Steven Gerrard is commonly recognised as the best player not to win the Premier League, and that’s hard to argue against when he has been consistently at the top of his game for over a decade. Gerrard’s most successful moments for Liverpool have come in the Champions League and, after a brief absence from the competition, the Reds have returned, only to be drawn against Real Madrid and the dreaded PFC Ludogorets Razgrad. As per usual, a side who has been withdrawn from European competitions are struggling to balance domestic football alongside travelling around the continent.
Liverpool FC in general are not having a very good time of it. Their strikers can’t score, their midfielders can’t create, and their defenders still can’t defend. Even their ever-present Captain Gerrard is struggling to find any form, but with his contract into it’s final months it would be wrong not to renew soon.
Steven Gerrard must still be considered a key player at Anfield. There is no doubting his ability, and although he’s yet to take to his deeper role, the familiar cliché of ‘form is temporary, class is permanent’ springs to mind. He may well be 34 years old and in some players (usually the ones who rely on pace) the end is nigh, others who learn and adapt to dictate play from deep using their vast experience can still be an effective asset at 35-40 (e.g. Pirlo & Giggs).
You’d expect that a player as loyal to one club such as Gerrard would be offered a contract at first opportunity, but Steven was forced to come out and explain that he isn’t going to just retire if Liverpool don’t put a new contract offer to him – a messy situation for one of the club’s most dedicated players.
Brendan Rodgers was quick to react to Stevie G’s comments as he expressed how brilliant he has been for the Northern Irish manager during his time with the club. Rodgers also told how contract negotiations are in fact underway and that he certainly sees Steven as a part of his plans for the coming seasons. However, it’s still bizarre that he’s been allowed to drift well into the final year of his contract with no real rush to secure the player who was once the player who the rest of the squad was built around.
Of course there’s a possibility that Gerrard may well be demanding more money than the club are willing to offer, especially for a 34-year-old during what Rodgers has described as a ‘transitional season’. Yet no manager before him would have dreamt of putting a price cap on the ex-England captain’s wages but is that ideology simply deemed as living in the past?
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OK, Gerrard isn’t the player he once was, but his presence both on and off the pitch – as captain – has been integral to any success that Liverpool have had during his time at the club. To let somebody as loyal and effective to just walk out of the door and find another club would be distasteful of Rodgers, and something which would devastate all Liverpool fans.
Former Liverpool defender Steve Nicol believes that the club’s owners can justify not backing Brendan Rodgers in the January transfer market thanks to his below par record when it comes to buying players.
With the Reds having made a disappointing start to the season, the Northern Irishman is understood to be ready to bring in new players next month in a bid to steer his side towards a top four finish.
But there have been suggestions that Liverpool’s owners, Fenway Sports Group, are reluctant to give him funds, with Rodgers having already overseen a spend of in excess of £200m since his arrival.
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Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho have been, arguably, his only successful deals, with the likes of Mario Balotelli, Dejan Lovren and Lazar Markovic – who cost a combined fee of around £50m – among the contenders for the worst signing of the summer transfer window.
And Nicol believes that such a hot and cold hit-rate means that FSG must have serious doubts about handing him more money:
“If I was John Henry [Liverpool’s owner] I would be very scared to give a lot of money to someone who has shown in the transfer market there have been more misses than hits.” he told talkSPORT.
“Of that £200million he’s spent there have been only two successes – and that’s Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho to a certain extent. The other 18-19 players he signed haven’t kicked a ball and that’s a horrible percentage when it comes to signing players.
“So if I’m John Henry I’ve got a really tough decision as to whether I give Rodgers any more money.
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“He has to prove last season wasn’t a fluke. Other than [Luis] Suarez, he’s got the same players and is supposed to have added quality. So he has to prove he can get this team playing the sort of football they played last season and give Henry a reason to back him in the transfer market.”
