Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has admitted that it will be difficult for his side to finish the season without losing a game, but is happy with the way his team are currently playing.
A 3-1 win over Newcastle continued the Etihad Stadium outfit’s unbeaten start to the Premier League campaign, making it 11 wins and one draw from 12 games.
Despite the excellent form his side are currently experiencing, the Italian coach doubts that City will still be unbeaten in May.
“I hope we continue like this,” he told The Telegraph.
“But I think in the 26 games we have left, we will reach a time when we lose a game, I’m sure of it.
“I’m happy for the players, we’ve been playing well because of them and, at the moment, we have improved a lot.
“As players, as a team, we are very strong now but the season is long and there will be difficult moments ahead. For this reason, it’s important we know we can score goals and win games in a row,” he stated.
Mancini has a star-studded squad at his disposal, but singled out Mario Balotelli for special praise; the Italy international scored the opener against Newcastle from the penalty spot.
“It’s impossible that Mario will ever miss a penalty. Don’t ask me why!
“Mario is a very important player because he’s a great player, like all the players at Manchester City.
“He’s become better and better and I’m trying to help him. But he deserves all the praise because he’s doing all the work, I’m not doing it.
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“I’m just trying to help him not waste his talent and become the player he can become,” Mancini concluded.
City have an all-important trip to take on Napoli in San Paolo on Tuesday night, which will give Mancini an idea of his team’s chances of progression from Champions League Group A.
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has warned Sir Alex Ferguson that his side will pounce on any slip-ups as the Premier League title race heats up.Leaders Manchester United are 10 points clear of Chelsea but Ancelotti admits his side are in a ‘dream position’ following their collapse late last year.
Chelsea won just twice in November and December and won only five out of 16 matches between November and February – but they remain in with a chance of retaining their title.
“Three months ago, around November and December, it would have been a dream to arrive in this situation,” Ancelotti said.
“I don’t know what we can do until the end of the season but we have a chance to fight and do our best.”
“We have a chance to fight for the title but it is not in our hands. We have a possibility if Manchester United lose some points – and we will be ready.”
“There is a good atmosphere in this team and I’m happy.”
Yossi Benayoun remains sidelined for Chelsea ahead of their trip to Stoke on Saturday. The midfielder has been out for most of the season with an Achilles injury although he did feature for Israel in their 2-0 win over Georgia in midweek.
But Ancelotti said: “He needs to train properly and improve his condition but in 10 days he will be ready to play.”
Chelsea have no other injury worries for the trip to the Britannia, with Fernando Torres expected to keep his place in attack despite not scoring in his first seven matches at the club.
“There are moments in your career when you don’t score. In my experience I had (Hernan) Crespo, (Andrey) Shevchenko and Inzaghi and there were times they couldn’t score,” he said.
“But it is important to not lose confidence. Torres played very well against Manchester City. He didn’t score but he played well – it doesn’t matter if he scores or not but I think he will soon.”
“The team put in a great performance against Manchester United and Manchester City – fortunately we didn’t need goals from the strikers but in April we may need them. I am sure they can score.”
At only the age of 21, Palermo’s Simon Kjaer has already established himself as a big-name player in the Italian football scene.
A number of clubs around Europe have already expressed their interest in the young centre-back which will surely see a scrap for his signature this summer.
Simon Kjaer started playing football for Lund IF, a small-time club near Horsens before making a move to the youth team of FC Midtjylland in 2004. In 2006 he made his first senior debut for the club in the Viasat Cup training matches and was promoted to the senior first-team a year later. Real Madrid could have signed the Dane after having a successful trail with the Spanish giants in August 2007, although, Midtjylland refused the offer that was put on the table. Instead, Kjaer signed a new five-year deal a month later.
