Liverpool is a football club in transition. With the appointment of Brendan Rodgers it has become clear that the squad needs to be built for the future, and although they are striving for a top four finish this season, it appears to be a less likely feat as every game passes by.
So how can the Reds return to the glory years? Perhaps not of the 1980’s, but at least a revival of recent times when Liverpool were considered to be one of the “Big Four” that had a grip of the Premier League and were in constant competition with each other for the league title.
Well, here are ten signings that may help that dream become a reality. Some are experienced footballers that could stop the rot at Anfield, others are smart business acquisitions, and a few are potential wonder-kids who could really make a difference in a few years.
Click on Keisuke Honda to check out the top ten signings that could change Liverpool’s fortunes
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‘Strike while the iron is hot’ will be the message Paul Lambert relays to his Aston Villa squad this weekend. Three wins in four games has lifted Villa out of the relegation zone with the recent resurgence showing no signs of letting up at Stoke last week. Home form will be key to their survival as will keeping Christian Benteke and Gabriel Agbonlahor amongst the goals. The strike duo have scored in recent wins over Reading, QPR and Stoke and have provided a cutting edge Villa have lacked for much of the campaign. The possibility of ending Saturday six points clear of the bottom three is a very real one and would put Lambert’s in a commanding position with games against Manchester United and Chelsea looming large.
Fulham have managed just three wins on their travels all season and head to the Midlands wounded after being undone by Newcastle in injury time the previous Sunday. That was the Cottagers’ first defeat in five games with their impressive recent form lifting them to tenth in table and allowing them to see out the remainder of the season stress free. However, even with relegation all but out of the question, Jol is unlikely to leave anything to chance and will demand his side respond to last weeks defeat in the appropriate manner. To do that Fulham will need to break new Premier League ground and win at Villa Park for the first time as a top-flight club.
Team News
Aston Villa have Darren Bent and Ciaran Clake back in contention for the visit of Fulham but Chris Herd, Marc Albrighton (both foot) and defender Richard Dunne (groin) remain sidelined.
Fulham will assess midfielder Eyong Enoh before kick-off after he injured his ankle against Newcastle last Sunday. Steve Sidwell (suspension), Ashkan Dejagah (ankle) and Mahamadou Diarra (knee) are also unavailable to manager Martin Jol.
What the managers said…
“He is hot property. If you wanted to prise Christian away from here you would want a sizeable cheque, that is for sure. He has the potential to be fantastic. If you look at modern day figures then £25m is probably a good start. “He has only been here seven or eight months. I will wait until the end of the season and I will sit with people.” Paul Lambert says star striker Christian Benteke is worth more than £25m (BBC Sport)
“If you see Villa’s results, they have got quality. They have got Christian Benteke, Andreas Weimann, Gabriel Agbonlahor, even Darren Bent on the bench. People keep telling me that they are young but I think they changed their system as well. They’ve had some fantastic results – if you think about Liverpool away from home a couple of months ago, for example.” Martin Jol is wary of the threat Aston Villa pose (SkySports)
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Pre-Match Statistic: Aston Villa have conceded six goals from penalties this season – the most in the Premier League.
Prediction: Aston Villa 2-1 Fulham
Make your bets ahead of the showdown at Villa Park by clicking on the banner below
Swansea’s interest in Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku could scupper West Brom’s hopes of signing him for a second season-long loan spell.
The Blues striker has impressed while on loan with the Baggies this season but he will return to Stamford Bridge once the campaign is over when the next step of his development will be decided upon.
Baggies chief Steve Clarke has made no secret of his desire to have the 19-year-old Belgium international back at the Hawthorns next term following his impressive haul of 13 goals to date.
However, Swansea are now thought to be keen to get Lukaku on board for a busy campaign which will involve extra matches in the Europa League.
Swans boss Michael Laudrup is keen to draft in a new striker to take some of the pressure off Michu and Celta Vigo’s Iago Aspas is also on his list of targets.
The Swans would no doubt hold an advantage with regards to signing Lukaku given that they will be able to offer the teenager an opportunity to sample European football at the Liberty Stadium.
