Brendan Rodgers is adamant that his Liverpool side’s stuttering start to the season has not been the disaster it’s widely been made out to be, and that the Reds are still on course to achieve a top four finish.
After coming so close to a first Premier League title last term, the Anfield side were highlighted as trophy favourites alongside champions Manchester City and Chelsea in the build-up to the campaign.
Yet after the loss of last season’s top player Luis Suarez, and a raft of new additions, Liverpool are some way off of the pace and have been roundly criticised by their own fans and pundits.
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Heading into 2014/15 Rodgers insisted that finishing in the top four and making it into the knockout stage of the Champions League were his major goals, and the Northern Irishman is confident that they remain distinct possibilities:
“I think perspective is something that will be lost because of the nature of our rise,” he told the Liverpool Echo.
“When I hear people talk and I hear people criticise the team, that’s fine as you expect to get criticism when you lose games.
“But if you look at where we were last season and what has happened over the summer and in the early months of this season, if you are someone who works on logic and reality you will understand that it’s not a simple process.
“Unfortunately, there is another little period of transition with so many new players coming in. We’ve had injuries and we also lost a world-class player in Luis Suarez.
“I repeat we’ve lost nearly 75% to 80% of our goals from the team in terms of Luis leaving and Daniel Sturridge not being available. We have to find different ways in order to replace that.
“I think at this moment in time with everything that has been thrown at the team, a sense of perspective is very important.
“In the league we are equal fourth on points and we’re playing in the last 16 of the League Cup next week.
“Our objective in the Champions League was to get out of our group and that’s still in our hands. Everyone saw up close just how good Real Madrid are and it looks like it will be a fight for second place between three clubs.
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“It’s how people want to spin it, but for me our season is very much on track.
“There’s still a lot of great work going on here. We’re working harder than what we did last season and eventually we will get the same results.”
Laurent Koscielny returned to the Arsenal matchday squad for the Gunners’ 2-0 midweek win over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.A lot of the Arsenal faithful were begging Arsene Wenger to rush back the Frenchman and actually start him alongside Per Mertesacker against the German opposition, however, he wasn’t needed as Nacho Monreal was comfortable in keeping Dortmund’s frontline quiet.Koscielny did return for Arsenal today in their early kick-off against West Bromwich Albion, with Nacho Monreal moving to his more recognisable position of left-back and Kieran Gibbs dropping to the bench.There’s a real feeling amongst Arsenal fans that with their Frenchman back at the heart of their defence, things will improve quickly, meaning the Gunners can hopefully go on a decent run of form to kick start their flagging Premier League campaign.Don’t believe me? Well, Twitter does!
As reported by The Daily Mail in late December, both Tottenham and Liverpool are going head-to-head to sign West Bromwich Albion prodigy Saido Berahino this January.
Having bagged 14 goals already this season, including nine in the Premier League, the 21 year-old is certainly a talented prospect, blending his fire-power with trickery on the ball, versatility and ruthless pace.
Yet, as is often the case with promising home-grown players, Berahino’s price-tag is already quoted at a rather audacious £23.5million by The Express – an outrageous figure for a striker with just 14 Premier League goals under his belt.
Liverpool and Spurs both need to strengthen their forward lines this month however, so we’ve thought of FIVE like-minded, cheaper alternatives to the Baggies front-man.
What’s the criteria? Simply, young in-form strikers, with huge potential and price-tags under the £20million mark, that could realistically be available this month. So without further ado…
DANNY INGS
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In terms of home-grown alternatives to Saido Berahino, Liverpool and Tottenham need look no further than Burnley’s Danny Ings – another English striker having a considerable impact on the Premier League table this term.
The 22 year-old was the focal point of the Turf Moor outfit’s promotion campaign last season, netting 21 times in the Championship and supplying countless more for strike-partner Sam Vokes.
It’s took him some time to adapt to the intensity of the English top flight, but the former Bournemouth prodigy is now amid a run of six goals and three assists in his last 13 Premier League appearances.
In addition to his composure and skill in front of goal, it’s Ings’ intelligence in possession that truly stands out. Diminutive mobility allows the England U21 to change the angle of play in an instant and the effectiveness of Ings’ link-up play often results in him sitting just in front of the midfield in the No.10 role.
Perhaps most appealingly for Tottenham and Liverpool, the striker isn’t accompanied by the disproportionate price-tag of your average Englishman. His contract at Turf Moor is up at the end of the campaign, and although Sean Dyche remains adamant that he’s under no financial obligation to sell this month, Burnley will struggle to resist sizable offers.
