Football FanCast has teamed up with the excellent IM Scouting to bring you their expert analysis on five strikers that Liverpool should look to target in January.
Liverpool’s woes this season have been well documented. With the club finally having secured new owners, Anfield boss Roy Hodgson has been quick to pinpoint the need to add to his squad, particularly the purchase of another striker.
Last week, Hodgson bemoaned the lack of front men at the club, saying “A club like Liverpool shouldn’t have to rely on non-specialists like Dirk Kuyt or Ryan Babel ‘doing a job’ up front when they are primarily wide players.
“In training, I can’t have practice games where each team plays a 4-4-2 because I don’t have the front players to do that.”
With Liverpool’s new owner John Henry meeting this week with Hodgson, there is every chance that a variety of names have been mentioned as potential partners for Fernando Torres in attack.
Although it remains unclear how much money Henry and his NESV group will plough into Hodgson’s squad in January, it is likely that the funds won’t be in place to purchase the planet’s top strikers such as Luis Suarez and Edin Dzeko. Nonetheless, there are plenty of other worthwhile and cheaper options who might be available.
IMScouting takes a look at five strikers in that bracket that are worth Liverpool considering
Click here to see IM Scouting’s analysis
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There is little more frustrating to fans and managers than a player who consistently fails to live up to his potential. Whether they be young or old, many men have fleetingly displayed the level of talent that has earned them a spot in, arguably, one the world’s finest leagues, before shying away from the limelight for a period of time.
Quite often ‘the next big thing’ fails to live up to the hype, with the pressure of the media, fans, and managers hampering their all round-game, and placing the magnifying glass over each mistake made. Although to some extent this is forgivable, with some players suffering injuries, it can still be one of the most annoying aspects of following football.
This list looks at 15 players who consistently flatter to deceive, failing to deliver the potential they so clearly possess, frustrating managers, coaches, fans, and indeed, themselves.
Click on Stephen Ireland to unveil the 15 players who flattered to deceive
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AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri was in awe of the celebrations that came with winning the Serie A title.The Rossoneri clinched their 18th Scudetto – and first since 2004 – with a goalless draw at AS Roma earlier this month and it was party time at home against Cagliari on Saturday as they eased to a 4-1 victory in front of a parochial Milan crowd.
But the match was almost a sideshow, given the players had already been driven to the ground in an open-top bus and had performed a lap of honour inside the ground prior to kick-off.
Up to 50,000 fans also greeted the players in Piazza Duomo before the match and Allegri said the day was a tremendous experience.
“It was wonderful for me and the first time I’ve experienced anything like that, so I was amazed and fascinated,” he said.
“I wanted the lads to end the campaign in the best way with the fans and President here for us.”
Allegri said the title was achieved because of the hard work done by the squad during the pre-season.
“I immediately asked the side to train with intensity, as that is what prepares you for the pitch, but that is also a work ethic at Milan decades ago with Arrigo Sacchi,” Allegri said.
“I merely asked them to work for the team and that is what they did for me and each other.”
Putting two and two together and making five, whether it is seeing your best friend and your ex cavorting in a club, or making assumptions about that Playstation shaped gift under the Christmas tree, is something we’ve all done. But, however damaging some of these postulations can be, we come to these innocently misguided conclusions only on an occasional, or at least part-time basis. However, in certain sections of the media they seem to have entire teams of people, operating on permanent contracts, dedicated to getting mathematical problems wrong. The problem is, with the considerable weight and influence behind these often illogical conclusions, what at first may seem to be a wholly false assumption, could very well turn into a tangible reality.
Take today’s rumours for example; in Metro they lead with an article entitled “Michael Carrick ‘to be offered back to Spurs’ as United prepare £100m spending spree”, in which they state; “according to reports, he [Carrick] may be lined up for a return to his old club Spurs – potentially as a makeweight in negotiations for their star man Gareth Bale”. Clues as to the validity of this rumour can be found in the title, with ‘to be offered back to Spurs’ in quotation marks, steering the finger of blame for this rumour firmly away from the writer and paper to an anonymous source. The fact this quote is then not corroborated with any anecdotal evidence from the text, and there are in fact no citations to be found in the article whatsoever, combined with qualifying statements such as “according to reports” and “potentially”, means this rumour is tenuous to say the least.
