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Arsenal as a club never appear to have a specific plan when heading in to a match, and that can only be down to the failings of one man, the manager – Arsène Wenger.

The Premier League club quite regularly score in the last few minutes of matches to rescue a point or to salvage a victory against weaker opposition, none more dramatic than the Anderlecht victory in their last Champions League outing. This happens too regularly to Arsenal for it to be coincidental and scoring late goals isn’t a tactic.

Wenger may well have been considered a tactical genius once upon a time but now it feels as though he’s a world behind the likes of Jose Mourinho (although most managers are) in terms of tactical ability. You’d expect Wenger in his heyday to combat the top sides with a tactical plan, however now he is seemingly fresh out of tactics.

After Arsenal finally ended their trophy drought last season by winning the FA Cup, the revival of Wenger’s career seemed plausible. But once again Arsenal don’t seem particularly impressive in the Champions League nor the Premier League, albeit we’re in the early stages of both competitions. They’ve by no means been bad in the Champions League but they scraped through the Anderlecht match with two goals in the final few minutes, and as aforementioned, Wenger wouldn’t have instructed his side to wait until the final moments to strike. It’s great that Arsenal have the belief to go until the very last minute when struggling but there is always a bit of good fortune for most last gasp goals.

Of course, sometimes Arsenal can be very impressive but is there a manager in the Premier League who couldn’t win some games comprehensively with Arsenal’s above average squad?

Arsène’s tactical nous appears to have disappeared without cause or reason. He never gives off the impression that he’s planned well tactically for his upcoming opponents, but only that he is heading out onto the pitch expecting/hoping to win – not dissimilar to a Sunday League manager. Just because he doesn’t reveal his tactics doesn’t necessarily mean he’s not planning ahead – but it would certainly give the Gunners fans more confidence in him if he at least portrayed an image that he knows what he’s doing.

Beating the lesser sides was once easier in the Premier League but we can certainly not take anything away from the immense success that Arsène has had at Arsenal during his 18 year reign. However, the glory days have seemingly gone and Wenger shows no signs of improving – perhaps it would be fitting to give him his 20th year and then call it day – as these appear to be numbered at Arsenal and they have been for many years.

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Malcolm Clarke, chairman of the Football Supporters’ Federation (FSF), has dismissed suggestions that nets should be erected behind goals to protect players from attacks by supporters.

His comments come after Rio Ferdinand was left with a cut above the eye from a coin thrown by a Manchester City fan towards the end of United’s dramatic victory at the Etihad.

But Clarke feels netting is unnecessary, pointing to the vast reduction in arrests at grounds over the last year.

He told The Guardian: “Netting is not something we feel is necessary to have. No one condones the throwing of missiles, but arrests last season were 24% down on previous seasons and not many social phenomenon alter that much.

“It is undoubtedly improving and I think before we start making knee-jerk reactions to particular incidents we ought to bear that in mind.”

Sunday’s scenes had prompted Gordon Taylor, chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association, to suggest separating fans from players with netting.

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Taylor told BBC Radio 5 Live: “I think you’ve got to give consideration to possibly, as has been suggested, some netting in vulnerable areas, be it behind the goals and round the corner flags.”

Thirteen arrests were made at the Etihad Stadium, nine of whom have been charged for a variety of offences, including racially aggravated public order offences and football banning orders such as drunk and disorderly behaviour and pitch encroachment. All nine are due before Manchester City magistrates court on 4th January.

Arsenal will look to recover from successive 3-0 defeats against Manchester City in the League Cup final and the Premier League when they face Brighton and Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium on Sunday, and Gunners fans all want Per Mertesacker to start ahead of Shkodran Mustafi at the back.

The north London outfit’s defeat against City at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday, combined with wins for Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool on Saturday, mean that they now lie 13 points from the Champions League qualification spots with just 10 matches remaining.

Mustafi has started 19 of those 28 matches after missing seven through injury earlier in the campaign, but after two disappointing performances against Pep Guardiola’s men the Emirates Stadium faithful are keen to see him replaced by Mertesacker, even though he has only played 82 minutes of top flight football since October.

Arsenal supporters were quick to have their say on the duo via social media, and while one said “he should start ahead of Mustafi imo”, another said “Kos and Per should start the next match”.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

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Will Wayne Rooney ever learn? The Manchester United captain (that’s right, captain) was once again on the end of a red card over the weekend for a petulant kick at West Ham’s Stewart Downing, which almost proved to be an act that threw away three points.

Through his career, the England man has always been a ‘hothead’, with moments of anger, frustration and just pure stupidity having gained him headlines for the wrong reasons. With the memory of another dismissal fresh in our minds, we’ve taken a trip down through the years to recall some more incidents of Rooney madness.

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CLICK ON THE MAN HIMSELF TO REVEAL THE FIVE MOMENTS OF MADNESS

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It could be worse Nando, you could be one of these guys…

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Portugal stamp – 2006

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Frustration got the better of Rooney during the 2006 World Cup Quarter-Finals. The then young striker was up top all alone with Portugal’s Ricardo Carvalho giving him a few lessons in the dark arts of defending. Wayne certainly bit in the end, as he stamped back on the centre-half’s privates before seeing the red card. The Three Lions went on to lose the penalty shootout.

West Ham camera rant – 2011

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As a role model, Rooney has a certain sense of responsibility, yet that went out of the window in 2011 when he scored against West Ham. His hat-trick turned the game around for United, and with the media criticism he’s been getting at the time Rooney let fly with a tirade of abuse which was caught on camera…

England rant – 2010 – 2011

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A 0-0 draw with Algeria at the World Cup. England fans were rightly angered and disappointed. But Rooney failed to see the justification for the boos coming down from the stands as he turned to the camera and let the watching world know his thoughts. He kept it clean, but his relationship with the supporters was damaged.

Villarreal Sarcastic applause – 2005

Perhaps his ultimate act of petulance came in 2005 as he was dismissed against Villarreal for sarcastically applauding the referee. Rooney was annoyed with a yellow card brandished to him by Kim Milton Nielsen and promptly clapped in the official’s face, which was met with a second caution.

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Montenegro kick – 2011

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Stupid, reckless and costly to England. Rooney was forced to sit out the start of EURO 2012 after receiving a red card in a qualifier with Montenegro. The striker’s act was careless given the fact England were leading and created a major talking point heading into the major tournament.

Day 2 of the FootballFanCast.com Advent Calendar gives you the chance to win an England shirt, as worn by Roy Hodgson’s men in Euro 2012.

Euro 2012 might not have been a great success for the Three Lions, seeing as England were knocked out by Italy on penalties in the Quarter Finals, but Roy Hodgson’s men have a chance to redeem themselves in qualifying for World Cup 2014 in Brazil.

The shirt is manufactured by Umbro, as has been the case for a number of years and features a red star above the Three Lions crest, which represents Bobby Moore and Co’s 1966 World Cup success at Wembley.

Congratulations to Samantha Fernley, Kyle Cann and Vicki Elizabeth Cullen who won a copy of the Secret Footballer yesterday.

Fancy winning an England shirt?

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To be in with a chance of winning click below to FOLLOW FootballFanCast.com on Google +

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The winners will be announced tomorrow, when we will also be unveiling our prize for Day 3. Don’t forget to come back to FootballFanCast.com then!

With new boss Jack Ross at the helm Sunderland have been going about overhauling their squad in recent weeks. With the Northern Echo reporting that attacker Chris Maguire is on the verge of signing, it seems as though Ross is in the market for another goalscorer.

What’s the story?

Wimbledon forward Lyle Taylor has been strongly linked with a move to Wearside recently, but Sunderland face competition from Wigan, Southend, Bristol Rovers and Peterborough, according to the Daily Mail.

The 6ft2 Montserrat international could be available on a free transfer if he turns down the offer made to him by the Dons. The 28-year-old signed for the club in the summer of 2015 from Scunthorpe United.

The wealth of interest in Taylor comes after he scored 18 goals in all competitions last season for Wimbledon, which included a spell of netting 12 in 14 matches.

However, if Sunderland are looking for a starting striker for next year they may be better off looking at Forest Green Rovers striker Christian Doidge.

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Doidge over Taylor?

Although Taylor may have proven he can score in League One, his goals to game ratio is not as impressive as you might imagine. In the league last year he managed 14 goals in 46 matches and the season before that he scored just 10 in 43.

Doidge on the other hand bagged 20 goals in 42 League Two matches last season and 25 in just 41 National League appearances the year before.

At 25 years-old, Doidge is three years younger than Taylor and with his work-rate and ability to hold the ball up, he could be the man to lead the line for Ross’s new-look Black Cats next season.

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On a free transfer, Taylor would certainly not be the worst decision the Sunderland board have made in recent years, but with a slightly smarter signing they could secure a player for the future as well as the present.

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After what seemed like a revival for Everton, the doom and gloom has returned for some fans due to disappointing results.

Sam Allardyce’s side have picked up just two wins in 11 Premier League games, leaving them ninth in the table, seven points above the drop and 11 adrift of the top six.

At the weekend, the Merseyside outfit travelled to Vicarage Road to take on Watford and they were undone by Troy Deeney’s 80th-minute goal.

