The 3rd round of the FA Cup in 2012 will be remembered for returning legends. Paul Scholes was back in a Manchester United shirt and Thierry Henry returned for Arsenal. Henry didn’t just make a return, he made a scoring return as he netted the winner for the Gunners against Leeds at the Emirates Stadium on Monday night.
It was as if nothing had changed as Henry scored his typical goal, ghosting into the inside left channel and then slotting the ball into the far corner of the net. However, he was wearing the number 12 shirt rather than the number 14, which is now on Theo Walcott’s back. Here are Henry and Walcott having a chat after the game, but what are the Arsenal duo saying to each other?
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This week you can win a copy of Arsenal – 125 Years in the Making!
Arsenal Football Club is at the forefront of English football development and success.
Arsenal 125 charts how the Club came to such a status from the humblest of beginnings, celebrating 125 years of the Gunners in the most complete and up-to-date history of the Club yet.
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“The first trophy is to finish in the top four,” proclaimed Arsene Wenger in the aftermath of their cup exit at high flyers Sunderland.
As the words vacated his mouth a series of alarm bells, klaxons and distress sirens should have been activated and projected into the sky like some sort of SOS Batman signal. Barring an inspired performance against Milan at the Emirates, Arsenal look destined for another intolerable season. Just 12 months ago they were in the hunt for all four possible trophies and now they’re chasing imaginary silverware. I’m sorry Arsene but fourth place doesn’t even get you on a standard podium.
A few days later Arsenal majority shareholder Stan Kroenke touched down in London ahead of a board meeting, which will prompt the announcement of a £55m profit from their half-yearly accounts. Topics up for discussion will include Arsenal’s apparent restrained spending in anticipation of their failure to qualify for the Champions League along with various contract negotiations. One issue that is not expected to be up for debate is the future of the Arsenal boss, with Kroenke likely to once again throw his full support behind the Frenchman.
The news of Wenger’s unyielding backing is likely to be spark contrasting reactions. There are still a resolute number of supporters in favour of Wenger remaining at the club, believing not only that he is the man to lead the revolution but that past achievements should allow him the chance to do so. One the other hand, another trophyless season looks like being the final straw for those who believe North London has never looked bleaker.
The consequences of missing out on the Champions League would have a monumental impact on the club, with the Arsenal Supports Trust estimating it would cost Arsenal about £45 million in prize money alongside match-day and media income. With this is mind perhaps it’s time for Kroenke and Co to turn up the heat and deliver an ultimatum that would see Wenger out of a job at the end of the season should he fail to achieve certain targets.
In a bizarre turn of events it seems as though Arsenal’s regular one-man band Robin Van Persie is on the receiving end of this stern treatment. The Dutchman’s contract negotiations had reached a stalemate, which provoked Chief Executive Ivan Gazidis to wade in and declare he would not be allowed to leave the club “at any price” this summer, even if he refuses to sign a new contract. Is this a refreshing measure to combat ‘player power’? Or is it inexcusable treatment of the club’s standout performer? It begs the question, why hasn’t Wenger received similar treatment?
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It’s often amusing to see clubs issue the dreaded vote of confidence to their faltering manager. It’s a move that is meant to signal solidarity at the club but instead only serves to grease the wheels on an impending departure. Perhaps it would be better to announce a statement of intent, stating that if certain requirements aren’t attained then appropriate action will be taken. There would be no need to specify names heading for the chopping block – that much would be obvious – but at least it would prove to the fans that the owners won’t stand on the sidelines, like everyone else is forced to, and watch the ship go down.
The 7-1 thrashing of a frankly hapless Blackburn side has done little to disguise the fact that Arsenal have been on decline since the year of ‘The Invincibles’. The team no longer looks promising, with only Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Emmanuel Frimpong really providing evidence that they could establish themselves in the first team sooner rather than later. Arsenal fans will no doubt be sick of looking over their shoulder at the teams gathering pace behind them and a defeat in the North London derby this weekend could be the spark needed to implement drastic measures.
There is no questioning Wenger’s achievements in management but considering he has always seen out his contract, perhaps he needs the motivation of working under that increased pressure. It could be argued that his resilience and faith in certain players has mutated into a kind of arrogance, trapping him in his own little world. The chairman and board members should never interfere with matters on the pitch but maybe Arsene needs to be put in his place by a higher authority.
