Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp made a handful of changes for the visit of Stoke City at Anfield this afternoon.
With one eye on next Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final second leg, the German coach made five changes.
Sadio Mane, James Milner, Dejan Lovren, Andy Robertson and injured Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain made way, making room for Danny Ings, Georginio Wijnaldum, Joe Gomez, Alberto Moreno and Ragnar Klavan.
Overall, it was a lacklustre performance from the Reds, who dominated the ball but failed to get past Stoke’s defence as the match ended goalless.
One man who received criticism from the fans was Gomez, who recently lost his position at right-back to Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Today, the 20-year-old – valued at £16.2m by Transfermarkt – was included in the lineup, but struggled defensively and when moving forward.
The performance will not go down as one of Liverpool’s best, but they were unlucky not to be given a penalty late in the second half when the ball struck the arm of Erik Pieters.
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Despite the injustice, plenty of the fans’ focus was on Gomez’s disappointing display.
Things have not been easy for Arsene Wenger this season. Despite leading his side to silverware at the end of last season, fans were unsettled with the Frenchman.
Early in the season, Arsenal recorded draws against Manchester City, Everton, north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Premier League newcomers Leicester City.
Meanwhile, early on in their Champions League campaign, Arsenal were not doing too badly. When they faced Galatasary, Danny Welbeck even managed to score a hat trick. Yet the week before Arsene Wenger was hounded at Stoke. A 3-2 loss was enough for fans to turn on their long serving manager, as they heckled him when he tried to board a train back to London. It was a low point for not only Wenger, but the fans themselves.
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The second half of the season has been far more successful for the north London side. Usually, Arsenal do well in the earlier stages of the Premier League, yet tend to bottle it towards the end. Back in January, Manchester City were tipped to battle Chelsea in order to defend their Premier League title. But Manchester City did not plan for the arrival of a certain Olivier Giroud.
Giroud put a dent in City’s title hopes, along with a penalty from Santi Cazorla, and Arsenal’s away win was a big deal at the beginning of the year. Only Stoke had managed to take three points from City at the Etihad before then. This began the real turning point for Arsenal, and more importantly Wenger, who needed to salvage his season.
Arsenal’s biggest win this season came at home against Aston Villa at the beginning of February. Five goals and five different scorers – Giroud, Ozil, Walcott, Cazorla and Bellerin. This game may have put a nail in the coffin for Paul Lambert’s career, but it helped to revive Arsene’s.
Now Arsenal are in second place and are set to stay there. There was a question as to whether they could even make the top four just a few short months ago.
They are also on course to retain the FA Cup, unless Tim Sherwood’s Aston Villa can stop them. Arsenal fans were calling for Wenger’s head at the end of last year, but now they are singing his praises.
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If the narrative that’s underpinned Andrey Arshavin’s career at Arsenal is one of frustration and beleaguering mystery, then the resolution could ultimately be one of tragedy, following the news that the Russian is contemplating hanging up his boots at the end of the Premier League season.
Only five years after he had the world at his feet following his awe-inspiring performances during Euro 2008 and aged only 31-years-of-age, recent reports have suggested that the former Zenit man is seriously considering the prospect of retirement when his current deal with the Gunners expires at the end of June.
The initial outpouring of emotion from the wider footballing public towards Arshavin, however, seems to have been one of scorn.
The Russian’s career doesn’t hang in the balance at the hands of injury, nor does it find itself coming to a close towards anything approaching financial pain should he choose to retire; Arshavin is reported to earn around £95,000-a-week.
Whereas we’ve seen footballers who loved the game beyond measure, such as Dean Ashton and Fabrice Muamba, have their careers taken from them in their mid-twenties, Arshavin seems to be wasting away his outrageous gifts without much of a care in the world. And it’s within that notion of care that you’ll find the epicentre of the majority of fans’ disdain towards him.
Because following his club record £15million move to the Emirates Stadium in 2009, it simply wasn’t supposed to end like this.
After announcing himself on the world-scene with a string of magnificent performances for his country at Euro 2008, Arshavin dazzled supporters following his move to north London a little over six months down the track.
