The FA have charged Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson with improper conduct over comments he made about referee Howard Webb.Ferguson made the comments in the lead-up to his side’s 2-1 English Premier League win over Chelsea at Old Trafford on May 8, when Ferguson said he feared ‘getting a bad decision’.
Ferguson made the remark after praising Webb’s abilities, but he broke an FA rule that states managers should not talk about referees prior to a match.
“We are getting the best referee, there is no doubt about that,” he said before the Chelsea game.
“But (getting a bad decision) is definitely our big fear.”
“We have the players to do it all right. We just hope it’s our turn for a little bit of luck.”
The 69-year-old Scotsman has until 4pm on May 16 to respond to the charge, and he has only recently returned to the touchline after being banned for five games after criticism of referee Martin Atkinson, who officiated United’s 2-1 loss to Chelsea in March.
Like most men my age, I have an uncanny attraction to lists. Whenever I notice a copy of Q displaying the ‘100 Greatest Albums of All Time’ or a copy of Nuts with ’25 Best Big-Chested Girls’ emblazoned across the front page, I instinctively feel the need to go and have a gander at what they’ve picked (and to gawp at some pleasantly ample bosoms).
Being that there’s no midweek games left, and transfer talk is at a mere whisper at this point unless you’re associated with Manchester City Football Club, I’ve decided it’s only fair to compile a list of my own concerning the Premiership’s biggest flops this season. I’m physically bracing myself for the amount of abuse I may receive when I come to check my comments to be moderated, but hey ho; it’s my little bit of internet space and you’re all reading it, so here goes…
• Joe Cole – I’ll be honest, at the beginning of the season, this was what I considered to be the shrewdest move of the summer. Taking into consideration the way I watched Cole terrorize the wings when I could still afford to go to games, and his tendency to pop up with a vital goal, often of the very spectacular variety just when you needed him to, he seemed to be the perfect addition to a Liverpool squad who had slumped the previous season under the stewardship of seemingly now renowned balls-up merchant Rafa Benitez. Oh how it all tumbled so quickly though, a straight red on his debut and he just hasn’t looked the same since. I think the Reds are now beginning to see why Chelsea allowed their man to go for nothing; he simply isn’t the same player he was when he first arrived at Chelsea and could hold a place in their starting line-up, certainly not “better than Messi” as Lord Gerrard proclaimed at the beginning of the year. A special mention here also needs to go to Paul Konchesky; the left back who couldn’t defend. Probably not the wisest £4m Liverpool have ever spent; contributed nothing and was so bad even his mum complained. I would do a bit about Steven Gerrard too, however I’ve picked on Liverpool for long enough now, so moving swiftly on…
• The Entire Attacking Playing Staff at Tottenham Hotspur FC – Simply, where have they gone this season? This is essentially the exact same strike force that was thumping nine goals past Wigan last season, yet this time round they’ve been a shadow of the attacking force they used to be. Champions League group stage performances aside, this has been a major stumbling point for Auld ‘Arry this year. Whilst the four teams above Spurs are sitting on a tidy goal difference of +39, +37, +25, and +29 respectively, Redknapp’s boys are languishing on a paltry +8. Too many draws and a lack of being able to finish teams off has been their Achilles heel for 2010/11, and for Spurs sake in the summer, I hope they add a decent striker to their numbers.
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• Wayne Bridge – After seemingly sensing the embarrassment that was to come at the World Cup, and standing up to schoolyard bully type John Terry in the process, the City full back looked like he was going to have a belter of a season challenging with his Blues team mates. However, the heavily implied opinion of him as a ‘Hughes Player’ and the frankly overpriced move for Kolarov proved that he was being phased out at City. Lo and behold his saving grace; a move to West Ham for some first team football! However, the move has proved to be an absolute disaster for Bridge and he’s in turn merely provided a terrific exhibition in how not to defend in the Premiership. His displays for the Hammers have been second only to Roque Junior in his hilariously short stint at Leeds a few years ago on a scale of how bad he’s been considering he’s an established international defender. Moving forward, he may have a better season next year, but as far as this season goes I think it’s one to forget.
