What transfers do the 'top 4' clubs need this summer?

   Last summer saw the Premier League gain an increased amount of true World Class players. For example, Arsenal bought in distinct quality in the name of Alexis Sanchez, the Chilean has had a remarkable season for them, scoring 20 goals and contributing on the assists front as well. Then there was Manchester United's recruits in Angel Di Maria and Ander Herrera, whom both arrived from La Liga. Di Maria has had a good season overall, managing 10 assists and 4 goals, not a bad tally for a first season in the Premier League, and not forgetting he has only made 24 appearances! But now the focus has to switch onto who needs to be brought in for the likes of Chelsea, Man City, Arsenal and Manchester United. What do these above clubs need to improve their already decent squads?

   I will start with Chelsea. It's been a pretty good season for the blue half of London. Without doubt they will be champions come the end of the season, and out of all the squad's they look like the most complete for me. I think however they do need a striker, Diego Costa has had a wonderful first season in the Premier League and proven quite a few doubters wrong, and scoring 20 goals in his first season. But apart from the class of Costa they are limited in strikers for me. Loic Remy picks up far to many injuries, and I'm not sure he is top top player or good enough for a top 4 side. Then there is Chelsea Legend Didier Drogba, one of the deadliest strikers on his day, but for me he has lost a huge amount of pace and his days as up, I expect him to leave on a free at the end of the season. The striker market in Europe at the moment is full of top talent, with the likes of Gonzalo Higuain, Alex Lacazette and Karmin Benzema all possible targets for the near Premier League Champions. I think the answer for Chelsea could be Gonzalo Higuain, the Argentine has notched an impressive 27 goals this season for Napoli, his most impressive season tally. He is at the peak of his powers and I think this is the sort of player Mourinho should go for. His value will be between £20 and £30 Million, and would provide great cover for Diego Costa if he again becomes injured in the next campaign. 

   Arsenal, for me need a few recruits this summer, and like Chelsea a top striker is definitely one of them. I am a big fan of Olivier Giroud, however he is not quite world class, and I feel for any team to be successful you need a world class marksman in your side. Arsenal have been linked with names such as Alex Lacazette, Edison Cavani, and Mattia Destro, all prolific hit-men this season. For me its all about finding balance in your team, Arsenal have many French players within their squad including Debucy, Giroud, and Coquelin, and another Frenchman by the name of Alex Lacazette would be an excellent addition to the squad. This season he has been prolific in a hard fought Ligue 1 season for Lyon, scoring an impressive 30 goals in 30 games, one of the most lethal goals to games ratio in the world. He would cost between £25 and £40 Million, but with that record and the fact he will be adding to the chemistry, he would be worth it and would improve the Arsenal team. Another weak area in the Arsenal side is in the Centre Back position, Metresacker isn't bad, and he hasn't had an awful season, but I feel with the addition of another world class center back they can be more solid at the back and concede far fewer goals. But who is available? Well with Arsenal's current contingency I think a good signing would be Diego Godin from Atletico Madrid. The Uruguayan has had another fine season for the Madrid side, and had played a huge contribution to winning the La Liga for them last season, scoring 8 goals as well as being a rock in defense. We all know Wenger doesn't like to spend huge amounts of money and I don't see this player costing loads. His contract is up in 2 years and I think he would cost Arsenal between £12 and £20 Million, and would be a very intelligent signing as he would provide huge experience in a very young side, and help the young defended minded players such as Debucy, Coquelin and Chambers to learn and improve.

   Manchester City, for me seem like a very ageing squad. However I don't think Vincent Kompany's top drawer days are over at all, we must remember that form is temporary and class is permanent, and that he has been arguably the best defender in the league for a while. He is only 29 and defenders can go on well into the 30s. I don't feel that city need any defensive additions, with Mangala getting used to the pace of the league and Zabeleta and Sagna and Clichy they are safe in that department. They do need a centre midfielder though, a world class powerhouse. Yaya toure for a couple of years now has looked uninterested, very much like his last season when he was playing for Barcelona. Fernandinho isn't good enough and I doubt he will ever become world class, and of course Lampard is off to the MLS. The market is full of defensive midfielders at the moment, with the likes of Marco Veratti, Paul Pogba and Sami Khedira looking like potential availability's. City have the financial power for sure, but they must sell a few before they bring in a marquee signing, to comply with the financial fair play rules. So who would suit them? It pains for me to say it but I think Paul Pogba fits perfectly. There is a French contingency at the club with Patrick Viera involved in the youth teams, and the squad is littered with French players such as; Sagna, Clichy and Nasri, and Pogba would fit in perfectly with the team. He won't come cheap though, I think he will cost between £50 and £70million, but he is 100% worth it. He possesses a combative tacking persona, but also a huge goal threat further up the pitch. If city get there man, they will be a danger next season.

   Last and probably the side who need the most recruits this summer we have Manchester United. Defensively gutless, the United defenders have yet again let the side down this year, Chris Smalling for me the only player who has had a good season in the defense. United need a right back and a leader of men in the center back position. Mats Hummels is a name who has been linked with the red side of Manchester all season, and I think he will choose United over other premier league rivals. Why? He will have champions league football, something Dortmund won't achieve this year, and his father is reportedly very close friends with Louis Van Gaal, a perfect situation for both parties. He would cost about £30million and he would bring a huge amount of leadership, stability and class to the defensive side of the team. The right back option is difficult, it's a position at the moment that is hard to fill, and the market is lacking in right backs. There has been huge speculation that Southampton right back, Nathaniel Clyne has already verbally agreed a move to either Arsenal or Manchester United, and if he goes to United I think he would do very well. Van Gaal loves players who are from the country in which he manages, it's part of his successful philosophy and I think Clyne has the potential to be truly world class with the training from Louis Van Gaal. His fee will be around the £15-£20million mark. I would discuss the defensive midfield problem but there's no doubt that llkay Gundogan will play in the famous United shirt next season, and he will be a great prospect after an injury free and decent season for Dortmund. To be honest I would have preferred Marco Veratti from PSG. I think he is one of the best midfielders in world football at the moment, but I highly doubt PSG will let him go. Finally I think United need another striker, someone youthful, with a lot of potential. I'm a huge fan of Alexandre Lacazette and he would be my first choice, as discussed above his goals to games ratio is outstanding and I think he will be one of the best strikers on the planet with 2 years. But Saido Berahino has been spotted twice at Old Trafford this season with his agent and I don't think this is coincidental. He has bags of talent, speed and a great finish in him. He destroyed United at old Trafford last season, scoring 2 In one of his first games for the club, and of course he is English and I think Van Gaal could improve him even more as a player. His contract is up next summer, and I think for this reason he will go for around the £20million mark. 