Technically gifted, a wonderful dribbler of the ball and a seemingly unstoppable force when running at speed, the little Russian showed exactly why the likes of Barcelona had battled for his signature following his exploits in Austria and Switzerland.
Despite only playing half a season with the club, Arshavin came runner-up in the voting for Arsenal’s player of the season award, following a blockbuster introduction to English football that saw him notch up seven assists and score seven goals in little over 12 games; four efforts of which came in the now infamous 4-4 draw away to Liverpool, where Arshavin became the first player since Dennis Westcott in 1946 to score a quartet at Anfield.
Far from being the tip of the iceberg in terms of what he had to offer the club, sadly that outstanding effort on Merseyside proved to be the zenith of Arshavin’s Arsenal career. Understandably, after eking out only four-and-a-half months consistent service from a four-and-a-half year deal, supporters are well within their right to lambaste a player who should have produced so, so much more for the sort of money the club had shelled out for.
Although while the buck ultimately stops with Arshavin and nobody else for his lacklustre time in North London, how much can fans really demonize a player whose fate was in no small part catalyzed by a manager who simply never believed in his record signing?
Arshavin has not been without his failings at the Emirates Stadium. If all flair players tend to bestow the footnote of ‘drifting in and out of games,’ then Arshavin’s must surely come with an asterisk beside it.
Too many times the Russian has worn the look of a man disillusioned enough with his football that the basic work ethic simply hasn’t been in attendance and for those paying their hard-earned money to watch their side play, Gunners fans have been well within their right to throw their share of stick his way.
Although if Arshavin has remained firmly in the line of fire from Arsenal supporters over the last couple of years, then Arsene Wenger has played his own part in helping him over the trench and straight into no-mans-land.
The common argument that Arshavin’s woes have stemmed from being played out of position are often batted away as the stuff of urban myth and even for those that do go along with the tactical failings that the Russian has endured, the common argument is that he should have done better under the circumstances.
But should he really have done better?
Andrey Arshavin spent his entire career at Zenit ghosting in and out of games, expertly finding space and picking the right time to expose the failings of opposition defences throughout games. Industrious defensive work, sustained deliveries from out wide and the bread-and-butter elements of the traditional winger has never been in his attacking remit.
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Yet for the vast majority of his Arsenal career, this is the role that he’s been asked to play. Has he been totally bereft of the opportunity to play as a No10? Not entirely, no and even on the rare occasions we have seen him play centrally, rarely have we been treated to a performance of the calibre he once used to produce as par for the course.
But Andrey Arshavin’s biggest failure at Arsenal hasn’t been this perceived lack of care for the badge of some form of showing of contempt for the club that pays his wages. The biggest crime he’s been guilty of is not being someone that he isn’t.
Regardless of what fate now lies ahead for Arshavin at the end of the season, the book should have closed on his Arsenal career a long time ago.
His wage demands, decreasing stock and reported reluctance to play below a level he is now surely destined for, have all played a part in ensuring interest ‘couldn’t be colder,’ from other clubs. But although the blame for his demise must lie in his lap, it’s been a two way street from the outset, however Wenger wishes to frame it.
Pep Guardiola is widely regarded as one of the world’s best football managers for his success at elite clubs.The Manchester City manager had glittering spells at Barcelona and Bayern Munich before making his way to the Etihad Stadium in the summer of 2016.The Spaniard guided Barca to 14 trophies, including three La Liga titles and two Champions League crowns, during a four-year stint at the Camp Nou.Guardiola made a change in 2013 when he took over at Bayern Munich, but his record of success continued as he oversaw three Bundesliga title wins and two DFB-Pokal triumphs.[ad_pod ]His first season at City was a challenging one as the 47-year-old tried to grapple with the demands of the Premier League, and in the end secured a top-four finish but failed to win a trophy.This season, the club are on course to be crowned English champions as they have a 13-point lead at the top of the table, and they already have some silverware to their name – the Carabao Cup.However, the North-West outfit are going through a dip in form as they have suffered three defeats on the trot in all competitions.Two of those losses came at the hands of Liverpool, who progressed into the semi-finals of the Champions League at the expense of City this week.Jurgen Klopp’s men, who are one of two clubs to defeat the Cityzens in the league this season, earned a 5-1 victory on aggregate in the quarter-finals.Liverpool fans, who could not help but poke fun at their former player Philippe Coutinho after his current club Barcelona were knocked out of the competition, have been left impressed by a statistic mentioned by Opta.The Merseyside outfit are the only club to overcome a Guardiola team on three occasions in one campaign.