Theo Walcott played the full 90 minutes of the encounter, but failed to inspire the team to victory.

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The England international moved to Goodison Park from Arsenal in the January transfer window, and has become a hit with the fans.

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In five top-flight outings for the Toffees, Walcott has scored two goals and created one assist.

Most of the time following disappointing results, fans take aim at the players, but judging from the responses to the attacker’s post-match tweet, the 28-year-old avoided criticism.

Arsenal have already spent a total of £61million to bring in reinforcements such as Alexis Sanchez, Mathieu Debuchy, David Ospina and Calum Chambers, which means competition for places will be at an all time high at the Emirates this season.

With the upcoming season due to start, almost all positions and roles are up for grabs as everybody, especially for a place amongst a star-studded Gunners midfield. Arsene Wenger will surely need to take a few weeks into the new campaign in order to find the perfect fit for his squad.

Although better sooner than later, everyone should have time to show what their worth; so here are FIVE Arsenal players that MUST prove themselves this season…

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CLICK ON LUKAS PODOLSKI TO SEE THE FULL LIST

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Yaya Sanogo

Name: Yaya Sanogo

Age: 21

Position: Striker

Nationality: France

Price: £1.5 – £3 million

With an assist in the Community Shield victory over Manchester City, Yaya Sanogo’s value for the club looks to have sky-rocketed. Although Olivier Giroud came on and scored a superb goal, the fact that the young striker played well may mean that Arsenal might not really need a new front man.

We may be seeing more of the 21-year-old in the upcoming season, but if he fails to perform when given the chance, he could be replaced sooner rather than later. Alexis Sanchez’s arrival means that Arsene Wenger might not even need a complete striker to lead the lines.

Wojciech Szczesny

Name: Wojciech Szczesny

Age: 24

Position: Goalkeeper

Nationality: Poland

Price: £10 – £15 million

Wojciech Szczesny had nothing to worry about in regards to his place in the Arsenal first team between the sticks, but with the arrival of David Ospina, he should expect competition.

In regards to the Community Shield, the Polish keeper pulled off a few great saves, plus a clean sheet against Manchester City will be a big boost. As it stands, Szczesny looks certain to retain his role as Arsene Wenger’s number one.

Olivier Giroud

Name: Olivier Giroud

Age: 27

Position: Striker

Nationality: France

Price: £17 – £20 million

Although Olivier Giroud netted an absolute screamer against Manchester City, the addition of Alexis Sanchez could see his Arsenal days very limited. As it stands, the French striker should be given the heads up to play as the main striker with the likes of Sanchez pushed into his usual winger’s role.

In addition, with the rise in form of Yaya Sanogo, Giroud may for once be facing some competition for the role as Arsene Wenger’s preferred front man.

Joel Campbell

Name: Joel Campbell

Age: 22

Position: Winger

Nationality: Costa Rica

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Price: £4 – £6 million

Joel Campbell became a star after his exploits at the World Cup and could very well have retained a place in the Arsenal squad upon his return from Olympiacos. However, due to the star-studded midfield Arsene Wenger has at his disposal, earning a regular spot will be extremely difficult.

The fact that he was almost let out on loan again means that Wenger is still waiting for the Costa Rican to prove his worth to the club. He will need to perform and try to retain his place in the team sheet or risk an exit. Many European clubs are currently monitoring his situation as well.

Lukas Podolski

Name: Lukas Podolski

Age: 29

Position: Left Wing / Striker

Nationality: Germany

Price: £18 – £21 million

Lukas Podolski is a player who has struggled to hold down a first team role for Arsenal, but has been a consistent performer throughout the years. Mainly coming on as a substitute, he did manage to score 12 goals in 27 appearances last term.

He is currently being linked with a switch to Galatasaray, but many people suggest Arsene Wenger will try to keep hold of the player due to his experience. However, at 29, he isn’t getting any younger, so if he wants to make an impression, this season looks to be his final chance.

1. Ronaldinho to Blackburn – 2011:

After the Venky’s took control of Blackburn in 2010 they talked of taking Rovers into the Champions League and back to the top of English football. Their grand scheme included bringing in some of the biggest names in world football and quite unbelievably Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho was one of their targets.  It was a sensational proposal that inevitbaly never mateirialised as Rovers offered the money but the Brazilian wasnt ready to swap stylish Milan for bog standar Blackburn.

 2. John Terry to Man City – 2009:

When Sheikh Mansour took over at Eastlands every top player under the sun was linked with a move to City and Chelsea captain John Terry was probably the most outlandish of all. It showed City’s ambition but even a proposed £200,000 a week wasn’t enough to tear Terry away from his beloved blues.

