Jamie Redknapp has called on Jack Wilshere and Jordan Henderson to step up and cement their roles as England’s top two central midfield players.
The Arsenal and Liverpool pair are expected to start tonight’s game against Norway in Roy Hodgson’s engine room, with the Three Lions coach short on options in the position.
With captain Steven Gerrard and experienced Manchester City ace Frank Lampard having retired and Michael Carrick and Ross Barkley missing through injury, England’s choices in the area are limited, with newbies such as Fabian Delph in the squad highlighting a lack of depth.
Redknapp believes that it’s time for Henderson and Wilshere to seize the chance and really put themselves forward at the future of the country’s midfield:
“At the moment we haven’t got a great deal of options,” he told Sky Sports.
“Jack Wilshere has taken a lot of criticism from certain quarters because we expect so much of him. When he broke into the team as a young man he looked like he was going to set the world alight.
“Things haven’t gone perhaps to plan. He has had a lot of injuries, but started the season ok and had his best game in an Arsenal shirt in a long while against Beskitas. He ran that game, dominated midfield, ran, broke, passed, played one-twos around the box and that’s exactly what we expect from him.
“Jordan Henderson, on the other hand, has been in really good form for a long while. International football is a different set-up altogether for him and I think he’s got to grow into that.
“He has tremendous energy and in the Premier League he is one of the best midfielders; I think it’s important he takes that to the international stage. I genuinely believe he can.
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“We haven’t got a lot of options apart from that. Fabian Delph is in there and is a young man and a good footballer, but we do need to be producing more central midfield players.”
England’s clash with Norway is seen as a warm-up to their EURO 2016 qualifier against Switzerland in a few days’ time.
Roy Keane has defended former Manchester United manager David Moyes, claiming the Scot was ‘snookered from the first few weeks’ at Old Trafford, reports the Daily Mirror.
Keane was speaking about his new autobiography, in which he has made controversial claims about former boss Sir Alex Ferguson. But the Irishman also spoke of David Moyes in his book, and insists he felt sorry for the former Everton boss who he claimed was let down by a ‘weak dressing room.’
“There were certainly circumstances going back to when he took over, you’re still taking over a good team and at the time probably at the time a decent dressing room. But what you don’t need, and Man United were always pretty good at it, you didn’t need that uncertainty and there was obviously that with Vidic, Rio, Evra and Giggsy coming to the end , so all that stuff didn’t help,” Keane said.
“What you need in football, more than anything else, is a couple of victories, some momentum and they never seemed to get that. There was always going to be a downturn with Ferguson leaving.
“I wouldn’t be critical of Ferguson but sometimes when you’re leaving, it gives the manager a chance to make their own mark and he brought in one or two players, didn’t get the players clearly that he was after in the summer but I don’t think that’s the manager, it’s the chief executive who can probably look at himself. I’m sure if you ask the chief exec he will say ‘yeah, we missed out on a few deals’.
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“There were two or three lined up that fell through and they ended up getting one or two on transfer deadline day, Mata in January but maybe the damage was done then. I was going to Old Trafford and there was a lot of negativity around. They got no momentum and it was as if David Moyes was snookered from the first few weeks. “That negativity can get into the dressing room and that’s why I felt it was a weak dressing room. They should have dealt with that and the player should have done better. I saw and number of games and whatever has gone on, politics, managers leaving, lack of players coming in, they should have done better and they did let him down, without a shadow of a doubt.”
Aston Villa seems to be heading for the Premier League trap door quicker than Usain Bolt can run the 100 metre race. Had it not been for their three wins and a draw in their opening four games, they would be rooted to the bottom of the table right now with nowhere to hide.
They have lost their last six games on the bounce, ironically just after their boss signed a new five year extension on the back of his side’s great start to the campaign. The ten points they accumulated in four games was an impressive start without a shadow of a doubt. Since then, they have been in rapid decline, losing five out of their last six games without even a goal to show for their troubles. It took them until their latest defeat at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur to score a goal, but it wasn’t enough to avoid defeat.
They now face an in form West Ham in their next match, an away game which will be made even more of a daunting prospect for the Villa considering the suspension of key player Christian Benteke after his sending off against Spurs for “punching” (more like stroking) Ryan Mason.
After West Ham, they then face a home tie against an even more in form side in Southampton who have been nothing short of perfect so far this season, and find themselves sitting in second place behind league leaders Chelsea. On paper, it is hard to see past another two defeats in their next two games, which would see them having lost a massive eight games on the trot.
