Ex Arsenal winger Marc Overmars believes that if the Gunners fail to beat rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, their season will be over.
Arsenal will fall seven points behind their neighbours with defeat at White Hart Lane and could be five points adrift of the Champions League places if Chelsea also pick up three points today.
The Gunners also have a tough task to overturn Bayern Munich’s 3-1 advantage when they travel to Germany in their last 16 second leg of the Champions League later this month leaving Arsene Wenger another season without a trophy.
A home defeat to Blackburn in the FA Cup was a large number of Arsenal fans’ final straw with Wenger who is now as unpopular as ever in the red side of North London.
Overmars won a number of medals in his time at Highbury under Wenger and the Dutchman believes the Arsenal fans must stick with the manager and the board.
“Sunday is crucial for them,” Overmars told talkSPORT.
“At this moment in the Premier League, it is very difficult for Arsenal. They have to win the match. If they don’t, the season is over.”
“They have to keep faith in Mr Wenger and the board.”
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
“The problem is football has changed a lot in the last ten years. With all clubs having private investors or owners, it makes it more difficult.”
Former Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo is Sunderland’s preferred choices to replace Martin O’Neill according to the local paper the Shields Gazette.
The Black Cats sacked O’Neill after yesterday’s home defeat to league leaders Manchester United and the North East club are now just one point clear of the relegation zone.
Sunderland have top goalscorer Steven Fletcher and captain Lee Cattermole out for the season as well as a number of first team players on the short term injury list.
Di Matteo has been out of work since he was sacked from his post at Chelsea earlier this season following a run of poor league form and being left bottom of their Champions League group.
The Italian has been linked with every Premier League job that has been vacant in recent months but fellow candidates for the Sunderland job include former Middlesbrough boss Steve McClaren, Mark Hughes and Paolo Di Canio.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
West Ham have no fresh injury concerns with James Tomkins (calf) and George McCartney (knee) likely to miss out.
Newcastle make the long trip to east London without of several key players. Mathieu Debuchy is suspended after being sent off against Liverpool last week, while fellow full-backs Massadio Haidara and Davide Santon (both hamstring) are sidelined. Tim Krul (dislocated shoulder) and Sylvain Marveaux (groin) remain out, but could welcome back captain Fabricio Coloccini.
What the managers said…
“At the moment, we are far better than where we expected to be. We didn’t expect to be almost safe with four games to go. I think we’ll be okay with 42 points so we’re way ahead of what we expected. As I say, we need to get a few more goals to get the points. We’ll address that in the summer and hopefully we’ll find some better players to improve the squad. Before that we’ve three very important games, two at home and one away so we’ll try to pick up as many points as we can.” Sam Allardyce is content with West Ham’s league position (whufc.com)
“As far as I am concerned, the group is very much together, pulling together trying to get a result. The fact that we have a lot of French players has been torn up and made to be something else. There is no problem. There have not been words that were out of tone or were in a different place. We talked about football, what it is about and how important it is to this football club to get a win quickly.” Alan Pardew denies there is a rift in the Newcastle camp (BBC Sport)
Pre-match Statistic: West Ham have managed just two wins in 14 Premier League meetings with Newcastle at Upton Park.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Prediction: West Ham United 2-1 Newcastle United
Make your bets ahead of the showdown at Upton Park by clicking on the banner below
Djibril Cisse claims he would jump at the chance to join Marseille this summer as he targets a move from QPR to a French club.
The 32-year-old’s time at Loftus Road will come to an end in the summer, manager Harry Redknapp having made it clear he has no future with the R’s having allowed him to join Qatari club Al Gharafa on loan in January.
Cisse has all but ruled out returning to QPR and is on the look-out for a new club, the former Liverpool striker admitting he wants to move back to France in order to enhance his chances of receiving an international call-up for the 2014 World Cup.
One club which has caught the eye of Cisse is Marseille, the team he left in 2006 to move to Anfield.
Cisse says he would be delighted to return to the Stade Velodrome and is hoping to secure a switch to a big Ligue 1 club in order to keep his World Cup dreams alive.
