Chelsea are still fighting for a Champions League place in the Premier League this season despite some inconsistencies in their performances.
At the time of writing, the Blues were looking to take the scalp of title chasing Liverpool and give Manchester City a massive boost in their own hunt for the top prize in England.
The summer is set to be an interesting one too for the Blues, who are set to be under a transfer ban barring a successful appeal, something which could have a massive effect on how the club continues to move forward.
And with the future of Eden Hazard still looking like it’s going to end up away from Stamford Bridge, Chelsea could have done without the news emerging this weekend that Barcelona could be set to make yet another move for Brazilian midfielder Willian.
Willian has been a superb player for Chelsea over the years, and has at times been undervalued by many in the game.
However, his consistency and ability to produce in big moments is something that should not be looked past, and if Chelsea were to lose both Willian and Hazard, they would have a serious rebuilding job on their hands heading into the next few seasons.
The Brazilian has that natural ability about him where he can win games with moments of magic, and while the lure of Barcelona is a big one, he could go down as a Chelsea legend if he stays put and helps the club to more trophies in the coming seasons.
Willian is a class act, and with the cost Chelsea would face to find a suitable replacement, it is simply not worth it for the club to allow a sale.
Paulo Gazzaniga was thrown into the Tottenham Hotspur team on Saturday as the club lost 1-0 to Manchester City in the Premier League.
Normal No.1 and club captain Hugo Lloris was not in the matchday squad after sustaining a minor injury.
On the chalkboard
This was something of an audition for Gazzaniga, playing against the best team in England.
It is fair to say that he failed it.
While he has turned in some impressive performances in goal for Spurs during his time at the club, Gazzaniga was the picture of nervousness against Pep Guardiola’s side.
That is perhaps forgivable, given the circumstances surrounding his inclusion, but he did not make a positive impression.
Per WhoScored, he made three saves, though he only collected the ball once and he also allowed one effort to squirm out of his hands and roll behind for a corner.
His distribution, too, left a lot to be desired.
While playing against Ederson – perhaps the finest sweeper keeper in England – can make his stats look particularly poor, Gazzaniga had a pass completion rate of just 53%. Ederson’s, by comparison, was 74%. Earlier this week, in the Champions League encounter between the two clubs, Lloris had a pass completion rate of 61%.
Gazzaniga, then, was constantly placing his own backline under unnecessary pressure.
An upgrade is required
Lloris is not the best goalkeeper in England and Spurs could certainly improve upon him in the transfer market, should they choose to.
But perhaps the real problem lies in the depth behind him.
Michel Vorm is ageing and surely rusty and, while Gazzaniga has time on his side at 27, it has become apparent that neither are capable of deputising for any length of time.
This summer, then, as Spurs look to dip into the transfer market for the first time since January 2018, a goalkeeper must be on the agenda.
It may seem harsh but, after Saturday, Gazzaniga simply cannot cut it.
Manchester City and Liverpool are locked in a battle to win the titl, while further down the table, in the battle for the top four, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United are separated by just three points, with two sides set to miss out.
The league table is so tight, Mauricio Pochettino, per the Irish Independent, believes it will come down to goal difference… Do Football FanCast’s writers agree?
James Beavis
“In terms of the title, I don’t think it will. Man City already have a decent advantage over Jurgen Klopp’s men when it comes down to goal difference. This one will come down to getting three points on the board every time each team steps out on the pitch, and I think they might both take maximum points which would be gut-wrenching for Jurgen Klopp. When it comes to the top four it could easily happen. The four contenders are currently separated by three points, and it is quite feasible that some of them will finish on the same tally in May. Man United should be seriously worried in that case, given they are three points worse off than Tottenham and two adrift of Arsenal, who have goal differences of +11 and +7 better than them respectively.”
Matt Dawson
“It would be quite something if the title race and top four both came down to goal difference on the final day. However, I think it’s extremely unlikely. What’s crazy about this season, though, is that either Liverpool or City could find themselves in a situation where they lose the league having amassed a points tally capable of winning multiple titles down the years. It seems almost ridiculous to think that but it’s a testament to how good the pair have been. The fact that no position in the top six is wrapped up will make the final few weeks of the season absolutely mouth-watering.”