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Manchester United target Medhi Benatia has expressed his desire to join a huge English team in the summer.
The Udinese centre back has been linked with a move to Old Trafford in recent weeks as Sir Alex Ferguson wants cover for the unreliable Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic.
The 26 year old French born defender has also been heavily linked with a possible move to Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal after impressing in Serie A this season.
Udinese have valued their rock at the back at £15million but United are set to offer a player exchange deal to cut down that hefty price with goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard the likely bait.
Benatia claims that he is more than happy to stay in Italy, but if one of the big English teams were to make an offer it would be a no brainer.
“I am enjoying my time in Italy – the league is very good,’ Benatia told the Metro.
“It would always be my first choice, unless one of the huge English teams that follows me makes a bid.
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“If there is a big offer from there, I would definitely consider it, but otherwise I’ll stay in Italy.”
West Brom’s hopes of signing Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku on loan for a second season could be scuppered by West Ham’s interest.
Lukaku has just ended an excellent season on loan at the Hawthorns, finishing with a hat-trick against Champions Manchester United to take his tally to 17 goals for the campaign, and there are plenty of clubs willing to sign him.
Chelsea reportedly want him to go out for another year’s loan so the Hammers are set to move to line him up with Andy Carroll, who is mulling over a permanent switch to Upton Park.
Hammers joint-chairman David Sullivan explained: “Lukaku would be a loan again. We’d maybe buy him a year later if Chelsea decide they don’t want him.”
Baggies boss Steve Clarke has already confirmed that he would like to take the Belgium international back to the club for another season, while Capital One Cup winners Swansea have also expressed an interest.
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Last Season: The Swans enjoyed an impressive season last year as they managed to not only win the Capital One Cup with a 5-0 victory over underdogs Bradford, which secured them qualification to the Europa League play offs, but also managed to finish 9th place in the Premier League.
Even though Michael Laudrup’s team finished with 14 losses and just 11 wins, the Swans were able to remain to the top 10, with the same amount of points as West Ham, thanks to their 13 draws and a certain Spaniard called Michu.
The Swans beat the likes of Arsenal, Fulham and Newcastle, the latter being put to the sword both home and away. If they can improve on this form then it could be another successful season for the Welsh outfit.
Transfer Ins:
Jernade Meade (Arsenal)
Wilfried Bony (Vitesse)
Jonjo Shelvey (Liverpool)
Alejandro Pozuelo (Real Betis)
Alexander Gogic (Olympiacos U20)
Gregor Zabret (Domzale)
Jordi Amat (Espanyol)
Jose Alberto Canas (Real Betis)
Transfer Outs:
Kemy Agustien (Brighton & Hove Albion)
Mark Gower (Charlton Athletic)
Dwight Tiendalli
Player to watch: The Spanish striker, who can also play as attacking midfielder, Michu was one of the Premier League’s most impressive signings last season as he managed to score a total of 18 goals in the league and finish in 5th place on the top scorers’ list just one goal behind Aston Villa’s Christian Benteke.
The 27-year-old also counts two assists and scored around one goal per match on average. This year he will be counted on a lot by Laudrup and the fans as his goals will be even more critical now that the competition has become tougher.
It will also be interesting to see how Jonathan de Guzman does for one more year on loan from Villareal to Swansea. The 25-year-old Netherlands international impressed a lot last season with 37 appearances with the Swans and five goals, he also scored twice in the Capital One Cup final at Wembley.
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Young player to watch: The 21-year-old Jonjo Shelvey, who just signed a four-year deal for £5million, is definitely a player that might be able to provide a different dimension to Swansea and their Danish coach. The young midfielder counts 47 appearances with his former team Liverpool and has also been capped 13 times with England U21s.
Prediction: The Swans are looking to keep up the good work Laudrup started last season and there’s no reason they can’t go one better.
