All posts by h79snht.top

Apart from battling for the domestic league and trophies next season, Everton will also be involved the Europa League as well. This will mean they need a bigger squad in order to maintain everyone’s fitness with their increase of games should they advance into the deeper rounds.

Having already made two signings with the acquisition of Romelu Lukaku and Muhamed Besic, Roberto Martinez may still need to bolster his squad with a few more instant impact signings if he is to bring some success to the club.

With this in mind, here are SIX players who can skip the adaptation stage and make give the manager some immediate results…

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CLICK ON JAMES MILNER TO SEE THE FULL LIST

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Nani

Name: Nani

Age: 27

Position: Winger (Right, Left)

Nationality: Portugal

Club: Manchester United

Price: £10 – £15 million

Nani’s future at Manchester United is still uncertain after falling down the pecking order in recent years. He is a player that can change the complete pace of the game at times and may disappear completely in some. A move to Everton could give him a second chance of proving himself in the English Premier League.

With only 11 league appearances last season, he is surely in search for some regular first team football. Despite that, he played all three of Portugal’s World Cup games, netting one in the process as many can see that his quality is still there if he is given the opportunity.

Javier Hernandez

Name: Javier Hernandez

Age: 26

Position: Striker

Nationality: Mexico

Club: Manchester United

Price: £13 – £16 million

With only six starts and 18 substitute appearances the previous season, Javier Hernandez has been unhappy out his lack of first team football throughout the previous season. Despite this, he still managed four goals and three assist as he is now out to prove his worth to Louis van Gaal.

Roberto Martinez is said to be interest in bringing the Mexican over and could use the allure of Europa League football to do so. Hernandez has always been seen as a great goal scorer and a switch to Everton wouldn’t change that.

Memphis Depay

Name: Memphis Depay

Age: 20

Position: Left Wing

Nationality: Netherlands

Club: PSV Eindhoven

Price: £10 – £15 million

Memphis Depay could be a real possibility if Tottenham Hotspur are looking to add some extra pace down the flanks. His World Cup performance has caught the eye of many other clubs as well with Louis van Gaal also previously being linked to bring the Dutch star to Old Trafford.

Almost still quite young, he has already proven himself on the world stage and could find a switch to the English Premier League to be a good career move. Despite the physicality of the English came, any club will be boosted by his quickness and creativity down the left wing.

Ron Vlaar

Name: Ron Vlaar

Age: 29

Position: Centre-back

Nationality: Netherlands

Club: Aston Villa

Price: £5 – £8 million

Ron Vlaar made himself a top defensive target with his very impressive displays at the World Cup for the Netherlands. With squad depth something Roberto Martinez will need to think about when he leads his team into the Europa League, the addition of the Dutch centre-back can sure up his squad’s defence.

Having joined Aston Villa back in 2012, he will be ready for the new campaign without needing to cope with any major adaptations due to the fact that he will have already faced many of his opponents over the years. Martinez may need to hurry on an offer because it is believed that Louis van Gaal wants him at Manchester United as well.

James Milner

Name: James Milner

Age: 28

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Position: Right Midfield

Nationality: England

Club: Manchester City

Price: £10 – £15 million

James Milner is seen as a tireless midfielder who always gives his all for his club and could become a great asset, much like how Gareth Barry made the switch from Manchester City. Every time he was given a chance to prove himself, he manages to impress everyone.

With only 12 starts and 19 substitute appearances, he managed to score one goal and provide another three. Roberto Martinez will need the likes of the England star in order to add a greater sense of depth into his side as they prepare for next season. The Toffees should be able to offer him a starting berth as everyone will still have another chance to impress their boss.

Loic Remy

Name: Loic Remy

Age: 27

Position: Striker

Nationality: France

Club: Queens Park Rangers

Price: £13 – £18 million

Loic Remy saw his move to Liverpool get cancelled and is now back at Queens Park Rangers despite stating his intentions of playing in Europe. Everton could offer him exactly that because they could also be in search of another top striker despite recently signing Romelu Lukaku.

