Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho believes that the Professional Footballers’ Association Team of the Year should have all come from his team, before insisting that the selected squad does not have the capability to win the Premier League, Mirror reports.
Despite having no less than six players – Eden Hazard, Diego Costa, John Terry, Gary Cahill, Branislav Ivanovic, and Nemanja Matic – in the all-star lineup, Mourinho was bewildered that star midfielder Cesc Fabregas was omitted even though the Spaniard made an incredible 16 assists during the campaign.
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‘The Special One’ did admit that he was biased, but when asked whether there should have been more Blues players in the squad, he replied that all of them should have gained the recognition.
He said: “Yes, all. I think so. But I know that this is the Chelsea manager speaking, and obviously I respect every one of the players in that team, and especially everyone that chose.
“The players from the other teams have the right to choose. Obviously great players were in that team, and great players were outside that team.
“But just as an example, the season Fabregas is doing, the number of assists and quality of his game – not to be there is a bit strange.
He then added that the selected team – which included Manchester United’s David De Gea, Southampton ace Ryan Bertrand, Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho, Arsenal winger Alexis Sanchez, and Tottenham’s PFA Young Player of the Year Harry Kane – can’t win the title due to a lack of balance.
“And I think that team wouldn’t win the Premier League. Because that team is four defenders, Matic and only five to attack.
“So it’s a team without any balance. That team is missing a midfield player, and I think that midfield player should be Fabregas.
“But this is not important. I look now as a fan not a manager. It looks like I’m in a pub discussing things that aren’t important, because the important thing is to be champions.”
Chelsea will clinch the title if they manage to beat Leicester City this Wednesday and then Crystal Palace on the weekend.
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After their Europa League exertions on Thursday what state will Tottenham be in by the time they kick off against Fulham on Sunday? Spurs were given a pasting by Inter Milan at the San Siro but somehow managed to sustain their European existence courtesy of Emmanuel Adebayor’s extra time goal. That additional 30 minutes, plus the travel time, will have hampered Andre Villas-Boas preparations for the visit of their capital rivals and he’ll have to guard against fatigue. One plus point is the return of Gareth Bale, who missed the trip to Italy because of suspension. A refreshed and fully recharged Bale should be a useful weapon for Villas-Boas as he attempts to pick his side up after defeat at Liverpool last week ended their 12-game unbeaten run.
Fulham’s chances of taking something away from White Hart Lane will rest on former Tottenham favourite Dimitar Berbatov. The stat rolled out before every one of their recent fixtures is that they’ve never lost when Berbatov has found the net. For Martin Jol, also returning to his former club, the Bulgarian is the focal point of his team and if they can get him into the game enough he will cause damage. That being said the Cottagers have struggled on the road their travels, racking up two wins from 14, and are winless at Spurs in the last decade. With that in mind it’s doubtful Jol would turn his nose up at taking a point back home to West London.
Team News
Aaron Lennon (hamstring) should feature for Tottenham, who have a fresh Gareth Bale back after he was suspended for the Europa League clash with Inter Milan on Thursday.
Steve Sidwell has shaken off a knock and could feature for Fulham but Mahamadou Diarra (knee) looks set to miss the remainder of the season.
What the managers said…
“I’m not sure it sets a pattern for the future. We speak about the game between Manchester United and Real Madrid and had United won they would have been in a good position to go on and win the trophy. Barcelona have won it three times since 2006 but we’ve still had Chelsea and United winning it in recent years. These questions come about because we demand more teams to be involved in the later stages but there isn’t a pattern. It changes every single year. We would have wanted to see more because it doesn’t look very good for the English teams but it can change. I don’t imagine Premier League teams will stop being able to compete in the Champions League. We had last year’s winners in Chelsea and not so long ago [in 2008] Manchester United, too.” Andre Villas-Boas believes leading Tottenham into the Champions League will illustrate the Premier League’s strength (London Evening Standard)
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“I hope Bale will stay at Spurs because it’s a very good club for him. Spurs have been getting better and better so why shouldn’t he stay there? They have a big support, they’re a big club with a big fan base and he could be a legend there. Being linked with going abroad is always nice but it could be a risk. When I look at other players from England or from Holland – big players – who have done that it doesn’t always come off. Whatever he decides to do he will have a big future because he is the best player in the Premier League at the moment.” Martin Jol admits he hopes Gareth Bale stays at Spurs (West London Sport)
Pre-Match Statistic: Fulham haven’t won a White Hart Lane since a Barry Hayles brace secured a 3-0 victory in 2003.x
According to Turkish Football, Everton are lining up a summer bid for Hannover 96 midfielder Marvin Bakalorz.