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• Edin Dzeko – Is it just me or have Man City’s big money transfers seemed to fail to live up to their hype? Whilst City fans will argue vehemently (like they usually do) and defend their team savagely, claiming that Dzeko scored a goal that kept them in the FA Cup; a competition that they of course went on to win. It’s all well and good claiming such a thing, however the goal came against League Two (now League One) side Notts County. When you take into consideration that Dzeko was absolutely banging them in for Wolfsburg not too long ago, Notts County should have been an absolute walk in the park for him and he should have made more of a substantial impact in the Premiership than his five goals have proven so far. For a team with decent enough wingers that should be supplying him with goals a-plenty, Dzeko manages to make himself look very isolated when Mancini gives him a bit of a go. Whether over the course of the summer he’ll learn to adapt his play to the English league time can only tell, but for a player valued so highly it’s been a disappointment not seeing him deliver like he should. Another special mention while I’m on the subject of Man City here goes to James Milner. For all the trouble and strife that his transfer to the Blues caused (almost certainly causing Martin O’Neil’s walkout – I’d be pissed off too if my club was turning into a feeder for the bigger clubs), he hasn’t exactly set Eastlands on fire with his displays and proved his worth in transfer fees.
• Fernando Torres – Speaking of not proving their worth in transfer fees, I think it was a little bit inevitable – almost too obvious that I’d include El Niño in my list. You’d have thought that Roman Abramovich would have learnt last time, when he triumphantly ruined Andriy Shevchenko’s career that he should not dictate who his money is spent on; that’s the job of the manager. One could see this season as a dastardly exchange between Liverpool and Chelsea; the Blues laughing and rubbing their hands as they offloaded the past-it Joe Cole to their Mersey rivals, and similarly the Reds laughing and rubbing their hands as they offloaded (past it?) sulk merchant Torres. The only difference between the two pieces of business being that Chelsea were mugged into paying a frankly whopping £50m for a man who had been having a shocker of a season on the back of another shocker of a season for Liverpool. A move to a club where he actually wanted to play hinted that he might find his scoring touch again and be as deadly as he was almost three years ago now, but no. Still he slumps his shoulders, looks uninterested, and sulks his way to the bench when he’s substituted like a Spaniard who has missed his siesta. Chelsea fans won’t manage to convince me that a goal against West Ham, professional calamity experts this season, suddenly makes him worth his transfer fee; the ball stopped on a puddle for Christ’s sake. Again, a full summer’s break and a good rest may bring him back into action to begin next season razor sharp once again, but in the meantime – fifty million quid?
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• Heurelho Gomes – A player that seems to have gone backwards rather than forwards and the reasoning behind it is baffling. Whilst he had a very solid season last time round, this year the Brazilian has gone back to the form when he first joined the club that wasn’t so much ‘shot stopper’ rather ‘shot spiller’. Unfortunately for Spurs this season, Gomes just hasn’t had the consistency of a Champions League level keeper, his displays in both legs against Real Madrid being the primary focus here. In the games I have seen Spurs play this season, Gomes manages the consistency of being unsure when coming to collect a cross, an inability to hold onto the ball, and his lack of being able to command his penalty area like a good goalkeeper should have been a major hindrance in Spurs progressing and re-qualifying for Europe again this year. It’s perfectly understandable that goalkeepers make mistakes, and that’s a given; it happens to every keeper, but Gomes has just done it too many times this year and it has affected his team in a dire way.
• Arsene Wenger – A bit of a controversial choice that I’ve even questioned myself, because by all intents and purposes, I quite like Arsenal and the way they play under Wenger. Sure enough they can be a bit frustrating to watch when they dick about with the ball too much when they should just shoot, but when they’re on their game, they’re a delight to watch. So what I can’t understand is how badly it’s fallen apart since the Carling Cup final defeat to Birmingham; a trophy that they should have walked through to picking up (no disrespect to Birmingham City fans) and on course to give United a right good challenge for the league. Wenger has said it himself though, his team were dejected after that cup final loss, so surely it should be up to the manager to fire his players up and say to them “well if we can’t win this, then we can surely win the Premiership”. And in all respect to Man United, they should have been challenged more than they should. A late surge from Chelsea aside, as soon as Arsenal fell apart the league was practically sealed for that lot from Manchester. It should have been up to the manager to instil some belief into his players that they can be successful, but as has been the case for a long time now especially in Arsenal terms, that success is still eluding them. I’m all for Wenger’s theory of investing in players for the future, but the man needs some genuine match winners at his disposal; experienced players who know just what to say to the younger, more inexperienced members of the squad. Furthermore, when Wenger had the opportunity in January to sort out his back four – another thing that has plagued the Gunners this year – he did nothing. The talk of whether Wenger’s time at the helm is up has been around for a season or two now, but in my opinion it seems to be going around a little louder than usual lately. Do Arsenal need a new manager to freshen things up? I don’t think so personally, but football is a very fickle sport and fans and more importantly board members can soon forget how much experience and history of winning trophies a manager has.