Billy Meyers
“I think Manchester City have the goal difference ball well in their court, so the title shouldn’t come down to that unless something extraordinary happens. The top four, however, could well be determined by goal difference. None of them have shown consistently that they can thrash teams as City do, and given the narrow margins of victory of late, a single goal could be decisive.”
Loads of Manchester United fans have been reacting to the latest transfer report, as Thomas Meunier is now on the list of right back targets.
According to The Independent, the Red Devils are eyeing Meunier as a cut-price replacement for Antonio Valencia.
The club are certain to pursue a right-back this summer, and Meunier would add an experienced option alongside the improving Diogo Dalot.
A report from The Mirror claims Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Kieran Trippier are also potential candidates to take over the coveted no. 2 position.
Watch the video below to find out what Jesse Lingard is like off the pitch in the latest Match Of The Bae with Emma Conybeare…
Meunier however will enter the final 12 months of his contract this summer, meaning the Red Devils could secure him for a relatively low fee.
The 27 year-old has started 17 Ligue 1 games this season in which he has scored three goals and provided three assists, and he also averages two tackles per game in the league this season.
Fans have given a mixed response to the news though, with some praising the Belgian and others hoping for a younger, pricier option.
Either way, you can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…
If there’s one team in the Premier League that are stacked with midfielders, it’s Liverpool.
The Reds have an incredible selection of players in the midfield area of the pitch to call upon when everyone is fit from Naby Keita to Fabinho to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and one of the more surprising stars of the pack in recent years is James Milner.
The veteran midfielder joined Liverpool on a free in 2015, and despite at first being an underwhelming signing from fans, the former Manchester City man has gone on to be one of the team’s most important players.
But all good things must come to an end, and it is likely this summer when Milner’s deal runs up, the veteran midfielder will depart Merseyside after three seasons of impressive service.
Losing Milner will be a loss for Liverpool both on and off the pitch, but there is a midfielder out there, also available on a free, who will be the perfect player to replace the retired England international.
According to Football Insider, the Reds are interested in signing PSG midfielder Adrien Rabiot on a free when the Frenchman’s contract runs out this summer, and the playmaker would be perfect to replace Milner.
Rabiot has been one of PSG’s best midfielders in recent seasons and has reclaimed his spot in the team despite off the pitch problems, and the creative French international would be a good fit for Liverpool as someone who can influence the game in the final third with his creative footballing brain.
Milner leaving will be a hard pill to swallow for Liverpool fans, but if Jurgen Klopp can replace him with Rabiot, supporters will be quick to forget about the veteran midfielder after his departure.
Liverpool fans, would you take Rabiot as Milner’s replacement? Let us know!
Tottenham Hotspur fans have insisted that they wanted Moussa Sissoko to be their Player of the Season, not Son Heung-Min.
The left winger was presented with the award on Sunday, as Spurs drew the curtain down on a mixed Premier League season with a 2-2 draw with Everton.
Mauricio Pochettino’s men ultimately finished fourth but lost 13 times in the league, the same amount as seventh-placed Wolves.
They still have a Champions League final to play, though, and could become European champions with a victory over Liverpool on June 1.
Sissoko has been key to both campaigns, playing a total of 43 times in all competitions and featuring in both legs of the miraculous European semi-final against Ajax.
And, despite Son’s 20 goals this term, and 10 assists, many fans believe that Sissoko should have been awarded Player of the Season.
The Frenchman, after all, endured a difficult spell at the club after signing from Newcastle United and has enjoyed a renaissance this term.
So then, another season of the Premier League is done and dusted and it’s time for the 20 teams to start reviewing their campaigns and putting plans in place for the 2019/2020 term.
Little has changed at the top of the league with Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City marching to back-to-back English top-flight titles, but this year, they had new runners-up.
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool took over in second place from Manchester United by accumulating an incredible 97 points and finishing just a single point behind the Citizens.
Despite being knocked out of both the Carabao Cup and the Emirates FA Cup at the first opportunity, the Reds have had much more joy in one other competition, the UEFA Champions League. The Merseysiders will go for glory in the final for the second successive term, against Tottenham Hotspur in Madrid at the end of May.