PACO ALCACER
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Linked to Tottenham by Mirror Football in September and Liverpool by The Telegraph earlier this month, both Premier League outfits will already be familiar with Valencia striker Paco Alcacer.
The 21 year-old’s been enjoying some productive form over the last 18 months, amassing 22 goals and seven assists in 58 appearances across all competitions for Los Che – including five goals and four assists in La Liga this season. That’s seen him recently ascend to significance in Vincente del Bosque’s Spain squad, bagging three goals and five caps since his September debut.
Alcacer’s defining strength is that, essentially, he doesn’t have one. Rather, the 5 foot 9 forward boasts a consistent all-round game, equally adept at finishing with either foot or with his head, technically impressive with his back to goal, capable in wide positions and a great anticipator of space inside the box.
Having been on the radars of several big clubs since 2010, after scoring six goals at the U17 European Championship for Spain, one might expect such a highly-rated striker to cost an arm and a leg.
But the talented Valencia prodigy’s release clause is currently set at just £16million – a figure viewed so reasonable in Spain that one publication dubbed Alcacer ‘the bargain of Europe’ back in September.
LUCIANO VIETTO
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Another La Liga option for Liverpool and Spurs to consider is Villarreal starlet Luciano Vietto.
The 21 year-old left Argentine side Racing Club this summer with a promising return of 18 goals in 69 league appearances and has since bagged eight in his first 16 La Liga outings – earning him the Spanish top flight’s Player of the Month award for December.
Dubbed ‘the next Sergio Aguero’ by Mirror Football, the Argentina U20 shares many characteristics with the Manchester City star, particularly his mobility, creativity and lethality in front of goal.
Vietto is by no means the finished article but seems like a wise long-term investment for any potential suitor, having already impressed in both the Argentine and Spanish top flights.
Mirror Football also value the South American striker at a reasonable £12million – but whether Villarreal would be prepared to cash in on their hottest prospect after just six months remains to be seen.
ALEXANDRE LACAZETTE
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Only Cristiano Ronaldo has managed more league goals throughout Europe’s five top flights than Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette this term, who boasts a potent return of 19 – as well as five assists – in 20 Ligue 1 appearances.
2013/14 was a real coming of age campaign for highly-rated 23 year-old, netting 22 times across all competitions, but his development since has been incredible, matching that impressive haul in just 24 appearances this season.
In addition to his ever-enhancing firepower, Lacazette offers prolific pace and versatility, being capable of playing on either flank or as an out-and-out striker – the role that’s served him so well this season.
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Outscoring the likes of Edinson Cavani and Zlatan Ibrahimovic and now a regular fixture in the France squad, Lacazette’s form is quickly gaining attention throughout Europe, with Serie A champions Juventus billed as potential suitors last season, in addition to Liverpool, Everton Newcastle by a The Express in March.
Believed to be valued within the region of €20million however, there’s no reason the Lilywhites can’t get involved as well.
Aleksandar Mitrovic
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Having generated a lethal haul of 31 goals in 65 appearances for Anderlecht since joining the Belgian side from Partizan Belgrade in summer 2013 – where he won a Serbian Super Liga title and earned a spot in the division’s Team of the Year during his ultimate campaign – Aleksander Mitrovic is quickly developing a reputation as one of the most promising talents outside of Europe’s five leading top flights.
Indeed, he boasts a strike-rate better than one-in-two this term and has been showcasing his qualities at the highest level possible, with goals in the Champions League against Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund.
Just 20 years of age and boasting a powerfully imposing 6 foot 3 frame, the Serbian international looks like a real prospect that could have an immediate effect in the Premier League.
According to the Daily Star, he’s already on the radars of AC Milan, Chelsea and Liverpool whilst he’s also been linked with a January move to Newcastle by The Daily Mail.
Valued at £15million however, per The Mail once again, he should be within Tottenham’s financial reach too.
There’s a mutually shared feeling of optimism and hope that besets itself across all football fans in the summer and January.
The signing and movement of players is a let up; a get out of jail free; a passage to a bright future. It provides a period of opportunity to iron out a club’s deficiencies and put some shine on a squad that needs changing.
The furore is a product of the media’s mass-transfer-hysteria. You can trace it’s general conception back to 1969 when media-giant Rupert Murdoch purchased the Sun newspaper and realised how the lack of nationwide printing presses meant the first editions of his papers would have to be finished en-route to British newsagents before the final whistle of evening matches had been blown. The Sun’s solution to that problem four decades ago was to fill the first editions of papers with transfer gossip (a majority of it probably all completely untrue- like today). When more printing stations were constructed nationwide and transfer gossip was deemed redundant and subsequently dropped, people complained of its absence. Inadvertently, the transfer gossip craze was born.