As Dortmund’s demise in the Bundesliga this season has seen a plucky Wolfsburg side rise up at take their place, Ivan Perisic has found a new lease on life with Dieter Hecking’s team, with the Croatian international continuing to impress during 2014/15.
In the Bundesliga, Europa League, and even in last summer’s World Cup, Wolfsburg’s current sensation has seen his stock rise with a series of stand-out goals and performances. Alongside the likes of Kevin de Bruyne, Ricardo Rodriguez, and Ivica Olic, Ivan Perisic has become an integral part of a team that could really be going places this year.
Now with the January transfer window upon the footballing world once more, will Wolfsburg be able to keep hold of their star man, or will Perisic look to test himself elsewhere?
Wolfsburg’s mercurial no. 9 has all qualities of a bustling winger as well as a rampant goal scorer. He already has three goals this season, and whilst that may seem a slightly disappointing number considering that the German league is roughly half way completed, everyone involved with Die Wolfe this season expects more to come from Ivan Perisic.
Last season, the Croatian talent finished the 2013/14 campaign with a total of 10 goals in the Bundesliga, as well as one in the DFB-Pokal. Perisic has more to his game than just scoring goals however. With five assist already recorded this season, the 25-year-old rising star is a supplier as much as he is a goal scorer. There is something slightly Arjen Robben-esque about his style of play, and whilst he may not match the Dutchman for his pace, Perisic is just as daring, just as creative and almost as much of a threat as Bayern’s fiery winger is.
Alongside the likes of Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic and Ivan Rakitic, the Volkswagen Arena favourite is expected to make up a dangerous midfield that should see his native Croatia become a real force in Euro 2016.
In light of this news, as is always the case when the January transfer window arrives, Ivan Perisic has drawn attention from the Premier League and beyond this winter. Serie A giants, Inter Milan and Napoli, are both said to be reportedly interested in the Croatian winger in recent weeks, but Perisic’s greatest admirers were previously thought to be Everton.
Throughout the summer, Roberto Martinez and the Toffees apparently done all they could to bring the 25-year-old to Merseyside, which would have signalled a great move for fans of the Premier League in general. Perisic would have fitted into Everton’s plan nicely, and alongside the likes of Leighton Baines and Kevin Mirallas, the current Wolfsburg no. 9 would have provided the perfect ammunition for Romelu Lukaku to boost his goal-scoring stats for the 2014/15 season.
Although the Toffees could have supposedly signed Perisic for as little as £8 million in the summer, it now seems that the Premier League side may have missed their chance. With Ivan Perisic’s stock continuing to rise throughout Europe at the minute, if he were to eventually leave Wolfsburg, it would likely be to a bigger team than the likes of Everton.
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Whilst the Wolfsburg bosses have been clear in their desire to hold on to their latest star man, it would seem that Perisic could still be on the move in the near future if he manages to maintain his high standard in performances. At the moment though, the Croatian talent remains very much a Wolfsburg player, with Everton seemingly missing their chance to land his signature in the summer.
As Arsenal’s search for a new midfielder rumbles on, Cheick Tiote of Newcastle is now firmly a name in the mix. The rugged Ivorian – who is currently away at the AFCON – is understood to be a £9m target for the Gunners, with talks between the club and the players’ representatives having already taken place.
However, despite his talents, Tiote is not exactly the sort of player to set pulses racing at the Emirates Stadium… yet his team-mate, Moussa Sissoko, is. Another linked with a move from the North East to London, the Frenchman seems better suited to the ‘Arsenal way’ and we think he could be a more useful signing. Here are FIVE reasons Arsene Wenger should be looking at Sissoko, not Tiote…
More versatile
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While Tiote is a specialised holding midfielder, Sissoko can operate from a range of roles. This season alone the Frenchman has played in each midfield position through the centre of the pitch as well as on the right of an attacking midfield line, but in the past he’s been known to drift to the opposite flank and even fill in a little deeper. Wenger is known to appreciate diversity and versatility in his players, and Sissoko’s ability to feature in a range of roles could be a tool the experienced boss may find useful with continental and domestic football to balance.
