All posts by h79snht.top

Shane Long’s career has been anything but straight forward, with the Republic Of Ireland striker having to work hard for his chance for success.

After the former Cork City star had been plying his trade at Reading, he was finally granted his reward at West Brom, where he showed the world that he could play at the highest level. Although he is not a consistent goal scorer like fellow Irishman Robbie Keane, he is extremely versatile.

Reading proved to be the making of Long, with the 29-year-old spending six years with the Royals. He was only a youngster when they were first in the Premier League in 2006, and Long was allowed a few chances to prove himself.

Sadly his game at that time did not revolve around goals, with the Irishman sitting in the shadow of fellow Irish star Kevin Doyle. It meant that Long had to work extra hard, and did not get a chance to prove himself as much as he perhaps would have liked to.

However, unlike many of the players, Long stayed at the Madjeski and continued to work hard, gradually improving his goal tally. His best season at Reading proved to be his last, where he netted 21 goals in 44 games, with the team getting into the play-offs, only to lose to Swansea.

It was this form that caught West Brom’s attention, and Long was soon travelling to the Midlands, where he established himself in the first team alongside Peter Odemwingie. Again, Long struggled for goals, but still played a key part in helping the Baggies finish 10th. The following season saw Long partner Romelu Lukaku up top, and West Brom finished 8th that season, highlighting that Long was becoming an integral player.

Many were shocked when the Irishman decided to ditch the comforts of the Hawthorns for the relegation scrap at Hull, but in 15 games, he linked up with Nickica Jelavic to score four goals, which helped to push Hull to 16th, one point off West Brom.

Many Southampton fans were shocked when Saints and Ronald Koeman coughed up £12million for the striker, and he certainly had big shoes to fill. With the sale of Rickie Lambert to Liverpool in 2014, many on the South Coast thought they would be plummeting back down to the Championship. But when given the chance, Long excelled and proved he was capable of being a key player for the Saints, too.

Koeman never really gave Long a chance in his first season, preferring to play Pelle as a lone striker. But this season, in 18 games, Long has got six goals. As a player, if the belief is put in him, he can become much better and far more deadly in front of goal.

With strikers hard to come by, if Long has a good summer for Ireland in France, then there is no reason why he cannot get a move to a bigger team.

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While Newcastle United can still theoretically maintain their Premier League status before the current domestic campaign finally reaches its conclusion, the prospect of relegation looms ever closer for the beleaguered Tynesiders with just six games left to play.

Steve McClaren was, arguably, never quite worthy of taking on such a massive challenge in the first place truth be told. The task currently residing in Rafa Benitez’s hands is, as a result, verging on the edge of impossible, and the entire Newcastle playing staff simply don’t look up for the battle.

One player to receive more criticism than the vast majority of his largely condemned Magpies colleagues arrives in the form of ex-Toulouse midfielder, and France international, Moussa Sissoko. The 26-year-old has failed to live up to his so-called full potential this season frustrating many,

So then, as the player in question was surprisingly linked with a shock move to Serie A just a short matter of months ago – must Newcastle United look to part ways with Sissoko at the end of the season, regardless of how Benitez’s side eventually finish their so far turbulent 2015/16 campaign?

Well, even though the Frenchman was indeed once considered one of the standout names in Magpies contingency, the equally criticised boardroom staff behind the scenes at St. James’ Park need to wash their hands of this under-performing star as soon as physically possible…

Despite showing glimpses of his potential talent once in a blue moon for the struggling Tyneside outfit, the former Ligue 1 prospect has ultimately gone missing far too often to be taken seriously this season. If Sissoko somehow manages to maintain a spot among the French national squad for EURO 2016 this summer, Didier Deschamps’ overall knowledge of the English Premier League must seriously be called into question.

Although Sissoko has admittedly impressed on the odd occasion via his powerful nature inside the final third and distinct ability to turn out several match-winning performances when the circumstances prove favourable, this is one player who has certainly incurred the wrath of the Newcastle United faithful in recent weeks.