Their only reprieve comes after the game against Saints, a relegation crunch match and six pointer against fellow strugglers Burnley who are about the only team worse than Villa at the moment.
Villa are leaking goals for fun this season and not scoring many at all, so they are facing issues at both ends of the pitch, a worrying sign that you are in big trouble. They have the joint second worst goal difference in the whole league and they don’t look like they can find a solution.
Normally if a team is defending well, they might be struggling to score and are perhaps drawing too many games. Or a team is scoring well but are also conceding and at least then a team in that position can look to outscore the opposition and would have a few more points on the board.
It has to be said that on paper, Villa haven’t got the type of team that you would consider a relegation scrap candidate. They should be finding themselves in the top half of the table, and quite a tough team to play. However at the moment they are everyone else’s team of choice to play after Burnley, the Premier League’s newest whipping boys.
It is hard to see where manager Paul Lambert is going to find the motivation and inspiration from to lead his team to victory in their next couple of games. It is vital that they pick up something from these next two games, or they will be dragged a lot further into trouble and potentially end up in the bottom three come the end of the season.
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One team they can draw inspiration from will be Newcastle, who after finding themselves in similar peril went on a winning spree and find themselves out of trouble (for now) and even managed to defeat Spurs away and Liverpool at home.
Aston Villa will be hoping for similar joy in their next few games, or it will be hard for them to dig themselves out of trouble. It could well be that this is the season that sees them finally fall through the trap door into the Championship!
As the festive period fast approaches there is only one thing on the minds of football fans across Europe. Presents and turkey will of course have their role to play this December, but after Christmas ends and households throughout the nation are littered with wrapping paper and empty boxes, we at least have the January transfer window to look forward to.
Yes the winter window never really lives up to the transfer dealings that happen in the summer, and yes, players who sign in January usually under-perform, leaving managers and clubs wary of doing any business whatsoever during mid-season. But as is always the case in the modern world of football, Premier League clubs very rarely learn from their mistakes.
Take a look at the potential transfer bargains available this January, with a thought to which clubs need to do the most business throughout the window.
10. Ravel Morrison
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Once described by ex-Birmingham manager, Lee Clark, as the best English talent since Paul Gascoigne, Ravel Morrison’s brief career has so far been nothing short of controversial.
The ex-Manchester United starlet has so far been accused of two counts of witness intimidation as a juvenile, as well as a more recent accusation of assault on an ex-girlfriend. The latter case has subsequently been dropped, but along with several bust-ups with team mates (both on and off the pitch), Ravel Morrison has done little to help himself so far.
The 21-year-old is blessed with incredible talent however. He has a calmness on the ball that is more commonly found within players from the continent, and his ability to pick out a fine pass is second to none among the England U21 international set up.
Morrison’s contract is up in the summer, and with his time at West Ham seemingly coming to an end, former clubs that he spent time at on loan, QPR and Birmingham, may just decide that this once priceless asset may be worth it if he can finally get his head straight.
9. Fabian Delph
Aston Villa’s latest talent has certainly been turning heads recently in the Premier League. He has gained many admirers this season for his direct style of play, intense energy output, and impressive ability to score class goals.
Delph definitely needs to develop some consistency within his game, as he is still far from the finished article, but this 25-year-old nevertheless is a fairly exciting prospect.
After several impressive displays and the reward of a recent England call-up from Roy Hodgson, you would think that Villa would be doing everything they can to keep hold of the centre-midfielder. Things will not be so easy for Paul Lambert however, as with his side seemingly going nowhere in the league at the moment, Delph’s reluctance to sign a new contract doesn’t bode well for the Villains.
Everton and Liverpool have both expressed interest in Fabian Delph in recent weeks, so a move could well be on the cards for the midfielder if he continues to find his feet in the Premier League.
8. Adrien Rabiot
This young French midfielder may have the look of a new David Luiz, but since the arrival of Yohan Cabaye and the continued form of Blaise Matuidi and Marco Verratti, Adrien Rabiot has seen little time to express himself in PSG’s first team.
Rabiot has drawn praise from both Carlo Ancelotti and current boss Laurent Blanc for his composure on the ball and ability to break up play. He can offer a great deal to any team that is willing to give him the chance, but at the young age of 19-years-old, Rabiot is hardly a big name at PSG at the moment. He was once considered to be one of Ligue 1’s rising stars during 2013/14, but that line of thinking has since evaporated for the young talent.