He managed to net 14 goals in 24 starts for Newcastle United last season while on loan, meaning he has already proven himself in the English league. If he joins Everton, it would mean that he could be given the chance to play as their starting forward, both domestically as well as in the Europa League.

Cast your mind back to August, Joe Allen is standing tall as the golden boy, set to orchestrate a potentially golden era on Merseyside. His refusal to concede possession, a trait once reserved for the sunny shores of Spain, has already begun to wash away a relentless feeling of frustration among the Anfield faithful. Oh, how times change.

Last Sunday, the 22-year-old’s dismal performance in the defeat at Old Trafford provoked a barrage of criticism from a number of Liverpool legends. Jan Molby claimed Allen had not showed any sign of progression; John Aldridge lamented his inability to makes things happen while Steve McMahon insisted the young Welshman was “nothing but a 5-yard passer”.

Has the midfielder bore the brunt of negativity from the emotions that encapsulate a fierce rivalry or have his performances slipped to an unacceptable level?

Allen was the standout summer purchase under the new Brendan Rodgers’ regime, a sign of intent that Liverpool would seek to emulate the silky football that served Swansea so well last season. The £15m price tag was somewhat inflated but Rodgers had acquired a player he could use as a template and a familiar face that would make replacing ‘the King’ slightly less daunting.

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Rodgers is a stout advocate of the phrase, ‘if you have the ball, the other team can’t score’ and while there are no better players in possession, Allen’s antics without the ball are increasingly detrimental. Many pundits were quick to compare him with Paul Scholes and I would completely agree, considering neither player seems capable of executing a clean or successful tackle.

In the game against Manchester United, Allen was guilty of an unrecognisable anxiety and conducted several ‘hospital’ passes. His struggles were not exactly helped by Liverpool’s persistence on playing out from the back, a lesson not learned from their defeat to Stoke, but in a desperate attempt to redeem himself, he ended up running around like a headless chicken on a freshly varnished floor.

Perhaps his performance was merely a result of playing on one of the most intimidating stages in the world, against a team he supported as a boy but I would argue his displays have been suffering a gradual decline for a while. The art of ball retention is an incredibly taxing skill, one that is increasingly difficult to perfect in the intensified environment of English football. The physical and mental demands that come from such a revered playing style are clearly beginning to take their toll on such young shoulders.

Furthermore, the pressure of playing alongside club talisman Steven Gerrard must be overwhelming. Plenty of experienced professionals including Christian Poulsen and Alberto Aquilani have failed to establish themselves in recent years, so perhaps our expectation of Allen goes beyond the realms of reason. However, at 32, Gerrard’s ageing legs cannot be expected to drive the team forward in the same manner as before, meaning there will soon be a vacancy, desperately needed to be filled.

“Joe, offensively, has more than what a lot of people have seen, just because he’s had to play more of a sitting role. That comes when Lucas is back.” (Guardian)

Rodgers’ insists there is plenty more to come from Allen further up the pitch but there doesn’t seem to be a recognised format for all three central midfielders to slot into. Under Rafael Benitez, Mascherano would sit, Alonso would probe and Gerrard would lurk behind Torres but nowadays Gerrard, Allen and Lucas are all squashed together in deep-lying defensive roles.

Over the past two seasons, the rest of the Premier League elite have purchased formidable playmakers that thrive in the hole. Manchester City have Silva, Arsenal have Cazorla and Chelsea are blessed with the choice of Mata, Oscar or Hazard. Liverpool do not possess such a distinguished individual and although Luis Suarez has been tipped to drop deeper to accommodate the arrival of Daniel Sturridge, Rodgers may be reluctant to castrate his main threat in front of goal.

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Perhaps Liverpool need a ruthless box-to-box midfielder, a player that will operate along the spine of the team. Of course this is easier said than done, the likes of Ramires, Yaya Toure and Marouane Fellaini are all unrealistic and unaffordable targets. However, may I suggest West Ham’s Mohamed Diame, a player Liverpool were courting under Kenny Dalglish and one that could be available for just £3.5m.

