Petr Cech has been Arsenal’s number one goalkeeper since his move from Chelsea in 2015, but questions have arisen over his longevity at the Emirates.
The 35-year-old has remained first choice in the Premier League this season, while manager Arsene Wenger has handed cup duties to David Ospina.
On occasion, Cech has struggled for consistency and has been guilty of making a few mistakes in between the sticks.
A recent report in The Sun claimed that Arsenal are considering a £25m swoop for Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeper Bernd Leno this summer.
With the transfer window edging closer, the North London outfit could end up making a number of changes to the playing personnel, particularly as some will be out of contract.
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Jack Wilshere is one of Arsenal’s footballers who will be a free agent, and the fans have made it clear that they want the midfielder to sign a new deal.
With the goalkeeping issue also at the forefront of the supporters’ minds, a discussion has been held on Reddit about the potential future of Cech.
Comment from discussion Peter Cech conceded 41 goals from 39.5 expected goals conceded. De gea prevented 14.3 goals.[opta]. Dont know about manager, but we do need to sign a GK this summer.Comment from discussion Peter Cech conceded 41 goals from 39.5 expected goals conceded. De gea prevented 14.3 goals.[opta]. Dont know about manager, but we do need to sign a GK this summer.Comment from discussion Peter Cech conceded 41 goals from 39.5 expected goals conceded. De gea prevented 14.3 goals.[opta]. Dont know about manager, but we do need to sign a GK this summer.Comment from discussion Peter Cech conceded 41 goals from 39.5 expected goals conceded. De gea prevented 14.3 goals.[opta]. Dont know about manager, but we do need to sign a GK this summer.Comment from discussion Peter Cech conceded 41 goals from 39.5 expected goals conceded. De gea prevented 14.3 goals.[opta]. Dont know about manager, but we do need to sign a GK this summer.Comment from discussion Peter Cech conceded 41 goals from 39.5 expected goals conceded. De gea prevented 14.3 goals.[opta]. Dont know about manager, but we do need to sign a GK this summer.Comment from discussion Peter Cech conceded 41 goals from 39.5 expected goals conceded. De gea prevented 14.3 goals.[opta]. Dont know about manager, but we do need to sign a GK this summer.Comment from discussion Peter Cech conceded 41 goals from 39.5 expected goals conceded. De gea prevented 14.3 goals.[opta]. Dont know about manager, but we do need to sign a GK this summer.
In an incredibly disappointing night for Liverpool, the Reds crashed out of the Champions League as FC Basel held them to a 1-1 draw at Anfield. The Swiss side will now take their place in the knock-out rounds.
Understandably, there’s now going to be immense pressure on Brendan Rodgers and even more focus on how Liverpool perform against Manchester United in the Premier League this weekend.
Some will argue it’s unjustified, considering Rodgers masterminded the miracles of last season, when the Merseysiders claimed a runner-up finish in the English top flight. But he did make several crucial, basic mistakes against Basel and just to prove it, here’s three of them.
Setting up too defensively
It was FC Basel who only needed a point at Anfield but you wouldn’t have guessed it from Brendan Rodgers’ starting line-up. Of course, keeping it solid at the back has been a real problems for the Reds this season, yet the Anfield gaffer selected four industrious, like-minded centre-mids in Liverpool’s Xi:
Resultantly, the Reds didn’t create nearly enough chances in the first half, as shown below:
Basel were always going to be on the defensive, but the lack of natural creativity, mobility and pace going forward allowed the Swiss side to take the initiative, with Fabian Frei netting the opener after just 21 minutes:
Poor choice of substitutions
Liverpool needed to change things up at half-time and I suppose Brendan Rodgers gets credit for taking the initiative. But neither Alberto Moreno nor Lazar Markovic, who came on for Jose Enrique and Rickie Lambert respectively, had a particularly positive influence on the match.
