As followers of my blog will have noticed, I have been more than a little absent over the last 12 to 18 months. There are a number of reasons for this, but during this time, I have learnt a lot about myself, the world and some of the people in it. As a result, I thought I'd share some of my revelations over the past year or so. However, as I don't run a lifestyle blog, the only way I could make it relevant is by applying principles I have seen in this season's Premier League.
So, here are my 10 (loosely related) life lessons from this season:
1. Things don't always turn out as you expect
If this isn't backed up by goings on in this season's Premier League, I don't know what is. Ahead of the start of the the season, it was expected to be business as usual for the Premier League. Chelsea, such dominant champions just a few short months ago, were odds on favourites to retain their title with the seemingly unflappable and unbeatable Jose Mourinho at the helm. Similarly, Manchester City were looking resurgent, with nearly £200m spent in the summer window on the likes of De Bruyne and Sterling.
However, nine months on, and it is neither of these giants, nor Arsenal, Tottenham or Manchester United proudly atop the Premier League, but little old Leicester City. The fact that this was 5,000 to 1 at the start of the season (higher odds than the Loch Ness Monster being discovered!) demonstrates the point above, creating a fairytale story for the men from the Midlands.
2. It can be easy to get caught in a negative spiral
If you're anything like me, you'll identify with this one. It doesn't matter how well things seem to be going, you're always able to conspire to ruin it. As I outlined in a recent post on my motivation for my London Marathon run, I've done this to significant cost in my personal life, and has led me to a situation I never thought I'd find myself in.
In footballing terms, there is no doubt that this applies perfectly to Crystal Palace this season. Having started so well, with the likes of Yohan Cabaye and Bakary Sako in strong goalscoring form, they looked on course to challenge for at least their best Premier League finish ever. However, after a second half of the season to forget, they found themselves scrambling against relegation in the last few weeks of the season. Getting out of that cycle is difficult, and can often seem impossible at times.
3. Money doesn't always solve the problem
I've discovered this one more recently - I've never had much spare money, so I can't honestly say that this has been an issue for me in the past. However, over the last 18 months, I'm not ashamed to say that I've attempted (unsuccessfully) to make certain things in my life better using money. Safe to say, I've learnt that money can't buy you happiness - finding that seems far more difficult!
This is certainly something that has parallels in Premier League football. In particular, Manchester City's defensive issues were something that they have increasingly thrown money at in recent years, with over £100m spent since 2010 on a succession of centre backs - Joleon Lescott, Kolo Toure, Jerome Boating, Stefan Savic, Matija Nastasic, Martin Demichelis, Eliaquim Mangala and most recently Nicolas Otamendi. Has their defensive record got any better? Not if this season is anything to go by!
4. People can surprise you (and not always in a good way!)
From a personal perspective, there is nothing unusual about this point. My last couple of years have been filled with examples of people that have surprised me with their understanding or interest. However, even those you feel you know well can surprise you - and sometimes you end up on the wrong side. I've also found myself in situations where I didn't know which way was up, with certainly no idea about where I stood.
Again, in a season full of shocks, there have been individuals that have stood out from the crowd, and I'm going to be a bit more controversial here. For me, the epitome of a positive surprise from a player has been the performances of either N'Golo Kante or Riyad Mahrez, both who have consistently shone, either through hard work or moments of magic.
However, despite all the plaudits received, I'd argue that a player that has surprised both in a good and bad way is Jamie Vardy. For all of his goalscoring heroics, for every bit of industry and every yard won for his side, just one event comes to my mind. As I said to my family on the day that he broke the consecutive goals record earlier in the season - 'it's amazing how scoring in 11 straight matches will make people forget you're a racist.' Great message for the kids, that. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what you say in casinos or whether you act like a first class chav, as long as you can kick a ball, it's all ok.
5. Hope can be the worst human emotion
During the last year or so, one phrase has stuck with me. I can't remember who it was that said it, in case anyone thinks I'm trying to plagiarise, but it certainly appears apt to me. It is, quite simply, 'without hope, there can be no true despair'. No matter how painful the initial event is, it is made that much worse by hoping unsuccessfully for something better, or for things to be fixed, particularly if you are given continued hope that this may be possible.
Now, as well as this applies to my personal life over the last 12 months, it also applies just as well to the history of my club, Manchester City. Though admittedly less so recently, I grew up in a time when City flattered to deceive, and would always snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. I have therefore become accustomed to hoping for much and receiving little, and to be perfectly honest, I'm confident that it's made me the realist I am today! In fact, I'm still waiting for them to screw the current situation up - I'm convinced it's just an extremely long con!
6. Don't just let yourself get battered
My belief that is order to be truly happy, you have to let yourself be vulnerable and open. However, this does leave you open to being hurt - and badly. Take a boxing match, for example. You put a guard up and let someone tee off on you. Hurts, doesn't it? However, lower your guard and do the same thing. Tell me how you feel when you wake up attached to an IV. In that situation, it is all too easy to allow yourself to become the victim, and be battered and bruised. And I'm no expert in this, but somehow, you need to keep picking yourself up off the canvas and moving forward until someone physically stops you.
In footballing terms, that best applies to Aston Villa this season - and by that I mean they have dropped their hands and been smashed repeatedly. Their seeming disregard for both the shirt and their fans has led to one of the worst seasons in Premier League history, and run-ins for the likes of Joleon Lescott and Gabby Agbonlahor with the club hierarchy and fans. Such has been the disintigration of the once great club, that the board members that were brought in to restructure it and make it prepared for life in the Championship gave it up. Not exactly a promising sign is it?
7. Rebuilding things takes time, and you need to be patient
Now this is a difficult one, especially if you're like me. I'm extremely impatient when it comes to wanting results, which is why my love-hate relationship with the gym is a little more hate than it is for most normal people. Whether you've suffered a set-back, had your confidence destroyed or your world rocked, it's perfectly normal for things to take a long time to heal and get better. The trick is to give yourself that time - easier said than done, I admit.
Message to all Liverpool (and to a lesser extent cockneys, I mean, Man United fans) this footballing metaphor applies to you! As much as you go on about history, it really means nothing when it comes to the current day, and time to face facts, your teams aren't as good as they once were. Stop treating managers by frankly unrealistic standards, and support your team. Instead of complaining about Brendan Rodgers or Louis van Gaal, you need to accept that you're going through a difficult transition period, and things will take time. Be patient.
8. Sometimes you have to rely on others (results)
Ok, so the grammar isn't great, but you get what I'm saying! This kind of links to number five, but this is a bit harder. Where others can surprise you, having the ability to talk to and rely on others is a whole new level of trust, and one that I can certainly admit to some trouble with.
As the headline suggests, this one was custom made to fit to the footballing metaphor. With a week of football left in the season, we saw a rollercoaster ride for the final Champions League spot between the two Manchester clubs. After City's 2-2 draw with Arsenal on the Sunday, United had all the momentum, just two points behind City with a game in hand. However, a 3-2 defeat by West Ham in the Hammers final game at the Boleyn Ground saw the ball put back into City's court for the final day. Despite a bit of drama at Old Trafford, with a suspect package discovered at the Stretford End, City did their usual trick (the minimum required!) to finish with a spot in the Champions League for next season.
9. Momentum can be powerful, and take things one step at a time
Once you turn a corner, you can rely on a powerful force: momentum. When you've proven that you can do something, it makes it that much easier to continue to do it. Even in the darkest moments, the little things become important, and gives you a platform to continue onwards. In these moments, I have learnt it is incredibly important to try and isolate individual tasks and defeat them as they arise. Again, as I mentioned earlier, my lack of patience holds me back here, and there have been more than a few times where I have wanted to give up (and have come pretty close) in the past 18 months, but a combination of things have kept me going, of which momentum is certainly one.
Here, Leicester again play a key role. For every doubter and every nay-sayer, it only required the group of player and their manager to come out and say 'we're not thinking about the title, we've only got eyes for [insert team name here] next week.' And lo and behold, that following week all too often resulted in a favourable scoreline for the Foxes. While this explanation may undermine some of the exceptional individual performances throughout the season, there can be no doubt that momentum inevitably plays a considerable role in any championship season, none more so than the one seen by Leicester this week.
10. You can achieve more than you thought possible if you push yourself
This has been the biggest thing I have discovered over the past 12 months, without a shadow of a doubt. It doesn't matter how badly you're hurt, or how strong the urge is to give up, you can still surprise yourself. After a tough two years, I'm still not OK, or anything close, but I have a few things I can point to that I can be proud of. Take just a few weeks ago as a prime example - after six months of training, and a lot of willpower, I ran the 2016 London Marathon in 4hr 34 minutes. Something I'd never have been capable of or willing to do at any other time in my life, but I set myself a goal and achieved it.
As with so many of these points, Leicester's approach to the disbelief of the world highlights this from a Premier League perspective, and demonstrates the strength of each of the players involved. However, where their goal can be firmly set on retaining their hard-fought title, I am now looking for my next challenge, safe in the knowledge that more is possible than I imagined.
So if you've had a hard time recently, or are looking to set yourself a few targets, I guess what I'm saying is watch the football - there are enough lessons to be learnt about yourself to keep you going for a while!
Analysis of sporting events, talking points and controversies.
Showing posts with label Season. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Season. Show all posts
Sunday, 15 May 2016
Sunday, 3 May 2015
Premier League 2015: My Awards
I sometimes wonder who picks the best teams of the year in football. After FIFA's farcical inclusion of David Luiz (making the recent nutmegs by Luis Suarez all the more sweet) and Angel di Maria (remember him?) in its Team of the Year in December, the PFA have shown they are not to be outdone, with some rather odd decisions for its Team of the Year just last week.
However, before we get onto that, I'll cover the bases on the PFA Player and Young Player of the Year. Despite my protests regarding the team (and there are a few), I actually agree with both the decisions. Eden Hazard has had an exceptional year, scoring 18 goals in all competitions this season, and laying on an additional 10. More than that, he has been consistent ever since arrived in England. Last season, he scored 16 and assisted seven, while scoring 10 and assisting 14 in his first season in the Premier League. In fact, the largest surprise for me is that this is the Belgian's first individual award, but in those two years he came up against individuals having the seasons of their lives in Bale and Suarez. Nevertheless, it is a deserved success for the Chelsea man, and it's unlikely that this will be the last.
Similarly, Harry Kane is certainly one to watch out for, and his Young Player of the Year award is richly merited. I would note that we should avoid doing what we do so often with young players after an impressive first season (especially those of English descent) and not over-hype. Whilst he has the element of surprise against defenders uncertain of how to deal with him, he will naturally get more chances and goals. However, it will be how he reacts to a goal drought, which every striker inevitably goes through. The best come out stronger, and it will be interesting to see how Kane performs next season. However, it has certainly been a dream season for the Spurs man, being the first Tottenham player to score 30 goals in a season since Gary Lineker (and he went on to be ok!).
Now for the more contentious point: the PFA Team of the Year. I'll start by saying that I agree with the majority - David de Gea has been the league's best goalkeeper, Ryan Bertrand at left back, John Terry as one of the centre backs, a four in midfield of Hazard, Coutinho, Matic and Sanchez, with Kane up front. However, I have a couple of serious issues. Firstly, it's all well and good to favour the champions, but until recently, I don't remember anyone discussing Chelsea's defensive ability. At the start of the season, it was entirely about the performance of Southampton's back four, meaning that the South Coast club are neck and neck with the league leaders when it comes to defensive record. To only have one player in the team is therefore extremely harsh. In my opinion, I would have at least a two-two split, and perhaps even a three-one in favour of the Saints. Nathaniel Clyne and Jose Fonte would both be deserving of inclusion, giving the back four a slightly more red and white look.
Finally, I'm astounded that a side does not include the two joint top scorers in the Premier League. Regardless of whether this is Diego Costa's first season in English football, he hasn't scored as many as Sergio Aguero - that alone should be enough to get the Argentine a place. Also, I'm sure that was a stamping incident earlier in the season that should count against him?
So this is how my team would look:
David de Gea (Manchester United), Ryan Bertrand (Southampton), John Terry (Chelsea), Jose Fonte (Southampton), Nathaniel Clyne (Southampton), Eden Hazard (Chelsea), Phillippe Coutinho (Liverpool), Nemanja Matic (Chelsea), Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal), Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)
There are just a couple of smaller issues to tie off following the end of my (remarkably short) rant regarding the team. Firstly, the Manager of the Year. I'm very much of the opinion that, short of some extraordinary circumstances, the Manager of the Year should normally be the manager of the champions. So it should come as little surprise that my manager of the year is Jose Mourinho. The master tactician has once again proven his ability to win pretty or ugly, and has deservedly led his side to an inevitable title win.
However, I will give a top three, taking into account the successes of managers lower down the table. In second place would be Alan Pardew, after proving himself both at Newcastle and Crystal Palace. Despite hostility from the Geordie fans, Pardew dragged the Magpies into the top 10 of the Premier League, before leaving to take Crystal Palace away from a relegation battle. In fact, such has been the failure of Newcastle since, that Crystal Palace have overtaken the Geordies, and are now almost mathematically guaranteed to finish above them. In third, Ronald Koeman. Few were expecting Southampton, given the astronomical changes made to the club in the summer, to finish in the top half, never mind challenge for Europe. However, the Saints briefly flirted with the idea of Champions League football, before a late lack of form has seemingly denied them. Nevertheless, it's a magnificent achievement for the Dutchman, and a great base to build on next year.
Finally, time for my Goal of the Season. Assuming Eden Hazard doesn't score a 45 yard overhead kick between now and the end of May, I think this is likely to be my top three:
1. Charlie Adam - Chelsea vs Stoke City
There aren't many footballers who would even think about scoring from 60 yards, and even fewer that would have the capabilities to pull it off. Adam does, and he proved it live on TV at Stamford Bridge, lobbing one of the most impressive and talented goalkeepers in the world in the meantime.
2. Phil Jagielka - Everton vs Liverpool
The context of the goal must also be taken into account. In the 91st minute of the season's first Merseyside derby is probably about the best time of all to come up with a wonder goal. I can honestly say I have never seen a better strike of a football from a defender, thumping a half volley into the roof of the net from fully 35 yards.
3. Harry Kane - Tottenham Hotspur vs Arsenal
Like Jagielka's goal, this was also critically important. However, Harry Kane's winning goal in the North London derby was picked for its impressive technique more than its context. As most strikers will tell you, accurately angling a header back where it comes from is incredibly difficult, but Kane made it seem easy, looping his effort well away from the reach of David Ospina. Probably his favourite effort of the season too!
However, before we get onto that, I'll cover the bases on the PFA Player and Young Player of the Year. Despite my protests regarding the team (and there are a few), I actually agree with both the decisions. Eden Hazard has had an exceptional year, scoring 18 goals in all competitions this season, and laying on an additional 10. More than that, he has been consistent ever since arrived in England. Last season, he scored 16 and assisted seven, while scoring 10 and assisting 14 in his first season in the Premier League. In fact, the largest surprise for me is that this is the Belgian's first individual award, but in those two years he came up against individuals having the seasons of their lives in Bale and Suarez. Nevertheless, it is a deserved success for the Chelsea man, and it's unlikely that this will be the last.