I emphasise with those Liverpool fans tired of waiting for a return to the top of the table. It must be difficult to remain positive when your Mancunian rivals are gearing up for yet another title race and your neighbours look more likely to obtain a Champions League place. The key is patience, especially with Joe Allen, who may not be a match-winner in his own right but will be integral to the art of winning matches under Brendan Rodgers.

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I think there is no doubt that England is currently in a period of transition. It seems that under Roy Hodgson’s guidance they are finally turning towards a youth movement as far as their selection policy is concerned.

Whether the youth movement is a choice or was the only option for Hodgson is a debate for another day. However it does appear that we have reached the end of the so called ‘golden generation’.

With John Terry ending his International career, Rio Ferdinand’s being all but over there is now only a handful of players left from the promising but overhyped generation.

Frank Lampard Steven Gerrard and Ashley Cole are the latest players who face questions over their international futures. However whilst there is not a huge amount of competition for Gerrard and Lampard’s positions, Cole is facing a major challenge from Leighton Baines.

Over the past few seasons Baines has been consistently impressive for Everton. Becoming one of their most influential players at the club and earning respect from piers as well as players. His ability from free kicks as well as penalties provides the team with more options going forward.

Cole though is still a world class full back, at his peak and with his mixture of experience and ability, probably still just about pips Leighton Baines as an individual footballer.

But it’s about so much more than that.

At twenty seven years old Baines is entering the peak of his career whereas Cole, now thirty one, is reaching the end of his prime. By the next World Cup he will be thirty three, meaning it will probably be his final International tournament.

Another factor to consider is that while the two players may be similar on the field, of the field they couldn’t be any more different. Cole is notorious for creating controversy and the spotlight of the media follows him everywhere, almost to the point where you start to believe that he enjoys it.

His latest incident insulting the FA on twitter has once again cast a shadow over his obvious talent as a footballer and makes you ask whether he’s more trouble than he’s worth.

Baines on the other hand is much more reserved. A model professional,  he prefers to shy away from the media. The fact that he doesn’t even have a twitter account and rarely does interviews puts this into perspective.

The reason I’m raising this point is because the last thing that England need, especially in major tournaments is controversy or the squad be disrupted by constant harassment by the media.

One major on the field benefit of Baines playing is that he already has a solid partnership with new first choice centre backs Phil Jagielka and Joleon Lescott. These three were part of a watertight Everton defence before Lescott’s Manchester City move and could well deliver the same success at International level.

Overall then whilst Cole is currently the better player, Baines provides many other positives such as age and professionalism. He is in the form of his life and deserves a small run of games in the starting line up at the very least.

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Whether he gets the opportunity comes down to how committed Hodgson and England are to developing youth. If they are committed then I feel that (depending on the form of Cole, Baines or any other left back) Baines will get the nod ahead of Cole by the time the World Cup comes around.

Whatever the decision, it is one difficult choice Hodgson will enjoy having to make.

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As we swing into the New Year and head at a canter past the half way point in the Barclays Premier League this season, it’s given many the chance to take stock of the division’s star performers so far this term. And from a midfield perspective, the effervescent Tottenham Hotspur duo of Sandro and Mousa Dembele would be sure to find themselves near the peak of any top tens conjured up at this time of the year.

Indeed, from an individual perspective, both Sandro and Dembele have more than the odd reason to be proud of their work in the Tottenham engine room over the past five months. After simmering in and out of the first XI under Harry Redknapp, Sandro has gone from a talented, yet unpredictable midfield battler into an indispensible fan favourite under the tutelage of Andre Villas-Boas.

In the case of Mousa Dembele, the application of an unique skillset encompassing both delicate skill and unnerving Belgian power, has seen him reduce his £15million price tag to one of the bargains of the season.

But for all the exhaustive lists of the pair’s individual talents, it’s when you view them as a combined entity that you really begin to gauge how Spurs have quietly gone about their business climbing up to third in the Premier League table. Because as a central midfield partnership, they may be just about the best there is around in the country at this present moment in time.