Despite Arsenal’s recognised impressive finances, it has recently come to light they boast the fourth highest wage bill in the league. When you consider the recent departure of high earners Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri it becomes apparent that a number of fringe players are receiving extortionate wages.
The Arsenal Supporters Trust recently commented:
“The wage bill of £130 million is sizeable and in the view of the AST there is clear inefficiency in wage spend evidenced by poor performances on the pitch and the number of players the club have either on loan (ie can’t be sold) or deemed not good enough to play in the first team,”
If Arsene is not willing to accept defeat with his failed transfers and inflict a ruthless clearout then maybe it’s time to bring in someone who will.
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The problem with foreign ownership is that they will always be ‘distant’ from ongoing events at the club and never be regarded as fully understanding the club’s long-standing history and traditions. You only have to look at rivals Tottenham to see a shining example of chairman and manager working in perfect harmony. Perhaps Wenger needs the presence of an unsympathetic figure looking down on him, ready to voice their discontent but alternatively issue a pat on the back when it’s deserved.
Is it time Arsene was pushed towards the edge of the cliff, so his attention isn’t focused on the horizon but just how far Arsenal could fall?
Join me on Twitter @theunusedsub where I’m currently trying to wrap my head around Stewart Downing’s inclusion in the England squad.
Despite Mike Ashley’s criticism from some Newcastle fans, the Toon owner has to be given some credit for the way he has handled things in the last 18 months.
Although Chris Hughton’s departure from the club didn’t go down too well with the fans, the arrival of Alan Pardew has brought new life to the team from Tyneside.
If you would have told their fans that they would be above Liverpool in the league by 8 points with just 8 games to go, chasing Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur for Champions League spots, I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t have been take seriously.
But make no mistake about it; the shrewd signings that have taken place in the newly named ‘Sports Direct stadium’ this season are most certainly paying dividends. Yohan Cabaye was brought from Lille for £5 million in Ligue 1, and he has already made a mark on the team. His composure and attacking assets on the ball have secured him a first team football in the Newcastle side.
Not only that, but he possess the type that complements the ever impressive Cheick Tiote who has been a driving force in that midfield for Newcastle.
Another transfer steal has to be one of the players of the season in Demba Ba, who was brought on a free last summer from West Ham United. The Senegal international has bagged 16 goals for Alan Pardew this season, and the arrival of international strike partner Papiss Cisse from Freiburg has only strengthened Pardew’s options up front. The departure of Andy Carroll may have seen a blow at the time but that £35m has been invested wisely and there is no question that Newcastle are a team better equipped to challenge the top end of the Premier League. The team has bags of ability within it and the Magpies are certainly proving that you don’t need to spend big in order to succeed in this League; with living proof being today’s opposition Liverpool who have spent close to £120m in the last 12 months.
Newcastle are absolutely flying and despite a few barren seasons, that included that ill-fated spell in the Championship, the Magpies look to be back where they belong in the upper echelons in the Premier League and looking to secure European football next season.
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Middlesbrough suffered the worst possible outcome during their make or break Easter weekend. Two defeats at the hands of two play-off rivals has left our season hanging in the balance as we linger in eighth place. With just four games to go, our play-off chances seem as fragile as ever.
The whole 2011/2012 campaign for Boro has been geared towards finally gaining promotion and fulfilling our potential in this league. That often recurring tagline, which seemed to follow us, stating that we were a “Premier League club in the Championship” has faded quite fast. It feels like this could be the last season before we are doomed to playing second-tier football for eternity, following our reduced parachute payments and declining crowds. Until recently, it did seem like we were in with a good shout of getting back into the Premier League having spent the majority of this season in and amongst the top six. However, a string of unacceptable performances and bad results has seen us slide away.
Reflecting on my last blog, I said that Boro needed to pick up at least four points from Cardiff and Hull to stay in the play-off race. This would have seen us in good stead as we would now occupy the 6th and final play-off spot, rather than 8th. For Boro to pick up no points whatsoever from either of the games is truly terrible, which can also describe the performances we put in.
Cardiff had probably the easiest 45 minutes of their season at the Riverside on Saturday. The Bluebirds were 2-0 up and cruising by the 20th minute and the away fans were already mocking every pass their team made with a cheer. I have not seen such a disjointed, lacklustre and feeble performance from Boro since Mowbray has taken charge. As the half-time whistle blew there were deafening boo’s and I understood why some home fans were heading for the exits. It was by far our worst half of football this season, including the Leeds home game. There were massive improvements in the second though but Boro just couldn’t find the net. We managed to hit the woodwork three times and squandered even more chances. “On another day”, that popular commentator’s cliché, they would have all found the back of the net. The loss made Monday’s clash with Hull even more important than it already was.