Kjaer had attracted the likes of Middlesbrough and Chelsea, but it was Serie A side Palermo who signed the defender in the summer of 2008. Since his move from the Danish club, Kjaer has been impressing week in week out for the Sicilian club. In his first season for the Sicilian club, the young centre-back managed to make a total of 27 appearances and netted 3 goals. Last season, Kjaer firmly established himself as a regular in the Palermo side by playing a total of 38 games in all competitions and has formed a strong partnership with Cesare Bovo.
The centre-back was named the Danish Under-19 talent of the year in 2007 at the age of 17, and in 2009 was awarded the Danish talent of the year award. Kjaer has so far picked up 11 caps for Denmark.
Kjaer has been named in the 23-man Denmark squad for the World Cup in South Africa this summer, and has managed to start in both of his country’s matches so far.
The 6’ 2’’ centre-back has a reported £11 million buy out clause in his contract, which will no doubt see further interest increase after the world’s biggest tournament concludes in July. Kjaer is one of the hottest young properties in world football, and after impressing in Serie A for the past two seasons and in the World Cup so far, it is clear to see why so many clubs are interested in acquiring his services this summer.
Tottenham and both Manchester clubs are amongst the Premier League sides interested in the young defender this summer. All three clubs are looking to strengthen their defences and feel that Kjaer is the man to solidify the back-line.
Harry Redknapp and his Spurs side are preparing for a possible crusade into the Champions League next season, and Redknapp will want to add and strengthen his defence due to several injuries in this area last season. Manchester United see Kjaer as a possible replacement for the ‘troubled’ Nemanja Vidic as it is still unclear whether or not the Serbian will be wearing the red of United this season. Manchester City on the other hand, have a huge amount of money to spend. Roberto Mancini is looking to rebuild his squad in order to go one better and seal a top four finish, the Palermo centre-back will certainly help the cause.
It would be great to see the Danish centre-back in the Premier League after the window closes, as he looks to have the right attributes and physique to play in the competitive English game.
The defender looks strong, quick, has good positional attributes as well as having a very good knowledge of the game at such a young age. Kjaer looks a very assured and dominate figure in the Danish back line as well as in Palermo’s, and once the World Cup has ended, you can expect to see a number offers coming through the Sicilian club’s door. Kjaer is highly rated in Europe and is tipped to be a world-class centre-back by many fans and pundits in the near future.
Palermo look powerless to resist a major offer and will evidently have to sell the player when the summer window opens…where he goes will be up to his employers and the player himself to decide. Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini told GR Parlamento earlier this week that there is strong interest in the young defender, and as a result, may have to offload the Dane this summer:
“I know of talks with the two Manchester clubs, Tottenham and Wolfsburg. In my opinion, when some offers come in for a player, he must leave. If there are a couple of offers important enough which we are discussing, then I’ll discuss with the player. I also need to seek a replacement. Kjaer’s valuation is 15-20million euros and that figure is important to us.”
He finished off by saying:
“He wants to go to another club and we don’t hold back anyone.”
It’s fair to say that which ever club does succeed in acquiring Kjaer’s services this summer will undoubtedly be adding a great asset to their squad for this upcoming season. Only time will tell where Simon Kjaer decides to continue and develop his promising football career…hopefully it will be in the Premier League.
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**
Click image below to see a gallery of the German babes at the World Cup:
Manchester City are the favourites to lift the Premier League trophy in May for the first time in their history, looking strong to turn their financial backing into further success after last year’s FA Cup triumph. The future may be looking rosy for the Citizens on the pitch but financial regulations will be enforced by UEFA in 2014-2015 that could scupper the fairytale story at the Etihad Stadium.
Last week City published their record-breaking losses of £194.9 million, fuelled by a massive annual wage bill of £174 million ending May 2011. Abu Dhabi owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his behind the scenes team have three years to reduce their debt dramatically otherwise suffer horrific consequences that could end their reign of power in England before it has even begun. One-off signings that will not need to be replaced for years to come, such as David Silva, Mario Balotelli and Yaya Toure make up a large quantity of the debt however, unwanted players will fetch some much needed income with the likes of Carlos Tevez leaving to remove of chunk of financial loss.
