You can say what you want about the transfer windows and while most football managers tend to be disparaging about them, most supporters will be lying if they didn’t admit that they get bought into the daily gossip and rumours that sweep the newspapers, forums and various blog sites. Much of the stuff that gets written never prevails, but it doesn’t stop us all getting excited while the speculation mounts up. The January window so far has been a little quiet as we approach the half way through point; however you do get a sense that in this period we are witnessing the calm before the eventual transfer storm in the Premier League.
The lack of spending at the top of the Premier League has surprised many, especially given the open nature of this title race; the fight for a top four finish, not to mention the open fight to stay in the Premier League. It appears that clubs are biding their time and we all sit and wait for that breakthrough transfer that generally kick-starts everyone into action. Whether we will witness the type of money that was squandered last January remains to be seen, but I would be incredibly shocked if the window passed without at least one big money move.
Arsene Wenger has certainly been very vocal in his disdain of the January transfer window and much to the annoyance of Arsenal supporters (many who see buying players as the best way forward) has steadfastly refused to delve into the market to improve the squad. You would think for a manager who has stated on more than one occasion that missing out on the Champions League would be a disaster, would be bending over backwards to ensure that the squad is strong enough for the challenge ahead.
So how do Arsenal fans feel about the lack of activity? Is Arsene Wenger merely providing a smokescreen ahead of an array of last minute deals like he did in the summer? Did the squad really need improving and have you heard any rumours about potential incomings or outgoings at the Emirates?
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Crewe ultimately came away from Barnet on Saturday with nothing but more squad issues after a horrific afternoon in London. The three match winning run came crashing to a halt and all optimistic talk of a play-off push was placed on the back-burner after the Bees recorded a 2-0 win, made elementary after two first half dismissals, leaving the visitors stick-thin on the squad front.
David Artell was the first to go after his rather naive professional foul on Izale Mcloed when the striker was bearing down on goal and Mcloed was all too happy to convert the resulting penalty. Matters were made worse when his fellow central-defensive partner Adam Dugdale joined Artell for an early-shower after a lunging tackle on Ricky Holmes near the half-way line. It was easy for referee Darren Sheldrake and within 43 minutes, both centre-halves were suddenly back in the dressing room.
At nine men with goal deficit, it was always going to be an uphill battle, even with the slanted Underhill pitch, and even though the Alex held out at just a goal down until 13 minutes from time, Michael Hector, the very impressive Reading loanee, headed past Steve Phillips at the back post to make things safe for the home side following an admirable afternoon of graft from Steve Davis’ side against the odds. Byron Moore, Greg Pearson and Nick Powell had all caused anxiety around the ground with close attempts but any resolve was finally broken with Hector’s header while Phillips excelled to keep the score at 2. Davis and his charges appeared bullish after the game, championing a brave performance, but that was no consolation for the result and the knowledge that the squad will be hit heavily by a lack of discipline.
This will not be lost on Davis and his assistant Neil Baker on the journey home and with transfer deadline day falling on Tuesday, the management team will have to endeavour to patch the sudden emergence of a serious wound within squad resources. To further compound the worries, the impressive Chesterfield loanee Jamie Lowry has failed to agree an extension to his deal and returned to the Spireites in time for their Johnstone’s Paint Trophy tie with Oldham. Together with Lee Bell’s elongated absence due to a hernia injury, this will further stretch the playing staff and this may force Davis into the transfer market.
A slight relief will come with the fact that David Artell will only miss one game, this Saturday’s hosting of Accrington at Gresty Road, and so a makeshift back four will only have to be patched in for just a single game at the worst. The manager’s son, Harry Davis, will be called upon as he has provided decent cover on many occasions and he will probably slot in at centre-half alongside Carl Martin who returned from his own long absence on Saturday. A desperate circumstance may see a call up for 19 year old Oliver Turton at full-back, although he currently looks short of first team standard so it looks like Dan Shelley, the versatile winger, will come in at right-back while Matt Tootle will continue at left-back.
This will necessitate a return to a 4-4-2 with Byron Moore and Nick Powell lining either side of Luke Murphy and Ashley Westwood in midfield, with Ajay Leitch-Smith partnering the loaned-in Greg Pearson up-front in a two. Crewe will miss the physical dynamism of the industrious Lowry who was a pleasant revelation in his short spell at Gresty Road though with Chesterfield trying to stave off relegation and also reaching Wembley, it remains unlikely his parent club will relinquish such an asset again. In the meantime, while Davis looks for the opportunity to gain arrivals, he will have one eye on the exit door as many higher league vultures circle on the availability of the star talent of 17 year old Nick Powell. Crewe are determined to keep him until the end of the season at least and a bid of £2.5 million from Ipswich Town has already been dismissed in this window.