Arsenal, as well as a whole host of names from the rest of Europe, have expressed an interest in Adrien Rabiot, but they may be put off by the midfielder’s reportedly high wage demands. If this is the case, a loan move may be the more sensible option for those looking to take on the young Frenchman.
7. Andre Ayew
As the sons of former Ghana legend Abedi Pele, Andre and his brother Jordan never fail to attract interest from the Premier League and beyond. Although he is still only 24, the older of the two brothers, Andre, is continuing to impress critics within both France and Europe.
The exciting winger/forward has become a firm fan-favourite during his time at Marseille, but after impressing for his nation at the World Cup this summer, Andre Ayew’s spell in France may be coming to an end. He has several qualities to his game, including fast pace and strong finishing, that would certainly put him in good stead to ply his trade in the Premier League.
Both West Ham and Newcastle have been reportedly keen on Ayew in recent years, but a move to one of Europe’s more illustrious clubs may still await the Marseille forward with his contract ending next summer.
6. Fabian Schar
Football – Argentina v Switzerland – FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 – Second Round – Arena de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil – 1/7/14Argentina’s Lionel Messi in action with Switzerland’s Fabian ScharMandatory Credit: Action Images / Jason CairnduffLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
With Paulo Sousa’s Basel sealing Champions League qualification at Anfield this week, Fabian Schar proves to be a player whose stock is on the rise.
The Swiss centre back has wowed fans in his native homeland for his ability to clean up in defence and chip in with a few important goals in the process. The 22-year-old defender has since developed his role in the heart of Switzerland’s back line, ousting former Arsenal utility-man Johan Djourou in the process.
Basel will therefore be certainly keen to hold onto Schar, but as the prospect of playing in one of Europe’s top five most popular leagues looms ever closer for the young centre-back, doing so won’t be so easy for Paulo Sousa.
A move this winter does seem unlikely however, as Schar is cup-tied for the Champions League and would obviously leave Basel with unfinished business if he were to depart so soon. Nevertheless, Borussia Dortmund and a whole host of clubs from Serie A, have continued to express their desire to sign the young defender.
5. James Milner
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Manuel Pellegrini’s ex-Newcastle and Villa winger has always been somewhat of an enigma for fans of the Premier League.
During his career, James Milner has displayed spells of brilliance as an attacking force with a good eye for a pass. The English winger has particularly shone alongside the likes of David Silva, Sergio Aguero and Yaya Toure with Manchester City in recent years, yet he has never really established himself as a first team regular under either Pellegrino or Mancini.
Milner has also failed to bring his club form onto the international stage, but as that is the case with nearly every player who represents the Three Lions these days, his poor form comes as no surprise. Despite this, James Milner can also play the utility-man role by popping up at right-back every now and then when required.
With his contract due to expire soon, it seems doubtful that the England international has a role at Man City beyond this season. Several Premier League teams have are reportedly interested in Milner, with Liverpool again being touted as the front runners.
4. Dani Alves
Within Pep Guardiola’s star-studded Barcelona side circa 2009/10, Dani Alves was largely considered to be one of the best full-backs in the world.
A subsequent drop of form and a quite frankly poor World Cup campaign have nevertheless put an end to that status, and seemingly put an end to Alves’ time at Barca as well. It has been confirmed by the Catalonian giants that the flying Brazilian will be leaving the club in the summer.
This news will not put off potential January suitors however, with all of the Premier League’s top sides looking to win the race to sign this once prized asset. PSG are also considered to be highly interested in the defender, but with the chance to sign Dani Alves for free next summer, perhaps a January move will come too soon for the Barca no. 22.
As well as the ability to score flashy free-kicks, Dani Alves has won the world over for his technical skill and the touch of flair that he brings to the defensive side of the game.
3. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar
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As most of the Premier League’s big sides are looking for a striker to ease their goal drought in 2014/15, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar may prove to be the perfect signing.
‘The Hunter’, as he has become known for his ruthless nature in front of goal, has developed an ability to score for fun in the Bundesliga with Schalke 04. He also has plenty of Champions League caps as well a long term experience of playing international football that would surely impress any clubs looking to sign the Dutchman.
