As we head into the second leg of the last 16 Champions League tie between Manchester United and Marseille, Stephane Mbia, who plays for the Ligue 1 outfit, has signalled his intention to join their English opponents in the near future. The Cameroonian midfielder has sounded out a move to Old Trafford and will be looking to impress Sir Alex Ferguson in the return leg in the coming weeks.
Stephan Mbia told L’Equipe that “I want to go as high as possible. First I want to do well at Marseille, so my performances will one day send me to a club like Manchester United. Real Madrid are also an attractive side, but the club of my dreams is Manchester United. I feel fine at Marseille for now, but you have to have ambition.”
Mbia has plenty of quality to go with that ambition. The powerful midfielder completed a £10 million plus move to Marseille back in 2009 after a five-year spell with Rennes. Standing at 6ft 2in tall, Mbia is certainly a presence in the middle of the park and unsurprisingly the defensive midfielder has drawn comparisons with Patrick Vieira and the like.
The 24-year-old has been capped by Cameroon 32 times and his style of play would appear to fit the Premier League perfectly. Manchester United are in need of some midfield reinforcements, with Owen Hargreaves’ future at the club looking uncertain, while Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs are both set to retire within the next couple of years, so a swoop for the £16 million rated man may be on the cards in the summer.
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Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is still hoping to add up to three new players to his squad before the start of the new season.
Spurs will play in the Champions League for the first time this season and Redknapp has yet to add to a squad which finished a best-ever fourth place in the Premier League last term.
A host of names have been linked with moves to White Hart Lane but Redknapp is yet to complete any transfer deals.
"We need two or three players who can make the difference," he confirmed.
"We've got a big squad, but I do feel we need just that little bit of quality in one or two areas if we're going to move on from where we were last year.
"Fourth place last year was marvellous, but I think this is the best chance Tottenham have had in how many years to really push on and maintain that and become a regular top four team and maybe push for a championship.
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"We're never going to get a better chance so now's the time to have a go at doing that.
"So I still feel with two or three players it would make the difference and give us the squad we need. And if we get them in I think the sky's the limit for us."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Hadi Sacko is among a number of Leeds United first-team players that have been left out of the squad that has travelled to Myanmar.
The Championship outfit will take on a Myanmar national league All-Stars XI on Wednesday before facing the national team on Friday.
The trip has been widely criticised, and whilst the likes of Samuel Saiz, Rolando Vieira, Kalvin Phillips, Caleb Ekuban and Luke Ayling have made the trip, a whole host of first-team players have been omitted.
Sacko spent last season on loan at Leeds from Portuguese outfit Sporting Lisbon, and scored two Championship goals for the club before joining on a permanent deal last summer.
The 24-year-old has struggled to make his mark this term, however, failing to score or register an assist in 14 Championship appearances for the Whites.
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The Leeds supporters, who have been a frustrated bunch in recent weeks, have offered their views on the Mali international, and it seems that a number want him to be sold in this summer’s transfer window ahead of the 2018-19 campaign.
A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:
Liverpool confirmed this weekend that captain Jordan Henderson will miss the Reds’ Boxing Day clash with Swansea, after limping off early in the match against Arsenal on Friday night.
Jurgen Klopp’s side host the Swans knowing that three points are a must if they’re to keep up their top four aspirations, currently just one point ahead of Tottenham Hotspur in the final UEFA Champions League qualification spot.
Henderson’s injury will be seen as a blow to Klopp, who sees the midfielder as an important part of his starting eleven having already played 23 matches for the club this season.
However, Liverpool fans are less bothered by the injury, believing it’s a chance for a more dynamic, forward thinking player to come into the team and stake a claim for regular football.
Supporters delivered a harsh response to the news on Twitter this weekend, with many suggesting the injury is good news with regards to Boxing Day’s team selection.