A slight digression, perhaps, but Murdoch’s unintentional invention makes exciting, popular, and readable press. People love to hear it, to envision the consequences of something that’s usually unfeasible, to imagine an almost parallel footballing universe where Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi start up front for Blyth Spartans. With a very small bracket of clubs dominating much of football, for the average football fan aspiring to mid-table mediocrity, the singing of a player for a big fee can sometimes be a season highlight.
Naturally, those stories can gain so much traction, making the January and summer transfer windows the Christmas-es of the modern media. Deadline Day is Sky Sports News’ Champions League Final. Every news stories are transfer gossip, ranging from unfathomably fees to the outright ludicrous (Rivaldo to Bolton remains a personal favourite).
The hysteria really is of quite some magnitude. Which places a tangible pressure on chairmekn and managers to provide some meaty transfer campaigns to feed their insatiable fan base. A failure to tap into a market in conjunction with a fall in form will be viewed in an immensely bad way by fans. And in a sport where finances are largely transparent and people know how much money is floating about, investments are expected.
It goes without saying then, but signing players for the most part is beneficial – a method of acquiring talent that you do not have, a motivational medium to remind a current crop of players that there are always alternatives in the market, a vehicle to stay financially healthy through times of austerity.
But it isn’t always the answer. Sometimes it can be seriously detrimental to a team, a financial black hole that cripples a mis-led chairman. At the end of last season, it was widely reported that Tony Fernandes’ QPR had a larger wage bill than Borussia Dortmund. QPR were plying their trade in England’s second tier while the German giants were competing in the latter stages of Europe. That ludicrous situation was a product of an appalling transfer policy. QPR’s original Championship team was dismantled in place of expensive, famous, has-beens who’s only motive appeared to be to earn their wages. It may seem different now, but QPR might very nearly have gone the same way as Portsmouth had they not quickly secured a route back to Premier League.
There’s also the more worrying effects that acquiring outside talent has on youth academies, particularly on a domestic front where a National team can be interminably hindered by a lack of home-grown talent. Chelsea haven’t had a first team youth product since John Terry. Man City had a fine reputation of developing talent up until the Mansour regime. What motive do young players have to perform at one of those tops clubs when they know they’ll never get a run in the first team? Tottenham spent upwards of £60m on midfield talent in their post-Bale period, but now actually frequently line-up with Ryan Mason and Nabil Bentaleb in those positions- what a monumental waste of money.
Making investments is a natural and necessary principle to any operating organisation. It’s just that in football, it isn’t, like the surrounding hysteria would make us assume, always the answer. Developing and having faith in your current contingent of players can sometimes be better.
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But then, after all, that’s such an un-pleasing act on a footballing fans mind, that long may the excitement of purchasing players continue.
Arsenal are now out of the Champions League, and this is obviously a huge disappointment. But a kind draw in the FA Cup sees Arsenal face Championship opposition in the semi-final for the second time in two years, and the Gunners’ recent league form has seen them climb to 3rd place, only one point behind defending champions Manchester City. So things aren’t looking too bad for Arsenal.
They are looking as nailed-on for a Champions League spot as they have been in years – though that isn’t saying much – and now people are even starting to believe that Arsenal can mount a serious title challenge.
Chelsea look to be some distance over the horizon for both Arsenal and City, The West London club are 7 points clear of Arsenal with a game in hand, and with no Champions League or FA Cup distractions, they look to be unstoppable.
But losing to PSG might have saved Chelsea a fixture pile-up over the next few months, but the hangover from losing that game has seen them looking a little wobbly. Going out in the manner that they did, coupled with the flat performance at the weekend at home to Southampton shows that Chelsea aren’t invincible.
Mourinho seems to have settled on a starting eleven, and likes to play them as often as possible. But a full season without a rest is tough for most players, and Mourinho’s insistence on a high work rate and pressing from his front men might make them tireder in the long run. But maybe without that fixture congestion they should still see it through.
It’s in our nature, as fans, to continue to hold out hope of a title race. We don’t like to concede that it’s over this early, and we’ve seen so many comebacks in the past to suggest that it’s not over yet. Manchester City have been Chelsea’s rivals all season long, and they themselves have a taste for the thrilling comeback.
