since Sam Allardyce took the reins, and he didn’t even make the squad for the 4-0 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley on Saturday.

According to WhoScored.com, Davies has won 30 tackles in 23 appearances in the Premier League and the Europa League this season, while he has made 17 interceptions, 13 clearances and has successfully completed 13 of the 21 dribbles he has attempted.

Would he be a good signing for West Ham?

While he certainly isn’t the finished article yet, there is no doubt that Davies could still make an impact for the Irons now and in the future.

The 19-year-old would bring some much-needed energy in central midfield, and he would likely be a fans’ favourite given his desire and commitment and the fact that he is still a young player who is improving.

Will they get him?

It’s difficult to say.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

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 Davies hasn’t established himself as a consistent starter for Everton, he is still playing a part in the majority of their matches and the Goodison Park faithful certainly wouldn’t be happy to see one of their younger players sold to a Premier League rival.

A deal looks unlikely this month, but Moyes may reignite his interest in the summer if he stays on at the London Stadium.

[ad_pod ]

Footballing personalities and pundits alike stood by wide-eyed and baffled to bits when Nigel Adkins got the boot at St. Mary’s this January. Not even in the current climate of frequent managerial changes could anyone anticipate the sacking of the man who had taken Southampton back into the top tier before making them not only easy on the eye, but a solid mid-table team. As much as everyone questioned Chelsea’s judgment in relieving Roberto Di Matteo of his duties not even six months after being crowned champions of Europe, the Adkins sacking was quickly branded pure lunacy.

Fast forward ten months and the scorned scouser’s replacement, Mauricio Pochettino, has taken the Saints to a current fifth spot in the league. Not only is the Argentine’s Southampton side getting results, they are stunning the very best teams in the league with their intense pressure and possessive football. Pundits are even discussing whether they can make it into Europe next season.

Which begs the question: did the Southampton board know something we didn’t?

When Nigel Adkins furiously left St. Mary’s he had finally built some momentum for his team. After a vigilant but tough start to the season, the Saints had to fight their way out of the bottom three, playing positive attacking football, but suffering from a defensive line that leaked worse than John Terry’s publicist after hitting an ice berg. The flair and reliability of Rickie Lambert, Jay Rodriguez and Adam Lallana, though, kept the Southmapton ship floating, and the fans loved it. Adkins was regarded a true hero.

But if we compare that to Pochettino’s team, it is easy to spot a few contrasts. Southampton has become a defensive solidity, claiming the majority of possession in most games, and even daring to stand toe-to-toe with the mighty Manchester United at Old Trafford. Their pressing style has been compared with the approach used by Barcelona, the current universal football ideal, and this is hardly a coincidence.

Newly appointed Barcelona boss Tata Martino was greeted with maybe as much bafflement as Pochettino when he arrived at Camp Nou. However, the Catalans tend to choose their managers by approach rather than merit, and Martino fit the bill in terms of carrying on the tradition of high pressing, possessive game. This philosophy is shared by Pochettino and Martino, as they were shaped as footballers in the same environment.

In the early nineties, they were both integral parts of Marcelo Bielsa’s Newell’s Old Boys. Bielsa, one of the architects of the modern pressing game, shaped his strategy while at Newell’s and can be credited with some influence on how teams like Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Spain play football today. Although Martino and Pochettino’s approaches are not entirely the same, one of the main principles are identical: they both have heavy emphasis on regaining possession through a high pressing game.

Pochettino’s results with this have been truly remarkable. Southampton have only conceded three (!) goals so far this season; the best defensive record in the premiership. They aslo average above 50 per cent of possession, and this is a natural bi-product of their pressing style. If you regain possession effectively, you will own the ball for the majority of the game. Combine this with the attacking threat of a Lallana, who is forcing his name into the England international discussion, and the always reliable Rickie Lambert who’s justifying Roy Hodgen’s recent selection, all balanced by an excellent Morgan Schneiderlin, who might receive a France call up if he keeps his level. This way we can easily understand that the Saints have turned into a formidable opponent over the last year.

If we take a look at the stats from their 1-1 draw at Old Trafford last weekend, we can see that he ball spent more time in Manchester United’s half than Southampton’s. They were deemed lucky to get a late equalizer, but in fact they had two attempts more on target than the champions. United are struggling with getting into their stride at the moment, but the intense and well organized pressure inflicted by the Southampton midfield restrained the Red Devils from finding space and paid of through a late goal and an impressive away point.

If we compare Pochettino’s stats with Adkins’s when they had played an equal amount of Premier League games, 22, we find that the Saints have conceded only about half as many goals (22) with the Argentine at the helm, and their possession have moved from an average of 49,8 per cent to 55,9. Little doubt that despite his unwillingness to speak English in interviews (rumor has it he’s actually quite the skilled in the language) Pochettino has conveyed his message effectively to his players.

The Southampton board must simply have identified Pochettino as the chance of a lifetime. The sacking of Adkins was certainly a case of acquiring an invaluable asset rather than disposing of an unqualified one. And sadly for Nigel Adkins, it all came at his cost.

There is little suggesting the points tally at St. Mary’s should halt immediately, as Southampton take on Stoke and Hull in the coming weeks, before they will get tested away to Arsenal and Chelsea. Although European football in 2014 might be a dream too audacious, they are certainly moving in the right direction.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Is Southampton capable of finishing in the top six this season?

Join the discussion below.

[ad_pod id=’capone’ align=’center’]

Stoke forward Kenwyne Jones is set to be loaned out to a Championship club after finding himself surplus to requirements at the Premier League side.

The Potters have bolstered their attacking options with the free transfer signing of Michael Owen this summer, with Tony Pulis looking to reunite the veteran forward with his former England strike partner Peter Crouch.

As such Jones is not part of the Britannia Stadium side’s first-team plans, with a number of Championship sides eyeing the Trinidad and Tobago frontman on a temporary deal.

Leeds boss Neil Warnock is in the market for a new forward after Ross McCormack suffered an injury, and could well move for Jones in the near future.

“We are looking for someone who can improve the squad, and we would love to get a striker in before playing Nottingham Forest on Saturday,” Mirror Football quote the Elland Road chief as saying.

“Most of the better players have already gone out on loan and, as it is, we can’t really replace Ross because we’re a bit thin on the ground.”

Leicester are also thought to be keen on Jones and will rival Leeds with a loan bid also.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

By Gareth McKnight