Does the English game take diving seriously enough?

By Laurie Fitzgerald

One of the main talking points from last weekend’s action was the issue of diving, and how an unethical part of the beautiful game is coming to the fore.

There were a few incidents of note that led to many believing they either went down too easily or that they simply fall to the ground with no contact whatsoever.

Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko won a penalty in their 3-3 draw with Sunderland after seemingly falling into the tackle of Black Cats midfielder Craig Gardner.

Bolton midfielder Mark Davies also drew some criticism after he won a crucial spot-kick for the Trotters when they were a goal down at Wolves, after falling under minimal contact in the box. It was a game that they would go on to win 3-2.

The most talked-about incident of the weekend though took place at the Sports Direct Arena, when Liverpool striker Andy Carroll caused derision amongst the Newcastle faithful that used to chant his name when he inexplicably fell over having gone round Toon keeper Tim Krul.    

Has reality caught up with the January transfer window?

By Laurie Fitzgerald

Today marks the end of the January transfer window, and so far it has been a quiet one as we approach what could be a frantic 24 hours.

The biggest deal so far has been Newcastle’s capture of Senegalese striker Papiss Demba Cisse for a reported fee of £8 million, but that signing has been one of only a few big-money deals.

Around £30 million has been spent by Premier League clubs this month, which is a big difference in comparison to what was splashed out 12 months ago.

A total of £217 million was paid out by England’s elite in the last January transfer window, and its lavish overspending was summed up on the final day when Andy Carroll and Fernando Torres became part of transfer history.

What hopes for your Premier League side in 2012?

By Laurie Fitzgerald

The first half of the 2011/12 Premier League season has once again served up the same sort of drama and excitement we come to expect from the biggest league in the world.

This season is shaping up to be more tense than ever though; gone are the days where it was the usual suspects in the title race as the top of the tree has as many as six teams pushing for the summit.

It’s just as exciting at the bottom, with all the sides in the bottom half of the table casting worried glances at the perils of relegation.

Manchester City find themselves top of the table having been in first place at Christmas for the first time since 1929, and with their Champions League campaign over, Roberto Mancini‘s star-studded squad will have their eyes firmly fixed on a first-ever Premier League title.

Will Newcastle’s loss of key trio prove crucial?

By Laurie Fitzgerald

Different season, same old drama for Newcastle United.

Once again it has been far from a quiet summer at St. James’ Park, with more focus fixed upon the controversial owner Mike Ashley.

After a season that saw them re-establish their status as a settled Premier League club, the last thing that was needed was to rip the spine from the team.

The key trio of defender Luis Enrique and midfielders Kevin Nolan and Joey Barton all had contract negotiations that needed finalising one way or the other.

Unfortunately for the Newcastle supporters, each situation has been concluded with the departures of the three players from the North-East.

Nolan was the first to go; having asked for a five-year deal to see out his career at St. James’ Park, Ashley refused to agree to these terms.

Therefore they sold their influential skipper to a club that was willing to offer a long-term deal to Nolan in West Ham United.

Barton and Enrique had already upset the Newcastle hierarchy by voicing their displeasure about the way the club was run via Twitter.

Both had wanted to see considerable re-investment into the squad following the sale of star striker Andy Carroll to Liverpool for £35 million, something that was promised to manager Alan Pardew following the sale in January.

In the end, it led to Enrique joining Liverpool for £5.5 million, while Barton signed a four-year deal with newly-promoted Queens Park Rangers on Friday.

Despite calls from the duo for money to be given to Pardew, there have been new arrivals during pre-season.

Demba Ba, Gabriel Obertan, Yohan Cabaye, Sylvain Marveaux, Mehdi Abeid have all joined, with the club focusing on bringing in younger players predominantly from the French market.

However, this doesn’t go to replace the experience they have lost, not only on the pitch but also off it.

A lot of these younger players coming in from overseas will have looked to the likes of Nolan, Barton and Enrique for help and guidance in order to settle into English football as quickly as possible.

This means that key figures such as Fabricio Colloccini, Steven Taylor and Steve Harper are going to have to step up both in the changing rooms and on the field.

Recent upheaval doesn’t mean that the Magpies are consigned to a season of struggle, and they have started the season brightly, with a 1-0 win away at fierce rivals Sunderland already providing the season with an early highlight.

All the fans want to see after witnessing managerial shake-ups and relegation over the last few years is a bit of stability – and only time will tell if the loss of Nolan, Barton and Enrique will come back to haunt Ashley.