And there you have it, just a pick of some of the disappointments of the season this time round. Honourable mentions that haven’t been already highlighted include Bebe, Poulsen and Squillaci, but I’ll leave further flops to be discussed by your good selves.
Read more of Arron’s articles at This is Futbol
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Iran’s women’s football team has been banned from playing an Olympic qualifier because their Islamic dress broke FIFA rules.Females have to comply with a mandatory dress code in the Islamic state, which means they play matches in tracksuits and full head covers.
But FIFA rules for the 2012 Games state that teams are not allowed to display political or religious messages or slogans on their equipment.
The Iranian team was prevented from playing a qualifier against Jordan on Friday because of the dress code violation, and their forfeit handed their opposition a 3-0 win.
Vice President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Football Federation Farideh Shojaei said Iran had made alterations to their uniforms after a similar ban last year, and that FIFA had approved those changes.
“We provided a kit. Mr Kafashian took it to FIFA and showed it to Mr Sepp Blatter. And they proved that this conduct conforms to the fourth article of the FIFA constitution, which says (a kit should be) devoid of politics or religion,” Shojaei said.
“And in reality, this kit is neither religious, nor political, nor will it lead to harm a player. They proved this, and Mr Sepp Blatter accepted this and we participated in the Olympics.”
FIFA banned the hijab in 2007 and informed Iranian officials before the match that they would not be able to play in head scarves for safety reasons.
The world governing body declared that Jordan were also told about the ruling – with the country deciding not to select players who elected to wear the Islamic dress.
At the 2010 Youth Olympics, Iran’s girls were able to play in specially designed head gear.
Luka Modric has upped the ante with transfer-shy Harry Redknapp by declaring he wants to leave Tottenham, preferably for Chelsea.Modric is expected to be hot property on the transfer market, with Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City all believed to be keeping tabs on the star midfielder’s future.
Tottenham have already turned down a 22-million-pound bid from Stamford Bridge, and Redknapp has declared he is not interested in selling the Croatia international as Spurs look to return to top-flight European competition next season.
But the 25-year-old has his heart set on leaving, though he wants to stay in London.
“If somebody comes to the club and the offer is good for me and acceptable to them, then I want to leave,” Modric told the Daily Mail.
“I want to leave Tottenham as friends. I have enjoyed my time there, but now it is right for me to look at another club.”
“I have an arrangement with the chairman. When I signed my new contract, he said that, if another club came to sign me, they would consider the offer.”
“But I won’t ask for a transfer. That would be disrespectful. I hope they can reach an agreement that is satisfactory for everyone.”
Asked about the rejected bid from Tottenham’s cross-town rivals, Modric said: “Chelsea are a big club with an ambitious owner. They have great players and they have ambitions to fight for the title and win the Champions League.”
“I want to stay in London. I am very happy here and so are my family.”
“I don’t want to have an argument with Tottenham. The supporters have been very good to me and I have enjoyed my time playing for the club, but it is for football that players leave clubs and move.”
“It has happened to Tottenham before. It is normal for a player to dream about playing for a bigger club.”
One thing never goes out of fashion: Retro. This of course can mean absolutely anything that isn’t now, which is precisely why it never goes out of fashion. The new England kits, both suitably dapper and marvelously chic are certainly retro. The home one belongs in the Stanley Matthews era, where football shirts were essentially rugby shirts, before rugby shirts became essentially football shirts. The away one is – of course – an homage to ’66, as indeed almost every away kit ever produced by England since has been in the bizarre assumption that this will somehow help us, despite the fact that neither of our most successful (or least disastrous) attempts to win a trophy since has involved us wearing red away shirts. But never the less, the retro prevails, and the back to basics look endorsed by Umbro for England, has been similarly embraced by Brazil, Argentina and a fair few others. But what other fashion trends could we see making a comeback this World Cup? Or indeed, next season? And more to the point, what’s due a comeback?