What’s the story?
A source close to Hannover midfielder Marvin Bakalorz has reportedly told Turkish Football that Everton will try again to sign the 28 year-old having been rebuffed in January.
Bakalorz has played 24 times in the Bundesliga this season, and would likely be a replacement for Morgan Schneiderlin.
The German midfielder, who is best in a defensive role, is out of contract next summer so would be available to the Toffees for a reasonable price.
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Good fit at Goodison?
There are plenty of problems at Goodison Park right now, and while there is definitely room for optimism, fans are tired of the leaky defence and lack of firepower up front.
Above both of those issues though is the fact that the current midfield is like a sieve, and when Idrissa Gueye does not play the Toffees simply do not have the energy to sniff out opposition attacks.
Bakalorz would be a good short-term solution to this problem, and is valued at just £2.2million by Transfermarkt because of his contract situation.
In 24 Bundesliga appearances for Hannover (19 starts), the 28 year-old is averaging 1.5 tackles, 1.5 clearances and one interception per game.
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The tough tackling midfielder reads the game fantastically and is great in the air, so basically everything Schneiderlin was supposed to do when he signed for Everton.
One obvious place for improvement is his passing ability, averaging just a 69.6 per cent completion rate this season, but the Toffees won’t find a much better solution to their midfield woes for a better price.
Everton fans, would you like to see a bargain deal for Bakalorz? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below…
With Chelsea’s disappointing elimination from the Champions League in midweek to Paris Saint-Germain, it is guaranteed that Roman Abramovich and Jose Mourinho will be even more motivated to be crowned European champions next season.
To achieve this, summer expenditure seems likely, but keeping the current star-studded Blues squad together will also be critical to the West London club’s chances of success.
Given the amount of money that Chelsea’s stars are paid and the likelihood of the Premier League title this term, seeing a first-team player leave seems unlikely.
However, the only real concern surrounds Branislav Ivanovic and his expiring contract.
The Serbian defender’s current deal culminates in the summer of 2016, with reports in the press that he has been offered an extension to take him up to the following summer.
There is no doubting Ivanovic’s importance to the Blues; versatile enough to play at either full-back or centre-back, powerful and determined, he is arguably the Premier League’s best defender.
However, an internal policy of offering players over the age of 30 a mere one-year extension could well isolate Ivanovic and play a negative part in ongoing contract negotiations.
The likes of Didier Drogba and Ashley Cole have left Stamford Bridge in the past, turning down 12-month extension options from the Blues in the process, and the last thing that Chelsea want is to enter a similar situation with Ivanovic.
The Serbian is seemingly confident enough at securing a new deal that he does not even need to employ an agent for assistance, but it would be somewhat surprising if the star is satisfied with extending his current contract for only one more year.
With the likes of Real Madrid accredited with a reported interest and a vast number of suitors surely available if Ivanovic did consider leaving Stamford Bridge, the 31-year-old could practically pick his next employers if he so wished.
As the Eastern European shows no signs of ageing and continues to contribute massively to the Blues’ chances of silverware, Chelsea will be tempted to break their one-year policy for over 30s this time round.
The last thing that the club needs is uncertainty and constant media speculation over the future of one of their top performers, similar to the will-he, won’t-he saga that has played out surrounding John Terry and Frank Lampard in recent seasons.
Chelsea will maintain that no single player is more important than the club – and that is true.
However, to keep Ivanovic happy, motivated and playing to his best, offering him a longer-term contract makes sense.
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Replacing the Serbian enforcer with a player of the same stature, physicality, awareness and experience would take some doing, regardless of their Russian owner’s endless financial reserves.