   

Arsenal, what's next?

   In previous season's I have been rather critical of Arsenal F.C and their lack of consistency, lack of silverware and real quality in their side. However last May saw them come from two goals behind to beat Hull City at Wembley Stadium and win their first trophy in 9 years. This was a huge step forward for the club, supporters had become frequently disappointed with no silverware, but they finally delivered and I don't think they have looked back since.

 This season has seen even more improvement to Arsenal's performance and results have gone in the right direction. Currently sitting second, I think the fans can be very pleased of the progress. It goes back to the game vs Manchester United in November Arsenal have only dropped 11 points in the Premier League since that day. That 1-2 loss at the Emirates Stadium was daylight robbery and I think the squad felt this and as a result have subsequently pushed on and performed admirably in the League. Obviously the Champions League exit was a huge disappointment to Arsene Wenger's men, I felt that they would wipe the floor with Monaco, who haven't impressed in the French League this year. But careless Defensive errors late on at the Emirates and some unlucky spells in the south of France meant that they were eliminated at the last 16 stage, and defiantly leaves them with something to improve on next season. The F.A cup has proven to once again be a kind trophy to Arsenal this season, after getting past some difficult away ties such as Manchester United and Brighton, where they played out a hard fought 2-3 victory. They will go on to retain the cup again. With Great respect to Aston Villa I fell it will be extremely hard to dismantle Arsenals great form.


   But what is the future of the North London side? Is it with Arsene Wenger? Has his time come to an end? I feel a huge amount of gratitude and admiration has to go to Wenger, people forget that he has only spent a net amount of £9 Million over the last 10 years, built one of the best stadiums in the world, and managed to maintain the champions league spot throughout his Arsenal Career, a fantastic achievement. I think Arsenal fans often forget this or simply are not aware of these figures. They have nearly payed off the debt from the stadium and this has seem them make some huge signings in; Mesut Ozil (£42.5M) and Alexis Sanchez (£35M). They have both been hugely influential this season, especially Alexis Sanchez who has 20 goals in all competitions this season and a number of important assists (Soccerbase).  Arsene Wenger has used his money well I feel, where other managers in the league such as Brendan Rodgers and Mauricio Pochettino who have wasted huge amounts of money on players. 

   The dilemma that I think the Arsenal board could have is the fact that Jurgen Klopp is available, and may not be when Arsene eventually decides to retire. A truly extraordinary manager who in my opinion is up there with the best in the world. The question is can they justify bringing him in and getting rid of their greatest manager of all time in Arsene Wenger? For me no, not in a million years, yes Wenger hasn't won a huge amount of silverware in the last 10 years, probably on of the lowest out of the top 20 managers in the world, but he has truly transformed the club. The mentality, stadia, economic grounding and youth system. But as I've stated in previous blog's, success in football is generally measured by how many trophies you have won, and I think Wenger still needs to gain more in the next 5 years in order to stay in the job.
    I think he will, as I have mentioned you can see the visual improvement in the Performance of Arsenal and the consistency in results. This is due to the players they have added to their squad over the last few years, real top quality, and that is essentially what you need to compete with the other Premier League superpowers. If you look at the 2011/12 season arsenals Midfield consisted of; Alex Song, Andrei Arshavin, Abou Diaby and Theo Walcott. Now their Midfield contains players such as; Alexis Sanchez, Santi Cazorla, Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey, real quality throughout, and that quality as transcended into winning a trophy and improving their overall seasons performance. I really believe that the future is bright for Arsenal, and if they keep their best players and recruit some world class defenders they can challenge for the title and various other cups next season!

   

The Race for Champions League

With just 9 games remaining for each of the top 8 teams in the Premier League, the race for top four has never been such a fierce and unpredictable affair. It is pretty clear for everyone to see that Chelsea are indefinitely finishing in the top 4 this year, and are very much expected to lift the Premier league title, and leading Mourinho to his 3rd Championship. However it is the battle between; Manchester City, Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool, Southampton and Spurs that is most interesting about the final hurdle of this rather average Premier League Campaign. Surely Manchester City won't slip out of the top 4? Arsenal always qualify somehow don't they? And what of Manchester United, surely a top 4 place is an absolute must after a summer of spending over £150M? Could Southampton break the traditional top 4 and qualify for the champions league? 