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We’ve been saying since the start of the season that it’s a two horse race between those two. They were neck and neck on New Year’s Day – level on points with identical goal difference and goals scored stats, but Chelsea are now 6 points clear with a game in hand.
But if it’s still a race between the top two, Arsenal are now only a point behind it. Surely if City are in a race, Arsenal are too.
They themselves no longer have the Champions League to worry about, but they do still have the FA Cup to juggle with the league games.
They’ll have to play more games than City and Chelsea over the course of the title run-in, but this might actually be a good thing. Although Arsenal will have at least one more game to play, getting to a Wembley final would give them belief and momentum, as will the opportunity to retain their FA Cup crown.
It’s been so long since Arsenal were champions of anything that maybe that taste of glory will galvanise the Gunners for an assault on the league title this time too, as they remember the taste of victory from last season’s triumph. Maybe a trip to Wembley will reignite those memories and give them a boost to catch the two ahead of them.
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All of this after their heroic defeat to Monaco would be welcome. Defeat was disappointing, of course, but perhaps it may be morale-boosting all the same – after all, they did come mightily close to qualification, and they did create the chances to win by the required 3 goals.
So if there is still a race to the title, it must certainly include Arsenal given their recent league form and momentum. But that’s only if you believe there’s still a race to be had! If Arsenal are included, what about Manchester United and Liverpool, who are still only a few points further back?
The two-horse race we’ve had all season could turn into one of the most thrilling title races in living memory. Or it might not even be a race at all any more. Either way, you feel that to lose it now Chelsea would have to ‘mare to rival Devon Loch!
Peter Schmeichel has been quoted as saying Zlatan Ibrahimovic was ‘built’ to play at Manchester United. Schmiechel believes Zlatan could have a Cantona-esque influence over Louis Van Gaal’s side, because of the freedom players are given at Manchester United.
Is he right: should Ibrahimovic join Manchester United?
Zlatan has played in the Eredivisie, Ligue 1, La Liga and Serie A. Surely, his next move would be the Premier League. Ibra will be turning 34 this year, so time is running out for the Swede, although his form is not dropping.
Realistically, he only has a few years left of his playing career, so why not try another league before hanging his boots up for good?
Ibra would be the 20 goals a season striker Louis Van Gaal has been looking for. Zlatan has 17 goals and 3 assists to his name for this season thus far. A partnership with Wayne Rooney or Robin Van Persie – or even all three – would be the one to beat in the Premier League should Ibra join United.
If Angel di Maria’s shirts were the most popular this season, could you imagine the shirt sales for Zlatan? He is one of the biggest names in football, and one of the most interesting players out there. Manchester United would make an absolute fortune over ‘Ibrahimovic’ shirts.
One of the only issues with Zlatan joining United would be his enormous ego. He famously refers to himself in third person, and has compared himself to God. Zlatan’s ego is one of the things that makes him who he is, but over inflated egos will be a ‘no go’ at Old Trafford.
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Another issue would be how much it would cost to lure Zlatan out of the big money club that is Paris Saint Germain. Louis Van Gaal has already spent over £150 million during his time as Manchester United manager – a figure that is brought up at any given opportunity – so how much would this single player cost?
The British transfer record was already broken by the Angel di Maria signing, but could Zlatan break it once more?
Ibrahimovic would be an amazing addition to almost any side, but would be perfect for United. It would take a lot to bring Ibra to the Premier League, but were he to move to England, arguably there would only be two sides he would join.
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If he didn’t make the move to LVG’s United, he would play under Jose Mourinho in London. Ibrahimovic has stated he regrets that he only played under Mourinho for a year at Inter Milan.
Who knows where Zlatan Ibrahimovic will end up playing next year and there is a high chance he will still be a PSG player. But, if Van Gaal and Ed Woodward managed to bring in di Maria, anything is possible at Manchester United.
Gareth Bale’s supposed impending return to the Premier League has been back page news for the past few weeks. The team in question to sign Gareth Bale being Manchester United; as part of a package deal for David De Gea. Is this really the best move for Bale?
When Gareth Bale signed for the La Liga giants, and stated that it was his dream come true, we all believed him. He left the Premier League in order to join one of the biggest and best known clubs on earth. What footballer, of any capacity, would not want that? Could Bale give up this dream so easily? He’s one into his second season at Real Madrid. You don’t sign for a club of that calibre for a short period of time.