Swapping a left-back for a left-back had virtually no effect. Moreno created one chance compared to his compatriot’s none, but apart from that both Spaniard’s were equally average. The elder defender actually put in a better defensive performance and made more passes, as shown below, leading Whoscored.com to give Moreno a worse rating from his 45 minutes:
Then, the curious case of Lazar Markovic – a winger swapped for the only striker in the entire Liverpool squad.
Admittedly, he looked lively for a short while and injected some pace going forward. Unfortunately however, the Serbian international lasted just fifteen minutes before seeing red under very controversial circumstances:
You can’t blame Brendan Rodgers for that, but bringing off Lambert only further reduced Liverpool’s goal threat.
One striker in the entire squad
This was a match Liverpool needed to win to progress to the next round of the Champions League, meaning at least one goal would be required, so why did Brendan Rodgers include just one striker in his entire matchday squad?
Of course, Daniel Sturridge and Mario Balotelli are both out with injury problems, the former on a long-term basis and the latter expected to return at the weekend.
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What about young Fabio Borini however? He put in a decent shift against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, and although the 23 year-old has only ever netted twice for the Reds, the quality of his finishing is undoubted – take this strike against Newcastle last season, for example:
He’s clearly out of favour at Anfield but at least the Italian would have offered something a little different and more direct in front of goal. One moment of magic from Borini could have secured Liverpool’s Champions League place this evening.
Instead, Liverpool somehow finished the match with no strikers on the pitch and Raheem Sterling playing as a centre-forward. It’s incredibly telling that their late equaliser came from a Steven Gerrard free kick:
Athletic Bilbao striker Fernando Llorente has revealed that a January switch to the Premier League could tempt him.
The Spaniard has been heavily linked with Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham recently, with the trio keen to bolster their attacking options.
Llorente looks set to leave his current club in the New Year, with his contract due to expire at the end of the season.
His refusal to sign a new agreement with the Basque outfit has led to criticism supporters, which hints that his spell with the club is coming to an end.
Athletic will be aware that a January move would benefit them, as he could potentially depart the Estadio San Mames for free during the summer.
Juventus were thought to be in pole position to secure his signature, but the 27-year-old revealed that he would be open to a move to England:
“Relax Athletic, I have not signed for any other team. January 1st could change things, we will see,” Llorente told restless fans according to talkSPORT.
“There is no agreement with Juventus.
“The Premier League? I like it.”
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At 6ft. 5”, the frontman would appear to be ideally suited to the Premier League’s physical nature, and has the technical ability to be a genuine star.
English teams will be free to discuss a pre-contract deal with Llorente in the New Year, but could attempt to draft him in a discounted rate instead of waiting.
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has said that the two forthcoming matches against Brighton and Sevilla have more importance than the 2-1 victory over the club’s bitter rivals Liverpool on Saturday afternoon.
What’s the story?
As per the Guardian, Mourinho has claimed that the do or die nature of the knockout ties that will take place at Old Trafford this week when Sevilla and then Brighton and Hove Albion visit in two different competitions makes them more important than the league meeting with the club’ fiercest rivals Liverpool.
Sevilla travel to face United in second leg of their last 16 Champions League match after the first leg finished 0-0 before Chris Hughton brings the Seagulls to Old Trafford to compete for a place in the semi-finals of the FA Cup.
Although the Liverpool match appeared to electrify United and their fans as they tightened their grip on second place, Mourinho points to the fact that there would are still eight more league matches where the top four will be decided. Sevilla and Brighton are “die or live” matches.
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Mourinho is absolutely right
Manchester United v Liverpool is the biggest game of the season for both sides – it is the one they don’t want to lose – but in simple terms, a defeat would be recoverable.
A defeat for United would have been deeply disappointing and would have affected the mood around the club but a good run of form between now and the end of the league season would likely see them achieve their basic objective of qualifying for the Champions League next time around.
However, their hopes of a trophy rest on their next two fixtures. I don’t expect them to win the Champions League but having gone through a grueling Europa League campaign last season just to qualify for it, going out at the last sixteen stage would feel unsatisfactory.
