If Steve Bruce had wanted an indication of exactly how strong his Sunderland side have become over the last three months, he could not have asked for a stiffer test than a post-Yuletide trip to Manchester and the home of the league leaders. A win, could, remarkably, put the Wearside club only four points from the league’s summit come Sunday night.
Bruce will point to his side’s shock result against Chelsea as an indication that the Black Cats are capable of springing the required upset, however he may find that without Danny Welbeck, the United starlet ineligible against his parent club, much of the momentum behind Sunderland’s attacking drive is lost.
Sunderland will be able to boast the African Player of the year, Asamoah Gyan, and prolific Premier League marksman, Darren Bent in their line-up, however opportunities will be few and far between against a United side slowly starting to click into gear, as they begin a period where they are traditionally strong.
The award season is now upon us and with the announcement of the six nominees for the young player of the year being disclosed and although both Gareth Bale and Sergio Aguero are likely to be the favourites, I thought I would take a closer look at the outstanding young performers in the Premier League this 2011/12 season.
If there’s one thing that managers love, it’s a talented young star to lead their team into the future. There are currently many emerging players in the Premier League, producing the sort of displays that deserve recognition. Although the experienced pros often gain a lot of praise the impacts of young stars can be invaluable to all sides, no matter what their ambitions.
Some have emerged from youth systems, while others have been poached from clubs at home and abroad, but no matter what their origins their achievements should not slip under the radar.
To qualify for the team, the performer has to be 23 years-of-age upon the beginning of the campaign, this list shows a fantasy eleven who fit that criteria, and obviously has been performing to a high standard this season:
Click on Joe Allen to unveil my starting XI
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Argentina winger Pablo Piatti has signed for Valencia from Almeria on a five-year deal, subject to a medical.Piatti, 22, joined the club on an undisclosed fee and was reportedly interesting the likes of Portuguese giants Benfica and Serie A outfit Udinese.
But Unai Emery secured the signature of the talented youngster, who spent three years at Almeria and made over 100 appearances.
Almeria’s relegation this season helped pave the way for the transfer, with Piatti keen to test himself at the highest level in Spain again.
Before his spell with Almeria, he was at Argentine club Estudiantes for three seasons.
Estudiantes are reportedly set to receive 25 percent of the transfer fee paid by Valencia due to a sell-on clause.
A statement released on Almeria’s official website thanked Piatti for his efforts and wished the player luck for the remainder of his career.
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The statement also revealed that a friendly against Valencia in August was part of the move.
Arsenal midfielder Tomas Rosicky has told team-mate Nicklas Bendtner to remain at the Premier League club.
The Denmark international is believed to be seeking a move away from the Emirates Stadium after finding his path into the first-team blocked by the early season form of summer signing Marouane Chamakh.
After joining from Bordeaux, Chamakh has enjoyed a lengthy run in Arsene Wenger's starting line up, much to the dismay of Bendtner
With Budesliga giants Bayern Munich thought to be interested in his services, Rosicky has insisted the powerful forward still has a bright future at the north London outfit.
"Of course I believe he has a future at the club. I don't quite understand the question because he has been injured for a while, but obviously he has to be patient as Chamakh's playing well at the moment," he said.
"It's difficult, because there's always competition for places at a club like Arsenal. We have three good strikers in Nicklas Bendtner, Robin van Persie and Chamakh.
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"That's a good thing for the club, but obviously it is difficult for the players."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
You can be blessed with the quick feet of Lionel Messi, the vision of Paul Scholes or the technique of Cristiano Ronaldo but it will all amount to nothing without the vital ingredient of self-belief. The psychological demands of the beautiful game are all too easily overlooked, when in fact they help contribute to some of the most exciting and often surprising incidents in the sport.
I think we’re all in agreement that Barcelona were the superior side in their recent Champions League clash against Chelsea. Had one of their multiple chances at the Bridge found the back of the net then perhaps we would be reading a different fairytale altogether, rather than this modern day version of David and Goliath. Their failure to score coupled with the outcome of El Clásico planted a seed of doubt at the heart of the Catalan giants, which continued to grow as the clock ticked down.