I'll start with Manchester City, they've not had a bad season really, they didn't spend masses in the summer, but of course they look set to fail in their bid to retain the Premier League, and have a trophy less season, which from the chairman and supporters mindset would be a bad Campaign. However they face an okay looking run in, they play 4 out of the 9 games against opposition in the bottom half of the table, and realistically they should get top 4, baring a terrible run in and losing over half the games, I cant see them not Qualifying for the Champions League and I think they will push Chelsea right the very way to the end in the fight for the title. Of course they are still in the Champions league, and still have a chance of winning it, but a very bleak chance at that. I cannot see them overturning Barcelona at the Nou camp, and a rather in form Barcelona at that. Manchester City will finish in a comfortable second place

Prediction:2nd

Arsenal are a side who consistently seem to be qualifying for the Champions League year in year out, and even when the team has had dire seasons, they still manage to just get themselves into the top 4. Credit here should definalty go to the Arsenal manager; Arsene Wenger, who has managed to get Arsenal into the top 4 18 years on the bounce, a true achievement, and especially in this modern day game, where the Premier League is harder and more competitive than ever before. However Arsenal's run in seems a fairly decent in terms of potential wins, with Chelsea and Man United providing the real tests. With the extra weight if Champions League fixtures off their back they can now focus solely on getting into the top 4 and maybe pushing 2nd place Manchester City. Even with these factors going for Arsenal I think they will finish 4th. I can see Man United extracting revenge at Old Trafford, after the F.A cup clash last Monday. Also Arsenal have a terrible record vs Chelsea and I expect arsenal will slip up, especially with the injury to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, a phenomenally gifted footballer. If Arsenal manage to retain their F.A cup, which I feel they indeed will, Arsenal fans should then feel content with a 4th place finish moving forward to next season.

Prediction:4th

Manchester United without a doubt have the hardest run in out of all the top 4 challengers. 4 of there last 9 games coming against sides currently in the top 5 of the Premier league. But after a resounding victory against Spurs at Old Trafford on Sunday, and the formation and selection chosen by Van Gaal, things may just be starting to click on the red side of Manchester, and just at the right time. Carrick and Mata for me are crucial players for United, and players whom they need fit for the run in. The key will be Liverpool away on Sunday, the minimum United can get is a draw, and a draw would be a positive result, nevertheless I believe United will win at Anfeild inspite of Liverpool's recent impressive form. United won 3-0 against Liverpool back in December and will take this confidence to them in the reverse fixture on Sunday. Overall i think United will have a very good run in, Van Gaal and United always have good and strong run ins and I think 3rd place will be Man United's this year. However the goal for next year for United must be to challenge for the title and not to turn into a side who only pushes for the top 4 every season. 

Prediction:3rd

Liverpool have very much been an up and down side this year overall, however they do find themselves within touching distance of the Champions league places, and for this reason cannot be discounted for a place. Recent form has seen them become the most in form Premier League side of 2015, and I think they will push Manchester United and Arsenal hard for 3rd and 4th place. The key for Liverpool in the final 9 games is firstly gaining a positive result in the tenacious super Sunday game vs Manchester United at the weekend, it's a real six-pointer and the draw is the minimum result they can achieve to keep the confidence and ability to push for a top 4 place. They have a tough run in, like Manchester United and Arsenal. They need to keep key players like Jordan Henderson, Raheem Sterling and Phillipe Countinho fit if they are going to be there of there abouts come May. I however do see Liverpool falling just short and finishing in 5th place, a tough run in and lack of real striking power up front will be the main reason, relying on Sturridge who is not yet fully fit, won't drag them into the top 4.

Prediction:5th

Southampton, what a season the southerners have had this year, defying all expectations and very much denting the predictability of the top 4 throughout the season. What makes their season so special is the fact that they lost so many key players, and seemed to improve still and take some impressive scalps from the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool. Injuries to key players have however slowed down the steam train that erupted into the top 4 for so long during the first half of the season, and too many draws have let them down collectively towards the end. I think they will achieve a 7th placed finish at the end of the road, and credit should be passed to Ronald Koeman for this great achievement, he has managed them impeccably this season, and can really see them kicking on in the next 2015/16 campaign.

Prediction:7th

Spurs fans very much have the right to be rather disappointed with their season. The league form has been reminiscent of a rollercoaster ride, and a truly dull performance in the capital one cup final rather summed up there season, not to mention the shambolic Europa League Campaign. The quality is there for everyone to see, the emergence of Harry Kane, and the artistry of Christian Eriksen, glimpses of brilliant individual performances have sometimes carried Spurs this season. As a team I think they are a very average side, and a lot of players do not pull their weight on a constant basis, and simply have not performed this season when needed. Potchettino is in my opinion the right man for the job, he needs to sell plenty of dead wood from within the club, and retain players like; Harry Kane, Vlad Chiriches, Christian Eriksen and Hugo Lloris for Spurs to be able to really build a top quality team and to mount a more serious challenge for the top 4 next season. I think it will be extremely close between Spurs and Southampton as to who finishes 6th and 7th respectively, but I feel Spurs have the better run in and will therefore just edge Southampton to 6th.

Prediction:6th

Ryan Crow (C)

Steven Gerrard, a legacy tarnished?

   Without a shadow of a doubt, Steven Gerrard has been one of the best English Midfielders to grace the Premier League, but as he enters his last month playing in England, I hardly feel that he is leaving in a satisfied way. For over a decade he has been Liverpool's go to man, often rescuing them from the depths and winning them crucial points and cup titles, most memorable was the 2005 Champions League triumph over AC Milan, where he was Man of the Match. This was his finest hour in the Red of Liverpool, and for this achievement he must be thought of as one of the greatest players to ever wear the Liverpool Strip. However something that will always play on the back of the Englishman's mind will be the fact that he has never been able to secure a Premier League medal. Many Liverpool fans see him as the greatest Premier League midfielder, can someone who has never won the Premier League be the greatest of all time? 


