Manchester eyes are certainly smiling this morning as they achieved a domestic double after both clubs landing the silverware yesterday afternoon. City finally end their barren spell and it could finally prove the catalyst for a period of sustained success.
In the papers this morning there have been a mixed bag of stories that include; Wenger persuades Rice to stay; Dalglish promises not to blow £50m on greedy players, while Mancini turns pot of gold into silverware.
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Bernstein: FA cannot change Fifa alone – Guardian
Tevez considering future – Sky Sports
Gold: Drop would not finish West Ham – Guardian
Hart: Cup win silences critics – Daily Telegraph
Wenger persuades assistant Rice to stay on at Arsenal for one more year – Daily Mail
The truth about Grant: good managers do not relegate big clubs – Independent
Dalglish promises not to blow £50m on ‘greedy’ players – Mirror
Mancini turns pot of gold into silverware – Guardian
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Tottenham enter chase for in-demand Friedel – Mirror
Wenger: Choose referees by secret ballot to take the pressure off – Daily Mail
Wayne Rooney has dismissed fears about his form and fitness after insisting he feels 'sharp'.
The Manchester United striker missed two goalscoring chances during England's goalless Euro 2012 qualifying draw with Montenegro at Wembley on Tuesday.
Rooney was playing for the first time since picking up an ankle injury almost three weeks ago.
The 24-year-old has scored just one goal in six club appearances this season and is reported to be struggling to cope with the media attention that recent revelations concerning his private life have brought.
Last week Rooney pleaded for patience after admitting he was "only human" and not playing to his potential.
However, speaking after the Wembley stalemate, the striker dismissed suggestions that his game is still some way short of its best.
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"I felt sharp," he said."A couple of chances, maybe with the first I could have done better. The keeper made a good save with the second.
"I've been training for the last two months and I haven't missed a training session so there's no problem with my fitness."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Reported Arsenal target Lucas Torreira produced a brilliant display for Uruguay in their 3-0 win against hosts Russia in their final 2018 World Cup group fixture on Monday, and Gunners fans were loving his performance.
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Sampdoria president Massimo Ferrero confirmed last week that the 22-year-old had left the club amid rumours that the north London outfit had agreed a deal to sign him, but any transfer seems unlikely to be confirmed until after the South American nation are knocked out of the tournament.
The 5ft 6in player certainly impressed in a defensive midfield role for Uruguay, and he showed his positional discipline by sitting in and protecting his back four, even trying to stop a cross by diving on the ground head-first at one point.
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Arsenal supporters, who have also told their club to sign a 25-year-old attacking Premier League flop following a brilliant World Cup display, were quick to have their say on Torreira’s showing via social media, and while one said “this could be a game-changing signing”, another said he is “exactly what we need”.
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Newcastle target Garry Rodrigues will be up for sale this summer, according to a Turkish report.
Rodrigues has been playing some of the best football of his career this season, but Galatasaray’s financial troubles could see the Magpies swoop in for a bargain deal.
It is claimed that Galatasary turned down a £7million offer from Newcastle in January, but a bid in the region of £9million would be enough to tempt the Turkish giants into selling this summer. The Tyneside club aren’t the only interested party however, and could face competition for his signature from Germany and Spain.
The speedy winger has bounced around throughout his career, spending time in Germany, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain and Greece before landing at Galatasaray.
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Rodrigues – who is valued at just £3.6m by transfermarkt.com – can play on either wing, but has often been criticised for his lack of end product. These concerns have been put to rest since moving to Turkey, he has scored four and provided seven assists in 21 league appearances this season, including three goals and three assists in his last six games.
While it’s impossible to say whether he could carry this form into the Premier League, he is the type of player Newcastle need to be be signing. The roar of St. James’ Park can be heard for miles on a match day, but all too often in recent years that roar has been dulled by the performances on the pitch.
Rodrigues is certainly not world class, but his pace and directness would bring the type of spark and excitement that the club has often lacked. Just look at the reception Chelsea loanee Kenedy received after his fantastic debut against Burnley.
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With just three points separating seven teams at the bottom of the league, it’s a real possibility that Rafa Benitez’s often criticised tactics could keep the Magpies up this year. However, if the club is to take the next step in the coming seasons, they need players that will excite the fans and frighten the opposition, and Rodrigues is an excellent starting point.
Newcastle fans, let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Perhaps still overcoming the loss of Luis Suarez, Liverpool have endured a difficult start to the 2014/15 campaign.
