It was a field day for journalists and fans alike on Thursday afternoon, when Mauricio Pellegrino gave his press conference ahead of Southampton’s F.A. Cup tie against West Brom.The 46-year-old made a number of comments that were as perplexing as they were concerning, especially for Saints fans.With the club currently occupying 18th place in the Premier League, the Saints boss was questioned about relegation concerns, to which he replied;
“Every single person that I know, from different countries, it’s about watching the relegation games”
Later, when asked about the importance of the F.A. Cup. Pellegrino responded with;
“We want to go forwards in the competition. The F.A. Cup is very important and it can help us to introduce some players who have not played much in recent games.”
Finally, when asked about the clubs approach heading into the final months of the season, the Argentinian remarked;
“Every single game will be crucial; we have to focus day by day, match by match and be calm in our approach.”
It’s safe to say that Pellegrino’s comments did not go down well with Saints fans, who took to Twitter to vent their frustrations…
Following two relatively stable Premier League finishes, Sam Allardyce has been charged with the challenge of propelling West Ham into the top half of the table next season.
That would certainly impress the disillusioned Upton Park punters, who have fallen out of love with Big Sam’s trademark brand of attritional football.
But why not take it one step further? Why not aim for European contention in the form of the Europa League – a competition that would truly affirm that the Hammers are back in the big-time.
Just to prove it can be done, we at Football Fancast have conjured up a list of SIX signings that could see the East London club qualify for Europe.
[ffc-gallery]CLICK ON YEVHEN KONOLPYANKA TO REVEAL ALL
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MAROUANE FELLAINI
Following a catastrophic first season with Manchester United, summed up perfectly in the below vine…
…it’s unlikely £27million flop Marouane Fellaini will survive the change in regime at Old Trafford this summer.
But it wasn’t long ago the Belgian lankster was regarded as one of the Premier League’s best midfielders for his mixture of physical dominance and netting prowess.
Just in case you need reminding, here’s the highlights from his 11-goal-five-assist 2012/13 campaign at former club Everton…
//www.youtube.com/embed/-3Q_lYpsBOk
And he netted this vital header for Belgium against Algeria last week:
Furthermore, measuring in at 6 foot 4 and renowned for his confrontation, physically assertive style, the Belgium international would be an ideal fit for the Hammers’ direct brand of football.
And the Express believe he could be available for around £15million this summer…
WILFRIED BONY
If West Ham are to propel themselves into the European standings next season, signing a dependable goal scorer this summer is a must for Sam Allardyce.
Fitting the Hammers’ unique brand of attritional football perfectly is Swansea City striker Wilfried Bony.
Since joining the Welsh side from Vitesse last summer, where he had previously claimed 37 goals in his ultimate season, the 25 year-old has found 16 goals and four assists in 34 league outings. Here are some of the highlights from his inaugural Premier League campaign;
//www.youtube.com/embed/L_zt5akDKGs?autoplay=1
The Ivory Coast international also netted this ferocious header against Japan last Sunday…
…but struggled to have the same impact against Colombia…
The powerful 6 foot striker is rated at around £20million by the British tabloids, and an Upton Park switch has been mooted before.
But due to Bony’s sensational form last season, summer suitors are hardly in short supply…
MIRKO VUCINIC
//www.youtube.com/embed/Sa-NA7hHgzI
Another ‘marquee’ forward option the East Londoners should be strongly considering is Juventus striker Mirko Vucinic.
Having made just four starts in Serie A, the 30 year-old is widely expected to leave the Old Lady this summer, and it’s believed he could be available for just £6.5million.
The Montenegro international isn’t the most dependable goal scorer, with returns of 21 goals in 72 Serie A outings for Juve and 46 in 147 at former club Roma.
But Vucinic better famed for his aesthetic style and long-range finishing, as demonstrated in the video below…
But there will be a wealth of competition for his signature this summer…
PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG
Rather surprisingly, despite netting 16 times in his debut season at Westfalen, including this stunning free-kick against Mainz…
…Borussia Dortmund are reportedly prepared to sell Gabon international Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang this summer.
Often dubbed “The African Neymar”, the 25 year-old boasts a mixture of pace, trickery and netting prowess, as shown in the video below…
//www.youtube.com/embed/pHCGF7MYIQw
Rumours of a £6million release clause only make Aubameyang a more relishing prospect from West Ham’s point of view.
But any interest from Upton Park could be eclipsed by the likes of Chelsea and Roma, whom along with Newcastle have both been linked to the former St. Etienne forward.
Yevhen Konolpyanka
Hot off the press this morning, the Hammers have been linked with an audacious bid for Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester United target Yevhen Konolpyanka.