   Reporter to Zinedine Zidane after France's 2006 Semi final victory; "Zinedine, how does it feel to be known as the greatest midfielder of all time?" 
Zidane: "Ask Paul Scholes". (Daily mail)

   In my opinion I don't think Steven Gerrard is close to being the greatest Premier League midfielder of all time, and I believe his failings over the last two seasons have really put a downer on his Liverpool career. That unfortunate mistake last season in the penultimate game against Chelsea is the reason that his form has hugely dropped and the reason his legacy is going to be left a little tarnished. To be honest you have to feel a little sympathy for him, coming so close to finally securing that league title he has been so longing for, and one mistake and it was all over. This really does transcend how football can be a cruel game. In contrast I think it's essential that we remember his achievements, as mentioned above, he was crucial in Liverpool's successful 2005 Champions League campaign, and a year later he won the F.A cup with a truly outstanding strike against West Ham, and understandably this is why he should be remembered as one of Liverpool's greatest.

   But how does he compare to other Premier League legends such as Patrick Viera, Paul Scholes and Frank Lampard. Taking away the fact that all of the above have won not just one Premier League medal, but three or more. Also all of the above individuals have ended their careers in the best ways possible. Patrick Viera's last kick of a ball for Arsenal was winning the F.A cup in a match where they where being dominated by rivals Manchester United. But he won them the trophy with a winning penalty, and his legacy was finished in a perfect way for him personally. Frank Lampard won Chelsea the U.E.FA cup in 2013 with a great individual goal in the final, and he then scored a hat-full of important goals in his last season for the club, where he lead Chelsea to an Honorable 3rd place. Then there was Paul Scholes, at 34 years of age and at the end of his Manchester United career he intercepted a poor pass from Andreas Iniesta and unleashed a 30 yard wonder strike against Barcelona F.C at Old Trafford to book his side a place in the Champions League Final, which they eventually won. Also at the age of 34, Steven Gerrard hopelessly saw his Liverpool side beaten in the F.A cup semi-final against minnows Aston Villa, and he was largely outplayed by Fabian Delph. 

   It is for these reasons that I find it hard to see how Steven Gerrard can be considered as the greatest Premier League Midfielder of all time. Yes, his contribution has been excellent to Liverpool football club, but his lack of trophies won whilst at Liverpool means for me he cannot be considered as one of the best, as trophies in football are what essentially symbolize success. If you look at the best players in the world, their honours list is huge, and they have all won their domestic league. I think it is so important to have a League trophy, it symbolizes the dominance that you have had over a long period of time, and is the hardest trophy to win in my opinion. You need luck, quality in every area of the field, and perseverance to win the Premier League, and only the best sides are able to win it. One aspect of Steven Gerrard's career that has to be praised is his loyalty, and the way he has sacrificed his own personal accumulation of trophy in order to stay at Liverpool and spend nearly his whole career with them. Loyalty is a fading trend in today's game and it is crucial that his loyalty should be noticed. I also feel that the reason some of us think so highly of Steven Gerrard is predominantly because he is English and naturally as English people we generally think players are better than they are. For example you only have to compare someone like Gianluca Zambrotta, arguably has less ability than Steven Gerrard, but has won the Italian League with Juventus and the World Cup with Italy. Enough Said.  

   To conclude however, no matter how loyal you are, it doesn't mean you are successful in football. People play the game to win trophies, that's a fact, and to put it simply Steven Gerrard has not won enough to be considered one of the Premier League Greats for me. Players like Kenny Dalglish and Ian Rush should be seen as  legends in Premier League and Liverpool folk-law, as they have won the Premier League for the club as well as many other honours in far shorter time periods. Steven Gerrard was a great player, I'm not saying in anyway he was not, but looking at the bigger picture, for me he is not even close to some of the greatest midfield players who have graced the League in previous years. 

   

Memphis Depay, Who is He? Is He bound for Old Trafford?

   A fairly unknown name for most, Mephis Depay however has been setting the Eredivisie alight for some years now. The 21 year old wide man is currently the top scorer in the division with 21 goals (Whoscored.com), a really impressive tally for a winger. On Saturday Sky Sports announced that Manchester United have made an inquiry for his services, and after Louis Van Gaal gave the explosive winger a chance at the World Cup last summer, would Depay fancy being reunited with his old coach and playing for one of the best clubs in world football?

    It looks as if he will go to Old Trafford if I am honest, it’s rare that when United go for a player of his caliber that they let them slip. The obvious Dutch link between Manchester United's coaching staff and the player will also help United in capturing his signature. Manchester United have also a habit of liking Dutch players, and Dutch players doing very well when playing for the club. You only have to remember the likes of Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Jaap Stam, Edwin Van Der Sar and more recently Robin Van Persie and Daley Blind to see that there is a prominent connection there. However United do face some fierce competition, PSV's club technical director has already stated the amount of interest in the player; 

"Spurs offered about €20 million last summer. Paris Saint-Germain then tested our resolve in the winter. But neither PSV, nor Memphis were interested in a winter move. We were talking about a lot of money, but decided against a transfer" (Fox Sports).

   So yes United will face competition for the winger, but considering P.S.G already have world class wide men in, Edison Cavani, Lucas Moura and Ezequiel Lavezzi, unless there was movement here you can’t see them parting with another £30-£40M on a position that is already filled. Financial fair play will also be a factor as to why P.S.G may not bid for the player.  But would he fit into Manchester United's current system? Depay is a player who occupies the left wingers role and likes to come inside onto his right foot, and is far more effective on the left than right. But United already have Ashley Young in the left side position? He has had a pretty good season for United really and would probably feel aggrieved if Memphis Depay was to arrive at the AON training complex come the summer. But Ashley Young is not getting any younger, and this may be a factor in the transfer, he will be 30 come next season and the signing of Memphis Depay could be a forward thinking action from Louis Van Gaal.