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Old Trafford is demanding of big European nights and there hasn’t been one since David Moyes lined his United up against Pep Guardiola’s Bayern Munich side in 2014. They are expected to make the last eight.
The FA Cup is their most realistic chance of a trophy and three of the big six are out. United can’t ask for much more than a home tie to earn a place in the last four so it becomes a massive fixture at the end of a massive week.
Yes, for the fans, the north west derby is the one they want to win and do not want to lose at any cost, but for the bigger picture of United’s season, the next two matches are much more important.
After last weeks demolition of Hartlepool I for one was left wondering what might be for Coventry City.
We faced a Colchester side who are struggling for form themselves just days later. It was one of those games that Coventry would typically lose off the back of the great result but not this time.
The players seemed to have actually taken confidence from the 5-0 win and were allowed once again to express themselves in a way which was effective. In the end the game was won quite comfortably despite late pressure from Colchester as we defended resolutely and fought for every ball. The players looked like they wanted to win and with the amazing away support behind them they kept Colchester at bay.
As the game went into its final stages Coventry countered and scored the third goal which killed the match as a contest. This late goal to finish off the game is something that I can’t remember the last time I experienced as a Coventry fan we are always left biting our nails to the very end and it was strange to know the game was won before the final whistle.
To have that ability to counter and finish the game off has always eluded us and has been a major factor in us letting leads slip in the past. Was this finally time to start believing again, believing we could be successful once more?
With two really good away wins under their belt City went into Saturday’s game against Portsmouth brimming with confidence. It was obvious from the start that the players had the belief that they could win the match and there were plenty of chances created along with good possession of the ball in the first half. The pressure that City built eventually told and a fantastic pass from Bailey allowed McSheffery to finally get on the score sheet, which has been a long time coming.
City took their foot off the gas a little but with the score still at 1-0 Coventry suffered a real bit of bad luck. Once again McGoldrick put the ball in the net only for the linesman’s flag to go up despite McGoldrick looking at least a couple of yards onside.
It was in this moment that the game changed.
Yes we should have finished other chances that we created but this gave Portsmouth belief and as the match continued to progress they piled the pressure on. The inevitable finally happened in the third minute of stoppage time as Coventry once again allowed a slender lead to slip right at the death. A defensive mix up allowed Portsmouth’s Izale McLeod to level the score at 1-1 as all involved were left gutted with their heads in their hands. It was heartbreak for City after a gutsy performance and despite Portsmouth’s dominance in the latter stages I still felt City were worthy of a win.
A point is a point though and it is another game where we have not been beaten. This has to be looked at positively as Coventry’s slow improvement continues under the guidance of Mark Robins. I am really beginning to buy into what he is trying to do here and just maybe we have finally found the man to bring some good times back to the club. Now I don’t want to get ahead of myself as there is a long way too go and plenty more twists and turns to come but things are looking like they are changing.
Not only are results improving but I am finding myself being entertained by the football on show. I’m not saying it is of the highest quality but the way we are playing is making for some entertaining games with chances being created for both teams. Saturday afternoons are finally becoming something I look forward to again instead of wondering how I can justify spending my hard earned money to be bored for two hours and be left disappointed week in week out.
The Portsmouth game was the first of four consecutive home games including an FA cup tie as well as an JPT tie. These games are a chance to improve upon our stuttering home form and if we can get results out of the next three then that puts us in real good stead for the rest of the campaign. The more wins we get and the further we get up the table, the more likely it is that key players will remain at the club with the obvious one being McGoldrick.
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We have witnessed in the last few games that whilst McGoldrick is clearly important to what we do, we do have a squad of players who are very capable at this level and I for one have liked what I have seen. One thing that is for sure is there have been more positives than negatives in the last few games and that is a clear sign of progression for this squad. They are not only working hard, they are believing in themselves again and long may that continue.
Leeds United are interested in signing Chelsea youngster Lewis Baker, according to The Mirror’s live transfer blog (28/06, 18:20).