The 3,000 travelling fans who made the short journey to the KC stadium were optimistic. Our away form during the past couple of seasons has been a huge contrast to performances at home. We have won nine times on the road this season, only bettered by the three league leaders and Burnley. On this occasion however, Boro fell apart again. We did somehow manage to go in front through a well taken Marvin Emnes goal meaning we led at half-time but it didn’t give a true reflection of the game. Hull eventually won the game 2-1 thanks to an 88th minute goal from Matty Fryatt. A win for them after five straight defeats and as painful as it is to say, they deserved it.
The most disappointing aspect of both of the weekend’s games was the manner in which we conceded. We practically gifted our opposition all of their goals by wayward passing, not challenging their players in good time and poor organisation skills. It’s hard to believe that we have a former defensive rock as a manager with our frailties at the back. The injuries to Matthew Bates and Rhys Williams haven’t helped our cause but the biggest problem seems to be our full-backs. This ‘modern wingback’ type player, as they are referred to as, doesn’t bode well if the players can get forward at every opportunity to support the attackers but forget their defensive duties in the process, which Joe Bennett and Justin Hoyte seem to do.
Travelling home on the bus from Hull, it was hard to find any positives from a weekend that could have put us well and truly on track for a visit to Wembley. Even now I am struggling to have any optimism or write something positive, even with the rallying calls from Boro players and manager alike, saying that we are “still in with a shout” and “it is not over yet”. They are technically right because as it stands we are currently just two points from play-offs, so all is not lost yet.
However, there are thirteen teams who could still mathematically finish in 4th, 5th and 6th, depending on fixtures and results. Some of the top teams still have to face each other so it’s still too early to call. You would think the likes of Cardiff and Birmingham will be in there and that it is probably too late for Derby County and Watford, who we still have to face. Leeds United will play three other play-off contenders in Blackpool, Cardiff and Leicester meaning the Whites will play a major part in deciding the make-up of the final six.
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Realistically, will one of the teams be Boro? Only time will tell. It’s just a matter of taking each game as it comes now and hoping for the best. If results do go our way and the right teams are eliminated from the play-off race then our chances will increase. At this moment in time though, our season hangs in the balance. Fingers crossed it swings in the right direction.
Chelsea captain John Terry has been handed an extra two-match suspension by Uefa following his sending off against Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals.
The England international was dismissed before half-time in the second leg of the west London side’s clash with the Catalan giants at Camp Nou for kneeing Chilean attacker Alexis Sanchez.
Terry served the obligatory one-match suspension by missing the final of the tournament against Bayern Munich, but Uefa have revealed that the central defender has been charged with violent conduct, and will have to sit out two more games.
Although the Blues can appeal against the ban, if upheld Terry will miss the Super Cup against Europa League winners Atletico Madrid in August, and Chelsea’s first game of next term’s Champions League.
As yet there has been no comment from the club to reveal whether they intend to fight the ban, with Terry away on international duty with England ahead of Euro 2012.
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The FA have hit out at The Sun for their headline following the appointment of Roy Hodgson as England manager.
The daily newspaper ran the heading “Bwing on the Euwos!” after the West Brom supremo was announced as the new Three Lions boss on Tuesday, making fun of the head coach’s slight speech impediment.
The governing body have released a statement branding the headline as unacceptable, but will not take the case any further in this instance.
“The FA and the Press Complaints Commission have today received a large number of objections relating to the front page headline in The Sun newspaper, regarding Roy Hodgson’s manner of speech,” a statement reads.
“On this occasion, we will not be making an official complaint to the PCC but we have raised it with the newspaper and made it clear that their front page is unacceptable to us.
“We are delighted at the media response to Roy’s appointment but are disappointed with the headline in The Sun, which we consider is in poor taste and disrespectful,” it concluded.
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Home is where the heart is. This saying rings never truer than at Anfield where a period of transition for Liverpool is in full swing. With Brendan Rodgers now in control, the club who were in danger of steering off course have now revitalised its backroom staff and by the end of the summer a fresh looking organisation will be raring to get back on track. With the new owners seeking to improve the clubs stature in various departments, a plan to scrap ideas for the long awaited new Stadium at Stanley Park is in discussion, with the club opting to stay where the fans feel most at home, Anfield.
