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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Heung-min Son will be feeling the love from Spurs fans this morning after the South Korean apologised to fans for getting knocked out of the Champions League.
Spurs were stunned at Wembley on Wednesday by a second half flurry from Italian champions Juventus.
The home side held the advantage from the first leg, the 2-2 draw in Turin giving Spurs the upper hand on away goals. Son looked to have wrapped things up in the first half, his scuffed finish giving the hosts a deserved lead on the night.
But the Old Lady showed their experience in the second half, as quick-fire goals from Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala left Spurs on the ropes. The home side pushed for an equaliser, but Harry Kane’s late header could only find the post.
Son apologised to fans after the match, saying he was proud of the team and the fans…
The 25 year-old has been in fine form for Spurs this season, and has been especially potent at home – he has five goals and an assist in his last three appearances in all competitions.
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Needless to say, the flying winger has endeared himself to the Wembley crowd this season and has received nothing but praise after his post match comments.
Some of the best Twitter reactions can be found below…
International break is over, let Premier League football resume!
There are some exciting games to watch this weekend including Arsenal vs Manchester City, Chelsea vs Swansea, and Manchester United vs QPR.
But who’s summer business will start showing an immediate impact? Can Falcao get off to a goalscoring start at United, or will Welbeck show Louis Van Gaal what he’s missing with a debut goal for Arsenal against City?
Without further delay, let’s get the predictions underway!
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Arsenal vs Manchester City (12:45pm)
23-year-old Englishman Danny Welbeck is expected to make his Arsenal debut this weekend when his new side plays against his old rival side, Manchester City, at the Emirates. The Gunners may be undefeated so far this season, but they have only won one game and need to start winning more to consider themselves as title contenders. A win against City will be a good start. The Citizens started their title defence well, but they suffered a disappointing loss to Stoke before the international break and will be looking to bounce back. I think Arsenal have enough in the team to win this one despite the possible absence of Aaron Ramsey.
Prediction: Arsenal 3-2 Manchester City
Chelsea vs Swansea
The two remaining 100% winning record teams in the Premier League this season will meet at Stamford Bridge this weekend in a game which I think will be an absolute thriller. Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas have revitalised Chelsea this season and have given them an added edge in front of goal. Although the partnership of Ashley Williams and Jordi Amat in defence has been solid so far, I don’t think they will be able to withstand Diego Costa this weekend.
Prediction: Chelsea 3-0 Swansea
Crystal Palace vs Burnley
Crystal Palace earned their first points of the new campaign before the international break thanks to a late equaliser by Wilfred Zaha in a 3-3 draw against Newcastle. New Eagles manager Neil Warnock will be looking to build on that result when they welcome Burnley to Selhurst Park. Burnley achieved a well fought 0-0 draw against Manchester United before the break and this result would have boosted their confidence for this game. Sam Vokes is still sidelined for The Clarets and Sean Dyche may name the same starting XI that played against United, meaning new signings George Boyd, Nathaniel Chalobah and Michael Keane could miss out on a starting place. Palace should win, especially if Zaha plays.
Prediction: Crystal Palace 2-1 Burnley
Southampton vs Newcastle
Southampton’s 3-1 win against West Ham before the international break would have bolstered fan’s hopes that the club was entering disarray after the summer departures. Belgian loanee signing Tony Alderweireld is expected to make his debut for the Saints, but Jay Rodriguez is still absent through injury. Newcastle is still looking for their first win of the season after suffering to a late Zaha goal in a 3-3 draw against Crystal Palace. The Magpies haven’t scored in five of their last six Premier League away games and will be without Siem de Jong and Papiss Cisse in this fixture, meaning this bad scoring form away from home is likely to continue.
Prediction: Southampton 2-0 Newcastle
Stoke vs Leicester
Both of these sides will be looking to develop on the impressive results they picked up before the international break. Stoke managed to beat Manchester City whilst Leicester achieved a draw against Arsenal. Little changes are expected in either side after these great results so this should be a close game. However, Stoke’s home field advantage at the Britannia will be enough to provide them with a win.
Prediction: Stoke 2-1 Leicester
Sunderland vs Tottenham
Sunderland are still looking for their first win of the season but an impressive draw against Manchester United in their last home game will give fans confidence in the side that they can pick up a result against Tottenham. Tottenham will be looking to recover after an embarrassing home loss of 3-0 to Liverpool before the international break. New faces at both clubs are expected to make appearances, but Spurs should still win this game.
Prediction: Sunderland 1-2 Tottenham
West Brom vs Everton
West Brom sunk to a 3-0 defeat to Swansea before the international break. Everton were also handed a big defeat by Chelsea and will be looking to rebuild. The Toffees have started the season poorly and will need to start picking up results in games like these if they want to replicate their 5th place finish from last campaign. Christian Atsu will be available for Everton, but both sides are injury stricken with Joleon Lescott, Victor Anichebe and Youssouf Mulumbu doubtful for West Brom, and Arouna Koné, Ross Barkley and Bryan Oviedo definitely out for Everton. Everton will pick up their first win of the season.
Prediction: West Brom 0-2 Everton
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Liverpool vs Aston Villa (5:30pm)
Liverpool manager Brendon Rodgers will be annoyed that Daniel Sturridge picked up a knock whilst on international duty, putting him in doubt to appear in this fixture. Mario Balotelli will be looked upon to step up in this fixture, his home debut in a Liverpool shirt. He has a good record against Aston Villa, having scored four goals in six appearances for Manchester City against The Villa. Villa will be looking to continue their great defensive start to the season, having only conceded one goal so far. They are yet to come up against an attack like what Liverpool can offer so this may be when holes appear in the defence.
Prediction: Liverpool 3-0 Aston Villa
Manchester United vs QPR (4pm)
Radamel Falcao is expected to make his debut for Manchester United against QPR, a team that has failed to win against The Red Devils since 1991. 19-year-old Luke Shaw is also expected to make his United debut alongside the Colombian, as well as Argentine Marcos Rojo and Dutchman Daley Blind. The R’s will be looking to build on their 1-0 win against Sunderland before the international break after losing their first two games this season. United has won five out of the last five games between the two sides, scoring ten goals and only conceding one. Despite their unimpressive start to the season under Louis van Gaal, United should pick up their first win of the season in this match.
Prediction: Manchester United 3-0 QPR
Hull vs West Ham (8pm)
Both sides will be looking to bounce back after disappointing losses before the international break. Hull lost 2-1 away at Aston Villa whilst West Ham lost at home to Southampton. The Hammers have won four out of the last five fixtures between these two sides. The Tigers will be without Robert Snodgrass and West Ham will have Kevin Nolan and Andy Carroll still sidelined. Alex Song and Morgan Amalfitano are expected to debut for The Hammers while Abel Hernandez, Hatem Ben Arfa, Gaston Ramirez and Mohammed Diame are expected to debut for Hull. This is going to be a close game which I think will end in a draw.
The sacking of Roberto Di Matteo and the appointment of Rafa Benítez at Chelsea last week has caused much criticism to come the club’s way.
Many have been taken aback by the level of venom shown towards Rafa Benítez when he came out in front of the Chelsea fans at Stamford Bridge on Sunday after the sacking of a manager who last season secured Chelsea the Champions League title and the FA Cup. The amount of booing towards the new appointment caused surprise and it is apparent that many Chelsea supporters are extremely unhappy at the decision.
Is this another incident that shows that club owners do not listen to what the fans want? It seems to be becoming more common that clubs are making decisions and running the club in ways many fans hugely disagree with.
The activity at Chelsea Football Club has clearly riled fans. Numerous supporters made it clear that they are angry at recent events, jeering Rafa Benítez, some holding signs, including phrases like ‘Rafa Out!’, ‘Chelsea fans never forget’ and ‘In Roberto We Trusted And Loved. In Rafa We Will Never Trust. Fact.’ They also had applause for Roberto Di Matteo at 16 minutes, referring to how he used to wear the number 16 shirt.
So, can it really be said that Roman Abramovich and the other people in charge at Chelsea really understand and listen to their fans when they have made such contentious decisions? They do not seem to have shown much regard for the history of the club, by sacking a man who is considered a club legend and seems to love Chelsea and managed the team when they won two titles. Can it be said that they really take into account the feelings of the fans when they employ a man who has previously criticised the fans and has had a generally bad relationship with the club.