Better long-term option
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Tiote is 28, Sissoko is 25. It may seem a little simplistic, but, in theory, the latter has three more years at the highest level. Tiote is, arguably, in his peak years now, while Sissoko is just about to enter the range at which he’s likely to be at the very top of his powers. As a result, the Ivorian will have less time and a lower sell-on value, while the France international’s price tag may increase at the same rate as his abilities.
More useful than Tiote
Tying in with versatility, Sissoko will be of greater use than Tiote in terms of contribution in the final third. The former Toulouse man out-punches his team-mate in terms of almost every key attacking stat, while his shorter range of passing makes him more suited to a ‘Wenger team’. Position on the pitch may have something to do with it, but Sissoko’s stats also take into account his time playing in a deeper role.
More of a ‘Wenger’ player
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While Tiote is a destroyer, Sissoko is a hybrid of a break-up player and an attacking force. This is somewhat reflected through his consistent passing stats, with his overall accuracy having been impressive through his career. With Arsenal a ‘front foot’ team, Sissoko’s ability to get on the ball and make things happen could be useful.
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Loves the club
“When I was young, Arsenal were my favourite team. My idol played there: Patrick Vieira. I have always loved that club. I still love that club.” The words of Sissoko himself.
A love for a club is key, and Sissoko’s passion for Arsenal could add the sort of determination and guts the Gunners have been criticised for lacking for some time.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has hailed Francis Coquelin’s contribution to the team over the last few weeks. It’s unsurprising really. As Arsenal’s turbulent season continues, a 2-0 win at the Etihad restored confidence in the manager, and then a dismal defeat at home to Monaco in the Champions League has taken it away.
One bright spot of the last few weeks has been the uncovering of Coquelin, however. An actual, real life, defensive midfielder gracing the pitch at the Emirates!
Coquelin has indeed been impressive, and after sustaining a broken nose in a clash with teammate Olivier Giroud against Everton last weekend, the French midfielder wore a protective mask in the 2-1 win over QPR in midweek.
In quotes reported by the London Evening Standard, Wenger said that despite his injury, Coquelin did not want to be left out of the team and was determined to hold onto his place. Speaking of Coquelin’s recent success, the manager added:
‘the human being is a strange animal – the more you have suffered before, the more you enjoy it’
In fact, this might just sum up Wenger!
Take the finding of this new defensive midfielder, as an example. For so long fans have been vainly calling for Wenger to bring in a midfielder to sit in front of the back four while Arsenal’s orchestra of number 10s create beautiful attacking moves up front.
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What they may be celebrating, though, is a new, pragmatic Arsenal. Albeit, celebrating mutedly after the horror show that was the Champions League game against Monaco.
But the win over City was done in such a way that the Arsenal fans probably enjoyed that particular victory more than most of their recent ones – and Wenger will have too. It was the first time in recent memory that Wenger had set his team up to stifle the opposition, and the success of this was due in no small part to Coquelin.
Wenger’s tactics and team selection worked and he was widely praised, even managing to pacify some of the fans calling for his head. For a while at least.
Equally, the Gunners’ first trophy in nine years did a similar trick for Wenger. Along with signings like Alexis Sanchez, it bought him a few months of good will.
Clinching fourth place has also been celebrated like winning a trophy. There have been heaps of jokes about this fact, but in seasons like 2011/12 after the 8-2 defeat at Old Trafford, and 2012/13 where they pipped Tottenham to fourth, Champions League qualification wasn’t always certain for Wenger’s team.
The celebrations as Arsenal beat Newcastle 1-0 at St James’s Park that year are a testament to that. Even though the fans want more, Champions League football is still hugely important for the club.
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Wenger’s words sound like those of a man who has been through some suffering, and after the abuse that he has been getting from a sizeable section of the Gunners’ support, he is probably entitled to enjoy what success he gets this season more than most. With Arsenal looking to start their habitual late season charge for fourth, and have a good chance of retaining the FA cup if they can beat Manchester United on Monday night, Wenger may yet have something to cheer.
Maybe Wenger saw something of himself in Coquelin. Maybe Arsene Wenger is a strange animal – the more he has suffered, the more he enjoys it.
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Unless a team are your derby rivals most football supporters would not wish for another club to drop out of the Premier League, but after the shameful antics of Newcastle United in recent years, it is hard not to feel that they truly deserve it.
The Magpies were once a club full of ambition who, like Tottenham and Everton, were willing to challenge the usual top four in an attempt to finally break into the Champions League.
Last season under Alan Pardew Newcastle finished 10th, which was a huge improvement on the previous year, but once again they have undone all of their gains and now sit just two points above the relegation zone.
Fortunately for supporters there are at least three other teams who have had a worse campaign than they have had so a drop into the Championship is avoidable.
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But that doesn’t mean the club doesn’t deserve the humiliation. Their supporters have felt humiliated all season and can’t even look forward to a fresh start in August because there is likely to be more of the same. That is why ex-manager Alan Pardew left for the safety of Crystal Palace back in January. Pardew was never going to make the Magpies Europa League contenders, but he was propping them up and it is no surprise that since his departure Newcastle have resembled a sinking ship, while Palace are undergoing a revival.
Although the players have been heavily criticised for below-par performances, especially in recent weeks, I can understand why they may have subconsciously given up.
When your manager of four years leaves mid-season and your club is labelled as just a money maker, not to mentionthat once again there is nothing more than a mid-table finish to look forward to, I’m sure football just doesn’t feel fun anymore. Of course they are all professionals who are being paid millions to entertain their fans, but football is about passion, and I can’t imagine that there is a lot of that going around St James’ Park right now.
Interim manager John Carver has done his best but one, he probably hasn’t got the qualities to be a top manager and two, his players are not giving him their all, so inevitably Newcastle keep creeping closer and closer towards the bottom three. The situation has gotten so bad this season that there have been several very public embarrassments for the Magpies, namely a protest by a section of supporters who boycotted their home game against Spurs, and also Carver’s quite honest accusation that his squad are probably not listening to him anymore.
The club appears to be imploding, which must be both upsetting and infuriating for supporters who spend their hard earned money to watch millionaires get beaten by less capable clubs every week.
And all of this could have been averted if owner Mike Ashley had put the health of his club before the money he has earned from treating it solely like a business. Most club owners will fight tooth and nail to hold onto their best players but not Ashley, who if the right bid comes along will happily sell them on. Every time he does this Newcastle have to learn how to thrive without a key team member and ultimately they get weaker and weaker.
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Seeing as money is the only thing that seems to matter to Mike Ashley, then being relegated is the sharp slap of reality that he will need before anything improves at the club. But that probably won’t happen, so the only alternative as some supporters have suggested is to refrain from renewing season tickets, though no one ends up a winner there.
The Gunners have had a wonderful season, but they never really challenged Chelsea for the title.
Their problem was the fact that the team hadn’t gelled before Christmas time, and Arsenal were relying too much on Alexis Sanchez.
They’ve had a wonderful run in the league since then. Despite not challenging at the end, and despite an disappointing exit from the Champions League they can be happy with a successful season.
Here are the three areas where Arsenal need to strengthen. Three players with an honourable mention for each category….
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Defensive midfielder – Geoffrey Kondogbia
A young french international with bags of potential. Sounds ideal for Wenger, no?
Kondogbia was key for Monaco as they reached the Quarter Final of the Champions League and made a late surge to stand on the brink of Champions League qualification with only a game remaining.