You could sense the atmosphere had changed after Messi crashed his penalty against the crossbar, as Barcelona continued to knock on the door rather than searching for an alternative route past a resilient Chelsea rearguard. As they swept the ball across the box in an arc formation it began to dawn on me that their failure to penetrate through had left them bereft of ideas. This was highlighted by the usually assured Lionel Messi picking up a booking for a rash challenge, a clear sign that the unyielding confidence of the Spanish giants was crumbling away.
Forgive me if I appear to be belittling the achievements of Chelsea, who were sensational across the entire 180 minutes. Whereas their opponents were found lacking, Drogba and co were thriving on the confidence Roberto Di Matteo has installed in them since his transition from sidekick to top dog. The Blues knew that it would be foolish to compete with Barca’s own brand of football, but instead of letting this demoralise them they were buoyed by their own belief that they could weather the storm and punish them on the break.
You need look no further than Fernando Torres for evidence of the fragile nature of self-confidence. In the not too distant past the Spaniard was idolised in Merseyside, flourishing in the admiration of the fans, his fellow team-mates, his manager and perhaps most importantly the national press. Introduce the concept of being valued of £50m and suddenly all that washes away and is replaced by the weight of expectation. Torres has endured a torrid journey in his search for that defining moment of inspiration and if Gary Neville’s reaction is anything to go by, he found it at the Nou Camp.
The importance of confidence is even more apparent in the Premier League, as it helps shape the contrasting fortunes of a number of clubs. Newcastle are a team playing with a creative freedom gifted to them by Alan Pardew, a man who has somehow bought a sense of cohesion and team spirit to a club that was once in disarray.
The Toon Army could arguably be credited with stealing Tottenham’s crown as the most exciting team in the division. The Lilywhites flaunted a similar style of attacking football in the early part of the season that led many to hail them as outside title contenders and portray Harry Redknapp as the front-runner for the vacant England role. However, the club have struggled to overcome the significant defeat against their North London rivals Arsenal and have unquestionably entered a state of freefall. Redknapp is often praised for his man management skills so it will interesting to see if he can resurrect his teams battered mentality before they slip out of Champions League contention altogether.
If we drop down into the Championship, Reading represent the perfect example of a team blossoming under a manager who shares the gift for motivating and inspiring his players. Much like Di Matteo, Brian McDermott isn’t blessed with a wealth of experience but they both possess a natural talent for getting the best out of their players. Compare these two with someone like Sven Goran Eriksson, who has enjoyed success across the continent and is regarded as a master tactician. In spite of this I feel the Swede was always hampered by his ability to ‘gee up’ his squad, which inevitably accumulated to his failure with the England national side and a growing number of domestic clubs in the country.
It’s logical to suggest that you can never have too much confidence given the ‘world beater’ attitude it inspires from within. However, we know this is not the case and we only have to look at the likes of Nicklas Bendtner and Mario Balotelli to witness how an inflated ego to be detrimental to ones career. It can also be seemingly impossible to get back, hit a bad patch of form or endure a spell on the sidelines and you might witness players literally trying to hide on a football pitch. Has Michael Owen ever been the same since he pulled up all those years ago in his Liverpool shirt? Will we ever see the forgotten talent of Manchester City’s Michael Johnson boss a midfield again?
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Confidence therefore is vital, without it and you won’t even see a pass let alone attempt it. Too much of the stuff and you lose all sense of reality, trying audacious lobs from the highway line much to the frustration of those around you. As the title race reaches its peak City will be buoyed by their recent run of form whilst United confident from the fact they’ve been here before. Who will emerge triumphant? No one knows and that should inspire confidence about the state of English football from within all of us.
Join me on Twitter @theunusedsub where I’m confident Chelsea will be joined by the Special One in the final.