 3. Carlos Puyol/ Steven Taylor swap deal – 2010:

It was one of those rumours that you had to read twice just to check that it had actually been printed. The thought that Puyol would leave Barcelona after just winning the Champions League to sign for newly promoted Newcastle is pretty extraordinary. However if you throw in the fact that magpies defender Steven Taylor was reportedly headed in the other direction it defies belief that this kind of transfer rumour was even conceived in the human mind.

4. Cristiano Ronaldo to Man City – 2012:

Cristiano Ronaldo has always stated that it was his dream to play for Real Madrid and it was the main reason behind his world record transfer to the Bernebeu in 2009. So after a brilliant 2011/12 season in which he helped Madrid claim back the La Liga title, why would Ronaldo ever want to ditch his dream role in Madrid and head back to Manchester to join his former teams rivals. This unlikely turnaround of desires coupled with the astronomical fee of £120million certainly signaled that this rumour was born out of a City fans fantasy rather than hard evidence.

5. Jay Bothroyd to AC Milan/Juventus/Inter – 2010:

It only took a premature England call up and a handful of goals in the championship to cast Jay Bothroyd as the star of a fantasy transfer to the creme de la creme of Serie A in 2010. The former Cardiff striker looked like he was about to hit the big time in Italy but had to settle for a supporting role at QPR instead as this rumour was clearly a work of fiction.

6. Steven Fletcher to Real Madrid – 2012:

I bet when Sunderland signed Steven Fletcher from Wolves this summer they didn’t realise that it was from right under the nose of Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho. Well, Martin O’Neill didn’t know because this rumour was probably untrue, Mourinho was apparently keeping an eye on Fletcher for the Real Madrid B team so there was at least some believable aspects to the story.

7. Wayne Rooney to PSG – 2012:

There are so many unbelievable aspects to this transfer that there would be too many to list. Besides the obvious problems of United not wanting to sell and anything other than the Premier League is a step down, there is also the fact that  Wayne Rooney would have to learn french.

8. Iker Casillas to Man City – 2012:

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This rumour is another that will make you do a double take as certain sections of the Spanish press believe that because Casillas doesn’t exactly see eye to eye with manager Mourinho, he is ready to jump ship and join Man City. None of this rumour seems realistic as City don’t need a goalkeeper and Casillas doesn’t need to move.

9. David Beckham to Blackburn – 2012:

Although all of David Beckham’s previous transfers have been pretty sensational, a move to Blackburn Rovers under the tumultuous ownership of the Venky’s would have topped the lot. Beckham has stated on my occasions he is committed to his contract at LA Galaxy and it seems like this transfer rumour was plucked out of the stratosphere.

10. Alessandro Del Piero/Filippo Inzaghi to Watford – 2012:

When the Pozzo family added Championship side Watford to their portfolio of clubs around Europe and appointed Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola as manager, there was a new found optimism surrounding the club. But even the most optimistic of hornets fans probably couldn’t believe that they were about to sign Alessandro Del Piero and Filippo inzaghi to complete a trio of Italian striking legends. Obviously this was a rumour that came about with the whirlwind of the takeover rather than reality, but it will have given some Watford fans a brief moment of ecstasy.

According to France Football, West Ham United are interested in signing Amiens forward Moussa Konate in this summer’s transfer window.

What’s the story?

Issa Diop and Ryan Fredericks have already joined West Ham this summer, and Swansea City goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski is expected to follow.

New Hammers boss Manuel Pellegrini is intent on over-hauling the squad ahead of the 2018-19 campaign, however, meaning that more business will occur.

According to France Football, the London club are considering a move for Amiens striker Konate, although Burnley have also been credited with an interest in the 25-year-old.

Konate is currently with Senegal at the 2018 World Cup, and he came off the bench in his nation’s 2-1 win over Poland on Tuesday afternoon.

Would Konate be a good signing?

Valued at £5.4m by transfermarkt.co.uk, it is unlikely that West Ham would have to break the bank if they wanted to bring Konate to the London Stadium this summer.

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The striker, who has previously been linked with Hull City, was in impressive form for Amiens last season – scoring 13 times in 33 Ligue 1 appearances, and 16 goals in 41 appearances in all competitions.

Konate has also scored nine times in 26 appearances for Senegal, and will be looking to play a key role in his country’s bid to make the knockout round of the 2018 World Cup.

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A striker with explosive pace and impressive finishing, Konate netted 50 goals for Swiss outfit Sion before making the move to French football ahead of the 2017-18 campaign.

The former Maccabi Tel Aviv forward signed a four-year contract with Amiens upon his arrival, but West Ham certainly have the finances to bring him to England this summer.