When young players are thrown into the breach the saying ‘if you’re good enough, you’re old enough’ is often applied – the same applies here to Chelsea’s integral elder statesman, who deserves a longer term deal as a reward for stellar performances.
Sunderland winger Adam Johnson has set his sights on regaining his spot in the England set-up, and says he will do all he can to force his way into Roy Hodgson’s plans.
The 25-year-old completed a £12m switch from Manchester City to the Black Cats last summer, with one eye on playing regular football after missing out on a spot in the EURO 2012 squad.
However, he has failed to impress in his 27 Premier League outings, seeing the likes of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Leon Osman moving ahead of him in the pecking order for England.
Johnson admitted that it is tough to be looking at the Three Lions’ set-up from the peripheries, and says that he wants to force his way back in:
“When you are playing for a winning team who are flying then I think it is a lot better,” he told Sky Sports.
“Obviously it is a bit difficult when you are in a bit of a battle and your personal form could be better.
“I think it has gone through a bit of a tough time as a club. All those factors have a bearing on the squad.
“It is difficult watching from the outside. It hurts watching England play when you are not there.
“I have got to work hard, try and do my best and get back in the squad.”
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Johnson made his England debut in 2010, after a series of impressive displays early in his Manchester City career.
As his game time dried up with the Sky Blues, so to did his chances of making the national team, with his last appearance midway through last year.
Harry Winks would do exceptionally well to prove his fitness to Gareth Southgate and force himself into the 23-man England squad that heads to Russia in June.
Yet, as recently as October, he was man of the match on his senior Three Lions debut, before starring as Spurs saw off Real Madrid the following month.
The young playmaker has qualities that both England and, to a lesser extent, Tottenham, lack; composure, an eye for a pass and quick feet that looked set to shove him to the front of the queue for both club and country this season.
Unfortunately for Winks, valued at £13.5m by Transfermarkt, injuries have put him off course and he has lost his way.
He has been unable to force his way back into Mauricio Pochettino’s plans – to any great degree anyway – which has seen his World Cup hopes all but evaporate.
That’s why we asked whether a loan move to Everton – who really could use some dynamism and creativity at the back of midfield – would be a good decision.
The response was mixed but 48 per cent of those we asked think that the England international should make the loan move to Goodison. Check out the full results of the poll below…
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Harry Redknapp manfully tried to battle on with his duties at QPR. Through the agony of knee injury he led his team till his body could take no more. Chris Ramsey is the now man charged with keeping the Hoops up.
Or so the media would have you believe. Old ‘Arry jumped before he was pushed. Make no mistake about it.
Redknapp has wisely built his career as a media darling; he is a man who is perfect for a journalist. He is always willing to give a quote, always to happy his wind his window down. If he was asked who he thought should win X-Factor, he would probably be able to fill his Sun column on it. Therefore, he has been given an easy ride and if Rangers are to be relegated, it will go down as Ramsey not being good enough to keep his side up.
The former manager subjected his fans to 11 straight away defeats, record breaking ineptitude. Funnily enough the ‘useless Ramsey’ managed to secure all three points on his first road trip.
Harry adopted a side who were in a mess and two years later, left them in a mess.
A job well done.
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The 52-year-old Ramsey could have scarcely picked a more difficult first assignment in the world of football management. Picking up the pieces left by the whirlwind of Redknapp.
An 18% win percentage was all he could muster in his Premier League tenure at Loftus Road, nine measly victories.
Noises coming out of the west London club are nothing but positive under the new man. Nedum Onuoha has revealed how finally, the whole squad feel like they have chance to get involved. Without the insistence of playing his old favourites and his notoriety for ignoring youth, every member of the playing staff feel like they have a chance.
“One of the differences from the previous manager to this one (Ramsey) is more people feel involved. The consequence is more competition for places and I think a few months ago a few people didn’t stand a chance.”
QPR have four points to make up and eight games to go, Ramsey is refusing to give up the ghost, his positive attitude is a refreshing antidote to the defeated one his predecessor was showing.