Indeed, they’re currently 14th in the Premier League following defeats to Manchester City, Aston Villa and West Ham, whilst the Reds’ Champions League ambitions took a hit last night as they succumbed to a 1-0 defeat, courtesy of FC Basel.
Brendan Rodgers is struggling to find the formula and the new signings are yet to fill Suarez’ almighty void as a collective. It could take another spending spree in January for the Anfield boss to rescue his club’s season.
And just in case B-Rod is short on a few ideas, here’s FIVE super-signings that could get Liverpool back on track.
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GONZALO HIGUAIN
Liverpool signed two strikers this summer but Rickie Lambert and Mario Balotelli are both struggling to adapt to Anfield life, netting just one Premier League goal between them in Daniel Sturridge’s injury absence.
According to the tabloids, Brendan Rodgers is convinced he needs another front-man and has resultantly targeted Napoli star Gonzalo Higuain:
The Argentina international is rarely discussed as a member of Europe’s striking elite but he left Real Madrid with a fantastic goal-record and has maintained that proficiency in Serie A:
Here’s a look at the striker’s Top Ten goals for the European Champions:
The 26 year-old is yet to get off the mark domestically this season but he’s remained an integral component in build-up play, as shown below:
This assist against Sassuolo last weekend particularly stood out:
Higuain would certainly add further quality to Liverpool’s forward line, and The Express claim Napoli are already lining up a replacement in Porto striker Jackson Martinez.
Potential transfer fee:£30million-£40million
PACO ALCACER
A significantly cheaper alternative to Gonzalo Higuain could come in the form of La Liga trailblazer Paco Alcacer, commonly mooted as a target for Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs:
The 21 year-old striker has been in lethal form so far this season, as shown below:
And that proficiency in front of goal has earned Alcacer a place in the Spain set up, with Vincente del Bosque using the international break to grant the Valencia starlet his competitive debut.
Here’s a look at the young front-man in action:
Alcacer’s contract includes a £15million release clause, leading one Spanish publication to dub him ‘the bargain of Europe’.
Indeed, the January window could witness a continent-spanning bidding war for Alcacer’s services, and Liverpool would be wise to get in the action. But Los Che plan to bump up their prodigy’s buy-out fee to a borderline-insane £40million.
Potential transfer fee:£15million – if Alcacer’s release clause is raised, he’ll be staying with Valencia.
SAMI KHEDIRA
Steven Gerrard has struggled at the anchor of midfield this season and in truth, the Liverpool captain has always lacked the discipline – with and without the ball – for that role.
The Reds need another holding option and according to the tabloids, that could be Real Madrid enforcer Sami Khedira:
A Champions League and World Cup winner, the 27 year-old is considered to be one of the leading midfielders in world football. Here’s a look at the Germany international in action:
A player of such quality may seem outside Liverpool’s reach right now following their subdued start to the season, but Khedira is yet to extend his current contract at the Bernabeu, which expires in the summer.
Carlo Ancelotti claimed in August that the 6 foot 3 midfielder’s future wasn’t in doubt. But he’s made just two substitute outings so far this season and unless Los Blancos secure new terms for Khedira, Liverpool – and his many other suitors – will test their resolve in January.
Potential transfer fee: £9million-£15million.
VICTOR VALDES
Simon Mignolet’s performances have come under criticism of late – Gary Neville and Steve McManaman even found holes to pick in his attempt to save Phil Jagielka’s wonder-strike at the weekend:
Indeed, the Belgium international certainly seems out of his depth on occasion and Liverpool’s qualification into next season’s Champions League could well depend on better performances between the sticks.
With that in mind, rumours speculating goalkeeper Victor Valdes could be on his way to Anfield are not hard to find:
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The 32 year-old is currently a free agent after leaving Barcelona in the summer, where he amassed six La Liga titles and three Champions League titles as the Catalans’ No.1. Here’s a collection of the Spain international’s best ever saves:
Currently in search of employment, Liverpool can offer the former Nou Camp shot-stopper a contract at any time. But he left Barcelona with an ACL injury and will likely be some way off match fitness.
EZEQUIEL LAVEZZI
Another January signing that would significantly bolster Liverpool’s firepower is Argentina international Ezequeil Lavezzi, linked with an Anfield switch by a number of online sources:
The 29 year-old was a potent performer at former club Napoli and has likewise provided an important contribution to the Parisians’ escapades over the last two seasons, as detailed below:
But he’s reportedly fallen out of favour with Laurent Blanc this season, having started just two Ligue 1 fixtures out of a possible five. Resultantly, it’s believed Lavezzi is eying a move away in January.