His physically able midfield presence has never quite stood up to be counted throughout his entire spell on Tyneside truth be told. When the going gets tough for the Magpies – as it often has done across recent history – you can bet your bottom dollar that Sissoko will drift away from the action and produce yet another ghostly performance just when the rest of his team-mates seem to require his help the most.

Yes, he isn’t the only culprit to go missing on Tyneside throughout the vast majority of the 2015/16 campaign – Georginio Wijnaldum certainly has to fall into that same aforementioned category despite beginning the current season in rather promising style – but as Sissoko has nonetheless been plying his trade long enough in the North East to know what playing for Newcastle should really be all about, he arguably represents the greatest offender.

In the end, however, it remains highly unlikely that AC Milan – or any other right-minded top-flight club for that matter – would ever see fit to land the 26-year-old Magpies midfielder on the back of such a poor domestic campaign.

Yet even if Newcastle do eventually manage to secure Premier League survival upon the culmination of the current season, it remains increasingly difficult to envisage such a stark under-performer being offered another chance to show his worth.

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In a Premier League season to remember, there are a number players who will desperately want to forget the campaign.

While Leicester shocked the world with their incomparable achievements, many have forgotten the hundreds of millions of pounds spent on ‘world class talent’ that surprised in equal measure with their disastrous performances in the most competitive league in football.

To earn a nomination as one of the FIVE worst transfers of the season is a formidable task, considering how many clubs underachieved in 2015/16. And yet somehow, these stars, once considered amongst the European elite, have managed to stand out in all the wrong ways.

Here are the FIVE players we think should be considered the biggest transfer flops of the season.

Memphis Depay

For a player who Cristiano Ronaldo heralded as “one of the best young players in the world”, it has been a calamitous season for Memphis Depay at Manchester United

After a promising start to his Old Trafford career, the Dutchman limped through the season, producing some truly awful displays, looking bizarrely overwhelmed by the English game.

While Jose Mourinho may be the perfect manager to instil some confidence into the 22-year-old, it is a concern that Louis van Gaal could not get the best out of Depay, who performed so well under his tutelage in the 2014 World Cup.

Radamel Falcao

Five years ago, Radamel Falcao was one of the most feared football players on earth, with a goalscoring record at Porto and Atletico Madrid to rival any player in his position.

Now, the Colombian has jetted back to Monaco after arguably the worst season of his career at Chelsea. With just 12 appearances and a solitary goal, the South American was the forgotten man at Stamford Bridge – the arrival of Alexandre Pato in January seemed to confirm him surplus to requirements.

I wouldn’t bet on the 30-year-old stepping foot on English soil for a while yet, at least until his red face has cleared.

Bastian Schweinsteiger

While Bastian Schweinsteiger has been unlucky with injuries in his debut season at Old Trafford, the German has still yet to show any sign of his World Cup winning form in the famous red shirt.

You have to wonder whether Pep Guardiola was aware of the midfielder’s declining abilities. After all, a manager as astute as the Spaniard would not let a player of Schweinsteiger’s calibre go for relative pocket change, if he felt that the 31-year-old could still contribute to Bayern Munich.

Raheem Sterling

A real disappointment for Manchester City and England fans alike, Raheem Sterling’s astronomically expensive move to the Etihad from Liverpool proved to be a total disaster.

The 21-year-old started the campaign relatively brightly but soon lost his place in the City starting line-up. For a man who cost nearly £50m, his performances have simply not been good enough.

To compound the agony for the young star, it seems unlikely that he will be a starter for England during the upcoming European Championship.

Next season, it falls to Pep Guardiola to rejuvenate a player who many consider to be one of the most naturally gifted young players in the world.

Christian Benteke

One of the most desired players in the 2015 summer transfer window, Liverpool eventually acquired Christian Benteke, paying £32.5m for the Belgian.

However, the 25-year-old’s performances have fallen far short of his value, especially since the arrival of Jurgen Klopp, who often preferred to use Benteke’s compatriot, Divock Origi.

