Leeds fans have been reacting to the news that Liam Cooper and Andy Lonergan will miss Saturday’s clash with Sheffield Wednesday.
Centre back Liam Cooper and goalkeeper Andy Lonergan are both set to be out for extended periods, says Leeds manager Paul Heckingbottom.
Cooper was enduring a poor spell of form and taking plenty of stick from fans, and sustained his injury in the loss against Wolves. The captain was clattered by his own player, suffering a severe dead leg. Fans don’t seem all that sympathetic about the injury.
Lonergan had missed several games with a neck injury, and is now set for a longer spell on the sidelines after aggravating the injury. The 34 year-old probably doesn’t hold much hope of getting back in the team now, after the sudden emergence of Bailey Peacock-Farrell.
Leeds host Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday, still seeking their second win in the calendar year. The injury to Lonergan won’t impact the lineup, but Cooper’s injury means Everton loanee Matthew Pennington will likely keep his place.
Fans have been reacting to the injury news on Twitter, and we don’t think Liam Cooper will want to check his social media this morning…
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
The Manchester Derby is another hugely anticipated match in the English Premier League as two teams from Manchester go head to head for bragging rights.
With City currently ahead of United in recent seasons, Louis van Gaal will need to unleash his squad’s full potential in order to overcome their neighbours at the Etihad.
So, with that in mind, here are FIVE things the Red Devils need to do if they are going to have a chance of picking up three points against Manuel Pellegrini’s side.
[ffc-gallery]
CLICK ON WAYNE ROONEY TO SEE THE FULL LIST
[/ffc-gallery]
Force Manchester City to defend
In recent matches between the two teams, Manchester City’s attacking presence has always gotten the better of Manchester United due to their quick and intricate passing. Even with key playmaker David Silva injured, they will still keep the same playing style.
If Louis van Gaal wants to avoid unnecessary pressure, he will need to encourage his side to be continuously attack their opponents rather than sit back and hope to break on the counter attacks. With such a lethal strike force, the Red Devils will need to make the best out of their chances.
Keep Sergio Aguero in line
Manchester United will already know that if they give Sergio Aguero any sort of room anywhere in or around the penalty area, they will surely be punished given the Argentine’s lethal form. With an out-of-form Yaya Toure and an injured David Silva, all the Manchester City players will be pushing the ball to Aguero.
This means United will have to be in constant communication over his movements as Daley Blind will need to be on the top of defensive game when tracking back to aid the squad’s defence. If the players can frustrate him enough and keep his impact at a minimum, they will surely avoid a losing unnecessary goals.
Unleash the Manchester United Galacticos
Although Manchester United are struggling defensively, they have one of the most feared front lines in the Premier League. If Louis van Gaal can unleash the likes of Wayne Rooney, Angel Di Maria, Radamel Falcao, and Robin van Persie against Manchester City, they could actually come away with three points.
Given the fact that City were unable to fend off Newcastle United at home, they could have defensive troubles of their own as Van Gaal will have to urge his players to attack Joe Hart’s goal. The four superstars in the squad are proven world class players and will need to be at the top of their game to ensure that Manuel Pellegrini will register his third consecutive defeat.
Manchester United need to keep their defensive composure
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Even though David De Gea is currently in amazing form, he cannot keep out every opportunity that comes his way. This means the back four, along with the midfield players will need to work together in order to ensure their goalkeeper is not over-exposed in any way.
It is known that Manchester United have been struggling defensively throughout the season, so if they can reproduce a similar performance to the one that kept Chelsea at bay, it could just be enough to ensure a tight scoreline. With Manchester City enjoying their attacks from the sides, players like Rafael and Luke Shaw will especially have to be at the top of their game.
Manchester United need Wayne Rooney to continue his derby form
If Wayne Rooney is full fit for the clash, Manchester City wills surely have something to fear because the Manchester United captain has already recorded 11 goals in this derby fixture. It is still unknown whether he will play a part given his latest injury, but knowing Rooney, he will do all he can to take part.
With the England man in the squad, United will have another devastating outlet in the attack as he joins Angel Di Maria as the link between the midfield and the attack. In addition to this, his never give up mentality will be a huge asset as he leads his teammates to track back and make sure everyone gives it their all.
Ipswich Town yet again failed to put in a good performance when fellow strugglers Peterborough United came to Portman Road on Saturday.
If the Tractor Boys were playing against a better side then it could have been another thrashing but thankfully the visitors were just as poor as the home team.
I have no idea what the Ipswich defence were doing when Lee Tomlin broke into the box. No matter how many times I watch the goal I can’t work out how they managed to let Tomlin have so much space to shoot. Ipswich did not even have a shot on target in the first half and if it wasn’t for Peterborough’s equally poor play then Ipswich would have never got back into the game. Perhaps the away side will feel like they could have won the game as Mick McCarthy’s side never looked like winning it.