This is not to say that the fans were right to boo their new interim manager and not actually give Rafa Benítez a chance. Additionally, it is not Rafa Benítez’s fault that Roberto Di Matteo was sacked. It is also a worry that some fans may want to see him fail, which, arguably, gives the impression they are not being good fans.
However, whatever people may think of the reaction of the fans at Sunday’s match, it still seems to give evidence that the owners may not really understand the club’s fans.
Trizia Fiorellino, the Chair of Chelsea Supporters’ Group has talked to BBC Sport about how while fans are not expecting to choose managers; she believes they chose someone unacceptable, saying: “The strength of feeling surprised even those in charge. It was quite venomous right at the beginning. The fans don’t expect to pick and choose the managers but it was pretty evident there were only two people that were not acceptable in this case – Benitez and Avram Grant. It was almost as if the board and the owner were trying to send a message to the fans to say ‘we run this club, not you – you have no say.’ Benitez is not popular and I think he will remain unpopular throughout his reign.”
Of course, Chelsea are not the only ones who could be accused of not listening to their fans. One notorious example is the outrage amongst Blackburn fans after their owners sacked Sam Allardyce in 2010, a move which even angered the players. They were also famously outraged about former manager Steve Kean, when many continuously called for his sacking. The sacking of Chris Hughton by Newcastle, in the same week as Sam Allardyce’s dismissal from Blackburn, was also an unpopular move.
Newcastle owner Mike Ashley has caused anger amongst fans in the past, for example when St James’ Park was renamed the Sports Direct Arena last year. It could be argued that moves like this, which anger fans, show that some owners in modern football prioritise money over and business over the desires of the fans.
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Many disagree with decisions their clubs have made. Arsenal fans have many opinions over the actions of the club. Many Arsenal fans have been concerned about the priorities of the club, including many wanting Arsenal to buy more players in transfer windows, and concerns over prices, where it seems that prices seem to be kept expensive despite protestations from supporters.
With the possibility that booing against Rafa Benítez could continue, it is clear that many fans are unhappy. It could be said that this means clubs perhaps should listen more to what the fans want.
Tottenham Hotspur fans are interested in signing Hirving Lozano this summer after impressive performances for Mexico at the World Cup.
The 22-year-old has been a key player in both of his country’s wins at the tournament in Russia so far, scoring the decisive goal against Germany before assisting another in Saturday’s 2-1 win over South Korea.
His performances for Mexico follow what was a huge 2017/18 season for the player, netting 19 goals in all competitions for PSV and assisting another eight more.
He is now primed to make a move to a bigger league and a bigger club.
With Spurs looking for depth to complement their already impressive attacking line-up, could Lozano be the perfect fit in Mauricio Pochettino’s squad and system?
Supporters have certainly been taking a close look at his performances at the World Cup so far, with some believing he could indeed flourish under the guidance of their Argentinian manager.
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They took to Twitter to share their thoughts this weekend…
Toby Alderweireld’s recent absence from Tottenham Hotspur’s squad has led to speculation over his future.
It is widely known that the defender has not signed a new contract yet, which naturally sparks rumours about a possible exit.
Manager Mauricio Pochettino has since explained that Alderweireld was left out of the squad to face Arsenal, as well as the travelling party to play Juventus in the Champions League due to his recent injury troubles.
The Argentine boss has indicated that the Belgian needs to work on his fitness having only recently returned to action following a three-month layoff with a hamstring injury.
According to ESPN, talks between Tottenham and Alderweireld regarding a new contract have broken down, with the North London outfit reluctant to meet the defender’s wage demands of around £150,000 per week.
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Charlie Nicholas, though, does not think that Pochettino’s decision to leave one of his key players out of recent important matches has anything to do with the 28-year-old’s future.
While discussing the upcoming FA Cup games in a piece for Sky Sports, the Scotsman said:
“I think [the tie against Rochdale] will be another game for Toby Alderweireld to be eased back in again. I don’t think there is anything more to his absence than managing his recovery because Pochettino is a very honest and open man.”