Similarly, Harry Kane is certainly one to watch out for, and his Young Player of the Year award is richly merited. I would note that we should avoid doing what we do so often with young players after an impressive first season (especially those of English descent) and not over-hype. Whilst he has the element of surprise against defenders uncertain of how to deal with him, he will naturally get more chances and goals. However, it will be how he reacts to a goal drought, which every striker inevitably goes through. The best come out stronger, and it will be interesting to see how Kane performs next season. However, it has certainly been a dream season for the Spurs man, being the first Tottenham player to score 30 goals in a season since Gary Lineker (and he went on to be ok!).
Now for the more contentious point: the PFA Team of the Year. I'll start by saying that I agree with the majority - David de Gea has been the league's best goalkeeper, Ryan Bertrand at left back, John Terry as one of the centre backs, a four in midfield of Hazard, Coutinho, Matic and Sanchez, with Kane up front. However, I have a couple of serious issues. Firstly, it's all well and good to favour the champions, but until recently, I don't remember anyone discussing Chelsea's defensive ability. At the start of the season, it was entirely about the performance of Southampton's back four, meaning that the South Coast club are neck and neck with the league leaders when it comes to defensive record. To only have one player in the team is therefore extremely harsh. In my opinion, I would have at least a two-two split, and perhaps even a three-one in favour of the Saints. Nathaniel Clyne and Jose Fonte would both be deserving of inclusion, giving the back four a slightly more red and white look.
Finally, I'm astounded that a side does not include the two joint top scorers in the Premier League. Regardless of whether this is Diego Costa's first season in English football, he hasn't scored as many as Sergio Aguero - that alone should be enough to get the Argentine a place. Also, I'm sure that was a stamping incident earlier in the season that should count against him?
So this is how my team would look:
David de Gea (Manchester United), Ryan Bertrand (Southampton), John Terry (Chelsea), Jose Fonte (Southampton), Nathaniel Clyne (Southampton), Eden Hazard (Chelsea), Phillippe Coutinho (Liverpool), Nemanja Matic (Chelsea), Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal), Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)
There are just a couple of smaller issues to tie off following the end of my (remarkably short) rant regarding the team. Firstly, the Manager of the Year. I'm very much of the opinion that, short of some extraordinary circumstances, the Manager of the Year should normally be the manager of the champions. So it should come as little surprise that my manager of the year is Jose Mourinho. The master tactician has once again proven his ability to win pretty or ugly, and has deservedly led his side to an inevitable title win.
However, I will give a top three, taking into account the successes of managers lower down the table. In second place would be Alan Pardew, after proving himself both at Newcastle and Crystal Palace. Despite hostility from the Geordie fans, Pardew dragged the Magpies into the top 10 of the Premier League, before leaving to take Crystal Palace away from a relegation battle. In fact, such has been the failure of Newcastle since, that Crystal Palace have overtaken the Geordies, and are now almost mathematically guaranteed to finish above them. In third, Ronald Koeman. Few were expecting Southampton, given the astronomical changes made to the club in the summer, to finish in the top half, never mind challenge for Europe. However, the Saints briefly flirted with the idea of Champions League football, before a late lack of form has seemingly denied them. Nevertheless, it's a magnificent achievement for the Dutchman, and a great base to build on next year.
Finally, time for my Goal of the Season. Assuming Eden Hazard doesn't score a 45 yard overhead kick between now and the end of May, I think this is likely to be my top three:
1. Charlie Adam - Chelsea vs Stoke City
There aren't many footballers who would even think about scoring from 60 yards, and even fewer that would have the capabilities to pull it off. Adam does, and he proved it live on TV at Stamford Bridge, lobbing one of the most impressive and talented goalkeepers in the world in the meantime.
2. Phil Jagielka - Everton vs Liverpool
The context of the goal must also be taken into account. In the 91st minute of the season's first Merseyside derby is probably about the best time of all to come up with a wonder goal. I can honestly say I have never seen a better strike of a football from a defender, thumping a half volley into the roof of the net from fully 35 yards.
3. Harry Kane - Tottenham Hotspur vs Arsenal
Like Jagielka's goal, this was also critically important. However, Harry Kane's winning goal in the North London derby was picked for its impressive technique more than its context. As most strikers will tell you, accurately angling a header back where it comes from is incredibly difficult, but Kane made it seem easy, looping his effort well away from the reach of David Ospina. Probably his favourite effort of the season too!
Sunday, 15 February 2015
Borussia Dortmund: The Ultimate Game of Two Halves?
After a frankly appalling start to the Bundesliga season, there were many that were secretly tipping Borussia Dortmund for the drop this year. I was not one of them, but we'll get to that later. Having lost 10 of the opening 17 games in the league, Dortmund entered the winter break heavily entrenched in a relegation dog-fight. However, despite a home defeat to high flying Augsburg immediately after the break, the BVB have fought back, winning impressively away at Freiburg and at home to Mainz in their last two outings - just the second time Dortmund have won back to back games in the league this season.
It's important to put this collapse into perspective. Just four years ago, Dortmund won the first of two Bundesliga titles, with the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Mats Hummels and Mario Gotze playing integral roles. It's not even like there has been an obvious decline since, with the BVB reaching their first Champions League final in 2013, seeing off the likes of Real Madrid along the way, and finishing emphatic runners-up to Bayern Munich in the two seasons since their last title wins. To see them in the relegation zone come Christmas then was a considerable shock, and led to significant head-scratching over the poor performances.
As I mentioned at the start, tongues were even wagging to suggest the imminent relegation of the previous title winners, particularly due to the fact that they could seem to buy a win at home. This was most evident in October, when Dortmund failed to take a single point from their five games, including demoralising defeats at home to relegation rivals Hamburg and Hannover. The statistics for the first half of the season were astonishing for a team of their standard. Just four wins. Just 18 goals. And just 15 points. But why were they so bad?
Much has been said about Dortmund's unfortunate injury list, and it's certainly true that they have not had the luck of the green. At one time or another, they have been without Roman Weidenfeller, Lukas Pisczek, Mats Hummels, Neven Subotic, Ilkay Gundogan, Lars Bender, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Marco Reus, Ciro Immobile and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. However, even without these, it's not as though they have a particularly poor team. Certainly they have not been without all of them for the whole period. So let's take the most important five out - Weidenfeller, Hummels, Gundogan, Reus and Aubameyang. That would still leave a team of Langerak, Schmelzer, Subotic, Ginter, Durm, Bender, Kagawa, Mkhitaryan, Blaszcyowski, Ramos, Immobile - certainly good enough for mid-table at worst!
This leads me to my core argument behind the poor form, and the reason why I never believed they would be relegated. The demise of Dortmund simply demonstrates the significance of momentum in top-level football. We've seen this in the Premier League this year with Southampton in the positive sense, but nowhere has there been a better example of the reverse than at Signal Iduna Park. One loss tends to breed another, and unless you have a reaction quickly, you almost get into the habit of performing poorly again and again. Perhaps this is due to the additional pressure that is placed on every game, but whatever it is, it certainly would explain Dortmund's performances. This would also explain the relatively strong performances in Europe, as the pressure would be taken off for the Champions League games, and heaped on when they returned to domestic football.
So, with the BVB seemingly on the up with the pair of Bundesliga victories since the resumption of the season, are we about to see the most extreme example of the old footballing cliche: a game of two halves? The winter break seems to have enabled Dortmund to take stock and recharge, and have come back fresh. So, with that being said, what is a realistic aim? If we assume that I am correct, and Dortmund are in no significant danger of relegation, how high can they go? As we have seen, the four wins that Werder Bremen have enjoyed have lifted the side from the relegation zone to eighth, so the bottom half of the table is certainly close. As a result, I see no reason that Borussia Dortmund cannot make that spot their own.
However, beyond that, it is difficult to see them breaking into the European spots. There is a 12 point gap between Dortmund and Borussia Monchengladbach who currently occupy third place, which I feel would require the BVB to win almost all of their games to overhaul. A tricky task, and one that I just cannot anticipate. In my opinion, it's sixth at best for Dortmund, though I'm sure that Jurgen Klopp would accept tenth!
The significant problem that I foresee for Dortmund is keeping hold of some of their top players. With Champions League football for next season nothing more than a pipe dream, the likes of Reus, Hummels and Aubameyang could be heading for the exit door to pursue their careers from next season, which could have a significant impact on the long term future of Dortmund. It's certainly going to be an interesting one to watch for the remainder of this season and over the summer.
It's important to put this collapse into perspective. Just four years ago, Dortmund won the first of two Bundesliga titles, with the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Mats Hummels and Mario Gotze playing integral roles. It's not even like there has been an obvious decline since, with the BVB reaching their first Champions League final in 2013, seeing off the likes of Real Madrid along the way, and finishing emphatic runners-up to Bayern Munich in the two seasons since their last title wins. To see them in the relegation zone come Christmas then was a considerable shock, and led to significant head-scratching over the poor performances.
As I mentioned at the start, tongues were even wagging to suggest the imminent relegation of the previous title winners, particularly due to the fact that they could seem to buy a win at home. This was most evident in October, when Dortmund failed to take a single point from their five games, including demoralising defeats at home to relegation rivals Hamburg and Hannover. The statistics for the first half of the season were astonishing for a team of their standard. Just four wins. Just 18 goals. And just 15 points. But why were they so bad?
Much has been said about Dortmund's unfortunate injury list, and it's certainly true that they have not had the luck of the green. At one time or another, they have been without Roman Weidenfeller, Lukas Pisczek, Mats Hummels, Neven Subotic, Ilkay Gundogan, Lars Bender, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Marco Reus, Ciro Immobile and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. However, even without these, it's not as though they have a particularly poor team. Certainly they have not been without all of them for the whole period. So let's take the most important five out - Weidenfeller, Hummels, Gundogan, Reus and Aubameyang. That would still leave a team of Langerak, Schmelzer, Subotic, Ginter, Durm, Bender, Kagawa, Mkhitaryan, Blaszcyowski, Ramos, Immobile - certainly good enough for mid-table at worst!
This leads me to my core argument behind the poor form, and the reason why I never believed they would be relegated. The demise of Dortmund simply demonstrates the significance of momentum in top-level football. We've seen this in the Premier League this year with Southampton in the positive sense, but nowhere has there been a better example of the reverse than at Signal Iduna Park. One loss tends to breed another, and unless you have a reaction quickly, you almost get into the habit of performing poorly again and again. Perhaps this is due to the additional pressure that is placed on every game, but whatever it is, it certainly would explain Dortmund's performances. This would also explain the relatively strong performances in Europe, as the pressure would be taken off for the Champions League games, and heaped on when they returned to domestic football.
So, with the BVB seemingly on the up with the pair of Bundesliga victories since the resumption of the season, are we about to see the most extreme example of the old footballing cliche: a game of two halves? The winter break seems to have enabled Dortmund to take stock and recharge, and have come back fresh. So, with that being said, what is a realistic aim? If we assume that I am correct, and Dortmund are in no significant danger of relegation, how high can they go? As we have seen, the four wins that Werder Bremen have enjoyed have lifted the side from the relegation zone to eighth, so the bottom half of the table is certainly close. As a result, I see no reason that Borussia Dortmund cannot make that spot their own.
However, beyond that, it is difficult to see them breaking into the European spots. There is a 12 point gap between Dortmund and Borussia Monchengladbach who currently occupy third place, which I feel would require the BVB to win almost all of their games to overhaul. A tricky task, and one that I just cannot anticipate. In my opinion, it's sixth at best for Dortmund, though I'm sure that Jurgen Klopp would accept tenth!
The significant problem that I foresee for Dortmund is keeping hold of some of their top players. With Champions League football for next season nothing more than a pipe dream, the likes of Reus, Hummels and Aubameyang could be heading for the exit door to pursue their careers from next season, which could have a significant impact on the long term future of Dortmund. It's certainly going to be an interesting one to watch for the remainder of this season and over the summer.
Thursday, 1 January 2015
Half Time Report: Signings of the Season (Interactive Vote)
Following the first post in my 'Half Time Report' series, where I looked at the key trends we've seen in the Premier League this season, I think it's time to look at transfers, with a trio of posts on the subject. And for the first one, I want to get a bit interactive. With a number of high profile and big money signings, alone with a few hidden gems, it's a good opportunity to get your thoughts on who the best signings so far have been. On the right hand side of this post, you'll find a few opportunities to place your vote for your preferred options, so use it wisely!
However, before I get into any of the nitty-gritty, I think it's important to set out two key categories that I'll be looking at, namely, 'Best Signing' and 'Value for Money'. At the other end of the spectrum, I'll also be taking a look at the most high profile failures in the transfer market, while suggesting some that may just be slow burners that will come good towards the back end of the season.
So let's start with my nominations for 'Signing of the Season'. I get sick and tired of the hypocrisy and lack of consistency when it comes to the notion of settling in to the Premier League. Some people say that leniency should be given to those that initially struggle, while numerous players each year blow the theory out of the water. In my opinion, it's an excuse that managers use to take the pressure off their players, particularly those with the huge price tags over their heads.
With this in mind, the player to have the biggest immediate impact in the six months since arriving is Chelsea's Diego Costa. His 13 Premier League goals puts him second only to Sergio Aguero, and has provided Chelsea with the final cog to propel them back towards the business end of the title chase. However, to suggest that Costa has this award sewn up is wrong. In fact, one of his teammates can certainly lay claim to the title. Though he has considerable experience in the Premier League with Arsenal, Cesc Fabregas has really come into his own at Chelsea. His 13 Premier League assists in 18 games is already a record for a single season, and with another half to go, I wouldn't be surprised to see him top 25 this year. On top of this, Fabregas has also created an incredible 61 chances for his teammates already this year, and he's only looking like building on this in the coming months. As a result, he's certainly up for my 'Signing of the Season' (so far!).
So who else is in contention? Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez has been a revelation, immediately taking a central and pivotal role in the team the like not seen anywhere else before. Not only is he the top goalscorer for the Gunners, he is behind most of the good things in Arsenal's season. Similarly, Gylfi Sigurdsson has performed this role for Swansea. Though he is not the top goalscorer, he is behind the majority of the team's key forward movements, and chips in with a few stunning free kicks of his own. Though he has experience in the Premier League, he is showing the consistency at Swansea that he lacked at Spurs, and is one of the strongest performers so far this year. My nominations end with two strikers - Southampton's Graziano Pelle and West Ham's Diafra Sakho. Though both have gone a little off the boil in recent weeks, they hit the ground running at the beginning of the season, with Sakho breaking a club record to score in each of the Hammers opening seven league games. Such was the impact that Pelle made in his opening stint, he earned himself a shot in the Italian national side, an opportunity he took, scoring the winner in the 1-0 victory over Malta.
To go alongside this, I feel it's also important to include a category for those that may not have had as significant an impact, but deserve recognition thanks to their price tag - the definition of 'Value for Money'. This season, thanks to the dramatic increase in loan agreements and free transfers as a result of the Financial Fair Play regulations, we have a number of high profile contenders. In terms of loans, there have been three that have caught the eye so far this year. Ryan Bertrand's move from Chelsea to Southampton has coincided with the Saints recording a league joint highest of eight clean sheets. Bertrand has also been a consistent threat going forward, putting himself on the cusp of an England call up. Frank Lampard should also be considered in this category. Following his shock transfer from Chelsea to Manchester City (via New York City), Lampard has belied his age to help the reigning champions through some of the toughest moments in their season, and currently sits second on their scorers list with eight goals, behind only Sergio Aguero. Finally, Alex Song's move from Barcelona to West Ham seemed like an inspired piece of business from Sam Allardyce, and his strength in the midfield has proven pivotal in the Hammers' move up the Premier League table.