Comment from discussion Liverpool are the first team to beat a side managed by Pep Guardiola three times in a single season.Comment from discussion Liverpool are the first team to beat a side managed by Pep Guardiola three times in a single season.Comment from discussion Liverpool are the first team to beat a side managed by Pep Guardiola three times in a single season.Comment from discussion Liverpool are the first team to beat a side managed by Pep Guardiola three times in a single season.Comment from discussion Liverpool are the first team to beat a side managed by Pep Guardiola three times in a single season.Comment from discussion Liverpool are the first team to beat a side managed by Pep Guardiola three times in a single season.Comment from discussion Liverpool are the first team to beat a side managed by Pep Guardiola three times in a single season.Comment from discussion Liverpool are the first team to beat a side managed by Pep Guardiola three times in a single season.Comment from discussion Liverpool are the first team to beat a side managed by Pep Guardiola three times in a single season.Comment from discussion Liverpool are the first team to beat a side managed by Pep Guardiola three times in a single season.
With football being the far reaching, awe inspiring and fanatically followed phenomenon that it is, celebs are increasingly attracted to the sport. Elton John has been linked with Watford for some time, Delia Smith’s “let’s be ‘avin youuuu” speech is now synonymous with Norwich City and numerous others have been photographed in shirts and with scarves – Drake has quite the collection!
Now the latest big name to be attracted to the glitz and glamour of football is Russell Crowe, who has been aligned with the sparkling disco ball of English ‘soccer’ that is Leeds United… This got us thinking, which celebrities would be ideal for clubs in the Premier League, well here are a selection…
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One Direction – Man United
Under Louis van Gaal the ball only goes in one direction… forward to Marouane Fellaini – Maybe Harry Styles could do his hair like the big Belgian? 1D and United are massive all over the globe, but, in England at least, they mightily unpopular and a little uncool.
Nigel Farage – Chelsea
A small selection of Blues fans tainted Chelsea supporters’ reputations with some less than appealing actions in Paris. And judging by some of the things said by this minority, they may get on well with political villain, Nigel Farage. The UKIP man is forthright on immigration and is often claimed to be the ‘R word’…
Cliff Richard – Liverpool
Massive in the 70s and 80s, and, kind of, the 90s, Cliff Richard and Liverpool have a lot in common. Now both are a little embarrassing, harking back to former glories as they grasp for the big time on a few occasions each year. Also, with the Mr. JC at Anfield, they both have the religious angle going for them.
Kim Kardashian – Southampton
What do Southampton and famous-for-no-reason American socialite Kim Kardashian have in common? They are both decent at the back, but have nothing up top? Amirite? The Saints are a solid defensive unit and imposing at the rear, but they seem to lack the brain and wherewithal where it matters.
Chris Martin – Man City
Coldplay are mega when it comes to shifting singles and taking up minutes on the airwaves, but, let’s be honest, they’re a little dull… Man City are also at the very top of their respective niche, but are, you guessed it, boring.
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Taylor Swift – Swansea City
Swansea were a breath of fresh air at the start, with their playing style attractive, and new, but now the honeymoon is over and the once perfect romance has gone a little stale. As has our relationship with Swifty, who, despite being a looker, is no longer quite as attractive as she once was thanks to her constant wining about, well… everything! Kind of like Garry Monk!
One week ago it came to light Arsenal were determined to activate the £4million buy-back clause over Carlos Vela. Some embraced the news with the scepticism that bringing back a four-time loaned player naturally can produce, while others saw the move as the right decision taken by the Premier League club, as the player finally looks to of matured into just the type of player they need. What not many could see coming was the Mexican turning around and saying ‘no, thanks’.