According to UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations, a club can post losses of no more than £38.5 million in 2014 otherwise face exclusion from playing in European competition; which makes up a large percentage of income. City claim however, that this is a one-off annual debt and that this figure will be nothing like future results due to their rapid acceleration investment strategy.
The published figure does not however take into account the summer signings of Sergio Aguero, Samir Nasri and Gael Clichy along with their added wages and so it is tough to see how the figure will decline substantially. The reports also do not take into account their recent deal with Etihad that could produce up to £50million a year with naming and kit rights, along with the much needed Champions League media money that could bring in almost £30million.
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With work needing to be done on the sustainability of City to enable them to fulfil their ambitions, it begs the question, what is the true cost of success?
Unstable owners and reckless spending have been the downfall of many a club in English football over the past 10-15 years, with Premier League clubs creating a loss of half a billion pounds last year altogether, despite record income.
The Glazer family’s ownership of Manchester United has cost the club around £350m in interest, fees and loans to the family themselves since 2005, and they have never put money into the club. In 2010, United paid £42m interest on the £500m loans the Glazer family originally took out to buy the club in the first place, and just refinancing that debt, replacing the loans with a bond, cost United a staggering £65m.
You can begin to see why a large portion of United fans protested against the Glazer’s ownership a few years back as they could see the possibility of this financial slump occurring. However the past six months have been refreshing for all parties interested in United’s finances as they felt the benefits of their £40 million deal with training kit sponsors DHL and increased media revenue in winning the Premier League and reaching the Champions League final. The finalisation of the Old Trafford quadrants also enabled them to see a rise in matchday income that has grown 9.6% in 12 months.
It is unlikely that the Red Devils will see another rise in profit in the near future with hefty transfer dealings in the summer and the possibility of not winning any silverware this season with rivals Manchester City dominating the Premier League. But their debt is now not along the lines of City’s and it will be a lot easier for the Champions to reduce debt in order to please UEFA.
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Roman Abramovich is owed £726million by Chelsea, a debt that he claimed was written off, but it is now thought that the Russian may want that money back one day and with a £25million interest according to the Guardian. The club is debt free but the parent company is not. While the loan is interest free, it is repayable should Abramovich choose to give 18 month’s notice. The Russian billionaire can still opt to get his money back if he decides to sell his shares or when the club is proving profitable.
But many financial experts believe that Chelsea will not have money to spend the way they have done since 2003 for very much longer. Abramovich might sell the club, which could result in the debt being thrown onto Chelsea and this is something that they will not be able to deal with. Their loss of £78million should not affect the club as the parent company takes all of the financial hits and leaves the club on a stable footing for now. A move away from Stamford Bridge will pose benefits for the West London club, but a stalemate over shares of the ground seems to be holding the club back.
Abramovich has also been involved in an ongoing court case that may well affect his long term financial state if he does not come out on top.
After becoming one of the best sides in Europe at the end of the 1990’s, Leeds United chairman Peter Ridsdale took out large loans to fund big name signings in the assumption that they would qualify for the Champions League and repay the debts in match day and media income. However, David O’Leary’s side narrowly failed to finish in the top four and thus had to find a way of paying off the ludicrous debts. This was the first sign that the mighty Leeds United were falling from grace.
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Wholesale departures including players and management left the club on the brink of relegation and after failing to beat the drop; the training ground and historic home Elland Road were also sold to keep the club afloat. Failure to return to the top flight immediately meant that manager after manager came in on a shoe-string budget and failed to impress before they were eventually relegated again, this time to the third tier of English football.
The club entered administration in 2007 and were deducted 15 league points, and Ken Bates’ arrival was a sign that the club may have to start from square one. It has taken the club 11 years to look like they may be a Premier League club again, something that can’t happen again. Such a rapid decline shows that owners have so much power of a club and that loans and heavy debts will eventually come to light, and it may take longer than expected to be sorted which will heavily affect the club.