In terms of free transfers, two stand out. A torrid start to Sunderland's season defensively saw them ship eight goals at Southampton. The move from Gus Poyet to replace Vito Mannone with free signing from Manchester City Costel Pantilimon has seen the Black Cats become considerably more difficult to beat, keeping five clean sheets in the process. Mame Biram Diouf is another player who has had a significant impact since arriving back in the Premier League at Stoke on a free, scoring the only goal in the Potters' famous win at the Etihad Stadium. He has continued to play a significant role in Stoke's move into the top 10, and as such, deserves his place in this list.
As does a teammate of his - Bojan Krkic. Despite a slow start to life in England, the £5.5m winger signed from Ajax has quickly moved himself into a central role at Stoke, and was a critical figure in Stoke's excellent return of 10 points from 18 in December. He has been worth every penny of the money paid, and having come to terms with Premier League life, seems set to only improve as the months go on. As does Ayoze Perez. The Mexican striker has had an exceptional start on Tyneside, scoring four critical goals in turning Newcastle's from a struggling mid-table side into a team pushing for Europe and relieving the pressure on Alan Pardew.
So, we've now covered the best signings of the season, but who have been less successful? Best place to start is with everyone's favourite firework-loving, inappropriate Tweeter Mario Balotelli. Following a less than successful spell at Manchester City, his move to Liverpool this summer raised more than a few eyebrows. However, for £16m, he looked a fairly good deal - until he started playing. Without a Premier League goal, he has struggled for form. However, to be fair to him, we've not seen him kick off either!
His Liverpool teammate Dejan Lovren has also enjoyed a baptism of fire. Since his £25m move from Southampton, he has gone decidedly off the boil, showing little of the the form that earned him the big money move. Whether it is the price tag on his head, or simply that last season was a one off, I am unsure, but he needs to improve and fast to repay the transfer fee. Two more large transfer fees have, as yet, failed to come off. Having been part of the La Liga-winning team that went so close to the Champions League title, Felipe Luis's £15.8m move to Chelsea was designed to see him displace Cesar Azpilicueta at left back. However, six months in, and the Spaniard has retained his place, limiting the Brazilian to just a handful of Premier League appearances. Similarly, Abel Hernandez's £12m club record move from Palermo to Hull has not returned the goals it promised. Despite being a proven goalscorer in Serie A, Hernandez has struggled for form this term. In my opinion, it's always worse to see a mid-table side spend a huge sum on a player and it not come off, as it often takes a considerable toll on the financial situation on the club - just look at Leeds!
Finally, there's a bit of a curveball I'm going to throw in. Despite only being a loan signing, I have to put Radamel Falcao in the 'Worst Transfers' section. Having come to Manchester United promising goals plenty from his previous history, he has scored just twice - a poor return for a supposed world class striker. To pay a fee on a loan is practically unheard of, but the £6m United paid Monaco is almost more than both Bojan and Ayoze Perez combined, and I know who I'd prefer! With wages of £260,000 a week and a fee of £43.5m expected at the end of the year, the Columbian could end up being considerably more expensive to United, and has done little to justify such a valuation.
So there we have it. The categories and nominees are at the side, so get voting for your favourite!
However, before I get into any of the nitty-gritty, I think it's important to set out two key categories that I'll be looking at, namely, 'Best Signing' and 'Value for Money'. At the other end of the spectrum, I'll also be taking a look at the most high profile failures in the transfer market, while suggesting some that may just be slow burners that will come good towards the back end of the season.
So let's start with my nominations for 'Signing of the Season'. I get sick and tired of the hypocrisy and lack of consistency when it comes to the notion of settling in to the Premier League. Some people say that leniency should be given to those that initially struggle, while numerous players each year blow the theory out of the water. In my opinion, it's an excuse that managers use to take the pressure off their players, particularly those with the huge price tags over their heads.
With this in mind, the player to have the biggest immediate impact in the six months since arriving is Chelsea's Diego Costa. His 13 Premier League goals puts him second only to Sergio Aguero, and has provided Chelsea with the final cog to propel them back towards the business end of the title chase. However, to suggest that Costa has this award sewn up is wrong. In fact, one of his teammates can certainly lay claim to the title. Though he has considerable experience in the Premier League with Arsenal, Cesc Fabregas has really come into his own at Chelsea. His 13 Premier League assists in 18 games is already a record for a single season, and with another half to go, I wouldn't be surprised to see him top 25 this year. On top of this, Fabregas has also created an incredible 61 chances for his teammates already this year, and he's only looking like building on this in the coming months. As a result, he's certainly up for my 'Signing of the Season' (so far!).
So who else is in contention? Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez has been a revelation, immediately taking a central and pivotal role in the team the like not seen anywhere else before. Not only is he the top goalscorer for the Gunners, he is behind most of the good things in Arsenal's season. Similarly, Gylfi Sigurdsson has performed this role for Swansea. Though he is not the top goalscorer, he is behind the majority of the team's key forward movements, and chips in with a few stunning free kicks of his own. Though he has experience in the Premier League, he is showing the consistency at Swansea that he lacked at Spurs, and is one of the strongest performers so far this year. My nominations end with two strikers - Southampton's Graziano Pelle and West Ham's Diafra Sakho. Though both have gone a little off the boil in recent weeks, they hit the ground running at the beginning of the season, with Sakho breaking a club record to score in each of the Hammers opening seven league games. Such was the impact that Pelle made in his opening stint, he earned himself a shot in the Italian national side, an opportunity he took, scoring the winner in the 1-0 victory over Malta.
To go alongside this, I feel it's also important to include a category for those that may not have had as significant an impact, but deserve recognition thanks to their price tag - the definition of 'Value for Money'. This season, thanks to the dramatic increase in loan agreements and free transfers as a result of the Financial Fair Play regulations, we have a number of high profile contenders. In terms of loans, there have been three that have caught the eye so far this year. Ryan Bertrand's move from Chelsea to Southampton has coincided with the Saints recording a league joint highest of eight clean sheets. Bertrand has also been a consistent threat going forward, putting himself on the cusp of an England call up. Frank Lampard should also be considered in this category. Following his shock transfer from Chelsea to Manchester City (via New York City), Lampard has belied his age to help the reigning champions through some of the toughest moments in their season, and currently sits second on their scorers list with eight goals, behind only Sergio Aguero. Finally, Alex Song's move from Barcelona to West Ham seemed like an inspired piece of business from Sam Allardyce, and his strength in the midfield has proven pivotal in the Hammers' move up the Premier League table.
In terms of free transfers, two stand out. A torrid start to Sunderland's season defensively saw them ship eight goals at Southampton. The move from Gus Poyet to replace Vito Mannone with free signing from Manchester City Costel Pantilimon has seen the Black Cats become considerably more difficult to beat, keeping five clean sheets in the process. Mame Biram Diouf is another player who has had a significant impact since arriving back in the Premier League at Stoke on a free, scoring the only goal in the Potters' famous win at the Etihad Stadium. He has continued to play a significant role in Stoke's move into the top 10, and as such, deserves his place in this list.
As does a teammate of his - Bojan Krkic. Despite a slow start to life in England, the £5.5m winger signed from Ajax has quickly moved himself into a central role at Stoke, and was a critical figure in Stoke's excellent return of 10 points from 18 in December. He has been worth every penny of the money paid, and having come to terms with Premier League life, seems set to only improve as the months go on. As does Ayoze Perez. The Mexican striker has had an exceptional start on Tyneside, scoring four critical goals in turning Newcastle's from a struggling mid-table side into a team pushing for Europe and relieving the pressure on Alan Pardew.
So, we've now covered the best signings of the season, but who have been less successful? Best place to start is with everyone's favourite firework-loving, inappropriate Tweeter Mario Balotelli. Following a less than successful spell at Manchester City, his move to Liverpool this summer raised more than a few eyebrows. However, for £16m, he looked a fairly good deal - until he started playing. Without a Premier League goal, he has struggled for form. However, to be fair to him, we've not seen him kick off either!
His Liverpool teammate Dejan Lovren has also enjoyed a baptism of fire. Since his £25m move from Southampton, he has gone decidedly off the boil, showing little of the the form that earned him the big money move. Whether it is the price tag on his head, or simply that last season was a one off, I am unsure, but he needs to improve and fast to repay the transfer fee. Two more large transfer fees have, as yet, failed to come off. Having been part of the La Liga-winning team that went so close to the Champions League title, Felipe Luis's £15.8m move to Chelsea was designed to see him displace Cesar Azpilicueta at left back. However, six months in, and the Spaniard has retained his place, limiting the Brazilian to just a handful of Premier League appearances. Similarly, Abel Hernandez's £12m club record move from Palermo to Hull has not returned the goals it promised. Despite being a proven goalscorer in Serie A, Hernandez has struggled for form this term. In my opinion, it's always worse to see a mid-table side spend a huge sum on a player and it not come off, as it often takes a considerable toll on the financial situation on the club - just look at Leeds!
Finally, there's a bit of a curveball I'm going to throw in. Despite only being a loan signing, I have to put Radamel Falcao in the 'Worst Transfers' section. Having come to Manchester United promising goals plenty from his previous history, he has scored just twice - a poor return for a supposed world class striker. To pay a fee on a loan is practically unheard of, but the £6m United paid Monaco is almost more than both Bojan and Ayoze Perez combined, and I know who I'd prefer! With wages of £260,000 a week and a fee of £43.5m expected at the end of the year, the Columbian could end up being considerably more expensive to United, and has done little to justify such a valuation.
So there we have it. The categories and nominees are at the side, so get voting for your favourite!
Saturday, 5 April 2014
Tactics Talk: Chelsea vs Stoke City
Lineups:
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech, Ivanovic, Terry, Cahill, Azpilicueta, Lampard, Matic, Willian, Salah, Schurrle, Torres
Stoke City (4-4-2): Begovic, Pieters, Shawcross, Cameron, Wilson, N'Zonzi, Palacios, Whelan, Arnautovic, Odemwingie, Crouch
After a terrible week for the Blues, which saw them first shocked by Crystal Palace in the Premier League, before being emphatically beaten by Paris Saint Germain in the Champions League first leg. For my Tactics Talk on that game, click here. With Jose Mourinho having suggested that his side's chances of reclaiming the Premier League title is now over, the game against Stoke was the perfect opportunity for his side to reassert themselves. With Chelsea making four changes from the mid-week, players like Matic, Salah and Torres all had the chance to make their mark and earn a place in the side that needs to turn around the 3-1 deficit to PSG. However, with Mourinho leaving Hazard and Oscar on the bench, this represented a huge opportunity to upset Chelsea again.
The context is also important. There was an additional pressure on Chelsea from the fact that a few hours earlier, Manchester City had laid down the gauntlet to their title rivals, defeating Southampton 4-1. This added an extra layer to an already overloaded Chelsea, a pressure that many sides would fold under.
From the start, Chelsea were quick out of the blocks, using the pace of Andre Schurrle and Willian out wide to penetrate Stoke's defence. As expected, the Potters were playing deep and looking for opportunities to play on the counter. However, unlike the usual Stoke days, where long balls would just be lumped out of defence up to Peter Crouch, Mark Hughes's Stoke looked to play the ball out on the deck, with Marco Arnautovic the key component. But this just played into the hands of Chelsea, who were more skilled at knocking the ball around and could win it back far more easily. As such, this meant that they gained momentum, with quick passing opening opportunities for Torres and Salah. With neither of them taking their chances, Mourinho switched to using triangles in the middle to cut open the Stoke back line, with Lampard, Torres and Matic instrumental in carving out chances for Ivanovic and Willian. Put despite these chances, Chelsea still could not shift the Stoke bus firmly parked at the far side of the ground.
First half hour: Chelsea dominant, but they just couldn't find a way through.
However, that bus was moved almost immediately after. Poor tracking by Peter Odemwingie allowed Matic to get in behind the defence and cut a ball back. More bad marking allowed Mohamed Salah to ghost in at the back post to smash a first time shot past Asmir Begovic. With wave after wave of Blue attack headed toward the Stoke goal, the visitors needed to be careful not to capitulate. The individual errors from the Stoke players kept putting them under pressure but, with a bit of luck, they refused to crack. Only a brilliant bit of assistant refereeing meant that Stoke went into the break just one down, disallowing Branislav Ivanovic's goal for the slightest of offsides. Nevertheless, the game was still being played on the edge of Stoke's area, and they would need to rectify this if they were to get anything out of it.
Mark Hughes made two changes at half time to attempt to reinforce their defence, with Andy Wilkinson and Charlie Adam replacing Geoff Cameron and Wilson Palacios. The second half started largely where the first left off, with more relentless Chelsea pressure. But once again there was no immediate reward. Mourinho then rang the changes, replacing the hardworking but ultimately ineffective Schurrle with Eden Hazard - it certainly didn't get any easier for Stoke! The impact was almost instantaneous. With Hazard at full flow, a rash challenge from Wilkinson handed Lampard the chance to extend Chelsea's lead, perhaps guaranteeing the three points. Though the initial kick was well saved by Begovic, the Chelsea man got the benefit of a kind bounce, easily turning home the rebound. With no obvious sign of a Stoke reposte, it seemed only a matter of how many before the final whistle went.
Second half hour: With Stoke offering little in attack and camped on the edge of their own area, there can be no doubt that this period belonged to Chelsea.
With the attempts standing at 16-1 in Chelsea's favour, Stoke finally looked at applying a bit of pressure, building up a couple of corners in quick succession. But this came far too late for Stoke, as by now the game was long since lost. This was proven just a couple of minutes later, when Willian cut inside after a slick Chelsea move to curl a delightful shot into the top corner. This rounded off an excellent and morale-boosting victory, setting them up nicely for a huge tie in mid-week against the Parisians. All that was left to do was rest Lampard and Willian in preparation, bringing on David Luiz and Ashley Cole in their place. For Stoke, Jon Walters replaced the anonymous Peter Crouch, who up until that point had probably had about 10 touches of the ball, with the majority of them coming in his own half! With Neil Swarbrick putting the whistle to his lips to end the game, Chelsea's miserable week came to a promising end.
Final half hour: Chelsea were totally in control from first whistle to last, giving themselves some much needed relief after a tough couple of weeks in all competitions. Next up, the return leg against PSG that may just rebuild or break their season...
After a terrible week for the Blues, which saw them first shocked by Crystal Palace in the Premier League, before being emphatically beaten by Paris Saint Germain in the Champions League first leg. For my Tactics Talk on that game, click here. With Jose Mourinho having suggested that his side's chances of reclaiming the Premier League title is now over, the game against Stoke was the perfect opportunity for his side to reassert themselves. With Chelsea making four changes from the mid-week, players like Matic, Salah and Torres all had the chance to make their mark and earn a place in the side that needs to turn around the 3-1 deficit to PSG. However, with Mourinho leaving Hazard and Oscar on the bench, this represented a huge opportunity to upset Chelsea again.
