Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas still hopes he will be able to sign Joao Moutinho from FC Porto. As his top target, Villas-Boas believes Moutino is an ideal replacement for Luka Modric, who is due to complete a move to Real Madrid in the next few days.
Spurs are unwilling to pay the £25m asking price for the midfielder, however despite this, the Tottenham boss still believes a transfer could go ahead because of Moutinho’s desire to move to England. It is understood the 25-year-old is frequently emphasising his wish to play in the Premier League, a factor that could weaken Porto’s resolve.
The diverse midfielder is comfortable in a holding or attacking role, and often plays on each wing. He has been a regular call-up for the Portuguese international squad, with his first appearance at the age of 18, and he has gone on to accumulate 48 caps since 2005. In 2010, then-boss Villas-Boas signed Mountino for Porto from rivals Sporting CF, and went on to guide the Portuguese side to a treble, winning the Primeira Liga, Taca de Portugal and Europa League.
The alternative to Moutinho had been Roma midfielder Miralem Pjanic. Yet this deal will be difficult to complete, as Roma manager Zdenek Zeman is counting strongly on Pjanic for the season ahead, while the player is only one year into a four-year contract and is happy in the Italian capital.
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Chelsea have confirmed that they have sold Raul Meireles to Fenerbahce for an undisclosed fee.
The Portugal international was brought to Stamford Bridge by former boss Andre Villas-Boas and since his countryman was shown the door the playmaker has struggled to hold down a consistent place in the side.
With a number of new midfielders being signed by the Champions League winners this summer, Meireles has been deemed surplus to requirements and has moved to the Turkish giants.
“Raul Meireles has today joined Fenerbahce on a permanent transfer. The move was completed before the close of the Turkish transfer window later this week,” a statement on the west London club’s official website reads.
Meireles had only started one of the Blues’ three Premier League games this season so far, and was an unused substitute for their 4-1 defeat to Atletico Madrid on Friday night in the European Super Cup.
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Swansea goalkeeper Michel Vorm refused to look for excuses for his part in Aston Villa’s opening goal in their win over the Welsh side at Villa Park.
Vorm appeared to dive beyond Matt Lowton’s swerving volley which gave Villa the lead after 16 minutes, with Christian Benteke’s late goal sealing Villa’s first Premier League win of the campaign, and Swansea’s first loss of the season. The Netherlands international admitted the nature of footballs now makes it harder for keepers to judge the flight of the ball, but he also admited there was not much he could do about Lowton’s strike. He told Sky Sports:
“”It swerved a bit and I saw it a bit late. I was already moving to my right as well, and I couldn’t make up so it was a bit unlucky. They make the balls not to please the goalkeeper but to please the players who shoot a lot. It’s something you have to deal with and you see a lot of times it is hard for the goalkeepers to keep the ball in their hands. But in the Premier League we have good goalkeepers and we have to deal with it. It’s not really about the ball, I like the ball. If you look throughout the season you will see some goals that go in that you think are because of the ball – but I am not going to blame the ball.”
Swansea’s next tie sees them face a tough fixture at the Liberty Stadium against Everton.
Mark Hughes says that defender Anton Ferdinand, who is embroiled in the John Terry controversy, “has got to be big enough to handle” jibes from fans.
The QPR defender received abuse from some of the West Brom fans during the 3-2 victory for the Baggies at the Hawthorns on Saturday, with a selection of supporters chanting ‘There’s only one John Terry’. It comes after Terry was found guilty by the FA of racially abusing Ferdinand, which saw him receive a fine and a ban for four matches.
“You expect to recieve some flak when you go to away games but if he was singled out, there isn’t much we can do about it. If that was the case , then he has got to be big enough to handle it,” Mark Hughes said.
Saturday’s fixture ended with QPR yet again failing to win a game, with the loss to West Brom marking it the seventh match for them without a win in the Premier League this season. This is after it was reported that QPR bosses are worried that they have too many new players.
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The loss also saw owner Tony Fernandes attacked on Twitter by angry fans. However, he has spoken in an interview of being “1000 per cent” behind Mark Hughes. QPR will be hoping to end their time without a win in the league in their next fixture at home to Everton.