Top-level football is a logistical nightmare. Players are bought in from across the planet from the moment they hit their teenage years, leading to homegrown designations for stars from Mogadishu to Monterrey. And whilst scouting networks become ever more fragmented and diversified, perhaps there is a fantastic resource that the top clubs are missing out on – the lower leagues. So who’s next? Who could step up from the Football League?
In goal, the likes of Alex Smithies and Frankie Fielding are both young, gifted and capped by England Under 21’s and with the current death of top level English talent between the sticks, it wouldn’t be beyond the realm of possibility for Capello to at least look at them train with the stars and see their development first hand. Fielding had eight different loan spells before getting sick of being fourth choice and dropping to the Championship at Derby. That decision might be a regrettable one for Rovers as Fielding is already proving he can keep clean sheets.
In front of the keeper, Premier League clubs could do a lot worse than to examine defenders like Crystal Palace full-back Nat Clyne. A speedster who offers an accurate crossing threat as well as solid defence, the 20 year old has already logged 94 appearances for his club and this year, featured in every game. Playing this season in the third tier, Brighton’s Tommy Elphick is only 23, yet has appeared for the Seagulls over 150 times. His step up to the Championship should be monitored by Premier League teams who need a ball playing and commanding centre back.
Moving further up the field, there are some real gems. The highly sought-after Alex Chamberlain is the standout prospect, but Swansea’s diminutive Joe Allen is worthy of contention. The West Wales born midfielder surprised many when making his debut at the Liberty, but quickly showed creativity and a first touch that simply removes any pressure from opposing players. While Allen probably wouldn’t be a box to box midfield general, he has shown he can fit into several different systems and would contribute in the Premiership.
Shrewsbury’s Jon Taylor is only 18 and is rumoured to be being watched by half the top flight. A previous winner of the Football Leagues’ Young Player of the Month award, Taylor dropped down from Wigan and made an immediate impact, scoring twice in his first start. The winger totalled six goals in 22 appearances and it remains to be seen whether he stays at Greenhous Meadow much longer.
Upfront, there’s an embarrassment of riches in the 72, with obvious names like Craig Mackail-Smith, Shane Long and Connor Wickham, but there’s also a few future stars that might get to the Premier promised land soon.
Charlie Austin is ascending the divisions, having just joined Burnley from Swindon. Aged 21, he netted 31 times in just over 54 appearances for the Robins. Austin was previously a bricklayer and it will be interesting to see how he develops a partnership with Jay Rodriguez, an intelligent young striker in his own right.
Norwich’s Cody MacDonald will probably be loaned next season, having spent the previous campaign at Gillingham. He hit 25 in Kent and showed that a six-month cameo at another team might be what he needs before the pacy frontman tries to get on the bench for the Canaries.
Danny Ings of Bournemouth is another excellent prospect. At 19, he’s shown himself to be capable of scoring clutch goals, bagging his eighth of the season in the epic playoff game against Huddersfield. A creative deep forward, his ability is unquestioned and has the potential to be developed by a bigger side.
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Most of the Premier League chooses to import it’s playing staff, paying a premium for past ability, yet few have the foresight to invest in their own stars. The above is a small selection of the quality in the Football League. It should not be a retirement home for older pros, but a proving ground for hungry players who can use the division to audition for a big move to the top flight.
Read more of Hashim Piperdy’s articles at This is Futbol
Liverpool defender Daniel Agger could be sidelined for a lengthy period with his calf injury, according to boss Roy Hodgson.
The 25-year-old Denmark international has not played since the 2-2 draw with Sunderland in September and Hodgson is not upbeat about any imminent return to action.
He said:"Agger is long term. They can't put a date on it.
"At the moment he can't train, he has just got to rest and wait for the next time he goes to see the specialist again.
"They are very anxious that bone doesn't form. It is a calcification issue and training would certainly accelerate the calcification.
"Now they have to wait and hope the body breaks down the calcifying elements before he can even think about training again. So it could be very long term."
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Agger has made more than 100 appearances for the Reds since making his debut in January 2006.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Arsenal is set to battle it out with PSG for Stephane Sessegnon, according to the Mirror.