Speculation is now rife that Liverpool will dispose of Benteke after just one season. While there will be plenty of suitors for his signature, the former Aston Villa man will need to drastically improve if he is to regain his early career form.

By its very nature sport needs a losing yin to a winner’s yang.

The heartbreak and tears starkly contrast with the celebrations and the glory and help elevate it to the colossal achievement it really is. This works out best in cup finals, where the lifting of a cup is made perfect by the dejected trudging away of failure in the background. One team triumphs, while the other team goes home empty-handed. It’s simple. Neat.

Where the juxtaposition falls down is after a 38 game league marathon, because, using the plainest logic, Leicester City are this season’s victors, while Aston Villa sheepishly hold the wooden spoon. Only there is too much separation between the two and the excelling and the failing have been enacted over too great an expanse of time. So inevitably we look to the runners-up instead. They’re the losers. They’re the chumps.

If this strikes you as being somewhat unfair then that transgression can be multiplied ten-fold this season. By finishing second in the Premier League, Spurs haven’t lost anything bar the attainment of a dream nobody could have conceived eight months ago. In a surreal season that has seen the title-holders Chelsea along with Liverpool sack their managers and never threaten a Champions League spot, both Manchester giants stumble along in perpetual crisis-mode, and Arsenal, well, do an Arsenal, their north London neighbours have built on last year’s promise to reach an entirely new plateau of excellence.

From their close-season culling of deadwood to being the only side to consistently keep pace with the Leicester juggernaut, their 2015/16 campaign has been consummately executed, largely thrilling, and highly-impressive from start to finish.

They have been the other success story. They have been sublime.

We all knew what Mauricio Pochettino could achieve at White Hart Lane should he successfully impose his high-intensity go-for-the-jugular pressing style mixed with no small amount of attacking expression. It was dependent on the players buying into this ethos wholesale, of course, and furthermore bring their A-games individually, but in his second season it was fair to assume we could realistically see an upgrade on his excellent Southampton side of 2013/14.

But finishing second and securing a Champions League place at a cantor? Forging an identity so exhilarating and youthful it has been transplanted into the national set-up? Seeing four of their players selected for the PFA team of the Year? Chopping their previous campaign’s losses by two-thirds while halving their goals conceded? These all amount to a quantum leap that defies all expectation. These all amount to a new presence at the top table that are deserving of effusive praise.

Yet there was no such praise last Monday, only social media scoffing. Discarding the Queensbury rules at the break their ugly battle with Chelsea saw them relinquish a two goal advantage and thus any lingering hopes they had for the title. They were chokers after all then? Losers.

We witnessed similar with Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool side two years ago, a sensational season-long charge for the history books instantly reduced to a captain’s slip and mockery.

Is it fair? No. Is it right? Of course not.

Pochettino’s Spurs have contributed to this season far more than any other team other than a freakish pack of foxes. This summer they will form the heart and soul of England’s hope in a major tournament, while next year they will justifiably be feared.

Those claiming they are bottlers should consider this: If their alchemy could be bottled then the owners of Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea and all others would be queueing around the block to buy it.

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Everton’s summer hasn’t looked too bad so far. The superb appointment of Ronald Koeman, talk of big investment and noises about signings has seen a surprising upturn in mood around Goodison Park.

There’s plenty of reasons to be optimistic in the blue half of Merseyside, despite the media’s penchant for transfer rumours surrounding their star players. John Stones, Ross Barkley and Romelu Lukaku are consistently rumoured to be on their way out of the club, as the biggest names in European football continue to peek through the door.

Koeman may now face a battle to keep the chat-happy Belgian striker, however. Lukaku, despite being largely disappointing, spent much of the European Championships in France flirting with the idea of a move away from Goodison and other teams are beginning to lurk.

Fortunately, Everton have a shrewd boss at the helm this time around. Koeman is the man who could lead the club to to competing in the top eight again.

Who can he replace big Rom with? Well, one of these FIVE might be a start…

Wilfried Bony

Do not be fooled by Bony’s Manchester City stint, the ex-Swansea Ivorian is still a top quality centre-forward who can perform in the Premier League.

