There have only been a small handful of occasions in which Southampton have resembled anything close to a functional side this season, and you have to wonder how much that is due to the systems the Saints have been using.
Mauricio Pellegrino collected his fair share of critics by sticking with 4-2-3-1, which convinced Mark Hughes to attempt a bold 4-4-2 setup during his first Premier League game in charge of the south coast outfit – resulting in a 3-0 defeat to relegation rivals West Ham.
With that experiment backfiring completely, we laid out four potential solutions to Southampton’s formation dilemma earlier this week – sticking with 4-4-2, modifying it into a diamond midfield, returning to 4-2-3-1 or swapping to a 3-4-3 – and asked Saints fans to vote for their preferred setup.
3-4-3 and the diamond midfield proved the most popular options, but perhaps the most notable consequence of our poll was that just 9% of Southampton fans believe sticking with 4-4-2 will result in the club’s top flight survival.
How would you line up Hughes’ side against Arsenal this weekend? Let us know by commenting below…
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There has been a lot of speculation over the past week regarding the future of Manchester United’s goalkeeper, David de Gea. Many media outlets are reporting that Real Madrid are likely to pursue their interest in the Spanish goalkeeper, either during this transfer window or in the summer. And with the Independent suggesting de Gea will be available for £50 million; this begs the question, should United cash in on their number one with Victor Valdes waiting in the wings?
There is no doubting that de Gea has been United’s standout player this season, saving them from countless situations and winning points on his own. Without him it is very possible United wouldn’t be in the top four, suggesting what a great influence he has been this season.
The Spanish international joined the Red Devils from Athletico Madrid in 2011 for around £18 million at just 20-years of age. He endured a difficult first season at Old Trafford, with many experts stating that de Gea wasn’t ready to be the number one keeper at United. But in his second season he helped United secure their 20th and last top flight title to date, putting in a much improved season.
Over the past 18 months or so, de Gea has proven to be one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League, if not in World football. But now with over 150 United appearances under his belt, it might be time for him to leave for bigger and better things at Real Madrid. Madrid are in search for a long term successor to Iker Casillas and, at 24, de Gea seems like the perfect man to take over.
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With the Red Devils obviously reluctant to sell now, the summer will more than likely be the best time to consider cashing in in order to get the most money for him. If the rumoured £50 million price tag is accurate then it would make de Gea comfortably the most expensive goalkeeper in the history of the game. De gea has 18 months left on his current Old Trafford contract and it is not guaranteed that he will sign a new deal.
So with that in mind, and Financial Fair Play forcing the need to function at a profit, selling de Gea might not be a bad option, especially for the astronomical fee reported. They shouldn’t stand in the Spaniard’s way should he want to leave and it isn’t the end of the world, not with another world-class goalkeeper ready to take over.
Victor Valdes has been one of the world’s most outstanding goalkeepers in the last decade or so. At 33, he still has plenty of years left in the game at the very highest level. He made over 500 appearances for Barcelona, winning six La Liga titles, three Champions Leagues and two Club World Cups. Valdes will go down as one of, if not the, best goalkeepers in Barcelona’s history. Whilst Barcelona had a world-class defence, Valdes often bailed his team out with quality and consistent performances that made him so highly regarded.
He was one of a host of world-class players for Barcelona and, despite injury ruling him out for the best part of a year, there is no doubt that he can still put in those types of performances for United in the Premier League. Valdes also has a lot more experience than de Gea, especially in big matches, which would benefit Van Gaal’s side should de Gea leave the club. There’s also no doubting that Valdes is at a very similar level to de Gea quality wise, with Valdes’ experience perhaps just edging it in terms of being the better goalkeeper. That might be an unpopular statement, but it’s accurate nonetheless.
If David de Gea was to leave for United, either now or in the summer, then Victor Valdes is exactly the type of goalkeeper Van Gaal would want to call upon as a replacement.
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Baring in mind Valdes is already at the club, then it might not necessarily be a bad thing if de Gea left.
Martin O’Neill is preparing to offer Connor Wickham to Swansea in order to push through the transfer of Danny Graham, the Telegraph understand.