Monaco are known for their solid defence this season, as arsenal found out to their cost in the Champions League first knockout round. Monaco did not concede a home goal in the league between November and and have been devastating on the counter – that’s in no small part due to their anchorman Kondogbia who stops teams from breaking down the monegasque defensive unit.
Not only will he bring defensive solidity and work rate to the midfield, but he’s also big and strong and that’s something Arsenal lack in their midfield. Even if Arsenal don’t want to replace the home-grown Coquelin, Wenger could find room for both players in his squad rotation system, or chop and change depending on the needs of each game.
Coquelin seems to play well as part of the midfield, whereas Kondogbia will be happy enough if you leave him to his beat in front of the back four. Arsenal can also use his power to attack teams too, but he’ll pick him moments and won’t blindly maraud forwards. It always pays to have more options
Honourable mention: William Carvalho – touted as an Arsenal signing in the last summer transfer window, he would certainly add physicality to the midfield this year too.
Goalkeeper – Petr Cech
One that’s been rumoured a fair amount over the last few weeks. Arsenal’s goalkeeping problems has been highlighted this year with the poor form of Szczesny and the promotion of Ospina to the number one shirt. Arsene Wenger may have different ideas, but Ospina looks more suited to life as an able deputy number two in the Premier League, and if Arsenal have title ambitions they may want to strengthen between the posts.
There are numerous choices including Iker Casillas being mentioned, but Petr Cech knows the Premier League inside out, he’s been arguably the best in the league over the past 10 years and he’s certainly not too old for a goalkeeper. Sounds like a no-brainer for Arsene to give this abandoned puppy a new home.
The stumbling block is really whether Jose Mourinho and Roman Abramovich feel that Arsenal are title-rivals next season. Or whether they’d be stronger title rivals with Cech in goal.
Cech, however, has been a loyal performer for Chelsea over the years and has sat on the bench for a full title-winning season without saying a peep. Chelsea might reward such loyalty by simply letting him go to Arsenal if that’s what he wishes to do. Not many players could command that sort of respect.
Honourable Mention: Steve Mandanda – There are so many goalkeepers to choose. Cech seems best for a title charge because he knows the Premier League, but my pick for best of the rest is Mandanda. He’s experienced and we know he’s very good. He’s not the youngest and, like Cech, Arsenal won’t need to nurture him. Arsenal really need a keeper they can trust, rather than an untried keeper being given his big break.
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All-purpose midfielder – Sami Khedira
Another name that’s been thrown around carelessly over the last year or so has been that of Sami Khedira. The German international hasn’t played as many games as he might have liked for Real Madrid over the last few seasons, but he was key for Germany in their World Cup success in 2014.
Often seen as a defensive midfielder, he’s not a defensive anchor in the mould of Claude Makelele or even Nemanja Matic. Nor is he a powerhouse of the ilk of Patrick Vieira. He’s a much classier player than that, he’s superb on the ball, has an eye for a pass. He even managed to pop up with two goals in the humbling of hosts Brazil, a game that shows just how much of a complete midfielder Khedira actually is. He can be used all over the midfield, and this makes him perfect for Arsenal this summer.
He’d certainly be a step up for Arsenal from what they have already in the defensive midfield category, and I’m certain he’d have no problem playing in that position for Arsenal against the lesser teams. But in a midfield that lacks power, Khedira will not provide it, and he may begin to look a little lost when his fellow midfielders join the attack and he’s left patrolling in front of the back four by himself.
If Arsenal do plump for Sami, they’ll either have to add some power in the midfield too, or else they’ll have to be careful not to leave him exposed. Which begs the question of why their midfielders can’t simply do that anyway without shelling out money and huge wages for a Real Madrid player.
Honourable mention: James Milner – If you’re linked with Khedira and get Milner then you’ll probably feel a little short changed. But Milner is a willing runner and a capable footballer. He’d be the midfield man who Arsene could trust and would help out on the defensive side of the game too. His versatility has helped Manchester City to two titles, so why couldn’t it help Arsenal too?
It’s been a tough season for Liverpool. They’ve had to deal with a Champions League failure and a Europa League failure. They’ve tried to chase for a Champions League spot in the Premier League and have had to settle for the Europa League again.
They’ve had some poor results this season and played poorly in lots of games, but they’ve also gone unbeaten from December to March. They’ve had injuries to deal with and ongoing distractions like the form of Mario Balotelli and the starting place / retirement of Steven Gerrard.
Poor Brendan Rodgers. After a season of wonder and awe culminating in a near-miss for an unexpected title, this season has been difficult.
When a season goes bad, like this one, managers get the blame. And most of the time they should get the blame – or at least have to share some of it. Manuel Pellegrini, for example, surely has to take some of the blame for City’s poor season. After all, it’s his team, his tactics and above all, his recruitment.
Rodgers too needs to take a long hard look at himself this season.
This season, taking into account buys, sales and wages, Brendan Rodgers has a net spend of 112m. That’s not the worst in the league – City, Arsenal and United have spent more – but it still equates to over 1.8m per point as Liverpool have accrued 62 of them over 36 games.
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So that’s still fairly expensive, especially given that Luis Suarez left the club for a reported 65 or 75m depending on which reports you actually believe.
Some Liverpool fans – not all or even most – want Rodgers out. There’s a ‘Rodgers Out Club’ twitter account with over 5000 followers, and some fans even paid for a plane to fly over the ground calling for Rodgers to be sacked and Rafael Benitez installed in his stead.
I’m not sure that it’s fair. Managers deserve time to get things right, and Rodgers came very close last season. In the meantime he’s had a lot to deal with and had to replace his best player.
That doesn’t really excuse the fact that he’s spent so much money, though. The signings might gel, and they might do better next time. So it might not be all that bad. But this poor season is still a poor season.
And it gives the board a thought to ponder – stick with Rodgers or bring in Jurgen Klopp, a man who is now conveniently available.
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This has been a bad season for Liverpool, but there has been undeniable progress since Christmas. And after only one bad season that looks to have some light at the end of the tunnel, it seems harsh to sack the manager. But Rodgers has done himself no favours in this regard. He’s spent so much money and has shown little return just yet.
The board now have a decision to make regarding Rodgers’ future. They either back him with more cash in the summer or they bring in a new man.
Liverpool aren’t far away from being a team who can challenge. They are starting to gel, and from Christmas to March, they showed us that they can play some wonderful football. But Rodgers needs something to show for the progress, because as a top manager you don’t get long. And despite the positive signs, the green shoots of recovery Rodgers has left himself open to the criticism.
Paul Scholes has risen to one of the greatest midfielders even since his retirement and subsequent return.
From a great box-to-box, goal scoring midfielder, Scholes became a deep-lying controller of the game who sprayed the ball across the pitch with ease, but the twilight of his career was undoubtedly of detriment to Manchester United in the longer term.
The career of Scholes was vastly decorated, including the magnificent treble in 1999 and his own qualities at his peak were perhaps a tad undervalued. As his role developed to a deeper player in the midfield, Scholes’ role in the side was celebrated greatly by the media. Covering for the failings of his supposed replacements, Scholes managed to string together performances like a man 10 years younger than he was at the time.
The loss of mobility is often beneficial when playing the deeper role, keeping the player within their zone in the middle to snuff out attacks and act as a building block when in possession.
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Scholes’ return to the playing staff at Old Trafford in January 2012 and the following 18 months saw him act as an illusion for midfield quality that Manchester United did not possess.
In the short-term, Scholes’ return to the centre of midfield was helpful, it has left a vacuum in his position that has taken a couple of seasons to fill.
Winning another Premier League in his final campaign was an ideal high to end on, but Scholes’ role was symbolic of how Ferguson gave up on succession planning towards his final couple of seasons.