In light of all this, today we review the season so far of Liverpool, from their player of the season, to their goal of the season and who they should sign to improve before next term…
Player of the Season – Virgil van Dijk
The biggest factor that has allowed Klopp’s team to make the title race go right down to the wire in 2018/2019 has been their defence, something that’s let them down time and time again in recent seasons, and a huge part of that has been Dutch centre-back Virgil van Dijk.
The 27-year-old joined from Southampton for a world-record fee back in January 2018 and has flourished in his first full season at Anfield, the commanding defender being crucial to both the domestic and European success with 49 appearances across the Premier League and Champions League.
As a result, Van Dijk has picked up wide acclaim from all four corners of the footballing world, fans, pundits and even his fellow professionals, who voted him the PFA Player of the Year and a member of the PFA Team of the Year. The Netherlands international will be hoping to put the cherry on the cake at the Wanda Metropolitano.
Flop of the Season – Naby Keita
In contrast, the flop of the season in the Red Half of Merseyside has undoubtedly been summer 2018 signing from RB Leipzig, midfielder Naby Keita.
After the club paid a staggering fee of £54 million for the Guinea international, he’s struggled to adapt to the pace of English football as his performances all season long have fallen well below par in the centre of the park.
Keita does have more time to make it work in England and live up to his lofty price tag – it sometimes takes even the best players on the planet a little time to settle in. However, if the flop keeps this up, it won’t be long before the whole of Liverpool loses patience and the plug is pulled.
Unsung hero – Georginio Wijnaldum
Soccer Football – Champions League Semi Final Second Leg – Liverpool v FC Barcelona – Anfield, Liverpool, Britain – May 7, 2019 Liverpool’s Georginio Wijnaldum celebrates scoring their third goal with Jordan Henderson REUTERS/Phil Noble
Every team in every season needs its unsung hero, that one player who chips in at vital times, scoring pivotal goals or saving pivotal goals. But not quite getting the credit they deserve and the credit of some of their teammates.
That has, without doubt, in 2018/2019 been Dutch attacking midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum for the Reds, just as important as the likes of Alisson, Van Dijk and Sadio Mane at times – not nearly sung as much as them.
Wijnaldum has had the habit of popping up just at the right time for Klopp throughout the campaign, whether it be for the league winner away at Tottenham back in September or the decisive inspired brace in the Champions League semi-final second leg against Barcelona, for example. A true unsung hero.
Signing of the Season – Alisson
Soccer Football – Premier League – Liverpool v Wolverhampton Wanderers – Anfield, Liverpool, Britain – May 12, 2019 Liverpool’s Alisson waves to the fans as he holds a trophy for winning the Premier League Golden Glove award after the match Action Images via Reuters/Carl Recine EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single clu
Before the start of the term, Klopp brought four new signings to Anfield, first was the aforementioned Keita, then his fellow midfielder Fabinho from Monaco, followed by Stoke City winger Xherdan Shaqiri and rounded off by much-needed goalkeeper Alisson from Roma.
The latter has by far been the pick of them when we look back, taking the Premier League and Champions League by storm and paying back every penny of his £66.8 million price tag, then the highest fee ever paid for a shot-stopper.
The fact that Alisson won the English top-flight Golden Glove award for the most clean sheets by fighting off competition from Man City’s Ederson is one example of just how immense he’s been in his maiden English term. The 26-year-old has saved 79 per cent of his league shots, 79 per cent!
Biggest Shock – second place
There wasn’t much wrong with Liverpool’s season whatsoever, especially in the Premier League, 97 points from 38 matches. That’s why the biggest shock of the campaign was surely that they could only finish second.
The side that have incredibly never lifted the Premier League trophy lost just once in the league throughout the whole term, regrettably, for them, that defeat came against the Citizens and was ultimately the difference between the two teams.
What really damaged Klopp’s men was a run of four draws in the space of six games in February and March, making it seven overall for the season and costing them the trophy. Though they can take pride in pushing arguably the greatest English team ever all the way and know that if they can rack up the same total next season, it surely won’t be beaten.
