According to Tuttosport, via ESPN, Marko Pjaca could be included in Juventus’ attempt to sign Liverpool midfielder, Emre Can.
Can’s contract at Anfield expires at the end of this season. Thus he’s able to sign a pre-contract agreement with the Italian giants in January.
What’s the story?
It is reported that the German international is hoping to receive a sizeable increase regarding his income, and given his contractual status at Liverpool, the 23-year-old is currently in a very influential position.
However, Juventus could opt to include a player in a deal that would see Can move to Italy in January. And it is reported that 22-year-old, Pjaca, is the one that will be included to sweeten the deal.
Should Liverpool sanction January exit?
During his four seasons as a Liverpool player, Emre Can has proven to be an incredibly influential player for the Reds who can exert his control at either end of the pitch. The 23-year-old is incredibly physical and combative in midfield, yet in typical German fashion, he also flaunts excellent technical ability, and his capacity to score goals is another valuable component of his game.
There’s no refuting that Pjaca is a talented player, endowed with considerable potential. However, Liverpool don’t currently require attacking reinforcement.
The 22-year-old is unlikely to be able to displace the likes of Mane or Salah who have been in magnificent form for Liverpool. Under Klopp’s experienced guidance Liverpool have established their status as one of the most ruthless attacking teams, Pjaca only scored a single goal in 19 games for Juve last season.
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This deal wouldn’t benefit Liverpool as much as it would strengthen Juventus. Thus they must try their best to keep Can at the club.
An impressive if not sparkling start to the season has seen Liverpool rise to the summit of the Premier League table. A comprehensive victory over Manchester United last time out has gone a long way to dispel the fears of those that thought a resurgence would be a long time coming.
Liverpool are a club famed for their European exploits, and therefore to suffer the ignominy of European exile will be a painful experience for many this season. A club that have been on the decline following season after season of mediocrity, is it dangerous to underestimate the sleeping giants of English football?
Too many have been quick to discount the red half of Liverpool as Premier League also-rans this year, with many seeing them as possible contenders for best of the rest. I think this has played well into the hands of the Merseyside club.
Overshadowed by the extravagant spending of clubs like Manchester City and Spurs, Brendan Rodgers has gone about his transfer overhaul both shrewdly and quietly. Quick to offload the deadwood of previous failed regimes, the departures of Shelvey, Carroll and Downing are as much a masterstroke as the clubs various acquisitions this summer. Keen to avoid the upheaval caused by mass change, Rodgers has gone about his reshuffle in both a precise and methodical manner.
Long gone are the days of knee jerk panic and short-termism, instead Rodgers has looked towards a certain style of footballer with the onus heavily on youth. This has manifested itself in a slick attack minded passing game that has looked to promise so much without perhaps delivering the goals it should. A resurgent Henderson along with the youthful flair of Aspas and Coutinho has already seen the backlines of Villa, United and Stoke terrorised this season.
I count myself amongst those who tipped Liverpool to struggle without the talismanic Luis Suarez, but few could have foreseen the meteoric rise to prominence of Daniel Sturridge as the centrepiece of the Liverpool attack. We may only be three games in but many are already touting the Englishman as the player to build the national side around going forward.
A week or so ago you may well have been right to suggest this squad just simply didn’t have the depth to maintain its form. If you discount the sensationalised Ozil deal, Liverpool were probably the most successful club in the last few days of the window. The addition of Mamadou Sakho is a standout buy for me, £16m may seem like a hefty price but the Frenchman offers both international and Champions League experience which may just be priceless to Liverpool going forward. Add to this the captures of Victor Moses and Tiago Ilori and you get an idea of the depth Rodgers has added to a squad that could previously be criticized as being a bit bare.
So how seriously should we be taking Liverpool?
I think a title tilt is for the delusional this season but comparing the club to those in and around them a Champions League berth is certainly not out of the question. For me the battle to dine at the top table of European football this year is between four clubs looking at two places. To argue Liverpool are the best placed is not as unreasonable as it might sound.