His tree trunk thighs and intelligent movement as he drops off into the number ten space, Bony is a striker who can play the complete striker role.

His back to goal play is even far superior to Romelu Lukaku and would be the perfect Koeman striker.

Christian Benteke

Splashing a lot of cash on a supposed Liverpool flop? Probably not a popular move.

However, Benteke’s performances at Liverpool have not been half as bad as many have opted to make out. His quality, although inconsistent, is there for all to see and his goals to game ratio was still just as impressive.

In Jurgen Klopp’s style of play, Benteke makes little sense as a player. In Ronald Koeman’s set up, it could work just perfectly.

Javier Hernandez

Netting 17 goals in 25 Bundesliga starts just goes to show how natural a goal scorer Javier Hernandez is.

Chicarito was unfortunate to lose his place in the Manchester United squad and his demands to start could well be met with a move to Everton.

With the current wealth in the Premier League, there is no reason Everton couldn’t attract a player of Hernandez’s calibre. Could Koeman use the 3-5-2 once again with Hernandez partnering Benteke?

Simone Zaza

Forget his hilariously calamitous penalty at the Euros, Simone Zaza is a gifted, hard-working forward who is up for grabs this summer.

Having only started five Serie A games for Juventus last season, a move is surely in the offing and could be a great signing for many Premier League clubs.

A versatile forward with an almighty leap, Zaza would be quite a change from the battering ram of Romelu Lukaku.

Paco Alcacer

Valencia’s Paco Alcacer is, again, a wildly different striker to Romelu Lukaku.

The Spaniard scored 13 La Liga goals last season and would treat the Everton fans to some smart forward play, tidy finishing and subtle passing around the penalty area.

Alcacer would not come cheaply, but would be a sign of real intent in the transfer market for Everton.

The opening weekend of Premier League typically got a lot of people talking and one of the most prevalent topics of conversation was Liverpool’s win against Arsenal at the Emirates.

After a slow start the Reds got into half-time at 1-1 thanks to a sensational Philippe Coutinho free-kick then found their rhythm after the break racing into a 4-1 lead.

The Gunners did claw two goals back to ensure a nervy finish for the away fans that had travelled from Merseyside but the comeback wasn’t to be leaving many wondering what the Reds could actually achieve this season.

We saw performances like it last year that when things clicked for the men from Anfield they did so devastatingly, if they could just do this on a more regular basis some might feel they are the dark horses for the league title.

When you consider what the Reds have going for them this season it may not be as far-fetched as it appears at first glance – there are good reasons why Liverpool might just win the league.

We think there’s every chance too, and it’s thanks to the following FIVE points…

Klopp’s first full season

A lot is being made of it being Jurgen Klopp’s first full season at the helm.

The German himself knows that there’s no hiding behind the excuse it isn’t his team now because he has reshaped a lot of the playing squad this Summer.

He has had his first pre-season with the club to fully implement the way he wants his team to work and he also knows how to win league titles, it could be a big season for the former Dortmund man.

Philippe Coutinho

The Brazilian has got better over the last few years and if he continues on that trajectory, it won’t be long before he can be considered world class.

He sees passes that very few others can on the pitch, he can run with the ball with ease and he’s got a peach of a right foot. If he continues to put in the kind of performance he did against Arsenal the Reds have a chance of winning any game.

Lots of attacking options

Once Luis Suarez left Liverpool the club struggled to find a replacement but it has to be said any club would as the Uruguayan nearly fired the Reds to the title.

Now though, their attack looks it’s strongest for some time. Whilst still not possessing the individual prowess of Suarez the Reds’ attack is very cohesive, everyone knows their job and Klopp has a variety of options to mix things up.

When Liverpool’s attacking line is on song no defence in the country can live with it.

No European football

The last time the Reds had no European football was 2013/14 and we all know what nearly happened for them.

Comparisons between then and now are inevitably going to be made and with the club being able to focus solely on the league, there’s no reason they can’t go close again.

