Arsenal’s decision to move for Borussia Dortmund’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the January transfer window has come in for some criticism, partly owing to the fact that Arsenal already possessed a wealth of attacking options bolstered by the purchase of Alexandre Lacazette in the summer.
Add in Arsenal’s woeful defending in recent games, which has seen them lose 3-0 to Manchester City in the League Cup final and 2-1 to Ostersunds in the second leg of their Europa League last 32 tie, and you begin to realise why Gunners fans aren’t particularly happy with manager Arsene Wenger’s focus on buying attacking players.
We asked Arsenal fans yesterday whether they thought they had paid over the odds when they splashed out £56m on Aubameyang, but just 36% of them believed that they had.
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To the Gabonese forward’s credit, he did score a debut goal in the 5-1 demolition of Everton earlier this month and he came closest to scoring for Arsenal in their cup final defeat at the weekend – only to have Kyle Walker snuff out the opportunity at the last second.
Furthermore, Transfrmarket values Aubemeyang a shade higher than his transfer fee at £58.5m.
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Here’s the full breakdown of how Arsenal fans voted in our poll…
Manchester United star Marouane Fellaini was labelled a flop after a disastrous first season at Old Trafford, but is now ready to prove his worth in this campaign, Daily Mail reports.
The towering Belgian became a scapegoat in the Red Devils’ fall from grace last year alongside manager David Moyes, who both arrived from Everton at the beginning of the 2013/2014 season.
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The pressure was so intense Fellaini needed to call his family for emotional support when he wasn’t able to perform to his usual high standards.
However the 26-year-old has started in United’s last three games under new manager Louis van Gaal and has looked much like the impressive midfielder during his Everton days.
Prompted whether he felt like a ‘scapegoat’ last season, he replied: “Yes, a little bit.
“That is a difficult question. It is difficult to answer that. I agree last season was tough.
“There was a new manager and it was difficult for all the players.
“My family helped me through it. But I didn’t lose faith in myself. In football you have to be strong in the head. The mentality is important and I do have this quality so I can keep going.”
Fellaini also took part in Belgium’s run to the World Cup quarterfinals, and he felt that helped restore his confidence ahead of the current campaign.
“I was also in the national team for Belgium at the World Cup and I played well and the team also played well,’ he said. “For my confidence that was important.
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“I came back after the summer confident. The manager said to me I would have to fight if I wanted to play. I did fight and trained hard and that was it. When I got my chance I tried to show myself and tried to do my best.
“Last season was a difficult season for me. The World Cup helped me a lot. The manager of the national team and the players helped me and it was a great experience for everybody.”
Liverpool FC have played 25 competitive games since the season began for them back on the 2nd August with an away trip to FC Gomel in an Europa League third round qualifier, so it’s fair to say that we have a fairly large sample to draw any sort of particular patterns or conclusions from. So with that in mind, here is our 10 things we have learned about the club under their new manager Brendan Rodgers since the start of the season.
1. Score more goals – This isn’t a new one, granted, with the team’s profligacy in front of goal last term under Kenny Dalglish also hampering a stuttering Premier League campaign. With just 18 goals to their name in 14 league games, 10 other teams in the top flight have scored more, so it’s no coincidence that the side are sat as low as 12th at the moment. Goals win you games, and with only Luis Suarez really contributing in any substantial way, with 10 of those 18, then the side will continue to struggle. They need more cutting edge in and around the box, and for all the pretty passing, there’s very little in the way of penetration at the moment. Purchasing an out-and-out finisher in January may not be the answer to all of the team’s problems, but it would be a start and a step in the right direction.
2. How small the squad is – The summer saw the club radically reduce the wage bill with Andy Carroll (loan), Charlie Adam, Dirk Kuyt, Craig Bellamy and Maxi Rodriguez all allowed to depart after being on hefty sums, and the likes of Joe Allen, Fabio Borini and Oussama Assaidi won’t be on anywhere near as much. This has robbed Rodgers of the depth needed to sustain both a European and league campaign at the same time and youngsters such as Raheem Sterling, Andre Wisdom, Jonjo Shelvey and Suso have had to pad out a threadbare squad. January should not only be seen as a time to invest in quality, but numbers too should the budget allow it.