The three-time Ukrainian Player of the Year has been in sensational form for Dnipro this season, especially in the Europa League…
…and also netted this wonder strike against England at Wembley back in 2012:
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The 24 year-old winger comes with a £12million release clause and would certainly rectify the blunted efforts of West Ham’s current widemen.
And although many of his summer suitors can offer European football, bringing Konoplyanka to East London would show huge ambition on Sam Allardyce’s part.
MATHEIU VALBUENA
Measuring in at just 5 foot 6…
France international Mathieu Valbuena isn’t what you’d describe as a natural fit to West Ham’s attritional style of football.
But the Marseille midfielder is a great technical talent, as shown in the video below…
//www.youtube.com/embed/yU18ZQi5KaA
And having publicly stated the desire for a new challenge, is widely expected to leave Stade Velodrome this summer…
He’s valued at around £10million by the tabloids, but a number of European clubs will be interested in the 29 year-old’s services.
Winning is becoming something of a gratifying habit for Spurs in recent weeks as they slowly but surely ascended into the Premier League’s top four. Andre Villas-Boas’ new age approach to management has certainly started to bear fruit on the fertile grounds at White Hart Lane as his ruthfully efficient side successfully navigated two tricky games in the space of three days. Now is the biggest test of Villas-Boas’ short reign in North London. Having guided Spurs into a Champions League place the task now is to sustain that position during the punishing winter period. Such a defining point of the season will decide whether the 35-year-old has the managerial mettle to succeed where he failed so miserably down the road at Stamford Bridge last term.
This week on FFC could AVB’s full scale Europa League assault damage Spurs’ Champions League hopes and which Toon striker is the Portuguese coach targeting?
[divider]
Best of FFC
What to do with Gylfi Sigurdsson?
Simply counter-productive for Tottenham and Manchester United?
Are Tottenham still built on weak foundations
Why it’s time for AVB to end this Tottenham soap opera
Could Andre Villas-Boas grand euro designs prove toxic?
Time to cut Tottenham’s short term measure a bit of slack
Has Redknapp lost his ambition?
The FIVE signings that could improve Tottenham
Spurs And Liverpool Among 15 Clubs In For £8m ace
Tottenham weigh up move for Sanchez
Tottenham plot move for Newcastle ace
Madrid set to tempt Tottenham with player exchange deal
[divider]
Best of WEB
Whatever Did Villas-Boas Say To Bale? – Harry Hotspur
Like being punched in the face by God – Dear Mr Levy
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From Hotspur Cricket Club To An Empire – Harry Hotspur
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Quote of the Week
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“We want to avoid surgery if we can. If there happens to be surgery I think we are looking for one month, one month and a half. Hopefully that will not happen because we have some good indications the player will be back in one week or two weeks. It’s a pain that goes away or happened to go away when he was at Fulham for two or three days and the pain went away but it is still there. He can’t move himself properly so he will have a deeper scan on the injury so we can assess it properly.” AVB is staying upbeat despite losing Moussa Dembele to a hip injury for six weeks
Liverpool fans are interested in making a move for Russia star Denis Cheryshev after his stand-out performance on the opening day of the World Cup.
The 27-year-old scored a wonderful double against Saudi Arabia in a 5-0 rout, firing his nation towards the perfect start as hosts of the summer tournament.
Cheryshev has previously been linked with a move to Anfield, with The Independent reporting in 2016 he could have made a winter transfer window move to the Reds. The former Real Madrid man eventually signed permanently for Villarreal where he made 31 appearances last season.
Saudi Arabia may not have been the strongest of opposition but he showed the kind of finishing ability that wouldn’t look out of place in the Premier League and Liverpool supporters are now interested as a result.
He could provide depth to Liverpool’s attacking areas and while obviously unlikely to displace their current starting stars, could be the kind of affordable back-up that Jurgen Klopp is looking for this summer.
Fans took to Twitter to share their thoughts after his stunning Thursday display…
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”255571″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch Five outrageous World Cup stats you won’t believe are true”]
Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea has demanded at least £375,000 a week to sign a new contract, according to The Sun.
What’s the word?
Speculation over De Gea’s future at Old Trafford is nothing new given that he is constantly linked with a move to Real Madrid.
The Spaniard was on the verge of moving to the Bernabeu in 2015, but since missing the transfer deadline, the 27-year-old has been committed to United.
The Sun reports that De Gea is willing to pen a new contract but wants almost double his current salary.
The publication claims that Alexis Sanchez’s arrival has persuaded the goalkeeper to push for what he believes he is worth.
According to The Mirror, the Chile international is earning £500,000 per week before tax.
Should United fall to his demands?
While the Red Devils would have been overjoyed by their ability to land Sanchez, the rumoured wages that he is earning sets a precedent.
Footballers within a club earn different salaries depending on their value to the team and global brand.