We at Football Fancast are understandably all very excited about the 2014/15 Premier League campaign officially kicking off this weekend.And whilst Saturday will host Manchester United’s first game under Louis van Gaal as well as Tottenham’s visit to West Ham (amongst other very enticing fixtures), Sunday sees Newcastle take on reigning champions Manchester City.Thus, as our excitement materialises in the form of writing articles, FFC have conjured up this ‘Dream Xi’ for the Toon taking on the Citizens this weekend, combining new signings, the best performers from last season and potential acquisitions Alan Pardew’s side could make before the weekend.
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GOALKEEPER – TIM KRUL
Despite being linked with a move to AC Milan for much of last season…
… it appears Newcastle will hold onto their No.1 Tim Krul this summer.
And it’s a good job too. Not only did the Netherlands international prove himself to be a proficient penalty taker at the World Cup…
But he also earned Newcastle a multitude of valuable points last season, most notably against Tottenham Hotspur:
RIGHT BACK – DARYL JANMAAT
Another Oranje star that makes a poignant statement of the impressive quality in the Newcastle starting XI.
Following an impressive World Cup campaign, the stats of which are viewable below:
…Newcastle wasted no time this summer in securing the services for former Feyenoord defender Daryl Janmaat in a £5million deal, following Mathieu Debuchy’s exit to Arsenal.
The 25 year-old looks a good find – solid defensively, incredibly physical but capable of also contributing going forward – and is expected to make his full Newcastle debut on Sunday.
Here’s a look at some of Janmaat’s highlights for the Eredivisie side:
CENTRE-BACK – FABRICIO COLOCCINI
Fabricio Coloccini’s homesickness appears to have passed, having officially declared in May that he will remain on Tyneside next season.
The Argentina international’s immense experience and continuity is vital, having amassed 211 appearances for Newcastle since joining them from Deportivo back in 2008.
The Magpies skipper was in good form last season too despite concerns that he could return to Buenos Aires, as viewable below:
Here’s a look at the 32 year-old in action:
CENTRE-BACK – STEFAN RADU
According to the tabloids, one of the many centre-back targets Newcastle have been eying this summer is Lazio defender Stefan Radu:
The Romania international has racked up over 150 Serie A appearances for Aquile, but struggled to make it back into the first team last season after spending two months on the sidelines from September onwards with a knee injury.
No doubt however the 25 year-old is an impressive talent – check out his stats from the campaign previous:
Here’s a short clip of the defender, who can operate at centre-back or left-back, in action:
It’s believed he could be available for around £8million, but admittedly, the Radu trail has gone cold in recent weeks and it would be a shock if he turned up on Tyneside before the weekend.
LEFT BACK – DAVIDE SANTON
Left-back Davide Santon was in customarily consistent form last season, as detailed below:
And despite being linked with a return to his native Italy this summer…
…it appears the Magpies will be holding onto him until at least the January window.
The Italy international has now amassed 82 league appearances for Newcastle and appears to be improving by the game.
CENTRAL MIDFIELD – CHEICK TIOTE
There are rumours that Arsenal are planning a move for Newcastle midfielder Cheick Tiote:
But tied down to a contract until 2017, the Magpies would undoubtedly prefer to hold onto their 119-game servant for at least another season.
The Ivory Coast international has often been a central factor in the Tyneside outfit’s successes, and last season recorded one of the best tackling returns in the Premier League:
The 28 year-old’s infactuation with the referee’s notebook can often be frustrating for the Newcastle faithful, but his quality has never been in doubt.
And of course, he’ll always be remembered at St. James’s Park for this sensational strike against Arsenal back in 2011:
CENTRAL MIDFIELD – MOUSSA SISSOKO
Moussa Sissoko more commonly featured out wide for Newcastle last season, an unusual role that certainly got some decent performances out of him, as detailed below:
But the January 2013 signing was initially purchased from Toulouse as a central midfielder, and Newcastle’s many attacking acquisitions this summer could see him revert back to his more traditional position.
The France international certainly has the talent and physicality to do so, and now privy to the benefits of 18 months settling time on Tyneside, will be expected to start making good on his preceding reputation from Ligue 1 next season.