What’s the story?
The 23-year-old midfielder has been on the books for Chelsea since he was a schoolboy, and has spent the last few seasons on loan, most notably at Vitesse and Middlesbrough.
Baker made 12 appearances for the Boro last season, scoring once in the Championship.
Now according to The Mirror, Leeds are looking to sign the central midfielder on a permanent basis but if Chelsea refuse to sell they would also be interested in loaning the youngster.
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”257599″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch Leeds’ opening fixtures for the 201819 Championship season”]
Is he worth it?
Baker is another of the many Chelsea youth players who have spent their entire career on loan and will find it near impossible to break into the first team.
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The midfielder clearly has talent, but he hasn’t shown enough of it yet in English football, especially if Leeds have to fork out something close to £4.95million, his value on Transfermarkt.
He did impress during his spell at Vitesse, scoring 15 goals and registering six assists in the two seasons he spent at the Dutch club.
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The best option for Leeds would be a loan move for Baker with an option to buy, because he represents an expensive risk if they choose to buy him up front.
That way they could give him the time he needs to show what he can offer in the Championship.
In our poll on Tuesday, we asked Manchester United fans who they thought should partner Eric Bailly at the heart of the United defence.
The 23-year-old Frenchman is slowly returning from an ankle injury which has kept him out since November, having played just under 10 minutes of action against Chelsea on Sunday, but it remains to be seen who manager Jose Mourinho will partner him with for the remainder of the season.
Victor Lindelof and Chris Smalling have been Mourinho’s go-to men for United’s last few games, with the Swede and the England international getting the nod for Sunday’s win over Chelsea, the draw with Sevilla in the Champions League and the victory over Huddersfield in the FA Cup fifth round.
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Phil Jones has been out of favour, meanwhile, since he left Matt Ritchie unmarked for Newcastle’s winner in a 1-0 defeat on February 10th.
Chris Smalling’s place is not thought to be secure though, with reports emerging after the January 31st defeat to Tottenham that the defender defied Mourinho’s tactical instructions.
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It’s not surprising, then, that Lindelof is United fans’ most popular choice to pair with Bailly, with 47% of fans choosing the £22.5m-rated centre-half.
Who first dreamed up the notion of the release clause? Perhaps it was a ploy adopted from the business sector, perhaps it was invented by Mr. R. Clause himself.Either way, the release clause adds an interesting dynamic to the transfer market – a simple-yet-effective method of saying ‘If you want him that badly, this is how much you’ll have to pay. Don’t bother negotiating’Indeed, many release clauses are extortionate, especially in regards to younger players, but that’s precisely the point. Nether the less, the Premier League has never shied away from activating them throughout the years Âand just to prove it, here’s FIVE Arsenal are reportedly prepared to meet when the transfer market reopens in January.