The Sunderland boss is desperate to sign Graham before the transfer deadline shuts up shop on Thursday evening, with a £5million feel thought to have been agreed with the South Wales club.
It’s believed the Gateshead-born frontman wants to return to the North East after struggling for game time at the Liberty Stadium this season, due to the impressive form of Michu, with personal reasons also being cited.
Swans boss Michael Laudrup is prepared to offload the 27-year-old and O’Neill is now scrambling to push the deal over the line before the deadline with Premier League rivals Norwich and Stoke still interested.
Reports are now suggesting that England under-21 international Wickham will be used as a makeweight to speed up Graham’s protracted switch and O’Neill is hoping Swansea will agree to take him on loan until May.
The 19-year-old has struggled to make the desired impact since arriving at the Stadium of Light in an £8m move from Ipswich in June 2011.
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He has struggled to dislodge Steven Fletcher as Sunderland’s central striker this term, making just two starts, and O’Neill is hoping the extra exposure to first team football will stand him in good stead.
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Everton have struggled in front of goal throughout this season so it is little surprise that they have been linked with Valencia striker Rodrigo in recent days, as per HITC.
The Spanish striker staked his claim for a starting place at this summer’s World Cup with a goal against world champions Germany on Friday night, as the Iberians continue their search for a potent and prolific frontman to really make the most of their mesmerising passing play.
The striker, valued at £22.5m by Transfermarkt, has 16 goals in all competitions this season and if he continues that form between now and the end of the season, he will have a great chance of being the first choice striker, given the relative struggles of Alvaro Morata and Diego Costa.
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His performance on Friday suggested that Sam Allardyce should intensify his interest in a man who doesn’t appear to need many touches of the ball to make an impact.
As it has to be in this Spanish side, his linkup play was reliable, with a pass success rate of 85 per cent. Everton play a contrasting style but Allardyce will want his frontmen to be adept at bringing others into play and in order to start for Spain, Rodrigo has to do that.
He even mucked in at the other end of the pitch, with one clearance. He had just 29 touches, but when his opportunity came – his only shot of the match – he made it count and it is that clinical finishing that Everton have so sorely lacked this season.
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He also had a brief loan spell with Bolton back in 2011, so Rodrigo is not an absolute stranger to English football. That’s another plus point and if he does start for Spain and perform well in the summer, his stock will be high.
The summer transfer deadline day headlines were well and truly stolen by Manchester United, who well and truly splashed the cash. The Red Devils took their total spend to an eye watering £150m thanks to a late loan deal for Radamel Falcao, who arrived amid a flurry of excitement and talk of a Premier League title charge.
Yet the Colombian’s time at Old Trafford has been, so far, relatively underwhelming, with fitness issues and competition for places having been factors in his lack of impact. Not yet a United player permanently, there have been suggestions that Louis van Gaal is considering backing out of a full transfer all together now, and here are FIVE reasons that may make sense…
Lack of playing time so far
Despite arriving in a headline grabbing loan deal with a reputation as one of Europe’s very best forwards, Falcao’s outings have been sporadic so far. The Colombian has featured nine times in total, five have been as a substitute, netting just two goals in the process. A troublesome calf injury has limited his time on the field, which has prevented United from getting a sound return on their considerable investment so far.
That knee injury
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Much of Falcao’s 2014 has been spent on the sidelines. The South American damaged his ACL way back in January while at Monaco, forcing him to sit out the back end of last season and the World Cup. United were stringent in their medical examination of the former Atletico Madrid and Porto ace, yet with such a problem, there’s always a chance of recurrence. Also, Falcao seems short of the yard of pace that made him such a hit, with his explosiveness having been his major strength in the past.
Age debate
While his birth certificate suggests that Falcao is 28, there are some suggestions that he may actually be 30. There is little proof to back up this claim, yet talk in his home continent circles around when he actually made his first-team debut, which, if everything lines up correctly, may have been in his early teens.
His birth certificate has been revealed, but there are numerous cases of incorrect documentation in some of the world’s poorer countries, so there’s potential for Falcao to be older than he says…
Massive fee
United have already paid a massive loan fee (rumoured to be around £6m) for Falcao and are handing him a wage in the region of £300,000-per-week, yet to keep him permanently another £43m will be needed. At the age of 28, the Monaco man has very little in the way of re-sale value and is now in the very middle of his ‘peak years’, making him a short-term fix. Wayne Rooney is of a similar age, while Robin van Persie is the wrong side of 30, so perhaps a younger option may be wiser.
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Where does he fit?
Now that Louis van Gaal has switched back to a 3-5-2 set-up, Falcao has been able to slot into a two man attack. Yet, when LVG has his defensive options in place, he may look to utilise his favoured 4-3-3 set-up, which allows him just one centre-forward. Rooney, Van Persie, James Wilson and Falcao will be his options, while there are suggestions that another big name striker is on the club’s transfer radar. Keeping so many stars happy will be tough, and it’s unlikely that Van Gaal will drop his captain or compatriot, so Falcao could be the man with the axe hovering above.
Out-of-favour Arsenal star Andrey Arshavin is on the verge of a move to Reading, according to reports from the Daily Mail.
The Royals’ Russian owner Anton Zingaervich is thought to be extremely keen on the 31-year-old, who has been a bit part player under Arsene Wenger this season.
The Gunners are said to be willing to offload the man they signed for £15m this January, as he could leave for free at the end of the season once his contract expires.
Arshavin is reportedly taking the offer made by the newly promoted side seriously, as it may be his last chance of regular Premier League football.
Reading are willing to pay £2m to draft him in next month, as they attempt to add some creative flair to their struggling squad.
Manager Brian McDermott has stated that he is looking to add experience to his ranks, which would make the Russian captain an ideal candidate.
Arshavin has made over 100 appearances for Arsenal since his arrival in 2009 and has also earned 75 international caps.
Reading are likely to face competition for his signature, with former club Zenit Saint Petersburg rumoured to be interested.
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Fulham are also monitoring the situation and are thought to have made an official enquiry.
It is also believed that a number of clubs in the Middle East would be willing to take on the attacking midfielder, who could be tempted by one last lucrative contract.
Everton manager Sam Allardyce has revealed that three players have returned to fitness in time for this weekend’s Premier League match against Brighton.
Leighton Baines, Phil Jagielka and Ramiro Funes Mori are all available to feature at Goodison Park on Saturday.
The manager confirmed the news in his pre-match press conference, and it provides a major boost considering that the team will be without Ashley Williams.
The centre-back will miss the next three games after getting sent off in the latter stages of Everton’s defeat to Burnley last weekend.
With Jagielka and Funes Mori fit, Allardyce has a handful of options to select from when lining up the defence.
Baines’s return is also positive news for the fans, the majority of whom wanted the club to buy a new left-back in January due to Cuco Martina’s less-than-impressive performances.
The Dutchman has had to fill in during Baines’s injury absence, and has come under fire due to him being predominantly right-footed.
Everton are in need of some points having won just two of their last 11 Premier League games.
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The club sit 11th in the table, seven points above the relegation zone.
How many club captains are far from the fan favourite? West Ham’s for one.
Kevin Nolan has been the captain of West Ham United ever since he joined the Hammers in June 2011. He replaced an average captain in Matthew Upson and he was reunited with Sam Allardyce who chose the then 28-year-old to captain the side as they started their bid for an instant return to the Premier League.
Nolan left Newcastle United for West Ham where he was captain of The Geordies. Kevin scored 12 goals in The Championship campaign and helped guide The Hammers back to the Premier League via the playoffs. In the two Premier League campaigns that followed he was the clubs top goalscorer, albeit in a poor West Ham side in terms of attacking. So that’s both seasons that Nolan has been with West Ham in the Premier League that he has outscored all of his teammates – yet he still gets more criticism than most.
As the ‘Kevin Nolan saga’ continues, does he deserve to start for West Ham, and more bluntly is there any room for him?
Let’s get one thing straight, a captain’s influence is as much off the pitch as it is on it, and Nolan’s work behind he scenes seems excellent. He is one of the senior figures and with 359 Premier League appearances to date, he has a wealth of experience beyond most. He has personally shielded Andy Carroll and Ravel Morrison from the press’ jibes and he seems a popular figure within the squad, which has an obvious high level of morale.
He has been a consistent pick in West Ham’s squad under Sam Allardyce and hasn’t missed a game when fit. Many Hammers fans have been calling for Ravel Morrison to replace him, mainly during last season, but Big Sam has stuck by him. Now Morrison has gone on loan to Cardiff the competition for that centre-attacking midfield spot has weakened. Mauro Zarate can and will play there but West Ham’s formation has changed, and that’s why Morrison was allowed to leave on loan again.
The Hammers are largely donning a 4-3-3 formation with a free-roam given to Stewart Downing who’s excelling in his new role. Enner Valencia is playing out wide and both are supporting Sakho up top. Three central midfielders has been the order of the day for Big Sam’s new look West Ham.
Everyone knows that Nolan’s best position is in behind the front-man, and that’s how he has notched so many Premier League goals over the years from midfield. However, West Ham aren’t currently starting with a player in that position. Having said that, the Hammers are to be without Mark Noble and Cheikhou Kouyate for Sunday’s home game against QPR as they were for the trip to Old Trafford last weekend. This somewhat forced Big Sam’s hand into playing a centre-attacking midfielder, which Stewart Downing obliged. It wasn’t West Ham’s best performance of the season so far, but they should have got something out of the game after Wayne Rooney was sent off.
Kevin made his return from injury against Man United when he replaced Diego Poyet for the final 15 minutes. He showed that his knack of arriving late in the box is still present and he tucked away an equaliser which was rightly ruled out for offside but could have easily of been given on another day.
I think Sam will stick with his line-up against Man United for the visit of QPR and I fully expect Kevin Nolan to be used as a substitute, where he may well be just as effective as scoring late goals. His overall lack of effort during games won’t be missed so it’ll keep the Hammers fans happy if he is called upon late to find important goals, rather than to contribute very little to the team.
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Kevin’s days of playing in the Premier League are numbered, and that will be the case as he enters the final years of his career, but he can still do a job, and if he wants another job I wouldn’t mind him being a part of the coaching staff when that day comes. He’s a leader who is excellent for morale – he just doesn’t quite offer enough during the full 90 minutes anymore.
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QPR are set to make an audacious bid for Rennes midfielder Yann M’Vila, according to reports from The Metro.
The French international has been heavily linked with Tottenham and Arsenal in recent months, but it appears that Super Hoops boss Harry Redknapp is confident that he can complete a £7.5m move.
Spurs failed with a £15m bid over the summer, but QPR believe that they can snatch him for around half of that figure, with the player keen to play in the Premier League.
Redknapp is likely to receive substantial backing from the Loftus Road-based outfit’s board this January, as they look to avoid relegation to the second tier.
M’Vila, 22, is thought to be high on ‘Arry’s list of targets, as the former Portsmouth and Southampton coach looks to bolster his squad.
It’s unclear as to whether Arsenal or Tottenham will reignite their interest in the holding midfielder, which could play into QPR’s hands.
M’Vila is widely regarded as one of the finest talents in his home nation and has been capped 22 times at senior international level.
Meanwhile, The London club are said to be preparing a swoop for former Chelsea star Nicolas Anelka.
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The striker is reportedly unsettled at new club Shanghai Shenhua and clould be allowed to leave.
Everton are going through a rebuilding period following the turmoil from last season.
The Merseyside outfit went from having Ronald Koeman in charge to then appointing Sam Allardyce, who was later replaced with Marco Silva at the end of the season.
Silva is mulling over his transfer options, and it seems that he is willing to offload one of his defenders.
On Friday, the Daily Mail mentioned that the Merseyside outfit consider offers for Mason Holgate.
The 21-year-old, who predominantly plays at centre-back but can also feature at right-back, joined the Toffees from Barnsley in 2015.
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Last season, he made 21 appearances in all competitions, including 15 in the Premier League.
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With the long-term futures of Phil Jagielka and Ashley Williams uncertain, as well as the fact the Ramiro Funes Mori has departed, losing Holgate would be a strange move.
It seems that a large number of Everton fans share the same sentiment.