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Leeds United are a prime example that things can end up as bad as first feared and should be used as a worst case scenario to all current and future football club owners.
One club that can be used as an example of business that runs successfully is Arsenal. When the Gunners moved to the Emirates Stadium in 2006, it was thought that the club would be financially restricted because of the multi-million pound building costs. But, the sale of Highbury and development of accommodation has proved a huge success and any revenue raised from the homes will be re-invested in the club. The financial gain has been dramatic, with matchday sales now at a all-time high in north London. The club were bankrolled to Stan Kroenke and the shareholders claimed a combined £243million last year without putting hardly any money into the club itself.
The sale of players has been a-money-making hit also, with Cesc Fabregas making the club £30million in the summer, something that a club with very little debt can re-invest in players immediately. Reaching the UEFA FFP should be simple for the Gunners and they should be looked at as a club that have used shrewd business acumen and youth development to its advantage.
Arsenal prove it is possible to run a steady, profitable business in football, but many have showed that it is harder said than done. Sometimes financial backing can produce success, but it needs to be reigned in to comply with UEFA rules and prevent the club falling from grace and losing what pride it has.
Excuse the cliché, but it is a funny old game, football, isn’t it? I mean, how can a simple game of eleven against eleven entertain us quite so much? I’m sure there are many others that find themselves doing little else in their spare time than wishing the week away so Saturday comes. Luckily for us, the time in between each football-filled weekend has, for some time now, been swamped with games to keep us occupied. Whether it is the Champions League that takes your fancy, or the plucky exploits of Chasetown in the FA Trophy replay at Mansfield, there is nearly always something for every football fan. This is why I love football.
Soccer AM used to do a feature where they interviewed professionals and asked them, amongst other things, why they loved the game. Johan Cruyff claimed it was because it was a game of mistakes: unpredictable and exciting, whereas Ryan Giggs suggests his love is part of his nature – he was born to play the game. But we all think football means more to us than anyone else, don’t we? I’m no different. Just like eating breakfast or walking the dog, football is now very much part of my weekly routine, and what a dull existence my life would be without it!
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I still consider myself a player of the beautiful game, despite any ability I may have had escaping me some years ago. Without any pace or skill, I consider myself the Worcestershire Prem’s very own Wayne Bridge (make of that what you will you will). Training on a Tuesday and Wednesday is followed by the midweek game live on TV: United at Old Trafford in Europe or United at Edgar Street in League Two – it’s all the same to me. The rest of the week is spent thinking about the weekend: How will we do? Is he finally going to score? Which ref is going to get us all arguing this week?
Saturday’s festivities can be started with some easy-on-the-eye television; Soccer AM or Football Focus maybe, as long as we see goals. It all adds to the suspense: a big game isn’t a game without the build up of our over-elaborate media. If like me, you divulge into a little bit of gambling, then a trip to local bookmakers is always a good bet – excuse the pun. This is all before we can enjoy the banter between Jeff and the boys of course, that is, if your team isn’t involved in an early lunch time kick off or you don’t play yourself. It all makes for a very enjoyable afternoon, whatever the scenario. To top it all off, we have the tea-time kick off awaiting us, the results from our potential winnings and Match of the Day all yet to come.
You may have noticed I have missed out something many fans would consider paramount to being such an outspoken admirer of the game – actually going to see my team play. Admittedly, I don’t get to go too often, mainly because whilst I’m still fit enough to, I will continue to enjoy playing. But I make this point because I recently heard on a certain popular sports-based radio show, that football is beginning to lose its soul. If you ask me, or any other football fan in the country, that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Whether you have a season ticket, play, occupy your favourite seat in the local just in time for Jeff and the boys, or feel like watching the results come in in the comfort of your own home, there is one thing for sure: football is certainly not losing anything. The build-up entertains, the decisions make us question, terraces bring some nostalgia but overall, win lose or draw, the game gives us satisfaction. The day in the life of a football fan – don’t you just love football?