So what do you think? Was Ashley right to let go of three important players? Or was he working in the best long-term interests of the club? Leave a comment to let us know your views.

Too early to praise or criticise Liverpool’s ‘Moneyball’ spending

By Laurie Fitzgerald

This summer has seen the return of some big-spending moves from some of the biggest clubs in the Premier League, with three clubs in particular leading the way.

Both Manchester clubs in United and City have flexed their muscles in the transfer market with the likes of Ashley Young, David De Gea, Sergio Aguero and Gael Clichy making the move up North.

However, the third of the big spenders have seen eyebrows raised with their purchases. In 2011, Liverpool have spent over £100 million on five players alone, with a signing policy seemingly on investing in potential as well as those proven.

In January, Andy Carroll joined for a record fee for a British player, with £35 million spent on the 21 year-old Newcastle forward. Luis Suarez also joined in a £22 million deal from Ajax.

Since the end of the season, manager Kenny Dalglish has got the chequebook of new owner John Henry (pictured above) out for three more arrivals; Sunerland midfielder Jordan Henderson for £20 million, Blackpool playmaker Charlie Adam for £7.5 million and Aston Villa winger Stewart Downing, also for £20 million.

Much has been made of the amount of money spent on these players, in particular on Carroll and Henderson who, despite having a lot of potential, are largely unproven.

It should be made clear at this point that this policy may be down to a belief carried not only by Henry but also their new Sporting Director Damien Comolli – the philosophy of ‘Moneyball.’

Comolli implemented a policy of buying young players with real potential whilst in a similar position at Tottenham, while Henry has used this ideology during his time as owner of Major League Baseball side Boston Red Sox – and he has been rewarded with two World Series so far. 

But what is Moneyball? Well it’s effectively where investment in players is based on statistics and potential instead of those proven here and now.

While Carroll and Henderson’s price tags may seem overtly excessive, they have been bought for what they can develop into in the next few years, with the duo just 21 and 20 years old respectively.

In regards to the signings of Adam and Downing, they have been brought into the squad based on what they can add to the team based on their statistics.

So the Liverpool management will have looked at stats such as Opta in areas such as set piece deliveries, goals from set pieces, assists, etc. and will have identified the both of them as ideal investments in bringing something to the squad where it was lacking before.

The Moneyball philosophy has led to differing opinions ranging from those who believe the Reds will launch a title challenge, to those who feel that Dalglish & Comolli have spent too much considering what they are getting for their money.

However, the only way we can make a fair observation is in a few years time, when we can analyse how much potential the likes of Carroll and Henderson have unearthed, and seen if the statistics of Suarez, Adam and Downing backs up their investment.

Then we can say whether the likes of Henry and Comolli were pioneers instead of foolhardy.

So what do you think? Is it too early to make a judgement on the arrivals at Anfield this year? Or has too much money been spent on players that will never reach the potential that their valuation states? Let us know your thoughts. 

Is Wilshere’s inclusion in the under 21 squad the correct decision?

By Tony Alvarez

Many of you whom keep up with sports news will kn

ow that yesterday the provisional squad for the under 21 European championships was chosen and included some full internationals such as Andy Carroll, Jordan Henderson and despite much debate Jack Wilshere.

I will start off by saying the views in this article are in response to those posted by a drive time radio station with in my opinion two of the most biased and unknowledgeable presenters in the media, I will not name this station or the presenters because who knows one day I could find myself in their offices.

The debate is centered around the fact that Arsene Wenger said he would not stop his teenage prodigy being part of the squad should he be selected but he would of preferred Wilshire to of been given the summer off as he has played in what essentially is his debut full season and he did not want fatigue to be a factor in the midfielders development.

The lead presenter on the radio show in question in response to Wenger’s comments about fatigue that Arsenal should use Wilshere less as their season is over in terms of honours he also continued to say Wilshere is at more risk of being fatigued due to the amount of games he ahs played in an Arsenal shirt which is down to a lack of quality in the Arsenal squad which means Wilshere is having to play above his age group.

I have two problems with this statement the main one being that the club pay his wages so can use him how they feel best there is also very few people in football who can question the way Wenger develops young talent, so its comical that this radio presenter has done so.

Another thing the presenter called into question was Wenger’s statement that Wilshere would certainly miss England’s friendly in August and possibly the qualifier in September as Wenger would treat Wilshere the same as the rest of his players and give them 4-6 weeks off in the summer.