3. Complaining about officials – Nobody in their right mind would try to claim that Liverpool have had a fair rub of the green when it comes to decisions so far this term, and that they’ve still yet to receive a penalty is unfathomable considering the incidents on show. From the last-minute disallowed goal in the Merseyside derby for the wrong reason, the assault on Suarez from Leon Barnett to numerous other penalty calls, while some will even still try and argue that Jonjo Shelvey was harshly done by with his red card against Manchester United. Nevertheless, Rodgers has already complained to refereeing chief Mike Riley and to hear him go on about ’embarrassing’ officiating in the aftermath of the Tottenham defeat is tiresome and fuels a sense of injustice which the fans are bound to buy into, but the extent to which you can keep making the same point over and over again does only serve to highlight that Rodgers needs to get over it and get on with the task in hand. Deflecting attention is a commonly used trait by most managers after poor results, but at least try and mix it up a bit, eh?
4. Over the top praise – Rodgers appears to have fallen into the trap of continually praising defeats as ‘magnificent’ or draws as ‘outstanding’ as he did during the quite forgettable home draw against Newcastle last month. We are not all idiots, we can use our own eyes to see what is unfolding before us and how to accurately judge how a team has performed, and the praise the manager is lauding on his players for mediocrity is getting laughable now. We all know a manager has to support his players, particularly in public and especially when some of them are so young and learning their trade, but can we do it without the fawning rhetoric, please? It would at least be more believable then.
5. Tactical flexibility – A plus point of Rodgers’ reign has been his willingness to shift between systems mid-game and make intelligent tactical changes. During the Merseyside derby, while the withdrawal of Kevin Mirallas through injury at the interval may have helped to curb Everton’s attacking threat somewhat, his switch to a 3-5-2 system to close down the channels made a big difference on the game. Like Jose Mourinho before him, he’s also started making tactical substitutions, often in the first half, with Suso taken off in the 36th minute for Jordan Henderson against Wigan, inverting the balance in midfield to have two holding and it had an impact on winning the battle in the middle of the park and ultimately the match. That he can spot where to change things on the pitch during the game, admit his mistakes and then fixing the problems points to a coach of some intellect. There’s a plan B on show, it just simply doesn’t involve hoofing the ball up to a big man like Carroll.
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6. The soundbites – “You train dogs, you educate football players.” “I treat every player at this club like my son.” “Stay behind the ball. You’re not the one bombing on for fun, you’re not going to be like Cafu.” That last one was said to young full-back Jon Flanagan, and while it’s quite hilarious when taken out of context, the fly-0n-the-wall documentary Being:Liverpool did expose the fairly naff David Brent-esque managerial techniques of Rodgers. Of course, you could argue that he did not ask for the documentary to be made and it’s quite unbelievable that the club’s owners saw this as anything other than an instrument that could only apply more pressure to a new manager working under difficult circumstances. We never see behind closed doors how any other managers talks to their players, but at the same time, nobody really made Rodgers say those things. The ‘son’ line above he offered directly to camera in a one-on-one interview. There’s always been a suspicion that he likes the sound of his own voice a little too much, and we’ve seen little evidence to contradict that just yet.
7. Leave the experimenting for pre-season – Liverpool played four friendly matches this season, three of them before their first game against FC Gomel, but progress was hindered by the fact that most of the key players were returning late to training after being given some time to rest after their exertions at Euro 2012. Nevertheless, the sign of Stewart Downing being absolutely torn apart by Aaron Lennon in the first 15 minutes of Tottenham’s 2-1 defeat at White Hart Lane at left-back, when the side had recognised left-back Jose Enrique playing in Downing’s position on the left wing was preventable. Rodgers stated after the game that he’s looking for more ‘solutions’ due to the ‘shallowness of the group’, and he’s clearly trying to get every last drop of versatility out of what he’s already got, which is understandable, but Downing shouldn’t be making his debut in the position over ten games into a new season. He probably won’t win you the game on the left wing, but he can sure lose it for you at left-back.
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8. The need to close games out – Liverpool have performed well by and large this season, but they’ve struggled to secure the results that they’ve deserved due to a certain tactical naivety from the players. They’ve let leads slip against Manchester City, Manchester United and Udinese all at home, while the late draw they suffered courtesy of a fantastic strike from Elsad Zverotić during the Young Boys game means they now travel to their final fixture in Italy needing to avoid defeat to stand a chance of going through to the next round.
9. Use home advantage more – In the league so far this season, Liverpool have picked up nine points from a possible 21 at Anfield, while in the Europa League, they’ve picked up just four from a possible nine. Anfield used to be a fortress for the club, but the nervy atmosphere around the ground during most games now is palpable and it must be having an effect on the team; returning the club back to its glory days, or even where they were five years ago under Rafa Benitez will live and die by how difficult they make the historic ground for visiting teams to play at once more.
