This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…
Gary Neville has praised Tottenham for what they have achieved in recent years and suggested they have been unfairly criticised of late.
What did he say?
Tottenham have come under fire recently due to their bad run of form, with some suggesting that the players’ unhappiness with Mauricio Pochettino’s training regime has created unrest and contributed to their downfall.
However, considering the comparative transfer budgets and wage structures between Spurs and the rest of the top six, it is fair to say that they have overachieved in the last few years, albeit without winning a trophy.
As a result, Neville is choosing to look at the bigger picture, and doesn’t believe a few poor results should create media hysteria over the way Spurs approach their wage structure.
Speaking on Sky Sports’ Super Sunday, he said:
“This team has eight times in the last ten seasons finished above Liverpool, it’s got to a Champions League final, it’s been run really well for quite a long time. They’ve played so well for four or five years this team.
“I don’t think they can go and pay the wages or wouldn’t pay the wages and that’s a decision that they’ve made as a football club and I don’t think we can sit here and criticise it.
“They either keep the players and let them run their contracts down or they cash in, they get criticised both ways.”
Breath of fresh air
Although they were busy in their recruitment over the summer by usual standards, various players continue to be linked to the club as possible solutions to help them pick up their form, including the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Nathan Ferguson and Max Aarons.
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The chairman, Daniel Levy, brought in several multi-million-pound signings over the summer in Ryan Sessegnon, Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso [who is yet to join permanently] despite the huge cost of the new stadium.
The summer spending spree was something of an anomaly in the context of Spurs’ recent windows, but the club have remained competitive during a tedious financial balancing act period.
They have had a lot of joy from their academy, too, and Levy and Pochettino collectively took the club to the verge of European glory.
Neville suggests that the club shouldn’t be criticised for their wage structure and the manner in which they deal with players, and considering some of the astronomical salaries that are being paid, it is easy to understand why the Sky pundit sympathises with the refreshing approach.
This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
Sunderland’s failure to fix their full-back positions in the summer transfer window is becoming a major problem.
When your 24 year-old midfielder spends no less than 36 of his first 62 games for the club at right-back, you know you have a problem.
One has to imagine Luke O’Nien was not brought to the club in the summer of 2018 to play on the right side of defence – Transfermarkt records no appearances from the position for any of his previous clubs.
Yet, the Englishman has regularly been forced into the role, while 2019 arrival Conor McLaughlin has left fans fuming at his woeful performances there this season, with one even saying the Northern Irishman “makes Gareth Hall look like Rivaldo”.
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On the other flank, Jack Ross has chopped and changed between the likes of Denver Hume and Bryan Oviedo since his arrival, the former of which was hooked at half-time at Bolton last weekend, the worst team in the league, with one fan branding him “like a sleeping ostrich” while another simply said he “can’t defend”.
Oviedo has of course left the club, and the man brought in to replace him, Laurens De Bock, is yet to feature in a league game due to injury and fitness concerns.
It’s no secret that full-back is one of the most crucial positions on the pitch nowadays. Just look at the likes of Manchester City, who have spent close to £200m on the position since Pep Guardiola arrived, and Liverpool, who get most of their creativity from Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Roberston.
And then there’s Sunderland, seemingly stuck behind the times just throwing whoever they can find into the role, hoping they make do just enough to get by.
Much was made of the Black Cats’ failure to land an out-and-out playmaker this summer, but given how the full-back position has developed such an influence at both ends of the pitch in recent years, their failure to upgrade the flanks of their defence may be an even more pressing matter, and an even more foolish oversight.
This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Everton suffered a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Burnley on Saturday and fingers have to be pointed at striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin after another poor result.
On the chalkboard
The Toffees have now gone four games without a win in the Premier League, with Jeff Hendrick’s goal proving decisive at Turf Moor.
One has to wonder, however, whether manager Marco Silva should think about replacing Calvert-Lewin with another one of his forwards, such as Moise Kean.