The context is also important. There was an additional pressure on Chelsea from the fact that a few hours earlier, Manchester City had laid down the gauntlet to their title rivals, defeating Southampton 4-1. This added an extra layer to an already overloaded Chelsea, a pressure that many sides would fold under.
From the start, Chelsea were quick out of the blocks, using the pace of Andre Schurrle and Willian out wide to penetrate Stoke's defence. As expected, the Potters were playing deep and looking for opportunities to play on the counter. However, unlike the usual Stoke days, where long balls would just be lumped out of defence up to Peter Crouch, Mark Hughes's Stoke looked to play the ball out on the deck, with Marco Arnautovic the key component. But this just played into the hands of Chelsea, who were more skilled at knocking the ball around and could win it back far more easily. As such, this meant that they gained momentum, with quick passing opening opportunities for Torres and Salah. With neither of them taking their chances, Mourinho switched to using triangles in the middle to cut open the Stoke back line, with Lampard, Torres and Matic instrumental in carving out chances for Ivanovic and Willian. Put despite these chances, Chelsea still could not shift the Stoke bus firmly parked at the far side of the ground.
First half hour: Chelsea dominant, but they just couldn't find a way through.
However, that bus was moved almost immediately after. Poor tracking by Peter Odemwingie allowed Matic to get in behind the defence and cut a ball back. More bad marking allowed Mohamed Salah to ghost in at the back post to smash a first time shot past Asmir Begovic. With wave after wave of Blue attack headed toward the Stoke goal, the visitors needed to be careful not to capitulate. The individual errors from the Stoke players kept putting them under pressure but, with a bit of luck, they refused to crack. Only a brilliant bit of assistant refereeing meant that Stoke went into the break just one down, disallowing Branislav Ivanovic's goal for the slightest of offsides. Nevertheless, the game was still being played on the edge of Stoke's area, and they would need to rectify this if they were to get anything out of it.
Mark Hughes made two changes at half time to attempt to reinforce their defence, with Andy Wilkinson and Charlie Adam replacing Geoff Cameron and Wilson Palacios. The second half started largely where the first left off, with more relentless Chelsea pressure. But once again there was no immediate reward. Mourinho then rang the changes, replacing the hardworking but ultimately ineffective Schurrle with Eden Hazard - it certainly didn't get any easier for Stoke! The impact was almost instantaneous. With Hazard at full flow, a rash challenge from Wilkinson handed Lampard the chance to extend Chelsea's lead, perhaps guaranteeing the three points. Though the initial kick was well saved by Begovic, the Chelsea man got the benefit of a kind bounce, easily turning home the rebound. With no obvious sign of a Stoke reposte, it seemed only a matter of how many before the final whistle went.
Second half hour: With Stoke offering little in attack and camped on the edge of their own area, there can be no doubt that this period belonged to Chelsea.
With the attempts standing at 16-1 in Chelsea's favour, Stoke finally looked at applying a bit of pressure, building up a couple of corners in quick succession. But this came far too late for Stoke, as by now the game was long since lost. This was proven just a couple of minutes later, when Willian cut inside after a slick Chelsea move to curl a delightful shot into the top corner. This rounded off an excellent and morale-boosting victory, setting them up nicely for a huge tie in mid-week against the Parisians. All that was left to do was rest Lampard and Willian in preparation, bringing on David Luiz and Ashley Cole in their place. For Stoke, Jon Walters replaced the anonymous Peter Crouch, who up until that point had probably had about 10 touches of the ball, with the majority of them coming in his own half! With Neil Swarbrick putting the whistle to his lips to end the game, Chelsea's miserable week came to a promising end.
Final half hour: Chelsea were totally in control from first whistle to last, giving themselves some much needed relief after a tough couple of weeks in all competitions. Next up, the return leg against PSG that may just rebuild or break their season...
Saturday, 17 August 2013
West Ham United: Are Hammers Nailed On For Safety?
2012/2013: 10th
Transfer(s) In: Stuart Downing (Liverpool, £5 Million), Andy Carroll (Liverpool, £15 Million), Adrian (Atletico Madrid, Free), Razvan Rat (Shakhtar Donetsk, Free), Danny Whitehead (Stockport, Undisc)
Transfer(s) Out: Carlton Cole, Gary O'Neil, Frederic Piquionne (Released)
Transfers Review:
Big Sam has been active in this transfer window, bringing in several new faces, a couple of which are truly impressive captures. If we look at my West Ham season review from last season, we can see that I suggested the area that they most needed to strengthen was in central defence. However, West Ham have done exactly opposite, choosing to sign more attack minded players. Andy Carroll was a signing that we all knew was on the horizon at the end of the last season. After a successful loan spell at Upton Park, the tall Geordie was always likely to go where he was wanted. The more impressive signing is that of Stuart Downing for a fee of just £5 Million. Having said publicly that he felt Downing was priced out of their league, Allardyce must have performed well in the negotiations, as he got his man. After a much more encouraging season last campaign, the formed England winger has a chance to carry that form into his new club.
Other than raiding Liverpool, the Hammers have brought in an attacking midfield in the shape of Atletico Madrid's Adrian. He looks a prospect, with an eye for goal, as well for a pass, and I am certain he will chip in with a goal or two this season. At the back, one of the earliest signings of the summer was Shakhtar Donetsk's experienced wing back Razvan Rat. Having experienced World Cups with Romania, as well as Champions League and Europa League football, he will be a valuable asset to West Ham, both on the field and off it.
Another transfer area that Big Sam will be pleased with is that fact that they have managed to retain their core squad from last season. The impressive Matt Jarvis remains with club, as does the defensive duo of James Collins and James Tomkins. This will allow the Hammers to build upon their relatively comfortable season from last time around, and they will hope to consolidate and push on this time around.
Pre-Season:
West Ham have had a pre-season that has been undertaken mostly in the British Isles. Starting with a trip to Ireland to play Cork City Foras, a game that the East London club won emphatically. Goals from Diarra, Cole, Taylor, McCallum, Noble and Morrison left the scoreline at a comfortable 6-2. 3 games against lower league English opposition followed in July, with the Hammers seeing off Boreham Wood 3-0 before beating Bournemouth by 2 goals to 0, and finishing the mini-tour off with a 2-1 success over Colchester. The games in July came thick and fast, and the Hammers finished their unbeaten month with the best result yet. A trip to Germany to face Hamburg resulted in a 3-1 success, setting them up nicely for their tour of Portugal in August.
That tour, however, did not start as successfully. Against Champions League opposition in the form of Braga, the Hammers tried valiantly, but eventually had to succumb to a 1-0 defeat, ending their 100% pre-season record. Just one match remained in West Ham's preparations for the new season, against Portuguese top division side Pacos Ferreira. Allardyce's side will be pleased to have ended in the manner they did, with a 2-1 success. This will give them confidence going into the opening weekend of the season.
Key Players:
Jussi Jaaskelainen was, in my opinion, the club's best player last time around, and the Hammers will need the veteran keeper to be at his best again this term. He led the league in terms of shots stopped, and the ex-Bolton man seems to like the East End, as he is playing some of his best football. His reflexes are superb, and his understanding and anticipation make him one of the most respected goalkeepers in the league.
Sam Allardyce has spoken at length about how expects this to be the breakthrough season for youth prospect Ravel Morrison. After several troubles at Manchester United, including run-ins with the police, Big Sam insists that the young man has changed his mindset, and is now able to deal with the pressure of the Premier League. He clearly has talent, but whether he will simply become another Mario Balotelli is yet to be seen. It will certainly be a interesting watch though.
Key Fixture Dates:
24/08/2013: Newcastle vs West Ham United
15/09/2013: Southampton vs West Ham United
02/11/2013: West Ham United vs Aston Villa
30/11/2013: West Ham United vs Fulham
14/12/2013: West Ham United vs Sunderland
01/01/2014: Fulham vs West Ham United
18/01/2014: West Ham United vs Newcastle
08/02/2014: Aston Villa vs West Ham United
22/02/2014: West Ham United vs Southampton
29/03/2014: Sunderland vs West Ham United
Top Goalscorer:
After he bedded in so quickly at the Hammers last time around, I think that this year could see Andy Carroll back to his Newcastle form that saw Liverpool pay £35 Million for his services. The Hammers' style of play suits the big powerful striker, and we will see him terrorise defences in the air lots this season. Not many of his goals will be the pretty kind, but they all count!
Prediction:
Threats of the 'Second Season Syndrome' will always be ever present, and I feel this will have an effect on the Hammers this season. However, they have the squad to deal with the pressure, and after a couple of worrying times in the season, I am certain that they will finish in a very comfortable mid-table position. They may not hit the heights of a top-10 finish, but I am sure that they will be safe from the drop, which I am sure will please Hammers' fans.
West Ham United 2013/2014: 13th
Transfer(s) In: Stuart Downing (Liverpool, £5 Million), Andy Carroll (Liverpool, £15 Million), Adrian (Atletico Madrid, Free), Razvan Rat (Shakhtar Donetsk, Free), Danny Whitehead (Stockport, Undisc)
Transfer(s) Out: Carlton Cole, Gary O'Neil, Frederic Piquionne (Released)
Transfers Review:
Big Sam has been active in this transfer window, bringing in several new faces, a couple of which are truly impressive captures. If we look at my West Ham season review from last season, we can see that I suggested the area that they most needed to strengthen was in central defence. However, West Ham have done exactly opposite, choosing to sign more attack minded players. Andy Carroll was a signing that we all knew was on the horizon at the end of the last season. After a successful loan spell at Upton Park, the tall Geordie was always likely to go where he was wanted. The more impressive signing is that of Stuart Downing for a fee of just £5 Million. Having said publicly that he felt Downing was priced out of their league, Allardyce must have performed well in the negotiations, as he got his man. After a much more encouraging season last campaign, the formed England winger has a chance to carry that form into his new club.
Other than raiding Liverpool, the Hammers have brought in an attacking midfield in the shape of Atletico Madrid's Adrian. He looks a prospect, with an eye for goal, as well for a pass, and I am certain he will chip in with a goal or two this season. At the back, one of the earliest signings of the summer was Shakhtar Donetsk's experienced wing back Razvan Rat. Having experienced World Cups with Romania, as well as Champions League and Europa League football, he will be a valuable asset to West Ham, both on the field and off it.
Another transfer area that Big Sam will be pleased with is that fact that they have managed to retain their core squad from last season. The impressive Matt Jarvis remains with club, as does the defensive duo of James Collins and James Tomkins. This will allow the Hammers to build upon their relatively comfortable season from last time around, and they will hope to consolidate and push on this time around.
Pre-Season:
West Ham have had a pre-season that has been undertaken mostly in the British Isles. Starting with a trip to Ireland to play Cork City Foras, a game that the East London club won emphatically. Goals from Diarra, Cole, Taylor, McCallum, Noble and Morrison left the scoreline at a comfortable 6-2. 3 games against lower league English opposition followed in July, with the Hammers seeing off Boreham Wood 3-0 before beating Bournemouth by 2 goals to 0, and finishing the mini-tour off with a 2-1 success over Colchester. The games in July came thick and fast, and the Hammers finished their unbeaten month with the best result yet. A trip to Germany to face Hamburg resulted in a 3-1 success, setting them up nicely for their tour of Portugal in August.
That tour, however, did not start as successfully. Against Champions League opposition in the form of Braga, the Hammers tried valiantly, but eventually had to succumb to a 1-0 defeat, ending their 100% pre-season record. Just one match remained in West Ham's preparations for the new season, against Portuguese top division side Pacos Ferreira. Allardyce's side will be pleased to have ended in the manner they did, with a 2-1 success. This will give them confidence going into the opening weekend of the season.
Key Players:
Jussi Jaaskelainen was, in my opinion, the club's best player last time around, and the Hammers will need the veteran keeper to be at his best again this term. He led the league in terms of shots stopped, and the ex-Bolton man seems to like the East End, as he is playing some of his best football. His reflexes are superb, and his understanding and anticipation make him one of the most respected goalkeepers in the league.
Sam Allardyce has spoken at length about how expects this to be the breakthrough season for youth prospect Ravel Morrison. After several troubles at Manchester United, including run-ins with the police, Big Sam insists that the young man has changed his mindset, and is now able to deal with the pressure of the Premier League. He clearly has talent, but whether he will simply become another Mario Balotelli is yet to be seen. It will certainly be a interesting watch though.
Key Fixture Dates:
24/08/2013: Newcastle vs West Ham United
15/09/2013: Southampton vs West Ham United
02/11/2013: West Ham United vs Aston Villa
30/11/2013: West Ham United vs Fulham
14/12/2013: West Ham United vs Sunderland
01/01/2014: Fulham vs West Ham United
18/01/2014: West Ham United vs Newcastle
08/02/2014: Aston Villa vs West Ham United
22/02/2014: West Ham United vs Southampton
29/03/2014: Sunderland vs West Ham United
Top Goalscorer:
After he bedded in so quickly at the Hammers last time around, I think that this year could see Andy Carroll back to his Newcastle form that saw Liverpool pay £35 Million for his services. The Hammers' style of play suits the big powerful striker, and we will see him terrorise defences in the air lots this season. Not many of his goals will be the pretty kind, but they all count!
Prediction:
Threats of the 'Second Season Syndrome' will always be ever present, and I feel this will have an effect on the Hammers this season. However, they have the squad to deal with the pressure, and after a couple of worrying times in the season, I am certain that they will finish in a very comfortable mid-table position. They may not hit the heights of a top-10 finish, but I am sure that they will be safe from the drop, which I am sure will please Hammers' fans.
West Ham United 2013/2014: 13th
Friday, 16 August 2013
West Bromwich Albion: Can The Baggies Bounce Back Into The Top Half?
2012/2013: 8th
Transfer(s) In: Matej Vydra (Udinese, Loan), Diego Lugano (Paris Saint Germain, Free), Nicolas Anelka (Shanghai Shenhua, Free), Goran Popov (Dinamo Kiev, Loan), Scott Sinclair (Manchester City, Loan), Victor Anichebe (Everton, £5 Million), Stephane Sessegnon (Sunderland, £6 Million), Morgan Amalfitano (Marseille, Loan)
Transfer(s) Out: Marc-Antoine Fortune, Gonzalo Jara, Jerome Thomas (Released), Peter Odemwingie (Cardiff City, £2 Million)
Transfers Review:
West Brom are in the very fortunate position this season of being able to make only a couple of changes to a squad that has proven to be highly successful in the Premier League, finishing in an all time high of 8th. If we look at the predictions that I made at the end of the season, I said that a central defender and a more creative wide player would be required, citing Ryan Shawcross and Scott Sinclair as potential targets. Whilst Shawcross was never talked about as a target in reality, they certainly filled that position with Lugano. The addition of Scott Sinclair certainly fill that void of a winger. As I stated in my review post, I think he would add a lot to West Brom, and they would be doing him a favour by playing him regularly.