Klopp’s high intensity game plan needs fresh legs to have it’s full effect and fortunately his team are going to have that every week.

Feel good factor

The atmosphere around the club was never quite the same after nearly winning the league.

Suarez had gone and Brendan Rodgers’ new signings weren’t working, the club was going stale. Since Klopp’s arrival though, there’s a renewed sense of optimism.

The Anfield faithful are finding their voice again and their manager seems to know how to get the best out of both them and their team, things seem to be looking positive again and they may be about to get a whole lot better.

Spurs are back in Champions League action tonight. It’s felt like a long time for Lilywhites fans who have been casting their memories back to that night Gareth Bale tore Inter Milan apart for a while now, and the Monaco clash is not just momentous in terms of a return to the big time.Indeed, Tottenham are guaranteed at least three games at Wembley, with the north Londoners playing their European clashes at the home of English football as building work surrounding their new home rumbles on next door to White Hart Lane.Playing home games away from home is guaranteed to be an odd state of affairs for the players involved, but Wembley is being made to feel like White Hart Lane 2.0 judging by the pictures the club have shared on Twitter…

Wow! It really does look special!

A quick word on tonight’s opposition before we leave, Monaco may field Radamel Falcao, who flopped at both Chelsea and Man United, but has scored twice in Champions League qualification action against Fenerbahce since heading back to the Ligue 1 club.

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Manchester United received quite a bit of criticism after their 0-0 draw at Anfield on Monday night, but it’s hard to argue that Jose Mourinho didn’t get what he went for. There may have been negative football on show, but it certainly wasn’t negative result. And on the back of that, the thumping of Fenerbahce essentially means that Mourinho’s plan is coming to fruition.

Monday night saw United play their most bitter of traditional rivals and Thursday night saw Robin van Persie score at Old Trafford once again, whilst Paul Pogba finally dominated a game. Yet Sunday afternoon will present an even bigger emotional test for Mourinho as he returns to Stamford Bridge.

But that just poses extra questions for ‘Mou’. Is this game one in which he just wants to get out unscathed for his own personal pride? Or is this one where he has to be brave and attack his former employers given that his current side have only won one league game since 27th August?

A win for United could take them as high as fourth, defeat could see them slide back closer to midtable.

Here are four conundrums Mourinho will have to ponder before 4pm on Sunday night.

Does Michael Carrick play?

After a solid performance against Fenerbahce – not to mention one that allowed Paul Pogba to run the show – does Jose Mourinho bring Michael Carrick back into the side in order to free up the world’s record signing to play his natural game now that he’s hit a vein of form?

The fact he played the full 90 minutes in midweek, however, suggests that United will probably play someone else instead.

Is a 4-3-3 his best bet?

Whoever Mourinho does pick to play alongside Pogba he’ll have to decide whether he’s going to choose one player or two. For the last few weeks, Mourinho seems to have been faced with the same question: can Paul Pogba play in a midfield two?

The question was, in one sense, emphatically answered against Fenerbahce. He can if he’s playing alongside a more disciplined player. In another sense we still don’t know: Chelsea will surely provide a stiffer test than the Turks did on Thursday night.

How can he hurt Chelsea down the channels?

It looks like Antonio Conte has settled on a 3-4-3 formation these days, and that’s the formation Mourinho will probably be expecting from Chelsea on Sunday.

If that’s the case, he’ll also be wondering how he can get at Chelsea’s back three – can you hurt them in the channels, in behind the wing-backs? Playing with pace to try and get in behind Marcos Alonso and Victor Moses is not only an attacking threat, but it could also stop Alonso and Moses from providing Chelsea with an attacking option out wide. It might be a case of getting as much pace as possible into the team – even if playing Marcus Rashford or Jesse Lingard means leaving out Juan Mata against his former club.

How to nullify Chelsea’s main threat?

If Mourinho is able to pin back Chelsea’s wing backs, that could be the key to stopping Eden Hazard from turning on the magic.