10. Over-reliance on one player – Before it was Steven Gerrard, then briefly it was Gerrard and Fernando Torres and now it’s down to Luis Suarez. Discussing the captain’s lack of goal threat this season today, Rodgers stated: “He’s carried this club for nearly 13 years and it’s about time there was more than Steven picking up the baton of responsibility. There are others that we want to step up to the plate and get the goals.” It’s a fair assessment and certain players can go into hiding under the increased amount of pressure; not making forward runs, choosing to pass it backwards or sideways and simply following leadership rather than trying to be a leading figure. The best thing Rodgers can do over the coming months is try and find players on the continent or at home to try and sign who will help share the burden out. The Uruguayan has been directly involved in 12 of the team’s 18 league goals this term and has been superb throughout, but he will not be able to carry the burden alone forever and the club are just one injury away from a campaign with only mid-table obscurity and a decent cup run to look forward to.
Newcastle are reportedly on the hunt for another central midfielder this summer, so should they hijack Cardiff’s move for Marko Grujic?
With Mikel Merino being linked with a move away from Newcastle and Mo Diame turning 31, it is no surprise that Rafael Benitez wants another centre mid this summer.
The Magpies have already been linked with countless players to compete with Diame and Jonjo Shelvey for those midfield positions in Benitez’s 4-2-3-1 formation.
Stoke’s Badou Ndiaye seems a good fit to take over from Diame, while Jack Wilshere’s departure from Arsenal has got the rumour mill churning in full swing.
If Benitez wants a direct replacement for Merino though, he should be looking at Liverpool’s Grujic.
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The 22 year-old Serbian international spent the second half of last season on loan with Cardiff, and has been strongly linked with a return to the Welsh side.
The towering youngster was an absolute beast for the Bluebirds, winning an incredible 4.8 aerial duels per game, and making nearly two tackles and two interceptions per game.
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Grujic doesn’t have the same eye for a pass that the likes of Merino and Shelvey have, but he would add depth and steel to that Magpies midfield, and a loan move could be perfect for all parties.
So, Newcastle fans, would you like to see Benitez go for Grujic? Let us know your thoughts by voting in the poll below…
Arsenal fans are not a particularly happy bunch at the moment.
Indeed, the Gunners lost 3-0 to Manchester City in the EFL Cup final on Sunday afternoon, and are currently well off the pace when it comes to a top-four position in the Premier League table.
Arsene Wenger remains in his position as head coach, but a lot of supporters are desperate for change.
It could yet get worse for Arsenal as they prepare to welcome league leaders Man City to the Emirates Stadium in the Premier League on Thursday night.
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Ahead of the match, Arsenal’s Twitter account posted a special message for Aaron Ramsey, but it did not go down too well with all of the supporters.
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Ramsey has managed six goals and eight assists in 20 appearances for Arsenal this season, although there remain question marks over his ability to perform consistently for a club that has ambitions of winning major silverware.
A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:
Amid an enormous exodus of first team talent at Southampton, a few weeks ago it was believed the sought-after Morgan Schneiderlin would be the latest Saints star to instigate his own exit from the south coast.The defensive midfielder, who has made more tackles, 259, and more interceptions, 207, than any Premier League player since the Saints’ top flight ascension in summer 2012, was linked heavily with moves to Arsenal and Tottenham – the former in desperate need of a holding midfielder and the latter now lead by former St. Mary’s boss Mauricio Pochettino.But despite handing in an official transfer request, Southampton have declared that whether he likes it or lumps it, the France international will not be allowed to leave this summer.Thus, it’s time for both North London clubs to seek alternatives as the summer transfer window enters it’s final stages. And being the lovely bunch we are at Football Fancast, we’ve listed SIX that the Gunners and the Lilywhites should be strongly considering.
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CHEICK TIOTE
Football – Sheffield Wednesday v Newcastle United – Pre Season Friendly – Hillsborough – 14/15 , 30/7/14Cheick Tiote – Newcastle United Mandatory Credit: Action Images / John CliftonEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
News emerged yesterday evening that Arsenal are preparing an £8million bid for Cheick Tiote and the Newcastle dynamo would certainly do a decent job for Tottenham too.
The 28 year-old has been a central factor in the Tyneside outfit’s successes since joining the Magpies from FC Twente in summer 2010, and now offers 107 games-worth of Premier League experience.
No doubt, the Ivory Coast international is a real warrior – last season he recorded one of the best tackling returns in the Premier League, as detailed below:
He’s consistent in possession too, as viewable below, although Tiote’s passing range is admittedly rather limited:
Another negative would be the Magpies midfielder’s discipline problems. He picked up 25 yellow cards in his first 50 league games for the Toon, and was booked once in every three appearances last season, also averaging two fouls per match.
But for a mere £8million, Tiote would be a decent stop-gap solution at cheap cost until a higher-quality defensive midfielder comes Arsenal and Tottenham’s way.