Newcastle will not lose strike pairing Papiss Cisse and Demba Ba to 2013 African Cup of Nations duty in January after Senegal failed to qualify for the tournament.
It will be a relief for Alan Pardew who faced the prospect of losing both of his main strikers for up to six weeks in January and February especially with only Shola Ameobi and Spanish misfit Xisco the only other strikers at the club.
However it is not all good news for the Magpies as they will be without Ivory Coast enforcer Cheik Tiote for a few weeks but the recent arrival of Vurnon Anita which has strengthened an already solid central unit.
The African Cup of Nations decider between Senegal and Ivory Coast was called off in controversial circumstances on Saturday with Ivory Coast leading 2-0 and 6-2 on aggregate.
The decision to award the visitors a penalty in the 76th minute, which Didier Drogba converted after his opener, sparked crowd trouble.
Elsewhere in the Premier League, Arsenal will lose the services of Ivorian forward Gervinho while Manchester City face losing brothers Yaya and Kolo Toure to the tournament.
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Nigeria have qualified for the competition thanks to goals from John Obi Mikel and Victor Moses which secured a decisive 8-3 aggregate win over Liberia and West Ham will lose Modibo Maiga after he helped Mali qualify over Botswana.
Fulham’s Mahamadou Diarra and Queens Park Rangers midfielder Samba Diakite could also be involved in the 6 week tournament that takes place in South Africa at the beginning of 2013.
manager Sam Allardyce is confident of beating Southampton at Upton Park this weekend and continuing his side’s good start to their first season back in the Premier League.
Both the Saints and the Hammers enjoyed promotion back to the top-flight last season but have enjoyed opposite starts to the campaign.
After sevem games Nigel Adkins’ Southampton sit just a point outside the bottom three with just four points while Allardyce’s West Ham are in eighth with 11 points.
And the West Ham manager believes his side have what it takes to continue what has been a solid start to the season.
Speaking to West Ham’s official site he said: “I think we have coped with the Barclays Premier League very well at the start of this season and I also think we had a group of fixtures that were less challenging than Southampton’s.
“From a Premier League point of view our experience is probably better than theirs so hopefully that will be a telling factor on Saturday. Our confidence is also very high because we have been very good at home.
“I am hoping to see the same kind of performance that I saw against Aston Villa, Fulham and Sunderland. If we play like that we will create opportunities and have a very good chance of winning the game.”
Allardyce also feels that Adkins’ Southampton are a team still looking for the right formula that should see them start climbing up the table.
“It is usually more difficult to score goals than it is to concede. Southampton have found it easier to score but in doing so they have left a lot of gaps,” he added.
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“There are two ways of playing the game and that is in possession and out of it. If you do not get both right you do not win. What you do out of possession in the Barclays Premier League is just as important as what you do with it, especially during your first season.
“If you can get both of those on an equal par you will do well.”
Tottenham have managed to turn around their season (although they were hardly on the ropes) and put together a run of results that presents Andre Villas-Boas far more favourably. The highlight, of course, was the win at Old Trafford, giving further evidence of just how clinical Spurs can be on the counter attack.
The manager should also be praised, as even without key components which would make his system a successful one, he appears to have the squad on side and achieving results. It’s certainly no worse than what he experienced at Stamford Bridge.
But there’s an argument that suggests Daniel Levy could have focused greater efforts on securing players the new manager desired. Hugo Lloris will become a staple in the Spurs side for many years, and there’s no question that the signing of Moussa Dembele was an impressive one. However, there are still areas that need to be addressed in the squad, notably in midfield. Spurs’ position in the league table at this stage should bode well for them should they wish to move ambitiously again in the transfer market.
Willian
There is already concrete interest in the Brazilian, with Daniel Levy reportedly having held talks for the signing of the Shakhtar midfielder in the last transfer window. But with Willian’s ability to play either centrally or on the flanks, and with Gareth Bale’s future beyond next summer coming into question, Willian would be an outstanding option in the Spurs attack. There’s a reason Chelsea were after him, although they’re certainly in no great need for him now. He’s one of he two focal points for this Shakhtar team and plays superbly as a creator from the left position. Gareth Bale gives Tottenham pace and power in a very good counter attacking system, but Willian plays a possession based game that can be equally devastating.