Capable of playing out-wide or centrally, boasting stereotypical south American flair and famed for his industriousness of the ball, the PSG forward could well be the natural replacement to Luis Suarez Liverpool struggled to find this summer. Here’s a look at Lavezzi in action:
His contract expires in 2016 too, so January would be a wise time for PSG to sell before the former Serie A star’s value begins to depreciate.
Newcastle midfielder Yohan Cabaye is set to be out of Premier League action until January with a groin injury.
The Frenchman sustained the problem whilst on international duty, but it was initially thought to be a minor issue.
However, Alan Pardew has conceded that it appears to be worse than originally thought and that the ex-Lille man may be out of action until after Christmas:
“Cabaye looks like he could be out four to six weeks.” He told the Evening Chronicle.
“He might possibly have to have a little surgery on that groin. It could be we run all the way to the end of January before I have my first team to pick from.”
His absence is of particular concern to Pardew who is already missing Ryan Taylor, Haris Vuckic and Dan Gosling with long-term problems.
To make matters worse, Ivory Coast international Cheick Tiote will be unavailable for the start of 2013 due to African Cup of Nations.
Pardew admitted that with the holding midfielder’s imminent absence, he cannot afford to lose any more members of his squad:
“When Cabaye comes back, Cheick will be gone. It is tough for us at the minute,
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“You have seasons when you lose players and you have to be able to cope with it.
“If I had everybody available then losing Cabaye would not be such a blow. At the minute we cannot afford to lose anybody.”
Manchester United star Anthony Martial has made his position clear, or at least his agent Philippe Lamboley has.
The attacker’s representative recently told RMC Sport that his client wants to leave Old Trafford, and those comments have caught the attention of Arsenal fans.
The Gunners have attacking talent in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Danny Welbeck, but Martial would certainly take them up a notch.
For some reason, United manager Jose Mourinho was not entirely convinced by the Frenchman as he started him in just 18 Premier League fixtures.
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”255574″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch Four World Cup myths debunked”]
In 45 appearances in all competitions, Martial found the back of the net 11 times and created seven assists for the North-West outfit, which proves that he is more than capable of influencing a team.
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This latest development is sure to attract the attention of many clubs, but it would be a huge shock if Arsenal managed to get a deal over the line.
That has not stopped the fans from wondering, though.
According to reports in The Sun on Sunday, Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford will be a £50m summer target for Manchester United if the Red Devils lose David De Gea to Real Madrid, and Toffees fans have been quick to have their say on the rumour.
The Sun on Sunday says that United are expecting Real to reignite their interest in the Spanish stopper this summer having made numerous enquiries previously, and Jose Mourinho’s men have their contingency plan in place in the form of Pickford.
The 23-year-old has endured a tough time for the Toffees this season as they have largely struggled from a defensive point of view – conceding 45 goals in 26 Premier League matches – but only De Gea and Swansea’s Lukasz Fabianski have made more saves than his 83.
Everton supporters took to social media to give their thoughts on the story, and while one said “wouldn’t blame him if he wanted to”, another said “if I was him I”d move there”.
A player long linked with a move to the Premier League, rumours have surfaced in recent weeks that suggest Emenike is attracting interest from Arsenal and Tottenham. Despite only transferring to the Turkish giants last summer, speculation around the 27 year old refuses to go away. The forward, considered one of the Super Eagles‘ star players, is expected to start once again against Argentina this afternoon.
Emenike has cemented his position in manager Stephen Keshi’s starting eleven in recent years. After several seasons languishing in South African football, Turkish side Karabukspor gambled on the forward and he hasn’t looked back since. The Nigerian has thrived since moving into European football and has been on the move several more times, with a two year spell at Spartak Moscow sandwiched by stints at current club Fenerbahce.
Arriving at the World Cup, much as expected of Emenike but it took until the second match of the tournament for the 27 year old to get going. Conspicuous by his absence against Iran, the forward posed a constant menace to the Bosnian and Herzegovinian defence who simply couldn’t handle the 27 year old’s dangerous combination of pace and power. Emenike supplied the cross in that game for the Peter Odemwingie’s winner.
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Despite his stature, the forward is more than capable of occupying the wide roles as well as the central striking duties. The 27 year old clearly loves to run with the ball at his feet, so far averaging 5.5 dribbles per game at the World Cup. In 23 starts at Fenerbahce this season, the Nigerian managed a healthy return of 12 goals.