Gunners fans will remember the mohawked midfielder most for this sensational strike against the Emirates outfit in 2011:
STEVEN N’ZONZI
Another Premier League alternative both North London sides should be considering is Steven N’Zonzi, who conveniently enough has handed in a transfer request for the second summer in a row at Stoke City. Clearly his ambitions are a little higher than the Potteries.
The 25 year-old has proved himself to be an effective force in the English top flight, having won the Player of the Season award at Blackburn, the Young Player of the Year award with the Potters and amassed 157 league appearances.
The Frenchman pops up with the occasional belter…
And his quality on the ball, for a holding midfielder who measures in at 6 foot 4, often goes unaccredited, this clip being a perfect example:
N’Zonzi was vital for the Britannia outfit last season, making more passes than any player in the Stoke City squad as they began to expand from their attritional roots. And despite assumptions otherwise, he was not only consistent but largely progressive on the ball, as detailed below:
Having seemingly found a new sense of maturity following a spat of disciplinary problems in his earlier career, the former France U21 appears ready for the next level.
And likely available for under £10million, he could prove to be a real coup for either Spurs or Arsenal.
NIGEL DE JONG
Former Manchester City shin-breaker Nigel de Jong has been linked with a number of Premier League clubs this summer, most notably Manchester United:
The interest follows a strong season with AC Milan, despite them finishing in 9th place last year, and an impressive World Cup campaign with the Netherlands, as detailed below:
Affectionately known as ‘The Lawnmower’, there’s no doubting the 29 year-old’s credentials as a top-class ball-winner. Here’s a look at the Milan star in action:
De Jong offers vital Premier League experience too, having spent three-and-a-half years at the Etihad, picking up the English title in 2012.
It remains to be seen whether Manchester United’s interest is genuine, but with just a year left on the Oranje enforcer’s contract, the San Siro side have little choice but to let him go this summer if a decent bid comes along.
WILLIAM CARVALHO
By far the most expensive suggestion on this list, Portugal prodigy William Carvalho is available to any club that’s prepared to pay his £37million release clause.
That’s a lot of money for a 22 year-old, but Carvalho is commonly regarded as one of the most exciting prospects in world football.
An eighteen-month stay with Cercle Brugge soon lead to a surprise inclusion in the Sporting Lisbon first team at the start of the 2013/14 campaign. Carvalho’s progress and development has been earning rave reviews ever since and his sensational rise over the last year was capped off with a decent showcasing of his abilities at Brazil 2014, as detailed below:
The Sporting Lisbon midfielder measures in at 6 foot 2, weighs 14 stone and is famed for his immense physicality. He also knows where the goal is, having netted four times in 30 league appearances for the Portuguese capital outfit. Here’s a look at Carvalho in action:
As previously stated, the Portugal international appears determined to join a more competitive club this summer and even without Champions League football, the quality of the Premier League could be enough for Tottenham to attract his signature.
Arsenal’s interest in Carvalho is already well known:
But recent speculation suggests long-term admirers Manchester United are about to muscle in:
LUIZ GUSTAVO
Luis Gustavo was strongly linked with an Emirates switch last summer before joining Wolfsburg, and the Brazil international has once again emerged as a priority target for Arsenal:
The 27 year-old, formerly of Bayern Munich, was one of the most prolific tacklers in the Bundesliga last season, as detailed below:
And despite the 2014 side being dubbed the worst Selacao assembly of all time, Gustavo was one of their better contributors at the World Cup, putting in a number of impressive performances:
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The 6 foot 2 midfielder is slender in build and doesn’t offer the natural power of some of the other candidates on this list. But he’s quick, has a great engine and is renowned for his composure on the ball.
That would fit Arsenal’s style of play perfectly, whilst his internationally-proven quality would certainly improve Tottenham’s starting XI too.
Despite Arsene Wenger’s alleged revived interest however, the Wolfsburg star has declared that he won’t be moving to the Premier League this summer:
IDRISSA GUEYE
A more risky option that’s reportedly already caught Arsenal’s attention but is certainly worth Tottenham’s consideration too comes in the form of Lille midfielder Idrissa Gueye.
Don’t be fooled by the 24 year-old’s 5 foot 9 fame – he made the most tackles per match of any Ligue 1 midfielder last season, as detailed below:
He furthermore dominated the French top flight’s passing charts:
Equally contributed going forward:
And also fell over, very hilariously:
Valued as lowly as £6million by TalkSport, the Senegal international could prove to be a real find for either North London club.
Wigan Athletic Manager Roberto Martinez has insisted that teams will see his side produce a run of consistently successful performances in this next spell of games, according to Sky Sports.