The Benin international has been in sensational form this season and has played a big part in Sunderland’s recent resurgence under Martin O’Neill.
Arsene Wenger has been keeping tabs all season on the versatile Sessegnon, who would give Arsenal some much needed options in midfield. The midfielder is valued at £10m and could provide the ideal replacement for the likely summer departure of Andrey Arshavin.
Whether Sessegnon wants to move to North London remains to be seen, as the 27-year-old remains unsettled in England largely down to his family’s unwillingness to leave their Paris home.
If PSG were to follow up their interest with a summer bid then it is more than likely that Sessegnon will welcome a return move, although Arsenal are clearly waiting in the wings just in case.
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Real Salt Lake and FC Dallas played out a goalless draw in the MLS on Sunday – an affair which was delayed for more than 90 minutes due to lightning.Unfortunately for the few who waited for play to resume at Pizza Hut Park after inclement weather forced the players off the pitch on 83 minutes, the game did not pick up after the delay, as the final seven minutes plus injury time petered out to a tame finish.
It was far from a classic with both sides minus quality squad members, as Dallas’ David Ferreira and Real Salt Lake’s Javier Morales were clearly missed in a match devoid of any real creativity.
The best chance of the game fell to Dallas’ George John who could only produce a smart save from Real Salt Lake shot-stopper Nick Rimando.
The day’s other match was also a mundane affair, as the Colorado Rapids and Toronto FC played out a goalless stalemate.
Arguably the biggest victim of man-of-the-moment Rafael Van der Vaart’s scintillating arrival to the Premier League has been Giovani Dos Santos. There were many – including this writer – who thought that the Mexican forward’s performances in the World Cup, as well as some encouraging pre-season form, was enough to force his way into first team recognition.
Certainly a large amount of Spurs fans were getting excited by the prospect of Giovani finally proving his worth. The talk of his possible departure has had a whole host of suitors and admirers confirming their interest in his services, only highlighting how good a player he actually is. Napoli, Roma, Fiorentina, Villerreal, Sevilla and even Liverpool have all been muted as possible destinations, and they may be far more willing to give the player a chance to recreate his national performances.
In the summer, Spurs’ forums were awash with talk about this being Giovani’s year. The stresses on the squad through the increase in fixtures, and the added pressure of the Champions League, meant that Spurs’ squad was going to get tested to the fullest. Players like Giovani, who had previously been shunned, would be given games just out of the sheer number of fixtures, and then it would simply take a couple of good performances to prove he was worth more game time.
That run of games never happened, and when Daniel Levy gave Redknapp his end of window present in the shape of Van der Vaart, Giovani slid even further down the pecking order.
Clearly in the Van der Vaart wonderland that is now happening at White Hart Lane, the potential future of Giovani isn’t that big an issue, as it appears Rafael can solve every problem that exists, such has his start to his Spurs career been. It is however a shame, that such a talented player (34 caps for his country and still only 21) has found such a hard time of it during his time in England; with all due respect, Giovani is too good to be going to Ipswich on loan.
Part of the blame must at least lie with the player himself, had he been played as well as he clearly can do, then he would be starting more games than he has. That said, I do think his opportunities have been at an absolute premium. What about those occasions that David Bentley was getting starts last season? Had Giovani not been shipped off to Turkey, those starts could have been his. In a club with the busiest physio in professional football, he must have believed that at some point his chance would come, but alas, it is clearly not to be, and White Hart Lane is not his home.
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And so a potential star looks to be heading for his exit; supremely gifted, but maybe just not cut out for the club. Ask any Spurs fan how they feel, and I’m sure they will feel the situation is a shame, because there was genuine excitement amongst them in the summer about Giovani. That said, any resentment will be blown off their face as soon as VDV’s name is mentioned. The Dutchmen had a similar problem at Real, to which Giovani is having at Spurs, and a move away, even at this ludicrously early stage, looks to already have been proven as the right decision. Maybe Giovani now has to do the same.
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