Arda Turan
What about the right of Tottenham’s attack? As with Bale, Aaron Lennon provides the necessary pace in their counter attacking game and unsettles defences with the way he drives into the penalty area. But could they do with an upgrade in that position? Arda Turan doesn’t hit the same notes that the players at Real Madrid do, for obvious reasons, but the Turkish international is comfortably one of the best attackers in La Liga. He has formed an excellent partnership with Juanfran on the right, doubling up for attacks and in defence. And this is where Arda can be so important: he’s such a hard worker that he’s quickly become an invaluable asset in Diego Simeone’s team. His versatility means he can play anywhere across the attacking three, and he’s certainly got an eye for goal as well. For those outside Spain and his native land, Arda isn’t top of the list in terms of glamour signings. But he’s undoubtedly a player who could star for any team in the Premier League.
Ivan Rakitic
Tottenham are still without a natural replacement for Luka Modric following their failed attempts to secure Joao Moutinho. But what better way to replace the Croat than with his international team mate? It’s a real wonder why Sevilla can’t string together a run of good form, such is the quality in their squad. One of the standout performers is Ivan Rakitic, who arrived from Schalke last year. Spurs would do well to bring in creative players who take up advanced roles in the team, but there’s no doubt they need someone to occupy a place in the centre of the pitch. Rakitic has outstanding numbers in La Liga, averaging three key passes per game, equal to that of David Silva. He can play further up the pitch as well, scoring his only goal of the season so far from the advanced role against Deportivo. He passes the ball superbly, with excellent range and is equally impressive from dead ball situations. Unlike with Moutinho and Porto, Sevilla are unlikely to demand a transfer fee close to £30million, but they would certainly negotiate the parting of one of their key players should the price suit them. Due to the financial situation in Spain, Sevilla are among the many teams who would welcome respectable bids for their best players.
Roberto Soldado
Roberto Soldado may be one of the only bright spots in Valencia’s terrible season so far. The Spanish international continues to be a regular source of goals, even without Ever Banega and Sergio Canales to supply him from midfield. But Tottenham don’t seem entirely at ease with their striking options. Jermain Defoe was close to the exit door during the summer and Emmanuel Adebayor hasn’t figured as prominently as he did last season. With Spurs playing with one striker up front, they can get the best of both worlds with Soldado in the team. He’s excellent at holding the ball up and working with players on either flank, and as mentioned, he continues to score even under difficult circumstances. He would have given Valencia a win over Real Madrid at the start of the season were it not for the linesman incorrectly calling offside.
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Benedikt Howedes
Questions remain about Michael Dawson and William Gallas, and Younes Kaboul is still out. Steven Caulker looks an exciting prospect, but perhaps there is room to add greater solidity to the centre of defence. Andre Villas-Boas has obviously seen little use for Dawson, despite his qualities at the back, while Jan Vertonghen has had to fill in at left-back for the majority of the season so far. But even when the Belgian international returns to the central position, he’s very much a ball-playing defender who likes to advance out from the back. Spurs would do well to have a defender who stays at home in the mould of Benedikt Howedes. The Schalke captain has drawn plenty of attention and the German club remain firmly in the stance that they want to keep him. But he’s also versatile, able to operate at right-back and provide cover when needed. A natural leader and a defender with excellent interception percentages. Spurs would do well to have him partnering either Vertonghen or Caulker.
If your team is caught in a relegation dog fight, this Premier League Losers XI is filled with a fantastic array of players that will make your slump out of the top-flight all but certain. These footballers are the relegation specialists who move from club to club in an aid to win a relegation battle but rarely do.
Some have been described as having a relegation fetish, others are clearly omens of bad luck and misfortune and a few are simply not quite good enough to ever play for a team that could escape the perils of relegation.
This Losers XI is a fantastic mix of players past and present who in trying their hardest will inadvertently get what ever team they play for demoted out of the top-flight, and often in ceremonious style.
Click on Ben Thatcher to witness the unholy footballing alliance that is the Losers XI
For any footballer, becoming a scapegoat in any club can break a career. Becoming a scapegoat in a Nottingham Forest shirt though, normally makes careers.