Currently, Wigan lie in 14th place in the Premier League which is a far cry from their slow start to last season, but the Spaniard is certain that his charges can push on yet still.
The Latics current unpredictable form has been typified by the fact that his side managed to grab all 3 points at White Hart Lane, before suffering a 2-1 defeat to West Brom at home the following weekend.
In their last 6 matches they have produced a mixed set of results with two wins, a draw and three defeats.
Martinez is adamant that the key to flourishing is to focus on the performance rather than the overall outcome of the game.
The 39 year old spoke to Sky Sports saying: “Every game is completely different and we need to be able to adapt in different ways and to different challenges that you get week in and week out,” “Yes, you want to get a good run of results but what is important is that you get a good level of performance.
“I think that we performed well on Saturday but the next steps are to be able to adapt in certain ways so you can keep picking up positive results week in and week out.
“But remember there is a process and we are getting very close to where we want to get.”
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Manchester United have reportedly joined the race for Tottenham target Tanguy Ndombele, and Spurs fans are fearing the worst about the midfield wonderkid.
According to French reports, Manchester United are chasing Ndombele, as Jose Mourinho looks to build a squad capable of challenging Pep Guardiola’s unstoppable Manchester City.
Ndombele has been heavily linked with Spurs in recent months as Mousa Dembele’s potential replacement, as the Belgian nears an exit from North London.
Fans wanted reinforcements in midfield this summer whether Dembele leaves or not, and the 21 year-old Ndombele has all the tools to be an excellent piece of Pochettino’s puzzle.
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Blessed with wiry strength and agility, the young Frenchman can wriggle his way out of pressure and nearly always looks for a forward pass.
He also brings lots of defensive help, averaging 1.9 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game last season in Ligue 1.
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Besides from just having a similar name, the young midfielder seems an almost perfect fit to replace Dembele, and fans have been reacting to the news that Manchester United have joined the race.
You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…
Southampton climbed out of the English Premier League relegation zone on Saturday with a huge point away to Burnley at Turf Moor.
Finding themselves one goal down heading into the final moments of the match, substitute Manolo Gabbiadini popped up to lash home and rescue a draw that could prove pivotal in Saints’ fight against relegation.
It could have easily been another frustrating day for supporters but they can find solace in the late equaliser, which could be a moment to build on for Mauricio Pellegrino and his squad.
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Fans were delighted with the performance of substitute Josh Sims, who changed the game when he was introduced in the 68th minute. He went close to scoring and was only denied by a wonder save from Nick Pope, showing the kind of intent that Saints had lacked up to that point.
They’re now calling on Sims to get a start in next week’s huge relegation six-pointer at home to Stoke, believing he has the attitude and skill to help their team pick up a vital league victory.
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Will Pellegrino trust him to start?
Supporters took to Twitter to share their thoughts…
West Ham midfielder Mohamed Diame admits it’s a dream to play for Liverpool one day and that he was close to signing for the Anfield club before arriving at West Ham.
The Senegalese international has recently spoken of his desire to play for a bigger club than the Hammers and has no spoken of two opportunities he had to do just that, including a move to London rivals Arsenal that was close to happening last summer.
And the 26-year-old admits a move to Liverpool was a dream and that it was only the departure of Kenny Dalglish that scuppered the deal.
He told the Daily Star: “In my head I was already in Liverpool.
“It was next, I told everyone that I was there. It was as if one of my greatest wishes – to wear the Liverpool shirt – had been accomplished.
“One day my agent and I went to the training centre to see Kenny Dalglish, who was the coach. I found myself amongst photos of Gerrard and company, all these great players. I was proud of myself.
“Unfortunately, Dalglish was fired and all negotiations stopped.
“I told myself that God wanted it that way and that is not a reason for me to stop work. It will happen one day.”
WANT MORE? >> West Ham transfer news | Liverpool transfer news
But Diame went on to explain that he was close to signing for Arsenal just 12 months ago, but stayed at West Ham where he believes not enough was done to improve in the Hammers’ 10th place finish.
“There were proposals last summer .I was thinking of going to Arsenal but it didn’t happen so I stayed at West Ham, because I felt good here,” he added.
“Plus, after this season we had had I thought the club would buy some better players. But it was a very bad start and we made the mistake of not recruiting.
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“We went through the season with almost the same players, which is never good because the players think they already know who will be wearing the shirt.
“Also, people didn’t necessarily give 100 per cent on the field, that’s what got us in trouble.”
Diame has made 74 appearances in all competitions for the Hammers since joining on a free from Wigan two summers ago, scoring seven goals.