The way this rumour seems to have materialised, is one of combining several different story strands and trying to come out with a completely original yarn. First, you have the story that having spent a reported £200,000 on a weekly contract for Wayne Rooney, the Glazers have given Sir Alex Ferguson a £100m transfer kitty. Second, you have the current form of Tottenham Hotspur wunderkind Gareth Bale, and third, you have Michael Carrick’s lack of form and present status as benchwarmer at Old Trafford. If you then throw these ingredients together, and sprinkle the herbs and spices of plausibility on top that not only has Carrick played for Spurs previously, but that he came through the youth system at West Ham under the guidance of current Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp, then you have a rumour fit to dine on.
And I have no doubt the media will dine out on this rumour; it’s got legs, at least until the January transfer window is firmly shut anyway. But is there any problem with letting the media have a little artistic licence with their transfer rumours? The problem lies in the round-a-bout way these articles sometimes make the leap from fiction to fact. It has been seen before, and will no doubt be seen again, that articles of this nature can in fact facilitate moves for players, turning what was originally conjecture into a reality, essentially creating truth from what ultimately can be seen as lies.
I am not suggesting in any way that this proposed deal between United and Spurs will go ahead, but some aspects of it may well become true, for example Michael Carrick making the move back to White Hart Lane. It is indeed highly possible that Carrick’s agent did in fact release information to the press that the 29 year-old midfielder wanted a transfer, and the media filled in the blanks, in which case, with all the recent condemnation concerning agents power within the game on the back of the Rooney saga, the media surely provides yet another string to the agents’ already fairly extensive bow.
But while football continues to be the money-spinning enterprise that it is, and football rumours sell papers, media agencies will have carte-blanche to write pretty much what they want and continue to influence the game. The ‘unsettling’ of players has become a big inter-club issue and with the media lubricating transfer rumours, articles of this nature merely exacerbate the problem.
It seems the spreading of rumours is not confined only to OK magazine and all-girl teenage cliques, and is rife within the football-related media, and like those teenage girls who have been told how damaging their rumour spreading can be, the media outlets know exactly what they are doing.
If you liked this and wish to read more, then why not read my other blogs, or follow me on Twitter.
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Wales have crashed to a 1-0 defeat in their international friendly against Costa Rica, in a night that the nation remembered former manager Gary Speed.
Before the game several Welsh artists performed, Speed’s sons Ed and Tom led the team out onto the pitch, and a minute’s applause was undertaken before the match.
Joel Campbell, on loan at Lorient from Arsenal, scored the only goal of the game to spoil affairs, and manager Chris Coleman has admitted that it was an emotional night for all concerned.
“It was always going to be difficult under the circumstances, it was not our normal preparation,” Coleman told Sky Sports.
“This was about one guy and it was important we were there to show our support and celebrate his life.
“His two boys have come into the dressing room and onto the pitch and you could see why he was so proud of them.
“It was a strange atmosphere because we were still grieving, but at the same time we had a game to win. At the start we weren’t really at the races. We had a couple of chances after that but the main reason for tonight was for Speeds.
“I commend the players, they did their best, but I knew we were going to start slow.
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“They’ve been a terrific bunch but they all miss Speeds. We lost on the night but we gave it what we had,” he concluded.
Nottingham Forest striker Rob Earnshaw will captain Wales for the first time in their Carling Nations Cup clash against Scotland.Earnshaw, 30, will win his 53rd cap in Dublin on Wednesday as manager Gary Speed has opted to rest his English Premier League stars, including regular captain Aaron Ramsey, after a long campaign.
Speed said it was important to look after the health of his players, despite losing his first two matches as national manager.
“With the close proximity of the games, it’s a bit too much to ask the players to play both at this stage of the season,” he said on Tuesday.
“The team will probably be 90 per cent lads who didn’t play on Sunday.”
“My top priority is not only to win the game but look after the health of the players.”
Earnshaw said it was an honour to be given the responsibility of captaining his country.
“I’ve always played in a way I will take whatever happens on the pitch in my stride,” he told BBC.
“It’s no different for me. It’s an extra boost more than anything. When a manager decides you’re captain it gives you an extra boost.”
“For me, it’s going to be a special night. Everything else will be the same because I’m going out there to enjoy it, but I’m going to enjoy it even more now.”