Short Shorts – Who wears short shorts?. We wear…oh hold on, no, no one does. Short shorts are long overdue a return. The baggy look was all the rage in the 90s – what with grunge and Brit Pop and Ryan Giggs’ floppy hair – but somewhere around the mid noughties the shirts got tight again. The physically fit metro sexual man liked this. Not so much Barry from Seven Sisters, who found it rather undignifyng to squeeze himself into Spurs’ ultra sexy Kappa Kits. Cristiano Ronaldo’s personal life aside though, the shorts have remained long. Booo. If Diego Maradona remains sane enough long enough to stay in charge of Argentina after the World Cup, you’d hope he would extol the virtues of shorts barely bigger than your pants to his team’s erstwhile kit makers.
Perms – Another staple of the 80s was dodgy barnets. Perms, mullets, you name it, footballers loved it. Despite Cesc Fabregas and Nicklas Bendtner doing their best to restore the mullet at Arsenal and Lionel Messi heartily endorsing the “my mum did it” aesthetic, the closest we’ve got to a perm in the modern era PL is Luis Nani’s Lionel Ritchie Jheri curl. For shame footballers of the 21st century. No one in the England set up (David James aside) has remotely interesting hair. With Beckham out of the picture, it’s surely now up to Rooney to help bring back the funky dos. The Bobby Charlton springs to mind?
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Orange sheepskined Managers – Ever since Big orange Ron slinked off our screens and out of our ears (which is an appalling mental image I apologize for) the bling’d up eccentric manager in the style of Malcolm Allison has gone the way of broadcastable racism. Big fedora’s, sheepskin coats, the old cliché of the managerial spiv has been dead so long it’s no longer really applicable. The new cliché is of a dour track-suited man terrified for his job. The Mourinho/Mancini dapper suited foreigner is the closest we’ve got (though Phil Brown certainly tried his best to reintroduce the tanned pillock look). Bring back smoking cigars on the touchline I say. Though that’s probably illegal now. Broken Britain ey Noel? The world’s gone to hell in a Top Man handcart.
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Lip Rugs – The beautiful football moustache is most certainly a thing of the past. Even die hard aficionados Graeme Souness and David Seamen have shorn theirs off, and they kept them for far too long after the fashion had died anyway. With Wayne Rooney a dedicated practitioner of the moustache’s arch enemy – the moustache-less gnome beard – the future looks bleak for the return of the lip snake. Even David Beckham doesn’t dare touch it, and whilst Gary Neville has probably just about enough all round facial hair to form one decent ‘tash, it seems unlikely he’ll change his ways now he’s so close to reaching his life long goal of growing a semi-respectable beard. No, the moustache is dead, and it’ll take a brave man to bring it back. A hero is waiting to be made.
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Garish eveningwear – Yes Becks has stepped out in some cringe worthy rubbish over the years, but it’s also been just the right side of annoyingly trendy – even the skirt! Where are the modern day Spice Boys? Paul Ince and his Chess board suits? and Kevin Keagan’s open shirted medallion man look? The England suits for South Africa are made by Marks and Spencer. Marks and Spencer for Christ’s sake!! You couldn’t get more conservatively dull if you tried. They should all be made to wear something by Vivienne Westwood if it were up to me. Bring back the garish. Footballers shouldn’t be trendy, they should be lost in a bubble of their own mad eccentricity. Rio Ferdinand remains the key I feel. Come on Rio, we know you can do it!
Former France international Patrick Vieira has announced his retirement to take up a development role with Manchester City.The 35-year-old, who was listed for a free transfer after City opted against renewing his contract last month, has been named the club’s new football development executive.
“This role is a fantastic new challenge for me and I am very grateful to Manchester City for offering me this opportunity,” Vieira said.
“I have a lot to learn about the non-playing areas of the business but there are many very experienced people here for me to learn from and I am confident that I can make a significant contribution to the club’s ongoing success.”