   So how much would the talented youngster cost Manchester United? Well PSV's manager, Philllipe Cocu has already stated that he turned down an approximate £14.5M bid from Tottenham Hotspur last summer, and no doubt after a brilliant World Cup and Eredivisie campaign his value would have probably doubled. I think Louis Van Gaal will be looking at a figure of around £30M for Mephis Depay, and in this current staggering market that wouldn't be such a bad deal. I personally think that Robin Van Persie should be part of the deal. He will be 32 years old when the next season starts and I feel he is looking for a move away from United after finding his chances limited this season, particularly as Louis Van Gaal seems to favor the lone striker in his tactical ideologies. A move back to his homeland may be favorable for the Dutch Star and could knock of a considerable amount from the transfer fee, and a way off keeping Manchester United clear of financial foul play.

   Would he be worth it? Definitely. He is just the player United need in my opinion, a real goal scoring winger who has buckets of talent and will still improve hugely. For me he draws comparisons with F.C. Barcelona's Neymar JR, maybe a big statement but he has the same sort of qualities in his Skill, Technique, Free-Kick ability, Speed and Flair. I am certain that in a few years he will be up there with one of the best players in Europe. It would be silly for United, who I think can definitely  get their player over other clubs, because of the Dutch connection, to let the player slip out of their grasps. The future is certainly an exciting one for the fans of Manchester United, I still think they need 2 or 3 players as well as Mephis Depay to challenge on all fronts next season, and the money is there to do just that. Plenty for fans to look forward to!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTfYhKCBLLI

 Youtube channel 'ScoutNationHD' video of Mephis Depay. A great insight into the wingers capabilities! Give it a watch!

Ryan Crow (c)
ryancrow10@hotmail.co.uk

   

Premier League Relegation; Who's going down?

   After a weekend of somewhat surprise results in the Premier League, the battle for relegation has not been more competitive. 2 months ago, Leicester City seemed almost doomed, but after 3 superb wins in their last 4 games, it seems they may form somewhat of a great escape. A similar situation at Crystal Palace since Alan Pardew has taken over they have recorded 5 wins in 7, including a fantastic 2-1 victory over Manchester City. Just 10 points separate Burnley, who are rock bottom of the table and Crystal Palace who sit in 13th. No none wants to be in this position in the table, the possibility of relegation of any team results in losing huge amounts of finance and the top players normally looking to get back into the top end of the football spectrum. For me there are still 6 sides who could all go down this season, with 5 games left as we have seen before anything can happen in this fantastic league. I will analyse each side individually and then make my final conclusion as to who I believe will be playing Championship football next season. 

   Burnley F.C (Currently 20th) - What is largely frustrating for a lot of Burnley fans is that they have on a number of occasions this year played some great football, and given some of the 'big' sides a real run for their money. They play as a real team unit, but have some great individual players at the same time. Danny Ings, George Boyd and Kieran Trippier have all performed admirably for the Lancashire side, but I simply do not feel like they have enough top quality players, that you need to survive in the Premier League. The only thing that might help Burnley in their bit for survival is the fact that their run in is far more appealing than the other sides who are battling to save their premier league statuses. Their final 5 games are all against sides who are in the bottom 5 of the League, but 3 of those are away games. The relegation battle will go to the final day, and Burnley face Villa away from home, I cannot see them winning this game at all. I think Burnley will face the drop and be one of the sides who are relegated this season, for me they have a great team spirit but simply don't have the quality in numbers to prosper in this division. 


   Q.P.R (Currently 19th) - Being a Q.P.R fan is truly like being in a football roller-coaster ride, one week they can really turn up and play, and get results and the next they look very average. Millions of pounds have been spent on the playing staff over the last few years and this simply does not reflect on the sides performance. If you look at the Q.P.R squad on paper, and with names like; Steven Caulker, Joey Barton, Junior Hoilett and Eduardo Vargas, you would think that they shouldn't be anywhere near the relegation zone. For me the problem lies in the management, and lack of consistency in selection and tactics. I have never been a fan of Harry Redknapp, he has only done average at all the clubs he has been at. I don't think he bought in the right players at all, and although they needed experience at the start of the season I feel he bought in far too much. But will they avoid the drop? Yes I think they will, just about. They face 2 true finals in their last 3 games, at home to Newcastle, I think they will win, and then in a true make of break game, they must perform against Leicester City. 

   Leicester City (Currently 18th) - At the end of March Leicester City had only claimed 4 wins from 29 Premier League matches and relegation looked more than obvious from an onlooker. But after 3 wins from 4 games and a rejuvenated squad it seems they could be set for survival after all. Their run-in is certainly favorable, 4 out of 5 game are at home, an against beatable sides. One thing about Leicester that I have noticed is they have always scored goals, and a large number of them, and this doesn't seem to change even if they play sides further up the division with better defenses. They have the ability to score, which is what other sides who are relegated generally do not possess in their locker. I think Leicester City will stay up, and great praise should be given to Nigel Pearson for this, considering their league position less than a month ago. They however do need to make sure they don't make any mistakes in their final game against Q.P.R. 




   Hull City (Currently 17th) - I like Steve Bruce as a manager, I think he is a brilliant man manager and has such a good football brain. However this summer I think his signings where very weak. Abel Hernandez has been an aberration, only managing to score 4 goals in all competitions, which for their marquee signing at £10M, is simply not good enough, a poor addition for me. Tom Ince was also bought in in 2014 and has since been loaned to championship side Derby County - a very strange move for me. Mohamed Diame has also not had the best of seasons, last season he was fantastic at West Ham but he hasn't produced the same form under Bruce this season. I don't think the board have helped either, getting involved in the club too much is never a good idea, you only have to look at Cardiff City last season as proof for this. Hull City have made it almost a tradition in surviving in relegation battles over the past few years, but I feel this one is one too much for them. Their run in is scary. Fixtures against Man United, Liverpool, Spurs and Man City will be too much for Bruce's side and they will be relegated this season.