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Arsenal fans are still probably celebrating the Ozil deal like it’s a trophy, but for me they are simply papering over the cracks. A side that desperately needs a destructive midfielder and some defensive cover going out to buy an advanced playmaker just smacks of a misguided transfer approach. Spurs by contrast have spent big but spent well. Clearly success isn’t going to be immediate and a certain teething period could well benefit a more settled squad like Liverpool’s. Then we come to United, a club who appear to be embroiled in a desperate political vacuum that only looks like worsening before getting better. I actually believe their struggle against Liverpool last time out may well be a sign of things to come.
So yes if you haven’t already, take Liverpool seriously. If their early season form isn’t enough to convince you, just look at their squad strength compared to their nearest challengers. Of course it is easy to sensationalise Liverpool’s start, but for me it really isn’t a fluke.
For too long this great bastion of English football has been resigned to the doldrums. Is this the season for the sleeping giants to finally awaken from their stupor?
You probably wouldn’t need to tell Andre Villas-Boas this, but when it rains, it very often seems to pour. After shelling out £11.8million for a goalkeeper rated amongst one of the best in continental Europe, it seems unfathomable that the Portuguese could be facing a goalkeeping related headache after one league game in-between. The realities however, are rather different.
As the Premier League already takes a weekend to regain it’s breath with the imminent round of international fixtures, it’s not seemed to stop the almost continuous media speculation that’s surrounded Tottenham Hotspur. Hugo Lloris hasn’t even been a Spurs player for longer than a week, but an instant meet-up with the national side has already produced something of a minor flash point with his new employers.
Following the superb exploits of Spurs’ current number one this season, the evergreen Brad Friedel, Villas-Boas ommended the American and suggested that Lloris would have to work for his place.
He said:
“Brad is doing extremely well and deserves to be playing and he’ll continue to do so.
“There are players who need more time, players who need less time. But when you have a keeper who gives so much confidence to the team and is doing so well, he deserves to be in goal.
“We have to work with that and he will have to adapt to the Premier League.”
Villas-Boas’ public backing of Friedel appears to have caused far more of a moral panic than perhaps what one would have expected. After such a superb string of performances, most notably against Norwich on Saturday, why would Villas-Boas say anything else? For a man that has continuously been cited for his poor levels of man management and public relations, coming out and saying that Lloris is a banker to start their next game against Reading would have gone down like a lead balloon.
In effect, he would have been ending Friedel’s Spurs, perhaps his Premier League career, in the press, after one his best performances in years. He may have seemed forthcoming but Villas-Boas had seemingly played this one with a straight bat.
However, that’s not entirely how it’s been construed in the media and certainly not by France manager Didier Deschamps. Instead of keeping his feelings to himself, Deschamps has taken it upon himself to act as Lloris’ mouthpiece as the comments of Villas-Boas look to have gone down badly on the other side of the channel. Speaking ahead of his team’s World Cup qualifiers with Finland and Belarus, he said:
“I saw what Villas-Boas said. “These statements surprised me.
“If I comment, it will make an echo on the other side of the Channel. I’m not going to create a problem that I don’t have today. I have other problems to solve but, if it happens, it deserves consideration.
“I do not want Hugo put in this situation. He did not appreciate the statements.”
It would appear that Deschamps may not have entirely be aware of what he was saying when he claimed he didn’t want to put his number one in any position, but what he’s done is quite the opposite.
Besides dropping his goalkeeper in it before he’s even had a chance to train with his new manager, Deschamps has been completely irresponsible with the timing of his comments. Whether he not he gives an adequate monkeys about Villas-Boas is beside the point but he’s heaped an already under-pressure boss under unnecessary pressure. Of course he cares about his international goalkeeper but to make these sorts of comments before Lloris has even joined his new manager were out of line. If Lloris does feel like that, airing his grievances in the public domain before he’s had a chance to immerse himself at a new club isn’t helping any of the parties involved whatsoever.
But the underlying problem is that Villas-Boas is already facing a scenario in which it’s difficult to see how he can win. Brad Friedel has perhaps unarguably been Tottenham’s best player over their first three games. He is the veteran of not just Tottenham Hotspur, but the Barclays Premier League but despite his 41 years, he is still a superb goalkeeper. He may have only been around N17 for one season, but he’s brought stability back to the position between the sticks and he was an integral part of the Redknapp team that finished fourth.
Although the fact is, he is 41 and he won’t be around forever. His body and his reflexes defies age but as every season ticks but he simply is not a viable long term option. Tottenham fans know that and even the man himself knows that. Speaking earlier this season, the American said:
“When I first signed here, there was no secret Tottenham would one day need a new long-term goalkeeper.