Aston Villa defender James Collins and Celtic midfielder Joe Ledley did not travel with the squad, while others who also completed their Premier League campaigns on Sunday – Wolverhampton’s Wayne Hennessey, West Ham’s Jack Collison, Stoke City’s Danny Collins, Blackpool’s Neal Eardley and David Vaughan – are unlikely to feature.
Defender Adam Matthews is the most recent addition to a squad that has also saw midfielder Owain Tudur Jones, defender Craig Morgan, Andy Dorman and striker Jermaine Easter included.
Arsenal midfielder Ramsey is likely to return to the squad for Friday’s clash against Northern Ireland.
We may not be a two man team that our critics love to point out, however our over reliance on Fernando Torres to put the ball in the back of the net has been highlighted on numerous occasions this season. We haven’t got a Plan B upfront and subsequently we have struggled as a result.
It has been a problem for a couple of years now and Roy Hodgson’s failure to improve the attack in the summer certainly caused a little confusion. Whether Hodgson believed that Milan Jovanovic would produce more of an attacking threat may have swayed his thinking, but it was a huge error on his part, given it was a lack of potency in the final third that cost Rafa dear last season.
David N’Gog has certainly improved this season, but is he really the answer long term? Hodgson, like Rafa, clearly doesn’t believe that Ryan Babel should be given the opportunity to stake a claim for a striking role, therefore we are rather stuck and subsequently short of options. The longer Fernando Torres continues to fire blanks, the longer our pain will go on.
There have been reports in the papers today that we are sniffing around Zenit St Petersburg striker Aleksandr Kerzhakov. The Russian has been in top form this season bagging 10 goals in 22 games and is reportedly Roy Hodgson’s top target in January. £6m is certainly a snip for a player of Kerzhakov’s class, and would provide us with the ideal Plan B for Fernando Torres.
Watch Aleksandr Kerzhakov in action below
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Liverpool director of football Damien Comolli has stated that the club’s plans are impressing players in Europe, and that a number of big-name signings can be expected in the summer.
The Anfield outfit are fresh from winning the Carling Cup on Sunday, and are just off the pace in the battle for a top four finish.
Comolli feels the club’s reputation is starting to get back to its former days, and that the side can attract the top players from the continent.
“There’s a very positive vibe around the club across Europe,” he told Mirror Football.
“A lot players I know are very interested about joining the project because it’s a very interesting project.
“We already know that there are big players who want to join us next summer because they believe in the project.
“Everybody in Europe knows what Liverpool football club are trying to do,” he concluded.
Mirror Football indicate that Kenny Dalglish’s summer transfer targets included much-praised Lille playmaker Eden Hazard, Athletico Bilbao’s Spain international Javi Martinez and Barcelona veteran midfielder Seydou Keita.
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The age old debate, ‘club or country- who deserves the final say?’ has been reignited again this week with Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere being included in Stuart Pearce’s provisional 40 man squad for the U21s European Tournament this summer, despite Arsene Wenger warning against his inclusion fearing burnout (silly me thinking that 50 plus grand a week might now and then mean nearly a full calender year of football). Wilshere, however rightly or wrongly, has spoken out against his club manager, “I’ll never say no to England.” I’m sure you all proudly puff out your chests, let out a Three Lions’ roar and say ‘good on ya, Jack’, but surely Wilshere should consider that the team that pays his wages, Arsenal, along with Wenger, have helped mould Wilshere into the Young Player of the Year that he is, and that must warrant some appreciation of the Frenchman’s opinion.
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The last Arsenal player to be caught in the club v country saga was Theo Walcott, and this occasion Wenger was supportive of his player’s inclusion, “He is 19 and if he can contribute to the Under-21 team, why not?” But on returning from the Under 21 championships, Walcott then spent much of the next season accommodating himself with the treatment room at the Emirates; perhaps there is a case of once bitten twice shy for Wenger. With all due respect to Walcott, who has really come into his own (finally) this season, he isn’t as key to Arsenal as the feisty centre midfielder and Wenger’s reluctance to allow Wilshere to play in Denmark this summer is a manager protecting his own aspirations for Arsenal, to which Wilshere is key, and let’s be honest, why shouldn’t Wenger?
Obviously Wenger has previously thrown his toys out of the pram, so naturally there is another side to the story (even if Wenger doesn’t see it), and that is this: what 19 year old lad doesn’t want to represent his country at any level? I’m not just talking about Wilshere, I’m talking about me, I still dream of the day when Capello in his broken English says to me, “put down your pen and put on your boots”, so for Wenger to deny the young lad such a glorious opportunity is, well, narcissistic.