Sissoko has been in good form during pre-season too, finding the net against Real Sociedad:
RIGHT WING – WILFRIED ZAHA
Football – Inter Milan v Manchester United – Guinness International Champions Cup – Pre Season Friendly Tournament – FedExField, Washington D.C, United States of America – 14/15 , 29/7/14Wilfried Zaha – Manchester United Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Adam HoltEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
According to the tabloids, Newcastle are prepared to save wayward England prodigy Wilfried Zaha from his Manchester United nightmare:
The 21 year-old joined the Red Devils last summer after playing a vital role in Crystal Palace’s promotion-through-the-play-offs campaign, netting a brace against Brighton in the semi-finals:
He also won the deciding penalty in a 1-0 Wembley affair, but since moving to Old Trafford has gone on to make just two substitute appearances for the Carrington club.
David Moyes didn’t warm to him and neither has Louis van Gaal, who is reportedly prepared to sell the winger-forward this summer.
It’s believed he could be available for as little as £7million, but whether Newcastle can wrap up a deal before taking on Manchester City this weekend remains to be seen.
ATTACKING MIDFIELD – SIEM DE JONG
Despite brother Luuk failing to impress during a six-month loan spell on Tyneside last season, Newcastle were quick to secure the services of former Ajax star Siem de Jong this summer.
The Dutch international netted an impressive 57 times in 168 league appearances for the Eredivisie champions, but is better famed for his link-up play, having often been utilised as a ‘false nine’ by Frank de Boer.
Here’s a look at the Dutch international in action:
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De Jong netted an impressive strike during pre-season:
But rumour unfortunately has it that the midfielder-come-striker could miss out on Newcastle’s opener against Manchester City with a calf injury.
LEFT WING – REMY CABELLA
Another summer signing Newcastle fans would love to see make his debut against Manchester City this weekend is France starlet Remy Cabella.
The attacking midfielder was in sensational form to save his side from Ligue 1 relegation doom last season, as detailed below…
And after endless months of playing hardball with Montpellier president Louis Nicollin …
…the Magpies finally got their man in a £10million deal.
STRIKER – LOIC REMY
A few months ago it appeared Newcastle had absolutely no chance of acquirining the services of Loic Remy permanently, as the Magpies loan star eyed Champions League football.
But after surprisingly failing a medical at Liverpool, it’s anyone’s guess where the France international will end up this summer.
The 27 year-old was in sensational form for Newcastle last term to find 14 goals in the Premier League, which are viewable in the below video:
And who can forget this wonder-strike for parent club QPR at the end of the 2012/13 campaign…
Alan Pardew is known to be monitoring Remy’s situation, but he’s also been linked with moves to Tottenham and Chelsea:
Thus, the chances of him returning to Tyneside before the Toon take on Manchester City remain exceptionally slim.
We’ve all been exposed to the odd horror away day in our time, but the advances in safety at our grounds ensures that the only real hooligans on a matchday, are those responsible for charging in excess of £3 for a pie.
Of course, all fans take and dish out their fair share of stick on a Saturday, but there are some away days across the world that will have you moaning about an awful lot more than a dodgy bit of catering.
Here, cold terraces are warmed up by mid-game pyrotechnic displays, mickey taking is replaced with the threat of trouble and the stands are so steep, they’ll probably give you a nosebleed.
So click on the Stade Velodrome to unveil the top 10
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Feeling miffed I left out Glanford Park or the Weston Homes Community Stadium? Let me know on Twitter: follow @samuel_antrobus and bat me all your away day suggestions.
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According to reports by Football.London, West Ham United and Lazio are still haggling over a transfer fee for Brazilian winger Felipe Anderson, as the transfer saga involving the 25-year-old drags on.
Football.London, via reports in Italy, say that the Serie A outfit are demanding another €4m for the wideman in a deal totalling €34m (around £30m) to get the transfer over the line, and negotiations between the two clubs look set to continue.
It is still looking likely that a move will eventually go through though, as new Irons boss Manuel Pellegrini, who has been urged to sign a 22-year-old World Cup star to replace the injured Manuel Lanzini, looks to hit the ground running during the 2018/19 campaign by adding some real quality to his squad.