Indeed, Calvert-Lewin produced a woeful display in Lancashire at the tip of a 4-2-3-1 formation.
Prior to his 74th-minute substitution – Kean was introduced in his place – the forward had 15 touches of the ball, by far the lowest number of any player to start the game.
He also failed to have a shot on goal, did not complete a dribble and registered a passing accuracy of 25%. The next lowest in the Everton team was Jordan Pickford, the goalkeeper, with 48%.
It is all very well mentioning that he was starved of service as his number of touches suggest, but he was also unable to do anything with the ball when it was at his feet.
No longer potential
Calvert-Lewin is 22.
This is no longer a youngster making his way into the Toffees first-team.
He has made 101 appearances for the club and has scored 21 times. That’s a rate of a goal every 0.2 games.
For a top-level striker, that is unacceptable.
Yes, Calvert-Lewin scored against Manchester City last week at Goodison Park but he also missed a gilt-edged chance when one-on-one with Ederson, and did not even have a shot in anger against Burnley.
The Toffees are in a rut, currently, and are struggling to find any semblance of form.
Sticking with Calvert-Lewin as their starting striker is only going to prolong that wait as they look to get back on track.
This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
Everton’s decision to sign Alex Iwobi may have been the wrong move for the club to have made in the transfer window this summer, and instead Marco Silva should have opted for a more natural winger.
The former Arsenal man has started life as a Toffees player reasonably well with two goals in five games, and he has added energy on and off the ball which is key to the press, as seen through Richarlison’s first goal against Wolves.
However, like Bernard, he is a player who likes to cut in from the left and that means Everton’s width reduces and they become easier to contain for the opposition.
The Nigeria international admitted to Goal himself that he likes to operate through the middle having played there when he grew up, but with Gylfi Sigurdsson occupying that position and Richarlison often making runs into the box, Silva’s side can become too narrow and too easy to predict.
“Growing up I’ve been playing as an attacking midfielder, more central in the midfield. I wouldn’t say if I’m most comfortable there but that’s where I grew up playing.
“I’ve always seen myself as a midfielder but wherever I’m being told to play in the middle or somewhere, I will always give my best.”
Instead, Silva should have opted for an out-and-out winger who can hug the touchline, as other than Theo Walcott the Toffees lack a player who can attack the byline and get a cross in, and instead have to rely on their full-backs to provide crosses, as the Sheffield United match showed.
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In that match against the Blades, Everton managed just seven successful crosses out of the 40 they attempted, which is concerning given the fact that three of their five Premier League goals have come from headers.
Silva failed to add variety to the midfield and as a result his left-sided options – Iwobi and Bernard – are too similar. Both are good with the ball at their feet, with 1.5 and 1.7 successful dribbles per game this season, but lacking when it comes to productivity in the final third.
Some QPR fans have taken to Twitter to express their concern over Yoann Barbet, after the centre-back embarrassed himself against Swansea with a woeful performance.
The Frenchman, signed on a free transfer this summer after leaving Brentford, conceded a penalty with the score level at 1-1 – a moment which swung the game in Swansea’s favour.
Borja Baston dispatched the spot kick, and from then on the R’s simply couldn’t get back into the game.
Barbet, 26, had already conceded a penalty this season before his slip up against the Swans, meaning he has given away two spot kicks already in just four games – it’s safe to say he hasn’t had a great start to the campaign.
Watch the video below to find out how CR7 achieves some his best skills…
Neither have Mark Warburton’s side in general, as they now sit in 19th having lost two of their first four games, winning just once.
Let’s take a look at what the concerned QPR fans on Twitter have been saying about Barbet’s poor performance…
[ad_pod ]Today is a very special day for Robin van Persie because today he celebrates his 36th birthday.And what better way to celebrate such a big moment than with your close friends and also ex-teammates.[ad_pod ]That is exactly was seemed to transpire on Twitter as Patrice Evra, who is usually very well known for his hilarious posts on social media, sent the Dutchman a very special birthday message.