Peterborough are mine and probably everyone else’s favorites to be relegated. The fact that Ipswich looked second best to a team destined for League One worries me greatly.
We can perhaps forgive the team for getting thumped by teams like Leicester, Blackpool and Crystal Palace because they are decent sides, but when they get showed up by the divisions weaker sides we have to draw the line and say that it is completely unacceptable.
You have to look at the likes of Lee Martin and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas who get paid above average wages for those at Championship level and think what do they do to deserve those wages? Of course it is unfair to just single out two players but they are two prime examples of players that look like they don’t even care about their careers, let alone Ipswich’s league position.
Thankfully, Lee Martin’s contract is up in the summer so he will either be leaving or he will be signing a new contract on lower wages. I know a lot of fans think he has the potential to set the Championship alight but personally I would not have a problem with the club letting him go, even if it is for nothing. Yes he did win us a penalty and yes he may have the occasional good run of form once a season where he looks like one of our best players, but that is not really enough to justify having him around. With a bit more consistency I would consider him an average player at this level but nothing more than that. Most of the time he looks uninterested and it is a shame that he is letting what talent he has go to waste.
In fairness the same could be said for Jay Emmanuel-Thomas as the tricky winger has been far from his best this season. JET has always lacked consistency and even more importantly lacked composure in the final third of the pitch. It is exciting to see the former Arsenal player’s fancy footwork, weaving in and out of defenders to break into the box, but his inability to provide a decent cross or shot really lets him down.
Sometimes you get the impression that JET is really fired up for the game and defenders panic any time he gets near them. However once the winger knows he has a regular place in the team he starts to slack off, losing his enthusiasm and flair. Recently he has started on the bench and looks more up for games when he eventually does come on but why should we keep a highly paid player at the club who can never maintain a regular starting role?
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Like I mentioned before, these two players are not the only ones failing to pull their weight but they summarise the kind of players that are at Ipswich. If they don’t even care about their own careers then the club has no chance of getting the best out of them. January can’t come soon enough, hopefully McCarthy will get the money to bring some real footballers into the club.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s World Cup campaign has once again contained impressive doses of enormous potential, even if the Chelsea youngster still doesn’t appear the finished article. But that’s perhaps because it’s still not quite clear what type of midfielder the 22-year-old really is, and which part of the engine room his future ultimately resides in.
Following a season in which roaming No.8s were instrumental aspects of Manchester City’s domineering Premier League title win and Liverpool’s cavalier run to the Champions League final, it feels as if Loftus-Cheek is emerging at the perfect time. Gareth Southgate has carved out similar roles in England’s midfield as part of his 3-1-4-2 setup, taking advantage of a new breed of midfielder that are part No.8 and part No.10, and that’s the position Loftus-Cheek has taken up throughout the World Cup bid – including against Belgium on Thursday night.
With five dribbles to his name, there were plenty of instances in which Loftus-Cheek showed how effective he can be in that role, driving on from the engine room to become part of the forward line. His size wreaks havoc and when he manages to build up speed, he can be unstoppable on the counter – something Roy Hodgson tapped into with great effect at Crystal Palace last season.
But when compared with Jesse Lingard and Dele Alli, there is a key difference. Loftus-Cheek isn’t quite as nimble or offensively threatening. Perhaps his game will get to that point on the latter front – Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain provides a great example of a player whose output was questioned but has really exploded into life over the last twelve months – but in his early 20s, the Blues starlet probably won’t become much more agile or faster than he is right now. Growing in strength and power seems more likely.
And thus, moving into a deeper role would perhaps be a better fit for Loftus-Cheek in the long-term. He’s got the strength, dribbling ability and composure to act almost like Tottenham’s Mousa Dembele at No.6 – receiving the ball and moving it forward wisely with effortless elegance. Particularly in the Champions League last season, it was Dembele who gave Spurs the platform to launch attacks from that deep-lying pocket, combining his capacity to muscle opponents off the ball with the technical quality to shift it onto an open man.
[brid playlist=”4766″ player=”12034″ title=”World Cup 2018″]
For that kind of transition though, other aspects of Loftus-Cheek’s game still require improvement. He was dispossessed five times by Belgium – for Dembele to do that at the base of Tottenham’s midfield would be sacrilege. Likewise, his passing accuracy was just 78%; Dembele’s in the Premier League last season was 92%, and for Belgium on Thursday night it was 99%. Although that’s no doubt influenced by the obligation for Loftus-Cheek to play riskier passes in a more offensive role, the difference remains distinctly noticeable.