“It would be a dream to go back,” said Cisse, “or play for any club which can make me shine.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
“I have Les Bleus in my heart. If I’m in a good team and if I do a good job, I think it’s possible.”
Arsenal are looking at two Ligue 1 starlets this summer, according to the Express.
French manager Wenger is looking to bring Clement Grenier and Serge Aurier to the Premier League this transfer window.
Grenier recently hinted that he could be leaving Lyon this summer, whilst away on international duty with France, saying: “We will see about my future after the internationals, during my vacation.”
The midfielder scored 7 goals for the Ligue 1 side last season, as Lyon finished 3rd in the league table. The 22-year-old is a strong dribbler and passer, and has been tipped to easily fit into Wenger’s system at the Emirates.
The French manager likened the midfielder to Samir Nasri, which suggested that the Gunners would bid for Grenier:
“His intelligence of play pleases me. He has interesting qualities. He reminds me of Nasri.” said Wenger.
Meanwhile, right-back Aurier could also be moving to the Emirates, after the Ivory Coast international ‘tweeted’ a picture of himself wearing an Arsenal shirt whilst on holiday.
The 20-year-old, who scored once for Toulouse last season, is being tipped as a replacement for current Gunners right-back Bacaray Sagna. The French defender has been heavily linked with a move away from the Emirates, with Monaco reportedly interested in the defender.
Would Grenier do well at Arsenal? Should Wenger sign Aurier?
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
To the delight of Tottenham fans, the Lilywhites have spent the summer bringing some of Europe’s hottest young footballing prodigies to White Hart Lane.
Funded by Gareth Bale’s Real Madrid mega deal, Daniel Levy and Franco Baldini secured the signings of Ajax starlet Christian Eriksen, the most promising Romanian of his generation, Vlad Chiriches, and Argentine wonder-kid Erik Lamela, all of whom are touted to become the biggest things since Wham, sliced bread and Zinedine Zidane respectively.
But it wasn’t long ago that the talk of the Tottenham town was centred around a different prodigy from the continent – 22-year-old German international Lewis Holtby. The midfielder joined Spurs in January for a nominal fee and was predicted to be an instant success, but nine months down the line and a summer of monumental change later, the chances of a Spurs supporter talking up Holtby’s ability at the start of the 2013/2014 campaign are incredibly slim.
[cat_link cat=”tottenham” type=”tower”]
In fact, if you quizzed a Tottenham enthusiast on how the young German is getting on at his relatively new dwellings, the conversation would probably go a little like this;
“How’s that Lewis Holtby getting on?”
“Lewis who?”
“Holtby, you know, that young playmaking midfielder tipped to become the biggest thing since the Spice girls.”
“Hmm…Young playmaking midfielder… do you mean Christian Eriksen?”
Whatever happened to Lewis Holtby? Once tipped to take the Premier League by storm, the Bundesliga protégé rarely featured in pre-season for the Lilywhites, and hasn’t been involved in any of their opening three domestic fixtures. Following the arrival of an illustrious young and talented cast at White Hart Lane this summer, it seems he’s become old news wrapped around yesterday’s chips.
It’s all the more surprising considering the urgency and haste Daniel Levy showed in getting the Spurs starlet to North London. After an incredibly successful eighteen months in the Schalke first team, there was a great furore over getting Holtby to the Premier League in January as his contract with the German outfit began to wind down.
Levy pipped his divisional rivals to the post by signing the attacking midfielder on a pre-contract agreement that would see him arrive in the summer. But sensing that the Lilywhites couldn’t wait another six months for a player of Holtby’s quality, the Tottenham chief offered Schalke £1.75million to let their star midfielder leave early. Granted, it’s a nominal fee, but Levy isn’t one to throw money away for the sheer thrill of it; something must have convinced him that the German was worth every penny, perhaps the promising record of ten goals in 55 league outings for Schalke.
Eleven Premier League appearances later however, with nothing to show for them except for a lot of hard graft in and around the final third, Holtby seems further away from the Spurs first team than he did when he was still in the German top flight, having made one token outing in a Europa League play-off against Dinamo Tbilisi so far this season.
The Lilywhites have been here before when it comes to wonder-kids that haven’t lived up to their billing. Wayne Routledge was considered the future of England’s flanks when he signed for Spurs in 2005, before making just five appearances in three seasons at White Hart Lane and going the next six years of his career without a Premier League goal.
John Bostock was purchased for £700k in 2008 on the back of just five promising first team outings for Crystal Palace, and ended up joining Royal Antwerp under the bosman ruling this summer having not made a single senior appearance for the North Londoners.
But you’d argue the situation was much different with Holtby. For one, he’s not yet another overhyped English youngster to generate a reputation for himself as the future of the national game without ever kicking a football.
And secondly, he’s been causing waves for some time; eight goals in 31 appearances for Alemannia Aachen in the German second tier as an 18 year-old in 2008 earned the midfielder his Schalke move, and he’s racked up 14 goals and 24 caps for the Germany U21s since 2009. Holtby’s even made three appearances for the German seniors, and back in his native land is discussed in the same breath as Julian Draxler, Andre Schurrle, and Ilkay Gundogan.
So what did happen to Lewis Holtby, who now can’t even get a place on the Tottenham bench? We’ll it seems he first became the victim of his own hype – absolutely no output from his 11 inaugural Premier League appearances hardly lived up to the youngster’s preceding reputation for netting aesthetic efforts from midfield. And now, he’s fallen foul of a change in trend at White Hart Lane, triggered by Gareth Bale’s record-breaking departure.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Once the fashionable protégé for Andre Villas-Boas to throw on in relatively important fixtures to show off Tottenham’s future potential, that right now goes to the far more expensive Christian Eriksen and Erik Lamela, whom, unluckily for Holtby, happen to play in the exact same attacking midfield berth.
Managers aren’t meant to let such material issues affect their decision making, but the German international now has £40million’s worth of new, exciting, flavour-of-the-month talent to contend with, not that he seemed to be in the Portuguese’s plans before the attacking duo’s arrival towards the end of the summer transfer window.
In eight days time, Holtby turns 23, which is the kind of age when critics begin intensely analysing whether or not you’ll live up to your potential. For his time in England at least, there’s not a lot of evidence to go on, but there will be few Premier League pundits suggesting the German has a bright future ahead of him at White Hart Lane. At this point, he seems destined to slip into the background in North London.
Assuming both managers see the merit in selecting a strong team for this game, which would put the winners within touching distance of Wembley and the Capital One Cup final, there are some fascinating head to head clashes to be relished.
Walcott v Cahill/Luiz
Whichever defender is designated to watch over Theo Walcott it may be more a question of pace rather than football ability that will prove crucial.
Cahill is arguably the player who will read Walcott’s game better than Luiz and that may just counter the striker’s blistering speed, but there is another factor and one that may just tip the scales back in favour of the Arsenal man.
Walcott`s speed gives him that extra time to assess which side of a defender to attack. He can go left or right and in the time it takes for a defender to turn, perhaps on to his less comfortable side, Theo is in on goal.
Also the ability to run directly at a defender with the ball at his feet gives Walcott a big advantage when driving into the penalty area. Back-pedalling defenders who know they will be risking a penalty-winning lunge if they allow Theo to make it as far as the 18-yard area are more prone to a dodgy decision. In that respect Chelsea supporters will be hoping that Cahill will be assigned the marking job and not their Brazilian hot head.
Cahill reads the game better than Luiz but the Brazilian is more combative. Either way if Theo Walcott is on song, like he was against Reading in last season’s Capital One Cup when he netted a hat-trick, then Arsenal will go through
Torres v Mertesacker
Crystal ball time now and when The Special One comes to writing out his team selection he may just opt to make this clash Ba versus Mertesacker. Not based on football ability because, with all due respect to the former Newcastle striker, Torres ticks far more boxes in the ability department. But as this is a cup-tie, and a one-off to boot, the one box that Ba out ticks his Spanish team mate, if indeed Fernando even has half a tick, is appetite.
Since his halcyon days at Liverpool Torres has allowed a discernable drop in his application to the task in hand. If things don`t go well for him, very early in a game, he disappears inside himself and is neither use nor ornament. Whether that occurs because he misses a goal chance, misplaces a pass or miscues ball control or gets wacked by a physical challenge he then becomes a passenger. However, the Spaniard looked back to his best in Round 3 of the Capital One Cup against Swindon, when he scored and provided a delightful assist.
Ba on the other hand, even if he is not having the best of games, will still chase and harass. He will run after a lost cause as willingly as he will contest any physical challenge and whilst Torres will show finesse in front of goal Ba has a hunger for goals the Spaniard seems reluctant to display, if he has a hunger at all.
Maybe Jose will hedge his bets and start with Fernando and if it becomes a case of Fernando`s hideaway throw Ba on as an impact substitute.
It`s almost a given who the German centre back would rather face, and that would be the man with World Cup and European Championship medals.
Wilshere v Lampard
A real, man against boy scenario in the maelstrom of the midfield battle on which progress will hinge.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
It will be fascinating to see the two England men go head to head and because of Wilshere`s lack of match fitness against Lampard’s ageing (though it doesn`t show) legs it could be a more even contest than it should be considering their relative ages.
If you were to attempt to quantify both players on the basis of skill set it would be a very close call though Lampard`s phenomenal scoring record is something that Wilshere, with years ahead of him, can only dream of.
So, if it is such a close call what will be decisive? It could be that age-old (pun intended) question of experience.
Lampard knows, like London buses, that when things break down another chance comes along. His mind set accepts that failure is transient and not permanent. The inexperienced Wilshere does tend to let such blips affect his temperament and consequently his game.
Amongst the most decorated of players, dutch legend Patrick Kluivert has made his mark on the football world.
Representing seven clubs and scoring 149 goals in his storied career, Kluivert’s presence on the world stage rivals that of any.
Ahead of his Champions League twitter takeover tonight, we take a look at Kluivert’s five best Newcastle goals.
5. vs Fulham (May 4, 2005)
Kluivert’s goal in the the 62nd minute helped wrap up the 3-1 result for Newcastle. After Darren Ambrose opened the scoring, Kluivert doubled Newcastle’s lead when he latched on to Charles N’Zogbia’s corner kick, striking a low volley with his left foot into the bottom right hand corner of the goal.
4. vs Liverpool (December 19,2004)
Although he couldn’t prevent Newcastle from losing 3-1, Kluivert did restore some pride by taking his goal with a plumb after Lee Bowyer find him with a terrific pass. Kluivert made no mistake with his finish, stroking it past Pepe Reina.
3. vs Tottenham (March 13, 2005)
Having knocked Chelsea out of the FA Cup a month earlier, Kluivert and Newcastle continued their run when they met Tottenham in the quarterfinals. After a mistake by Ledley King, Keiron Dyer’s ball fround Allan Shearer down the flank who cut back to an unmarked Kluivert to sweep home. The goal would serve to be the only goal in a pulsating match.
2. vs Chelsea (February 20, 2005)
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
After just four minutes, underdogs Newcastle stunned Chelsea when Kluivert towered over Willam Gallas to meet Laurent Robert’s cross. It was only the second goal Chelsea had conceded in 12 games, and left the Blues stunned. It was the only goal in a match that Chelsea would finish the match with 9 men after a wild finish and Newcastle would advance to the quarterfinals.
1. vs Crystal Palace (November 20, 2004)
One of the coolest finishes you will ever see, as Kluivert’s delightful backheel helped Newcastle to a 2-0 victory over a resilient Crystal Palace. After a cagey affair, Kluivert broke the deadlock with just 11 minutes to play when he brilliantly met Craig Bellamy’s low cross with a back heel that slithered in the far post.
Newcastle are ready to up their interest in Borussia Monchengladbach striker Luuk De Jong, according to reports from Sky Sports.
The Magpies were linked with the Dutchman over the summer, and are now ready to push for a move as they plot several additions before the deadline at the end of the month.
Despite the form of Loic Remy – on loan from QPR – Alan Pardew is still keen to bolster his attacking options, and sees De Jong as an ideal partner for the French ace.
Monchengladbach paid £12m for the hit-man’s signature in 2012, yet it is understood that they are ready to cut him loose after a disappointing spell in the Bundesliga.
Newcastle are eager to make an initial loan move, which is likely to have an option for a permanent transfer in six months’ time.
‘Toon’ owner Mike Ashley is said to be willing to back his manager significantly over the course of January, which could allow them to push trough a deal.
As well as De Jong, Montpellier ace Remy Cabella is also on their radar.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
The French playmaker has been linked with Manchester United, but the North East side are confident of reaching an agreement with the cash-strapped Ligue 1 giants.
Tottenham’s exit from the Europa League was far from the understated whimper that many had envisaged. Sherwood’s troops took until after the 160th minute of their tie with Benfica to finally click into gear; and were it not for a contentious refereeing decision we could well have been seeing the Lilywhites in today’s draw.
Alas the football romanticists were disappointed, but last night was certainly a failure tinged with a definite sense of glory.
It is no accident though that Spurs’ revival was kick-started by the introduction of Harry Kane and Christian Eriksen, the former replacing the unconvincing Roberto Soldado. It was a substitution to effectively turn the game on its head, with Eriksen bossing the midfield and Kane offering some semblance of a focal point up front.
How though can a former Academy graduate prove to be more effective than a £26m signing?
This has probably been a question asked by a number of people throughout the season, and one that so many just do not have the answer for.
Roberto Soldado isn’t a dud; you only have to look at his record for Valencia over a number of seasons in La Liga to see that Spurs have bought genuine quality here. He has averaged nearly 20 goals a season in his last 3 years for Valencia in La Liga, putting him amongst Europe’s top marksmen. This isn’t a mickey mouse league either, some would even argue that despite the gulf in class amongst teams, La Liga is still up there with the Premier League in terms of quality.
But 6 league goals really doesn’t look like much of return on the investment Spurs made, and some fans are already pushing for the club to cut their losses here.
In Roberto Soldado Spurs bought the wrong type of striker, it really is as simple as that. Whether it was miscommunication between Director of Football and Manager we will never know, but clear Soldado doesn’t have the attributes to fit with the way Spurs are looking to play.
Spurs play as if they are expecting to have someone that will run into the channels, hold the ball up and create openings for others. AVB was looking for the complete forward; someone like Christian Benteke or Alvaro Negredo comes to mind in that respect. But Soldado isn’t like that; at Valencia he had midfielders in and around him looking to find him the pockets of space to exploit. In the 2010-11 season it was Juan Mata that racked up 12 assists and created 74 chances, a stark difference to the opportunities he has had in North London.
This isn’t an issue of a lone striker versus a striker partnership, at Valencia Soldado was often the lone striker, but he was never as isolated as he has become in North London. Spurs have completed the most long balls in the whole of the Europa League this season, which for me suggests a lack of cohesion between midfield and attack.
So what are the solutions?
If Spurs really want to get the most out of Soldado they need to offer him the support that he needs on a regular basis. One option is to play him alongside Emmanuel Adebayor in a 4-4-2, but my preference is actually to see a return to 4-2-3-1 with a genuine number 10 playing in behind the Spaniard. Getting a pair of wingers fit is a priority for Spurs to make this work, but most importantly is finding that advanced playmaker to complement the striker. Many have put Eriksen forward for this role but in my opinion the man to take on the second striker position is the elusive Erik Lamela. Christian Eriksen is most adept playing through the middle, but to drop him a little deeper wouldn’t be a huge harm for Spurs.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
The second solution is simply for Spurs to sell up and accept that they made a mistake, a route that Daniel Levy is unlikely to be too keen on. Soldado’s sale would be an admittance of fault, something that is unlikely to chime with the Spurs chairman.
A lot will depend on the next manager at Spurs and the direction he wants to take. Without significant change at Spurs I cannot see a lot changing for Roberto Soldado, and that is a crying shame for someone who is clearly so gifted.