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Former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Jamie Redknapp has urged Mauricio Pochettino’s side to move for Crystal Palace attacker Wilfried Zaha this summer.
Zaha missed the early stages of the 2017-18 campaign with a knee problem, but has been in outstanding form for the Eagles since returning to action.
Indeed, the former Manchester United attacker has netted nine goals and registered five assists in 29 appearances for Palace this season.
Following Sunday’s clash with West Bromwich Albion, Zaha insisted that he had ‘no plans’ to leave Selhurst Park in this summer’s transfer window.
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Tottenham and Manchester City are both believed to be preparing bids for the 25-year-old, however, and Redknapp has urged his former club to make a move ahead of the 2018-19 season.
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Redknapp told the Daily Mail:
“Wilfried Zaha is a top-six manager’s dream – a game-changer who on his day is unplayable. This is not the raw talent who could not cut it at Manchester United.
“Zaha has gone up a level and is embracing being Palace’s main man. He is the best player outside the top six and although he said on Sunday that he wants to stay at Selhurst Park, he’s bound to attract interest.
“Tottenham, who have looked at him before, could be the ideal destination for him.”
Zaha, who has enjoyed his best ever season in terms of goals, only made four first-team appearances during his time at Man United between 2013 and 2015 before sealing a return to Palace.
Manchester United have wasted little time in bolstering their squad this summer, with the quick-fire acquisitions of Matteo Darmian, Morgan Schneiderlin and Bastian Schweinsteiger all confirmed in the last couple of days.
Despite the quality of the other two, Schweinsteiger’s capture is certainly the most high profile of these signings, with the German enforcer bringing with him a wealth of experience and a venerable track record of success.
One of the most accomplished and distinguished midfielders of a generation, landing someone of Schweinsteiger’s reputation shows that United mean business ahead of a campaign where they will be expected to launch a Premier League title bid.
Despite the box-to-box German’s signing being lauded in most corners, there should also be some areas of concern in the star’s arrival.
With this in mind, here are THREE reasons why Schweinsteiger is not the midfielder that United need this summer.
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Age
Experience is certainly a key facet in almost every winning team and Schweinsteiger can obviously bring that in abundance.
However, at 30, turning 31 next month, the veteran German’s better days are surely behind him and as such the new man cannot be expected to replicate the barnstorming form of his younger years.
With Louis van Gaal supposedly building a project with the long term in mind, Schweinsteiger’s acquisition seems to go against the holistic view and is a short-term fix.
The signs that the 30-year-old is starting to feel his age have been present over the last 12 months, with Schweinsteiger playing considerably less football while slipping from being an automatic choice to start for Bayern when available due to the presence of Xabi Alonso.
Injury record
Every player suffers from injuries throughout their careers, but Schweinsteiger has been more prone to time on the treatment table than most – especially in recent years.
Following participation in last summer’s World Cup, reportedly not at full fitness, the Kolbermoor-born midfield general faced a prolonged period of unavailability for Bayern and by the end of the campaign had only started 15 of their 34 Bundesliga fixtures.
United have allowed Robin van Persie to leave the club this week due to his age and recent poor injury record and the signing of Schweinsteiger seems to contradict this thinking given the similarities.
The last thing that United need is a big-name player that is unavailable to play and struggles to adapt to a new environment due to not being fully fit.
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The ostracisation of Michael Carrick
Unassuming, workmanlike but not all-action, Michael Carrick’s role in the United team has slipped under the radar for a number of years but cannot be understated.
Last term, Van Gaal’s men had a much superior win ratio with the former Tottenham deep-lying playmaker in their team than without, with the England international quickly becoming an influential member of the side.