   Sunderland F.C (Currently 16th) - Utter turmoil at the Stadium of Light. With 4 managers in just over 1 year, I think there Premier League status has just 6 games left. Too many changes of manager's and poor investments, and lack of investments in the playing squad have seen there performances and consistency severely drop. With an ageing squad and specifically an ageing deference they are doomed. With away games against Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton and Stoke, I cannot see them getting anything from these, maybe 1 point at the most. I cant see them creating goals in games, and Defoe hasn't been as prolific as Sunderland has needed.  

   Aston Villa (Currently 15th) - Villa looked like they where really stumbling towards relegation for most of the season, and looked they like have been going backwards for some time. Tim Sherwood has motivated his squad and his really getting the best out of a team, who on paper should be challenging for the Europa League positions. Christian Benteke has been crucial for Aston Villa's turnaround in fortunes, 10 goals in his last 7 games, including a hat-tick in the league and one that helped Villa to an F.A. cup final. They will comfortably stay up, as long as they get something from Arsenal or Man City. 



So for me its Burnley, Hull and Sunderland who will go down in May, they all have severe problems within their squads, not a good enough core in the middle of the park for these sides. Q.P.R certainly are not comfortable and they could easily be swapped for Burnley, depending on how either sides perform in the Run-in!

PFA Player of the Year

We are quickly coming to the end of another Premier League season, this year has been a bit of a let down really. There have without a doubt been a few good games, but the title was I think easy to predict at the start of the season, and has largely been handed to Chelsea by rival clubs. I feel there has also been a lack of real outstanding individual performances this season, and this may be due to the fall out from last summers FIFA World Cup. Nevertheless there has still been a lot to cheer for this season, the rise of another potential English star in Harry Kane from Spurs, Eden Hazard's seems to be improving with every game we watch, and Alexis Sanchez has found the transition from La Liga to the Premier League to be an easy one. 

So who's been the player of the year? For me it is out of 5 obvious candidates. 

Eden Hazard (Chelsea) - The Belgium hit-man has shown fans of the Premier league some truly outstanding performances this campaign, his quick feet and excellent technique, combined with some truly phenomenal dribbling skills have excited fans around the country and made life incredibly hard for opponents. He has notched 17 goals and 10 assists in all competitions this season (Espn.com), a truly brilliant tally from a winger, not forgetting the season still has 7 games left, I think he could easily get to 20 goals and over 15 assists. But its the artistry of his every performance that separates him from other candidates for player of the year. He makes things look so easy, shades of Lionel Messi are defiantly apparent with Eden Hazard. Zinedine Zidane has quoted: "I would take him to Madrid with my eyes closed". This shows the aesthetic appreciation the Chelsea man has from other football powerhouses around Europe. I think he will continue to improve in coming years, and will be a difficult asset for Chelsea to retain. 

Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) - What a season the Englishman has had so far. He seems like a complete forward, can score from outside the box, headers, and a very competent penalty taker. What's even better about the emergence of Harry Kane is that he is English, and it will be a massive boost to England's 2016 European Championship final's. Kane has scored 30 goals this season in all competitions. A remarkable state considering last year Kane only managed 4 goals in the whole season (Opta), and was only a fringe striker for Tottenham. I certainly regard Kane as a very good player, but i'm not sure if he is world class, if you look at the goals he scores, a high proportion is from inside the box and from scrappy situations. It will be interesting if next season he can repeat what he has done this season and improve even more.

Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal) - For me, why he stands out is largely down to how he has managed to come from La Liga to the Premier League and adapt very well, and perform even better than when he was playing in the Red and Blue of Barcelona. Many players who make the switch from La Liga to the Premier league tend to really struggle to adapt to the physicality or the pressure of the Country, for example; Iago Aspas (Liverpool), Esteban Granero (Q.P.R), Alvaro Negredo (Man City), and arguably Mesut Ozil (Arsenal). That is what make his season so special, he has scored truly stunning goals and a lot of them; notching 20 goals in all competitions and grabbing 11 assists in the process (Goal.com). Without a doubt he is one of Wenger's best signings and one of the best players to arrive into the Premier League from La Liga in recent years. I must admit I thought as a player who relies on speed and neat dribbling, I thought he would struggle with the physical side of the league and possibly find it very difficult. However he has proved me wrong and could be on course to win the PFA player of the year award. 

David De Gea (Manchester United) -  The PFA player of the year award is not normally won by a goalie, the last time a keeper won the award was back in 1978, when Peter Shilton won the prestigious award. But this season has seen David De Gea become a serious possible contention for the award. Single handed he has managed to win Manchester United points in big games, becoming unstoppable in some games. Against Everton in October De Gea saved a penalty and a string of other close range chances on goal, and from then after marvelous performances against Arsenal and Chelsea respectively have given him a huge chance to win the award. The Spanish Stopper also has 10 clean sheets in the Premier League this season so far, and without De Gea Manchester United would not be in the top 4 this season, he has been crucial. 




Diego Costa (Chelsea) - Costa had a very poor world cup by his standards, and many Chelsea fans were wondering what their £32M pounds has been spent on. The powerful striker looked burnt out after a remarkable season at Althletico Madrid, but since then he has come to the Premier League and scored bags of goals for Chelsea, with a tally of 21 in all competitions. He has also suffered with many little injuries throughout the campaign and would have scored many more goals had he been given more luck on the injury front.  He plays with no pressure on his shoulders, and is perfect for the Premier League because he is about as physical as it gets. I like this player a lot, I like the way he plays and the way in which he has no fear when fighting with defenders in an attempt to break them down and score goals. At 26 years of age, remarkably, I don't even think he has reached his prime yet and can easily improve a few aspects of his game and become better. Next season if he is luckier with injuries he is an absolute certainty for the Golden Boot. 