The way that Ferguson took a step backwards to bring Scholes back and then splashed out on an ageing Robin Van Persie were contributing factors to the significant weaknesses of the squad during Moyes’ time as boss. Ferguson’s short-term planning helped to win another few trophies, but his utilisation of Scholes caused more problems than it solved for United.
The overwhelming shortage in central midfield put immediate pressure on Moyes to succeed in the transfer market, and his subsequent signing of Fellaini was hardly an adequate replacement. Of course, part of the struggles in midfield were down to poor signings and injuries, with Tom Cleverley and Anderson the two most maligned in central midfield.
Cleverley may well have benefitted from the additional game time had Scholes not been re-signed and could be playing an integral part in the Manchester United midfield next season. Although many will see it as Cleverley was given too many chances to prove himself as it was.
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Even if discounting the players that were at his disposal, it would have been far more sensible to sign a younger player to fill Scholes’ void than recall the man himself. The consistent links with Kevin Strootman were surfacing and failure to ever invest in the midfield has been a contributing factor in United’s drop away from title contention in the last two seasons.
Ferguson’s miraculous performance to win the title in 2013 was a great way to leave, but many of his decisions as he neared the end of his tenure were not beneficial to the club in the longer term. Scholes’ return was symbolic of the poor succession planning at Old Trafford and the midfield is yet to recover.
As football fans we’re always looking back on the good times; the moments that made us laugh and cry and the moments we’ll either never forget or do our best to wipe from our memories forever.
But what about the future? What do we have to look forward to? Can we get excited about what’s to come or should we continue to yearn for yesteryear?
As part of our Premier League 25 years celebration this season, we’ve decided to boot up our copy of Football Manager 2018 and simulate 25 years into the future to see what exactly we’ve got to look forward to. And without wanting to wish our lives away, we’re in for a real treat if this is what the future holds.
With one season per article, we’re looking 25 years in to the future, starting with the current 2017/18 campaign…
Premier League
Transfer Window
Before the season even starts the big clubs make last ditch attempts to spend big on the best players.
Unsurprisingly, Manchester City are the biggest spenders as they spend an initial £41m on Juventus’ Alex Sandro and secure a deal that could be worth in the region of £42m for Inter’s Ivan Perisic.
Liverpool throw £61m at Napoli’s Elseid Hysaj, Andrea Petagna of Atalanta, Torino wing-back Antonio Barreca and 18-year-old attacking midfielder Vincent Thill from Metz.
Meanwhile, Man United bring in Daniele Rugani from Juventus for £24m and Benfica’s Jonas for £17.75m.
Arsenal are also massive spenders with £59m being spent on five players, the most significant of the bunch being Fulham wonderkid Ryan Sessegnon for a bargain price of just £2.9m. Former Everton star Gerard Deulofeu joins the Gunners for just £7m.
And Chelsea? They buy Dries Mertens from Napoli for £26.5m.
There’s more spending in January too, and the top ten most expensive transfers of the season are as follows…
In terms of obscure Premier League transfers, free agent Bacary Sagna signs for Newcastle, Man City manage to persuade Monaco to part with £33m for Elaqium Mangala, Charlie Adam joins Hoffenheim for £3.8m, James McClean completes a shock £5.25m move to Mexian outfit Cruz Azul and West Ham spend a combined £30m on Everton’s Mason Holgate and Leicester’s Matty James.
Elsewhere in Europe, there are no stand-out transfers in the summer but Barcelona surprise everyone with a £46m deal for PSG’s Angel Di Maria in January, while Ajax’s Kasper Dolberg completes a £55m switch to Bayern Munich.
The League Campaign
Chelsea go on to successfully defend their Premier League crown to win their third title in four seasons, ending the campaign four points clear of runners-up Man United and as the division’s top scorers with 72 goals…
Arsenal end the season in fourth, which they undoubtedly celebrate wildly as their bitter north London rivals Tottenham have to settle for sixth.