The fact that Vela has publicly declined Arsenal’s interest in him without even discussing what kind of future was awaiting him at The Emirates should, at least, make the Gunners’ chiefs stop for a minute and think. Is the 24-year-old really having a brilliant spell at Real Sociedad? The answer is an obvious yes, but, is it better than the prospects of a return to Arsenal can bring? If that is the case, Vela’s intentions to stay in San Sebastian should cause alarm in the north London club.
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First of all, we should discard the possibility of Arsenal not being the right club for Vela. As a young, quick and skilful winger, it is hard to think of a better place for him to be than by Arsene Wenger’s side. His style of play matches to perfection what the Frenchman has tried to display on the pitch in the last few years, so it seems daring to explain the youngster’s failure at his first stage at Arsenal due to tactical reasons. He was simply too young and needed a bit more experience before being ready to impress at the top level.
His game has matured now and with 12 goals and 10 assists so far this season, Vela is one of the main assets of this superb Real Sociedad side, clearly the 2012/13 La Liga’s surprise package. Manager Philippe Montanier has formed a superb team based on a solid defence and the talent and experience of Xabi Prieto in the midfield that finds the spark in both wings with the skills of Vela and Griezmann. At this stage of the season they lie fourth in the table and dreams of the Champions League are starting to form in San Sebastian.
With the European hopes flying over Anoeta, one would think Vela has let himself go with the flow and expects more glory days to come with Real Sociedad, unaware of the humble nature of the team he plies his trade for. Far from that, the Mexican is perfectly conscious of the moment his current squad lives in and, as much faith he has in his team mates, he remains with the idea of staying with the Spaniards even if they fail to squeeze into Europe.
“I’m very happy here and, if we can’t make it into Europe this year, I’d like to stay to try the next one,” he said earlier this week.
That kind of statement comes to prove the presence, or lack of, that Arsenal have as a European power in football nowadays. The Gunners might not be seen any longer as a step up to the top level. Even though Wenger has kept qualifying for the Champions League season on season, Arsenal have struggled to look competitive in the European arena, and that could be having devastating side effects on the willingness players show to join the club.
We could add other reasons for Vela to snub Arsenal’s intentions of bringing him back, such as the competition for a place in the start XI. But if someone knocks on your door and offers you the possibility to lift trophies, you don’t think about that. The problem is that all Arsenal offer now is a short spell in Europe and a fight for the top-four in the league. What for? For another short spell in Europe the year after.
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Looking at it that way, it seems more reasonable that players think twice before taking up the call to join the Gunners. After all, Santi Cazorla and Nacho Monreal might be asking themselves why they left a team that is among the best eight in Europe, to take up that call.
Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez has hinted that fringe goalkeeper Karl Darlow, rated at £4.05m by Transfermarkt, still has a big role to play at the club having been impressed with the improvements he has made following the arrival of Martin Dubravka on loan from Sparta Prague during the January transfer window.
The former Nottingham Forest stopper had been in and out of the starting XI having been in competition with Rob Elliot in the first-half of this season, but he had started six successive Premier League matches from the end of December until the start of February.
However, Benitez wanted to bring in a new number one last summer and he finally sealed a temporary deal for Dubravka in January, with the Slovakia international keeping a clean sheet on his debut in the 1-0 win against Manchester United at St James’ Park last month.
The 29-year-old has been an ever-present between the sticks since then and says he wants to stay for the long-term, and even though Darlow isn’t playing his Spanish boss thinks the arrival of further competition on Tyneside has helped him get better.
Benitez told the Chronicle Live: “Darlow has improved a lot in terms of the little things that he can see Martin doing.
“Every player can learn from another one – especially keeps because they are there together all the time.
“So I think it has been positive for him. It is about improving everyone and that is what has been happening so far.”
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Newcastle can edge a step closer to retaining their Premier League status when they host fellow strugglers Huddersfield Town at St James’ Park on Saturday, knowing that a victory would take them on to 35 points with seven matches still left to play.