With the wing-backs freed from some of their usual defensive duties as a result of having an extra centre back to bail them out, they provide extra attacking width. In turn, that allows Eden Hazard to cut in from the flank and weave his magic in the centre.

If the wing-backs are left to roam unchecked, then United’s full-backs will be faced with the prospect of having to deal with a man overlapping on the touchline and another man cutting inside – a nightmare, especially against a player like Hazard.

West Ham have restored the feel-good factor to the London Stadium in the past week, after they followed up a last-gasp victory over Sunderland with an impressive 2-1 beating of Chelsea in the EFL Cup.

The Hammers’ win sees them set-up an intriguing quarter-final tie with Manchester United at the end of November and shows Slaven Bilic’s side possess a strong chance of going all the way, as the likes of Tottenham and Manchester City also tumbled out of the competition this week.

On a superb evening for the Hammers, youngster Edimilson Fernandes stood out after his impressive performance, which he capped off with a goal, and caught the eyes of many fans watching the game.

The 20-year-old was signed in the summer from FC Sion but has had limited opportunities thus far, although his performance last night could lead to more chances in the first-team at a crucial stage in West Ham’s season.

The Hammers face a tricky trip to Goodison Park this weekend to face Everton, before clashes with Stoke City, Tottenham and a double-header against Manchester United in the league and cup.

Could Edimilson Fernandes feature in that run? We shall see, but many fans were thrilled and took to social media to celebrate his performance.

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Liverpool do not have the same lofty expectations as many of their rivals.

Premier League victory is only just creeping into the horizon, although it is possible in your first season, and a season without the clutter of European fixtures gives a nice starting point to your campaign.

Mould the squad how you see fit, with qualifying for the Champions League a must to keep your star players. Talent in attacking positions could dictate how you set your team up, but it should not rule out further forward additions.

Balance in the Liverpool squad is non-existent. Defensive woes of late are reflected in the ratings of their defenders on Football Manager and you must address this issue as soon as possible if you are to have any significant success.

With that in mind, young defenders could be the way forward. If you are willing to take the time to nurture them they could be a viable answer at the back.

The rest of the team should not be forgotten, though, as you look to build a youthful second string…

Mauricio Lemos

Mauricio Lemos could be the defensive answer that Liverpool have been looking for. Joel Matip is a must-start at the heart of your defence, it is his partner that is in doubt.

Lemos, even from the start of your save, has the stats to play as a ball-playing defender. Liverpool are not equipped with the squad to play a more direct game, making it almost a necessity to pass through the centre-backs.

First season as a squad player or second as an integral member of the team, he is simply a must sign.

Jorge

Left-back has been a long-running problem for Liverpool. Everyone seems to have had a crack at playing there in real life, with some frankly calamitous performances.

James Milner is the incumbent, but that just won’t suffice on Football Manager. You need to find a replacement for Milner – assuming you aren’t going to trust Alberto Moreno – and Jorge should be one of the players under consideration.

Reece Oxford

West Ham will be reluctant to let Reece Oxford go considering his absurdly high potential, but that should not put you off flirting with him and his agent.

Lemos might be more Premier League ready, but Oxford will, given time, become a wonderful centre-back. Avoiding over working him as a youngster while keeping his minutes high is the main challenge, should you do that perfectly you will have an excellent defensive midfielder and a near world class centre-back.

Manuel Locatelli

Like so many wonderkids, Locatelli will be very pricey. His current ability is a bit underwhelming for such a fee, so it could be worth building an instalment-based deal to lure AC Milan into a sale.

Should you secure Locatelli, loans are the way forward. Shift him out to clubs where he will get plenty of minutes in a key role and watch him blossom.

Johannes Eggestein

The shoots of a world class talent are already present for Eggestein. He, like Locatelli, will need an eyewatering transfer fee to be signed, though.

Strength and stamina ratings are worryingly low, too, which could understandably put a few Liverpool managers off signing him.

His numbers at 18 show just how good he can become, Eggestein might be the man to lead the line for your Liverpool team into the future and will certainly be a good squad option by 2018/19.