“I am particularly pleased to be given the opportunity to work with the club’s community scheme.”
“Everyone at Manchester City – the fans, the staff and the players – have made me and my family feel very welcome here over the past two years.”
“I am very happy to have been given the chance to stay and develop my career away from the pitch.”
Viera retires after more than 400 appearances at club level for the likes of Cannes, Arsenal, Juventus, Inter Milan and Manchester City, winning three English Premier League titles and four FA Cups with the Gunners.
He was capped 107 times for France and was part of Les Bleus’ 1998 FIFA World Cup and Euro 2000 winning campaigns.
“Whilst it is sad to see Patrick’s playing career come to an end, we are delighted that he has chosen to extend his time with Manchester City in this new capacity,” said City’s chief operations officer Brian Marwood.
“Wherever he goes he commands the respect of his audience and we believe he will make an invaluable contribution to our club as we build on our recent successes.”
Last season was one of the most competitive Premier League seasons despite a rather predictable eventual outcome. After a summer of as yet, unfulfilling transfer sagas, it’s time for the world’s best league in terms of talent, to recommence.
Arsenal – 5th
Before the summer, Arsenal fans sang ‘spend some money’ to Arsene Wenger, albeit in a more coarse manner. So far, there has been no proper defensive reinforcement. The team still lacks experience and an English core to the side. For a side challenging for the title, they need to grind out more wins. This might be the season where the Gunners slip out of the top four, especially if Fabregas and Nasri leave the Emirates.
Aston Villa – 11th
The departure of Ashley Young and Stewart Downing threaten to cripple Villa. The question is can N’Zogbia and Albrighton step up to the plate? Add into the mix the arrival of Alex McCleish, who has a job on his hands to keep expectant Villa fans happy. The defence should be strong under the former Birmingham manager, especially with the arrival of Shay Given, keeping them well out of any trouble.
Blackburn Rovers – 18th
Things don’t quite add up at Ewood Park. Much is said about Venky’s big ambition for the club but the amount spent on new arrivals so far suggests otherwise. Having narrowly avoided relegation last year under Steve Kean, it’s hard to see Rovers improving drastically. They may live to regret sacking Sam Allarydce. Chris Samba needs to stay for survival to be achieved.
Bolton Wanderers – 13th
With Lee and Tyrone Mears both picking up serious injuries in pre-season, Owen Coyle already has a tough task. Add to that the loss of Daniel Sturridge returning to Chelsea and Johan Elmander moving to Turkey, Coyle looks short of options up front. 2011 hasn’t been a great year for Wanderers and although they won’t go down, don’t expect the Trotters to perform miracles this season.
Chelsea – 2nd
Arrigo Sacchi, the former AC Milan manager, once said, “a jockey doesn’t have to have been born a horse.” This certainly applies to André Villas Boas, a manager who never played professionally but hasn’t let this stop him from coaching. He’s tactically astute and needs to find a way to get the best out of Torres soon. Chelsea could do with more strength in depth though.
Everton – 9th
With little transfer activity at Goodison Park, Everton fans shouldn’t be expecting too much next season. Their injury curse appears to have struck again with Seamus Coleman ruled out for a few months. To move Everton to the next level, Moyes needs some money – something in very short supply on the blue half of Merseyside. Another mid table finish beckons.
Fulham – 10th
Another year brings another new manager at Fulham. Martin Jol could do with another striker to give the Whites a bit more firepower up front. In terms of the club’s league finish, it might be beneficial if Fulham bowed out early on from the Europa League. However, the competition is important to the fans after the club’s success in the competition two years ago.
Liverpool – 4th
A few managers (Roberto Mancini and Jupp Heynckes) have recently said, “Strikers win you matches but defenders win you championships.” Apply this to Liverpool. Going forward, they look solid. At the back, even with José Enrique, they’re not exactly impenetrable. This might prevent them from making a title challenge but this year could well be the season when Liverpool return to the Top Four.
Manchester City – 3rd
Although more money has been spent, the Community Shield showed City’s deficiencies and that work is still needed. As a manager, Roberto Mancini must try and take the initiative more. Currently, he is too reactive instead of being proactive. It might help squad morale if Balotelli went to pastures new. Although they will probably miss out on the title, they should still retain their place in the Top Four next season.
