In a special turn of events last night, Arsenal secured a 1-4 win away at Basel and saw Paris Saint-Germain slip up at home to Bulgarian minnows Ludogorets Razgrad to put them through to the last 16 of the Champions League as winners of Group A.The Gunners knew they needed to win, but even a victory in Switzerland would not have been enough if PSG matched their result. Alas, the French champions, who only equalised in injury time via Angel di Maria, failed to beat their opponents, leaving the Londoners at the summit of their pool, which they acknowledged after the match…
It was a special night, then. Arsenal know they will now be seeded for the draw for the knockout phase of the competition, which will allow them to dodge teams like Barcelona. However, being top of their group is no guarantee of progression to the quarter-finals, as they showed when they met Monaco a couple of seasons ago.
Anyway, let’s not get ahead of ourselves and instead relive what was a big win via TEN amazing pictures…
Big night for the Gunners
Football Soccer – FC Basel v Arsenal – UEFA Champions League Group Stage – Group A – St.Jakob-Park, Basel, Switzerland – 6/12/16Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez before the matchAction Images via Reuters / Andrew CouldridgeLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
Arsenal headed into their clash with Basel knowing that even a win may not be enough to take them top of Group A. The Gunners needed to beat Basel in Switzerland, but the chances of Paris Saint-Germain dropping points at home to Ludogorets Razgrad appeared slim…
Fisching for a result
Football Soccer – FC Basel v Arsenal – UEFA Champions League Group Stage – Group A – St.Jakob-Park, Basel, Switzerland – 6/12/16FC Basel coach Urs Fischer before the matchReuters / Arnd Wiegmann LivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
Basel may have been at the bottom of Group A with just two points from five games, but the Swiss champions are well-known across Europe and have beaten the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea in Champions League action in recent years. In manager Urs Fischer, they have a talented tactician, who looked focused before a ball was kicked.
Wenger’s big night
Football Soccer – FC Basel v Arsenal – UEFA Champions League Group Stage – Group A – St.Jakob-Park, Basel, Switzerland – 6/12/16Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger before the matchReuters / Arnd Wiegmann LivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
The Champions League has been a relatively happy hunting ground for Arsene Wenger for some time, with the Frenchman’s Arsenal perennial qualifiers for the competition and a common name in the pot for the last 16. However, finishing top of their group has always been an issue, so Wenger knew before kick-off that he needed to maximise his side’s chances with a good win.
Luc out…
Football Soccer – FC Basel v Arsenal – UEFA Champions League Group Stage – Group A – St.Jakob-Park, Basel, Switzerland – 6/12/16Arsenal’s Lucas Perez scores their first goal Reuters / Arnd Wiegmann LivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
Handed a rare start, Lucas Perez repaid his manager’s faith within the opening ten minutes with a well-taken opener. The Spaniard’s Arsenal career has stuttered (and that’s a kind verdict) since his summer move from Deportivo La Coruna, but it was clear to see the joy and relief on his face when the ball nestled in the net.
Like buses…
Football Soccer – FC Basel v Arsenal – UEFA Champions League Group Stage – Group A – St.Jakob-Park, Basel, Switzerland – 6/12/16Arsenal’s Lucas Perez celebrates scoring their second goal with teammatesAction Images via Reuters / Andrew CouldridgeLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
Confidence is a funny thing, and Perez’s first goal appeared to give him a lift. It was a case of being in the right place at the right time once again when he notched number two by rolling the ball home after a Kieran Gibbs shot was parried into his path by goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik.
Three’s company…
Football Soccer – FC Basel v Arsenal – UEFA Champions League Group Stage – Group A – St.Jakob-Park, Basel, Switzerland – 6/12/16Arsenal’s Lucas Perez scores their third goal and completes his hat-trickAction Images via Reuters / Andrew CouldridgeLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
Perez’s third goal was the pick of the bunch as the Spaniard surged forward and smashed the ball past Vaclik. He may have been aided by some fairly weak keeping from the Basel stopper, but the Spaniard had earned a little luck after slotting seamlessly into Wenger’s XI.