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Of course, this isn’t the first time in recent years that Spurs have laid claim to possessing such a vaulted double act in the centre of the park. In fact, you only have to cast your mind back to this time last year and the success of Luka Modric and Scott Parker within Harry Redknapp’s team, to understand the pressure that Andre Villas-Boas was under to find a similar winning formula. The success of Parker and his Croatian foil left quite the legacy for the side to match this term.

Considering that despite the eventual departure of Modric to Real Madrid, Spurs still possessed both Parker and Sandro at the start of the season, you wouldn’t have thought the task awaiting AVB was anything nearing alchemy. But with Parker sidelined with an Achilles injury that rendered him unavailable from the start of the term till mid-December, Tottenham were in essence starting the new season with a new-look engine room to boot.

Sandro’s 23 league starts last season do of course lay waste to the new cog notion, but where as last term he was the man standing on the periphery, looking to fight his way into the first team plans, the Brazilian entered this term as top dog. While supporters never doubted his ability, was the ex-Internacional man up to taking on the extra responsibility and expectation that came with being a solidified first teamer? His side’s third placing in the Premier League tells you all you need to know.

Combined with the majestic Mousa Dembele, Sandro has been imperious in the Spurs midfield this season, but it’s the unique combination of his partnership with the Belgian that’s been the real catalyst for his success.

While Manchester City’s Yaya Toure may be the division’s best example of the complete midfielder, the skillsets of both Sandro and Dembele aren’t cut from a cloth that is too dissimilar in its versatility.

Sandro’s natural remit as a midfielder is of course one built around negation. He’s Villas-Boas’ most aptly skilled defensive enforcer and his ability to intercept, snuff out and thwart danger in that patented combative manner of his, has seen him arguably shine through as the club’s most prominent performer this term. But his role in the team isn’t simply consigned to destroying play – he can create it, too.

He may not be likely to pick a through ball out Tom Huddlestone-esque from 40yards, but when the 23-year-old picks up the ball, very rarely does he give it away. Sandro doesn’t just win the ball, but he can travel with it too, helping contribute to one of the most fluid midfields in the division.

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And in Mousa Dembele, he has the perfect foil. The Belgian’s ability to almost sail past players at will with an elegance that defies his size has been a joy to watch this season. But for all his speed on the break and ability on the ball, the ex-Fulham man isn’t without a touch of the Sandro’s himself.

Dembele may have made the second highest number of key passes in the league so far (28, behind Samir Nasri’s 33) but as well as being the ninth most successful dribbler in the league (with 1.9 per game) he also makes the top ten list for tackles made by midfielders in the Premier League (2.9). In front of him? Amongst others, you’ll find a certain Sandro as the seventh most efficient tackler.

And it’s within this diversity and range of skill which has been the key to the pair’s success. While Sandro is the destroyer in chief and Dembele offers the spark of creativity, they both possess not just the ability to perform each other’s role, but to perform it to a startlingly high standard. The side are blessed to possess a midfield partnership that’s as skillful as it is strong and as industrious as it is inventive.

While individually the likes of the aforementioned Toure and David Silva may possess a little more stardust, when it comes to a fully functioning central midfield partnership, there are few better than the duo of Sandro and Mousa Dembele. If Villas-Boas can eek a similar level of productivity out of the players that sit in front of them, then 2013 could be a very special year indeed for the Lilywhites.

Simon Mignolet can leave Sunderland this summer for £9million, according to Sky Sports.

The Belgian international is looking to move to a top Premier League club this summer, and wants to raise his profile ahead of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Liverpool have been heavily linked with Mignolet, after reportedly having a £7million bid rejected. The Reds could look at Mignolet as a replacement for Pepe Reina, who has been repeatedly linked with a move to Barcelona.

Mignolet was Sunderland’s Player of the Season this year, after keeping 11 clean sheets for the Black Cats, who finished just three points above the relegation zone.

The 25-year-old has just two years left on his contract, and Sunderland know that his value will decrease if he enters his final season. Despite their reluctance to sell, manager Paolo Di Canio knows that club won’t get as much money next season if they keep hold of the star keeper.

The Reds have also been linked with a move for Stoke goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, who was under a lot of transfer speculation from Manchester United and Arsenal in January, before deciding to stay with the Potters.