Best result – Barcelona (H) – 4-0
When reviewing 2018/2019, there will be one result that sticks out in the mind that bit more for everyone associated with Liverpool, one of the greatest Anfield nights in history.
Trailing by three goals from the first leg, the Reds welcomed Spanish giants Barcelona to Merseyside for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final. The hosts had a chance but needed to score early.
And that’s exactly what they did, taking the lead through Divock Origi on seven minutes. That advantage was doubled and then tripled by Wijnaldum in three crazy early-second-half minutes to turn the tie on its head, allowing Origi to complete his brace with just over 10 minutes to go and Liverpool to hold onto their place in the final. The undisputed best result of the season.
Worst result – Manchester City (A) – 2-1
The worst result of the campaign from a Liverpool perspective can be none other than the result that cost the Reds the title in so many different ways.
Travelling to the Etihad Stadium having held City to a 0-0 draw at Anfield earlier in the term, Klopp’s men met an inspired team that had them a goal down after 40 minutes. Although Roberto Firmino was able to reply after half-time, Leroy Sane netted a winner for the home side 18 minutes from time in the New Year contest.
This was not just a huge blow for the Merseysiders in terms of the league table, it was a huge blow psychologically and just gave their opponents that mental edge to be able to win their final 14 games and overturn what was at one stage, a seven-point lead at the top.
Goal of the Season – Daniel Sturridge vs Chelsea
Scoring over 130 goals in all competitions, it’s little surprise that the Reds netted some absolute beauties over the course of the season, Mo Salah’s scintillating strike at home to Chelsea, Mane’s skilful finish away at Bayern Munich in the Champions League and sexy flick in the Watford thrashing.
However, they were all trumped by a thorough worldie from an unlikely source, outcast striker Daniel Sturridge, in the dramatic league draw at Stamford Bridge.
With the Blues a goal to the good in the 89th minute, the former England centre-forward picked up the ball outside the box from Shaqiri, took it out of his stride and then beautifully stroked it into the far top corner to win his side a key point. The bittersweet aspect of September’s Premier League Goal of the Month being that Sturridge is an ex-Chelsea star.
Most controversial moment – West Ham United (A)
The Reds’ campaign, filled with its magical moments, was not without its fair share of controversy now and again, with one moment much more prevalent than all the others.
It came in the visit to London Stadium to face West Ham United and involved one of if not the worst linesman calls in recent Premier League history.
In the 22nd minute, Mane converted from close-range to give the visitors an early lead, although, in the build-up, a short pass from Adam Lallana was made to the blatantly offside James Milner right in front of the linesman and was not detected. Luckily, justice was done as Michail Antonio levelled shortly after and it finished 1-1. However, Origi missed a last-gasp chance for Klopp’s men from, you guessed it, an offside position.
Turning point – Manchester City defeat
For Liverpool to lead by seven points at the top of the Premier League table and end up one point behind in second by the end of matchday 38, there had to be a turning point at some stage.
The Reds’ was an obvious one, the aforementioned early-January defeat to eventual champions Man City at the Etihad – it was the turning point in so many different ways.
Pre-match, Klopp’s side had won their last nine in the Premier League and following City’s poor Christmas form, were ahead by eight. A loss cut that margin to four and really took the wind out of their sails after a busy festive period, the Merseysiders would draw four out of their next eight league encounters and the critical damage of the turning point was done.
Arsenal may have a habit of producing some quality youngsters through their academy ranks, however, so many of them fall into the category of ‘what could have been’.
Introducing Gilles Sunu. Remember him at all? Well, he did not exactly have a memorable time in north London.
Having signed for a fee believed to be between £700,000 and £1million from Chateauroux in 2007 on a four-year deal (Telegraph), the Togo international failed to make a name for himself and became a rather distant memory for everyone associated with the club.
Despite being dubbed the ‘new Thierry Herny’ (talkSPORT) and making a glowing impression in the reserve side, he failed to make the grade at the senior level and did not make the most of the very limited opportunities Arsene Wenger handed him.