‘I had seven months at home watching Frasier, Jeremy Kyle and Homes Under The Hammer! Of course I would rather be here in this situation than be out of work and worrying where the next job or paycheque is going to come from.’
Ramsey is a man who is relishing the opportunity rather than believed he is owed one.
Although the new man in charge has by no means arrested the slide that QPR find themselves on, they are almost certainties for relegation. But it is a good bet that when the inevitable does occur, Redknapp’s time will be overlooked.
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Is anyone better at getting teams out of the situation QPR find themselves in?
It never takes much to ignite anything in the way of hysteria when it comes to Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney, but even by the standards of the England’s highest-profile footballer, the headlines that his recent omission from Sir Alex Ferguson’s side have produced seem to have set the bar to new levels.
One very brutal, yet ultimately astute tactical call from Ferguson was all it took to have Fleet Street’s finest start writing the opening passage for Rooney’s United obituary and even after the Scot sought to shoot down talk of a departure for the 27-year-old, rumours suggesting otherwise continue to pepper the back pages.
Yet while the notion of a Rooney departure still seems somewhat distant at this moment in time, for as overzealous as the bloodthirsty press may have been in forecasting his exit from Old Trafford, they may not have been completely incorrect when it came to the prediction of stormier times that are still to come.
With only two years left to run on his current deal, one of the main features to come out with Sir Alex’s recent run in with the assorted media was his insistence that Rooney would indeed be offered a new contract. There’s no reason at this current moment in time to suggest that he was being insincere in those musings.
But what he naturally failed to give away, was quite how financially rewarding the terms of that new contract may be and it’s within the terms of that protracted deal that trouble might still lie ahead.
Speculating over a contract that’s yet to be written may seem incredibly naïve, but if we’re going by basic market value and general footballing logic, then it’s not beyond the realms of realism to suggest that there’s every chance Wayne Rooney might have to take a pay cut to stay at Manchester Untied.
With his current deal worth within the region of £250,000-a-week all-in when including bonuses, Rooney is already amongst the top ten most handsomely paid footballers in European football and as he approaches his 28th birthday, his next deal is likely to be his most important.
Yet despite heading into what you’d generally perceive to be the peak years of his existence as a footballer, years that usually herald the most lucratively rewarding contract, too, Rooney finds himself in a strange paradox at Old Trafford.
When he essentially had United over a barrel after he threatened to leave the club back in 2010, he agreed terms on his blockbuster five-year deal in the knowledge that he was undeniably the most important asset that Sir Alex Ferguson has at the club. Although undoubtedly damaged by a poor World Cup showing and slow start to the season, Rooney’s stock had perhaps never been higher than when he signed on the dotted line in the October of that year.
Fast-forward to the present day and the picture certainly looks a lot different for the former-Everton man at the club. – Not quite to the doom mongering extent that many have made out, but certainly to the point in which he finds himself in a considerably weakened bargaining position when it comes to drawing up his next deal.
At the time of penning his current deal in 2010, in purely monetary terms, Rooney was widely reported as the highest-earning footballer in the world in sole respect of his basic wage.
This isn’t to say that ability wise he is even in the same ballpark as either Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, who both earned more when sponsorship deals were inclusive. But let’s not forget, although hindsight is a wonderful thing, Rooney went into the World Cup in South Africa touted as a someone whose ability wasn’t on a plateau too dissimilar from the gifted duo.
Yet while Rooney is being paid a salary that suggests he’s one of the most important players in European football, as the Real Madrid game recently suggested, he’s now arguably not even the most prominent player within this United side.
Make no mistake about it; although he’s not fulfilled the sort of unworldly potential that many believe he once could have, Rooney remains a superb footballer and one of the best currently plying their trade on these shores. But where as in 2010 he was an irreplaceable talisman touted as one of the top five footballers in the world, he’s now deemed worthy enough to be sacrificed for the greater tactical good.
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Now the question must surely remain – would United really reward Wayne Rooney with better terms than what he currently earns when he’s arguably regressed in importance, rather than grown in prominence?
If the answer to that is no, which remains a very distinct possibility, then the emphasis must then turn to whether Rooney would hypothetically accept that and it’s here that we’re left with no easy answers.