“I will do whatever asked of me, whether that is number one, two or three and will do it to the best of my ability.
“When you get older, it is easier to realise this is a team sport and the egos have to take a back seat if you want to be successful.”
Despite demonstrating a remarkable sense of humility and professionalism, Friedel is completely correct in his statements of the long-term. Tottenham had to act and the fact is, there are few around better than Lloris. Why wait until next season, when a potential Friedel retirement would see clubs charged a premium, when Lloris was available now? The Frenchman is a truly outstanding goalkeeper and many in France were slightly shocked to him go to Spurs; the feeling there was that he was destined for one of Europe’s elite.
The sticking point is where Lloris makes his debut. If he comes in against Reading and has a howler, than Villas-Boas is likely to be slaughtered as a result. Yet if their new, highly rated and extremely talented goalkeeper becomes unsettled or Friedel goes on to make a mistake, then Villas-Boas will take pelters. He can’t win and there is no uneasy answer.
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A sensible option would be to wait till at least the next home fixture, as AVB did with Jan Vertonghen, to allow him to make his debut, but in truth, there is never an easy time to blood a goalkeeper. In many respects, Villas-Boas is damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t. Spurs need stability but when the time’s right, he can’t shy away from starting Hugo Lloris. Because as even Friedel himself has said, it’s no secret that Spurs need a long-term goalkeeper. They now have one of Europe’s best and it must be a matter of if -not when.
What would do in Villas-Boas position? Would you throw Lloris straight into action against Reading or are you happy to make him wait? Let me know what you think on Twitter: follow @samuel_antrobus and bat me your views.
Rafa Benitez has been in a power struggle at Newcastle almost ever since he pitched up in the North East and according to the Daily Mail, that fact shows no signs of stopping.
Their report states that the Spanish manager may be forced to walk away from the club if he is not given more control over transfer dealings, a £50m war chest and the removal of the need for Lee Charnley – Mike Ashley’s right hand man – to sign off every signing.
That would be a body blow to a club that Benitez has dragged out of the mire and towards comfortable Premier League survival with a squad of players that many would claim are Championship standard.
So we’re asking you: are Benitez’s demands too much or are they fair enough for a man who has been the figurehead for a change in the mood at such a troubled club?
Let us know by voting in the poll below…
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With a new season on the horizon, Arsenal are finding themselves constantly linked with a host of big names.
After securing the services of stoic ‘keeper Petr Cech, the Gunners look set to add an exciting attacking name to their ranks to lead their assault on the Premier League. It is, however, a player currently lining up for the side in pre-season who may shine this season.
England winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain appears to be almost the forgotten man at the Emirates. The former Southampton winger is quietly getting on with his business, as the focus centres around either an incoming big name or team-mate Theo Walcott’s contract situation.
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‘The Ox’ has shown flashes of brilliance throughout his career already, but the 21-year-old appears to be ready to come into his own, something we’ve already seen a glimpse of today as the England international scored the Gunners’ winner against Chelsea to win the Community Shield at Wembley.
Arsenal’s 6-0 thumping of French side Lyon last week showcased the talents of the wicked wing man. Chamberlain ran the Ligue 1 side ragged that afternoon, his incisive wing play brought an energy and drive to the Gunner’s attack. The nickname ‘The Ox’ comes from the England man’s physical style of play, though he possess the pace to be an effective winger. In a midfield often accused of lacking a physical presence, ‘The Ox’ could be about to rampage.
Since a dazzling debut season in North London, culminating in a place in Roy Hodgson’s Euro 2012, injuries and intense competition for places have put the wheels on the flying winger. Stellar performances against Bayern Munich and Manchester United stand out, along with a goal in Macarena for the Three Lions.
Competition is rife in the Arsenal attack these days, with a litter of top class players vying for a limited number of spots. Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil seem to be nailed on in the first choice XI, but a place on the right has a number of applicants. Aaron Ramsey and Theo Walcott can both operate in the position, but ‘The Ox’ might have the edge.
Welsh star Ramsey has come on leaps and bounds over the past few seasons, but is not a natural right winger. Chamberlain’s varied skill set allows him to both stretch the opposition, and cut inside to wreak havoc. His assist for Nacho Monreal in the FA Cup quarter final at Old Trafford summed up what the ex-Saint is all about.