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Whilst he has never been considered one of the world’s very best strikers, Huntelaar has been a constant force in Europe during spells with Ajax, Real Madrid and AC Milan. Yes the Dutch forward hasn’t had his scoring boots laced to maximum efficiency at all times, but Schalke’s current main man has definitely gone a long way in rediscovering his form in the Bundesliga.
Liverpool and Arsenal should certainly be considering a Klaas-Jan Huntelaar who only has a year remaining on his contract in Germany.
2. Yevhen Konoplyanka
This 25-year-old talent may provide us with one of the least well known players on this list, but for fans of the equally unknown Ukrainian club, Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk, Yevhen Konoplyanka is a true star in the making.
The Ukrainian winger has drawn plaudits for his performances in the Europa League, and with a move to Liverpool reportedly falling through at the last minute last season, Konoplyanka could soon be on his way to somewhere new.
He has the ability to provide an attacking force for his side throughout the entire 90 minutes, as well as being a good passer, a good crosser and a player who rarely seems to tire. For these reasons he would seem a great addition to the Premier League.
As very few Ukrainians actually make it in English football however, perhaps a degree of caution should be applied for any club looking to sign Yevhen Konoplyanka.
1. Sami Khedira
Whilst Sami Khedira doesn’t look like he’d be one of the most technically gifted midfielders that Europe has to offer, the half-German half-Tunisian enforcer is no mere water-carrier.
As his sublime individual display in the 7-1 semi-final destruction of Brazil this summer displayed, Khedira has all the characteristics of a calm ball winner and strong box-to-box midfielder. Under the guidance of Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid however, the German World Cup star has often been considered second best and deemed worthy of only a place on the bench.
At a side like Arsenal though, Khedira would find himself with a lot more game time on his hands and the opportunity to potentially develop into one of the league’s best centre-mids.
Everyone knows that the Gunners could do with someone of Khedira’s calibre in their side, and with the advent of his contract running up at Madrid, a move to the Premier League could soon become a reality for the German star. A worrying injury record however, remains the only issue holding back Sami’s career at this current moment.
As Will Hughes can find his teammates with pin-point accuracy, chase down the opposition with the utmost determination, and hold onto the ball as if it were seemingly stuck to his feet – sometimes it’s hard to remember that Derby’s young creative midfielder is actually English.
Very few of his Championship counter-parts are as technically gifted as the Surrey born 19-year-old, and even though Hughes remains very much a raw talent in need of further development, he is soon becoming known as one of England’s most exciting prospects in many a year.
Despite being strong favourites to land the fiery blonde haired midfielder last season, Liverpool have now seemingly cooled their interest in Hughes after the young talent signed a new four-year-deal with Derby over the summer. But will such developments ultimately end Brendan Rodgers’ desire to sign the Pride Park favourite, or does a lucrative move to Anfield still await Will Hughes this January?
With all the possession play, tight passing and free-flowing football that was produced by Rodgers’ side last season, it comes as no surprise that the Reds wanted to add Will Hughes to their already bulky roster. The 19-year-old would have certainly fitted in with the footballing philosophy that was aimed for by Suarez and co, even if the immediate step-up to the Premier League initially proved difficult for the Derby star.
Whilst such a move would have been ideal for Rodgers last season, this year’s campaign has seen Liverpool completely fail to reach the high standards that they set in 2013/14, and without the dpearted Luis Suarez and injured Daniel Sturridge, the Reds hardly look worthy of a place in the top half of the Premier League, let a lone a top four spot.
Such a poor turn in form has therefore likely not gone unnoticed by Will Hughes in his attempts to work out where best to play out his career. Liverpool have become slightly more direct with their new strikers on board, and as the Merseyside club are no strangers to signing promising young English talent for way over the odds, only to see them later fail as a result of their over ambitious spending, Will Hughes could have become one in a long line of young prospects who simply failed to make the grade at Anfield.
That is not to say that the Hughes would definitely struggle at Liverpool now however, among the likes the recently impressive Lazar Markovic and Philippe Coutinho, Hughes could in-fact still be the perfect fit for Rodgers’ should his time come in the Premier League.
Although the discussion remains no more than mere transfer talk at this current stage, Derby County’s desire to keep a hold of their latest sensation arrives in much more definitive terms. Upon Hughes signing his new deal in the summer, Rams boss Steve McClaren reflected: “He is a promising young talent and we are looking forward to working with him over the next few years.”