Evra promptly reminded van Persie that he told him the Red Devils play like men, and then wished him all the best and thanked him for helping him clinch that 20th title.
The duo played together at Manchester United for a couple of years.
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The Dutchman was there from 2012 until 2015 while Evra joined in 2006 and stayed until 2014, meaning they were teammates for two years until the Frenchman left for Juventus.
And just recently, Evra also hung up his boots and decided to officially retire from professional football, which he confirmed with an announcement on Instagram.
This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
Leeds United saw Kemar Roofe depart for Anderlecht on Tuesday, with doubts still remaining over Kalvin Phillips’ long term future at Elland Road with his current contract due to run out in the summer of 2021 and no progress over a new one.
The Yorkshire outfit reportedly offered new deals to both Roofe and Phillips this summer, but one has gone and the other has been heavily linked with Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur while failing to commit to the club.
Reliable club insider and The Athletic journalist Phil Hay was asked by a fan in a Q&A (subscription needed) why the Whites have been unable to match the wage demands for Roofe and Phillips, and his answer was an interesting one.
He said: “It’s tough in the Championship. Both Phillips and Roofe would be looking for in excess of £20k a week. It’s not that they’re not worth it – Leeds just have to make judgement about what they can afford.”
Now there is no doubt that after the 2018/19 campaign that the duo were two of Leeds’ best and most important players, so it seems strange that they weren’t –and haven’t been – offered contracts they believe are acceptable.
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Meanwhile, divisive goalkeeper Kiko Casilla is sitting on £35,000-a-week according to a separate Hay article on The Athletic, and he has left some of the Elland Road faithful unconvinced by him – including the in playoff disaster against Derby County.
The Sun journalist Alan Nixon tweeted earlier in the summer that the Spaniard would be allowed to go with Sevilla one of the clubs reported to be sniffing around the former Real Madrid man, but instead he has remained at Elland Road and is the undisputed number one with manager Marcelo Bielsa praising him following the opening day win against Bristol City.
But given his wages and the fact that he is yet to convince some that he is a top-class stopper, you have to wonder if Leeds have made a mistake by not offloading his sizeable wages – saving some money that could have been put towards improved deals for Roofe and Phillips.
Yes, the former may be replaceable with links to Dwight Gayle and Eddie Nketiah potentially exciting, but he was still the Yorkshire outfit’s top marksman last term and will be a big miss.
It is perhaps a different story with Phillips though, who it would be really difficult to find a successor for given there aren’t a plethora of defensive midfielders – including ones who can fill in centre-back – available who can bring what he does for the Whites in that position.
Thogden ranks all 24 Championship away kits in the video below…
He wins the ball back, as shown by the fact he averaged 2.6 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per league appearance last season, according to WhoScored, before quickly recycling it to his teammates as shown by his average of 4.6 long balls.
While the 23-year-old looks set to stay beyond the deadline as things stand, his value may well decrease as his contract runs down even further and if the difference between keeping hold of him and losing him was Casilla and his wages, Leeds may have made a calamitous error.
Arsenal fans have been made to wait a long time to see this once again.
Hector Bellerin has returned to the Emirates as the Gunners have officially started their pre-season preparations. Unfortunately though, the Spanish full-back won’t be getting back into the grind just yet.
He suffered a serious knee injury back in January, which ended his season only halfway through. If recent reports are to be believed, we won’t see Bellerin on the pitch until the start of the 2019/20 campaign or even a bit later.
Still, that did not stop him from visiting his friends at the training centre as they were already hard at work.
Bellerin posted a snap of his return on Instagram and captioned it with a finish-line flag emoji, which could also be an indication that his recovery is going well and he could soon get back to his teammates.
The 24-year-old played a total of 19 games before his season was abruptly ended by a serious ligament rupture that made him miss 25 games in the 2018/19 campaign.