Swansea scored 47 goals and conceded 51 which show that there is a problem in defence – if that is taken care of then the Welsh team will be able to remain a threat this season. The team has been a thorn in the side of many top teams nevertheless, as they did draw with Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool, Manchester City and champions Manchester United – this season could quite possibly be no different.
Also, Romelu Lukaku’s departure from West Brom might work in Swansea’s favour and could help them climb one spot in the league.
Roy Keane rarely strays from the controversial. Outspoken and opinionated, these are perhaps the reasons that he is fast becoming a captivating football pundit. The former Manchester United midfielder opens up about his bitter Old Trafford exit in a documentary produced by ITV for this week.
Coming clean about his breakdown with Sir Alex, has Keane muddies the name of the greatest Premier League manager of them all?
Keane speaks about an almost tyrannical style rule under Ferguson at United, something that in his view makes him without a doubt a lesser manager than the late great Brian Clough. Keane had the following comments to make about his ignominious departure from the club:
“The manager told me we’d come to the end and I said, “You’re right”,’ says Keane. ‘I’d obviously lost respect for him and he’d lost respect for me. What would be best for Man United, if they thought I was some sort of loose cannon, was to leave. I got my boots and drove out. Don’t think I’m some sort of machine here. I was upset of course, and I did shed a few tears in my car outside the training ground for about two minutes, but also I told myself I needed to get on with my life.”
[cat_link cat=”manchester-united” type=”list”]
“Alex Ferguson thanked me for my 11-and-a-half years at the club and I had to remind him I’d been at Man United for 12-and-a-half years. Again, I think this was all part of the game, you know. Two words the manager spoke to me about a number of times were “control” and “power” and that was how he worked. We can still see that now even though he’s not a manager. I don’t think that will ever leave him.”
As damning as Keane is, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. Ferguson was able to have his say in his book, why shouldn’t Roy Keane be able to have his?
People often take what Roy Keane has to say with a pinch of salt and this outburst should be no different. People would be naïve to think that a dynasty like the one Sir Alex enjoyed at United would continue for years without incident. Fallouts with the likes of David Beckham and Jaap Stam have been well publicised and I really don’t think they detract in any way from his achievements.
Personal liberty is something to be treasured not chastised, and regardless of what you make of Keane’s comments for me it doesn’t matter. Sir Alex isn’t the sensitive type he gives as good as he gets, and I doubt he is surprised by what Keane thinks of his tenure.
Success in football rarely comes without single-minded ruthlessness and United under Ferguson epitomised this. For me Ferguson is the greatest manager of them all, and Keane’s comments don’t detract from that at all. They may be unnecessary and perhaps out of order from someone that holds the club apparently so close to their hearts, but it doesn’t tarnish anything. For me his comments only seek to muddy his own reputation rather than anyone elses. Keane just comes across as bitter and stung by the fallout from his departure, and if anything it is he whose reputation is tarnished.
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Nothing can take away from what Ferguson achieved at United. Keane is welcome to his opinion, but it should be judged accordingly. Maybe it is out of turn and misplaced but is this anything less than we really expected?
The documentary Keane and Vieira: Best of Enemies will be shown on Tuesday at 10pm on ITV4. It should prove to be compelling viewing as the former captains of Manchester United and Arsenal meet to discuss the days when their teams would fight, sometimes literally, for the Barclays Premier League title.
One mistake after another has left Tottenham teetering and in need of a confidence boost. The club are not in a terrible position, certainly not with a strong enough case to sack Andre Villas-Boas. But the decision to place faith in Emmanuel Adebayor will only compound the difficulty and unrest at the club.
For some, Villas-Boas had to go; his principles unwavering even against the harshest conditions. For others, it was a swing of a sword that came far too soon. One way or another, the club need to take a step back and address their own situation to put their season back on track – and again, it’s not to say Spurs are in a terrible position in the Premier League.
It will be important for the new manager to get Tottenham’s house in order, forget talk of title challenges and even that of finishing in the top four. It’s about building momentum and good feeling at the club again. Adebayor is simply not the player who the club should be looking to reply upon.