It only seemed like a matter of time before Aston Villa parted company with Paul Lambert. Despite steady success with Norwich City, Lambert simply never got going at Villa Park and struggled to win over the support of the fans in his time as manager of the Midlands club.
Names such as Neil Lennon and Jurgen Klinsmann were linked with the managerial post but Tim Sherwood was always the stand out favourite to succeed Lambert. Sherwood had been linked with almost every managerial vacancy this season and it was only a matter of time before the promising young manager returned to England’s top flight.
The 46-year-old will be looking to hit the ground running and the first issue that needs to be resolved is Villa’s rather gloomy league position. They are currently languishing in 18th place, firmly in a relegation battle. The concern for Sherwood will be the fact that Villa have the worst goal difference in the league with -22. This is hardly a surprise considering the problems the team has had with finding the back of the net and it is something Sherwood will be desperate to sort out if his team are to avoid the drop this season.
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The former Tottenham Head Coach divided opinion when he took charge of Tottenham’s first team affairs last season. The 46-year-old was not shy in expressing his own views after matches. Sherwood would often be brutally honest if his team played poorly but he always gave off the impression that he was confident in his own managerial ability.
The Villa players need a figurehead like Sherwood to lead them out of trouble. At too many points this season, Lambert appeared to look dejected when talking to the media after the game. He was saying the right things but there was a lack of conviction to how he said it. Obviously, a change of personality is not going to be the sole reason behind Villa surviving this season. However, when a manager like Sherwood is given his chance to implement his authority, Aston Villa fans should expect a reaction from the players on the pitch.
Another encouraging aspect to Sherwood’s managerial approach is his willingness to play young, up-and-coming stars from the youth team. It would be unfair to dismiss Lambert in this particular instance as one of the main things he encouraged during his time at Aston Villa was the development of younger players. Sherwood will look to continue that trend as the club do have some talented young players that can play regularly for the first team. Names such as Jack Grealish and Graham Burke will be looking to impress the new manager as Sherwood will be looking to encourage the growth of youth prospects at the club.
The job at Villa Park is going to be a difficult one but it is well suited to a man like Tim Sherwood. His bullish attitude will hopefully get a reaction out of his players and his appointment is a fresh start for players at the club that have been struggling under Lambert this season.
It will be interesting to see how the likes of Chrsitian Benteke, Fabian Delph and Charles N’Zogbia develop under Sherwood as Villa have some talented players at their disposal if they play to their strengths.
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All in all, the new Villa boss is an excellent candidate to lead the club away from a relegation dogfight. He may not have heaps of experience but the job is a good opportunity for the former Spurs man to prove that he has what it takes to be a good Premier league manager.
Mega rich French club Paris St Germain are set to make a summer bid for Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri according to the Daily Mail.
Nasri has fallen out of favour at the Etihad this season and boss Roberto Mancini publically slammed the Frenchman for his work ethic in training.
The former Arsenal midfielder was a key player in City’s title winning team last season but the harmony amongst the City side has not followed through for more success in this campaign.
PSG are looking to add more French players to their Champions elect squad in the summer as their mega rich owners want to dominate European football within three years.
David Beckham has already stated that he wants to stay on in the French capital next season and more big names will no doubt be joining him in the summer with Nasri amongst the names if they can agree a fee with City.
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Ben Pearson has been in impressive form for Preston North End this season, with his performances key to the club pressing for an unlikely top-six finish in the Championship.
The 23-year-old actually came through the youth system at Manchester United, but never made a first-team appearance for the English giants before leaving for Preston in January 2016.
The midfielder is fast closing on 100 appearances for his current club, and there is no question that he has developed into a very strong Championship midfielder.
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It would not be a surprise if a number of clubs were having a look at the former England Under-20 international when considering that Preston would surely be vulnerable to any bid that arrived in this summer’s transfer window.
Leeds United fans are always extremely vocal on social media, and a selection have taken to Twitter to call on their club to move for Pearson this summer.
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Some of the reaction from the Leeds supporters can be seen below: