Every so often, football clubs post tweets looking back at past wins or major transfers.
Today, Arsenal’s social media team posted a throwback picture of Thierry Henry’s goal celebration against Real Madrid.
The Gunners became the first English team to win at the Bernabeu thanks to the Frenchman’s strike in the first leg of their last-16 clash in the Champions League.
The win was made even more dramatic as Henry found the goal in the 93rd minute of the encounter against the star-studded Galacticos.
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The retired striker is a well-loved figure at Arsenal as he helped the team win two Premier League titles, three FA Cups and scored 228 goals during an eight-year spell at the North London club.
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Fastforward 12 years from that match against Real Madrid, and Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal team are now competing in the Europa League having failed to finish in the top four last season.
Fan reacting to the Twitter post expressed sadness that the glory days are far behind them.
It’s time for the footballing world to weep a collective tear, as perhaps the greatest World Cup of all time has come to a bitter-fought end. In case you’ve had your head stuck in a vase for the last 24 hours, Germany beat Argentina by a 1-0 scoreline in the final yesterday evening.
But we at Football FanCast are not prepared to relinquish the memories of Brazil 2014 just yet. Perhaps we are too needy, perhaps we are seeking closure, perhaps we simply can’t accept reality, but resultantly, we’ve conjured up this list of the FIVE World Cup finalists Manchester United would love to – and realistically could – sign this summer.
So join in our reminiscence of an event that happened less than a full day ago while also discussing Louis van Gaal’s summer transfer plans.
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MATS HUMMELS
Following the bosman departures of Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand, Manchester United have been linked with Germany international Mats Hummels yet again this summer:
The 25 year-old was one of the stars of Brazil 2014, netting Mannschaft’s second goal of the tournament as well as the winner against France in the quarter-finals:
It caps off a campaign of continually strong form for the commanding centre-back, as detailed below:
The 33-cap international is famed for his ability to play out of the back and link-up with midfield, often leading to comparisons with Mannschaft legend Franz Beckenbauer, best represented by these attacking and passing statistics:
Here’s a vid showing Hummels’ impressive all-round game:
//www.youtube.com/embed/BitBv8B48UQ
The Metro claim talks to bring the defender to Old Trafford have already reached ‘advanced stages’, but other sources speculate interest from Barcelona could stand in the way:
ANGEL DI MARIA
//www.youtube.com/embed/G-nxcCsvDUQ?rel=0
Amid their desperate need for better quality out wide, Manchester United are reportedly considering a bid for Real Madrid’s Angel Di Maria:
The Argentina winger missed the World Cup final through injury, but netted this vital winner against Switzerland in the round of 16:
And only two players completed more dribbles than the Los Blancos star at Brazil 2014:
At club level, a surprise transition to more central role saw the 25 year-old finish up as La Lia’s top creator last season:
Whilst he also claimed the Man of the Match award in last term’s Champions League final.
The Express alleged a £48million bid last week, but recent speculation suggests United will be trumped to Di Maria’s signature by PSG:
SAMI KHEDIRA
Real Madrid appear prepared to offload Germany international Sami Khedira this summer and Manchester United have emerged as one of the more interested Premier League parties:
The 27 year-old missed the World Cup final after picking up an injury in the warm-up, but remained a vital performer for Die Mannschaft throughout the tournament, as detailed below:
And netted his country’s fifth against Brazil in their famous 7-1 semi-final victory:
Here’s some of the former Stuttgart star’s highlights for Real Madrid:
//www.youtube.com/embed/LfHD8yuihyQ
Khedira would certainly address Manchester United’s absence of quality in the middle of the park, but recent speculation suggests he’s about to join Arsenal:
BASTIAN SCHWEINSTEIGER
Another Germany midfielder known to be on the Old Trafford radar is Mannschaft centurion Bastian Schweinsteiger, following rumours earlier this summer that Pep Guardiola wants to axe the Bayern Munich veteran.
The Bavarians boss allegedly views the 29 year-old as too slow for his side’s new-found tica-taca style. But a Bundesliga, Champions League and now World Cup winner, Manchester United are more than prepared to take him off Guardiola’s hands:
The powerful midfielder put in a committed and bloodied performance during the World Cup final…
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…where he made four tackles and over 100 passes. There’s no doubting Schweinsteiger’s quality, just take a look at his Top Five Bundesliga goals:
//www.youtube.com/embed/gvkLo5-5TN8?rel=0
But the £25million-rated midfielder, despite allegedly enjoying a good relationship with Louis van Gaal, could be put off by a lack of Champions League football at Old Trafford.
MARIO GOTZE
Mario Gotze may have just scored the winning goal in a World Cup final, and quite a sterling effort it was. But things aren’t going quite so well at current club Bayern Munich, with the attacking midfielder struggling to impact following his controversial move from Borussia Dortmund last summer.
In May, he made his disappointment over a lack of first team football – Gotze made just 20 starts in the Bundesliga last season – public, and potential suitors across Europe are hardly in short supply. Manchester Evening news claims the Red Devils have revived their interest in the 22 year-old:
The Germany international is an impressive young talent, just take a look at some of his career-best strikes:
//www.youtube.com/embed/sZJkUFstMpc?rel=0
And despite struggling for game-time last season, Gotze still enjoyed strong form, as detailed below:
Capable of adopting virtually any position in attack and widely regarded as one of European football’s hottest prospects, the former Black-Yellows star would be a sensational addition for United.
But whether he’s prepared to quit on Bayern Munich after just a single season remains to be seen.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with the idea, a ‘European Super-League’ is a proposed alternative to the current UEFA Champions League. Instead of grouping top European teams into an elimination tournament, Europe’s finest would instead form a “super league” where top teams from each league would compete against each other on a weekly basis throughout the course of the season.
Mirroring the standard domestic league format, the team with the most points at the end of the season would win the league. The bottom three or perhaps four teams would be relegated.
While several other managers and numerous sports journalists have discussed the idea for the past several years, I’ve not yet seen anyone develop the framework for such a league. With this thought in mind, here’s my idea for how the European Super League would work.
Entirely replacing the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Super League would initially feature the top three clubs from the English Premier League (EPL), the Bundesliga and Serie A and the top two teams from La Liga and Ligue 1. One club from each of Portugal, Holland, Belgium, Ukraine and Russia would combine for five more members, and an additional two vacancies would be awarded to two clubs from smaller leagues which advanced through a qualification process.
Altogether, the league would feature 20 member teams which would play every opponent twice (home and away) for a total of 38 games. In order to avoid forcing players to the point of physical exhaustion or requiring clubs to build a full-strength second team, clubs would not compete in their domestic leagues while playing in the UEFA Super League. However, all member clubs would continue competing in their domestic cup competitions.
At the end of the season, the club with the most points would be crowned the UEFA Champion and the bottom four teams would be relegated to their domestic leagues.
At the domestic leagues level, since top clubs could no longer qualify for the Champions League, they would instead qualify for the Europa League where the four semi-finalists would replace the four relegated sides in the following season’s UEFA Super League.
In order to ensure sides relegated from the Super League would have the opportunity to earn immediate promotion the following season, they would be awarded automatic Europa League qualification.
While many of you probably consider this suggestion utterly preposterous, I encourage you to at least consider the idea.
Firstly, the plan would shrink the huge talent gap between top teams and their typical opponents. So, instead of Manchester United facing Newcastle, Stoke and Sunderland in a random three-week period of the season, they could instead face the likes of Porto, Juventus and Ajax.
Sure, we might miss out on some exciting two-leg series, but I would much rather watch the Red Devils play an entire season of meaningful contests than wait until the Champions League quarter-finals for them to feature against a world-class opponent.
Opponents argue that while strengthening the competition at the highest levels, such an exclusive league would destroy domestic competition. Conversely, I suspect the UEFA Super League would have the exact opposite effect on competition.
For example, with English Premier League sides Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal likely to spend most seasons in the Super League, teams such as Liverpool, Tottenham, Newcastle and Everton would have a legitimate chance of actually winning the league.
With a top-three finish promising a place in the Europa League and an eventual shot at cracking into the Super League, the fans of mid-table teams throughout Europe could actually get excited about their club’s future prospects.
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Furthermore, domestic cup competitions would become increasingly intense. With Super League teams not regularly facing domestic competition, they would be eager to prove their worth by winning a domestic championship.
Realising a unique opportunity to compete against the top clubs in the country, emergent league sides, perhaps vying to complete a domestic double, would be intensely motivated to shock their supposedly superior opponent.
Yakubu scored 33 times in 107 appearances for Everton between 2007 and 2011.
The former Nigeria international made his name at Maccabi Haifa before joining Portsmouth, where he became a cult hero.
Yakubu left Portsmouth for Middlesbrough in 2005, and he scored another 25 league goals in English football before making the move to Everton.
Of Yakubu’s 33 goals for Everton, 25 of those came in the Premier League.
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There is absolutely no question that he made a positive impression on the club’s supporters, and the centre-forward went on to represent Blackburn Rovers, Reading and Coventry City in the English game before hanging up his boots.
Now 35 years of age, Yakubu is certainly winding down.
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The Everton supporters have recently taken the chance to pay tribute to their former striker, however, and one fan even claimed that ‘The Yak’ should return to the Merseyside club to play alongside Cenk Tosun in the final third of the field.
A selection of the Twitter reaction from the Everton fans, who have also been commenting on the future of Victor Lindelof, can be seen below:
Liverpool’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham at Anfield had it all, if you’re a fan of football. It had controversy, drama, late action, dodgy decisions and stunning goals from both teams.
Unfortunately, though, if you’re a fan of Liverpool, you’re probably unlikely to see it that way – at least until a few days after the game when all has calmed down a bit.
Controversy aside, when you’re leading after a stoppage time goal – courtesy of Mohamed Salah – you should probably win the game. But a point in a game where the Reds were dominated for long periods without the ball is not the worst result they could have had.
Still, in the end, a point keeps Liverpool in the hunt for a top four finish. Form is important at this stage of the season, especially with the Champions League just around the corner, so it’s a good chance to look at which players played well on Sunday afternoon.
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With that in mind, Liverpool fans, we want to know who you thought was your best player. There’s probably only going to be one winner here, but it would be remiss of us not to take anything for granted and at least ask the question. Give us your rating out of ten for each of the players below….
A quick search for #LambertOut on Twitter reveals the depth of unrest amongst a number of Aston Villa supporters with their manager. A more than disappointing 2-1 loss to Fulham at Villa Park inevitably produced a number of tweets upon the matter, with disgruntled fans calling for the removal of the former Norwich manager.
Unfortunately for Paul Lambert, it seems as though the majority of Villa’s fanbase have become far too blinded by the Martin O’Neill years or the club’s former glories to recognise the club’s current situation. Without serious financial backing in the modern Premier League, the realistic ambitions of any club in the division are severely limited, regardless of their relative size or prestige.
Considering the number of sackings from clubs occupying the lower reaches of the Premier League, Randy Lerner’s commitment to his manager is proving to be the exception to the rule. Certainly, there have been performances which could have prompted the American owner to think seriously upon the matter.
After the loss to Fulham, Lambert’s side have chalked up a club record ten defeats at home this season, the worst in the club’s 140 year history. Any ambitions of a decent run in the FA Cup were dashed almost immediately when League One Sheffield United emerged triumphant from Villa Park at the third round stage.
Reports that talks are ongoing for a new contract for Lambert has drawn severe disdain from many of the Villa faithful that have been disgusted by what they have seen this season. Currently sat in 13th with a seven point cushion, the club realistically needs at least one more victory to secure their Premier League status for next season. For fans that became accustomed to Villa’s frequent challenge for Europe under O’Neill or remember the glory years in the early 1980s, simply treading water in the top flight is seen as unacceptable.
But the recent O’Neill years came at a price.
Whilst nowhere near comparable to Leeds United’s misguided extravagance, Villa essentially swung for but missed the Champions League spots. Substantial transfer fees and hefty wage packets were sanctioned in pursuit of the promised land, a policy which the club is now likely cursing at this point.
Having pumped much of his own fortune into the club, Lerner is now intent on steadying the ship and transforming Villa into a financially self-sustainable entity. Whilst this approach is undoubtedly frustrating for the club’s fans, it is logical considering the fact that the American recently waived approximately £90 million worth of loans.
Critics of Lambert will point to the fact he has spent an estimated £40 million in the past two seasons as an indicator that the club should be achieving more. But when Gareth Bale alone is transferring for £86 million, Villa’s transfer investment under Paul Lambert is a relative pittance in modern football.
With the club’s well documented financial restrictions, Lambert is forced in his attempts to improve the squad to either purchase on a budget from abroad or from England’s lower divisions. The Scot largely went with the former, a policy which has inevitably delivered mixed results. For every Christian Benteke, there will always be an Antonio Luna.
It may be difficult for some Villa fans to accept but in the Premier League as it stands, their club simply doesn’t have the money or the pull to attract the top calibre of players. Lambert’s options in the transfer market were limited and having chosen to go abroad, players such as Libor Kozak, Nicklas Helenius and Aleksandar Tonev require time to settle before they truly can be judged.
Unfortunately for the Scot, Villa have been plagued by a series of injuries which any Premier League club would struggle to cope with. Kozak and the highly-rated Jores Okore, Lambert’s biggest summer signings, have both suffered serious long-term injuries. Benteke’s recent achilles injury has already ruled the Belgian out of the World Cup and could see him out of action for up to eight months.
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To compound Lambert’s woes further, many individuals in his side have struggled for form. Even before his injury, Benteke had struggled for large periods of the season to replicate last year’s heroics. Matthew Lowton, a full back who had previously been praised for making the step up to the Premier League, is another that has struggled for consistency this term.
In such circumstances, Lambert has performed respectably to have Aston Villa sat in 13th position. There is a frustration that greater progress in the current campaign hasn’t been achieved and to an extent they are understandable. The club’s dreadful home form and performances in cup competitions need to improve fast, whilst the style of football on offer leaves a lot to be desired.
But with one of the weakest squads in the top flight which has also been afflicted by injuries, Lambert is only a couple of victories away from securing a mid table finish. It may not excite the club’s fanbase, but for now the Scot is getting the best out of a bad situation.
Liverpool FC are targeting Schalke’s Lewis Holtby who admits he has designs on a move to England’s top flight.
Arsenal and Everton have also shown an interest in the 22-year-old who put in another fine performance this week in the Champions League against the Gunners.
Holtby is son to an English father and happens to be an Everton fan. Despite his allegiances to the Toffees, Liverpool are believed to be in the driving seat for acquiring Holtby’s signature.
Liverpool are desperate to secure more attacking wingers to add depth to their squad to make the Rodgers style of quick attacking football work.
Speaking to the press before Tuesday’s Champions League clash against Arsenal, the German international said: “Of course a move interests me. But now I’m at Schalke – I love the colours here, I love the team, I love the club.
“My contract runs out next season but you never know. I always said that my dream is to play in England, and it’ll happen one day, I can tell you that, because my hunger is really big for the Premier League.
“But I love the Bundesliga so much and I’m happy to be here.”
When the January transfer window opens it will be no surprise if there’s a buzz generated around the exciting winger.
There are many teams who are in need of a quality wide man and Holtby certainly fits the bill.
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It is believed however, that Schalke do not want to sell and it will take a large sum to prize him away from the German club.
Liverpool have had a decent transfer window so far, and could get even better in the coming days.
Jurgen Klopp surprised everyone by recruiting midfielder Fabinho from Monaco a matter of weeks ago.
The club swiftly moved on from the disappointment of losing the Champions League final to Real Madrid by addressing areas of the pitch that needed improvement.
Goalkeepers have been a regular feature in the gossip columns whenever Liverpool are mentioned, and it appears that the Merseyside outfit are keen to strengthen an already-blistering attack.
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”252976″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch 21 things that will definitely happen at the World Cup”]
Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane will take some shifting from the team, but the Reds could do with bolstering the positions in the event of injuries or some much-needed rest for the trio.
With that in mind, one option who Liverpool could consider is Leon Bailey, who currently plies his trade at Bayer Leverkusen.
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According to Calcio Insider, the Reds are keeping tabs on the 20-year-old, who scored 12 goals and created six assists for the Germany outfit last season.
We asked you if Bailey would be a decent addition to the team, and the overwhelming majority of fans are in favour of a swoop.
According to reports in The Guardian, Newcastle United look set to lose out to West Bromwich Albion in the race to sign Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge on loan before the January transfer window slams shut on Wednesday.
What’s the word, then?
Well, The Guardian says that the Baggies are set to sign the out of favour Reds centre-forward on a temporary basis until the end of the season despite reports to the contrary earlier that suggested the England international was heading for St James’ Park.
Magpies manager Rafa Benitez is desperate to add a new striker – and possibly two – before the close of play on Wednesday, but it doesn’t look like it will be the 28-year-old after The Guardian reports West Brom have agreed to pay £1.5m to bring him to the Hawthorns on loan for the remainder of the campaign.
The Tyneside outfit will now have to look elsewhere for attacking reinforcements, with Feyenoord’s Nicolai Jorgensen still a top target.
Would Sturridge have been a good signing for Newcastle?
If he they could have kept him fit, he certainly would have been.
The 28-year-old has shown throughout his career that he is a natural goalscorer if he is consistently on the pitch, and he has scored 75 Premier League goals in his career, as well as 64 in 133 games for Liverpool in total.
With the Magpies only scoring 22 goals in their 24 top flight matches this season, it is easy to see where one of their biggest issues lies, and they need to add goals to their team in the last couple of days of the January window.
How much of a blow is it to miss out?
It will be a huge blow for Benitez, especially losing out to a team currently in 19th position.
While they may also want someone like Jorgensen, Sturridge had that Premier League experience and know-how, and he was a proven goalscorer at this level.
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His presence in the team would have given a huge boost to a club that is desperately in need of one, and there would have been a confidence that the England international would have got the goals to keep the Magpies up.
What happens next?
Newcastle will continue working on other targets, and will have to hope they get at least one over the line by the close of play on Wednesday.
Yohan Cabaye is one of the Premier League’s most sought-after transfer properties this January, following an incredible first half of the season for Newcastle. It remains to be seen whether any of his many suitors, including Arsenal, Manchester United and PSG, will take the reported £22million bait before the end of the month. But either way, the 28 year-old has proved this term that he’s destined for a higher calling than the Magpies – no offence Toon fans.
To suggest the Frenchman wasn’t highly thought of before the current campaign would be untrue. Arsenal launched an ill-fated £12million bid for Cabaye back in the summer, suggesting they felt that after two years at Newcastle, he was ready to handle life at a major club.
But they resisted the Magpies’ valuation of £20million, which, at the time, would have broken the Gunners’ record transfer fee by a few million.
Bizarrely however, I’d suggest another playmaking midfielder is the last thing the Premier League table-toppers need right now, and although Arsenal are the calibre of club I believe Cabaye is more than capable of playing for, his contribution would go relatively unnoticed at the Emirates.
That being said, for £20million, or £22million to take the player on midseason according to the tabloids, the France international remains an absolute steal. A record of 17 goals and 15 assists in 79 Premier League appearances is an unbelievable return for a deep-lying midfielder, even if a significant proportion of his output is currently being sourced from dead-ball situations.
That’s only 15 goals and one assist less than Yaya Toure, who has made 30 more Premier League outings than the Magpies star in a far more accommodating Manchester City side. It’s also just two goals less than Steven Gerrard in the last three years, despite the England international’s willingness to shoot from any range and any angle.
Not that output is the only impressive part of Cabaye’s game. This season he’s averaged 2.4 tackles and 2.4 interceptions per match, showing that the 5 foot 9 midfielder is more than competent when it comes to defensive contribution and is by no means a ‘luxury’ player, whilst in possession, he’s made 33 key passes in 17 Premier League starts, illustrating his core ability to unlock opposition defences with telling balls.
But as previously stated, Cabaye’s ability has been known for some time. The difference this season however has been in the great versatility and flexibility he’s shown by changing and modifying his role into the Magpies’ No.10.
Traditionally considered a playmaker of the more Miralem Pjanic, Luka Modric or Paul Scholes variety, finding pockets of space from deep and producing a mix-ranged passing game, Alan Pardew has fielded Cabaye at the tip of midfield of six occasions this season and in return the Frenchman has provided four goals from his new role, including a stunning brace against West Ham at the weekend.
Some would argue it could be a case of a big fish asserting his dominance in a small pond, and transitioning to the ocean of a major club could see Cabaye eaten alive by a shark that won’t even notice the 28 year-old inadvertently swimming down his predatory gullet.
Rather, I’d argue the France international has been a whale the Newcastle puddle for some time.
There’s been an obvious correlation between Newcastle’s league standing and the midfielder’s fitness over the last three years; upon his first campaign in England, in which Cabaye made34 league appearances, the Magpies finished in fifth, and with their talisman operating at full throttle again this term, they possess an outside chance of another continental qualification, currently sitting in eighth place in the English table.
But last year, when Cabaye spent a significant chunk of the season sidelined through injury, missing from November to February due to groin surgery, Newcastle’s form decisively tanked, recording 19 league defeats and lucky to finish the campaign with their top flight status intact. In my opinion, that’s no coincidence and is a fantastic testament to Cabaye’s vitality on Tyneside. No wonder the Magpies few him as a player worth in excess of £20million, which will be their biggest sale since Andy Carroll in 2011.
Of course, the other factor for major clubs to consider before making an acquisition is personality. Back in the summer, Cabaye’s professionalism was tested, as Alan Pardew informed reporters his ‘head had been turned’ by the Gunners’ transfer interest. It seemed Cabaye was set for six months of sulking at the Magpies’ training ground, driving down his value until another club snapped him up in January for a fee that didn’t justify his abilities or facilitate for the rupture his departure could have at St. James’s Park.
But refraining from playing the transfer market to his advantage rather than the beautiful game itself, Cabaye has used his actions on the pitch to prove to his suitors that he’s worth the £20million Newcastle have been asking for, producing the most prominent form of his Premier League career to date. If there was ever any doubt over what quality bracket the Frenchman belongs to, and whether or not he has the temperament or drive to up his game to the next level, surely this season, following a disruptive end to the summer window, is all the evidence one needs.
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Producing free kicks that verge upon artistry, long-range goals that leave one foaming at the mouth, donning a mixed passing game so intelligently orchestrating in its destructive efficiency and a level of work-rate and anticipation out of possession we’d more frequently associate with a natural ball-winner, now demonstrating he’s capable of any role required of him in the middle of the park including at the attacking pivot of the midfield, and a player who has consistently proved himself over three years in the Premier League – what more could a major club want this January for a mere £20million?
David Moyes, Laurent Blanc, Tim Sherwood, Arsene Wenger, Brendan Rodgers – it’s time for Cabaye to answer his higher calling.
Click below to see Arsenal, Fulham and Everton in action this weekend!