His thrillingly direct run at United defenders on the edge of the box cut through them like a hot knife through butter. Keeping the ball under pressure with his quick feet, an inch perfect pass was laid off to the Spaniard who applied the finish.
The game appears to go into overdrive when he grabs the ball, accelerating play with an elegance you may not expect from a player with such physical prowess. With Theo Walcott a soon-to-be-striker, Chamberlain can take the opportunity to make the wide right berth his own.
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Action man like Alexis Sanchez is the sort of player Chamberlain should be emulating. Both players are happy to operate on the wing, but their varied skills allow for much more. Santi Carzola and Mesut Ozil can pass the ball all day long, but the incisive nature of the England international provides an effective outlet to their possession.
Should ‘The Ox’ stay off the treatment table this year, Arsenal and England are about to discover his true potential.
After helping Aston Villa secure Premiership football for another season, there has been a lot of speculation regarding Christian Benteke’s future. The Belgian forward is wanted by a host of top clubs.
Benteke has revealed that he would be tempted to leave if Villa receive an offer from a top club. His decision is simple. Either he stays at Villa Park and continues to play every week and learn, or he moves to a top side and tests himself.
Benteke can do a job for a host of sides. The big striker has good feet, is strong, very good in the air and has become clinical in front of goal.
He is wanted by Arsenal and Spurs as they both look to bolster their attacking options. He’s also wanted by Atlético Madrid after they sold Radamel Falcao to heavily invested AS Monaco. Borussia Dortmund are also keen, but will only consider making a move if Robert Lewandowski leaves the club.
Benteke arrived at Aston Villa after an £8million move from Belgian side Genk. Paul Lambert decided that Benteke was going to lead the line for Villa and not £24million man Darren Bent.
This decision confused some fans. When times were bad, an unproven striker was being preferred to a proven Premier League goal scorer. But how Villa have now reaped the rewards of the managers faith.
Benteke got 19 league goals this season. The most ever by an Aston Villa player, beating the previous record of 17 held by Dwight Yorke. His goals helped Villa beat the drop.
But Lambert is not happy after Benteke revealed he would be tempted to leave. He told talkSPORT.
“He’s had one of those seasons where he’s never been injured or hasn’t been suspended, except the last day. He’s got to remember that he’s only 22 years of age, he’s got so much to learn.”
“He’s only a kid starting out and he’s going to have ups and downs. Once he’s played 400-500 games, then you can start to think, yea, he’s a good player.”
“I think sometimes we need to have a reality check. He’s only been in Britain 10 months.”
Lambert is right. Benteke has had a great season. But many players have had good first seasons in the Premiership and then gone on to struggle. It would be more impressive if he stays at Aston Villa for next season and gets 19 league goals again. He has got so much to learn still. He’s far from a complete player. If he moves to a top side and isn’t first choice, his development could be hampered and his confidence might get knocked.
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But playing in Europe and playing with better players will help Benteke improve.
Aston Villa won’t be willing to sell their star player. The front three of Benteke, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Andreas Weimann have been brilliant in the second half of the season. Benteke is vital to that three. He is the vocal point of the attack and Agbonlahor and Weimann feed off him.
It’s a tough one for Benteke. He needs to prove he isn’t a one season wonder. But he also wants to get the most out of his career. He wants to play for his country in the World Cup. If he feel he has a better chance of improving as a player and being Belgium’s main striker at a top club, then Villa should get the most amount of money they can for him.
The Premier League last season was dominated by strikers, as the malaise on the overall standard of defenders continues. With Robin van Persie’s move to Manchester United from Arsenal perhaps tipping the balance of power back towards Ferguson’s side, it’s worth taking a look at the main contenders to see which club currently operating has the best strikeforce on show?
Firstly, let’s set some ground rules, otherwise we’ll resort simply to a ‘he’s better than him’ debate, which is all rather reductive and boring. This is in no way scientific, so feel free to chew the fat in the comment section below and I’m also discounting creative midfielders and wingers simply because they are not what you would term conventional strikers, so there’s no place for Hatem Ben Arfa, Juan Mata or Santi Cazorla I’m afraid, despite their obvious talent.