Both of the radio “experts” questioned this saying who needs 4-6 weeks up give him 2 and he will be fine, to the best of my knowledge FIFA laws state that a player must be given at least 4 weeks break in the summer rather than accusing Wenger of provoking a club vs country row they should learn the rules and give fair impartial comment.

Another factor that needs to be considered is that Fabio Capello has made it quite clear that for the rest of his time in the hot seat he is going to build the side around Jack Wilshere, which means a fully fit Wilshere will be vital should England qualify for Euro 2012, many fans will know first hand from watching their sides first hand will know that a full pre season often brings a player on leaps and bounds look at Nasri and Nani in this current season for proof of that, so if England are expecting Wilshere to be firing in summer 2012 despite having barely any rest since 2010 the nation could be in for a massive disappointment.

For what its worth I think the player should decide whether they go to the tournament or not, Wilshere has made it clear he wants to go and play so he should be allowed to do so, its brilliant to have a player who is proud to wear the England shirt rather than years of pre madonna’s who pull out of an international at every opportunity unless it’s a vital tie where they can be a headline maker or it’s a glamour tie.

However, its not just my Arsenal biased but I don’t think Wenger has done any wrong he would of preferred to give possibly the future of his club a rest but if he is so selected Wilshere would be sent with Wenger’s blessings, however the attack received from the radio station for simply looking out for his player was in my view scandalous.

What are your thoughts? Should Wilshere be in the squad for the under 21 Europeans? Is the radio station correct to question the way Wenger deals with his players? Are you as sick of clueless “pundits” across all formats of the media as I am?

Leave a comment and let us know your thoughts

Who is the young player of the year?

Jack Wilshere has come of age for the Gunners this season

By Laurie Fitzgerald

With the awards season coming up, the focus turns to which players deserve the acclaim and recognition for their efforts throughout what has been an engrossing campaign.

Over the next few days we are going to be looking at what players should be commended in four different categories; best player, most underrated, best young player and best signing of the season.

Today, having looked at the contenders for best player and most underrated, we will study those who should be in with a chance for best young player:

Jack Wilshere – There have been high hopes for a couple of years over the Arsenal midfielder, but this has been the season where the 19 year-old has come of age. After impressing in the second half of last season with Bolton, Wilshere went back to the Emirates in the summer and hasn’t looked back since. His composure on the ball, finding a killer pass and developing space with such ease, has cemented his place in the Arsenal midfield alongside Cesc Fabregas and Alex Song. Not only that, but Wilshere has become a regular in the England side even at this tender age. A superstar in the making.

Gareth Bale – Talking of getting the footballing world raving about you at the start of your career, 21 year-old Bale has had an unforgettable 18 months. At the beginning of 2010, the Welsh left-winger couldn’t get into the Tottenham side. But he ended up having a terrific second half to the season, helping Harry Redknapp’s side secure a Champions League place. Not resting on his laurels, he’s carried on where he left off this season. A number of rampaging displays, as well as 12 goals and 3 assists to his name, have made Bale one of the most feared wingers in Europe. His highlight was that famous demolition of the world’s best right-back Maicon in Tottenham’s 3-1 win over Champions League holders Inter Milan at White Hart Lane. 

Jordan Henderson – As the likes of Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry the wrong side of 30, the need for flourishing young midfield talents is growing. With Wilshere coming to the fore, 20 year-old Henderson has shown not all future hopes rest on the Arsenal midfielder. The local lad was instrumental in the Black Cats’ excellent start, typified by his mature display in their 3-0 win away at champions Chelsea. While Steve Bruce’s side have found it tougher going since the turn of the year, Henderson has still been a shining light this term, and got his reward when he was given his first cap for England in a home friendly against France in November.

Andy Carroll – In the summer of 2009, Newcastle had reportedly put their young striker up for sale for just £1 million after their relegation from the Premier League. Less than two years on, he is now a £35 million who has a massive future ahead for his new club as well as his country. Having helped his hometown club gain promotion from the Championship, Carroll has had a seamless transition to the top-flight. His 11 league goals and enormous physical presence, as well as his impressive hold-up play, was enough for Kenny Dalglish to break the transfer record for a British player to bring the 22 year-old to Liverpool on January transfer deadline day. Having recently got his first goal for England in just his second cap, only Carroll himself seems capable of preventing a fantastic career.

