Along with Lionel Messi and Neymar, Rodriguez has undoubtedly been one of the standout performers of the World Cup so far. The attacking midfielder has racked up three goals and two assists in the competition in performances which have reportedly brought him to the attention of Manchester United and Tottenham. Colombia will be hoping that their star man continues this rich vein of form tonight in their second round tie against Uruguay.
Likened to Juan Roman Riquelme, Rodriguez was groomed from an early age as a central playmaker but has proven himself adept in recent years on the wing. The burden of a nation’s hopes were placed upon the midfielder after Radamel Falcao’s injury and the 22 year old has certainly not been overawed by the weight of expectation. Whilst a number of Colombia’s attacking talents have impressed in their qualification from Group C, Rodriguez is clearly the talisman that dictates their offensive play.
Operating in between the lines, the 22 year old creates space and is a difficult opponent for defenders to pin down. With a potent left foot, Rodriguez scores a number of his goals from these positions in and around the penalty area. In the wide areas, the Colombian possesses the pace and crossing ability to cause defences real problems.
In his first season in Ligue 1, Rodriguez netted nine times and recorded twelve assists. The Colombian finished the campaign as the division’s top creator, ahead of PSG pair Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Lucas Moura.
Having signed in a combined deal with Joao Moutinho for a staggering £60 million, Monaco are unlikely to contemplate selling Rodriguez anytime soon. But if the Colombian keeps impressing at the World Cup, all the money in the world might not be enough to convince the 22 year old to stay should one of Europe’s elite come calling.
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And there you have it. The summer transfer window of 2014 has come to a close.
There were some big last day moves last night, here are the biggest transfers on deadline day!
Radamel Falcao (Monaco -> Manchester United)
The biggest move of the day, Monaco star Radamel Falcao moved to Manchester United on a one year loan deal, beating rivals Arsenal and Manchester City to his signature.
Although the Red Devils look like they need some strengthening in defence, they’ve gone out to sign one of the world’s best strikers… with news coming out that Robin van Persie could miss the start of the season to undergo knee surgery.
Danny Welbeck (Manchester United -> Arsenal)
With main striker Olivier Giroud set to miss the rest of the year with a fractured ankle, Arsenal have signed Manchester United’s Danny Welbeck as his replacement.
The Englishman was pushed down the pecking order even further after the Red Devils signed Radamel Falcao, and will hope to make the most of his chance at the Emirates after a £16million deal.
Alvaro Negredo (Manchester City -> Valencia)
The Spanish striker labelled ‘The Beast’ for his goal-scoring exploits last season has returned to La Liga by joining Valencia on a one year loan.
Negredo’s form dipped drastically at the tail end of the campaign and a return to Spain could help him recover and return to City a stronger player.
Javier Hernandez (Manchester United -> Real Madrid)
Manchester United’s Javier Hernandez joins Real Madrid on a season-long loan deal and given he makes an impression at the Bernabeu, the Spanish giants can make the move permanent.
Having lost his place in the squad with the late arrival of Radamel Falcao from Monaco, the 26-year-old striker looks to become second in line for the forward role just behind first-choice teammate Karim Benzema.
Micah Richards (Manchester City -> Fiorentina)
Long-serving Man City right-back Micah Richards has left the Etihad to play in the Italian Serie A with Fiorentina, also on a season-long loan.
The Englishman has found it hard to break into the first team with Pablo Zabaleta and Bacary Sagna ahead of him in the pecking order.
Alex Song (Barcelona -> West Ham United)
West Ham United have also been reinforced with now former Barcelona midfielder Alex Song who joined the Hammers on a season-long loan deal.
The 26-year-old Cameroonian gather huge interest from a host of European clubs after being allowed to leave Camp Nou, but chose to return to London after spending seven years with Arsenal.
Hull City sign four (Hernandez, Ramirez, Ben Arfa, Diame)
Hull City were one of the more active teams on deadline day with no less than four new signings to add to their ranks. Their biggest addition was the record £10million acquisition of Palermo striker Abel Hernandez.
Elsewhere, they completed a switch for Southampton’s Gaston Ramirez for an undisclosed fee while also adding the likes of Hatem Ben Arfa and Mohamed Diame on loan from Newcastle United and West Ham United respectively.