The criteria are – first-choice starters, back-up, variance to their attack, impact and pedigree. So without further ado, let’s get the ball rolling.
Manchester City are the first club that springs to mind, having won the league title last term and containing the likes of Sergio Aguero, Carlos Tevez, Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko within their squad. Aguero and Tevez are the first-choice pairing for the club and they’ve struck up a wonderful partnership in recent months, so we’ll give them 9/10 as they’re comparable to any in the rest of Europe.
When it comes to back-up, Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko are also formidable, with the Italian striking a double in the semi-final of Euro 2012 to knock Germany out, while Dzeko struck 14 times in the league last term despite not being first-choice, so we’ll give them 9/10 again. The variance is there, with Dzeko the big man, Aguero and Tevez the small, intricate forwards and Balotelli somewhere in between, so again, 9/10.
In terms of pedigree, Balotelli, Dzeko, Tevez and Aguero are all recognised players at international level and have experience of European competition – none have set either alight just yet, though, so 8/10 for that one. The impact of Tevez had transformed City as club laying the groundwork for future star players to follow, while Aguero’s record is exceptional despite only being in England a year – Balotelli and Dzeko have been somewhat more inconsistent, but they’ve scored goals in big games that helped them clinch the title last term, which at the end of the day, is what it’s all about, so we’ll mark them a brave and bold 10/10 for that – for those of you counting in the back, that’s an overall score of 45/50.
To Stamford Bridge next and the club’s three recognised strikers, one of which is out on loan, are Fernando Torres, Daniel Sturridge and Romelu Lukaku. The £50m Spaniard is the first-choice man in a 4-2-3-1 system, but a record of just 13 goals in 69 games, only seven of which have come in the league is quite frankly very poor, so 3/10 for him.
The back-up of Daniel Sturridge is decent, and this could all change soon, with the club reported to be chasing both Edinson Cavani and Hulk at the moment too, but there’s not much depth to speak of at the moment. The England international spent most of last term out wide on the right and despite an excellent first half of the campaign, faded badly, so we’ll give him a 5/10, given that Lukaku is out on loan at West Brom.
When it comes to variance, Sturridge is certainly different to Torres, relying on his pace more than positioning and sharply timed runs, so 6/10 for that, although it would be more if the big Belgian were still at the club. Impact at the club, having lost the hugely experienced Didier Drogba at the end of last season also comes in for a battering, with just 4/10. Pedigree is almost entirely weighted on to Torres, and despite his struggles, he’s a World Cup, Champions League and double European Championship winner, so in that regard, along with Sturridge, they get a 9/10 – a grand total of 27/50 for a club in a period of undoubted transition.
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Newcastle can also stake a claim, with the likes of Demba Ba, Papiss Cisse and Shola Ameobi to choose from. With Ba pushed out onto the left flank to accommodate Hatem Ben Arfa as much as Cisse, they do play with two strikers, but one in a less conventional position, but they retain that threat, so first-choice we’ll plump for 8/10, but back-up, with only Shola and his younger brother Sammy Ameobi at the minute in supporting roles brings it in at just 4/10.
Variance is another poor one, for all four players are largely similar, with Cisse and Ba capable of playing it on the deck and in the air, while the Ameobi brothers are the same and they all largely rely on a powerful, somewhat physical approach, so 5/10 for that one. The two Senegalese players impact, though, cannot be underestimated, with Ba carrying the side in the first half of last season, Cisse in the second on their goals alone and they wouldn’t have finished fifth without either one of them playing their part, so 10/10 for that.
Their pedigree, while they’ve scored goals wherever they’ve been so far in their careers, they’ve only just started out at international level and boast little to no European experience at all, so 5/10 with room for improvement there – grand total of 32/50 edging just ahead of Chelsea.
Swiftly moving on to Manchester United, the main rivals for City and in terms of first-choice starters, considering they have the two top goalscorers in the league last season up front in Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie, we’ll mark that down as a solid 10/10, with 57 league goals between them last term.
The club also boats enviable back-up, with Dimitar Berbatov fifth-choice and searching for a lifeboat out of the club behind Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez, so again 10/10, with no side in Europe aside from perhaps Real Madrid and Barcelona having as much firepower in reserve.