It’d be dangerous to make any pre-conceived assumptions over whether the player would throw his toys out the pram, but regardless of the unique circumstances that surround his current financial terms, there can’t be many players of his age and talent facing a pay cut on their next deal.
Unless Rooney fancies a foreign sojourn to Paris Saint-Germain or even consider the unthinkable with a move across Manchester, he may well have simply reached a glass ceiling in terms of his wage potential and one that he must begrudgingly accept. Quite whether he does that with grace, however, remains to be seen.
Dele Alli did not make a single appearance during the international break with England, and the reasons why have been revealed.
The Times reports that the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder’s ‘immature’ conduct in training forced him out of Gareth Southgate’s first XI for friendlies against the Netherlands and Italy.
Tottenham fans have had a love/hate relationship with Alli this season due to his inconsistent performances and frequent diving on the pitch.
According to The Times, Southgate was unhappy with the 21-year-old’s behaviour over the past 10 days, particularly his conduct while on the substitutes’ bench during England’s 1-0 win over the Netherlands.
The publication adds that Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino also has concerns over Alli, who has scored 10 goals and created 13 assists in 42 appearances in all competitions.
The midfielder has had an incredible rise from League One football to the elite over the past two-and-a-half years, but at the moment it seems that he is struggling to focus.
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Tottenham fans will be hoping that he shows more consistency next season when the club move into their brand new stadium.
It has been a somewhat indifferent season for the Gunners in their quest to restore the glory days back in North London.
They have been a side who have looked seemingly unplayable on their day, but as ‘their day’ hasn’t come around as often as it might have in previous seasons, the Emirates faithful have been in partial limbo as to what direction their beloved club is heading in.
Now with the return of both Theo Walcott and Mesut Ozil, who were each out for eleven and three months respectively, Arsene Wenger now has a great deal more options to explore in setting out his perfect starting XI.
It seems a shame that Gunners fans had to wait this long to see two of the greatest stars back in action, but seeing as their return is better late than never, how will their presence impact Arsenal in the second portion of the Premier League season?
Whilst fifth place is no mean feat for a side that have had their first team ravaged by injury, it is a position that will likely be deemed not good enough among the hard-core Emirates faithful. Arsenal clearly want to be winning titles, and although this season has not been an overall disappointment, largely due to the goal scoring exploits of one Alexis Sanchez, the Gunners have been far wide of challenging the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City for that Premier League top spot.
Wenger has also had to pay witness to the likes of Laurent Koscielny and Aaron Ramsey fall victim to injury, but now with an almost full contingency of players to select from in the coming weeks, Arsenal could really start to see their form improve, as well as their results. You only need to look to last weekend’s triumph over Brighton in the FA Cup to see what an affect Theo Walcott and Mesut Ozil had – they not only proved that they could score goals, but they also made the likes of Tomas Rosicky look fresh and rejuvenated in their approach to the match, even if Arsenal’s defence remained a bit shaky.
Theo Walcott, for all the doubters he has somehow amassed whilst playing for England and in the Premier League, is a player who can simply win games for his side. His pace is not matched among his counterparts, his desire to make a difference is always positive, and although some pundits have claimed he lacks a real ‘footballing brain’, Walcott’s nature in front of goal is more than deadly.
When played as a second striker, instead of a winger which he simply is not, that is when the ex-Southampton man really comes into his stride and is able to show the world what he is really about. Too often he has been left isolated on the wing, away from the danger areas that we all know he can be so effective in.
Mesut Ozil, on the other hand, has a completely different style to his game. The German World Cup winner lacks the pace and direct nature of Theo Walcott, but his composure on the ball and vision across the pitch is almost second to none. No one could accuse Ozil of not having a footballing brain, even if his relaxed style just isn’t quite the perfect fit for the English game.
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With both players back on board for Arsene Wenger, Arsenal could really play out the rest of the 2014/15 campaign in true style. Even if no illustrious silverware is picked up at the end of the season, the proposed link-up play between Walcott, Ozil, and of course Sanchez, will likely prove more than entertaining for fans of the Gunners, and the Premier League in general.