Benjamin Stambouli (Montpellier -> Tottenham Hotspur)
Spurs have been relatively quiet in the summer transfer window, but have active recently and finished their business with the capture of Montpellier defensive midfielder Benjamin Stambouli.
The 24-year-old joins the London club in a £4.7million deal as an almost direct replacement for Sandro, who has joined Queens Park Rangers respectively.
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Southampton sign two (Toby Alderweireld, Sadio Mane)
Southampton have also added Atletico Madrid defender Toby Alderweireld and Red Bull Salzburg winger Sadio Mane just as the transfer deadline day came to a close.
Alderweireld, 25, joined on a season-long loan while Mane, 22, completed a £10million switch from the Austrian League to begin his career in the English Premier League.
Queens Park Rangers sign two (Sandro, Niko Kranjcar)
Queens Park Rangers completed a transfer deadline day double swoop for Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Sandro as well as Dynamo Kiev attacking midfielder Niko Kranjcar.
Sandro, 25, joins for £10million while Kranjcar, 30, completes a second season loan deal which sees him return to QPR after already serving with them in the previous campaign.
Mario Balotelli is currently under heavy fire from the Liverpool fans based on his performance as they believe his lazy playing style along with his knack of missing easy chances are denting their title hopes.
However, Brendan Rodgers didn’t have a large choice of strikers in recent weeks as Daniel Sturridge is only returning to training after picking up an injury which saw him miss a few matches.
Their recent draw with Hull City on the back of a 3-0 loss to Real Madrid may have prompted Rodgers to consider a new striker during the January window, with the follow FIVE players possibly candidates.
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Karim Benzema
Name: Karim Benzema
Age: 26
Position: Striker
Nationality: France
Club: Real Madrid
Price: £38.8 million
Karim Benzema has been continuously linked with a switch to Liverpool in recent weeks after Brendan Rodgers looks to finally sign a world class striker in January. With a misfiring Mario Balotelli, the addition of the 26-year-old Frenchman will be seen as a huge boost for the club.
His move to Anfield could be down to how much money Rodgers can free up if he finally decides to part ways with the Italian striker less than a year after he join the side.
Jackson Martinez
Name: Jackson Martinez
Age: 28
Position: Striker
Nationality: Colombia
Club: FC Porto
Price: £30 – £35 million
Jackson Martinez has been linked with a host of Premier League clubs throughout the summer, but with no club agreeing to reach his asking price, he decided to remain with Porto. However, Liverpool are looking for a lethal goalscorer, they should look no further than the Colombian international.
He has already netted seven league goals in eight appearances for his side and is likely to replicate that form should he decide to make a switch to Anfield. In addition to that, he has also scored three goals in two starts for his team in the Champions League as well.
Saido Berahino
Name: Saido Berahino
Age: 21
Position: Striker
Nationality: England
Club: West Bromwich Albion
Price: £25 million (asking price)
Saido Berahino is a very recent January target for Liverpool due to his exceptional form in the Premier League so far. Signing him will only bring positives to the side as he is still young with huge potential and the fact that he is English, could clear room for other foreign additions in regards to the player quota.
West Bromwich Albion has set a huge £25million asking price on his head, something that could surely halt any further moves for the time being. The 21-year-old striker has already scored eight goals in 11 appearances in all competitions for his side.
Wilfried Bony
Name: Wilfried Bony
Age: 25
Position: Striker
Nationality: Ivory Coast
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Club: Swansea City
Price: £18 – £25 million
Wilfried Bony was tipped to join a new club during the summer, but decided to remain at Swansea despite attracting interest from Liverpool, Arsenal, and even Chelsea. The 25-year-old is already a proven Premier League goalscorer and without needing any time to adapt, he is a top candidate that can get the club firing once more.
He has now scored four goals in seven starts in the league so far as Brendan Rodgers may need to prepare a January bid sooner rather than later. Tottenham Hotspur are also said to be considering the Ivory Coast international which means they could be a factor in halting a possible Anfield switch.