In conclusion, I feel that overall the best player in the Premier League this season, and so far, has been Alexis Sanchez. A true special player, and with a real talent for scoring special goals. A power house on the wing and someone who is a real joy to watch every week. It was a close run contest for me between the Chilean and David De Gea. Both have made huge contributions to their respective teams this season, but I feel Alexis has entertained fans of the Premier League that little bit more!

Team of the Season; De Gea, Baines, Terry, Shawcross, Clyne, Sanchez, Fabregas, Cazorla, Hazard, Costa, Kane.

The change in Man United's Fortunes

   It's Sunday 11th January, its a cold and windy afternoon at Old Trafford and Manchester United have just been gunned down by Southampton on their home turf. Murmurs of discontent are mumbling between the home fans and they are asking themselves; 'Is this any different from last season?'. 
But since that day United have only lost once in the League and have managed to climb into a comfortable 3rd place and with a comfortable 9 point gap between themselves and Southampton, in 5th place. The media and pundits alike are struggling to answer the question; how has this been possible? How have United managed to win 6 on the bounce, and against very tough opponents?

   Time and consistency in selection is the answer. Huge credit must go to Louis Van Gaal for United's turn around in fortunes and his honorable trust and confidence in his players. When United thumped neighbors City 4-2 yesterday evening it was intriguing to see that the biggest summer signings (Falcao and Di Maria), only made the bench and played very little contribution to the game. Luke Shaw was also absent with injury, and it was the likes of Ashley Young, Maurouane Fellaini, and Chris Smalling that where key to the victory, all players who looked to have no future for United this season after disastrous campaigns last season. Louis Van Gaal has truly captivated his players, and motivated them to get back to their best level of performance and it has really started to pay of on the pitch. Huge victories against Spurs, Liverpool and City have turned United's season into what is looking to be a success, but it is not only the results that are encouraging, its the performance. The old swagger is back, United are playing in a fearless manner, and with the confidence that no one can beat them. Free flowing attacking football with a hint of arrogance, dare i say it, it bears some similar reminiscence to the football in the days of the great Sir Alex Ferguson. 

   Time. Back in my Blog in March, after United's dismal F.A cup defeat I said that all Louis Van Gaal needed was time and patience to do his job and to truly influence the players with his philosophy and tactical identity. United are now joint second, in the form table, and are not looking over their shoulder. For me, the title is to ambitious for this season, even if United were able to beat Chelsea they would still be 5 points behind and it looks as if Chelsea will be champions come May. However with United there is always a huge sense of belief and if United were to beat Chelsea along with Arsenal beating Chelsea, you can never say never. 

   I think there also needs to be certain amount of credit given to David Moyes, his signings have certainly contributed hugely to United's recent form, with the likes of Juan Mata and Maurouane Fellaini being the key men since the turn of the new year. Also I regard Ander Herrera in this bracket as I think the deal was in place before Moyes departed last April. 

   I think United will only continue to improve. It's a shame the season is coming to its climax, as I feel if there was 10-12 games left a title push would have been well within their reach. But its onwards and upwards we must look. At the start of the season the minimum expectation was a top 4 place and 3 weeks ago that was looking very unlikely, I now feel that United will finish second, and if United fans were told this at the beginning of the campaign i think they would have been over the moon with that. As far as what United need in terms of signings to further improve and to have a big challenge in the Champions League next season I think there are 3 players still needed to bring into the squad. Mats Hummel's is one who I believe will arrive in the summer. In the German Press (DW Sport) Jurgen Kloop, manager of Borussia Dortmund, said that "He is good enough for Manchester United, and he is thinking things over". I think this is a polite way of saying he is leaving, otherwise even the mention of a transfer would be rubbished by Kloop. With Dortmund not in contention for a Champions League place, I feel as he is one of the finest defender's on the planet he will wear the red of Manchester United next season. 

   United also need a Defensive midfielder to eventually replace the solid Michael Carrick. Names like Paul Pogba, Kevin Strootman and Jordie Clasie have been increasingly mentioned. In an ideal world it would be the reunion of Paul Pogba which would be best for United, but I'm not sure how realistic that will be, as United will be battling against the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and P.S.G, respectively. I think Kevin Strootman will be ideal, a wonderful defensive player and can chip in with goals, Van Gaal has worked with him before, and although he hasn't hit the heights this year with Roma, Van Gaal can get him back to his best if he comes to United. Memphis Depay is also a great prospect, the dutch youngster has put in string of quality performances and has been severely linked with a reunion with his old international manager; Louis Van Gaal. The winger would bring pace and flair to the United team and I feel he would be a good addition to the squad. 

   It's definitely exciting times for this United team, if the performance is at a great level now, with further additions in the summer I expect United to make a real challenge for the league title and also go far in the champions league. Robin Van Persie said last season that United would be back, and they are just around the corner from becoming a force to be reckoned with. 

The evolution of the Defensive Midfielder

  

 When looking at all the successful teams throughout the years, they all have a top quality midfield or core of the team as I like to call it. For example the 1999 team of Manchester United, with Roy Keane and Paul Scholes acting as crucial member's of the treble winning team. Or the 2008 Barcelona side who dominated world football with Andreas Iniesta and Xavi at the peak of their careers. The point is quality in Midfield is a key element of any successful team, but through recent years specifically in the combative, defensive part of midfield I have witnessed a noticeable change in the evolution of the defensive style midfielder. 


   An example of this is Claude Maklele. A household Premier League name and one of the most effective defensive midfielders to have graced the Premier League. He was the catalyst in midfield during Chelsea's Russian Revolution of 2004, strings of great defensive performances from midfield made it nearly impossible for teams to break down the Chelsea defense. In over 207 games for Chelsea the Defensive midfielder managed only two goals, but it is undisputed that he was one of the best Premier League midfielders. This highlights the evolution of the defensive midfielder the fact that he scored hardly any goals but instead contributed so much on the pitch. Or maybe fans have just become goal greedy in this modern day game, and impatient with players. Would players like Makelele, and Viera prosper in today's faster and more technical game as well as they did in the early 2000's? 