David Moyes would have been naïve to believe he would be afforded an easy ride in the first few weeks of his new job at Manchester United. The world of football slows down for no man, and this is exacerbated when you are taking over the reigns from one of the most successful managers in history. Juggling the status-quo and the establishment of a new era for the Premier League club, Moyes must get a hold of things quickly if he is to succeed.
The first few weeks for David Moyes at United have been something of a roller coaster already. I can only liken it to a teenager being given the keys to his dads bright red Ferrari. Previously used to his own beat up Clio, of which he had total control over its simplistic inner-workings. The new motor offers up unparalleled complexities and the poor kid is apprehensive to do anything of note apart from messing about with a few of the dials. Thus far Moyes seems cautious to make any big calls and decisions.
On the transfer front this is perhaps unsurprising. Previously used to a shoestring budget at Everton, Moyes is being opened up to a world of riches that he could only have dreamt about. Spending a decade looking at making low end transfer steals cannot prepare you for the deals he must make at United. This explains why the usually decisive Scot has favoured talking about transfers and speculating rather than appearing an integral part of any deal. Speaking on United’s pre season tour to Asia he appeared distant from any negotiation:
“I think a point does come. But when you are interested in good players you want to give it every opportunity to materialise.”
“I will hope things will continue to move forward. I can only tell you Ed Woodward is working hard to try to make the deals happen. We hope some of them will fall into place shortly.”
Now don’t get me wrong in this day and age it is not usually the job of a manager to directly negotiate deals for players. However, what would be expected is that the manager is key to any decision regarding player recruitment. Currently there is a strange pattern emerging where Moyes appears to be totally removed from any transfer deal, happy to talk and speculate rather than get anything done.
Do United not trust him yet, or does he not trust himself? Clearly the transition from Everton was never going to be easy, but the Scot really does need to assert his authority quickly within the club.
He appears to be a rabbit in the headlights not only in terms of incoming players but also outgoing. The Rooney saga spiralled from his description of the player as being “second choice”. He of course followed this with talk of the value of Rooney to the club and how important he will be next year (something which many people have glossed over). Still for someone who rarely gives much away in press conferences, this represented something of an unnecessary gaffe by the new manager. He moved quickly to diffuse the situation by assuring that Rooney is not for sale. Speaking at a news conference in Sydney, the United boss said regarding Rooney:
“The club’s position has not changed.”
This is an example of how the Scot is already finding it hard going to fill the shoes left by Sir Alex. Rarely indecisive at Everton, he now appears apprehensive in his media handling and this should already be a worry for United fans.
It would be unfair to judge a new manager only a few weeks into the job, especially since they are yet to play a competitive game. Indeed I would echo the words of the departed Sir Alex when he urged fans to offer their unwavering support to the Scot. It is easy to forget what a difficult start he had to his now extraordinary reign at the club. However, Moyes seems overly nervous upon taking over the helm. Speaking to the Guardian, he was happy to openly admit to butterflies:
“Yeah, that comes with the excitement of the job. It’s more to do with the magnitude of Manchester United and following arguably the greatest manager that football has ever known”
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Butterflies are one thing, but to appear in fear of the task ahead should be something quickly removed from the mind of the Scot. Moyes never appeared to be a manager short on self-confidence, but his start at United seems to suggest the contrary.
David Moyes is an excellent manager, he has proved this previously and he will no doubt do it again. He needs to approach the United job believing that he is the man to take United on to the next level. To do this he needs to start being assertive in the way he approaches the media, his squad and new transfers. There was never going to be a honeymoon period for Moyes at United. Instead of playing around with his new Ferrari in the drive, he needs to kick it into gear and take it out onto the open road.
Do you think Moyes needs to show more confidence at United?
Andre Villas-Boas’ troubled start to life at Tottenham continues as he is forced to recall axed captain, Michael Dawson to the side. The Sun reports.
Dawson almost completed a move across London to QPR in the summer, but the deal broke down as Younes Kaboul was ruled out for four months after undergoing knee surgery.
He has since been left out of all of the first three games, but looks set to be called in to bolster the Spurs defence.