[ffc-gallery]CLICK ON ARSENE WENGER TO REVEAL ALL
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AYMERIC LAPORTE – £34m
Laporte from Athletic to Arsenal
Rumours of Arsenal activating Aymeric Laporte’s seismic £34millon release clause in January have already hit the tabloids:
That’s certainly an audacious sum for a 20 year-old who has only broken his 100 league appearances milestone this season. But the Athletic Bilbao prodigy is considered to be one of the most exciting defensive prospects in European football, whilst Arsenal desperately require added bodies at the back after obliging 5 foot 10 full-back Nacho Monreal to fill in at centre-half against Hull City last weekend. Indeed, the centre-back’s performances over the last few seasons, as detailed below, have shown great promise and progression:
And he’s currently leading La Liga’s charts for interceptions:
Once again, the France U21’s release clause is certainly excessive – the Gunners paid just £1million more for Alexis Sanchez this summer. But it seems like a wise enough investment, and just in case you need further convincing, here’s a look at Laporte in action:
//www.youtube.com/embed/vXqN7EieWVs?rel=0
PACO ALCACER – £14.5m
Football – Sevilla v Valencia – UEFA Europa League Semi Final First Leg – Sanchez Pizjuan, Sevilla, Spain – 24/4/14Sevilla’s Diogo Figueiras and Paco Alcacer of Valencia in actionMandatory Credit: Action Images / Carl RecineLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
Arsenal may have snapped up former Manchester United star Danny Welbeck on deadline day, but their strikeforce is hardly exemplary when compared to the quality and depth at Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United. One solution comes in the form of Valencia trailblazer Paco Alcacer, whose £14.5million release clause is viewed as so cheap in his native Spain that one publication have dubbed him ‘the bargain of Europe.’ Indeed, in the current climate, that figure is remarkably cheap considering how potent the 21 year-old has been over the last twelve months, as shown below:
And that impressive form in front of goal has seen Alcacer muscle his way to the forefront of Vincente del Bosque’s plans for the national team – the Spaniard has claimed four caps since his debut in August, netting thrice along the way. Here’s a look at the 5 foot 11 forward in action:
//www.youtube.com/embed/RCKK3deKD2w?rel=0
Fernando Torres-esque dare I say, demonstrating no particular defining attribute but a strong, varied all-round game. Arsenal have already been linked with Alcacer in the tabloids, along with Chelsea, but rumour has it Valencia are about to increase their starlet’s release clause to a whopping £40million:
JULIAN DRAXLER – £37million
Football – Chelsea v FC Schalke 04 – UEFA Champions League Group Stage Matchday Four Group E – Stamford Bridge, London, England – 13/14 – 6/11/13Julian Draxler – FC Schalke Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Jason CairnduffEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
The last thing Arsenal need right now is yet another attacking midfielder, but Arsene Wenger remains persistent in his pursuit of Bundesliga prodigy Julian Draxler.
The Schalke starlet was reportedly subject to a Gunners bid last January, and he’s been linked with an Emirates switch once again ahead of the coming transfer window:
£37million would constitute the second-largest transfer spend in Arsenal history, but the 21 year-old already appears worth the punt – take this incredible assist to Raul for example:
A creative forward with exceptional dribbling skills, a lethal eye for goal and an unusual 6 foot 2 frame, the German international is reminiscent of a young Zinedine Zidane. Here’s a look at his top five strikes in the Bundesliga:
//www.youtube.com/embed/wnImymrd_60?rel=0
He’s started the current campaign strongly too, netting twice in six league outings – including this goal against Hertha Berlin:
But whether the fans and the board could condone Arsene Wenger investing yet another incredible sum in an attacking midfielder remains to be seen.
WILLIAM CARVALHO – £37million
Arsenal’s midfield is in intrinsic need of some added balance and physicality – even Arsene Wenger has called for a signing “like Vieira or Petit” -and it appears the man to provide it could be Sporting Lisbon star William Carvalho. According to Portuguese publication A Bola, the Gunners failed in a deadline day bid for the 22 year-old, whilst other sources claim Wenger’s long-term interest will be revived in January:
The Portugal international is an absolute beast, measuring in at 6 foot 2 and weighing about 14 stone. That gives him an incredibly imposing physique which, combined with a simple-yet-effective play-breaking style, is quickly drawing the attention of the European elite. Here’s a look at Carvalho in action:
//www.youtube.com/embed/A8jRQbn1LzE?rel=0
And his stats from the World Cup:
£37million is a huge investment, but it would at least be in a department of the Arsenal first team that desperately requires it. There are suggestions the Gunners could eventually sign Carvalho for significantly cheaper however, after rejecting a new contract at Estadio Jose Alvalade last month.
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Munir El-Haddadi – £9.4m
Football – Celtic v FC Barcelona – UEFA Youth League – Cappielow, Greenock, Scotland – 1/10/13Barcelona’s Munir El Haddadi (L) in actionMandatory Credit: Action Images / Lee SmithLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
Representing the significantly cheaper end of the release clause spectrum is Barcelona youngster Munir El-Haddadi, linked with an Arsenal move back in September:
The 19 year-old has already demonstrated great promise in finding one goal and one assist in seven appearances for Barcelona’s senior side – including this goal against Elche:
This strike for the B team wasn’t too bad either:
Indeed, the 5 foot 9 forward is already looking like the next La Masia product who could make the grade at top level; Vincente del Bosque wasted no time in rewarding El-Haddadi with his first cap for Spain back in September.