Iwobi in on the act
Football Soccer – FC Basel v Arsenal – UEFA Champions League Group Stage – Group A – St.Jakob-Park, Basel, Switzerland – 6/12/16Arsenal’s Alex Iwobi celebrates scoring their fourth goal with Mesut Ozil Action Images via Reuters / Andrew CouldridgeLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
It wasn’t only Perez affecting the scoresheet, with Alex Iwobi, who was also handed a start by Wenger, getting in on the act. The Nigerian winger latched ontoÂthe end of a flowing piece of play between Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil to stab home the fourth goal and put the game beyond any doubt.
Basel faulty
Football Soccer – FC Basel v Arsenal – UEFA Champions League Group Stage – Group A – St.Jakob-Park, Basel, Switzerland – 6/12/16General view during the matchAction Images via Reuters / Andrew CouldridgeLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
It wasn’t all plain sailing for Arsenal though, in tough conditions at Basel’s St Jakob-Park, The home side nabbed a consolation goal with just under 15 minutes left to play as former Newcastle loanee Seydou Doumbia lost Rob Holding before swivelling past Laurent Koscielny and rifling home.
Hopeful fan
Football Soccer – FC Basel v Arsenal – UEFA Champions League Group Stage – Group A – St.Jakob-Park, Basel, Switzerland – 6/12/16Arsenal fans displays a banner in reference to Arsenal’s Alexis SanchezAction Images via Reuters / Andrew CouldridgeLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
It may have been a speculative banner from this fan, but we hope he got Sanchez’s shirt!
Perez’s big night
Football Soccer – FC Basel v Arsenal – UEFA Champions League Group Stage – Group A – St.Jakob-Park, Basel, Switzerland – 6/12/16Arsenal’s Lucas Perez celebrates after the match Action Images via Reuters / Andrew CouldridgeLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
With PSG only able to register a 2-2 draw at home to Ludogorets, Arsenal topped Group A, putting themselves in the seeded pot for the last 16 draw. On a similarly positive note, Perez’s hat-trick appears to have come at just the right time, with Arsenal now facing two Premier League ties in the space of seven days and a hectic Christmas fixture list.
Newcastle United have endured a fairly large fall from grace over the past few years but another relegation to the Championship has forced them to buck their ideas up.
Led by Rafael Benitez, Newcastle now finally seem to have the right man to steady to ship and bring some positivity back to Tyneside. Currently pushing for an immediate return to the Premier League, Newcastle fans will be enjoying the season.
Whilst the stars excel for the first-team, it’s worth keeping an eye on the talents pushing their way through the ranks in the North East as the club’s academy has a number of high-potential youngsters, including Yasin Ben El-Mhanni.
The 21-year-old has excelled for Newcastle’s U23 side this season, scoring another two goals recently, and has remarkably stood in for Barcelona superstar Neymar in a Nike shoot.
Certainly boasting tremendous ability, the latest video from FFDTV Online showcases his tremendous skills and fans of the Tyneside giants can hope to see him break through in the not so distant future.
What a time of year the festive season is for the game that we call football.
Personally, I’d happily sacrifice any chance of winning the World Cup and not bring in a winter break to get all those matches on TV forever more. I mean, what is the Christmas period for other than finding innovative ways to get away from the family to watch the latest match on the box?
New Year’s Eve served up exactly the kind of fare your average football fan needed before a night out wasting money. United partied as it it were, erm, 1999 coming back to beat Middlesbrough very late in the day. Except in 1999 they beat Bayern Munich of course, not a recently promoted team at home, and one that struggles to score goals at that.
Still, their fifth win in a row moved them from 6th place to, well, 6th place but it’s that kind of momentum that closes all kinds of gaps. And to think they were nearly a Michael Carrick ice-cream choice away from not getting all three points. Sir Alex Ferguson will have approved on what must have been his 88th birthday by now.
Chelsea ended 2016 as the league leaders by quite a distance. In fact, if you were to measure the distance in any other unit than points you would probably give this title race up as a done deal. You see, Chelsea have something that “proper football men” love to see in a team. Something that every successful side has had in abundance. Something you cannot teach, something you can probably buy but not usually seen in one of those fancy-dan number 10 types.
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What they have is something called character. Stoke looked like they were going to make a game of it but Chelsea dug in, gave it to Diego and walked away with another three points and their 13th straight win. 13 wins in a row, eh? I wonder if any other managers might have cared to comment on that? Victor Moses sent Eric Pieters so far the other way during the match that the Stoke full back was found celebrating 2011 later that night.
Liverpool and City had been built up to be the occasion where Pep and Kloppo would finally meet on a “level playing field.” Level playing field? What kind of cow patches do they play on in the Bundesliga then? They cannot mean a financial level playing field because, I don’t know if you noticed, City spent rather a lot of money in the summer just like every other summer.
Liverpool didn’t spend as much, meaning any chat of level doesn’t really count. Anyway, on that level playing field Liverpool ran out 1-0 winners, which was nice for them. That would be a guaranteed six points for them either side of the bells at midnight, what with a simple trip to Sunderland 48 hours later. Oh…
Does anyone else feel that Big Sam and Arsene Wenger are a little too pally pally now and it was much more fun to watch their matches when they despised each other? I much preferred to watch an Allardyce XI beat up the timid souls of Wenger’s selections post Vieira. Palace were so timid they allowed the fanciest goal of the day to be scored by Olivier Giroud. If you are wondering, which I am sure you are not, for me it was better than Mhki’s. Why? It was scored in the heat of battle and not when the game was already won. Plus it hit the bar, which always makes a goal look better. I’m easily pleased.
Spurs opened up 2017 by taking the Mr Hyde version of Watford to the cleaners. No, not Micah Hyde for those that can recall him donning the Hornet’s jersey back in the day. The alter-ego of Dr Jekyll, are you with me yet? Watford are delightfully inconsistent and put in the kind of Sunday morning performance you would expect from your local Sunday side, with two players going off injured because “they haven’t warmed up properly” and basically getting a drubbing. Still, we can all get excited by Harry Kane and Dele Alli again, just like last January.
Britain Soccer Football – Southampton v Tottenham Hotspur – Premier League – St Mary’s Stadium – 28/12/16 Tottenham’s Dele Alli celebrates scoring their first goal with Harry Kane Reuters / Eddie Keogh Livepic EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representativ
Monday was a fantastic day for Chelsea, and they didn’t even play. Kloppo hasn’t done a great deal wrong since landing in England, but his attempt to go all mind-gamey on Conte backfired massively. The “imagine winning 13 games in a row and still only being six points ahead” looks a bit daft when you then go and draw at Sunderland. Yeah, Sunderland. Better still, you give away two penalties to draw 2-2 with Sunderland. Like your back four needs any new ways to make your goalkeeper look silly, Jurgen. I can imagine Conte just sitting there, all cool, sipping a glass of red wine and raising an eyebrow.
City’s Fernandinho has more red cards than many expensive strikers have goals this season. In a shock case of a correct refereeing decision, City’s midfielder was shown a red against Burnley. Pep had said at the start of the season that “if a team had three Fernandinho’s they would win the title every time.” I presume that is so that you always have at least one that isn’t suspended, Pep?
For reasons only known by the Spaniard, Aguero was rested for an extra 45 minutes, having sat out most of December. Still, when he came off the bench he sorted it all out and City beat Burnley 2-1. Or Barnsley, if you are Willy C. Pep seemed a little tetchy at the end of the game. Maybe the realisation that he is barely doing as well as Pellegrini is starting to catch up with him.
The London Stadium does look as though it would be better served by big concerts or live comedy gigs rather than football. Yes, you are probably one step ahead of me. If you want total comedy at the ground then what better mix than West Ham United headlining with the support act of Mike Dean and the Deanettes? Not a lot has gone Slaven Bilic’s way this season, and he was right to feel a touch aggrieved by the outcome against United.