It’s for good reason that the Togolese striker was banished to the reserves, a smart move by Villas-Boas. It wasn’t the Portuguese’s fault that the club failed to shift him in the summer, nor was it his fault that Tottenham made his loan move from Manchester City permanent when it was clear, based on all the evidence, that he cannot be trusted long term.
And let’s be honest, Adebayor is only in the discussion because Roberto Soldado isn’t firing – a problem which doesn’t really speak of the Spaniard’s flaws on the pitch but rather the ineffective setup by the previous manager. If the former Valencia man was even a quarter of the way to justifying his transfer fee in the summer, Adebayor would be off in the January window with no one contemplating the idea of bringing him back into the fold. An extra body in some cases can reinforce a squad. In others, it will only disrupt a group who are looking to find a collective rhythm.
Ask how many times Adebayor himself has justified his position at a top Premier League club. He put in a good performance in the 2-2 draw against Chelsea last season, and that’s about it. Villas-Boas argued that the striker’s sending off in the North London Derby played a large part in Arsenal going on to win 5-2 last season. He should have been out the door as soon as the summer window opened.
Adebayor isn’t a long-term Tottenham player so there is little sense in bringing him back into the team at this time. Persist with Soldado, not only because most would like to see him do well, but also because Spurs spent almost £30 million on him. Tweak the XI and get the most out of all the players. Spurs are not in a situation where they need to be looking to players like Adebayor. The squad is strong enough, but none have been played to their strengths as of yet.
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Stoke City boss Mark Hughes has confirmed the club have fined striker Kenwyne Jones for refusing to play against Liverpool last weekend, while the forward will also miss the weekend game at Crystal Palace, reports Sky Sports.
Jones – a reported transfer target for Everton – was understood to have sent a text to Hughes on the eve of Sunday’s clash with Liverpool, to say he would be unavailable for selection.
When questioned further on what happened, Hughes said:
“I was disappointed and Kenwyne has been fined because it is not something that should happen.
“We spoke on Monday just to get an understanding of why it happened, so we had that meeting.
“He has been in this week training and we get on with it. He won’t be involved this weekend, that would be fair to say, because maybe the events of last weekend are still in his mind.”
When asked about the reported interest of Everton in Jones – who has six months to run on his current contract – Hughes said:
“Maybe that’s the problem – that maybe people are telling him there are clubs in for him.
“We’ve had no contact from anybody in this window, so maybe the information isn’t what it seems from the outside.
“But we’ll have to wait and see. The transfer window is open and a lot of things happen in a window.
“We’ll have to bide our time. But it is unfortunate – none of us saw it coming, so we are disappointed.
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“Sometimes you make mistakes and on this occasion Kenwyne made a mistake. I accept that sometimes that can happen.”
Manchester United and Arsenal target Antoine Griezmann has denied claims he will join PSG in the summer, according to the Metro.
The Frenchman has attracted the Premier League duo after strong performances for Real Sociedad, which has also linked him with a move to Ligue 1 champions PSG. But the French giants have had their hopes of signing Griezmann scuppered, potentially leaving the door open for a summer switch to the Premier League.
After hearing about the rumours linking him with PSG, Griezmann, 23, took to Twitter to defuse talk over a move to his home country:
“To clarify, despite rumours about a signature at PSG – no contacts or decisions in this direction have been considered. After seeing the news of my possible match with PSG – I wanted to deny any kind of agreement or conversation with the club.”
The midfielder, who has scored 15 La Liga goals for Real Sociedad this season, decided only to rule out a move to the Ligue 1 champions, and made no comment about his willingness to stay with the Spanish club. Real Sociedad are currently 6th in Spain, 10 points adrift of the top 4.
Manchester United have been linked with a move for the Frenchman, as David Moyes prepares for a summer spending spree to get United back to winning ways. The Scot has been criticised for not strengthening the club’s midfield in his previous two transfer windows, and could turn to Griezmann to add goals to his team for next season.
For your chance to WIN two tickets to Everton vs Manchester United on Sunday April 20 AND a copy of FIFA14, simply comment below with your score prediction for the game!
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