The £9.4million release clause appears well worth the punt, but Barcelona are already planning to offer their latest prodigy a new deal, being currently on a youth team contract, that will see his buy-out fee rise to around €55million.
West Brom manager Steve Clarke believes his side can dream of European qualification following their 2-1 victory over Chelsea.
The result moved the Baggies up to fourth position in the Premier League, just a single point behind the current European champions.
Clarke believes that his side can now think of qualification for continental competition, but conceded they must work hard to keep up their form:
“At the moment, we are in the right position to think about Europe – but we go from game to game.” He told SkySports.
“That is boring I know, but I think this weekend we’ll let the supporters dream a little bit.
“The team are certainly in a very good moment, but within the camp we’ll keep our feet on the ground.
“I think people have been taking notice of us for quite a few weeks now. We are aware of that, they can take notice if they want, but we work from game to game.”
Since taking the hot-seat at the Hawthorns from Roy Hodgson, Clarke has instilled a more attacking philosophy.
The ex-Liverpool assistant is happy with the results of his style:
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“I wanted to try and make supporters go home happy at the weekend after watching a team who have played attractive football and tried to play football the right way and get positive results.
“We’ll go chasing three points and, if we keep doing what we are doing, it can be a good season for us.
“We closed the gap on Chelsea and managed to put a few more points between some teams that are below us.”
According to ESPN, West Ham are one of many teams interested in signing Huddersfield Town midfielder Aaron Mooy this summer. The midfield ranks at the London Stadium were lacking in sufficient quality for much of last season, and they may have just received a boost in their quest for the Australia international as reports suggest that Manchester City will not seek to re-sign the 27-year-old.
The Breakdown
Ultimately, reports earlier in the week suggested that Pep Guardiola’s side were considering triggering a buy-back clause in Mooy’s contract to lure him to the Etihad Stadium this summer, but that now offer seems to be off the table.
And with West Ham clearly in need of greater options and quality in the middle of the park, the door has been left open for manager Manuel Pellegrini to seal a deal for the £9 million-rated ace (as per Transfermarkt), who would undoubtedly be an upgrade on Cheikhou Kouyate.
Ultimately, the Senegal international struggled for form for much of the 2017/18 Premier League season, although the lack of genuine alternatives saw the 28-year-old turn out 33 times in the league for the East London club.
And while Pedro Obiang spent a decent chunk of the campaign out with injury, he offered a great deal more in the middle of the park then Kouyate when fit, while Mark Noble’s consistency in the midfield seriously helped a Hammers side that were fighting relegation for much of the season.
Thus, it’s clear that further strength is needed in that department, and Huddersfield’s Mooy would certainly bring just that.
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The 27-year-old has embarked upon a wonderful two years at the John Smith’s Stadium, first of all in helping them win promotion to the Premier League, and then playing a vital role in keeping David Wagner’s side in the top-flight against all the odds.
And following a decent World Cup with Australia, even though they bowed out of the competition in the group stages, the midfielder continues to underline his incredible ability in the middle of the park – there’s a reason City were reportedly keen on luring him back to the North West.
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And having played as a number ten earlier in his career before slowly but surely finding himself flourishing in deeper roles, it is in Mooy’s nature to try and get forward and show his class in the attacking third of the pitch as well, alongside his ability to break up play in front of the back four – thus, he’d add a huge amount to the Hammers midfield.
As such, with Kouyate struggling for form for much of last season, Pellegrini simply must seek an upgrade on the 28-year-old, and reports that City aren’t seeking to re-sign Mooy has thus left the door open for West Ham to bring the Australian star to the London Stadium.