Manchester United – 1st
Sir Alex Ferguson has strengthened well, slotting square pegs into the square holes that were in his side. He thought ahead (unlike Arsene Wenger), ensuring he got his targets early on. Wesley Sneijder would complete the jigsaw for United. If Ferguson wants to succeed in Europe for a third time, he needs to work out how to limit Real and Barca. That might be a bridge too far, the Premier League title might not be though
Newcastle United – 15th
Alan Pardew has started to craft his own side this summer which has included a spate of French imports. Yohan Cabaye from French Champions, Lille, looks the most impressive acquisition. Behind the scenes though, trouble seems to be brewing on the Tyne. The Joey Barton saga needs to be sorted quickly or it could affect the atmosphere amongst the squad. Things must be right in house or success on the pitch is nigh on impossible.
Norwich City – 17th
On paper, Norwich City shouldn’t be able to cut it in the Premier League. However, in practice, they have a very good manager in Paul Lambert who can coerce the very best out of his players. The Canaries must develop a different style to that of your archetypal promoted side or they will return from whence they came. Wes Hoolahan and Grant Holt are the men who hold the keys to survival.
QPR – 19th
The ‘R’s season revolves solely around one man – Adel Taarabt. If he fires, then QPR will probably survive. Sounds easier than it will be as he needs to be kept under control and injury free. Loftus Road needs to be a fortress. Some rather unfair murmurs about Neil Warnock’s job over the summer won’t have helped the Hoops cause.
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Stoke City – 12th
Decent at the back and good going forward, Stoke City need more strength in depth, especially to cope with the strains of the Europa League. Beyond a good first team, there isn’t much there. Don’t be fooled. They are experienced, physically strong and you’d be mistaken if you think they’re only threatening from set pieces. Another striker would help pull them in and around the top half.
Sunderland – 7th
The Black Cats have the biggest resources outside the Premier League’s top six and this is illustrated by the 10 signings made over the summer. The feeling on Wearside appears to be that after a few years forming his side, its’ time for Steve Bruce to deliver something back. A top 10 finish will be the minimum requirement and they’re a good shout for a Europa League spot as well.
Swansea City – 20th
As aesthetically pleasing as the Swans maybe, the defence may prove their eventual downfall. A good relationship is required between a back four and the goalkeeper, and Dorus De Vries’ departure could well have a negative effect. They’re not as one dimensional as some of their rivals but they may just simply not be strong enough for Premier League football.
Spurs – 6th
As far as their ambitions of getting back into the top four, they could certainly do without the Europa League. Van Der Vaart needs to stay fit for longer this season and a striker is required if Spurs are to push on. To break into the top four, they need to find a balance between attack and defence, something they weren’t able to do last season, as well as putting away the weaker teams home and away.
West Brom – 8th
Under Roy Hodgson, the Baggies will be a very well disciplined side this season and will comfortably retain their Premier League status. In the past, sides under Hodgson tended to struggle on the road, something he will need to rectify, perhaps with a slightly more attacking brand of football. The Hawthorns won’t be an easy place to visit this season.
Wigan Athletic – 16th
The sheer presence of the Latics in the Premier League shows what can happen if your club is well run. Survival is always good enough for Chairman Dave Whelan and he will be hoping for more of the same. Roberto Martinez showed loyalty by declining Aston Villa’s advances over the summers. He will need to find a way to cope with the departure of Charles N’Zogbia. A relegation scrap will ensue but Martinez has proven his managerial qualities in the past, so they should relish it.
Wolves – 14th
Bringing in Roger Johnson from Birmingham is a terrific coup for Mick McCarthy. Making him Club Captain suggests a new outlook in the West Midlands. Up front they are hard working with the likes of Kevin Doyle and Steven Fletcher and Johnson will help to shore up what was a leaky defence last year. Jamie O’Hara is a good signing in the middle of the park and this should ensure safety from relegation.
So my final table is as follows.