Villas-Boas said: “We have chatted. Younes’ operation means he’s out and it is up to Michael to compete. I’m sure he will come good.”
Villas-Boas is attempting a mass overhaul at Spurs, but the North Londoners have made an unconvincing start to the season- collecting two points from the first three games and twice squandering leads at home to West Brom and Norwich.
He has also reportedly upset new £8million goalkeeper, Hugo Lloris after claiming the French international will have to battle it out with Brad Friedel for the number one jersey.
According to his national team manager, Didier Deschamps, the comments have not gone down well with the player, who feels he needs to be the undisputed number one at Tottenham to continue playing regularly for France.
But there could be some good news for the Portuguese, after the club appealed to the FA to overturn Tom Huddlestone’s red card in the match against Norwich.
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According to reports in The Times, West Ham United are reportedly the frontrunners to sign Huddersfield Town midfielder Aaron Mooy this summer, and Irons fans have been quick to react.
The Times says that the east London outfit are ready to double the 27-year-old’s current £32,000-a-week wages to bring him to the London Stadium, and it is no surprise following an outstanding debut campaign at this level for the 5ft 9in tall Australia international.
Mooy has helped his side take a point away at both Manchester City – where he kept Kevin De Bruyne quiet on the left side of a midfield three in the goalless draw – and Chelsea in the past week to help them preserve their Premier League status for at least another 12 months.
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West Ham supporters, who have all picked the same one new manager and signing they want this summer on Twitter, took to social media to give their thoughts on the rumour, and while one said “he’d definitely be our best midfielder”, another was slightly more negative and said “Shelvey is better”.
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Manchester United star Memphis Depay has issued a warning to rival Premier League clubs after scoring his first goal for the Red Devils, Daily Star reports.
Depay was on target in United’s 3-1 win over San Jose Earthquakes earlier this week, which was his first strike following his £25million move from PSV Eindhoven.
And the Netherlands international has promised fans that they can expect to see much of the same in the upcoming season, which also signals as a warning to the Red Devils’ rivals.
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“It’s a great feeling,” he said.
“I’m a striker or attacking midfielder so it’s always nice to score goals and give assists. Today was my first one and, I think, the first of many so I keep working on it.
“Of course, it was a mistake by the defender but Wayne [Rooney] was putting pressure on him so he made the mistake.
“I was reading the situation. I already thought, like gambling, that he was going to lose the ball so I was there and made my first goal.
“I really enjoy it. I’m serious – every day.
“To wake up as a Manchester United player is awesome. I’ve settled in well and the boys are very nice.”
Recently United have been actively trying to sign a striker in the summer transfer market, with the likes of Edinson Cavani and Fernando Llorente both being linked with a move to Old Trafford.
However, earlier reports suggested that head coach Louis van Gaal could instead deploy Depay up front, with the 21-year-old having a keen eye for goal.
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Last season, Depay bagged an incredible 28 goals in 40 appearances for the Eredivisie champions, making an additional eight assists.
Although there appears to be a unanimous consensus that David Moyes was rightfully appointed as the next Manchester United boss, being in style, nationality and manner a natural successor to Sir Alex Ferguson, there is still a hint of sadness and sympathy regarding the Scot’s decision to leave behind his former club, Everton.
Being a distant admirer of the Toffees and a self proclaimed Everton enthusiast, in no small part due to their continual defiance of resources and finance, there is a concern that this will be the end of the Merseyside outfit as we know it, with a number of the club’s key figures, namely Marouane Fellaini and Leighton Baines, being linked with moves away from Goodison Park in the summer, in addition to David Moyes’ tenure being an incredibly difficult act to follow.
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It could well be a turning point for better or worse in the club’s history, and success and failure over the course of the next few years at Goodison will undoubtedly depend on Bill Kenwright’s next managerial appointment. Whilst a number of British-born candidates have been shortlisted for the role, including Malky Mackay, Neil Lennon and Phil Neville, there are also a fair few foreign managers being considered by the Everton chairman, such as Roberto Martinez, Gus Poyet and Porto’s Vito Pereira, who over the past few days has become one of the front runners according to the bookies.