In terms of who they have brought in thus far this summer, they have a good mix of youth and experience. The major loss to the Baggies happened up front, with the in form Romelu Lukaku returning to his parent club Chelsea. After such an excellent season on loan to West Brom, they will miss his strength and goals. In order to replace those goals, Clarke moved quickly to bring in the ex Bolton, Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka. His experience will inevitably be as valuable as his goals, especially when considering the young striker he has signed since. Matej Vydra, after a fantastic goalscoring season on loan from Udinese, has been loaned in again. I have no doubt about his ability to step up, and with a partner in the form of Anelka, he will learn much from the Baggies. Similarly, in central defence, the more experienced Diego Lugano, who is quite a capture for West Brom, being the Uruguayan national captain, will train the young centre-back Popov. I full expect all to be important in West Brom's season.
Pre-Season:
West Brom began their pre-season preparations with a friendly match in Hannover, a match that ended with a 2-1 defeat. Bearing in mind that this Hannover side was recently playing European football, this cannot be considered a complete disaster. The Baggies then took part in three further matches during the month of July, giving themselves little time to rest or recuperate. They began with an exhibition game against a Puskas FC Academy XI, which they dominated from start to finish, with a comfortable margin of victory, winning by 3 goals to 0. Next, they returned to England to face Derby County. Once again, the Premier League side were victorious, though this was by a slimmer margin that they perhaps would have liked, winning only 2-0. They finished July with a home game against Greek side Atromitos. After a poor start, which saw them fall behind to a Karagounis goal, they fought back after the break, with goals from Anelka, Berehino and Rosenberg rounding off a 3-1 victory to keep the Baggies tremendous run of form going.
August proved as busy a month as the one before, with three pre-season games in nine days. However, the period did not start well, with a home loss against Genoa. After just a five day rest, the Baggies travelled to Ireland to take on Cork City Foras. The defeat seemed not to affect the confidence of the players, who turned on the style for their manager. A 6-0 thrashing was handed out to the Irish Premier League side, boosting morale in the West Brom camp. They finished their preparations with a more challenging game against Bologna, and they came away with arguably, an even more impressive result than the one that came before it. A 2-0 win over the Serie A side finished the pre-season tour in the best possible manner, and gave them the perfect pedestal to move into the league season.
Key Players:
A key player for the Baggies this campaign will undoubtedly be Chris Brunt. The creator of many of West Brom's opportunities last season, the captain will have a crucial role to play once more this year. His deadly delivery from set pieces and his vision with a through ball will make him a vital asset this time around. If they are to repeat last year's heroics, a solid season from their captain will be required.
If they are to replace Romelu Lukaku's goals, Shane Long will also have a critical role to play. His pace and skill make him a threat to any defence in the Premier League, but he will need to be more clinical when he gets his chances if he is to hit the 15 goal mark.
Key Fixture Dates:
31/08/2013: West Brom vs Swansea
21/09/2013: West Brom vs Sunderland
25/11/2013: West Brom vs Aston Villa
30/11/2013: Newcastle vs West Brom
28/12/2013: West Ham vs West Brom
01/01/2014: West Brom vs Newcastle
28/01/2014: Aston Villa vs West Brom
01/03/2014: Sunderland vs West Brom
15/03/2014: Swansea vs West Brom
26/04/2014: West Brom vs West Ham
Top Goalscorer:
If Long adds goals to his ability to irritate defences, I am certain that he will claim this accolade. As it is, the experience of Anelka, along with his goalscoring ability, makes me think that the Frenchman will claim it this season. He has scored goals at every club he has been, and while I do not expect him to hit 20 this season, the mid teens is quite possible, especially if the club performs as they did last time around.
Prediction:
I have a feeling that West Brom have got themselves out of the 'boing boing' mentality now, with the Baggies repeatedly safe from relegation, culminating in the fabulous success of last season. Whether it was a flash in the pan, or the beginning of a push for Europe will only be seen in time. I think that we will see a repeat of their last season form, resulting in them finishing in the same end result.
West Bromwich Albion 2013/2014: 8th
Transfer(s) In: Matej Vydra (Udinese, Loan), Diego Lugano (Paris Saint Germain, Free), Nicolas Anelka (Shanghai Shenhua, Free), Goran Popov (Dinamo Kiev, Loan), Scott Sinclair (Manchester City, Loan), Victor Anichebe (Everton, £5 Million), Stephane Sessegnon (Sunderland, £6 Million), Morgan Amalfitano (Marseille, Loan)
Transfer(s) Out: Marc-Antoine Fortune, Gonzalo Jara, Jerome Thomas (Released), Peter Odemwingie (Cardiff City, £2 Million)
Transfers Review:
West Brom are in the very fortunate position this season of being able to make only a couple of changes to a squad that has proven to be highly successful in the Premier League, finishing in an all time high of 8th. If we look at the predictions that I made at the end of the season, I said that a central defender and a more creative wide player would be required, citing Ryan Shawcross and Scott Sinclair as potential targets. Whilst Shawcross was never talked about as a target in reality, they certainly filled that position with Lugano. The addition of Scott Sinclair certainly fill that void of a winger. As I stated in my review post, I think he would add a lot to West Brom, and they would be doing him a favour by playing him regularly.
In terms of who they have brought in thus far this summer, they have a good mix of youth and experience. The major loss to the Baggies happened up front, with the in form Romelu Lukaku returning to his parent club Chelsea. After such an excellent season on loan to West Brom, they will miss his strength and goals. In order to replace those goals, Clarke moved quickly to bring in the ex Bolton, Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka. His experience will inevitably be as valuable as his goals, especially when considering the young striker he has signed since. Matej Vydra, after a fantastic goalscoring season on loan from Udinese, has been loaned in again. I have no doubt about his ability to step up, and with a partner in the form of Anelka, he will learn much from the Baggies. Similarly, in central defence, the more experienced Diego Lugano, who is quite a capture for West Brom, being the Uruguayan national captain, will train the young centre-back Popov. I full expect all to be important in West Brom's season.
Pre-Season:
West Brom began their pre-season preparations with a friendly match in Hannover, a match that ended with a 2-1 defeat. Bearing in mind that this Hannover side was recently playing European football, this cannot be considered a complete disaster. The Baggies then took part in three further matches during the month of July, giving themselves little time to rest or recuperate. They began with an exhibition game against a Puskas FC Academy XI, which they dominated from start to finish, with a comfortable margin of victory, winning by 3 goals to 0. Next, they returned to England to face Derby County. Once again, the Premier League side were victorious, though this was by a slimmer margin that they perhaps would have liked, winning only 2-0. They finished July with a home game against Greek side Atromitos. After a poor start, which saw them fall behind to a Karagounis goal, they fought back after the break, with goals from Anelka, Berehino and Rosenberg rounding off a 3-1 victory to keep the Baggies tremendous run of form going.
August proved as busy a month as the one before, with three pre-season games in nine days. However, the period did not start well, with a home loss against Genoa. After just a five day rest, the Baggies travelled to Ireland to take on Cork City Foras. The defeat seemed not to affect the confidence of the players, who turned on the style for their manager. A 6-0 thrashing was handed out to the Irish Premier League side, boosting morale in the West Brom camp. They finished their preparations with a more challenging game against Bologna, and they came away with arguably, an even more impressive result than the one that came before it. A 2-0 win over the Serie A side finished the pre-season tour in the best possible manner, and gave them the perfect pedestal to move into the league season.
Key Players:
A key player for the Baggies this campaign will undoubtedly be Chris Brunt. The creator of many of West Brom's opportunities last season, the captain will have a crucial role to play once more this year. His deadly delivery from set pieces and his vision with a through ball will make him a vital asset this time around. If they are to repeat last year's heroics, a solid season from their captain will be required.
If they are to replace Romelu Lukaku's goals, Shane Long will also have a critical role to play. His pace and skill make him a threat to any defence in the Premier League, but he will need to be more clinical when he gets his chances if he is to hit the 15 goal mark.
Key Fixture Dates:
31/08/2013: West Brom vs Swansea
21/09/2013: West Brom vs Sunderland
25/11/2013: West Brom vs Aston Villa
30/11/2013: Newcastle vs West Brom
28/12/2013: West Ham vs West Brom
01/01/2014: West Brom vs Newcastle
28/01/2014: Aston Villa vs West Brom
01/03/2014: Sunderland vs West Brom
15/03/2014: Swansea vs West Brom
26/04/2014: West Brom vs West Ham
Top Goalscorer:
If Long adds goals to his ability to irritate defences, I am certain that he will claim this accolade. As it is, the experience of Anelka, along with his goalscoring ability, makes me think that the Frenchman will claim it this season. He has scored goals at every club he has been, and while I do not expect him to hit 20 this season, the mid teens is quite possible, especially if the club performs as they did last time around.
Prediction:
I have a feeling that West Brom have got themselves out of the 'boing boing' mentality now, with the Baggies repeatedly safe from relegation, culminating in the fabulous success of last season. Whether it was a flash in the pan, or the beginning of a push for Europe will only be seen in time. I think that we will see a repeat of their last season form, resulting in them finishing in the same end result.
West Bromwich Albion 2013/2014: 8th
Tottenham Hotspur: Does The Season Hinge On Bale?
2012/2013: 5th
Transfer(s) In: Nacer Chadli (FC Twente, £7 Million), Paulinho (Corinthians, £17 Million), Roberto Soldado (Valencia, £26 Million), Etienne Capoue (Toulouse, £9 Million), Vladimir Chiriches (Steaua Bucharest, £7.5 Million), Erik Lamela (AS Roma, £25 Million), Christian Eriksen (Ajax, £11 Million)
Transfer(s) Out: Tom Huddlestone (Hull, Undisc), Tom Livermore (Hull, Loan), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders, £6 Million), Steven Caulker (Cardiff, £8 Million), David Bentley, William Gallas (Released), Scott Parker (Fulham, Undisc), Gareth Bale (Real Madrid, £85.3 Million)
Transfers Review:
Andre Villas Boas has been tasked with bringing Champions League football to White Hart Lane in 2014, and to do that he has made signings totalling over £110 Million. All will add massively to the current Spurs squad, but the most interesting signing for me is Paulinho. The young Brazilian defensive midfielder is the ideal signing for Spurs, who have lacked bite and flair in the central positions. Paulinho impressed me with his performances at the Confederations Cup, and I am certain that he will be an excellent addition to Tottenham's squad. The other position the Lily Whites desperately needed at the end of last season was an out and out striker, with only the aging Jermain Defoe, and the out of touch Emmanuel Adebayor to show for the forward line. This left a heavy burden on the midfield to score goals, a feat which was taken by one man. However, Spurs have attempted to rectify this situation for the new season, with 29 year old Roberto Soldado being recruited from Valencia. A bit of a risk, as at 29, his best years are probably behind him, making £26 Million a lot to pay. However, his clinical finishing and awareness means that I still think he will propel Spurs towards that 4th spot this year.
Other than those two, AVB has strengthened their already abundantly talented wings, with Nacer Chadli being brought in from Holland, and, more recently, another central midfielder has joined the side, in the form of Etienne Capoue. Both of these will probably be used as cover for the first team, but they are both high quality players, and simply go to show the strength in depth that Spurs have at White Hart Lane. In the days leading up to the deadline, Vladimir Chiriches, Erik Lamela and Christian Eriksen would all be signed to cover for Gareth Bale, who eventually moved to Madrid.
In terms of outgoings, Spurs's summer has been dominated by the attention that last year's PFA Player of the Year Gareth Bale has been receiving from Real Madrid. With the Spanish side reported to have offered a world record £85 Million for the winger, chairman Daniel Levy has apparently had to issue a hands-off warning to the La Liga giants. However, the longer this saga dragged on, the more it appeared that the Welshman would be on his way to Madrid this summer, especially seeing as Tottenham could not offer him the Champions League football he so craved. This was the case on Sunday 1st September, as the world record deal was finally concluded. Other than this, Tottenham have managed to hold onto many of their star names from previous seasons, with Clint Dempsey and William Gallas the regular starters for the Lily Whites to have departed.
Pre-Season:
Tottenham began their pre-season preparations with a game away at Swindon Town, before setting off to take part in the Barclays Asia Trophy in Hong Kong. After a Gareth Bale goal to hand Spurs the lead, Swindon levelled and held on to claim a 1-1 draw. Just before Tottenham set off on their Asia Trophy adventure, the news broke that Real Madrid were interested in the Welsh forward. Around that time, the forward got a mysterious 'injury', ruling him out of the competition, and, as it proved, the rest of Tottenham's pre-season.
In his absence, the Tottenham squad had a poor first performance against Sunderland in their semi-final, eventually losing the game 3-1. The following day they played the third place playoff match against South China. Here we saw the North London side back to their best, with goals from Dempsey, Townsend, an own goal and a hat-trick from Defoe gave them a 6-0 victory on an awful playing surface. After the disappointment of losing the chance to play for a trophy, Spurs moved back to Europe to play an exhibition match against big spending Monaco in the principality. Here, their Champions League credentials were tested, and they came up very short. A Radamel Falcao hat-trick condemned Spurs to their second pre-season defeat, this time conceding 5 in a 5-2 demolition. Spurs finished their turbulent preparation with a 1-1 draw against Espanyol, not exactly propelling them into a league season. The Gareth Bale saga still rumbles on, and threatens to derail their start.
Key Players:
This could prove to be a big season for Aaron Lennon. The English wide man will find himself under increasing pressure from the likes of Nacer Chadli this season, but normally, the best players will perform best when under pressure for their places. I feel that this will be the season that we see the speed freak back to his best, terrorising defences both domestically and on the continent with his pace, and providing many goals for his team mates.
Jan Vertonghen will also need to carry his excellent form from last season into this campaign if Spurs are to go one better this time around. The Belgian got progressively better and better as the season went on, and I would not be surprised if he became the rock at the back for the Lily Whites this season.
Key Fixture Dates:
01/09/2013: Arsenal vs Tottenham
28/09/2013: Tottenham vs Chelsea
03/11/2013: Everton vs Tottenham
23/11/2013: Manchester City vs Tottenham
30/11/2013: Tottenham vs Manchester United
14/12/2013: Tottenham vs Liverpool
01/01/2014: Manchester United vs Tottenham
29/01/2014: Tottenham vs Manchester City
08/02/2014: Tottenham vs Everton
08/03/2014: Chelsea vs Tottenham
15/03/2014: Tottenham vs Arsenal
29/03/2014: Liverpool vs Tottenham
Top Goalscorer:
After the big money signing, I would be very surprised if Roberto Soldado didn't finish up as the Tottenham top scorer this season. His international and continental experience will provide him with an excellent basis for scoring goals in whatever competition he wants. I don't necessarily expect him to win the Golden Boot this year, but a 20 goal season is the least that Spurs fans can expect after the massive amount that was spent to bring him to London.
Prediction:
In reality, the two major contenders for the fourth place finish this season are the two North London clubs, with Liverpool the dark horse. Based solely on the squads, you would have to say that seeing as Arsenal have failed to add to theirs, whilst Tottenham have now got strength in all areas after spending that £110 Million, I would have to conclude that Spurs are now the favourites for the final Champions League spot. I still fancy them to just nick it whatever happens, but it certainly has potential to be the most interesting season yet.