Something that has to have crossed Gareth Bale’s mind is: would a move back to England be the best for my career? He’s just 25 years old. Regressing back to his former league could be damaging, so much so that is alters his career forever. Or, it could be the best thing he could do for himself.
Realistically, where could Gareth Bale go, aside from Manchester United? Chelsea, Manchester City? Both will be hindered by Financial Fair Play and both sides would have to have a pretty big clear out if they were to be able to afford Gareth Bale. Arsenal will not put the money forward for a player of Bale’s class, so there are very few options at hand for the winger.
Much of this rumour has come about due to the harsh reactions from Real Madrid fans towards Bale. He has been on the receiving end of verbal abuse as well as physical abuse – although this was inflicted on his car – and it is a real concern. Are these attacks being overhyped by the British media, as it is an attack on a British player? Should they be less sensitive to the treatment he is getting? Real Madrid fans truly show themselves to be utterly pathetic, whereas Gareth Bale shows himself to be a professional.
Bale cannot let these incidents get to him. He needs to find the confidence he had in his first season. He is off his game right now, but that happens to a lot of footballers. They are human. It would be sad to see the world’s most expensive player be forced out of his club by some narrow minded, plastic fans. Gareth Bale has a big decision to make, which could affect him for the rest of his life. No pressure, then!
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Manchester United’s reputation has long been of a club that searches for, and signs, world-class talent. Eric Cantona, David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo come to mind.
Usually when someone claims to be one of the best players in the world, they’re already established as such in the public eye. So, what about Mario Gotze.
The Bayern Munich midfielder’s agent recently lamented the club’s lack of support for his client, protesting that Gotze is “one of the best players in the world”.
Manchester United have been tipped to make a swap move for Gotze by sending out-of-favour midfielder Angel Di Maria to Germany, so news of the playmaker’s unhappiness at the Allianz Arena lends more credibility to the rumours.
But remember the last player who arrived at Old Trafford hailed as one of the best players in the world? Oh, right: Di Maria, the same man Van Gaal is now looking to hastily dump from his squad.
Simply put, Gotze is a decent player, but nowhere near world-class, and not worth the trouble for Manchester United.
The attacking midfielder averaged 223 minutes per goal across all competitions last season for Bayern, a good showing but still worse than his previous two seasons. His agent’s argument that the club has not supported him is invalid – Gotze started 40 of the 48 games he played, and was surrounded by fellow German talents such as Bastian Schweinsteiger and Thomas Muller.
At age 23, Gotze’s resume is pretty impressive: four German championships, a UEFA Supercup and a World Cup title. However, the youngster’s achievements for both club and country pale in comparison to those of Schweinsteiger and Muller.
The agent protests: But Gotze obviously isn’t going to get any chances overshadowed by those two! He needs his own light to shine in!
In the Bundesliga, Gotze started 28 games— the same as Muller, who had 13 league goals and 14 assists compared to Gotze’s nine league goals and four assists.
In fact, when he was 23, Muller was performing better than Gotze is at the moment, averaging 155 minutes per goal.
So Gotze needs proper support to perform as one of the “world’s best” players – but when he’s placed alongside two of Germany’s best attackers, he feels stifled. What’s the poor lad to do?
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Don’t get me wrong, Gotze certainly has his strengths. His speed makes him a counter attacking threat, he has the ability to shoot with either foot and his passing is definitely improving. However, he still lacks the initiative to take risks and act aggressively on the pitch, often protecting the ball too much instead of dribbling forward.
Manchester United need an attacker who is willing to create chances by any means necessary. They do need a world-class player. But if Mario Gotze was one, we would know it by now.
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.
Rhian Brewster is only 17 years old, but the forward has scored five times and registered seven assists in 10 Premier League 2 appearances for Liverpool Under-23s this season.
It would be fair to say that there is a lot of excitement surrounding the teenager, who scored a super goal against PSV Eindhoven Under-23s on Tuesday night.
Liverpool’s official Twitter page posted a video of Brewster’s goal, and the club’s fans went a little bit potty after watching the striker produce a fine finish.
It is difficult to know how a young player will adapt to first-team football, but Brewster is surely worth a punt due to his incredible record at youth level.
The forward actually came through the youth system at Chelsea before joining Liverpool, and it is understood that Reds boss Jurgen Klopp is keeping a close eye on his development.
Fans absolutely love it when a young player shows promise before breaking into the first team, and it seems that Brewster, who was the top scorer at the 2017 Under-17 World Cup as England landed the crown, could be seeing some action soon.
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A selection of Twitter reaction from the Liverpool fans can be found below: