UK Football

photo:  Mr. Phillip Chambers

If Liverpool are to win the League and Europe it looks as though Rafa Benitez’s men will have to do it practically without captain fantastic, as Steven Gerrard has picked up a groin injury that Liverpool will be forced to deal with until the end of the season.  This means that Gerrard is likely to miss out on Saturday’s clash with Blackburn as well as next Tuesday’s second Champions League leg against Chelsea.  A major blow to Liverpool considering at times Gerrard is their whole team, and Liverpool desperately need to keep pace with United in the Premiership, and have a 3-1 aggregate to bounce back from in the Champions League.

Oh how quickly football can turn around on you.

photo:  Jh1442

Speaking of clubs suffering injury blows to major players, Arsenal also suffered a huge blow to their squad in the Champions League, as former captain William Gallas has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee ligament injury.  A gigantic blow to an Arsenal side that’s going to need to defend stoutly to have any hopes of beating a Villarreal side that’s been excellent in the Champions League this season.  Not to mention the help Wenger’s defense is going to need to fend off a Europe hungry Aston Villa from taking one of the top four spots in the Premier League.

photo: James Adams

The UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup draw took place today, and finally we know exactly how the quarterfinals are set up to play out.  The next two legs of the Champions League will take place on April 7/8 and April 14/15, and will feature:

• Manchester United v FC Porto
• Liverpool v Chelsea
• Arsenal v Villarreal
• Barcelona v Bayern Munich
  

The UEFA Cup ties will take place April 9th and 16th, and will feature:

• Manchester City v Hamburg
• PSG v Dynamo Kiev
• Shakhtar Donetsk v Marseille
• Werder Bremen v Udinese 

Now that we’ve got that news out of the way, back to the Premiership…

Theo Walcott has found himself injured once again, after the 20 year old England hopeful was finally back in training, after recovering from a shoulder injury sustained while away on international duty back in November.  Walcott injured himself in training with Arsenal, well actually Walcott was injured walking from the training pitch to the dressing room, when the winger took an awkward step and locked his knee, possibly causing cartilage damage. 

photo: Wonker

Walcott will need proper scans before any word on how long Arsenal’s fastest attacker will be out of the squad.  And all I can think is, what horrid luck Walcott is having this season.  The boy starts out as a revelation for England and Arsenal with his attacking fury flying down the right flank, having his best Premiership season yet.   And then the shoulder injury puts him out for five months, and now when Walcott is finally ready to return, he injures himself walking after training.  Unlucky.

Though only time will tell if Redknapp can fix the many mistakes that are still very evident at White Hart Lane.  

photo: Calebrw

David Beckham may have to wait until November to make a permanent move to AC Milan, as the LA Galaxy can’t reach an agreement with the Italian club over Beckham’s transfer fee.  Apparently the Galaxy want £15million for the England legend.  But AC Milan are understandably a little speculative about shelling out so much cash for a player that’s going to be forced to retire in a few years, because let’s face it, Beckham is old in football terms.  Considering Beckham has been their best player in his term at the club, and the fact that he’s playing with the same quality he used to present at Manchester United, AC Milan could do worse in a £15million transfer.

Tony Adams got sacked today, and I don’t exactly understand the move from Pompey.  Premiership clubs need to stop being so willing to fire a manager without giving them time to gel with a club.  Adams never had financial support to bring in players, and Pompey made it a habit to sell their best players, like Jermaine Defoe, without replacing them in any way.  What was Adams supposed to do?

And still with that going on, Portsmouth had Liverpool beaten for most of that match during the weekend, given the state of Pompey’s current squad, how could Adams be in any way a bad manager?  But Portsmouth disagree, and are looking to sign a manager that doesn’t belong in the Premier League ever again in Avram Grant.  I  understand Chelsea finished well, and played well last season, but they would have won everything under a better manager.  Avram Grant’s decisions at the club were so bad I can’t believe Abramovich waited until the end of the season to sack him, or that Grant was able to find another job managing a football club.

Pompey have made a big mistake, and shouldn’t be surprised if they find themselves in the bottom three by the end of the season.

photo: John Dobson

Justice by the FA, Shaun Wright-Phillips has been punished for kicking out at Rory Delap during Manchester City’s fixture against Stoke last weekend, despite the foul being missed by the official during the match.  Wright-Phillips will receive a three match ban, and one that he completely deserves.

And finally, as if Arsenal weren’t having enough problems this season, Adebayor has picked up an injury, meaning the striker faces a three week lay off with an injured hamstring.  Arsene Wenger has already been having trouble getting his side motivated enough to break back into the top four, and now being one striker down Arsenal are in more trouble than ever.

photo: Aleksandr Mysyakin

Andrei Arshavin completed his dream move to Arsenal, just in time before the transfer window closed yesterday.  Apparently for quite a bit of money by Arsenal’s standards, Arshavin set them back £15million, but with the transfer came a long term contract like Arsene Wenger always demands from his players, the contract is believed to be in the 3 and a half to 4 year range.  Depending upon how the Russian playmaker adapts to Premiership life Arshavin could be a brilliant signing for Arsenal, but that remains to be seen.

One thing’s for sure, Arshavin has infinite potential to excel and Arsenal desperately needed another attacking midfielder.

Robbie Keane has once again been handed the Tottenham captaincy in his return to White Hart Lane.  Redknapp clearly going for the smartest strategy available in his bid to rebuild Spurs, by restoring the captain that guided Tottenham to a Carling Cup title.  But still to me, all of this begs the question, why did Keane every leave?

Robbie Keane flourished at Tottenham, but still never looked like a striker with the great potential to play in a club at the top of the table consistently.  Tottenham have been a mid-table team for some time, and still Keane doesn’t play well consistently enough, so how Liverpool thought the Irishman would turn it around, or better yet how Keane thought he would compete with someone like Fernando Torres I have no idea.  I get that Keane was a Liverpool fan and wanted the opportunity, but sometimes chasing glory and money just isn’t the best career move.

photo: Gordon Flood

And finally, once again Manchester United have clearly show that they may not be willing to spend the £30million it would take to make Carlos Tevez a permanent addition to the club by turning down their first option to buy the striker’s contract when his loan deal expires at the end of the season.  And why keep him?  Tevez isn’t worth £30m, not at all.  Sure the Argentine is tenacious, but not the good tenacity that Ji-Sung Park or Wayne Rooney employ, that ball winning fury but level headedness to keep aware of team mates to keep your attacking flow going at full force.

Tevez likes to sit on the ball until the attackers in front of him have to pull up before going into an offside position, thereby making any positive movement impossible.  Tevez is good, he just doesn’t play the Manchester United way, and therefore he is not the proper permanent addition for the defending champs.

The Tottenham captain returns, Robbie Keane is back at White Hart Lane just six months after having departed for Liverpool.  I’m not really surprised to see it, despite all the talk from Rafa Benitez and his attempts to convince the public that Keane belonged at Anfield.  Robbie Keane was never meant for a club like Liverpool, and he will flourish once again back at Tottenham.

The fans love him, and Keane always was a vital part of Tottenham’s accomplishments during his six years at Spurs.  Now with Keane back, as well as Defoe and Chimbonda, Redknapp should now be able to completely turn the club around and get Spurs firing on all cylinders once again.

The only other fairly major change at the deadline was Jo’s departure from City on a loan deal with Everton.  Everton will have Jo’s services for the remainder of the season, and none too soon considering that Everton don’t really have any capable striker’s available.  Perhaps given this second chance at life in the Premiership Jo will find his form, or Everton have wasted time and money getting a Brazilian who isn’t suited to EPL life.

And finally, Andrei Arshavin, who knows whether he’s still relegated to life at Zenit St. Petersburg, or Arsenal’s newest addition to midfield.  Neither Arsenal or Arshavin’s agent will comment as of yet.  Of course the transfer window has closed, and no doubt if the deal has been done Arsenal will announce it sooner rather than later.  But I have to say, if Arsenal let Arshavin get away again, than Arsene Wenger clearly has no plan for making a legitimate attempt at winning the league.

Rafa Benitez just cannot stop raging at everyone these days. The latest target of the Spaniard’s fury was Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp, who made an innocent comment to the effect that Redknapp wishes Keane still played for the club. And of course Benitez took that as being an underhanded attempt at getting Keane to think about re-signing for Spurs, and threatened to take action with the FA for Redknapp’s unruly conduct.

But I think the real issue here is just that Benitez is feeling the pressure of his job, and he’s not surpassing expectations at all. Liverpool have fallen all the way to third in the Premier League after their horrid form of late, after a Premiership start that had everyone predicting yet another title for the League championship record holders. Just to show you how crazy and unfounded Benitez’s latest rage actually is, here were Redknapp’s exact quotes in response to Rafa’s ranting, “I only answered the question: do you wish Robbie Keane was still at the club and I said yes,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live. “I wish Michael Carrick was still at the club, but he is not - it is hypothetical and it’s not going to happen unfortunately.

“I wish Dave Mackay was 22 and is still playing here and Glenn Hoddle was 18 and still here. That’s all I said.”

Arsene Wenger refuses to comment, but according to Sky Sports Andrei Arshavin has secured a UK work release, and likely Arsenal are the sponsor’s of said document, meaning a deal is either almost complete, or likely to complete before the transfer window shuts Monday. Arsenal could use a creative midfielder like Arshavin, especially with the underperformances they’ve suffered this year. At a time when everyone at the top, besides Aston Villa, seem to be playing well below their potential, Arsenal should be higher than fifth.

photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/birdies-perch/

Liverpool look to be interested in signing England striker Emile Heskey, reportedly for a fee of around £4million. I would have to say, this is a huge step in the correct direction for Rafa Benitez, after the horrible mistake of signing Robbie Keane. Because, Heskey is the type of striker that Liverpool could actually use, because Heskey always makes his striker partner play much better due to his incredible unselfish attitude. Meaning Fernando Torres will have many more opportunities to score with Heskey, opposed to Robbie Keane who only gets in his way when they are partnered together.

Now Benitez just needs to offload Keane for somewhere around the £20million the Irishman cost them, and then Liverpool can forget the whole ordeal.

Looks like Manchester United might actually take action against out of favour striker Carlos Tevez. After Tevez’s threats to leave for Real Madrid, rumour has it that Sir Alex Ferguson is going to offload the Argentine in this transfer window. Which United should do, considering the diva attitude Tevez is starting to have. Instead of whining perhaps Tevez should take the opportunities he has from Ferguson to prove his ability to be in the starting eleven, instead of flopping and watching Wayne Rooney completely outshine him.

Andrei Arshavin is supposedly headed for London with Arsenal, although I doubt it as Arsene Wenger has zero transfer money. Meaning unless somebody else in the Premiership can offer up the £12million, Arshavin could have complained his way out of the Zenit St Petersburg squad for nothing. But, as the saying goes, never break a contract unless you already have another one lined up.

And finally, Stewart Downing will be staying at Middlesbrough despite having submitted a transfer request. As Gareth Southgate has made his intentions clear by rejecting Tottenham Hotspur’s bid of over £14million for the midfielder. Southgate also said that no senior player will be sold from Boro in this transfer window, and considering Boro’s position in the table, I would hope not.

photo: Austin Osuide

Well the transfer window is well and truly upon us, although many football analysts predict a lacklustre transfer period this time around, I highly doubt that. What with Manchester City’s billions, and their horrible place in the table. I don’t see Abu Dhabi United Group sitting back, and waiting for the possible fall. What if they should fall? Which billionaire organization would possibly want a relegated club to work with. More importantly who can you possibly attract, in terms of big names, to a Championship club.?

In terms of big name possibilities so far we have Roque Santa Cruz’s name being thrown around once again, mostly in connection with Mark Hughes and his reshaped Manchester City. Who have just recently acquired Wayne Bridge, and Bridge may prove to have been a great addition, considering how well the last time City bought a Chelsea reject turned out with one Shaun Wright-Phillips.

Stuart Downing is being linked to basically everyone, despite Gareth Southgate’s protests to Downing’s actual chances of departing Middlesbrough. Jose Mourinho doesn’t want Michael Owen, Cristiano Ronaldo pledged his long term future to Manchester United once again, Carlos Tevez is still desperately seeking a permanent Old Trafford deal. Jermaine Defoe is looking to greener pastures with a return to the managerial tactics of Harry Redknapp at Tottenham.

And David Villa may yet be appearing in the sky blue of Manchester City before January’s end.

All that, and it’s just the second day of January.

photo: Paul Blank

Well, Arsenal, the former top four club that has struggled the most this season, has once again flopped, and shown Aston Villa and it’s supporters that the Villans deserve their fourth place spot over Arsenal. Sure it was a draw, but it was a match that Arsenal should have had wrapped up after scoring once in the first half, and then pretty much immediately in the second half. But Martin O’Neill has done something different with his men this season, and that’s the inspiration he has instilled.

As evidenced by Villa’s late rally with a Gareth Barry penalty in the 65^th minute, and then the equaliser in stoppage time to hand Villa it’s very well earned point. The major thing to take away here, is that Arsenal will be lucky to finish fifth in the league the way they are playing. To be in the top four you can lose to other clubs in the top four, but you have to win your matches against the smaller clubs, and right now Aston Villa would be considered a smaller club for their results of the last few season.

A match that Arsenal should have won, because they desperately needed the three points, but I just don’t think that the Gunners have the depth to win a title anymore. And they haven’t been since the departure of their former captain Henry. With Henry they had the ability to come from behind and turn defeat into victory, or a sure draw into three points with a late winner. But now Arsenal are just sad, and Arsene Wenger is running them into the ground.

I think Wenger has done all he can do at Arsenal, he’s not Sir Alex Ferguson, he is not a franchise making manager. I think it’s time for both to part ways.

Arsenal’s season is well and truly over. With the club already getting disappointing results much too often this season, an already weak Arsenal squad is about to get weaker as Cesc Fabregas is expected to be out for four months after rupturing ligaments in his knee. The injury came during Arsenal’s match with Liverpool at the weekend, in which Fabregas went into a 50-50 challenge with Xabi Alonso, and needless to say came out worse for wear. Fabregas was clearly bothered as he hobbled off to the sideline as the half came to an end, and you know the Spaniard was injured, because Fabregas is one of the few class players that would never feign injury in hopes of a foul or spot kick.

Arsenal have no one to fill Fabregas’ shoes at this point, well any club would have trouble filling in for a Fabregas really, and considering the already too close to call title race, losing Arsenal’s captain for everything but maybe the final five Premier League fixtures doesn’t bode well for Wenger’s men staying in the top four. Especially not with Aston Villa on fire, and a face off against the Villans on Boxing day looming. Arsene Wenger and Arsenal now face their biggest uphill battle, and all without their captain.