Tottenham Hotspur 2013/2014: 4th
Transfer(s) In: Nacer Chadli (FC Twente, £7 Million), Paulinho (Corinthians, £17 Million), Roberto Soldado (Valencia, £26 Million), Etienne Capoue (Toulouse, £9 Million), Vladimir Chiriches (Steaua Bucharest, £7.5 Million), Erik Lamela (AS Roma, £25 Million), Christian Eriksen (Ajax, £11 Million)
Transfer(s) Out: Tom Huddlestone (Hull, Undisc), Tom Livermore (Hull, Loan), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders, £6 Million), Steven Caulker (Cardiff, £8 Million), David Bentley, William Gallas (Released), Scott Parker (Fulham, Undisc), Gareth Bale (Real Madrid, £85.3 Million)
Transfers Review:
Andre Villas Boas has been tasked with bringing Champions League football to White Hart Lane in 2014, and to do that he has made signings totalling over £110 Million. All will add massively to the current Spurs squad, but the most interesting signing for me is Paulinho. The young Brazilian defensive midfielder is the ideal signing for Spurs, who have lacked bite and flair in the central positions. Paulinho impressed me with his performances at the Confederations Cup, and I am certain that he will be an excellent addition to Tottenham's squad. The other position the Lily Whites desperately needed at the end of last season was an out and out striker, with only the aging Jermain Defoe, and the out of touch Emmanuel Adebayor to show for the forward line. This left a heavy burden on the midfield to score goals, a feat which was taken by one man. However, Spurs have attempted to rectify this situation for the new season, with 29 year old Roberto Soldado being recruited from Valencia. A bit of a risk, as at 29, his best years are probably behind him, making £26 Million a lot to pay. However, his clinical finishing and awareness means that I still think he will propel Spurs towards that 4th spot this year.
Other than those two, AVB has strengthened their already abundantly talented wings, with Nacer Chadli being brought in from Holland, and, more recently, another central midfielder has joined the side, in the form of Etienne Capoue. Both of these will probably be used as cover for the first team, but they are both high quality players, and simply go to show the strength in depth that Spurs have at White Hart Lane. In the days leading up to the deadline, Vladimir Chiriches, Erik Lamela and Christian Eriksen would all be signed to cover for Gareth Bale, who eventually moved to Madrid.
In terms of outgoings, Spurs's summer has been dominated by the attention that last year's PFA Player of the Year Gareth Bale has been receiving from Real Madrid. With the Spanish side reported to have offered a world record £85 Million for the winger, chairman Daniel Levy has apparently had to issue a hands-off warning to the La Liga giants. However, the longer this saga dragged on, the more it appeared that the Welshman would be on his way to Madrid this summer, especially seeing as Tottenham could not offer him the Champions League football he so craved. This was the case on Sunday 1st September, as the world record deal was finally concluded. Other than this, Tottenham have managed to hold onto many of their star names from previous seasons, with Clint Dempsey and William Gallas the regular starters for the Lily Whites to have departed.
Pre-Season:
Tottenham began their pre-season preparations with a game away at Swindon Town, before setting off to take part in the Barclays Asia Trophy in Hong Kong. After a Gareth Bale goal to hand Spurs the lead, Swindon levelled and held on to claim a 1-1 draw. Just before Tottenham set off on their Asia Trophy adventure, the news broke that Real Madrid were interested in the Welsh forward. Around that time, the forward got a mysterious 'injury', ruling him out of the competition, and, as it proved, the rest of Tottenham's pre-season.
In his absence, the Tottenham squad had a poor first performance against Sunderland in their semi-final, eventually losing the game 3-1. The following day they played the third place playoff match against South China. Here we saw the North London side back to their best, with goals from Dempsey, Townsend, an own goal and a hat-trick from Defoe gave them a 6-0 victory on an awful playing surface. After the disappointment of losing the chance to play for a trophy, Spurs moved back to Europe to play an exhibition match against big spending Monaco in the principality. Here, their Champions League credentials were tested, and they came up very short. A Radamel Falcao hat-trick condemned Spurs to their second pre-season defeat, this time conceding 5 in a 5-2 demolition. Spurs finished their turbulent preparation with a 1-1 draw against Espanyol, not exactly propelling them into a league season. The Gareth Bale saga still rumbles on, and threatens to derail their start.
Key Players:
This could prove to be a big season for Aaron Lennon. The English wide man will find himself under increasing pressure from the likes of Nacer Chadli this season, but normally, the best players will perform best when under pressure for their places. I feel that this will be the season that we see the speed freak back to his best, terrorising defences both domestically and on the continent with his pace, and providing many goals for his team mates.
Jan Vertonghen will also need to carry his excellent form from last season into this campaign if Spurs are to go one better this time around. The Belgian got progressively better and better as the season went on, and I would not be surprised if he became the rock at the back for the Lily Whites this season.
Key Fixture Dates:
01/09/2013: Arsenal vs Tottenham
28/09/2013: Tottenham vs Chelsea
03/11/2013: Everton vs Tottenham
23/11/2013: Manchester City vs Tottenham
30/11/2013: Tottenham vs Manchester United
14/12/2013: Tottenham vs Liverpool
01/01/2014: Manchester United vs Tottenham
29/01/2014: Tottenham vs Manchester City
08/02/2014: Tottenham vs Everton
08/03/2014: Chelsea vs Tottenham
15/03/2014: Tottenham vs Arsenal
29/03/2014: Liverpool vs Tottenham
Top Goalscorer:
After the big money signing, I would be very surprised if Roberto Soldado didn't finish up as the Tottenham top scorer this season. His international and continental experience will provide him with an excellent basis for scoring goals in whatever competition he wants. I don't necessarily expect him to win the Golden Boot this year, but a 20 goal season is the least that Spurs fans can expect after the massive amount that was spent to bring him to London.
Prediction:
In reality, the two major contenders for the fourth place finish this season are the two North London clubs, with Liverpool the dark horse. Based solely on the squads, you would have to say that seeing as Arsenal have failed to add to theirs, whilst Tottenham have now got strength in all areas after spending that £110 Million, I would have to conclude that Spurs are now the favourites for the final Champions League spot. I still fancy them to just nick it whatever happens, but it certainly has potential to be the most interesting season yet.
Tottenham Hotspur 2013/2014: 4th
Thursday, 15 August 2013
Sunderland: Stadium of Light At The End Of The Tunnel?
2012/2013: 17th
Transfer(s) In: Modibo Diakite (Lazio, Free), Emmanuele Giaccharini (Juventus, £6.5 Million), Jozy Altidore (AZ Alkmaar, £5 Million), Vito Mannone (Arsenal, £2 Million), Valentin Roberge (Maritimo, Free), Ondrej Celustka (Trabzonspor, Loan), El-Hadji-Ba (Le Havre, Free), David Moberg Karlsson (Free Agent, Free), Cabral (Free Agent, Free), Duncan Watmore (Altrincham, Free), Charis Mavrias (Panathinaikos, £3 Million), Ki-Sung Yeung (Swansea City, Loan), Fabio Borini (Liverpool, Loan), Andrea Dossena (Napoli, Free)
Transfer(s) Out: Danny Graham (Hull, Loan), Ahmed Elmohamedy (Hull, £2 Million), Simon Mignolet (Liverpool, £9 Million), James McClean (Wigan, Loan), Connor Wickham (Sheffield Wednesday, Loan), Matthew Killgallon, Titus Bramble, James McFadden (Released)
Transfers Review:
Without a shadow of a doubt, the Wearside team have been one of the most active in this transfer window, strengthening with no fewer than 14 players, and letting go, either permanently or temporarily, of another 8. Paolo Di Canio is clearly stamping his authority on the club, re-shaping it into the image that he finds most suitable to achieve his objectives. The eccentric Italian has made several key, and very impressive signings. Most notably, the capture of Juventus winger Emmanuele Giaccherini is quite a find for a team struggling against relegation last campaign. His Italian connections also snared the Lazio defender Modibo Diakite on a free transfer, again a highly impressive signing. The ex-West Ham star has made additions all over the field, from Vito Mannone to replace the departed Simon Mignolet, Valentin Roberge to give a bit more width to the defence, Giaccharini and El-Hadji Ba to strengthen the midfield, and American Jozy Altidore to add some goals and firepower up front. Though these signings will take time to gel, I am positive that with their collective experience, we will see a vast improvement from Sunderland this campaign.
In order to recoup some of the money outlayed on transfer fees, di Canio has also shifted some of the dead weight. The underperforming Graham and Elmohamedy both went to newly promoted Hull, lowering the wage outlay and bringing in £2 Million, both McClean and Wickham went out on loan to gain valuable experience of the league below and the big money mover was Mignolet, with the Belgian leaving for Liverpool for a reported fee of £9 Million in an attempt to balance the books.
Pre-Season:
Sunderland's pre-season consisted entirely of a tour of the UK and taking part in the Barclays Asia Trophy. During the tour of the UK, di Canio used mostly youth players, as he was seemingly too busy signing players to take part in exhibition matches! The most useful part of their pre-season was travelling to Hong Kong to take part in the Barclays Asia Trophy. In the semi-final, the Mackems were drawn against Tottenham. On an atrocious playing surface, Sunderland were dominant during the first half, taking a 2-1 lead into the break. After half time, Tottenham fought back. But Di Canio will be glad to see them weather the storm, and they sealed the win late on, with a breakaway goal. Bearing in mind that Spurs are expected to be challenging for the top 4 this season, and they are the same amount of time along in their preparations for the new season, this result was particularly impressive.
In the final, Sunderland met Manchester City. In a tight game, City stuck early through a fabulous volley from Edin Dzeko. As time went on, Sunderland managed to retain the ball better, but they lacked that killer ball to split open the City defence. On the one or two occasions when they did have a good sight of goal, the accuracy of their strikers was ever so slightly off. Nevertheless, a successful tournament for the Mackems, especially when they entered it as the 3rd best team in the competition of 4.
Key Players:
With Giaccherini on the opposite wing, I think that this will be the season that makes or breaks Adam Johnson. After his big money move from Manchester City last season, the England winger was fairly ineffective at The Stadium of Light, with his highlight being a goal in the Tyne Wear derby at St James' Park. He will need to rediscover the form that took him to the cusp of an England call up for the 2010 World Cup if he wants to hold down a regular place. I think that he is more than capable of producing good performances, and I would be surprised if he didn't return to his best this campaign.
This season is also an opportunity to right a few wrongs in English football for Jozy Altidore. The American striker previously had a brief spell in the Premier League with Hull a few seasons back, only to score once in 22 appearances. Form certainly not good enough for the top flight. However, since that disappointment the US international has been on fire in Holland, finishing last season with close to a goal a game average. He will want to dethrone Steven Fletcher at Sunderland as top goalscorer for his first objective.
Key Fixture Dates:
17/08/2013: Sunderland vs Fulham
24/08/2013: Southampton vs Sunderland
27/10/2013: Sunderland vs Newcastle
30/11/2013: Aston Villa vs Sunderland
14/12/2013: West Ham United vs Sunderland
01/01/2014: Sunderland vs Aston Villa
11/01/2014: Fulham vs Sunderland
18/01/2014: Sunderland vs Southampton
01/02/2014: Newcastle vs Sunderland
29/03/2014: Sunderland vs West Ham United
Top Goalscorer:
Though I do think that Altidore will be a success at Sunderland, I am still expecting Steven Fletcher to retain his top goalscorer status. It will inevitably take time for the American to re-acclimatize to life in the Premier League, during which Fletcher may have got out of sight, especially if he starts like last season! The Scot is deadly either in the air or on the ground, and it is even more impressive that he is achieving this with mid to lower table teams in Sunderland and Wolves before that.
Prediction:
Paolo di Canio showed us enough tactical ability last season to convince me that Sunderland will improve this season. The calibre of his signings have reinforced that opinion for me. Though they will take time to bed into the squad and get used to the English game, I feel like there will be one or two standout performers over the course of the season, propelling Sunderland up the table. I think they will finish well above last year's aberration, and they may even nip infront of their hated neighbours Newcastle for that final top 10 spot.
Sunderland 2013/2014: 10th
Transfer(s) In: Modibo Diakite (Lazio, Free), Emmanuele Giaccharini (Juventus, £6.5 Million), Jozy Altidore (AZ Alkmaar, £5 Million), Vito Mannone (Arsenal, £2 Million), Valentin Roberge (Maritimo, Free), Ondrej Celustka (Trabzonspor, Loan), El-Hadji-Ba (Le Havre, Free), David Moberg Karlsson (Free Agent, Free), Cabral (Free Agent, Free), Duncan Watmore (Altrincham, Free), Charis Mavrias (Panathinaikos, £3 Million), Ki-Sung Yeung (Swansea City, Loan), Fabio Borini (Liverpool, Loan), Andrea Dossena (Napoli, Free)
Transfer(s) Out: Danny Graham (Hull, Loan), Ahmed Elmohamedy (Hull, £2 Million), Simon Mignolet (Liverpool, £9 Million), James McClean (Wigan, Loan), Connor Wickham (Sheffield Wednesday, Loan), Matthew Killgallon, Titus Bramble, James McFadden (Released)
Transfers Review:
Without a shadow of a doubt, the Wearside team have been one of the most active in this transfer window, strengthening with no fewer than 14 players, and letting go, either permanently or temporarily, of another 8. Paolo Di Canio is clearly stamping his authority on the club, re-shaping it into the image that he finds most suitable to achieve his objectives. The eccentric Italian has made several key, and very impressive signings. Most notably, the capture of Juventus winger Emmanuele Giaccherini is quite a find for a team struggling against relegation last campaign. His Italian connections also snared the Lazio defender Modibo Diakite on a free transfer, again a highly impressive signing. The ex-West Ham star has made additions all over the field, from Vito Mannone to replace the departed Simon Mignolet, Valentin Roberge to give a bit more width to the defence, Giaccharini and El-Hadji Ba to strengthen the midfield, and American Jozy Altidore to add some goals and firepower up front. Though these signings will take time to gel, I am positive that with their collective experience, we will see a vast improvement from Sunderland this campaign.
In order to recoup some of the money outlayed on transfer fees, di Canio has also shifted some of the dead weight. The underperforming Graham and Elmohamedy both went to newly promoted Hull, lowering the wage outlay and bringing in £2 Million, both McClean and Wickham went out on loan to gain valuable experience of the league below and the big money mover was Mignolet, with the Belgian leaving for Liverpool for a reported fee of £9 Million in an attempt to balance the books.
Pre-Season:
Sunderland's pre-season consisted entirely of a tour of the UK and taking part in the Barclays Asia Trophy. During the tour of the UK, di Canio used mostly youth players, as he was seemingly too busy signing players to take part in exhibition matches! The most useful part of their pre-season was travelling to Hong Kong to take part in the Barclays Asia Trophy. In the semi-final, the Mackems were drawn against Tottenham. On an atrocious playing surface, Sunderland were dominant during the first half, taking a 2-1 lead into the break. After half time, Tottenham fought back. But Di Canio will be glad to see them weather the storm, and they sealed the win late on, with a breakaway goal. Bearing in mind that Spurs are expected to be challenging for the top 4 this season, and they are the same amount of time along in their preparations for the new season, this result was particularly impressive.