Britain Football Soccer – West Ham United v Manchester United – Premier League – London Stadium – 2/1/17 West Ham United’s Sofiane Feghouli fouls Manchester United’s Phil Jones and is later sent off Action Images via Reuters / John Sibley Livepic EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Pleas
José has suggested that United have been a little unlucky with some of the decisions that have gone against them this season, but Mike Dean was on a one-man mission to put them fully back in credit. Had Phil Jones got to the ball a semi-second later, would he have seen red? We shall never know. As for Zlatan, he won’t believe he was a yard offside, for Zlatan is not offside. Offside is Zlatan. And if you don’t like that, he will make you eat your balls. José seems a little happier on the whole which, frankly, is dull as I now have to find someone else to pick on.
“New Year, new me” said a million and one people a couple of days back. Not Arsene Wenger, though. Arsenal’s manager is still living in a totally different time and believes that the way to get the best out of Aaron Ramsey is to stick him on the wing. Well, I must say I was thinking it was working as Callum Wilson smashed home Bournemouth’s second after 20 minutes.
Wenger had suggested that the fixture list handed to Arsenal was a big handicap. No Arsene, that’ll be you. “It’s alright” the Gooners said, “Kostafi are back together!” Well it turns out that Koscielny was the problem, because as soon as they took him off Arsenal stopped conceding and managed to score enough to make 3-0 a startling 3-3. Football, eh?
That said, the sign of a team that wants to be champions would have been grabbing the ball out of the net, legging it back to the centre circle and giving off the body language of “come on lads, we can win this.” Not Arsenal, they were too busy watching Giroud’s new scorpion celebration…
Britain Football Soccer – AFC Bournemouth v Arsenal – Premier League – Vitality Stadium – 3/1/17 Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud celebrates scoring their third goal Action Images via Reuters / Matthew Childs Livepic EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative
Yohan Cabaye may be struggling to play the obvious pass at times this season, but he is certainly capable of stating the obvious. Cabaye felt that Palace’s match against Swansea was “must win.” Big Sam was slightly more cautious, saying that “everyone expects us to batter them, but we won’t.” Never say Big Sam doesn’t know anything about football, he was bang on.
Palace didn’t batter Swansea, they lost to them. Paul Clement, he who spent a lot of money at Derby and got fired before he could see any return on his investment, fancies another crack at the Championship. Yes, he has accepted a two-and-a-half-year deal at Swansea, which means he is going to get a lovely little pay-off when they sit mid-table below Wolves next season.
A win against Palace will get the heart beating faster in Wales, but they will not be staying up. I predict an inclement front. Yeah, I was hoping he’d get another job soon, just for that. Still, Clem came down from the stands at half time to work his magic and saw the Swans nick a late winner.
Hull, the epitome of a well run club, decided to relieve Mike Phelan of the millstone around his neck. Hull had been playing alright recently, performances far better than results but, no. Hull reckon there is someone else more foolish out there wanting the job and someone even more capable of blagging some players to come and join the sinking ship. Sounds like a job for Harry Redknapp, you say? It’s an awful long way from the South Coast. Nigel Pearson? It’s his kind of club. As in, not very good.
For a look back at last season, you know, when Leicester were rather good, check out my book “Tales from the Top Flight.” It’s a bigger bargain than, well, Pogba I guess.
Cesc Fabregas has admitted that he feels “sad” when Chelsea manager Antonio Conte keeps him out of the team.
The midfielder has had a bit-part role to play this season having made just 16 appearances in all competitions.
Conte has only handed Fabregas a starting spot in the Premier League on five occasions, while other outings have come from the bench.
The Spaniard has impressed when he has played, though, by scoring once and providing six assists in the top flight.
During Sunday’s 2-0 win over Hull City, Fabregas made Gary Cahill’s goal with a free kick, and the 29-year-old is hopeful that his contributions are being noticed by the manager. He told Chelsea’s official website:
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“I play football to win and enjoy. When I don’t play I’m sad and I don’t enjoy it but I’m happy the team is doing well. Football is my life, it’s everything to me. Every time I’m on the pitch I try to do my best. In this game it went well again so I just need to keep going and show the manager I deserve to play.
After the former Arsenal star joined Chelsea from Barcelona in 2014, he became a first-team regular, helping the Blues to the league title.
He was also a crucial part of the cog last season, making more appearances than any other midfielder in the squad.
It is clear that in this campaign he still has work to do to convince Conte.
The FA Cup is a magical thing. The third round gets all the plaudits as being the ultimate day of drama but the fourth can be just as slippy for giant teams and sides that are playing lower league opposition.
Just ask Chelsea. One of the more notorious fourth Round exits in recent years was their 4-2 defeat at the hands of Bradford City at Stamford Bridge in 2015. It was a shocking result for the Blues but it highlights just how dangerous complacency and a bad day can be to the big sides’ quest for silverware.
This weekend is no different and there’s plenty of drama in this set of 16 fixtures. We have non-league opposition hosting Championship sides in our Fixture in Focus, and we have League Two teams travelling to the in-form Premier League teams.
Everything and anything can happen, so are there any predictions to be made? Are there indicators of an upset in any of these matches? Here’s our picks of FIVE potential upsets in this weekend’s FA Cup action…
Wolves at Liverpool
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Liverpool made it to this stage of the competition by the skin of their teeth, requiring a replay against Championship side Plymouth Argyle to progress to the fourth Round, and that was only a 1-0 win.
That came after a difficult 0-0 draw at Anfield. Liverpool are struggling to break teams down right now and have only won one game in their last seven in all competitions. They’ve also already been dumped out of a cup this week, suffering two defeats to Southampton over two legs to go out of the EFL Cup.
It’s all left them in something of a crisis as Wolves prepare to visit, hoping to capitalise on the unease at Anfield and fire themselves into the next round. They aren’t having a great season themselves, struggling in the bottom half of the Championship, but could the magic of the cup provide a much-needed distraction on Saturday?
Accrington Stanley at Middlesbrough
Bear with us here, we know it’s a long shot. A League Two side has no business of travelling to a Premier League outfit and expecting to win, especially one fighting for their lives to stay in the division.
There is one key indicator here though – the only previous meeting between the two sides.
That came in the first Round of the League Cup in 2013 when Stanley shocked their Championship opponents by coming from behind and securing a 2-1 win away from home.
It was one of the last humiliating moments before Karanka’s arrival but it serves as a timely reminder that League Two sides can play beyond themselves on their day. With Boro struggling so badly for league form, perhaps lightning can strike twice.
Millwall hosting Watford
Having already dumped Premier League opposition out of the competition this season, Millwall can be confident of seeing off Walter Mazzarri’s Watford side on Sunday.
The Lions are unbeaten in their last seven matches in all competitions and still have hope of reaching the League One play-offs. Another Premier League scalp at The Den would be another big boost to their campaign.
Watford have only won one game in their last eight matches and must be making the trip across London with hesitation. Can Millwall delight their home fans once again?
Palace hosting City
Britain Soccer Football – Everton v Manchester City – Premier League – Goodison Park – 15/1/17 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola looks dejected Action Images via Reuters / Lee Smith Livepic EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further de
Perhaps not a traditional upset in the sense of lower league opposition shocking a bigger side, but if Palace can see off Manchester City at Selhurst Park on Saturday it’s sure to be a result that sends shockwaves.
It’s possible too. Pep Guardiola has had a difficult few weeks as City boss, losing to Everton and Liverpool before drawing at home to Spurs. Their title challenge is almost definitely over and if they go out of another competition the pressure only rises on the Spaniard.
Crystal Palace ran them close at home earlier in the season, City requiring a late goal from Yaya Toure to pick up all three points in a 2-1 win.
The Eagles badly need a pick-me-up under new boss Sam Allardyce and he’ll be hoping a confidence-boosting cup run can kickstart their season.