Crewe have handed a trial to West Ham’s 20 year old left-back Jordan Brown and this could ease the defensive concerns while leaving enough time for the management team to run the rule over the youngster. The team will be desperate to get out onto the pitch on Saturday against Accrington to banish the memory of Underhill, but the worst memories will be obviously clear on the touchline as both first-choice centre-halves sit at the mercy of a ban. Artell will return after a stretched Crewe limp through 90 minutes against Accrington, but Dugdale will miss difficult dates with Port Vale and Burton in mid-February. It’s not ideal, but these are the type of problems you have to deal with if you are to compete for promotion and Davis, still very fresh to this management game, is quickly beginning to learn that.
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Nemanja Vidic is set to defy the doctors and specialists by making a return to first team action quicker than expected. The Serbian defender damaged his cruciate ligament against Basel and was ruled out for the rest of the season; however Vidic has responded well to treatment following his operation and is reportedly a couple of months ahead of schedule. His return will be a massive boost for United who are set to be involved in their toughest title run-in for years.
Elsewhere in the news Harry Redknapp believes the FA should make their decision on the managerial role at the end of the season; Kenny Dalglish warns that Carling Cup final places are up for grabs, while Fernando Torres is left confused by his poor form at Chelsea.
Headlines
Harry Redknapp has changed tack with regards to the England’s managerial role. The Tottenham manager previously said that it could be done on a caretaker basis, but he has suggested to the FA that a permanent deal should be put in place and that they should make their appointment at the end of the season – Guardian
Kenny Dalglish has warned his Liverpool stars that cup final places are up for grabs so the players need to step up in the coming weeks – Guardian
Fernando Torres conceded that he was confused by his goal drought and is determined to make up for what has been a torrid 12 months at Stamford Bridge – Guardian
Arsene Wenger admitted that he will be forever haunted by the 4-0 thrashing at the San Siro – Daily Telegraph
Ashley Young believe that Manchester United are well on the road to recovery after the debacle against Basle in the Champions League – Daily Telegraph
Roberto Mancini has left Carlos Tevez to stew about his long term future at the club. The Italian has been away from the football club leaving the Argentine uncertain as to what the next few months have in stall for him at City – Independent
American giants AEG have denied reports that they are lining up a move to purchase Tottenham Hotspur. AEG revealed they have a good working relationship with the club, but have no designs to buy the North Londoners – Daily Mail
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Arsenal is looking to Junior Hoilett as they look to rebuild their squad in the summer. The Rovers youngster is on a free transfer come May and has a plethora of clubs interested in his services – Mirror
Liverpool and United have been put on transfer alert as Mauricio Isla has confirmed that he is set to leave Udinese in the summer – TalkSport
Sunderland boss Martin O’Neill has admitted that he feared the side would be relegated as he took the job on earlier this season.
The Northern Irishman replaced the sacked Steve Bruce back in December with the Black Cats in big trouble, but he has steered them away from relegation and towards the safety of mid-table.
However, O’Neill looks back on the earlier part of the season and admits that it could have been different for the Wearside club.
“It’s a completely different outlook from my first game. We should now start to look up the table a wee bit,” he told Mirror Football.
“I was genuinely fearful for our position back then.
“I’d been at Wolves and watched the game [when Sunderland lost 2-1 to two late goals after Steve Bruce’s sacking], and watched us take the lead, but I knew from the minute we missed the penalty that we might lose the game. You just felt it.
“And of course they lost that match, and Wolves went on to 14 points and we were stuck on 11.
“They [Wolves] have not moved on greatly since then and if we’d had another loss, particularly at home to Blackburn, they would have shot up the table and that would have really concerned us.
“I’ll go in a lot less nervous than I did at the time – though I’ll still be nervous, knowing me. It was such a big game for us, which obviously we wanted to win.
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“With 37 points on the board, I’d love to have 40 just to be safe – 37 might keep teams up. With 10 games to go, if you’d said to me with 11 points on the board before Blackburn, if you’d given me 37 I’d probably have rushed out and taken it,” he concluded.
Tottenham captain Ledley King has rejected claims that his side are in crisis, and is determined to have a strong end to the season.
Spurs were sitting pretty in third place with a ten-point advantage earlier in the year, but defeats to Arsenal, Manchester United, Everton and Norwich over the last two months has seen the Gunners overtake them in the top four.
Despite an unexpected defeat to the Canaries on Monday, King believes that Harry Redknapp’s men can end the season well.
“We will have to look at a few things and have a few words and try to move on from there,” he told The Guardian.
“I think that the earlier we kind of have a speak together about it, the better it will be. The only thing that needs to be said is that we need to stick together at this time, keep going until the end of the season and keep working hard for each other. There is not a crisis in any way.
“It’s up to the senior lads to lift the spirits of the rest of the lads and keep them there. It has been a long season and there are some tired legs but we have to keep pushing.
“We have top players. We have lost to Norwich but we have another big game that we have to get up for,” he concluded.
Spurs face London rivals Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final this Sunday.
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Both Tottenham and Arsenal are set to go head-to-head for the services of Sochaux midfielder, Marvin Martin.
The 24-year-old, who has made it into the final 23-man France squad for Euro 2012, has indicated he may be ready to move abroad and talkSPORT believe the North London rivals are both set to make their moves.