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Whilst such statements should never be taken for gospel and could literally change overnight, it seems that for the moment at least, Will Hughes remains very much a Derby County player, and should his side achieve promotion to the Premier League this season, this young star will likely be playing for the Rams, not the Reds.
Since arriving at Anfield in the summer of 2011 for a fee of around £16million, Jordan Henderson has been on a steady rise throughout his time at Liverpool, quickly becoming a solid member of Brendan Rodgers’ current side, and even staking his claim within the England national set-up in the run up to Euro 2016.
The former Sunderland man has subsequently been touted as a potential captain of future Liverpool teams, with some in the game even going as far as labeling the 24-year-old the ‘next Steven Gerrard.’
Within the context of such a claim, does the current Anfield midfielder really warrant such a lofty status, or has Jordan Henderson in-fact been just another in a long line of young English talents to simply receive too much hype in recent years?
Whatever your opinion on the no. 14, it must be conceded that the man from the North East has turned out to be a great deal better than what many within the footballing community initially deemed him to be. £16m certainly seemed like too much for a player that had barely achieved a thing in the Premier League, and had so far only displayed glimpses of what his overall game could offer.
Henderson has nonetheless proved that he is worthy of plying his trade in the English top-flight throughout the last few seasons, and definitely provides a positive force within Brendan Rodgers’ current side.
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However, none of this means that he is destined to become the next Steven Gerrard by any stretch of the imagination. Such claims seem to be born out of delusion rather than anything else. Yes – the romanticised idea of Gerrard being replaced by a young up-and-coming star currently in the same squad as the Liverpool legend would seem like the ideal situation, but if such claims are to be taken as truth, the future of this once successful football club will only continue to remain short of what Liverpool could ultimately be achieving.
Jordan Henderson simply doesn’t even come close to being the next Steven Gerrard in the grand scheme of things. Obviously scenarios such as this one are always subject to change, and of course, it is not impossible for the former Sunderland man to one day become an even better player, yet as things stand these bold statements are some way wide of the mark.
Gerrard possessed an ability that could see him get into any team in the world during his hey-day. His goal ratio from midfield was simply remarkable, he seemed to never lose control of the ball when the legendary Liverpool captain was at his best, and while that all important Premier League trophy nonetheless eluded the former England captain throughout his footballing life, his overall CV goes down as one of the best careers of his era.
The thought of Jordan Henderson starting for the likes of Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Real Madrid, and perhaps even Chelsea – with all due respect – would simply seem too out of place to be given any real consideration. For all his effort and admirable determination shown for Brendan Rodgers’ team this season, the 24-year-old simply will never reach the world class status that many expect him to if he carries on at his current rate of development.
Henderson may have proven to be a very good player this campaign, but in all honesty he just hasn’t been outstanding. He can certainly go on to achieve his own individual legacy at Anfield, but with all things considered, the current England international simply doesn’t warrant being labelled the ‘next Steven Gerrard.’
Away from such needless hype and media scrutiny however, and the former Sunderland man might just eventually prove his doubters wrong…
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Javier Hernandez has long been insisting that if he’d been playing more games for Real Madrid then he’d be scoring more goals for the club. And true to his word since gaining back-to-back starts for Los Blancos, Chicharito hasn’t let his manager down.
His change of fortunes began when he was started against Atletico Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League quarter final match. The first-leg had surprisingly ended 0-0, despite both teams fielding highly capable forwards, though the city rivals had already played each other a ridiculous six times this season so perhaps they were just bored of the sight of each other.
Anyway, with neither side able to break the deadlock, everything was there to play for when the fixture came to the Bernabeu. And although Real Madrid will always be considered a stronger team than their much poorer neighbours, on the night of the return fixture they were missing key attacking players Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale. So up stepped Hernandez for his big moment, and he didn’t fail to impress.
Both teams had good chances, but with full time approaching and no goals yet again, it looked certain to go into extra time. Then a clever pass across the box from Cristiano Ronaldo to Hernandez put Real 1-0 up and ultimately into the semi finals.
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You could see from the Mexican’s reaction that he couldn’t quite believe his luck. Not only had he scored for his adopted club but his goal had allowed them to continue their journey towards an eleventh Champions League trophy.
Since that magical night Hernandez has found himself back in favour with manager Carlo Ancelotti. He was rewarded with a start in their next Liga match against Celta Vigo where he scored twice, a result which may well put him in contention for their remaining league fixtures and upcoming European game away to Italy’s Juventus.