It begs the question as to whether Everton should go British or foreign with their next appointment, and what implications it will have for the club on and off the pitch in the years to come.
Foreign managerial influence is rife in the Premier League, and I would argue that overall the English top flight is much better for it. The type of football we have witnessed from Swansea and Wigan this season, taking clear influences from the styles and in the former’s case the personnel of La Liga, has been enriching and fantastic to watch, creating fixtures between clubs of sharp contrast with typically English teams such as West Ham, Stoke, Sunderland and Norwich.
Both philosophies of play have their strengths and weaknesses, yet it has undoubtedly improved the English game in general, and even our bigger clubs such as Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal are now geared towards a more technical approach to their game.
Although other clubs such as Newcastle have been accused of their foreign influence taking away their identity, Swansea, Chelsea and Arsenal are all glowing examples that importing a style of play from outside of the English game can work if conducted effectively, and should Bill Kenwright appoint Roberto Martinez or Vito Pereira, you’d feel that both managers have enough ability, vision and proven track-record to make Goodison Park a fortress of continental flair.
Yet the transition to such a manner of play will undoubtedly take time, considering that David Moyes’ tactics and roster have been geared for over a decade towards playing the game in the English way – a combination of height, strength, power and ability on the ball to get results. Of course, it all depends upon the summer’s incomings and outgoings on the blue half of Merseyside, but you cannot imagine the likes of Marouane Fellaini, Victor Anichebe, Phil Jagielka or Johnny Heitinga readily and quickly adapting to a style of football that is South American or Spanish in its origins.
Furthermore, it is time that Everton arguably don’t have. I don’t wish to be accused of ‘scare-mongering’, but the fact is that the scope for failure is incredibly slim at Goodison Park. The finances remain continually tight, and with the summer marking the end of an era for the Toffees, one bad season or a false start could easily lead to a downward spiral for the club. David Moyes has already had the club and the players performing to a level beyond their means for some time, and any disruption to the squad’s intense bond, with the first team clearly better off as a whole in a well-oiled machine rather than being significantly talented as individuals, could trigger disaster.
Similarly, as mentioned previously, much has been made this season about striking the balance between home-grown talents and players imported from abroad. Currently the Toffees have 12 players in their registered 25 man squad born within the British Isles and Ireland, whilst many others, such as Tim Howard, Steven Pienaar, Victor Anichebe and Sylvain Distin have plied their trade in England for such a long time they have practically become English by association.
Everton’s successes under Moyes has been in no small part due to the roster’s overall strong familiarity with the style, quirks and methodologies of the Premier League, and should a new foreign manager come in, ripping apart this integral core to make space for flashy foreign footballers from abroad would almost certainly constitute as a grave error, favouring idealism over pragmatism.
But whether the next manager will undergo a policy of evolution or revolution will not necessarily depend on their nationality; Gus Poyet and Roberto Martinez may both hold foreign passports, yet both have spent the majority of their playing careers and the entirety of their management careers in England.
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At Brighton and Wigan respectively, both have struck a balance between English physicality and South American flair, and given time they could replicate their feats at Everton. Despite the number of big lumps in the Toffees’ roster, there is similarly a contingent of players that possess no particular athleticism, but rely upon their technical abilities and more importantly their footballing brains, such as Steven Pienaar, Leighton Baines, Darron Gibson and Leon Osman.
Whether Bill Kenwright appoints a foreign manager or not, the key will be to provide longevity rather than bringing in a manager for the short-term. You’d argue that in terms of vision at least, thinking Spanish or continental would therefore be the way forward, as Roberto Martinez has proved during his tenure at Swansea and the legacy he left behind, that installing an ethos and philosophy creates a long-term success that surpasses the stay of any particular manager or player, no matter what their ability.