1. Manchester United
2. Chelsea
3. Man City
4. Liverpool
5. Arsenal
6. Spurs
7. Sunderland
8. West Brom
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9. Everton
10. Fulham
11. Aston Villa
12. Stoke City
13. Bolton Wanderers
14. Wolves
15. Newcastle
16. Wigan
17. Norwich City
18. Blackburn Rovers
19. QPR
20. Swansea City
With a few weeks until the transfer window shuts, there’s still the possibility that signings will be made which change the course of the season. A few clubs in particular still have business to do. It will be interesting to see how the three promoted sides fair with little Premier League experience amongst the three of them. If this season comes close to matching last year in terms of entertainment, fans have an intriguing year of football ahead.
Article courtesy of Archie Rhind-Tutt from his excellent site – Gone With The Rhind
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Scott Parker may have moved on to Tottenham, but West Ham has moved quickly to bring in two players, who should bring real quality to the Championship. David Bentley and Henri Lansbury have both joined the club in season-long loans.
Lansbury spent much of last season on loan at Norwich City, helping the club win promotion to the Premier League. There were rumours that Lansbury might be set for a permanent switch to Norfolk, but it is unclear if Arsenal would be prepared to sell the player at this stage.
In a way it is interesting that Lansbury has been allowed to leave Arsenal at all, considering Arsene Wenger had said that the player would get a chance in the first-team this season. Lansbury has also made appearances for Arsenal from the bench already in the Premier League this season. But it seems that it has been decided that Lansbury’s further education is best served by playing more regularly in the Championship.
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West Ham will be getting a player who is technically very good with great vision and passing ability to create chances for his new team-mates. Lansbury also likes to get forward and has a tendency to score goals himself. He also has a fantastic engine and work-rate, which is sure to make him a fans’ favourite this season.
David Bentley’s career has been going down the toilet at Tottenham, so he needed to get out and play some football. If the player can recapture the form that he showed at Blackburn after leaving Arsenal then West Ham should create plenty of chances.
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Clearly losing the services of Scott Parker is disappointing. However, the England midfielder was never going to put up with playing Championship football. West Ham fans should look to the future and remember that the club could well be back in the Premier League next season and there is no reason why Lansbury and Bentley can’t become permanent additions to the squad.
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Overall even though Parker has now gone the West Ham squad looks in good shape and the club is clearly in a good position to gain automatic promotion this season. It’s also good to see a number of English players in the squad and that should put the Hammers in good stead, when the club is back in the Premier League. With the move to the Olympic Stadium and an experienced manager at the helm things are going to get a lot better.
Every so often, your team makes an absolutely inexplicable signing. United may never provide an explanation for the purchase of Bebe last year and the Gunners likewise with Amaury Bischoff in 2008, so who are Tottenham’s most baffling signings since the Premier League began?
It is important to distinguish between Spurs worst signings and their most inexplicable. Jason Dozzell features in most Tottenham fans nightmare elevens but when he was signed he was considered a great talent so he’s not making this list. This criteria will automatically shorten the list, it is not the practice of football clubs to knowingly spend money on someone pants, still it is amazing how often they do.
All of these signings must have been closely followed by the question ‘why did we sign him?’ These are the players that make you question the value of a scouting network or even its existence. The top ten players that were never going to make the grade but were signed anyway.
Click on Milenko Acimovic to unveil the top 10
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Referees were once again centre of attention on a controversial afternoon of Premier League action. Firstly Martin Atkinson has been criticised heavily by everyone for the ridiculous sending off of Jack Rodwell, while Mark Halsey and his officials handling of the game at Molineux has come under scrutiny.
Elsewhere in the papers Arsenal are looking to scrap their zonal marking system; Sir Alex Ferguson plans four more years at Old Trafford, while John W Henry has been discharged from hospital after accident.
Arsenal to scrap zonal marking system – Guardian
Henry ‘discharged from hospital’ after accident – Guardian
Fortune favours Newcastle but stiffer tests await against top dogs – Independent
Kean defiant ahead of Blackburn’s India tour as fans call for sacking after City thrashing – Daily Mail
Sir Alex plans four more years at United – Mirror
Redknapp hails Modric and says exit would have caused mass exodus – People
Beckham ‘prefers Spurs transfer’ to PSG switch – Metro
Andrey Arshavin given bumper pay deal to remain at Arsenal – People
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Bellamy faces objects of hate and Everton face an investigation – Daily Mail
Villas-Boas says Sturridge has turned from a boy into a Hulk – People