Marc Albrighton – While this has turned into a season to forget for Aston Villa and their supporters, there has been one shining light to come from it. 21 year-old Albrighton has fought his way into the Villa side with a string of impressive performances on the wing for Gerard Houllier’s side. Having gained a reputation for his unnerving accuracy in his crosses, as well as never being afraid to run at the opposition, Albrighton’s six goals and six assists in all competitions have aided a side that has been drawn into an unlikely relegation fight. With the future of Ashley Young in doubt, the Villa faithful will be in no doubt that they have a ready-made replacement already at Villa Park.

So what do you think? Do you agree with those chosen by us for young players of the year? Who has been your young player of the season? Are there any other contenders you feel should be considered? Let us know your thoughts

Who is this season’s most underrated player?

Holden was in brilliant form for Bolton before his injury

By Laurie Fitzgerald

We have reached the stage of the season where football fans across the country begin to consider their players of the Premier League season.

The likes of Samir Nasri, Nemanja Vidic, Andy Carroll, Scott Parker, Carlos Tevez and Gareth Bale are likely to get several mentions for potential nominations for the PFA Player of the Year.

However, there will be players that have had excellent campaigns for their clubs but will not get spoken in the same bracket as the players aforementioned.

With this in mind, I’ve looked at those players that deserve recognition for their consistency throughout the season, but probably won’t get a look-in at the end of season awards:

Matt Jarvis (Wolves) – His recent call-up to the England squad may have come as a surprise to many, but the former Gillingham player has been one of the best right-wingers in the league this season. The 24 year old has performed consistently well despite Wolves’ struggles this campaign. His four goals and four assists in the league don’t do justice to the constant problems he has caused for opposition defences.

Stuart Holden (Bolton) – Having sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury from THAT tackle by Manchester United’s Jonny Evans, the American midfielder’s season has come to a cruel and premature end. But what should be remembered is how good Holden was throughout the campaign; The 25 year-old created boundless energy in the Bolton midfield, and was brilliant in retaining possession when he had the ball. Let’s hope he makes a full and speedy recovery so we can see him continue to blossom into a top-class midfielder.

David Vaughan (Blackpool) – While many will have been impressed with Vaughan’s second-half performance for Wales against England on Saturday, Blackpool fans will not need telling how impressive the midfielder has been in their debut season in the Premier League. The 28 year-old had never played in the top-flight before, but you’d never have noticed. While Charlie Adam has got most of the acclaim for the Seasiders, Vaughan has been the engine of the midfield, and played a big part in giving Blackpool a chance of clinching survival and in the process a magnificent season.

Peter Odemwingie (West Brom) – Talking of debut seasons in the Premier League, the 29 year-old Nigerian has made a real impact from moving to the Hawthorns from Lokomotiv Moscow. He already has double figures for the Baggies in the league, and although he hasn’t made the same impact as when he initially joined, the forward has given West Brom the cutting edge going forward that has given them a better chance of survival in comparison to their previous years in the top flight.

Phil Bardsley (Sunderland) – Under Steve Bruce, the former Manchester United youth graduate has started to fulfill the promise seen in his younger days. Bardsley has become an integral part of a solid Sunderland defence, having gained a reputation of becoming consistent and reliable at full-back. He has also worked his way into International recognition, having earned his first cap for Scotland this season. You won’t find many more defenders deserving of more praise this season than the 25 year-old.

So what do you think? Do you agree with these choices? What players do you think should get more acclaim for their efforts this season from your club or other clubs? Let us know your thoughts

Has Pardew proven to be the right man at Newcastle?

Pardew has found it tough to replicate the success of Chris Hughton at Newcastle

By Laurie Fitzgerald

Over three months have passed since Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley made the shock decision to sack manager Chris Hughton.

The former Tottenham assistant had won huge praise, as well as earning the respect of the fans for guiding the Magpies back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

On top of that, the side looked well-placed to push on and stabilise themselves once again in the top-flight under Hughton’s guidance.

However, the controversial Ashley decided that the man promoted from within the backroom staff of St. James Park in the summer of 2009 was not experienced enough to carry out this aim.

What bemused the Geordie faithful even more was the man appointed as his replacement; former West Ham and Charlton manager Alan Pardew.

Pardew, who has also managed at Reading and Southampton, did have more Premier League experience than his predecessor.

But his previous time amongst England’s elite saw him sacked by the Hammers as they plunged into relegation trouble, while he was unable to prevent the Addicks from sliding into the Championship in the same season.

Despite this, Pardew was given the chance by the fans to prove his worth, and his reign started well with an impressive 3-1 win at home to Liverpool.

But following Saturday’s 4-0 defeat at Stoke, Newcastle find themselves in 11^th position, but only four points clear of the bottom three.