Is this the best World Cup ever? Give us your thoughts here and win any World Cup shirt of your choice.
So, what do you see as Loftus-Cheek’s ultimate position? Should he continued to be used as a powerful and dynamic no.8, or would moving him into a deeper role truly see him thrive in the years to come? Let us know by voting below…
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Chelsea find themselves doing a bit of soul searching today after a humbling experience against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. Although the players were only following the instructions of their manager, the passive manner of the performance in the 1-0 defeat has inevitably left a sour taste – and it’s also telling of how Antonio Conte views his current squad in terms of quality.
Following Sunday’s clash, we asked Chelsea fans to give individual performance ratings out of ten for each player involved in the meeting with the Citizens and it appears there are four, excluding substitutes, that disappointed Blues supporters most.
While midfield pairing Cesc Fabregas and Danny Drinkwater picked up an average rating of just 4/10, two Chelsea players actually fared worse than that. Wing-back Victor Moses received a mere 3.7 rating, while attacking midfielder Pedro – who failed to make any use of what little of the ball he received – had the worst rating of just 3.6.
Were these performances simply a one-off, Chelsea fans, or would you like to see some of the aforementioned quartet axed from the starting XI for the Blues’ next game? Let us know by commenting below…
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Liverpool hero Ray Houghton believes that his old club will make in two top four finishes on the spin this season despite losing Luis Suarez.
The Reds secured a long awaited return to European football’s top table last term as they finished second after mounting a shock title push.
Although dreams of a first ever Premier League crown were crushed late on at Anfield, few have denied that 2013/14 was a success on the red half of Merseyside as the club made sure that the new season will be the first one since 2009/10 that they feature in the Champions League.
WANT MORE? >> Liverpool transfer news | Latest transfer news
Since then they’ve lost talismanic striker Suarez – who hit 31 league goals during the last campaign – but almost £100m has been reinvested in top talent such as Lazar Markovic, Dejan Lovren and Adam Lallana.
Some have suggested that with Manchester United looking to bounce back Liverpool may fall out of the top four, but Houghton has faith in his old club:
“Yes, for me they will (finish in the top four).” He told talkSPORT.
“They may be below Chelsea, Man City, Arsenal and Man United in the bookies’ eyes, but I don’t see it that way at all.
“They’ve got a much stronger squad than last season. Sure, they’re just missing a key ingredient in Luis Suarez, but they’ll still be very competitive.
“I think it’ll be less about how many goals Liverpool can score – we all know what the likes of Daniel Sturridge and Rickie Lambert can do – and more about how they can defend over the course of 38 games.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
“Liverpool have bought well this summer, the signing of centre-back Dejan Lovren from Southampton in particular, and they needed to because they need more depth for the Champions League.
“But the bottom line is they need to defend better, that’s where they were found out last season.”
With nearly half of the season gone already in the top flight, every team is readying itself for the busy and potentially decisive festive period, which can often make or break any European hopes any respective club may secretly harbour. But with both the Manchester clubs seemingly assured of Champions League football again next term, what about the other hopefuls, such as Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham, Everton, Newcastle and Arsenal? Let’s take a look and assess their chances.
Last season, Chelsea’s success by triumphing in the most unlikely of circumstances saw them clinch the final qualifying place despite only finishing 6th in the Premier League, cruelly relegating Tottenham to the Europa League. After all, as Liverpool fans experienced after their shock success back in 2005, it’s difficult to call it the ‘Champions League’ when it doesn’t have the defending champions in it and along with Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United, England had its four representatives, who, by and large, most people would have predicted prior to the season beginning, even if the route was somewhat convoluted this time around. This season, though, the race for a top four place looks wide open and several teams stand a reasonably good chance of gatecrashing the party.
The fact that so many of the top sides are currently in a period that they would term as ‘transition’ means for the first time in recent memory, there could be two places up for grabs in the top four, with only Sir Alex Ferguson’s and Roberto Mancini’s sides good enough to string a consistent run of form together at the moment, despite their obvious deficiencies and each and every challenger has gone through a period of rotten form already.
Chelsea currently sit in third in the league table at the moment, but a ten-point gap has slowly but surely opened up behind United and they’ve slipped well off the pace, long before the deeply unpopular Rafa Benitez ever stepped through the door at Stamford Bridge. The team’s blistering start was unexpected, yet they lack leaders throughout the team aside from the traditional and much-maligned ‘old guard’ and they look brittle at the back when put under any sort of pressure.