Hernandez has been on loan with the Spanish capital club for the past year and his long term future will be decided shortly. If Real choose not to sign him on a permanent deal then he’ll return to parent club Manchester United, though manager Louis van Gaal has made it clear that despite his recent good form there is no future for the striker at the club.
Fortunately he has impressed enough lately to be able to receive a few good offers from top clubs if Real Madrid overlook him.
Throughout what has surely been a frustrating season waiting for consistent playing time, Hernandez has stayed positive and it is perhaps this positivity and patience that has meant he was able to play without fear and take his opportunities when they arrived. Many players who are in the middle of a goal drought or are trying to prove themselves allow the stress to affect their performances, and it often makes the situation worse.
Real Madrid could use having a player like Javier Hernandez as another attacking option next season, but would a player in the peak of his career agree to spending more time on the Old Trafford bench than on the pitch?
Whether he’s a Real Madrid player next season or not, Hernandez has shown that he is still a formidable and relevant striker and should be proud of his year as a Galactico.
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Romelu Lukaku’s new agent has made some bold claims recently about the status of the Belgian forward.
He has stated that had he been representing Lukaku earlier he would never have signed for Everton. He also believes Lukaku is better than Chelsea’s Diego Costa.
Is Mino Raiola right or is he just being disrespectful?
After spending a season on loan at Everton from Chelsea, Romelu Lukaku signed for Roberto Martinez’s side last July for £28 million. He had scored 15 league goals for the Toffees in the 2013/14 season; a bit of a jump from the 0 Premier League goals registered at Chelsea.
During his time at Everton, Lukaku has received immense praise for both his work rate and his goals. Whereas at Chelsea, he hardly got a look in.
So what is so wrong with playing for Everton?
They may not be a ‘big six’ side but they aren’t a bad side either. They were one of the teams to watch in the Europa League before being knocked out by Dynamo Kiev. Everton may not be as high up the table as they were last season but they also aren’t fighting to stay up.
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Considering Everton giving Lukaku first team football, he should be grateful. It is clear to see that Chelsea did not want him, despite Raiola saying he may have still been playing at the Bridge had he been his agent earlier.
But why would Lukaku want to stay at Chelsea just to keep the bench warm?
Everton have helped Lukaku become the player he is today. They may not be the most glamorous side on earth but you could certainly do a lot worse.
Raiola had no need to speak out about Everton. Having faith in Lukaku is one thing, but to bash the side who field him and pay his wages is another.
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Lukaku probably won’t play for Everton forever. But he does now and that is what matters.
He still plays in the league that is considered to be the best and most physical in the world. Raiola’s comments were disrespectful and he should be careful he does not make things worse for his player.
If anything, his comments could deter supposedly ‘bigger’ sides from signing him.
The last game of the season is approaching, and the players are already dreaming of pina coladas and sandy beaches. Most of them anyway. It’s the time of the year when few clubs have anything to play for, and the ones that do are frantic and pumped up.
Aston Villa do still have something to play for – a big something, the FA Cup – but this weekend it’s Premier League duty. Villa are safe, and their opponents are the already-relegated Burnley.
So there’s not much to play for in this particular game. And Villa are in a tricky situation.
It’s not at all a bad situation, but every club goes through this in their last game before a cup final – do you play your best team and try to gain momentum before the final, or do you rest your players out of a mortal fear of an injury to your best and brightest?
Momentum is important, if you’re out of form you’re more likely to lose. Psychology is at work here and when things go wrong, they seem to go worse the next time. Bayern Munich are a good example of how having bigger fish to fry can hurt you big time. Bayern stopped trying in the Bundesliga post winter break, their league form suffered and they were dumped out of the Champions League fairly convincingly at the hands of Barcelona. The same thing happened last season when they faced Real Madrid.
You need to keep the form going because if you don’t, you’re likely to meet a team in form in the final.
Villa’s form, though, took a bit of a knock last week in their 6-1 humiliation at St Mary’s against Southampton. That might look like a shocker, something that will have hit their confidence and made it more difficult to get up for the final. Or it might really benefit them for the final.
The great thing for Villa after that horror show last weekend is the fact that they have another game before they face Arsenal at Wembley. They have a game now to put things right and find their feet again. Burnley are certainly no pushovers as they’ve showed this season, but after a heavy defeat, the best thing for Villa is that they’re playing against a weaker team – as evidenced by their relegation.