With Schweinsteiger signed to be the new orchestrator of United’s play, just where Carrick fits into a jigsaw puzzle that also contains Schneiderlin and Ander Herrera is unclear.
Although Carrick has had injury concerns of his own, just who the Dutch manager will pick and what formation will be used when all four central midfielders are available will make for fascinating viewing.
Tottenham’s new striker Roberto Soldado has suggested he doesn’t expect Gareth Bale to stay at White Hart Lane this summer, according to the Metro.
The Spaniard has officially joined Spurs after the Premier League side triggered the £26million release clause in his Valencia contract. But speaking ahead of his flight to London, Soldado didn’t seem confident that he would get his wish to play with the Welsh attacker.
“I think everybody knows about Gareth Bale. He’s a great player. It will be hard to keep him but I hope he stays with Tottenham,” he said.
Bale has been heavily linked with a move to Soldado’s old side Real Madrid, with Los Blancos hoping an £85million bid will secure his services and a move for Bale is looking ever closer, despite Andre Villas-Boas’s attempts to persuade the 23-year-old to stay at White Hart Lane.
The Portuguese manager has brought in Nacer Chadli and Paulinho, along with Soldado, to try and convince Bale that Spurs will have a squad capable of qualifying for the Champions League this season. But as speculation grows over Bale’s future, it seems Spurs’ new signings won’t be playing alongside the Welshman this season.
Soldado could feature in a Tottenham shirt in the club’s first match of the new season away to Crystal Palace on August 18th.
Can Spurs compete without Bale? What do Tottenham fans feel about signing Soldado?
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Dimitar Berbatov is set to complete a move to Italian club Fiorentina in the next couple of days, according to The Sun.
The Bulgarian forward has found opportunities at Manchester United limited of late, and with the summer signings of Shinji Kagawa and Robin van Persie the eastern European attacker is set to be froze out at Old Trafford.
Berbatov has been vocal on his desire to play regular first-team football, and has been linked with a host of clubs this summer on the continent.
However, the player’s stint in England could well be coming to an end, as Fiorentina have offered £5 million for the striker.
Berbatov is said to be keen on a move to the Stadio Artemio Franchi side, who have splashed the cash this summer in a bid to qualify for Europe in 2012-13.
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Berbatov has scored 56 goals in 148 appearances for Sir Alex Ferguson’s men.
Europa League obligations forced Arsene Wenger to field a weakened lineup upon his final trip to Old Trafford as Arsenal manager, but the Frenchman did his best to turn the situation into a positive – offering Gunners fans a glimpse into the future and what the starting XI could look like in the years to come.
Indeed, the average age of the north London outfit’s starting XI was just 24 and it even included a Premier League debutant at the heart of defence alongside Calum Chambers – who isn’t exactly long in the tooth either.
Earlier this week, we asked Arsenal fans to issue player ratings for each of those involved in Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester United and perhaps unsurprisingly, it was two youngsters who received the highest average ratings…
Ainsley Maitland-Niles – 7.8/10
Maitland-Niles’ best position remains a little unclear, having spent periods of his short Arsenal career as a wing-back, an attacking midfielder and a holding player.
But he was utilised as a largely orthodox central midfielder against United and that appeared to get the best out of him, particularly in terms of his economic use of the ball and his willingness to go toe-to-toe with the likes of Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic, two midfielders who far exceed him in terms of experience and natural power.
Konstantinos Mavropanos – 7.9/10
Barring United’s two goals, it was a perfect debut for Arsenal’s promising defensive prospect Konstantinos Mavropanos. The 20-year-old looked calm and composed yet also intimidating at the back, enjoying the physical battle with Romelu Lukaku particularly.
He finished up with the joint-most interceptions and blocks of any Arsenal player, and even overshadowed Chambers alongside him for much of the game. It’s still early days but Mavropanos and Maitland-Niles both look to have bright futures with the Gunners.
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