[cat_link cat=”premiership” type=”list”]
They became the first defending champions to crash out at the first hurdle in mid-week despite hammering Nordsjaelland 6-1 at home, with the damage already done under Di Matteo and the disappointing 2-2 draw at home to Juventus proving costly. They are currently on a run of seven games without a win in the Premier League and the struggles of Fernando Torres up front refuse to go away, with the spectre of Falcao looming large. Nevertheless, the sheer amount of quality that they have within the squad should mean they are there or thereabouts by the end of the term and they always retain the ability to strengthen heavily in January should they need to, and you suspect they just might to try this route to success again in the hope of reviving a flagging campaign.
Arsenal produced a stunning comeback in form towards the back end of last season from February onwards, overhauling a huge lead that their north London rivals Tottenham had on them in the process on their way to third place, but a repeat performance looks unlikely at best at the moment. They’ve qualified for the Champions League during the past 15 consecutive seasons under Arsene Wenger, a tremendous run which he deserves credit for, but without someone like Robin van Persie to lead the line, they look short of not only confidence, but quality in several key areas and they look unlikely to extend it to 16 seasons in a row this year.
My tip for the top four this season was Tottenham and I’ll stand by that given the progress the team is currently making under Andre Villas-Boas, particularly given the sheer pace of change at the club over the past few months. While they are a flawed outfit, prone to capitulation, they look capable of stringing together a run of results more than most of their rivals for a top four spot. It’s imperative that they keep Moussa Dembele fit, though, for without him, they lack energy and conviction in the middle of the park, while they could also do with a new centre-half in January, but they finally appear to be hitting their stride and look set to make the top four for the second season running for my money.
Another team with an outside chance of making the grade is Everton, who happen to be going through their own patch of sticky form right at this minute, which has seen them draw seven of their last nine league games, winning just one. After a fantastic start, the traditional slow-starters have seemingly gone about their season in reverse and there’s a sense that they’ve failed to capitalise when the going has been good to establish themselves while others around them have floundered. They are still just three points off the pace and Tottenham in fourth place, but draws against the likes of QPR, Norwich and Wigan, not to mention the late equaliser they conceded against Fulham and their recent defeat to Reading could come back to haunt them further down the line. They are only one Marouane Fellaini injury away from their hopes being ended, and while they remain a solid, organised and increasingly attractive outfit to watch, their inability to grind out results and keep clean sheets could cost them dearly.
Their Merseyside rivals Liverpool are another team deemed with an outside chance of making the top four this season under new boss Brendan Rodgers and there’s evidence that slowly but surely they are adjusting to their new style of play with some success. They currently sit in 11th, but just seven points behind Tottenham in a tightly-congested table and their recent nine-game unbeaten run pointed to progress being made. The dampening of expectations around Anfield this summer, coupled with the fact that they are relying heavily on inexperienced youth players and are overly-reliant on Luis Suarez means they are not the best organised to make the step up required. The return of Lucas Leiva from injury should see them finish in the top eight, possibly even top six, and the club’s fans would have taken that at the start of the season; they are building towards a genuine challenge within a couple of years, but for the moment, it may have come too early for them and they need to remain realistic.
Finally, we move over to Newcastle, a side that’s failed to live up to expectations under Alan Pardew this season and one which is struggling with their own variant of second-season syndrome. With such a small squad, every injury and suspension has been keenly felt, while the lack of investment in the summer was tantamount to gross negligence; a needless tightening of the purse strings at the precise time when they needed to be loosened. The balancing act of European and Premier League football has proven too much to handle for them this season and they look set for a campaign of mid-table obscurity, which is a deeply disappointing follow-up performance to their fantastic breakthrough last year.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
If I had to stick my neck out on the line and predict the top four by May, coincidentally, it would look exactly the same as it does now, with Chelsea and Tottenham joining the sure-fire bets of United and City. The increasingly competitive nature of the top flight has made predicting the Champions League spots harder to predict than ever, with Swansea and West Brom also worthy of a mention after their early season form, but over the course of a long campaign, the teams with the most money will gradually edge ahead, with Arsenal’s decline creating the conditions for which another club can now steal a spot.
It’s far from sown up yet and Everton still stand the best shot out of all the remaining contenders if you ask me, but it’ll prove exceedingly difficult for the likes of Newcastle and Liverpool to come back after their slow starts. Clinching a top four spot is still considered the Holy Grail in England, with Arsene Wenger even ranking it above winning the League Cup, but with 23 games of the campaign left and such an open race, it promises to deliver a few twists and turns yet – the flawed nature of all the usual suspects practically guarantees it.
Who do you think will qualify for next season’s Champions League? To be in with a chance of winning an iPad, let us know by clicking on the banner below
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.
[ad_pod ]
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.
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”258359″ player=”12034″ title=”The World Cup Twitter Report”]
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”.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
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.
[ad_pod ]
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.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
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.
[ffc-gallery]CLICK ON RODGERS TO REVEAL
[/ffc-gallery]
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:
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
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.