After the loss, Pardew raised his growing fears about the drop, saying “we’ve been conscious we’ve never been far from the relegation zone.”

These fears have substance; with just eight points out of a possible 27 in their recent league form, Pardew has had to deal with more disappointments than positives.

Throw in a shock FA Cup Third Round defeat at League Two side Stevenage and things haven’t been going according to plan since Ashley gave him a five and a half year contract.

However, while results have not lived up to expectations (although for some fans this form under Pardew may have been expected) there is some sympathy following the sale of Andy Carroll.

There was obvious logic to sell a striker who came through the academy for a staggering £35 million, especially on the basis of a season and a half, of which the majority was in a division below.

But the 22 year-old was a crucial part of the side. It wasn’t just his goals, it was also his ability to hold up the play and link up with the midfield, which was why Kevin Nolan had so many goals alongside him.

Pardew has not been able to call upon Carroll’s services, and the likes of Shola Ameobi, Leon Best and Peter Lovenkrands may provide different threats, but they don’t have the same qualities as the man now plying his trade at Liverpool.

This means the team has suffered in front of goal, with the shape of the side going forward being severely affected.

The chance to replace Carroll will occur in the summer when the 49 year-old will hope that the huge sum of money paid for the England forward will be invested into the squad by the board.

But until then Pardew will have to deal with what he has at his disposal, and come May ensure that those who had doubts about his appointment don’t see their fears realised in the worst way possible.

So what do you think? Has Pardew been unfortunate during his reign so far? Has the loss of Carroll been the main reason for the disappointing form? Let us know what you think in the comments section below

King Kenny’s impending appointment long overdue

Dalglish has done a brilliant job on his return to the Anfield hotseat

By Laurie Fitzgerald

Kenny Dalglish has shown over the past couple of months just why Liverpool fans love him so much.

The Kop legend decided to take on the manager’s job at Anfield for a second time in January following a hugely disappointing season under former Fulham manager Roy Hodgson.

Hodgson had lost the support of the fans and ultimately the new owners, New England Sports Ventures (NESV) leaving Chairman John Henry no choice but to relieve the 63 year-old of his duties.

Before the appointment of Hodgson in the summer, Liverpool fans were calling for ‘King Kenny’ to be given the job, and since he has been given this role until the end of the season, Dalglish has demonstrated why these fans were so vociferous in seeing his appointment come to fruition.

The Merseyside club have 16 points in their last seven league games, including a win at home to Manchester United and victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

It has seen the team go from potentially being dragged into a relegation dogfight to potentially securing a top six finish.

Such a revival has surely done enough to see the 60 year-old be given the manager’s job on a permanent basis. So why have the owners yet to do this?

Well it seems that they finally have, with a report in the Sunday Express claiming that Dalglish has been offered a two-year deal.

There’s no doubt that Dalglish has the support of the two sectors needed for the club to move forward; the fans and the players.

You’d be hard pressed to find someone in football that understands just what the history and tradition of Liverpool football club means to the supporters. Dalglish’s love for the club and the fans can never be brought into question.

This understanding has allowed the Scot to portray to the players just what it means to play for Liverpool.

The likes of Raul Mereiles and new signing Luis Suarez have flourished under his guidance, and this has shown in the results.

The two players at Liverpool that share the same passion for the club as Dalglish have already stated their full backing to see the former no.7 appointed full-time.

Captain Steven Gerrard said shortly after his appointment, “I want to do everything in my power to ensure that he stays here for a long time, beyond the initial six months.”

Defender Jamie Carragher echoed these sentiments when he said last month, “For everyone, especially me and Stevie, he’s a hero to us. The results are obviously going very well. If you’re asking me, obviously I’d love him to be the manager.”

Carragher also stated that that decision is ultimately in the hands of the owners.

You can understand why Henry and NESV are taking their time to ensure they appoint the right man in the long term. But it’s difficult to see who else is out there that would do a better job than Dalglish.

That’s not to say that the owners don’t back Dalglish; when Fernando Torres was sold to Chelsea for a British transfer record £50 million on transfer deadline day, Henry gave him the money to bring Newcastle United’s Andy Carroll to Anfield for £35 million – a record for a British footballer.

All that’s left for the owners to do now to fully confirm their support of Dalglish is to give him the job permanently. There’s surely no other option.

What do you think? Liverpool fans, are you concerned that Dalglish has yet to get the job full-time? If you don’t think he’s the man for the long-term, then who should get it? Let us know your thoughts