Wilshere has just about kept the door with the sign “England Matters” ajar, but with each ‘needed’ friendly that passes it closes just a little bit more.
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Another exciting weekend of Premiership football awaits, the highlight undoubtedly being the North-West derby between Manchester United and Liverpool.
Chelsea welcome newly promoted Blackpool to Stamford Bridge and will be looking to keep up their flying start to the season.
The Sunderland vs Arsenal game promises to be a thrilling affair and we will see if Tottenham can adapt to playing Premiership football after their travels in Europe.
Here are my predictions:
Stoke City v West Ham
The Hammers will be without their manager Avram Grant as he observes Jewish holy day Yom Kippur.
Stoke should have the wind in their sails after coming from behind to beat Aston Villa last Monday.
West ham have now gone twenty games without an away win in the Premiership and I can see it being twenty one the game at the Britannia Stadium this weekend.
My prediction: 2-0
Aston Villa v Bolton
Bolton are without suspended Gary Cahill and Jussi Jaaskelainen for this match which leaves their defence weakened.
The last three meetings between these two sides at Villa park have been high scoring victories for the home team.
This is caretaker manager Kevin Macdonalds last game in charge for Villa, before Gerard Houllier takes the reigns. The game may not be a high scorer, but I think Macdonald will end on a high note.
My prediction: 2-1
Blackburn v Fulham
Mark Hughes returns to the club where he earned his managerial trade this weekend and will be looking to win consecutive games for the first time this season following Fulham’s win over Wolves.
Fulham will still be hurting from the loss of their star player Bobby Zamora, which is a massive blow for their team.
Blackburn are difficult to beat playing at home and I can see this game ending in a draw.
My prediction: 1-1
Everton v Newcastle
Everton have had their poorest start to the season in years, securing only two points from their first four games.
They are starting to show definate signs of improvement though, following an epic comeback against Manchester United last weekend.
I can see Everton getting their first win of the season against Newcastle on Saturday.
My prediction: 2-0
Tottenham v Wolves
Tottenham will have to adapt to playing Premiership games in the aftermath of midweek Champions League games this season.
Many clubs performances can be seen to dip with the onset of a ‘Champions League hangover’.
We saw them slip up against Wigan following their last game in Europe, so could be a tricky fixture against Wolves.
My prediction: 2-0
West Brom v Birmingham
Birmingham are currently unbeaten in the Premiership and sitting at the dizzy heights of fifth in the league.
Not bad for a newly promoted team, though we know all too well from the likes of Hull that early promise can turn sour very swiftly.
West Brom have also had a decent start to the season, but I expect Birmingham will be the better team in this match.
My prediction: 1-2
Sunderland v Arsenal
Arsenal are enjoying their best start to the premiership since 2007, despite having the Premierships longest list of injuries.
They will be looking to keep the momentum going after a magnificent mid-week Champions League victory.
Fabregas looks to be getting back to his best and Arsenal will want to keep the pressure on Chelsea at the top of the league, though Sunderland won’t make it easy for the Gunners.
My prediction: 1-2
Man Utd v Liverpool
Following a spate of not so great results for United in the Premiership and Europe, Fergie’s hairdryer is sure to have gone into overdrive.
United have been unfortunate with some of their results so far this season and it has taken the shine of some otherwise very good performances.
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I think it wil be close, but United will win this one.
My prediction: 1-0
Wigan v Man City
City have had some underwhelming results of late, despite the overwhelming array of talent in their star studded squad.
Having failed to deliver in their previous two Premiership matches, this is a must win for City and Mancini to avoid coming under further scrutiny.
Wigan’s defence has major problems which will be exploited by City. I can only see one team winning this match.
My prediction: 0-2
Chelsea v Blackpool
Despite any fatigue from playing midweek in the Champions League, I expect Chelsea look to keep up their 100% win streak with yet another high scoring victory over Blackpool.
Blackpool provided a surprise result with last weekends away victory against Newcastle as they continue to exceed expectations in the Premiership, but the chances of them coming away from Stamford Bridge with any points are extremely slim.
Chelsea have conceded just one goal in their last seven games in the Premiership and I dont think they will leak any goals against Blackpool.