With varying plans on the table to expand the stadiums current capacity having been announced, it seems that the Kop will still be thriving for a while yet. However, with so many clubs of Liverpool’s stature plying their trade in far more capacious stadiums, and with plans afoot for the likes of Tottenham and West Ham to move to pastures new, is staying at Anfield financially the right move in terms of generating revenue? Can the stadium modernise itself aptly in order to compete with the homes of their Premier League rivals?
The proposed move to Stanley Park has been hanging over Liverpool for almost 10 years. With constant delays and alterations to the designs, no progress has been made. The futuristic looking plans of the new stadium that circulated certainly excited fans. However, with new owners come new rules and the FSG have stepped away from the uncertainty that is Stanley Park and have proposed to increase the clubs current home, just as they did with the Boston Red Sox. Although an increase in capacity will not reach the quoted 72,000 that was expected from the Stanley Park project, building extra tiers in the Main and Anfield Road stands will certainly provide an imposing arena for opposing teams to play in. The stands will also undoubtedly become modernised, providing the most updated of facilities for fans while still remaining true to the history of the stadium.
Ultimately, staying at Anfield will be the economically wise option for the club. With a new stadium costing around £400 million, the club can now spend a portion of this in renovating Anfield whilst freeing up the rest of the funds to be used in the transfer market. Lessons can be learned from Arsenal’s financially draining move to the Emirates and their inability to spend lavishly in the subsequent transfer windows. With the club set to have an increased spending budget as well as a stadium where the fans and players feel at home, the plans to stay at their current base may be the most successful idea for the Reds.
Anfield and Liverpool Football Club have become so entwined; it seems ridiculous that the team could play anywhere else. The ground is a symbol of the club; it is the beating heart of the entire organisation. To move anywhere else may remove the club from its origins and philosophies. With so much alteration occurring at the club, FSG may have made the most impeccably timed decision to halt any stadium move. If the changes that have been made by the owners do not pay off, criticism is bound to be endless. If at the same time, Henry and Co have removed the club from their spiritual home, the fans will have lost all connection with the history and traditions that Liverpool are so coveted for.
It is rare that you will find a football stadium in the world that has a more impressive atmosphere then Anfield, despite its relatively small capacity in relation to the clubs stature internationally. The stadium has the unintentional ability to drive the team to success. With fans close to the action, the world famous Kop which rises high above the Anfield pitch and noise levels that could break decibel records there is no immediate reason as to why Liverpool would want to move homes. In light of proposed expansion and freed up funds in the pipeline, it is hard to see where FSG have faltered in their future planning for a club, who for the considerable future will be playing at their first and only home, Anfield.
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Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has stated that Carlos Tevez and Edin Dzeko are part of his plans and will not leave the Etihad Stadium this summer.
The Premier League champions were expected to restrengthen in the transfer market during this window after their domestic success last term, but as yet have not bolstered their squad.
With City wary of Uefa’s Financial Fair Paly rulings, Mancini has been told by the club’s board that he will have to sell before he can buy.
Tevez cuts a controversial figure at the Etihad Stadium, firstly going AWOL and then returning to help the team win the division.
However AC Milan have been consistently linked with a move for the Argentine.
Dzeko meanwhile has slipped down to fourth-choice striker and is also being speculated with a move away from the club to find regular first-team football.
Despite this, the Italian trainer has revealed that he has no plans to sell either attacker this summer.
“Both will stay at City,” Mancini is quoted as saying in The Sun.
“We are a great team and we try to keep our great players. It won’t be easy but they will stay here.
“We still lack a couple of players to reach the level of Real Madrid and Barcelona.
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“Also our mentality has to grow season by season,” he concluded.
Forget Luka Modric and his yearning to force through a transfer to to the sunnier climates of Spain. Forget Andre Villas-Boas’ White Hart Lane revolution. Forget all the gossip, conjecture and idle tittle-tattle that comes with the summer transfer window. Without beating about the bush there is only one topic open for discussion this week. The announcement that Ledley King had finally succumbed to the debilitating knee condition that plagued him for a majority of his time at the club and left him unable to properly train in the week before game. We’ve all seen some wonderful defenders grace us with the talents during the Premier League era and King rightly deserves a place among those elite names. In no uncertain terms the 31-year-old was the whole package when it comes to centre backs whilst his leadership and calmness under pressure was sorely missed when injury forced him to the sidelines. It’s unlikely Spurs will produce another player as talented and humble as King and it’s sincerely tragic that the curtain has been brought down on his career in his prime.