Newcastle, Crystal Palace and Huddersfield are all relegated comfortably. Burnley had looked dead and buried by the middle of March, having won just once in 18 Premier League games from the beginning of December, but a late surge saw them go unbeaten in their final seven games (W5, D2). Newcastle are eventually made to pay for winning just twice after the turn of the year.
The season’s overachievers are West Ham, Bournemouth, Watford and Brighton, who all finish well above where the media had predicted of them at the beginning of the season. Southampton, West Brom and Leicester are all seen as the biggest underachievers.
End of Season Awards
Harry Kane beats Olivier Giroud to the Golden Boot by a single goal as it takes only 17 for the Spurs forward to end the season as top scorer.
Dries Mertens nets 13 league goals in his first season at Stamford Bridge, Mohamed Salah fails to have the same impact as in real life by scoring just 13 times while West Ham’s Javier Hernandez nets 15 on his return to the Premier League.
Elsewhere, Juan Mata ends the season with the most assists (16) and the Golden Glove is shared between Liverpool’s Loris Karius and Chelsea’s Thibaut Courtois as they keep 17 clean sheets each.
Players’ Player of the Year went to Eden Hazard, Premier League Player of the Year was awarded to Juan Mata, Manager of the Year was obviously won by Antonio Conte and Young Player of the Year was awarded to Chelsea’s Andreas Christensen.
The Premier League Team of the Year looked pretty familiar as the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Paul Pogba, Harry Kane and Kevin De Bruyne all make the cut, but there are surprise inclusions for Man United’s Daley Blind and Watford’s Daryl Janmaat.
Manager Movements
Unlike in the real world, Everton decide to bypass the chance to sign Sam Allardyce and instead appoint Atlanta United’s Argentine boss Gerardo Martino at the end of July.
The first Premier League casualty of the season is Mark Hughes, who loses his job at the beginning of December due to a poor league position, and is surprisingly replaced by Guus Hiddink two weeks later. All eyes on Hiddink to see how he gets on at the Bet365!
Liverpool shock everyone by parting ways with Jurgen Klopp after the players lose confidence in the German, and he is replaced by Sporting Lisbon boss Jorge Jesus in December.
A run of poor results heading in to the festive period forces Southampton into a change as they show some real character by replacing Mauricio Pellegrino with Celtic’s Brendan Rodgers.
Elsewhere, Leicester sack Claude Puel five days before Christmas but it takes until the end of March to decide caretaker Michael Appleton isn’t the man to take them forward and instead appoint Rafa Benitez, who was dismissed by Newcastle at the end of February.
The Magpies replace Benitez with former Watford boss Walter Mazzarri, while West Brom swap Tony Pulis for Francesco Guidolin and Crystal Palace sack Roy Hodgson and take a gamble on Javier Aguirre, whose previous jobs include Japan, Mexico, Atletico Madrid, Zaragoza and Espanyol.
Pep Guardiola’s failure to win a single trophy in his second season sees him leave the Etihad Stadium and be immediately replaced by Massimo Allegri.
What to expect next season?
The departure of Pep Guardiola will mean all eyes will be on what Massimo Allegri and how he fares at the Etihad. On the other side of Manchester City, Jose Mourinho will be under immense pressure to deliver a first Premier League crown for six years.
What about Arsene Wenger? He managed to steer Arsenal back where they belong – 4th – but there’s a lot of speculation surrounding his future as he goes in to the final year of his Emirates Stadium contract.
Wolves, Sunderland and Middlesbrough are promoted and there are early expectations on Wolves to have a good season given their strong squad and improved finances.
2017/2018 Overview
Premier League Champions: Chelsea
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Champions League qualification: Chelsea, Man United, Man City and Arsenal
Europa League qualification: Liverpool, Tottenham and Leicester City
Relegated to Championship: Newcastle, Crystal Palace and Huddersfield
Promoted to Premier League: Wolves, Sunderland and Middlesbrough