Gonzalo Higuain
Name: Gonzalo Higuain
Age: 26
Position: Striker
Nationality: Argentina
Club: Napoli
Price: £30 – £35 million
Reports suggest that Liverpool have already made an initial offer for the services of Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain as Brendan Rodgers is prepared to either sell or drop Mario Balotelli. He is also believed to feeling unsettled in the Serie A, adding to the possibility of a switch.
In addition to this, the Serie A side are said to also be interested in the services of Balotelli, meaning a swap deal could be in the making. Although there is a huge price gap between the pair, Rodgers still has room to negotiate a reasonable offer in comparison to making a straight bid for the former Real Madrid striker.
Perhaps in need of further assurances over Maurico Pochettino’s suitability to the north London side, Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy handed the Argentine manager a rather modest budget this summer during his inaugural transfer window at White Hart Lane.
Resultantly, the Spurs boss has made do with what’s at his disposal, impressively enough getting the Lilywhites within just four points of the Premier League’s top four.
With a bit of cash and the freedom to dispose of some of Tottenham’s flopped first-teamers, ‘Poch’ could complete his mini-revolution in the second half of the season.
With that in mind and the Lilywhites likely to be very busy in January, here’s their three likeliest departures followed by three reported replacements.
OUT – MOUSA DEMBELE
No one can doubt Mousa Dembele’s natural talent but the Belgium international hasn’t come anywhere close to replicating the form of his Fulham days, which convinced Spurs to trigger his £15million release clause back in summer 2012.
His White Hart Lane move instigated a change in role, transitioning from a supporting forward into a box-to-box centre-mid, but it’s hardly improved Dembele’s game which has notably declined, at least in statistical terms, over the last two-and-a-half campaigns:
It speaks volumes that the 27 year-old can’t get a look-in over rookie midfielders Nabil Bentaleb and Ryan Mason this season, with Mauricio Pochettino clearly preferring the hunger and enthusiasm of their youthful vigour over Dembele’s ever-questionable application.
The powerhouse playmaker can’t be too happy over the situation and rumours of his North London departure have gradually gathered pace over the last twelve months or so. Spurs will want a fee that saves face, likely around the £10million mark.
That’s a little steep for a glorified bench-warmer but there’s plenty of potential suitors out there. Premier League sides Everton and Stoke City have both been linked since the summer, whilst a move abroad can’t be ruled out either:
IN – FABIAN DELPH
There is an alternative solution to the Dembele dilemma according to the tabloids:
If Dembele represents the old guard of passionless mercenaries Mauricio Pochettino wishes to expel from the Lane, Aston Villa’s Fabian Delph epitomises everything he wants in a central midfielder.
The 25 year-old shares the gutsy, energetic style of Ryan Mason but blends it with superior quality – perhaps summarised best by this lung-bursting run, followed by an inventive finish, against Chelsea last season:
//www.youtube.com/embed/IYDwIn6PT1M
It’s been a solid twelve months for Delph too. He earned the Villain of the Year award at the end of last season and more recently a spot in Roy Hodgson’s England squad, with three caps since his September debut. Here’s a look at his stats over the last few seasons:
Even if the Dembele swap deal doesn’t get off the ground, the Three Lions prospect is almost certain to leave Villa Park in January. His contract is set to enter its final six months and a new deal is becoming increasingly unlikely:
Resultantly, the Lilywhites could land the industrious midfielder for a modest fee.
OUT – VLAD CHIRICHES
Vlad Chiriches is obviously a talented prospect, demonstrating his future potential in sporadic glimpses over the last 18 months:
//www.youtube.com/embed/YVPsr6grrUk
But the Romanian international has never really forged a regular role for himself in Tottenham’s starting XI since first joining the north Londoners in summer 2013, going on to make just twenty starts in the Premier League.
Resultantly, there’s been plenty of speculation about his future ahead of the January window, with recent reports linking him with a move to Serie A:
Some more audacious tabloid gossipers have even suggested a loan move to north London rivals Arsenal!
IN – HECTOR MORENO
//www.youtube.com/embed/G2o7uzGEhrM
Mauricio Pochettino added Eric Dier and Federico Fazio to his squad this summer and also appointed Younes Kaboul as the club’s new captain, yet there are still clear problems at the heart of Tottenham’s defence.