This week on FFC is Steven Caulker the man to replace King at Spurs and could AVB be about to pull off a major transfer coup with the signing of Hulk?
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Best of FFC
A new found optimism at White Hart Lane?
Where does Luka Modric actually fit in?
A chance for Tottenham fans to see the heir to King’s throne?
Why Hugo Lloris is worth every penny
Should this type of subsidised transfer ever be allowed?
What to do with Jermain Defoe?
Was Villas-Boas’ swipe a naïve move?
Will AVB let Gareth Bale off the leash?
Tottenham Considering Cazorla Swoop
Villas-Boas fights Chelsea for Brazilian
Spurs consider move for Venezuelan ace
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Best of WEB
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Luka’s letter to his agent – Spurs musings from Jimmy G2
The ITK Type 10 O’Clocker – Harry Hotspur
Ledley King. A superman with a knee made of kryptonite. – Dear Mr Levy
AVB Lining Up £16M Rated Madridista To Replace The Offside Flop? – Transfer Tavern
Virgin territory – Spurs musings from Jimmy G2
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The Book of Daniel – Chapter Four – Dear Mr Levy
An Ode To The King – Harry Hotspur
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Quote of the Week
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“It has been well documented how he has battled against injury over the years and it is testament to the character of the man how he managed to sustain such high standards of performance on the pitch, while providing such fine leadership.
“It is in an ambassadorial capacity that Ledley will continue, playing a crucial role in supporting the club’s work in the community and the ongoing regeneration of the Tottenham area, while also being a hugely positive role model for our younger players.” Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy hails Ledley King following his retirement.
Luck is a staple of modern day life. You buy a lottery ticket, you stick a fiver on a weekend accumulator, you encounter someone new; praying that luck will be on your side. While the heavens shine down on the fortunate few, rewarding then with the windfall that they so desired, the majority watch on, hoping that next time they need a blessing, it will arrive. However, there are some individuals who feel like they have run out of luck, life’s fortunes slipping away from them; an ever distant memory. None will feel more aggrieved than Owen Hargreaves, a man whose blossoming career promised so much only to decline with a meagre whimper thanks to unrelenting injury problems. Now training with QPR, the Canadian-born midfielder may have one last chance to impress at the game’s peak level before his legs give way, perhaps literally.
Without making Queens Park Rangers sound like an Intensive Care Unit, the club are currently in possession of two of the most injury beleaguered men to have ever graced the Premier League. While Hargreaves is merely training with the squad, Kieron Dyer has only recently signed a new permanent contract. Fans must be thanking the gods that Jonathan Woodgate hasn’t signed up. While many are confused at former West Ham man Dyer being offered a new contract, that angst has been recompensed through the marquee signings of Park Ji-Sung and Junior Hoilett, along with Adel Taarabt agreeing to extend his stay at Loftus Road. However, should Hargreaves also sign a contract, it would be to no one’s astonishment if Hoops fans were to question whether yet another injury prone player will be worth risking, considering a bank balance that will be tipping towards its maximum.
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While a pay-as-you-play contract is the likely offer that would be made to Hargreaves, problems can still arise with this type of agreement. Take the aforementioned Jonathan Woodgate for example. His season at Stoke was completely inconsistent. When needed for the Potters’ Europa League games where rotation was required, his injuries prevented him from travelling to away games, therefore leaving Pulis’ men a defender short. This incidence is one of many disappointing ‘PAYP’ deals that severely outnumber ones that have. There is no question that Owen Hargreaves was a good player. He would not have been selected so often for England otherwise. However, just as Ledley King struggled at Spurs in recent times, opportunities to play at maximum will be so limited if at all. For a surgeon to state that Hargreaves’ knees were in the worst condition he has seen in his 35 year professional career, indicates that no matter how much recovery surgery the former Bayern man had or is due to have, he will never be anything other than a constant burden.
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With nine Premier League games in just four years, it would be foolish to think that Hargreaves could walk straight into the team and cope with the pace of the game, which may well have increased even further over his absent years. If Mark Hughes can see past the 31-year-old’s dreadful health issues and would support further rehabilitation should it be needed, then Hargreaves may have found the right club to have one last shot at success. However, if the former Man United midfielder can barely stand after 10 minutes of his debut, then he may go down as the unluckiest footballers of the modern era.