There is no doubt that De Gea is one of Jose Mourinho’s most important players as he has become a world-class keeper since moving to Old Trafford from Atletico Madrid in 2011.
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While the figures being reported a ludicrous, United do not have much of a leg to stand on if they refuse to up De Gea’s wages significantly.
The Red Devils can feel safe in the knowledge that the Spaniard’s contract does not expire until the end of next season, but they cannot afford to let him get his head turned.
It has been a season of two Arsenal’s in the 2013/14 campaign and the recent form of the squad suggests it could a permanent worry for the Gunners.
Everton are still favourites to make it into the top four this season, meaning Arsenal would miss out on the Champions League for the first time since 1997.
Arsene Wenger has come under massive pressure, and even a penalty shoot-out victory over Wigan on Saturday the fans are still split over whether the Frenchman should stay.
Here is why we believe Arsenal may be set for a tough battle to get back into the top European competition if they miss out this season.
Lack of strength in depth
Injuries. A classic cry from supporters and pundits when things get tough. Every team gets them.
Some can deal with them, just look at Man City who have been without the likes of David Silva, Vincent Kompany and Sergio Aguero for large parts of the campaign.
Arsenal have a real lack of depth to their squad which has been evident in recent weeks and is one issue that has to be addressed. Soon.
Teams below them will definitely improve
Having been outclassed by Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool this season – Arsenal have spent the majority of their time since Christmas looking over their shoulders.
Everton will be desperate to make their current form stick, by adding key players to their permanent squad.
Also, Manchester United and Tottenham will only get better when new signing come in and gel (and in the case of Spurs, they get the knowledge of a top boss this summer.)
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Wenger’s stubborn transfer approach
When Chelsea desperately needed to improve, they spent some cash and duly improved.
Liverpool and Manchester City have done exactly the same, leaving Arsenal drifting behind with Everton, Tottenham and United all closing the gap on them.
Wenger surely can’t claim that Mesut Ozil’s signing was anything but a one off – maybe with three or four more of those big money deals in the bag, Arsenal can become the force they once were.
Of all the footballers that have donned the famous Manchester United shirt over the years, few would have frustrated the club’s fans more than the undoubtedly talented man from the Cape Verde Islands.
Nani summed up his career at United in just 90 minutes of the 120 played at Stamford Bridge last night, as Chelsea got some degree of revenge for their Premier League defeat and beat Sir Alex Ferguson’s side 5-4 after extra time in the Capital One Cup.
Ferguson blamed the Portuguese international for his side giving away a costly penalty in the final minute of stoppage time, which Eden Hazard stepped up to score the Blues’ third equaliser.
Instead of playing the ball into the corner, the 25-year-old went for glory and tried to beat his man on the edge of the penalty area. Unsurprisingly, he was dispossessed and led to a Chelsea counter-attack which resulted in Scott Wooton fouling Ramires inside the box.
But on the flip side, he proved his quality after linking up superbly with Anderson to execute a delicate chip from a tight angle to score United’s third goal.
He has had his recent troubles, including a protracted contract wrangle and fallout with reserve player, Davide Petrucci, which have been well-publicised and showed his dramatic fall from grace in recent months.
The fact is, Nani was once one of the first names on Sir Alex’s teamsheet; being used down the right-hand side to terrorise full-backs and relied upon to produce a moment of brilliance and win a match.
But his reported greedy behaviour has affected his performances on the pitch, with the man being a shadow of the player many United fans had expected him to become after Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure.
Some would say he is gradually being phased out of the team, as Ferguson adopts a new diamond formation without the need for traditional wingers. Although against Chelsea in the league encounter, he decided to revert to a more familiar 4-4-1-1 shape, but elected to use Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia on the flanks.
These players are the more consistent performers than the Portuguese winger, especially Valencia, who is a typical no-nonsense kind of player that does the simple things effectively while not taking the uncalculated risks which Nani does.
He has had ample time to shine, much more than many other players during their time at the club, but has simply flattered to deceive.
His frustrations at letting the match slip away from his grasp were evident in last night’s game, sparking a melee after clashing with Oscar in what was a rather innocuous incident, but he still took issue with the Brazilian.
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The fact that Ferguson rarely vents his criticism to individual players shows the significance of his public rant at Nani. It appears he is being pushed towards the exit door and a summer transfer move will come as a shock to no one.
SkyBet have placed Middlesbrough as the 4/6 favourites to bring Robert Huth back to the Riverside Stadium this summer.
Huth is available on a free transfer following his release from Leicester City, and it is understood that the 33-year-old has no plans to hang up his boots.
The defender played a key role in Leicester’s 2015-16 title-winning Premier League campaign, but did not make a single appearance the Foxes last term due to a number of injuries.