But Sunderland have told Liverpool that Mignolet is available, if they meet their £9million valuation for the goalkeeper. Brendan Rodgers will be hoping to secure the deal before Liverpool’s pre-season tour of Asia and Australia.

Do you think Mignolet is the right man for Liverpool? Is £9million a fair price tag?

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Join the debate below!

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Tottenham winger Gareth Bale has claimed that he would like to experience a move abroad during his career sparking more speculation over the midfielders future at White Hart Lane.

Bale scored and assisted in Spurs’ terrific 3-2 victory at Manchester United on Saturday evening and his performance and comments may well interest some European footballing giants.

“I’d never be scared of it,” he told The Guardian.

“It’s something I’d like to experience. It’s in the future but if something did come up I would obviously look at it with interest.”

The Spurs winger also took time to praise his new boss Andre Villas-Boas and what he has done since arriving in the summer.

“He’s very approachable,” said Bale.

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“If there is a problem, or something we feel is not right, his door is open. He wants us to work that way: together, the players and staff, and if there is a problem we can always share our ideas with him and he will take it on board.

“For example, if we feel we are working too hard in training, if we say that to him, then he’ll ease it off. He’s still learning as well as a manager but he does all the coaching and everything himself, which is great.”

Manchester City defender Kolo Toure admits he could be tempted to make a switch to France after slipping down the pecking order at the Premier League Champions.

The Ivorian defender has been at the City of Manchester Stadium for the past three seasons after joining from Arsenal and has helped his club to FA Cup and Premier League success.

However this season he has fallen out of favour with Roberto Mancini and has just featured in three games.

Reports suggest that Toure is keen for a move away from the club in order to get first team football and could do so in January. A number of clubs are believed to be interested in the services of the 31-year-old.

Toure has admitted the thought has crossed his mind and has hinted that a fresh start in Ligue 1 could be an option.

“Why not France?” The commanding centre-back told Sky Sports.

“There is PSG, Lille and the league is getting stronger.”

The French league is fast improving and has recently seen the arrival of superstars like Zlatan Ibrahimovich, who has joined oil-rich Quatari-owned Paris Saint Germain.

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Toure has been in England since 2002 when Arsenal signed him from Ivory Coast side Asec Mimosas for a fee of £150,000 and has gone on to play in over 250 Premier League games.

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Being linked with just about every player under the sun isn’t something that will come as any particular surprise to supporters of Tottenham Hotspur. But even by their standards, this summer’s transfer window saw the speculation that usually circles the North London club go into absolute overdrive.

A combination of a new manager, a new formation and £30million-rated departure saw Tottenham dominate the gossip columns and Daniel Levy requiring an auditor to sort out his phone bill. Seemingly no player was safe from being rumoured with a move either in or out of N17 and as always in North London, the crux of the business was left down to the last minute.

It is far, far too early to judge how the acquisitions that have been brought in will prosper, but such is the scale of players mooted with a move to White Hart Lane, we thought we’d have a look at those that haven’t made their way to Spurs; and decided to make a rival starting XI to boot.

We are at pains to disclaim that if Daniel Levy had acquired all of these players all at once, Spurs would probably be in financial trouble quicker than you could say ‘Peter Ridsdale’ and the balance of this team is more Football Manager 2012 than Villas-Boas reality.

But seeing as we’re all such gluttons for punishment, here is Tottenham’s 2012 failed transfer XI. Lining up in a shamelessly copycat 4-3-3, it’s dubious as to how they’d cope away to Stoke City, but they’re certainly a talented bunch.

Click on Jack Butland to unveil the XI

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Are you glad that some of these stayed well away from White Hart Lane this season? Or do you feel that the team are crying out for one of these transfer targets that they missed out on? Tell me what you think on Twitter: follow @samuel_antrobus and let me know who’s in and out. 