In the final, Sunderland met Manchester City. In a tight game, City stuck early through a fabulous volley from Edin Dzeko. As time went on, Sunderland managed to retain the ball better, but they lacked that killer ball to split open the City defence. On the one or two occasions when they did have a good sight of goal, the accuracy of their strikers was ever so slightly off. Nevertheless, a successful tournament for the Mackems, especially when they entered it as the 3rd best team in the competition of 4.
Key Players:
With Giaccherini on the opposite wing, I think that this will be the season that makes or breaks Adam Johnson. After his big money move from Manchester City last season, the England winger was fairly ineffective at The Stadium of Light, with his highlight being a goal in the Tyne Wear derby at St James' Park. He will need to rediscover the form that took him to the cusp of an England call up for the 2010 World Cup if he wants to hold down a regular place. I think that he is more than capable of producing good performances, and I would be surprised if he didn't return to his best this campaign.
This season is also an opportunity to right a few wrongs in English football for Jozy Altidore. The American striker previously had a brief spell in the Premier League with Hull a few seasons back, only to score once in 22 appearances. Form certainly not good enough for the top flight. However, since that disappointment the US international has been on fire in Holland, finishing last season with close to a goal a game average. He will want to dethrone Steven Fletcher at Sunderland as top goalscorer for his first objective.
Key Fixture Dates:
17/08/2013: Sunderland vs Fulham
24/08/2013: Southampton vs Sunderland
27/10/2013: Sunderland vs Newcastle
30/11/2013: Aston Villa vs Sunderland
14/12/2013: West Ham United vs Sunderland
01/01/2014: Sunderland vs Aston Villa
11/01/2014: Fulham vs Sunderland
18/01/2014: Sunderland vs Southampton
01/02/2014: Newcastle vs Sunderland
29/03/2014: Sunderland vs West Ham United
Top Goalscorer:
Though I do think that Altidore will be a success at Sunderland, I am still expecting Steven Fletcher to retain his top goalscorer status. It will inevitably take time for the American to re-acclimatize to life in the Premier League, during which Fletcher may have got out of sight, especially if he starts like last season! The Scot is deadly either in the air or on the ground, and it is even more impressive that he is achieving this with mid to lower table teams in Sunderland and Wolves before that.
Prediction:
Paolo di Canio showed us enough tactical ability last season to convince me that Sunderland will improve this season. The calibre of his signings have reinforced that opinion for me. Though they will take time to bed into the squad and get used to the English game, I feel like there will be one or two standout performers over the course of the season, propelling Sunderland up the table. I think they will finish well above last year's aberration, and they may even nip infront of their hated neighbours Newcastle for that final top 10 spot.
Sunderland 2013/2014: 10th
Stoke City: Are They At The End Of The Line?
2013/2014: 13th
Transfer(s) In: Marc Muniesa (Athletic Bilbao, Free), Erik Pieters (PSV Eindhoven, £3 Million), Mark Hughes (Free Agent), Oussama Assaidi (Liverpool, Loan), Steven Ireland (Aston Villa, Loan), Marco Arnautovic (Werder Bremen, £2.5 Million)
Transfer(s) Out: Michael Owen (Retired), Rory Delap, Carlo Nash, Mamady Sidebe, Dean Whitehead, Matthew Upson (Released), Tony Pulis (Sacked)
Transfers Review:
The most important transfers that have been made at the Britannia this season have been made in the dugout rather than on the pitch. After his second spell of over half a decade in the Potteries, Tony Pulis was sacked after a poor season last time around. His replacement was, to the despair of many Stoke fans, former Blackburn, Manchester City and Queens Park Rangers boss Mark Hughes. Whilst many were disappointed with his appointment, I actually do not see him as too bad a choice. His high profile failures with both Manchester City and QPR were at clubs with a considerable amount of money, a feature some managers find it difficult to handle. At Blackburn, where the kitty was considerably lower, he was hailed as a bargain-hunter, with the likes of Roque Santa Cruz one of his greatest buys. Stoke appear to fit more into the second category, and I actually believe that Hughes is a reasonable choice.
His ability to make shrewd aquisitions has been illustrated by his five signings this summer. Marc Muniesa, a large part of Athletic Bilbao's run to the final of the Europa league a couple of seasons ago, was signed on a free transfer, and Erik Pieters, a Dutch central midfielder with good potential, was signed for a miserly sum (in footballing terms at least!) of £3 Million. Later on, two loan deals for Oussama Assaidi and Steven Ireland from Liverpool and Aston Villa, before a final deal for Werder Bremen's enigmatic Marko Arnautovic for a reported £2.5 Million. However, all of these players hardly fit the 'Stoke mould' under the stewardship of Tony Pulis. This implies that Hughes is attempting to stamp his authority on this Stoke team by altering their playing style from the long ball game we have all become so accustomed to.
There has also been a fair clearout of the more experienced players in the Stoke squad, with the majority of them being part of the side that took the Potters to the Premier League. Names like Upson, Whitehead, and even club legend Rory Delap, will not be on show at the Britannia next season, after all were released at the end of last campaign. This once again indicates a significant shift in regime, as Hughes wants rid of all of those considered to be surplus to requirements, and those more experienced players that were the core of the long ball game.
Pre-Season:
The Potters' pre-season has been indicative of a side that is going through a significant transitionary period, with performances perhaps not at the level that would otherwise have been expected. After a brief tour of America, during which they played teams like MLS side Philadelphia Union, they returned to the UK to face a couple of sides from the lower divisions as we moved into August. They opted to take part in friendlies against Blue Square Premier sides Macclesfield and Wrexham, and though they won the pair, they only managed to beat each side by the odd goal, which for a club four divisions above is simply unacceptable.
Their final pre-season match came against the Serie A side Genoa. Despite producing a much improved performance than those that preceeded it, Stoke were unable to find that goalscoring touch, a feature of their game that Hughes will be keen to eradicate. Last season, they were far too guilty of not scoring enough goals, and as a result drew too many games, putting them in danger of relegation.
Key Players:
If Stoke are to stave off relegation again this season, they will need their player of the season last year to be on top form once again. After much speculation, they will be glad to have retained the services of Asmir Begovic. The Bosnian, who has proven himself to be amongst the top 5 goalkeepers in the Premier League, is a good reason for so many of the clean sheets that the Potters have kept over the last few years. His reflexes and command of his area are superb, and it is little wonder that top 4 teams, such as Arsenal, have been reported to be watching him with interest.
In order to score more goals this campaign, the pace, skill and delivery of Jermaine Pennant will be vital. His quiet season last year meant that it was hardly a coincidence that the Potters found themselves in trouble come April. If the Englishman should stay fit and in form, Stoke will fancy themselves to stay away from trouble this time around.
Key Fixture Dates:
24/08/2013: Stoke vs Crystal Palace
29/09/2013: Stoke vs Norwich
04/12/2013: Stoke vs Cardiff
14/12/2013: Hull vs Stoke
18/01/2014: Crystal Palace vs Stoke
08/03/2014: Norwich vs Stoke
29/03/2014: Stoke vs Hull
19/04/2014: Cardiff vs Stoke
Top Goalscorer:
The change of tactics under Mark Hughes seemingly signals the end to the long ball/long throw game made famous under Pulis. This will have consequences for the goal tally of Peter Crouch. The lanky Englishman has always been superb in the air, but his touch has at times been suspect. This is why I will go for Jonathan Walters to cement the title he won last season. Although his tally was low (11), he was the main threat up front for the Potters, and I expect that to continue again this campaign.
Prediction:
As I said earlier, the appointment of Mark Hughes is, in my opinion, not a bad one for a club with the spending power of Stoke. However, with the Welshman attempting to change the style of the Stoke City team's play, I think that the job is a bit of poisoned chalice. The old way had seemingly stopped working by the end of last season, and with an overhaul so difficult to complete quickly, I fear for the survival of the Potters. I have a feeling that, after a good 6 years in the top flight, this season could see the end of Stoke's Premier League status.
Stoke City 2013/2014: 18th
Transfer(s) In: Marc Muniesa (Athletic Bilbao, Free), Erik Pieters (PSV Eindhoven, £3 Million), Mark Hughes (Free Agent), Oussama Assaidi (Liverpool, Loan), Steven Ireland (Aston Villa, Loan), Marco Arnautovic (Werder Bremen, £2.5 Million)
Transfer(s) Out: Michael Owen (Retired), Rory Delap, Carlo Nash, Mamady Sidebe, Dean Whitehead, Matthew Upson (Released), Tony Pulis (Sacked)
Transfers Review:
The most important transfers that have been made at the Britannia this season have been made in the dugout rather than on the pitch. After his second spell of over half a decade in the Potteries, Tony Pulis was sacked after a poor season last time around. His replacement was, to the despair of many Stoke fans, former Blackburn, Manchester City and Queens Park Rangers boss Mark Hughes. Whilst many were disappointed with his appointment, I actually do not see him as too bad a choice. His high profile failures with both Manchester City and QPR were at clubs with a considerable amount of money, a feature some managers find it difficult to handle. At Blackburn, where the kitty was considerably lower, he was hailed as a bargain-hunter, with the likes of Roque Santa Cruz one of his greatest buys. Stoke appear to fit more into the second category, and I actually believe that Hughes is a reasonable choice.
His ability to make shrewd aquisitions has been illustrated by his five signings this summer. Marc Muniesa, a large part of Athletic Bilbao's run to the final of the Europa league a couple of seasons ago, was signed on a free transfer, and Erik Pieters, a Dutch central midfielder with good potential, was signed for a miserly sum (in footballing terms at least!) of £3 Million. Later on, two loan deals for Oussama Assaidi and Steven Ireland from Liverpool and Aston Villa, before a final deal for Werder Bremen's enigmatic Marko Arnautovic for a reported £2.5 Million. However, all of these players hardly fit the 'Stoke mould' under the stewardship of Tony Pulis. This implies that Hughes is attempting to stamp his authority on this Stoke team by altering their playing style from the long ball game we have all become so accustomed to.
There has also been a fair clearout of the more experienced players in the Stoke squad, with the majority of them being part of the side that took the Potters to the Premier League. Names like Upson, Whitehead, and even club legend Rory Delap, will not be on show at the Britannia next season, after all were released at the end of last campaign. This once again indicates a significant shift in regime, as Hughes wants rid of all of those considered to be surplus to requirements, and those more experienced players that were the core of the long ball game.
Pre-Season:
The Potters' pre-season has been indicative of a side that is going through a significant transitionary period, with performances perhaps not at the level that would otherwise have been expected. After a brief tour of America, during which they played teams like MLS side Philadelphia Union, they returned to the UK to face a couple of sides from the lower divisions as we moved into August. They opted to take part in friendlies against Blue Square Premier sides Macclesfield and Wrexham, and though they won the pair, they only managed to beat each side by the odd goal, which for a club four divisions above is simply unacceptable.
Their final pre-season match came against the Serie A side Genoa. Despite producing a much improved performance than those that preceeded it, Stoke were unable to find that goalscoring touch, a feature of their game that Hughes will be keen to eradicate. Last season, they were far too guilty of not scoring enough goals, and as a result drew too many games, putting them in danger of relegation.
Key Players:
If Stoke are to stave off relegation again this season, they will need their player of the season last year to be on top form once again. After much speculation, they will be glad to have retained the services of Asmir Begovic. The Bosnian, who has proven himself to be amongst the top 5 goalkeepers in the Premier League, is a good reason for so many of the clean sheets that the Potters have kept over the last few years. His reflexes and command of his area are superb, and it is little wonder that top 4 teams, such as Arsenal, have been reported to be watching him with interest.
In order to score more goals this campaign, the pace, skill and delivery of Jermaine Pennant will be vital. His quiet season last year meant that it was hardly a coincidence that the Potters found themselves in trouble come April. If the Englishman should stay fit and in form, Stoke will fancy themselves to stay away from trouble this time around.
Key Fixture Dates:
24/08/2013: Stoke vs Crystal Palace
29/09/2013: Stoke vs Norwich
04/12/2013: Stoke vs Cardiff
14/12/2013: Hull vs Stoke
18/01/2014: Crystal Palace vs Stoke
08/03/2014: Norwich vs Stoke
29/03/2014: Stoke vs Hull
19/04/2014: Cardiff vs Stoke
Top Goalscorer:
The change of tactics under Mark Hughes seemingly signals the end to the long ball/long throw game made famous under Pulis. This will have consequences for the goal tally of Peter Crouch. The lanky Englishman has always been superb in the air, but his touch has at times been suspect. This is why I will go for Jonathan Walters to cement the title he won last season. Although his tally was low (11), he was the main threat up front for the Potters, and I expect that to continue again this campaign.
Prediction:
As I said earlier, the appointment of Mark Hughes is, in my opinion, not a bad one for a club with the spending power of Stoke. However, with the Welshman attempting to change the style of the Stoke City team's play, I think that the job is a bit of poisoned chalice. The old way had seemingly stopped working by the end of last season, and with an overhaul so difficult to complete quickly, I fear for the survival of the Potters. I have a feeling that, after a good 6 years in the top flight, this season could see the end of Stoke's Premier League status.
Stoke City 2013/2014: 18th
Southampton: Marching In Or Crumbling? The Dreaded Second Season
2012/2013: 14th
Transfer(s) In: Dejan Lovren (Lyon, £8.5 Million), Victor Wanyama (Celtic, £12.5 Million), Pablo Osvaldo (AS Roma, £15 Million)
Transfer(s) Out: Steve De Ridder, Richard Chaplow (Released), Jason Puncheon (Crystal Palace, Loan)
Transfers Review:
Southampton have opted to stay with the core squad that put them safely into mid-table last campaign, choosing to add only 2 higher value players to their roster. In Dejan Lovren, they have added a highly capable central defender, whose pace, strength and technical abilites are all outstanding. He can certainly be the rock that Southampton lacked at the back for times last season. Further forward, Southampton's addition of Victor Wanyama, is, in my opinion, about the most perfect buy they could have made for their side. Full of energy, passing and great vision, the youngster has phenomenal potential, and despite being tracked by Liverpool, Manchester United and a host of other clubs, Southampton have done exceptionally well to persuade the Kenyan to move to St Mary's. More recently, the Saints have shattered their transfer record for a second time this summer, managing to secure striker Pablo Osvaldo from AS Roma for a reported £15 Million. The Italian is a proven goalscorer, and will bring his strength and ability in the air to the South Coast, where I am convinced he will be a success.
The fact that they have kept hold of other critical players, such as Gaston Ramirez, Rickie Lambert and Luke Shaw, means that they can afford to move for just a couple of higher ticket players in a transfer window. Keeping those big names is also important, as they all played a big role in the Saints' return to the Premier League.
Pre-Season:
Southampton's pre-season has been fairly ineventful, with only the one pre-season game of note. But at least it everything, to prepare the Saints for every eventuality that they may face in the Premier League. The Saints took the lead after just 7 minutes, with Lallana latching onto a Lambert through ball to finish neatly. They dominated the early stages, but a defensive error from the Saints rear guard meant that it was Sociedad who scored the leveller, with Elustondo the recipiant. Back came Southampton, with Wanyama threading a pass into Schneiderlin to finish well and give the Saints the lead back. But once again they let it slip, in a thrilling opening half hour. Just five minutes after falling behind, Carlos Vela beautifully controlled a through ball and fired beyond the despairing keeper to put the game back to level terms. Even then, the first half scoring wasn't complete. A Southampton corner on half time yielded the fifth goal, with Jos Hooiveld climbing highest to nod home.