But in terms of consistency from one term to the next, it would appear that choosing a manager whose ideology is British in origin outweighs future visions of the club in terms of importance. There has always been a level of pragmatism and reliance upon knowledge of the English game behind David Moyes’ successes, and with the scope for wholesale change reasonably limited at Goodison Park, the next appointment does not have to be a carbon copy of the former Everton boss, but at least must share with him similar values.
Everton have an English core, English style and English identity, and foreign or not, the incoming manager must not compromise these pillars of the club’s triumphs over the last decade, however there are grounds to make subtle modifications and improvements to them, taking lessons from a more continental approach to the game.
“A big signing, or simply the signing of a big name?”
That was the question put forward by ESPN’s Tony Kornheiser following the New York Yankee’s acquisition of Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki. However, that question is equally appropriate when dealing with Manchester United’s latest signing of Robin van Persie. Despite the obvious levels of excitement surrounding the Dutchman’s arrival at Old Trafford, does it really put United anywhere closer to wrestling the title away from their city rivals?
The team is lopsided, that much is evident. There’s nothing particularly wrong with their attack, and the signing of van Persie is always going to be welcome when you’re chasing silverware. However, the Dutchman’s goals do absolutely nothing to plug gaps all over the rest of the pitch.
As of right now, Alex Ferguson’s greatest worry is his defence—even more so than the huge void in the centre of midfield. Chris Smalling and Phil Jones were brought in last year to make up a very deep and capable group of central defenders. However, they, alongside Rio Ferdinand and Jonny Evans, are missing from the United line up, with a one or two looking at long spells on the treatment table.
Patrice Evra and the position of left-back remains a problem, and there are a number who are questioning United’s choice to seek a replacement—or at least an alternative—from Vitesse. Likewise, the right-back spot has now seen the attacking positions weakened through the necessity to place Antonio Valencia there. Man United don’t have a problem with scoring or even creating goals, so why did the club spend so much time and money chasing a player in van Persie who they evidently don’t need?
Shinji Kagawa is a magnificent signing, as he would be for any club. The youngster managed to make a name for himself in Germany with the Bundesliga champions before elevating that status into superstar territory.
But the problem isn’t what he brings to the team, rather it’s how he can get in the way. At some stages during the away loss to Everton, it seemed like Kagawa and Wayne Rooney were in a head on collision with each other, constantly occupying areas on the pitch extremely close to one another. Kagawa doesn’t provide natural width, and even though he is capable of taking up a position on the flank, he will continue to force his way to the centre of the pitch.
So what do the team do with Wayne Rooney if they want to accommodate their new £24 million striker and their latest big-name midfielder? What happens when Javier Hernandez decides he’s fed up of sitting on the bench? And Dimitar Berbatov is still no closer to the exit at Old Trafford.
Depth is good, especially in the forward positions, but it becomes an unnecessary headache when you’re splashing out cash that you don’t really have; a collection of very good full-backs could have been brought in with the money spent on van Persie.
To go back to Tony Kornheiser’s question, it looks like the club have brought in a big name to appease those who are continually questioning and attacking the club’s owners. Van Persie can be a big signing, but is he the big signing that will turn United from runners-up and into champions? Not right now and certainly not if he is the last big name to come through the door at Old Trafford.
The team have to face the likelihood of another year with defensive worries, while there is still no deep-lying creative figure in the centre of midfield. Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs won’t be playing every game, and it remains to be seen what kind of impact and influence players like Tom Cleverly or Anderson can have over the long-term.
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The pressing need for this United team was to address those areas of significant weakness: Michael Carrick at centre-back simply won’t do. It’s not even reasonable to compare him to players like Javier Mascherano or Javi Martinez, who have both found success by moving from midfield to defence.
If van Persie continues in the form he was in last season then many fans will find a distraction from the other problems at the club. But will the addition of van Persie’s goals be enough for a title when gaps around the rest of the team remain?