When it comes to variance too, with Rooney and Van Perise capable of playing multiple roles out wide or through the centre, and possessing the ability to create chances and drop deeper, Welbeck’s pace, Hernandez’s poacher style and Berbatov’s languid elegance see them achieve another great mark of 10/10.
Pedigree is again a strong suit, with 133 goals at international level between them and a further 95 in Europe, which when you compare it to City’s 53 at international level and 50 in Europe is on an entirely different level, and even when you take out Berbatov’s tally, should he seal a likely departure, they’re still ahead on both counts, so in keeping with City’s mark, they get 9/10.
Impact is the final and worst category for the club, with Welbeck still in the first stages of his blossoming career and boasting massive potential, Hernandez looks somewhat injury-prone after an excellent first year at Old Trafford and Berbatov something of a flat-track bully, while Van Perise has only just arrived, leaving Rooney to carry the burden here for a generous 7/10 – this leaves them with a grand total of (drum roll please) 46 out of 50 to move into the lead.
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Liverpool don’t really even have an attack worth looking at, with only Luis Suarez to speak of, with Fabio Borini new and Andy Carroll ineffective, while Tottenham have only just signed Emmanuel Adebayor to help out Jermain Defoe, so they won’t even come close, with their threat coming out wide from the likes of Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon and through the middle in Gylfi Sigurdsson and Rafael van der Vaart, with both clubs predominantly opting for one up top, so they don’t particularly factor into this debate, despite being top eight sides.
The final club on offer is Arsenal, and having just lost Robin van Persie, they could be directly hindered here, with their first-choice duo of new signings Olivier Giroud and Lukas Podolski both in their first respective seasons in the top flight and it remains to be seen how Wenger will play them in the same side, with the pressure on them to settle straight away absolutely huge now, so we’ll give them a cautious 6/10.
Moving on to the back-up players and the likes of Marouane Chamakh, Nicklas Bendtner and Park Chu-Young are all bracketed under the term ‘deadwood’ and while the Dane may still have something to offer, the cupboard’s pretty bare, so 4/10 for that. Variance is again a troubling one, with most of the striking options fairly slow and cumbersome players, relying on the pace and trickery of wide players to help them out, so 5/10 here. Impact is a difficult one to quantify, as both the main men are new to the club, so without trying to sound too unfair, they only way forward here is to assign them a middle of the road 5/10.
Pedigree is the final category and Podolski boasts an exemplary one at international level, with 44 goals and 101 caps for Germany, even if his club career isn’t quite up to the same standard, but Giroud is a relative infant with just one goal and 10 caps. The back-up comes to the rescue here, though, with Bendtner, Chamakh and Park amassing 60 international goals between them, adding to large total of 282 international caps across the entire strikeforce, but a lack of top-level European football holds them back to just 7/10 – this leaves the grand total for Arsenal at 27 out of 50.
So there you have it, using my somewhat bonkers and completely non-scientific scoring system, the top five strikeforces in the Premier League are as follows – Manchester United (46/50), Manchester City (45/50), Newcastle (32/50), and Chelsea (27/50) and Arsenal tied (27/50), with Liverpool and Tottenham bringing up the rear due to a lack of discernible depth. Sir Alex Ferguson’s purchase of Dutchman Robin van Persie this summer has tipped the scales in United’s favour and they now have the strongest set of strikers in the entire top flight.
Do you agree with the scores attributed to each club? Any that you think I’ve been overly harsh or lax with? You know the drill by now, post them in the comment section below.
Leeds fans have been looking ahead to their final match of the season against QPR, and it doesn’t seem like they’re feeling too confident.
It’s been a horrific second half of the season for Leeds fans, as their side’s playoff chances have gone from hopeful to non-existent in a matter of months.
When Paul Heckingbottom replaced Thomas Christiansen in February, the side had fallen away from the playoff pack, but there was still hope they could catch up.
Since then, Heckingbottom’s side have won just three matches, and are yet to show any signs of improvement.
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Perhaps the most worrying thing for Leeds fans is that lack of improvement, which of course does not bode well for next season.
The current squad, although ravaged by injuries, is simply not good enough, and fans are already bashing the club for tweeting ticket information for their final match.
Heckingbottom’s side host QPR this weekend, who themselves have had a pretty miserable season.