As a result, it’s believed the Spurs gaffer is keen to add an old ally to his squad in January, in the form of Espanyol defender Hector Moreno:
The Mexico international, who first rose to acclaim after a string of promising performances at the 2010 World Cup, served under Pochettino for one-and-a-half seasons, winning Espanyol’s Player of the Year award during his inaugural campaign, before the Argentine’s sacking in November 2012.
He’s since gone on to prove himself as one of La Liga’s better defenders outside of its top three clubs. Here’s the 26 year-old’s stats from the last few years:
Spurs were reportedly courting the 6 foot centre-back during the summer, until a fractured tibia at the World Cup ruined his chances of a White Hart Lane switch.
So with Espanyol in desperate need of funds and Spurs searching for another defender, the Lilywhites are almost certain to revive their interest.
OUT – EMMANUEL ADEBAYOR
//www.youtube.com/embed/rzSc7ea1YOY
A departure that would likely be a cause for celebration with many sectors of the Tottenham fanbase, the Lilywhites have quite clearly been trying to offload mercurial striker Emmanuel Adebayor for some time.
Even compared to his usual standards, the Togo international has endured a rather worrying dry patch this season, netting just twice in eight Premier League appearances.
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Still on an eye-watering £100k per week, Spurs won’t be putting up a fuss if someone comes in for the 30 year-old in January.
Having recently returned to his homeland on compassionate leave, following reports that his mother has been using black magic to ruin his career and counter-claims from his brother that Adebayor has been brainwashed by Muslims, one would assume there isn’t too much demand for the former Arsenal and Manchester City star right now.
Counter-intuitively however, there are some suitors emerging from the wood-work, most notably Galatasaray:
Alternatively, the Evening Standard claims two Qatari clubs could offer Adebayor a significant pay rise to join them in January.
IN – JACKSON MARTINEZ
An audacious suggestion perhaps, but the Daily Express believe Tottenham will sell Adebayor (and more significantly, get him off the wage bill) along with Roberto Soldado in order to fund a move for Porto front-man Jackson Martinez in January:
The Colombian international’s return for the Primeira Liga outfit is certainly impressive, boasting 77 goals in 111 appearances across all competitions, including ten league goals this season. Here’s a clip of Martinez in action:
//www.youtube.com/embed/63jbvQxS3DI
Serving under the moniker ‘cha cha cha’ for his dance-like grace in the final third, the 28 year-old is widely viewed as a perfect fit for the Premier League, blessed with an abundance of power, pace, agility and netting prowess.
Reportedly valued at a whopping £40million however, the South American striker may be just beyond Spurs’ financial reach this January.
And they’re hardly the only interested party with Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United, in addition to a plethora of continental outfits, also linked to his signature:
After leaving the Premier League for La Liga off the back of a record €80 million transfer fee from Manchester United, Cristiano Ronaldo has simply lit the world alight with his match winning performances and well taken goals.
The notorious Portuguese forward has now broken Alfredo di Stefano’s longstanding record of 22 La Liga hat-tricks, with his 23rd of the season against Celta Vigo last weekend. Ronaldo scored all three goals in a game which saw Real Madrid comfortably win 3-0 against their lowly opposition.
As this isn’t the first time Ronaldo has turned heads with his goal-scoring ability in Spain, we take a look at the golden boy’s La Liga statistics and how they compare with his contemporaries, namely one Lionel Messi.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s third goal against Celta Vigo marked his 200th for Real Madrid. What is more impressive, however, is the fact that he scored all 200 goals in as little as 178 games. No other La Liga player has come near to scoring that many goals as fast as Ronaldo has, not even Lionel himself.
The current Bernabeu, and former Old Trafford, fan favourite not only has more goals than Messi in this campaign (23 to 13), but he also topped the La Liga goal scoring charts in 2013/14 with 31 goals. Whilst this number isn’t exactly mind-blowing in itself, it nevertheless points to the fact that Cristiano Ronaldo has somehow been turning out even better performances as his career goes on.
Real Madrid’s no. 7 has not been completely immortalised in Spain just yet however, as Ronaldo only comes in at 9th on the all-time La Liga top goal scorers list. His 200 league goals see the Portuguese finisher place behind old timers; Pahino (210), Quini (219) and Cesar Rodriguez (223) and other Madrid legends in Alfredo di Stefano (227), Raul (228) and Hugo Sanchez (234). Telmo Zarra is second on 251 goals but the list is topped by none other than Lionel Messi who currently has a tally of 256.
As well as doing it in Spain, Ronaldo was of course also a big hit on English shores. For Sir Alex Ferguson’s imperious Manchester United side, the tricky winger scored 84 Premier League goals in a total of 196 matches.
Whilst this may be impressive, these stats pale when compared with his current La Liga accolades, marking a staggering improvement since moving to Spain. Ronaldo’s form has seen praise for the Portuguese captain coming from all angles, most notably from former manager, Jose Mourinho; ‘Ronaldo is an incredible player’ said the now Chelsea boss, ‘There will be no other. He is incredible, he’s a goal-scoring machine.’
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In Spain he has won the La Liga title, the Copa del Rey, the Champions League in 2013-14, as well as 2014’s UEFA Super Cup. However, many still rate Messi above Ronaldo, citing the Argentine’s more ‘natural’ abilities. Barcelona’s imperious Argentinean aside, Cristiano Ronaldo remains one of the best players to ever grace La Liga, and his stats show that more records and accolades await the Portuguese hit-man if his form continues.
One club-men are becoming an ever-rarer breed in the Premier League, amid the age of corporate sponsorship deals and billionare owners.
West Ham are fortunate enough to have one of their own, in midfielder Mark Noble, who has been representing the East Londoners ever since his graduation from the youth set up way back in 2004, aged just 17. Indeed, he may not be a Hammers hero on par with Bobby Moore, Trevor Brooking or Geoff Hurst, but having served the club so well for so long, he’s certainly upon the peripheries of such status.
But could his decade-spanning Upton Park career be coming to an an abrupt end? The 27 year-old was linked with a move to QPR this morning by Mirror Football, and many were shocked to see him benched for the Irons’ trip to Anfield, taking on Liverpool in a 3pm Premier League kick-off. Here’s how Hammers fans reacted on Twitter:
With just three days of the January transfer window remaining, this is certainly a story worth keeping track of.
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Former Chelsea star David Luiz says he’s sorry for celebrating after he scored for Paris Saint-Germain in their win over the Blues on Wednesday, Daily Mail reports.
10-man PSG came from behind twice to knock Chelsea out of the Champions League in a thrilling 2-2 encounter, with the French club progressing via the away goals rule.
The first leg in Paris finished 1-1 on the night, giving Chelsea a slight away goal advantage heading into the clash at Stamford Bridge.
And that advantage became better after just 31 minutes, as PSG star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic was sent off for a late challenge on Oscar.
However, it took until the 81st minute for the game’s first goal, with Chelsea’s Gary Cahill scoring what they thought would seal their progress into the final eight.
But that wasn’t meant to be, as Luiz levelled the clash with a brilliant header, forcing the game into extra-time.
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Eden Hazard put the Blues back in front with a penalty, but PSG captain Thiago Silva, who conceded the spot-kick with a handball, headed the winner following another corner kick.
And after the match, Luiz apologized for his celebration, citing that he just couldn’t control his emotions during the epic game.
“I think we played a great game,” Luiz said.
“When we lost Ibra, our best player, you say ‘keep it simple’. Play the ball to feet and keep possession as we need to score to qualify. It was amazing tonight the spirit. Every single player gave everything.
“I finished at Chelsea and then I got a great opportunity from PSG – they gave me a great opportunity to continue my career and I was very happy at Chelsea and won titles here but I finished and then I respect everyone.
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“It was good for me to score. I said before I didn’t celebrate but there as so much emotion I cannot control (it) and sorry because I celebrated because of the emotion but I am so happy to qualify.”
Lamenting the fickleness of football is probably one of the most futile things you can do.
Fans will always be frustrated by poor performances, players will always be persuaded by larger pay cheques and pastures new and sometimes form is just against you. Better to go with the flow and enjoy it.
But sometimes you see things that make you sad. Things that make sense, but that on some other level you can’t really understand.
Saturday was one of those days.
Liverpool were playing QPR in Steven Gerrard’s penultimate home game, where he scored a late penalty to give Liverpool the win. Some things never change.
But still there was an air of discontent around Anfield. QPR fans were surely not best pleased that their team were all but relegated by that late Gerrard goal, but Liverpool fans are disaffected too. Sterling wasn’t at his best and there’s plenty of fan animosity against England’s young star in the wake of his interview with the BBC.
But most obvious was the plane that some fans had paid good money to fly over Stanley Park on Sunday with the message ‘Rodgers out Rafa in’. We’re not really sure who paid for it, or why they felt the need to do it, but one thing’s for sure, it’s ill-advised.
Do Liverpool fans really want Rodgers out?
As the Northern Irishman himself said ‘modern football is… very much short-termism’. And it’s hard to agree with him on that score.
This time last year, Liverpool were challenging for the title. And although Luis Suarez was key to that tilt, he wasn’t the only good player in the team. Liverpool were there on merit, and perhaps Suarez was vital but he was still part of the squad.
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This time around they’ve obviously had to adjust and rethink their approach. And from Manchester United away in December, to Manchester United at home in March, Liverpool were unbeaten in the league. So it’s not like they haven’t been better. They’re a work in progress, but at least it’s in progress.
So here we are back to an age-old problem – fans want results now.
Jeering Sterling I can, to some extent, understand. He’s not covered himself in too much glory with his interviews and his insistence that his refusal to sign a contract isn’t about money. Or his claim that it’s about the fact he wants to win trophies. Surely he’d be better putting his head down and helping Liverpool to trophies. So fair enough, Liverpool fans can have a go at him – but just remember that he’s only 20 and mistakes are forgivable.
But criticism of Rodgers is another kettle of fish. Criticism is fine. You can say that you didn’t think his tactics were right, his squad selection was poor or even that his entire philosophy is wrong. Such things are welcome, probably even encouraged. If you think he’s wrong, say it.
But do it within the best interests of the club. Don’t hire a plane to get your message across.
It raises a bigger question, though: should fans be able to have their voices heard by clubs? If Liverpool fans who felt this way were able to have their say to the club, they wouldn’t have resorted to hiring a plane to show the world their message.
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That being said, the content of the banner even seemed so out of kilter with the job that Brendan Rodgers has done this season. He’s had to put up with a lot and still managed to be fairly close to the Champions League spots. He’s brought his team along and gelled them together. And even if they’ve been in a little bit of a slump over the last few weeks, who’s to say that they won’t start next season well and challenge then?
It was so out of place that there was even speculation that the plane had been hired by Paddy Power or even Manchester United fans. Rodgers himself joked it was hired by Rafael Benitez’s agent.
So I’m sure most Liverpool fans will stand behind their man for at least one more season. He brought in some poor signings last summer, but he has a bigger squad now. He doesn’t have to gamble, he just needs to add a little more quality.
The problem is that Jurgen Klopp is available and Rafael Benitez might be free himself to lead Liverpool next season. But Rodgers deserves one more chance. After all, last season he did bring an unfancied side to the brink of a league title. Who knows what he’s capable of next year.
“I have always said if the owners want me to go, I go it is as simple as that.â€Brendan Rodgers’ words after the lowest point of what has been a desperately low season at Anfield.It’s fair to say that if the decision was down to the fans, his P45 would have been cast onto the Britannia Stadium pitch as soon as the whistle confirmed the 6-1 loss at Stoke, but even though Fenway Sports Group – the Reds’ owners – are a sensible and calculated group, the Northern Irishman has some tricky questions to answer over the coming weeks as he clings onto his job.But does he even deserve another shot? After all, yesterday’s defeat was the largest since the 7-2 drubbing at the hands of Spurs in 1963 and the first time six goals have been shipped by the Merseysiders in the Premier League era.Both are damning, and we at FFC Towers think it’s time for change… after all, these FIVE points suggest that the club cannot progress with Rodgers at the helm.[interaction id=“noneâ€]
Transfer gaffes
Okay, Rodgers works alongside a transfer committee to get deals done, so he cannot be held accountable for every signing.
Although the Northern Irishman has a decent level of power over additions, the likes of Mario Balotelli and Lazar Markovic were rather thrust upon him last summer, but it’s widely thought that the Southampton trio of Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert and Dejan Lovren were ‘Rodgers buys’ as he set about building on a good season.
The above set of players cost a whopping £211,550,000, which is quite a spend over the course of three trophy-less seasons.
Rodgers has, however, had to cope with the loss of Luis Suarez and took the club to within a whisker of the Premier League title, but to have only two of 23 (Divock Origi hasn’t arrived yet) – Philippe Coutinho and Daniel Sturridge – as success stories tells you all you need to know about the manager’s selection of targets and ability to adapt to players signed for him.
Lost the dressing room?
Liverpool had nothing to play for at Stoke on Sunday, but that does not excuse the lifeless, limp and downright embarrassing performance at the Britannia Stadium. 6-1 is shocking, no disrespect to the Potters, but last season’s runners-up should not be losing by such a margin to a midtable team assembled on a shoestring budget.
So what happened? Well, the first half alone led clout to suggestions that Rodgers has lost the dressing room. There was not fight and it appeared that the belief in what they were being tasked with had all but evaporated. Can a manager truly recover from this?
Tactical madness
The start of the season rather set the tone. Three games in it was clear that Rodgers would need to adapt his system, with Suarez’s exit and Sturridge’s injury issues having left him without the movement and dynamism up front that was the hallmark of the 2013/14 season.
Instead, the Northern Irishman just slotted Balotelli and Lambert into the same system, with obvious comical results.
Neither player is suited to a quick passing game or constant movement from the front, so attacks frequently broke down before they’d truly got going. Add to this persistence with 4-2-3-1 and 3-4-2-1 – the latter worked until if was ruthlessly exposed by Manchester United – along with an insistence on playing Emre Can at right-back and the downright refusal to look at the 4-4-2 diamond that was so successful last season and it’s hard to make a case for Rodgers as a ‘tactical genius’…
Fresh start needed
Have things just turned a little stale at Anfield? Maybe. Rodgers is now three seasons deep on Merseyside, and although progress was made last season, the end to this campaign leaves the club pretty much where they were when he started – adrift of the top four and heading into the Europa League.
The title loss a year ago appeared to suck the life from Steven Gerrard and many long-term fans, while the exit of Suarez served to take the rest of the energy from the fan base and the squad. Perhaps a new manager bounce could get the players feeling confident again and inspire the crowd?
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The likes of Jurgen Klopp or Frank de Boer have pedigree and would bring a new feeling of optimism, while another season under Rodgers will see the knives wielded from the very first whistle…
Is he actually that good?
Well, is he? Last season he was rather dragged through by the magnificent Suarez and Sturridge – who pretty much forced him into deploying an attacking set-up, but either side of the, admittedly, magical run, Rodgers has secured seventh and sixth placed finishes.
With Liverpool’s budget and the quality of players he’s been able to choose from, such results are not exactly encouraging, and hint that, perhaps, 2013/14 was a positive blip. After all, the only piece of silverware Rodgers has is the Championship play-off cup from 2011…
Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has admitted he doesn’t want to leave the club this summer and is prepared to fight David Ospina for his place in the side, according to London24.
The Poland international was dropped earlier in the season after a run of poor form and allegedly being caught smoking in the dressing room after a game.
He has since struggled to regain his first team status as Ospina took the opportunity to cement in his place in Arsene Wenger’s first-team plans.
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Szczesny, who played in Arsenal’s FA Cup final victory over Aston Villa on Saturday, has been linked with a move away from the Emirates Stadium as a result, but has since insisted he is eager to win his place back next season.
He said: “You [the media] like to speculate, but I am happy where I am.
“I have got all the support in the world from the manager and I have fantastic relations with him, so you can stop the gossip now because I am here for good. I will stay.”
The 25-year-old has been forced to make do with appearances in cup competitions since being dropped for Ospina, and was proud to have been given the opportunity to play a part in Arsenal’s record breaking 12th FA Cup triumph.
“I am very grateful for the manager, he has been good with me over these last couple of months and has shown all the faith in the world in me and I am very thankful for the chance to play in the cup final and am very glad of a clean sheet,” he said.
Arsenal are still thought to be interested in signing Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech this summer, which could still threaten Szczesny’s first team opportunities next term.
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