Having only recently re-signed with the Turkish giants, the rumoured price tag will likely prove a serious stumbling block for any side interested in the forward. At the age of 27 too, Arsenal and Tottenham will probably conclude that there are better alternatives on the market. But if Emenike continues to impress rather than frustrate with Nigeria this summer, it wouldn’t be a surprise if a move to the Premier League presented itself sooner rather than later.
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As Steve Davis approaches the anniversary of his first year in charge of Crewe Alexandra, the 47 year old manager will sit down in front of an audience of fans this coming Friday to answer questions in a rather refreshing interaction between supporters and management. Likely to be the agenda will be the future of the club, potential transfer targets, the use of the money garnered from sales of Nick Powell and Ashley Westwood in the summer and Davis’ longevity in the face of reported interest in his services from Burnley.
Burnley have seemingly avoided Davis, opting for ex-Watford man Sean Dyche, but as loyalty becomes an increasingly deteriorating commodity in football, the future of the young manager remains a pertinent question following a hugely impressive first year dabble in league management; 10 defeats in 44 games is the record and one that will post his name on the shortlists of clubs with a vacancy to fill, just as long as it takes him to put pen to paper on his proposed new deal.
An offer of a fresh 18 month contract for the talented manager is yet to be signed despite Davis’ vocal claims that he wishes to remain in South Cheshire and speculation will remain until it is all cleared up. Supporters are likely to bring that up on Friday evening as Davis, who hopes to, in his words, “take Crewe as far as he can take them” begins to face queries on that particular plan as the Alex begin to stall on the pitch.
Friday’s grilling will occur on the eve of an FA Cup tie with Wycombe Wanderers at Gresty Road which, if nothing else, offers a chance for Crewe to gain confidence from a welcome distraction from league duty. Consistency however, has been a huge issue so one would expect a result to be another false dawn following yet another disappointing defeat, this time at home to Yeovil, in the aftermath of a promising home win over Swindon Town. Crewe have failed to register back-to-back league victories this season that has yielded 6 defeats, 5 draws and 4 wins, an erratic run of results that appears echelons away from last season’s 20 match unbeaten run that ensured promotion. Such stuttering form provides a macrocosm for Davis away from Friday’s Q and A as he faces questions on the field and has yet to find answers.
Any optimism built from Tuesday’s unexpected victory over Swindon was quickly and effectively extinguished by a clever Yeovil outfit that embodied Gary Johnson’s wealth of experience of lower league football. A frustrated Steve Davis accused the Glovers of reverting to physical, long ball play, but such assessment would have been harsh to a team that utilised two clever, quick wingers, Keanu Marsh-Brown outstanding on the right hand side, and proved a strong counter-attacking outfit.
Yeovil passed the ball well in-fact, around a midfield that struggled to get to grips with possession. In the absence of the injured Abdul Osman, Ollie Turton toiled in a performance reflective of his inexperience while Luke Murphy also struggled to make his mark on the game, unfortunately failing to build on his excellent performance on Tuesday night.
The warning signs were there before Byron Webster swept home from a corner for the game’s only goal, Paddy Madden headed a cross from Sam Foley into the net only to see it ruled out for offside as Yeovil prevented the Alex from getting the ball down to play their natural passing game. Byron Moore and Chuks Aneke were denied by Marek Stech but they were both weak efforts as Crewe’s attack too often petered out with minimal effect.
Mathias Pogba endeavoured up front alone but appeared isolated in his struggles to hold the ball up. Davis rightly bemoaned the absences of Ajay Leitch-Smith and Max Clayton in attack but would have expected a more telling contribution from the likes of Aneke, a casual player becoming far too much of a luxury and Michael West, who in the manager’s post-match words, was completely off the pace. The winger was withdrawn in the latter stages for Brendan Daniels as Crewe improved, but it was all to late as Yeovil’s rearguard action forced the home side to run out of ideas and deservedly returned back to Somerset with a relatively comfortable three points.
Crewe will argue misfortune at times where the ball just didn’t fall kindly, but the harsh reality was that the tally of chances, two Aneke shots and a half-volley from Pogba that cleared the bar the most notable, were counted on one hand. Davis, by reports, cut an angry figure after the whistle sounded, locking his players up for an elongated period before verbally dressing down the referee’s assessor. A more calculated, calmer view was offered later in which he vowed to look at changing personnel and bringing players in which is clearly needed in a week that will bring a lot of Qs the manager’s way. It is up to him, as he tries to prove his loyalty in the run up to the one-year mark of a mightily successful reign so far, to find the As.
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