Sutton United hosting Leeds
We couldn’t leave out Sutton United could we? The non-leaguers have already had a fairytale run in the cup, seeing off League Two and League One opposition on their way to the 4th Round.
Why not go one step beyond and polish off a Championship side?
Leeds will be hoping to ruin their dreams and travel home maintaining the form that has seen them rise to third in the Championship table.
The task ahead of Sutton is massive. Leeds have only lost one match in their last 9 and are enjoying one of their best seasons in years.
But there’s something about the cup, something about a non-league side playing at home and something about the run Sutton United are on that means we just can’t count against them.
With Rangers currently having to rely on inexperienced U-20s manager Graeme Murty to take the reins as caretaker manager, it’s clear that a solution needs to be found at Ibrox to ensure that the club finish second in the Scottish Premiership and perhaps even deliver Scottish Cup success.
Whether the next appointment is long-term or just until the end of the season, the ‘Gers need a man with experience and success behind him to guide the club through what will be a difficult period of transition following the departure of Mark Warburton.
There have been many names linked with the position, with Tommy Wright, Billy Davies and Derek McInnes all early contenders for the role.
However, one man stands above those and that is Alex McLeish. He may not have the best managerial record in recent seasons but he has plenty of the attributes that Rangers are looking for.
Here are THREE reasons why McLeish is the right man to take Rangers forward…
Prior success
Let’s not forget that Alex McLeish achieved greatly when at the club against what was a very good Celtic side. He won a massive seven trophies with the club, with two SPL titles, including a much celebrated 2005 league win that Rangers fans dub ‘Helicopter Sunday’ due to the dramatic and last-minute nature of the victory.
He also won a treble, something fans can only dream of right now. That winning mentality is crucial to the Ibrox club going forward and something that was arguably missing from Warburton’s tenure.
There are a lot of factors at play to become a successful manager – tactical knowledge, recruitment, coaching – however, when you take charge at either Rangers or Celtic there’s an X-factor required that you only know someone has when they take to the dugout in Glasgow.
It’s clear to see that Brendan Rodgers has it and the ‘Gers need to someone to inspire them to similar heights. McLeish’s prior time at Ibrox proves he has what it takes.
Steadying the ship
Britain Soccer Football – Celtic v Rangers – Scottish Premiership – Celtic Park – 10/9/16Rangers’ Joey Barton looks dejectedReuters / Russell CheyneLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.
Rangers’ season has been pretty calamitous on and off the pitch. From big derby defeats to betting scandals to the acrimonious departure of Mark Warburton, it has been a dramatic campaign for all the wrong reasons.
They need an experienced had to come in and steady the ship right away, someone who will command the respect of the dressing room and ensure there’s no more nonsense in the closing months of the season.
Who better than a man with a distinguished career as a player, a successful career as a manager and most importantly a man who understands the club from top to bottom?
He can be the experienced character required to unify the club through a difficult period, and is a Rangers man willing to put everything on the line to deliver success.
No questions asked
It may be true that the Rangers hierarchy need more time than the current deadline they are under to bring in a man that can guide the club long-term. Even if that long-term appointment is not McLeish then he can at least take them forward for the short-term into the summer, and ensure that club still meet their goals set out at the start of the season.
One of those goals is ensuring they qualify for Europe through a league finish and another goal is lifting major silverware in the form of the Scottish Cup.
Rangers have already stated they’re looking for a Director of Football at Ibrox and with that comes uncertainty about what sort of form the head coach/manager’s position at the club will take.
There aren’t many managers that would come into Rangers no questions asked and commit to taking on an enormous job without knowing what the future holds. McLeish is potentially one and the club should at least sound him out to see if he’s willing to take up the job and guide the Ibrox club through a difficult time.
Preparing for a dead rubber of a second leg against Bayern Munich in the last 16 of the Champions League, brings the reality home for Arsenal: they may currently have their best squad in over a decade, but the same old failings still apply.