   If you look at today's typical 'defensive midfielder's' and the likes of Paul Pogba, Luka Modric and Nemanja Matic, they all do their defensive work admirably, but also assist with a high number of goals for their teams. This once again highlights the change in the way in which the defensive midfielder has gone through a period of evolution over the last few years. Sergio Busquets, arguably one of the best defensive midfielders in the World is constantly criticised for his lack of goals, even thought he has three times the number of goals that Claude Makelele had with the same number of appearances (Goal.com). Sergio Busquets is part of a dying breed of defensive midfielders, no longer are you able to operate in this position within a team and not score 5-10 goals in a season. There are defensive midfielders who can easily do this now throughout Europe, and Paul Pogba, symbolizes this revolution for me. 
   
 It's hard to even nail down a correct position for the Frenchman, but Paul Pogba plays a majority of his game in the defensive area of midfield but his record for a defensive midfielder is statistically incredible. In 122 appearances for club at country at the young age of 22 Paul Pogba has scored 22 goals and made 14 assists, an incredible tally. For me, this is the benchmark for future defensive midfielders; Paul Pogba is the best defensive midfielder in World football. But others like Blaise Matuidi also follow the same trends as Paul Pogba and the new style of a defensive midfielder, he has also notched up 18 goals and 13 assists in his career so far.

   I feel that it is likely in 5-10 years that 'natural' defensive midfielders will be the make-up of the top midfield's in the world, and that clubs will only look to deploy these goal scoring and assist providing defensive players. Values of these players will shoot through the roof and I can see young defensive midfield talent like Paul Pogba, Youri Teilemans, and Marco Veratti going for a lot more money than even luxury players like Gareth Bale, Di Maria and Marco Reus are worth. Players go for big money because of their individual contributions to the team, the more you contribute to success on the field the more you are worth. Another factor that contributes to the greater worth of a quality defensive midfielder is that fact that they are simply not enough in the world, so for the true quality as mentioned above super-clubs like Real Madrid, Manchester United and P.S.G will be more than willing to pay astronomical fees for their services.  
   

Raheem Sterling, whats next?

 April 5th, 2015.  

   The story that has dominated the English football headlines over the last week is Liverpool F.C's dilemma over the future of their young English talent, Raheem Sterling. Having joined the club from Q.P.R in 2012 for the small sum of £600k, the talented youngster from London has arguably become one of the best prospects in the Premier league, and it it obvious why Liverpool will want to keep him. The question we must ask ourselves is if Liverpool do not renew his contract, do they then go on to sell another prized asset? In previous years Liverpool have parted with world class talent such as; Luis Suarez, Xabi Alonso and Pepe Reina. Would the sale of another crucial member of the squad take them back another step? After all they also have to face the realization of losing arguably their greatest every player in the summer, Steven Gerard.

   As many others have recently noted, his reported wage demands seem obscene. However I don't think the fact that Raheem Sterling has turned down the 100k a week contract that is the critical problem here. I think the problem lies at the fact that he was offered this huge wage by the club. It is far too much to pay a twenty year old, or any footballer in fact, but that is a different issue entirely. It is clear to see that Raheem Sterling has been 'Tapped Up' by another football super-club in Europe. The way he mentions the fact he would like to play abroad in the interview he did with the BBC, and by participating in this interview, he has somewhat issued a "come and get me" plea to all the clubs in Europe who have been strongly linked with acquiring his signature (Arsenal, Real Madrid, Barcelona). 

   What appears strange to me is to consider; do these clubs who are linked with Raheem Sterling actually need him in their squads? Looking at Arsenal's squad it is evident that they already have wingers in abundance, for example Alexis Sanchez, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Theo Walcott and play-makers such as Mesut Ozil, Santi Cazorla, Danny Welbeck and Aaron Ramsey. Therefore I believe Arsenal would be foolish to attempt to Sign Raheem Sterling as they already have six very good players for his position! The same situation is apparent at the other clubs who are interested in the English play-maker, Real Madrid and Barcelona are fully covered in his position on the field. Is Raheem Sterling likely to get onto the above sides with players such as; Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Lionel Messi, and Neymar? Not a chance; Sterling is a very good player but he is still far from reaching the same level of talent as the aforementioned players. 

   Sterling may have turned down the huge contract offer because he genuinely feels that he will have better prospects of success at alternative sides in Europe; Liverpool this season and in previous seasons have been reasonably poor at chasing silverware. Sterling spoke about his wish to win trophies, as is the case for every professional footballer and he may indeed, without the motivation of money, want a transfer to a bigger club with more potential of gaining silverware. On the flip side I can see comparisons between this saga and the one of Wayne Rooney and Manchester United in 2012. In this case Wayne Rooney publicly stated he would not be signing a new contract and wanted to move elsewhere. As we know in the end Rooney stayed at Manchester United, but was given a contract of up to £300k a week. Is Raheem Sterling playing Liverpool into giving him even more than £100k a week? I believe so, and I feel that ig Liverpool have ambitions of winning trophies, which they should, they need to keep their best players and show ambition in the transfer market and also show a level of financial power. Yesterday Jose Mourinho said that "every player has his price", and this is key in this saga as I feel that Liverpool are going to have to pay the price, all be it a huge one to secure Sterling's services for the future. If they fail to keep Raheem Sterling I think the fans of Liverpool will show their frustration, as they will be a long way off fighting for titles and silverware if they are unable to keep the best players which they have at their disposal. 

Ryan Crow

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