كشف الدولي الألماني توني كروس نجم ريال مدريد، أنه يرغب في الفوز بلقب دوري أبطال أوروبا هذا الموسم مع النادي الملكي، ليكون الخامس في مسيرته.
صاحب الـ31 عامًا، توجّ بدوري أبطال أوروبا في أربع مُناسبات سابقة، مرة واحدة مع بايرن ميونخ، وثلاث مرات مُتتالية مع ريال مدريد.
وقال كروس في بودكاست “TOMorrow” نقلته صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية: “عندما تحُقق دوري أبطال أوروبا فأنت يكون لديك شعورًا أنك تُريد تحقيقه مرارًا وتكراًرا”.
اقرأ أيضًا.. رودي جارسيا: إذا كان بنزيما ليس على ما يرام في ريال مدريد فليأت لـ ليون!
وأضاف: “في بعض الأحيان لا تستطيع تحقيق اللقب لمدة عام أو عامين وهذا أمر طبيعي لأن الآخرين يريدون تحقيقه أيضًا، ولكن هذا الشعور بالرغبة في عيش التجربة مرة أخرى لا يختفي”.
وواصل: “رغم تحقيقي لأربع ألقاب دوري الأبطال، إلا أنني أسعى لتحقيقه للمرة الخامسة، سيكون الأمر صعبًا”.
وأتم تصريحاته قائلًا: “ولكن إذا لم أستطع تحقيقه فلن أقتل نفسي أيضًا، ولكن أنا سأحاول بكل تأكيد”.
Stand by for a day of high emotion at the Etihad Stadium next May when David Silva salutes the Manchester City fans for one last time. The 33-year-old Spain international said earlier this week that he plans to leave the club at the end of next season, which will be his 10th in Manchester.
When Silva arrived at the club in 2010, they were only two years into the Abu Dhabi group’s ownership and were still looking to break into the top four in the Premier League. By the time the iconic winger says his final goodbye in just over 10 months’ time, he could depart with five league titles to his name and a third Premier League triumph in a row.
Silva’s status as one of the Premier League’s greatest ever Spaniards is beyond question. These fellow countrymen have also added plenty to England’s top flight over the last two decades…
Adrian
Only a year after being promoted to Real Betis’ first team, the goalkeeper was brought to West Ham by Sam Allardyce in summer 2013. He had to wait four months until making his Premier League debut but, by the season’s end, he had supplanted Jussi Jaaskelainen as the Hammers’ first choice goalkeeper.
Perhaps his most memorable West Ham moment came in an FA Cup penalty shoot-out against Everton – not for saving a spot kick, but for scoring one that took his team into the next round. He was a hugely popular figure among Hammers fans but had to play second fiddle to Lukasz Fabianski last season and he was released last month after 43 clean sheets in 150 appearances for the club.
Marcos Alonso
The full-back first came to the Premier League with Bolton in 2010 and, despite being relegated two years later, stuck with the club for one season in the Championship. He returned to the top flight in 2014 with a loan spell at Sunderland and helped to keep them up, but he will be best remembered for his time at Chelsea.
Antonio Conte signed him from Fiorentina for £24million in 2016 and Alonso became a mainstay of the team that won the Premier League the following season. While Chelsea’s two subsequent campaigns have been disappointing, the left-back has provided an impressive total of 18 goals in three years, including a famous double against Tottenham in August 2017.
Xabi Alonso
The midfielder was among Rafael Benitez’s first signings at Liverpool in 2004 and he quickly made a name for himself as an exceptional passer of the ball. He scored the Reds’ equaliser in the 2005 Champions League final and was hailed as one of the team’s best players that season.
He twice scored from his own half for Liverpool, against Luton in an FA Cup tie and Newcastle in a league game later in 2006. Despite consistently strong performances from Alonso, Benitez unsuccessfully pursued Gareth Barry in summer 2008 and the relationship between the Spanish pair was soured. He left a year later as an Anfield legend.