Trapped in a Kafkaesque world where there seems to be no exit, it’s becoming clearer and clearer that Arsenal’s best hope of a metamorphosis is to part ways with Arsene Wenger. They will have to do a that eventually. And one man Arsenal should be considering is Everton manager, Ronald Koeman.
Since taking over at Southampton in 2014, he has seen his stock rise steadily. It’s clear that he saw Everton as a step forward in his career, and left the south coast on the basis that the club lacked ambition. Whether or not the Goodison Park side match that ambition in the short term remains to be seen, but it’s clear that if he’s an ambitious football manager, Arsenal is a club he’ll feel he could do a lot with.
And after a few turbulent weeks before Christmas, the Dutchman’s reputation has been on the rise once more. There is probably no other manager outside of the Premier League’s top six with the same pedigree and prestige as Koeman.
Before going any further, though, it’s worth remembering that Wenger may yet stay in the job. At the moment, we’re in the realm of speculation and that’s mostly down to the fact that Arsenal – and Wenger himself – are yet to give any confirmation or reassurance on the future of the manager.
But whatever happens over the summer, Arsenal should still be looking at the market. If nothing else, the last few weeks have served as a reminder that Wenger won’t stay forever, and that we are – at the very least – entering the twilight of his time at the Emirates. And one of the men in that market who seems to suit very well as a Wenger replacement is Koeman.
Over the past decade, many men have been touted as potential Wenger replacements. But what we have seen over the past few weeks is an intensifying of the speculation: instead of young, up-and-coming managers who have shown ability and a similar philosophy to Wenger, we’ve started to see men like Max Allegri and Roberto Mancini touted with the job.
What that shows is how real the situation is getting. Arsenal, over the past 20 years, have never been part of the managerial speculation and the circus that goes with it. As a result, it’s been easy to talk about the likes of Eddie Howe or Remi Garde as potential successors to Wenger. But instead of touting these sorts of managers as genuine replacements, they are linked more as a compliment to their managerial talents and success than any real likelihood of taking over.
Britain Football Soccer – Southampton v Everton – Premier League – St Mary’s Stadium – 27/11/16 Everton manager Ronald Koeman before the match Action Images via Reuters / Matthew Childs Livepic EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further de
Now that there’s a real chance that a new man will have to take over soon, that’s stopped. It’s all well and good talking about a man who can take over and spend another 20 years at the helm, but with the pressure so high and with so many top managers in English football, Arsenal probably feel like they can’t make a mistake with this decision.
But there’s a middle ground. In order for a manager to stay around the club for a long time, they don’t need to be overly young. Wenger himself had 13 years of management experience before taking over at Arsenal.
And when you think about that, and you think about the possibility of finding a manager whose appointment wouldn’t be considered an undue risk, whose star is on the rise, and who can give his best years to Arsenal, it becomes clearer that Koeman fits the bill.
Tottenham Hotspur have been handed a positive update in the future of Harry Kane, with Guillem Balague telling Sky Sportsneither of Spain’s big-two have made contact with the striker.
What’s the word?
Harry Kane has had another stand-out season for Tottenham Hotspur, standing as one of the top-scorers in the Premier League this season with 17 goals, and his performances have reportedly attracted a host of interest from across Europe.
Spurs will naturally face a battle to keep hold of the England international in the coming years and reports have suggested previously that some big guns are keeping eyes on the striker- but Spanish football expert Guillem Balague has suggested that may not the case when it comes to Barcelona and Real Madrid.
According to the Spaniard, neither side has made contact with the North London outfit for the services of Kane- which gives Spurs a massive boost in their quest to keep the striker at White Hart Lane.
What was said?
Speaking to Sky Sports, Balague said:
“He [Kane] has not been approached by Barcelona or Real Madrid, not yet anyway. It doesn’t mean, however, that at some point that he won’t be”.
Will he leave?
If Kane continues at the rate his career has currently gone at, it’s inevitable he’ll eventually move to Real Madrid or Barcelona. However, it may still be quite a few years before that happens- as Barcelona don’t need a new attacker and Real Madrid seemingly have their sights set elsewhere.