Whilst fans of other clubs watch their former scapegoats in the latter minutes of The Football League Show, Forest fans endure watching them being intensely analysed by Alan Hansen, on Match of the Day.
This may be the route taken by striker David McGoldrick. Although people may laugh at the thought of McGoldrick in the Premier League, pointing them in the direction of Grant Holt’s career path may see them understand the theory just a little more.
Whenever McGoldrick did anything in a Forest shirt, the atmosphere changed. If something positive was done, there would be the element of patronising suprise that could only leave a footballer slightly humiliated, rather than encouraged. If something negative occurred, McGoldrick would get a barrage of abuse on a different scale.
His running style, or internet rumours relating to his private life – Nottingham Forest supporters seemed to decide at an early stage that McGoldrick was an easy target, that they would take full advantage of.
McGoldrick got out alive, getting himself a loan spell at Coventry City. Despite his recent goalscoring exploits, many would still not take him back. Eleven goals scored, and Coventry fans lauding him demanding they sign him permanently. Three strikers currently fit, but the thought of McGoldrick lining up in a Forest shirt again is enough to raise the eyebrows, more in confusion of suggestion, than consideration.
Forest left back Dan Harding is currently in the line of fire. What’s Dan Harding’s fault, is Dan Harding’s fault. What’s Andy Reid’s fault, is Dan Harding’s fault. The mindset that many seem to have taken, unfortunately.
If something goes wrong near Dan Harding, despite looking at the bigger picture and perhaps the tracking back (or lack of) from Andy Reid, Harding is usually held responsible.
Harding seems to be standing on the thin line, that is being made a touch thicker by the ongoing injury problems to the defence, meaning any defensive errors are being generalised, as a whole defensive issue.
Whilst it’s unfair, Harding’s hesitant appearance doesn’t help him. Often looking hurried and nervous, with Andy Reid in front of him taking up awkward positions, forcing the Forest No.3 to take another option, usually the more simple one backwards, that can sometimes rile inpatient fans.
McGoldrick’s running style and Jonathan Greening’s rough and street-ready look. Are appearances playing a role in fans stance on players?
Football fans as a whole tend to be a forgiving bunch, as long as performances improve.
The Nottingham Forest faithful are on another level, however. Even when performances get better, and players show improvements, their unwillingness to allow them a fresh start in the Garibaldi is alarming.
If the likes of McGoldrick, Jonathan Greening and Marcus Tudgay continue to show form at their respective clubs until January, would the idea of retaining them be too frowned upon?
The thought of ‘cashing in’ may cross people’s mind. For Greening and Tudgay, maybe.
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For McGoldrick? Firepower and form. Whilst considering whether to give him a fresh start in your own mind, imagine settling down on a Saturday night to watch Match of the Day, knowing you were seeing a David McGoldrick you could’ve once seen.
Forgiving and forgetting may not be in the nature of Nottingham Forest fans minds’. Many people preach about the club being as one, for once in a long time. The only way to prove it, is to act in that way. Forgive and forget, and aid the club in achieving success.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger praised his side following their 5-2 Premier League victory over Reading.
The Gunners lost to League Two outfit Bradford City in the Capital One cup last time out, leading to widespread criticism of the Frenchman’s ability.
Wenger demanded a strong performance from his team at the Madejski Stadium and was happy with the way in which they delivered:
“The target was to win in a convincing way. We focussed on playing the game. At 4-0 we had a little wobbling period. And at 4-2, after what happened last week, we became a bit uncertain. We lost a bit of focus and paid for it.” He told SkySports.
“But overall it was important to go out and play and give the right answer on the football pitch.”
Theo Walcott was deployed in his preferred central attacking role for the clash with the Royals, and Wenger was pleased with the ex-Southampton man’s contribution:
“In training sessions he has shown the abilities to play in this position – the timing of his movement – and for his first game I think he has done very well. There are very encouraging signs.
“We had pace, that was the target in the build-up to the game and overall we gave them many problems through that.”
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Arsenal took the lead through Lukas Podolski, before Santi Cazorla netted a fine hat-trick.
The hosts looked as if they might have got back into the game through Jimmy Kebe and Adam Le Fondre, but Walcott added a fifth late on to complete the scoring.