The tempo didn't let up in the second half, causing an open and attractive game. With Southampton leading, the onus was on the Spaniards to come out and attack, and push forward they did. Once again, the Southampton defence seemed incapable to resist, conceding a third goal on the hour mark, as Haris Seferovic fired home to level for the third time. The longer the game went on it seemed inevitable that it would end a draw, but that all changed in the 83rd minute. Jason Puncheon found himself free in the box after a nice move, and he drove the ball home to hand the Saints an excellent and morale-boosting 4-3 victory. The only worries from a Southampton point of view were the injuries sustained to Nathaniel Clyne and Luke Shaw, the latter potentially ruling the young left back out of the early part of the new Premier League season.
Key Players:
It may well be his last season at the top level, but I still believe that Rickie Lambert has much to give the Saints again this campaign. Having the honour of scoring at all four league levels, the Scouser has found his true home in the Premier League. His power in the air and on the ground makes him an exceptional number 9, even getting him a call up to the England squad for the game last night against Scotland. The goal with his first touch shows that his form is not on the decline, and he can go for a couple of years yet!
Captain Alan Lallana is also a vital part of the squad on the south coast. Despite his lack of years, he has proven himself to be a superb leader, both on and off the field, and often chips in with valuable goals from midfield. His organisation and motivational skills means that Southampton miss his presence massively when unavailable, and his staying fit aids their push up the table.
Key Fixture Dates:
24/08/2013: Southampton vs Sunderland
15/09/2013: Southampton vs West Ham United
26/10/2013: Southampton vs Fulham
03/12/2013: Southampton vs Aston Villa
14/12/2013: Newcastle vs Southampton
18/01/2014: Sunderland vs Southampton
01/02/2014: Fulham vs Southampton
22/02/2014: West Ham United vs Southampton
29/03/2014: Southampton vs Newcastle
19/04/2014: Aston Villa vs Southampton
Top Goalscorer:
Whilst Rickie Lambert is crucial to the success of the Southampton side, I actually believe that this is going to be the season where we see Jay Rodriguez come of age. The ex-Burnley man found it difficult initially to acclimatise to life in the Premier League, meaning that he recieved only a handful of appearances, and even less goals in the first half of last season. However, as time continued, the Englishman eventually broke into the Saints side, and I feel that improvement will only continue in the months to come. He may not score more than 10, but I still think that will be enough for the accolade.
Prediction:
As much as the signings that Southampton have made are good, and the manager Mauricio Pochettino is a promising talent, we have seen the curse of the Second Season Syndrome come back and bite teams. Even last year, QPR fell to the same curse, and I expect Southampton to be the side that feels its effects this time around. Whilst I think they have the squad to resist the dreaded drop, I sense that this will be a season of consolidation and damage-limitation rather than pushing for a top-10 place.
Southampton 2013/2014: 15th
Transfer(s) In: Dejan Lovren (Lyon, £8.5 Million), Victor Wanyama (Celtic, £12.5 Million), Pablo Osvaldo (AS Roma, £15 Million)
Transfer(s) Out: Steve De Ridder, Richard Chaplow (Released), Jason Puncheon (Crystal Palace, Loan)
Transfers Review:
Southampton have opted to stay with the core squad that put them safely into mid-table last campaign, choosing to add only 2 higher value players to their roster. In Dejan Lovren, they have added a highly capable central defender, whose pace, strength and technical abilites are all outstanding. He can certainly be the rock that Southampton lacked at the back for times last season. Further forward, Southampton's addition of Victor Wanyama, is, in my opinion, about the most perfect buy they could have made for their side. Full of energy, passing and great vision, the youngster has phenomenal potential, and despite being tracked by Liverpool, Manchester United and a host of other clubs, Southampton have done exceptionally well to persuade the Kenyan to move to St Mary's. More recently, the Saints have shattered their transfer record for a second time this summer, managing to secure striker Pablo Osvaldo from AS Roma for a reported £15 Million. The Italian is a proven goalscorer, and will bring his strength and ability in the air to the South Coast, where I am convinced he will be a success.
The fact that they have kept hold of other critical players, such as Gaston Ramirez, Rickie Lambert and Luke Shaw, means that they can afford to move for just a couple of higher ticket players in a transfer window. Keeping those big names is also important, as they all played a big role in the Saints' return to the Premier League.
Pre-Season:
Southampton's pre-season has been fairly ineventful, with only the one pre-season game of note. But at least it everything, to prepare the Saints for every eventuality that they may face in the Premier League. The Saints took the lead after just 7 minutes, with Lallana latching onto a Lambert through ball to finish neatly. They dominated the early stages, but a defensive error from the Saints rear guard meant that it was Sociedad who scored the leveller, with Elustondo the recipiant. Back came Southampton, with Wanyama threading a pass into Schneiderlin to finish well and give the Saints the lead back. But once again they let it slip, in a thrilling opening half hour. Just five minutes after falling behind, Carlos Vela beautifully controlled a through ball and fired beyond the despairing keeper to put the game back to level terms. Even then, the first half scoring wasn't complete. A Southampton corner on half time yielded the fifth goal, with Jos Hooiveld climbing highest to nod home.
The tempo didn't let up in the second half, causing an open and attractive game. With Southampton leading, the onus was on the Spaniards to come out and attack, and push forward they did. Once again, the Southampton defence seemed incapable to resist, conceding a third goal on the hour mark, as Haris Seferovic fired home to level for the third time. The longer the game went on it seemed inevitable that it would end a draw, but that all changed in the 83rd minute. Jason Puncheon found himself free in the box after a nice move, and he drove the ball home to hand the Saints an excellent and morale-boosting 4-3 victory. The only worries from a Southampton point of view were the injuries sustained to Nathaniel Clyne and Luke Shaw, the latter potentially ruling the young left back out of the early part of the new Premier League season.
Key Players:
It may well be his last season at the top level, but I still believe that Rickie Lambert has much to give the Saints again this campaign. Having the honour of scoring at all four league levels, the Scouser has found his true home in the Premier League. His power in the air and on the ground makes him an exceptional number 9, even getting him a call up to the England squad for the game last night against Scotland. The goal with his first touch shows that his form is not on the decline, and he can go for a couple of years yet!
Captain Alan Lallana is also a vital part of the squad on the south coast. Despite his lack of years, he has proven himself to be a superb leader, both on and off the field, and often chips in with valuable goals from midfield. His organisation and motivational skills means that Southampton miss his presence massively when unavailable, and his staying fit aids their push up the table.
Key Fixture Dates:
24/08/2013: Southampton vs Sunderland
15/09/2013: Southampton vs West Ham United
26/10/2013: Southampton vs Fulham
03/12/2013: Southampton vs Aston Villa
14/12/2013: Newcastle vs Southampton
18/01/2014: Sunderland vs Southampton
01/02/2014: Fulham vs Southampton
22/02/2014: West Ham United vs Southampton
29/03/2014: Southampton vs Newcastle
19/04/2014: Aston Villa vs Southampton
Top Goalscorer:
Whilst Rickie Lambert is crucial to the success of the Southampton side, I actually believe that this is going to be the season where we see Jay Rodriguez come of age. The ex-Burnley man found it difficult initially to acclimatise to life in the Premier League, meaning that he recieved only a handful of appearances, and even less goals in the first half of last season. However, as time continued, the Englishman eventually broke into the Saints side, and I feel that improvement will only continue in the months to come. He may not score more than 10, but I still think that will be enough for the accolade.
Prediction:
As much as the signings that Southampton have made are good, and the manager Mauricio Pochettino is a promising talent, we have seen the curse of the Second Season Syndrome come back and bite teams. Even last year, QPR fell to the same curse, and I expect Southampton to be the side that feels its effects this time around. Whilst I think they have the squad to resist the dreaded drop, I sense that this will be a season of consolidation and damage-limitation rather than pushing for a top-10 place.
Southampton 2013/2014: 15th
Newcastle United: Will Too Many Cooks Spoil Their Season?
2012/2013: 16th
Transfer(s) In: Loic Remy (QPR, Loan)
Transfer(s) Out: James Perch (QPR, Undisc), Steve Harper (Hull, Free), Shane Ferguson (Birmingham, Loan), Danny Simpson (Released)
Transfers Review:
Not much activity at St James Park this season. Despite the well publicised return of Joe Kinnear, with the promise of incomings, only Loic Remy to show for his efforts. All his return has seemed to do is create tensions and cracks between the management and the boadroom. With Alan Pardew having 6 years of an 8 year contract left to run, he isn't going anywhere. Therefore, bringing an ex-manager that criticises most of what the current man does into the club seems a poor idea. Remy looks a fantastic signing for Newcastle though, as his pace and skill put QPR back in with a shout of staving off relegation, and he will do similar things with Newcastle, just firther up the table.
The one benefit of this transfer window for Newcastle is the fact that they have managed to keep all of their star players from the previous seasons. For them to have kept players like Yohan Cabaye, Moussa Sissoko and Papiss Cisse is impressive, and they stand a good chance of a top 10 finish this season.
Pre-Season:
Newcastle's pre-season has been similarly anonymous, with only two pre-season matches of note. As we came into August, Newcastle took part in two games, against Rangers and Braga. Both games finished 1-1, giving us no real insight into the form or ability of this Newcastle side. Mostly, pre-season has been dominated by the inter-management squabbles, preventing Pardew from doing his job properly. This, along with the problem about Papiss Cisse, who refused to wear the club's sponsor, Wonga.com on their shirts, means that Newcastle's season has been rather turbulent, even before the actual league has begun.
Key Players:
If Newcastle are to have a successful season, then the midfield duo of Moussa Sissoko and Yohan Cabaye will have to contribute significantly. Sissoko, after he burst onto the Geordie scene with those two goals to win the home game against Chelsea in February, has looked an inspired signing for Alan Pardew. His pace, creativity and goalscoring ability means that he is the perfect person to push forward and support Cisse and Remy up front.
Cabaye, on the other hand, will provide the defensive work that Sissoko lacks, breaking up attacks and setting Newcastle away on forward bursts. His free-kicks are often exceptional, creating goals from corners as well, and his range and accuracy of passing means that he can often be as deadly from the half way line as Sissoko will be on the edge of the 18 year area. That partnership in the middle of the park could make or break Newcastle's season.
Key Fixture Dates:
24/08/2013: Newcastle vs West Ham United
31/08/2013: Newcastle vs Fulham
14/09/2013: Aston Villa vs Newcastle
27/10/2013: Sunderland vs Newcastle
14/12/2013: Newcastle vs Southampton
18/01/2014: West Ham United vs Newcastle
01/02/2014: Newcastle vs Sunderland
22/02/2014: Newcastle vs Aston Villa
15/03/2014: Fulham vs Newcastle
29/03/2014: Southampton vs Newcastle
Top Goalscorer:
Whilst Loic Remy is a good signing, and will score goals for his new club, I'm going to go with Papiss Cisse. If the Senegalese striker can reclaim some of the form that saw him score an average of nearly a goal a game in the 2011/2012 season, since joining from Freiburg in the January, I think that the Geordie contingent will be on for another memorable season.
Prediction:
Unfortunately for Newcastle, the 5th place finish a year ago has meant that expectations were unfairly raised for the next campaign, meaning that the relegation battle that they fell into was a much bigger shock than it needed to be. For me, with all the off-field distractions, I think that Newcastle will return to the position that their squad suggests: mid-table. They should be comfortable this year, without being spectacular, and I do believe that a solid season this time around could lay the foundations for a push up the table next time around.
Newcastle United 2013/2014: 10th
Transfer(s) In: Loic Remy (QPR, Loan)
Transfer(s) Out: James Perch (QPR, Undisc), Steve Harper (Hull, Free), Shane Ferguson (Birmingham, Loan), Danny Simpson (Released)
Transfers Review:
Not much activity at St James Park this season. Despite the well publicised return of Joe Kinnear, with the promise of incomings, only Loic Remy to show for his efforts. All his return has seemed to do is create tensions and cracks between the management and the boadroom. With Alan Pardew having 6 years of an 8 year contract left to run, he isn't going anywhere. Therefore, bringing an ex-manager that criticises most of what the current man does into the club seems a poor idea. Remy looks a fantastic signing for Newcastle though, as his pace and skill put QPR back in with a shout of staving off relegation, and he will do similar things with Newcastle, just firther up the table.
The one benefit of this transfer window for Newcastle is the fact that they have managed to keep all of their star players from the previous seasons. For them to have kept players like Yohan Cabaye, Moussa Sissoko and Papiss Cisse is impressive, and they stand a good chance of a top 10 finish this season.
Pre-Season:
Newcastle's pre-season has been similarly anonymous, with only two pre-season matches of note. As we came into August, Newcastle took part in two games, against Rangers and Braga. Both games finished 1-1, giving us no real insight into the form or ability of this Newcastle side. Mostly, pre-season has been dominated by the inter-management squabbles, preventing Pardew from doing his job properly. This, along with the problem about Papiss Cisse, who refused to wear the club's sponsor, Wonga.com on their shirts, means that Newcastle's season has been rather turbulent, even before the actual league has begun.
Key Players:
If Newcastle are to have a successful season, then the midfield duo of Moussa Sissoko and Yohan Cabaye will have to contribute significantly. Sissoko, after he burst onto the Geordie scene with those two goals to win the home game against Chelsea in February, has looked an inspired signing for Alan Pardew. His pace, creativity and goalscoring ability means that he is the perfect person to push forward and support Cisse and Remy up front.
Cabaye, on the other hand, will provide the defensive work that Sissoko lacks, breaking up attacks and setting Newcastle away on forward bursts. His free-kicks are often exceptional, creating goals from corners as well, and his range and accuracy of passing means that he can often be as deadly from the half way line as Sissoko will be on the edge of the 18 year area. That partnership in the middle of the park could make or break Newcastle's season.
Key Fixture Dates:
24/08/2013: Newcastle vs West Ham United
31/08/2013: Newcastle vs Fulham
14/09/2013: Aston Villa vs Newcastle
27/10/2013: Sunderland vs Newcastle
14/12/2013: Newcastle vs Southampton
18/01/2014: West Ham United vs Newcastle
01/02/2014: Newcastle vs Sunderland
22/02/2014: Newcastle vs Aston Villa
15/03/2014: Fulham vs Newcastle
29/03/2014: Southampton vs Newcastle
Top Goalscorer:
Whilst Loic Remy is a good signing, and will score goals for his new club, I'm going to go with Papiss Cisse. If the Senegalese striker can reclaim some of the form that saw him score an average of nearly a goal a game in the 2011/2012 season, since joining from Freiburg in the January, I think that the Geordie contingent will be on for another memorable season.
Prediction:
Unfortunately for Newcastle, the 5th place finish a year ago has meant that expectations were unfairly raised for the next campaign, meaning that the relegation battle that they fell into was a much bigger shock than it needed to be. For me, with all the off-field distractions, I think that Newcastle will return to the position that their squad suggests: mid-table. They should be comfortable this year, without being spectacular, and I do believe that a solid season this time around could lay the foundations for a push up the table next time around.
Newcastle United 2013/2014: 10th
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