So, how would signing the attacker truly impact the east London club? Football FanCast take a look at the potential consequences of the major summer deal for the Hammers…
West Ham play 4-4-2
Manuel Pellegrini has been known to play a 4-4-2 – or 4-2-2-2 – formation at some of his previous clubs, but with Marko Arnautovic, Lanzini and Javier Hernandez already in his squad and potential deals for Felipe Anderson and Javier Pastore said to be possible, it appeared Chilean was ready to play with just one striker and two attacking midfielders – similar to how David Moyes often set up.
However, the injury blow for Lanzini which will rule him out until 2019 may ensure Pellegrini sticks to what he knows best, and in Anderson and Arthur Masuaku he has the two perfect speedy and tricky wide players to utilise a 4-4-2.
Javier Hernandez gets on the goal trail
West Ham fans thought they had finally got the consistent goalscorer they’d long been searching for when they signed Hernandez from Bayer Leverkusen last summer, but the 30-year-old endured a difficult debut campaign at the London Stadium – struggling as a lone striker and often finding himself behind Marko Arnautovic in the pecking order.
However, adding Anderson out wide could ensure that former Manchester United man has more support and greater service than he perhaps did last term, and if gets starts there is no reason why he can’t score 15 Premier League goals – a big improvement on the eight he netted in 2017/18.
Michail Antonio wants out
The 5ft 11in tall winger wil have surely been frustrated about often being used as a right wing-back last season rather than in his preferred position on the right wing, and the 28-year-old will be hoping that the arrival of Pellegrini at the London Stadium proves a positive for him.
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However, the fact that the Chilean is targeting a club-record deal for Anderson – who would be a first-choice – suggests Antonio will be a substitute at best during the 2018/19 campaign, and that will likely be enough to convince him to seek a move away.
So, West Ham fans, do you think the signing of Felipe Anderson is a good thing? Let us know by voting below…
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To describe Sadio Mane as the weak link in Liverpool’s attack may seem overly critical, but after coming in and out of the side during the start of the season, the Senegal international’s form since recovering his role on the left-hand side has paled in comparison to Roberto Firmino’s and Mohamed Salah, undoubtedly amongst world football’s best in their respective positions during this moment.
Indeed, since his last Champions League outing against CSKA Moscow in December, the Reds speedster had found just two goals in all competitions. Compare that to Firmino with nine goals during the same time frame, alongside five assists, and Salah with an incredible twelve strikes and four setups. If Liverpool were to make one addition to their front-line this summer, current form suggests it would be at Mane’s expense.
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But attacking players are inevitably confidence players, and sometimes it takes just one performance to rediscover the powers of old, the kind of powers we saw from Mane last season when his presence was so intrinsic to Liverpool’s results – Jurgen Klopp’s side didn’t actually pick up a Premier League victory without the African forward until April, and their win-rate dropped by 26% across all competitions when he wasn’t in the side.
That’s exactly what happened last night against FC Porto, as Liverpool recorded a huge 5-0 win over the Portuguese side on their own patch to secure a place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League barring an incredible comeback in the reverse fixture at Anfield. Amid the demolition job, Mane bagged a hat-trick with just four shots at goal.
It must be said that there was an element of good fortune in the 25-year-old’s route to the match ball; his first goal was a calm and composed strike, but the curling effort slipped under the Porto goalkeeper’s body, while his second was a rebound from a Firmino shot that Jose Sa parried straight into his path.
But Mane deserved his luck last night. Whether running with the ball or pressing the defence off of it, the 48-cap international always works hard for the cause and that was the case against FC Porto, Mane completing two dribbles and helping to set up counter-attacks with three huge tackles.
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By the time of Mane’s third goal, it was easy to tell his confidence had restored. Galloping forward on the break, the wide forward latched onto a Danny Ings pass and rifled the ball home from just outside the box, giving the Porto ‘keeper no chance of saving it.
That’s the kind of relentless threat we consistently saw from Mane last season, and the kind of quality that puts him on parity with Firmino and Salah when in top form.