SkyBet have placed Boro as the favourites to sign the German defender this summer, and if the bookmaker is to be believed, they are well ahead of the likes of Stoke City and Aston Villa.
Huth turned out for Boro between 2006 and 2009 – making 63 appearances for the club before leaving for Stoke City.
The Boro supporters have been reacting to the news on social media, and it would be fair to say that they have contrasting views on whether it would be a good deal.
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Indeed, there are plenty who are struggling to look past Huth’s recent injury problems, although there are also those who feel that the German would be a brilliant signing.
A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:
Liverpool have sold Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona and loaned out Daniel Sturridge to West Bromwich Albion with no signs of any replacements, and Reds fans have urged the club to sign Lyon attacking midfielder Nabil Fekir, rated at £45m according to Transfermarkt, before the January transfer window slams shut on Wednesday night.
Jurgen Klopp hinted in his pre-match press conference on Monday that the Merseyside outfit were unlikely to be busy in terms of incomings in the last couple of days of the window, even though the club has suffered successive defeats against Swansea City in the Premier League and West Bromwich Albion in the fourth round of the FA Cup at home on Saturday.
That seems to be a decision that the Anfield faithful disagree with, and Fekir has certainly been in impressive form this season with 19 goals in 27 appearances in all competitions for the Ligue 1 side.
Liverpool supporters were quick to have their say on the 24-year-old via social media, and while one said “I’d be willing to throw every penny of the Coutinho money at Nabil Fekir to save the season”, another said “would love to see Liverpool sign Nabil Fekir”.
Arsenal had a good thing in their grip and they let it slip.
There was a feeling around the Emirates that they could do better than Gonzalo Higuain, that the player just wasn’t quite ideal. But Arsenal were in need of a top striker and Higuain was the only one on the market. Perhaps Arsene Wenger would have done well to remember that the perfect is the enemy of the good.
If there was anyone to forget this, you wouldn’t have suspected it to be Wenger. The Arsenal manager has long had to do with the good alone, and often a lot less than this. The constrained finances at the club meant that Arsene Wenger always had to settle for a slightly lower category of player than their rivals.
But last summer the chains had finally been lifted, and Arsenal were in the market for quality.
As early as May last year, there were stories suggesting that Higuain had agreed to join Arsenal. The Argentine was deemed surplus at the Bernabeu and all of Europe’s elite clubs were made aware of this. Arsenal’s priority for the summer was to bring in a striker, and in Higuain, the club had the opportunity to conclude their business uncharacteristically early in the window. But still they waited.
By July 27th, Napoli would have successfully hijacked the deal and signed Higuain on a contract for the next five years. By August 3rd, the Argentine would be playing against Arsenal at the Emirates for his new club. No one knew quite knew how it had happened. The Arsenal fans booed Higuain for choosing Naples over London. But in truth, it’s the club that they should have been aiming their frustrations at.
If Arsenal really wanted to sign the Argentine, they could have. Instead, the club dithered as they waited for something better to come along. And while they waited, their something good went elsewhere.
Higuain’s quality has been evident in Italy. The striker has managed 17 goals in his 27 Serie A starts thus far, and created another seven for his teammates. Higuain scored four goals for Napoli in his five Champions League games this season, including one against Arsenal. The Argentine’s form has been such as to all but guarantee his club Champions League football for next season, something that Arsenal are yet to achieve.
But Champions League qualification was no longer where the club were aiming their sights. Finally, they allowed themselves to look higher. For the first time since agreeing to build a new stadium in 2002, the club were in a financial position to compete with Europe’s elite clubs in the transfer market. They’d had their years of settling, and they were fine. But now they could buy who they wanted, and they only wanted the best.
And Arsenal got one of the best. The 42.4m paid for Mesut Ozil very much represented a new era for Arsenal in the transfer market. But the club would have done well to remember how they’d so consistently overachieved in the past.
Arsenal were right to try and buy the best players they could, but wrong to only attempt to recruit on the basis of quality alone. Mesut Ozil is a very good attacking midfielder, but the club already had several good attacking midfielders. Gonzalo Higuain may not be the best striker in the game, but he is a good one, and Arsenal didn’t have any of those.
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But Arsenal couldn’t sign Higuain because they were unable to accept that the Argenetine was the best striker that they were going to get last summer. Excited by the newly earned wad in their wallet, the club starting looking around the room for something better to bring home. They flirted with Luis Suarez, but it turned out to be nothing more than a tease. And with their eye off the prize, their Argentinian stallion bolted.
Arsene Wenger’s desire to finally bring the best to Arsenal was admirable, but ultimately foolish. The manager would have been wise to learn from the barren years that sometimes you just have to settle.
Sadly, in Arsenal’s search for perfection, they’ve ended up falling short of the good.