Scoring 4 goals in his first 9 reserve outings earned Sunu his first-team debut against West Bromwich Albion in the League Cup in 2009 before being handed minutes in the Champions League against Olympiakos as a second-half substitute.
However, that was effectively the end of his Arsenal career as he found himself hampered by injuries and went on a couple of temporary switches away from the Emirates Stadium.
He joined Derby County for the second half of the 2009/10 Championship season, netting once in nine appearances, before returning to France in January 2011 with an initial loan move to Lorient before it was made permanent later that summer.
Sunu spent four years with the Ligue 1 outfit without much success in front of goal (netting eight times in 86 appearances) before Evian gave him a chance. However, that stint was short lived as he subsequently moved onto Angers just months later.
Fast forward to the present day and the 28-year-old is plying his trade for Turkish outfit BB Erzurumspor in the Super Lig, however, things are not looking rosy this season.
The minnows may have had back-to-back promotions to be playing in the country’s top-flight this season, however, it appears as though it might have been a bridge too far for them as they are staring relegation in the face.
For a man that was once considered the ‘new Thierry Henry’, things have been rather disappointing for Sunu to say the least and it appears he may have hit rock-bottom.
Arsenal fans, do you remember Sunu? What did you make of him? Let us know your thoughts below!
Aston Villa will be sweating on the future of Jack Grealish, so they need to identify a replacement, just in case. They might have found just the man in Joe Aribo.
Obviously, Grealish has been the architect of the Villans’ rise to the play-off final after his return from injury against Derby in March saw the club hit a rich vein of form just when it mattered. If established Premier League clubs come for him though (Tottenham and Crystal Palace have previously been linked), Villa could be helpless, should the Rams prevail.
Football League World have reported Villa are eying up a move for Joe Aribo who’s played 36 times for League One Charlton this season, despite being just 22-years-old. From central midfield, he’s scored nine goals and assisted five. Not bad for a young central midfielder, right? Indeed, he’s looking like a young (yes, we know) Jack Grealish.
He’s scored three more goals than the Villa man this season too, but yes, it’s in the division below. Clearly, it’d be a slight risk to bring him to the Premier League or the Championship next season, but with his contract up in the summer, he could join Villa for free.
Aribo can play right across the midfield and one the wings, just like Grealish. That’s been a key asset at Villa Park this season because it means Grealish has been able to make the most of attacks no matter where on the pitch he’s found space in.
Villa can stop worrying over their captain’s future if they secure Aribo’s signature this summer. It’s a deal the club need in order to continue their upward trajectory.
Villa fans, who do you want to see replace Jack Grealish if he leaves this summer? Join the discussion by commenting below…
Chelsea forward Tammy Abraham has hinted that he could join Aston Villa on a permanent deal in this summer’s transfer window.
What’s the word, then?
Abraham played the full 90 minutes as Villa recorded a 2-1 win over Derby County in Monday’s Championship playoff final to secure a return to the Premier League.
As it stands, the England international will be heading back to Chelsea this summer with the view to battling for a first-team spot at Stamford Bridge next term.
However, Villa have been linked with a £25m swoop for the striker, who has refused to rule out a permanent move to the newly-promoted side.
Abraham told Sky Sports in his post-match interview:
“You can never say never, first of all, I have to enjoy it with the boys tonight. You can never say never. [I’ll] see what God has in store for me.”
There is absolutely no question that the striker was key for Villa during the 2018-19 campaign.
However, Dean Smith’s side must ensure that they use their heads when it comes to the 6 ft 3 ace rather than making an emotional decision.
How will this one play out?
Abraham has ended the season with 26 goals in 42 appearances for Villa – including 25 during the regular Championship campaign.
The Englishman is a serious force at Championship level but is yet to prove himself in the Premier League, managing just five top-flight goals during a loan spell at Swansea City.
Chelsea will surely now increase their £25m asking price following Villa’s promotion and that will leave Smith’s team with a huge decision to make.
Abraham has played a key role in Villa returning to the top flight but any decision taken at this point could be due to the emotion surrounding Monday’s win over Derby.
Spending big on Abraham this summer would effectively make him Villa’s starting forward next season and that would be a huge gamble when taking everything into consideration.