Mikel Arteta
The midfielder initially joined Everton on loan in January 2005 before solid performances in helping the Toffees finish fourth persuaded David Moyes to sign him permanently. He won a series of individual accolades at Goodison Park during a six-year spell in which he was part of the furniture in a consistently high-performing Everton team.
He couldn’t resist the lure of Arsenal in 2011, moving to north London from Merseyside, and finished out the remaining five years of his playing career at the Emirates. He captained the Gunners to victory in the 2014 FA Cup final and was soon given the armband full-time. In 11 years in the Premier League, he scored 42 goals in 284 games.
Cesar Azpiliceta
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The man affectionately known as ‘Dave’ has been one of the few constants at Chelsea over the last seven years. He cost only £7m from Marseille in 2012 and helped the club to a Europa League triumph in his first season at Stamford Bridge. He was Chelsea’s Player of the Season the following year, drawing huge praise from manager Jose Mourinho.
Azpilicueta won two Premier League titles in his next three seasons, playing every single minute of the 2016/17 triumph under Antonio Conte. He played in a centre-back three under the Italian, a departure from his usual left-back role. He has already racked up 235 Premier League games for Chelsea and has continually impressed a succession of managers.
Bruno
Very few players make their Premier League debut at 36, but that was Bruno’s reward for five years of sterling service to Brighton when they reached the top flight in 2017. The veteran right-back was a steady presence for the Seagulls in their inaugural Premier League season, playing a captain’s role as they beat the drop.
A hamstring injury in the early weeks of last season curtailed his involvement for 2018/19, but just as Brighton were looking destined for relegation and helped them to cling to their Premier League status before retiring at the end of the season. Bruno was the embodiment of a committed, unselfish right-back who was a gladiatorial figure at the Amex Stadium.
Santi Cazorla
The attacking midfielder joined Arsenal from Malaga in 2012 and he became an instant hit at the Emirates, scoring 12 goals and providing as many assists in his first season. He was a constant presence in the side that won the 2014 FA Cup, a trophy he helped them to retain the following year.
Cazorla frequently appeared near (or at) the top of Premier League assists and passing accuracy tables but a knee injury in November 2015 set in motion a string of injury problems that led to skin grafts being added to an infected Achilles tendon. It was not an appropriate way for such a gifted and honest player’s Premier League career to end.
Diego Costa
The hot-tempered striker arrived at Chelsea in 2014 and he made an instant impact in England, scoring seven goals in his first four games. He was in the PFA’s Team of the Year and scored 20 goals as Chelsea won the Premier League in his first season in London.
Sadly, Costa’s time in England was marred by controversial incidents such as a stamp on Steven Gerrard and a nasty challenge on fellow Spaniard Adrian. He was a damn good player, though, hitting another 20 goals in the Blues’ 2017 league triumph before being told by Antonio Conte via text that he was free to leave Chelsea, which he did later that year.
Gerard Deulofeu
Having been unable to break into Barcelona’s first team, the talented forward signed on loan for Everton in 2013 at the start of Roberto Martinez’s reign. He caught at the eye at Goodison Park as he helped the Toffees to finish in the top six, being recalled by Barcelona in summer 2014.
Just over a year later, he was back at Everton permanently but did not have the same impact second time around. Since joining Watford in January 2018, though, Deulofeu has evolved into a consistent performer with far greater end product, scoring 10 goals in 30 games for the Hornets last season.
David de Gea
Edwin van der Sar would be a tough act to follow at Manchester United and a mistake on De Gea’s Premier League debut did not bode well. However, after being dismissed as too physically light to succeed in English football, the goalkeeper bulked up and soon showed that he was even better than his predecessor as United’s number one.
Indeed, he went on to be widely regarded as the best goalkeeper in the world. He was in the PFA Team of the Year four times in a row from 2015 to 2018 and has constantly produced logic-defying saves and imperious performances, such as that at the Emirates in 2017 and against Tottenham last season.