Real Madrid want Eden Hazard and if they were to land the Belgian, then Cristiano Ronaldo would probably move centrally. With Karim Benzema and Alvaro Morata also on their ranks, there isn’t a position open for him.
Also, Kane is unlikely to want to move this summer ahead of the 2018 World Cup- as a decrease in playing time or difficulties settling into his new surroundings could affect his standing in Gareth Southgate’s squad.
With the majority of the season gone and plenty of time to analyse the players in his squad, Southampton manager Claude Puel could have some important decisions to make this summer.
The Frenchman needed a large pool of players to pick from this term because of the Saints’ progression to the final of the EFL Cup, as well as their participation in the Europa League group stages.
However, with qualification for next season’s competition looking unlikely after a largely underwhelming Premier League campaign, he may be unable to keep some players as happy as he has this term.
While fringe men such as Lloyd Isgrove, Florin Gardos and Cuco Martina could all depart St Mary’s Stadium at the end of the campaign, there is also every chance that there could be some surprise names shown the door too, in search of a new start or regular first team football.
Without further ado, here are THREE Southampton players that could make a shock exit from St Mary’s this summer…
Fraser Forster
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While it may come as a surprise to followers of other clubs, Forster is slowly but surely losing the faith of Southampton supporters because of some of his performances this season.
The England international has almost single-handedly helped the club to points before – think Arsenal away last season – but it has been a different story this term and his confidence appears to have been shattered.
Showing uncertainty when balls come into the box and less agility, Saints boss Claude Puel could already be looking for a new goalkeeper – Mouez Hassen already joined from Nice in January – and it would be a decision that wouldn’t upset too many fans on current form.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg
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When Southampton signed the Denmark international from Bayern Munich last summer, fans would have been excited at the prospect of watching the 21-year-old play.
Hojbjerg certainly made a bright start to his Saints career with some accomplished performances on the ball, but it is form that has slowly dwindled throughout the campaign.
Because of how well he speaks and his stature on the pitch, the frustrated supporters will sometimes forget that the midfielder is, in fact, younger than the likes of Jack Stephens, Sam McQueen and Jack Stephens, and perhaps needs more time to adapt to the English game.
However, the Dane was an unused substitute for the EFL Cup Final and left out of the squad altogether for the win against Watford in the Premier League last weekend, possibly putting his future under Claude Puel into doubt.
Charlie Austin
The former QPR striker was the Saints’ main man up top earlier in the campaign, and they often relied on Austin to score their goals.
The 27-year-old scored nine goals in all competitions before picking up a shoulder injury in the Europa League draw against Hapoel Be’er Sheva in December.
With Claude Puel now looking to have found his preferred formation and Manolo Gabbiadini surely cementing his spot in attack following the sensational start to his career in England, Austin might find it hard to fight his way back into the side.
You get the feeling that Gabbiadini is the style of forward that Puel has been looking for, and while he is a goalscorer, Austin’s lack of agility and pace could mean that he is surplus to requirements in the summer.
Regardless of the clubs’ positions in the Premier League table, the Merseyside Derby is always a fiercely fought match that produces drama and intrigue. So this weekend’s fixture will only be all the more interesting given that the bitter rivals are close to one another in the rankings, with the Toffees able to move to within three points of the Reds if they claim a victory at Anfield.
Jurgen Klopp’s side, perhaps, have more at stake, though, with staying in the top four their aim. Although they have a points buffer over Manchester United and Arsenal, the duo have games in hand and could former could leapfrog them with maximum points from them.
So, news that skipper Jordan Henderson has lost his battle to be fit in time for the game has come as a real blow. The 26-year-old has been out of action for a while now with an ankle problem, yet it was hoped he could use the international break to fully recover, alas it has proven not a long enough period of time.
As well as Henderson, Adam Lallana will be missing with a thigh issue, so Klopp has a midfield headache with two of his main three out of action. There are replacements, however, with Lucas Leiva among them, although he’s certainly not a popular option…