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Liverpool have confirmed the arrival of AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli in a deal believed to be £16million.The 24-year-old Italian international has signed a long-term deal with the Anfield club after Âa year-and-a-half in Italy with AC Milan.And the striker, who netted 30 goals in 54 gamesÂin Italy, has put expressed his delight at finally being able to complete his move back to the Premier League and admits it was a mistake when he left Manchester City.He told Liverpool’s official site: “I’m very happy. We’ve been talking about coming here and now I’m happy to be here.”Liverpool are one of the best teams here in England and the football is very good here. It’s a great team with young players, and that’s why I am here.”I’m happy to be back because I left England and it was a mistake. I wanted to go to Italy but I realised it was a mistake.”WANT MORE? >> Liverpool transfer news | Latest transfer newsAnd Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers is understandably delighted to have got his man and has replaced the void left by Luis Suarez, who left for Barcelona earlier this month.”This transfer represents outstanding value for the club and I think we have done a really smart piece of business here,” he explained.”There is no doubting Mario’s ability. He is a world-class talent and someone who, for such a young age, has vast experience of playing at the very highest challenge.”I believe we have the infrastructure, culture and environment to get the best out of him and help him achieve his true potential.”Balotelli will wear his iconic number 45 shirt at Anfield.

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Nothing encapsulated a farcical few months for Tottenham any better than last night’s festivities under the lights at White Hart Lane. It had been such a drama filled day for those in and around the club that it was perhaps easy to forget that there was a Premier League game last night at all.

Off-field uncertainty and the brutal undermining of his position on a near daily basis has dominated Tim Sherwood’s tenure. The news that the Englishman would likely be leaving his position in the summer hardly came as a huge surprise, but the manner of it left a bitter taste in the mouths of many. Whatever you think of a Sherwood as a manager, his treatment whilst in charge of the club has been pretty disgraceful.

As much as he tried to bat away the sympathisers it was difficult not to feel sorry for a man that looked broken even after leading his side to a romping 5-1 victory over relegation threatened Sunderland:

“I can’t comment about my employment – you’ll have to ask my employers,’” he said.

“I don’t know whether it (speculation) does anyone any favours. We’ve just got to get on with it. There has been an opportunity to manage this great club and I’ve done well. I think my win percentage is higher than any Tottenham manager.”

“I don’t want anyone to feel sorry for me and it’s been a great opportunity.”

Even after what appeared to be a despondent farewell speech it was still uncertainty that dominated the mood last night. The club were quick to write off the stories as ‘speculation’ and there doesn’t seem to be any definitive decision on Sherwood’s future as yet. He continues to be a man precariously placed on the edge of the footballing precipice.

The off field antics aside, it was actually the 90 minutes at White Hart Lane last night that truly summed up everything about Sherwood’s reign at Spurs.

We had it all. There was remonstrating with the fourth official, fans and basically anyone else that would listen to Sherwood’s bursts of fiery passion. He may be tactically misguided but the drive and determination was still there for all to see last night.

The performance was typically Spurs-like; a farcically gifted opener for Sunderland followed by 50 odd minutes of drab monotony, alarm bells ringing once more. This wasn’t a game for the purist by any means, but Spurs certainly did offer fans a bit of respite from week after week of disappointment in the second half. Christian Eriksen again showing why he was the coup of the summer’s transfer window and why Spurs should be building their side around him for years to come.

It wouldn’t have been a Sherwood victory without a couple of goals from his adoptive son Emmanuel Adebayor, complete with the usual salute.

5-1 seems emphatic, but some were left unconvinced by a performance that at times lacked a certain degree of conviction. Both Paulinho and Chadli looked abject, Lennon largely anonymous and both wing backs well out of their depth at this level.

Even in victory Sherwood’s sides struggle to win everyone over.

You can lump me in with the rest that have supposedly conspired against Sherwood, but last night was not just symptomatic of his tenure, more so Spurs over the course of the whole season.

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There has yet to be a game where the whole side has clicked, two or three players maximum at a time have carried Spurs over the line and this has got to be a worry going forward.

An evening dominated by passion and drama; even Sherwood’s staunchest critics would have left the game last night having at least seen the man go out with a bang.

Nothing more than a folly for some greater grand design at Spurs, it is difficult not to be sympathetic towards the departing Englishman after last night.

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