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It seems the one thing that’s annoyed fans more than anything else is the apparent lack of fight and effort, and fans are hilariously mocking their own club because of it.
Some of the best Twitter reactions can be found below…
As if the David de Gea to Real Madrid transfer saga hadn’t taken enough twists and turns in recent weeks, it now appears that Sergio Ramos is eager to, effectively, swap places with the goalkeeper.
Reports suggest that the Spaniard has grown frustrated with life at the Bernabeu, with the club’s willingness to let him enter the final two years of his deal a source of major annoyance, and has set his sights on Old Trafford.
Whether this is a genuine plea to United or simply a manoeuvre to ensure Real act fast to hand him a bumper deal – there’s nothing like talking up a massive move to get football club’s attention – there is a certain degree of excitement among the Theatre of Dreams faithful right now, and it’s quite easy to see why.
After all, Ramos would be a terrific signing for Louis van Gaal’s side, and here are FIVE reasons why…
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A proven top quality centre-back
If there was one area in which Van Gaal’s United were in serious need of reinforcement last season it was at centre-back.
Early injuries led to a worrying reliance on youngsters such as Paddy McNair and Tyler Blackett, before both Daley Blind and Michael Carrick were forced into the positions. Eventually LVG was able to settle with the likes of Jonny Evans, Chris Smalling and Phil Jones, however, none of the aforementioned trio truly inspired confidence.
Ramos though could be the answer. A Spain international and a key member of the Real Madrid side, the 30-year-old is very much in an the elite band of defenders on the planet right now, even if his disciplinary record is not entirely impressive.
A winner
The Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup, La Liga, Copa del Rey, World Cup and European Championships, Ramos has won them all at club and international level.
Okay, he’s been surrounding by world class players with Real and Spain, but that record cannot be argued with, and through the successes he’s been one of the more influential figures within both camps.
United are a little short in terms of those who’ve ‘been there and done it’ right now, and perhaps one big character could inspire a new era of success.
Modern defender
https://vine.co/v/eeAaKZhPEdu/embed/simple
The role of the centre-back has changed so much over the course of the past five-10 years.
No longer is it enough to be tough and uncompromising, central defenders now need to be able to play like a midfielder, sprint like a winger and contribute goals if they’re to be considered as ‘world class’.
Ramos is capable in terms of all of the above, unlike United’s current batch of stars, who spread the attributes among themselves.
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Real signal of intent
Football – Real Madrid v Juventus – UEFA Champions League Semi Final Second Leg – Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain – 13/5/15Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates with Sergio Ramos after he scores their first goal from the penalty spotReuters / Juan Medina
Excuse the pun, but signing Ramos would be a real signal of intent for Man United. Last summer the acquisition of Angel di Maria was very much a ‘we’re still a big club’ move following a slip out of Europe, but a return to Champions League football and the addition of one of the best centre-backs around would really show that LVG’s side mean business.
Would be the best centre-back in the Premier League
Football – Real Madrid v Juventus – UEFA Champions League Semi Final Second Leg – Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain – 13/5/15Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates with Sergio Ramos after he scores their first goal from the penalty spotReuters / Juan Medina
Who else will Ramos be competing with? John Terry? Too old. Vincent Kompany? Not the player he was three years ago. Laurent Koscielny? Is he commanding enough? Jan Vertonghen? Hasn’t scaled the heights of his debut season at Spurs.
Ramos would certainly be up there among the best, and should he adapt quickly there’s no reason he could not be considered top dog.
West Ham midfielder Jack Collison has urged his team mates to end the season on a high with victory over Reading on Sunday.
Sam Allardyce’s side lost 2-0 away to Everton last Sunday, and the 24-year-old believes that they must give the fans something to be proud of in their final game of the term.
Victory over Nigel Adkins’ side on Sunday will guarantee the Hammers a top-half finish in their first season back in the top-flight.
The Wales international also revealed he is excited for next year and feels that the club has responded well to relegation two years ago.
Collison said: “We’re really looking forward to the Reading game, back at home, in front of our fans and hopefully we’ll have reasons to celebrate. It has been a magnificent season for us. Safety was the main aim and we’ll look to finish as high as possible and put on a real show for our fans.
“Reading have been our bogey team over the last two seasons and obviously we’re going to try to send out a statement and score as many goals as we can.”
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