A win against Burnley would see the confidence soar before the final.
Last season, Hull City went into the FA Cup final on the back of some shocking league form – two wins in 11 games – and lost to Arsenal. This time around, if Villa win on Sunday they’ll have five wins in their last seven in all competitions. Arsenal meanwhile, have won only two of their last six.
It’s not all about form, of course, but it’s nice to have form going into the final. And against Arsenal, who are big favourites, Villa will need all the help they can get.
But this is the tough situation that Villa face. Since Sherwood has come in, they players have been on good form overall, but they’ve worked hard. Sherwood might be tempted to rest some players to keep them fresh for the final, but when you’ve just been trounced by Southampton you don’t want to have to wait a week before you can get out onto the pitch again to make amends. And you definitely don’t want to be trying to make amends at Wembley.
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But without resting some players, Villa’s key members of the squad might not want to play Burnley as wholeheartedly as they might otherwise. Burnley are a physical team who will work hard, and if the Villa players are worried about injuries then they’ll find it very tough.
That’s the balancing act for Sherwood. He can rest players to keep them fit, or win the game and gather momentum, but he knows it’s not as simple as that. Sherwood’s solace is the fact that Wenger is in exactly the same position. Short of form and worried about the fitness of key players.
Arsenal have already signed one player this summer in Petr Cech for one of the key areas of their team that needed to be addressed if the Gunners are going to be challenging for the title next season.
But that doesn’t mean Gunners manager Arsene Wenger’s business is done just yet. There are other areas that Arsenal need to strengthen in, and these are right up the spine of the team. The key positions are in central defence where the Gunners need to strengthen, in defensive midfield and up front.
And what could be a better place to find this talent than the Bundesliga? Here are five top players the Gunners should be looking to sign this summer.
The first of these is Christoph Kramer, who is a German international defensive midfielder, but is also comfortable at centre-back.
Kramer is just 24-years-old and has already got 10 international caps with Germany. He has played his football on-loan at Borussia Monchengladbach for the last couple of years but is now hoping to nail down a permanent position at his parent club Bayer Leverkusen.
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He may be best known for his surprise World Cup final appearance where he was subbed early following concussion, but he is well known in Germany as one of their top young players. He is a midfield rock, strong at breaking up attacks and allowing his team mates to play, a typical good defensive midfielder and would be a good signing for Arsenal.
The second player Arsenal should be looking to sign is Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who would certainly address their striking problems.
Aubameyang is a well known player to English fans; he has incredible pace, can play out wide or up front and importantly for the Gunners, he scores goals.
He scored 16 league goals last season, mainly from the wing, but he is also fully capable of playing up front. The forward would get plenty more goals up top considering the chances Wenger’s side creates. The Gunners have already been heavily linked with the Gabon international already and for £28m it could be a fantastic deal for Arsenal.
Another player from the Bundesliga that the Gunners should look to sign is Wolfsburg’s Kevin De Bruyne. The former Chelsea man was one of the most creative players in Europe last season, scoring an impressive 10 goals and tallying a staggering 20 assists.
The Belgium international would prove to be a pricey transfer, but with those sort of numbers the Gunners would be getting a player capable of creating chances a plenty and is really a top drawer player.
Schalke whizkid Maximilian Meyer is another player with the potential to be a success in the Premier League; he is not exactly a household name as of yet, but he is expected to become one.
At just 19-years-old he has already been capped by Germany and has been a regular feature for Schalke over the last two seasons.
Meyer is an attacking midfielder and has already been compared to Mario Gotze and Lionel Messi, due to his dribbling abilities and lightening pace. He is a huge talent and will become a fantastic player
This next player is not quite as inexperienced and that is Borussia Dortmund’s Marco Reus, who would be the biggest signing of the lot.
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Reus is an outstanding talent, a German international and one of the best players in the Bundesliga. He has 25 caps with Germany and has regularly notched over ten goals a season from wide positions for Dortmund.
Reus is best known for his versatility, speed and his superb technique. And this versatility means that Reus could even be considered as a striking option for Wenger’s side.
He is of course more suited to the left wing, but is as equally able to play on the right or centrally due to his ability to control the ball with both feet. The German is a superb player and would be a huge signing for the Gunners.
If Arsenal can complete one or two of these deals then Wenger’s side would much improved for it.