Martin, who scored twice on his début for Les Bleus last year, told France Football that enquiries have already been made for his signature, but that there was no rush to move before the European Championships.
“I’m ready to go play overseas, but I have not made a decision about my future,” said the diminutive midfielder.
“I know there has been contact but I’m 100 per cent focused on France and the Euros.
“I do not know if something can be done before the Euros. If not, we will wait and see how things develop.”
It is believed that Borussia Dortmund, Valencia and Fenerbahçe are also interested in Martin, but it appears that they may have to wait until after Euro 2012 before making any moves.
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Martin has made 143 appearances for Sochaux since coming through their youth ranks, scoring 11 goals in his four seasons there.
Tottenham are weighing up a move for Brazil international striker Leandro Damiao, and may well opt to try and sign him over other attacking targets this summer, according to Mirror Football.
The Internacional forward has impressed for club and country, and the north London club sent chief scout Ian Bloomfield to South America to watch the hitman in action over the weekend.
Harry Redknapp’s men missed out on Champions League football for next season after Chelsea won this term’s tournament on Saturday, which could have a major bearing on the club’s transfer policy this summer.
With Emmanuel Adebayor’s loan spell finished and the African returning to Manchester City, Spurs have a gap to fill in attack.
The Togolese marksman’s wages are thought to be a stumbling block for the White Hart Lane outfit, whilst an inflated transfer fee for Marseille’s Loic Remy is also a barrier.
However, Spurs may opt to try to sign Damiao, who is being monitored by a raft of European sides and is valued around the £15 million mark.
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Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini has admitted that he would be open to a move away from Merseyside, but will be happy to stay at the club if no offers come in for him.
The Belgium international has been praised of late for excellent performances in the Premier League and for his nation, and as such Chelsea and Real Madrid are thought to be monitoring the £20 million-rated man.
Fellaini has confirmed that he is unaware of any offers for him as yet but is ambitious to play in Europe.
“If I have got to go, I will go, if not, I repeat, I am at Everton,” he told Belgian radio station RTBF, translated to English by Sky Sports.
“I am ambitious; I want to play in the Champions League or in the Europa League. Last season we finished seventh with Everton, and we were not able to qualify us for Europe, which was a shame.
“If an ambitious club comes in for me? Why not, just to gain experience but I’m on vacation right now, I do not give [speculation] too much attention.
“Every year they say I’ll be transferred to the left or right. But I’m still at Everton.
“If it comes, I take, if it does not come, I stay at Everton, where I am happy, and where I still have a four-year contract.
“Everything goes fast in football. You can be transferred tomorrow, as you can be in one or two years. For now, I’m on vacation, I try to arrive fresh at the start of next season. If there are any concrete offers yet? If this is the case, I am not aware.
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“They talked about me in Chelsea? If I had to go there, I would have several friends – Hazard, Lukaku, De Bruyne, Courtois … There are many Belgians! It’s good for the national team,” he concluded.
Tottenham are ready to offer £7 million for highly-rated Blues goalkeeper Jack Butland according to The Daily Mail.
The north London club are thought to be in the market for a new goalkeeper, as new coach Andre Villas Boas is said to have identified this as an area that needs strengthening.
Butland was called into the England squad for Euro 2012 and has impressed in club appearances in the lower leagues sufficiently to have a raft of Premier League clubs chasing his services.
Southampton are thought to have had a £6 million bid rejected by Birmingham City for the talented goalkeeper, and Spurs will now up the ante in a bid to capture his signing.
It is believed that Villas Boas would even allow Butland to remain at St Andrews on loan for the first year of the deal.
Meanwhile, Rafael van der Vaart’s future is also very much in the balance, as Spurs are supposedly ready to offload the forward.
The Netherlands international’s wife works for a TV station in Germany, and as such the playmaker has been linked with a move to the Bundelsiga.
Former club Hamburg and Champions League qualifiers Schalke are thought to be keen to sign him, with £10 million sufficient to convince Villas Boas to part with the attacker.
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Micah Richards has stated that Team GB boss Stuart Pearce has united the squad and is a key reason the side are through to the knockout stages of the Olympics.
The hosts are undefeated as yet and topped Group A after two wins and a draw.
The Manchester City defender has praised the England under-21 coach, and feels that Pearce has brought the players together.
“I have always liked him since we were at Manchester City. He really knows how to fire up the boys in the changing room,” The Telegraph quote Richards as saying.
“He tells the boys how good they are. He gives so much confidence to the boys. We are fighting for each other. We have a great team spirit. It’s given us a freedom to play our football.
Richards has been frozen out of the senior England set-up by both Fabio Capello and Roy Hodgson, but the versatile defender has reiterated his desire to play for the Three Lions.
“Whether I get picked for the next game [against Italy on Aug 15], it’s not up to me. All I can do is keep knocking on the door. I will never turn my back on England.
“A lot of people asked me why I didn’t go on standby. It was nothing to do with I didn’t want to play for England. I wanted to play. Stuart has given me that chance,” he concluded.
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Team GB take on South Korea in the quarter-finals on Saturday in Cardiff.