With the English Premier League kicking off for the 2011/2012 season I thought it would be fitting to make a top ten list of players who will be making their debuts in the most and best competitive league in the world. There has been plenty of transfer activity this summer and will still be some more to arrive come deadline day, but there are also 3 new teams to the EPL this season with a handful of players set to play at the top flight for the first time.
That’s why I’ve left the likely lads out of this top ten, of course Sergio Aguero of Manchester City and Gervinho of Arsenal are the focus point for Premier League debut’s and I don’t like to comment on the hype and common talking points. I’ve also omitted the likes of Connor Wickham (Sunderland) and Adel Taarabt (QPR) because, despite their lack of Premier League experience the hype surrounding these youngsters is sometimes over bearing.
The following top ten is players that have not really made the headlines as much as the aforementioned and are set to make their Premier League debut’s this season. Some are new signings, or part of one of the newly promoted teams but this multitalented list is certainly one to take note of (it might give you some bargain ideas for your Fantasy Teams too).
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Darren Bent might only have scored one goal in an England shirt but, following his surprise move to Aston Villa, top-flight managers have now spent a total of £53m to acquire the striker’s services throughout his career. The reason? As has been widely quoted this week, only Didier Drogba and Wayne Rooney have scored more Premier League goals than Bent since the summer of 2005. What’s more, the 26-year-old’s tally is only one fewer than that of the Chelsea and Manchester United strikers.
Why, then, has the size of Bent’s transfer fee been so widely derided? After 32 strikes in 58 league appearances on Wearside, it is not difficult to see why Gérard Houllier has identified the former Ipswich, Charlton and Tottenham player as the man to address his side’s goals-for column as they languish in seventeenth place in the table. Does £24m for Darren Bent represent any more of an abandonment of common sense on Aston Villa’s part than the £27.5m that Manchester City paid Wolfsburg last week for Edin Džeko? After all, the Bosnian’s goalscoring ratio of 66 in 111 games in the Bundesliga works out at but 0.04 goals better than Bent’s average at Sunderland.
Perhaps the indifference that a lot of fans in England feel when presented with the statistical merits of Darren Bent as a forward is rooted in his failure to stick around at one club long enough to truly become a part of any set of supporters’ affections. Since breaking through as a teenager at Ipswich, Bent has followed up that spell with relatively brief stints at three clubs. Two years in south-east London were followed by two years in the north of the capital, and just eighteen months in the north-east.
Another factor could be that, for all Bent’s personal success plundering goals, this has not always coincided with his various clubs enjoying a happy period. Sunderland are the first club he has left in a better position to the one in which he joined them. The striker was only 18 when Ipswich were relegated in 2002 at the end of his first season as a professional but Charlton went down five years later despite Bent hitting the net 13 times. His £16.5m move to Spurs went through that summer but, following the exit of Martin Jol as manager, there followed Juande Ramos’ year in charge at White Hart Lane that admittedly brought League Cup success but also left the club bottom of the table with two points from eight games at the beginning of the 2008/2009 season.
Leaving a team lying sixth for one just above the relegation zone with such eagerness – even handing in a transfer request to push the deal through – inevitably raises the issue of any financial incentives that Bent might have been offered to swap red-and-white for claret-and-blue. Nonetheless, had this transfer been proposed during the close season, after Villa had finished the previous campaign seven places and 20 points better off than Sunderland, then the move would have made a lot more sense – particularly with the £26m that Manchester City stumped up for James Milner leaving Villa newly flush.
Taking all these ideas together, then, perhaps being a player still in his mid-twenties who is already on to his fifth employer, who experienced relegation with two of them and left another after two tumultuous seasons for the club, and who has now opted to leave a team seemingly on the up for one fighting for its Premier League survival, all counts against Bent’s image. That is not to say that he is an unpopular player with fans – he might be a Villain now, but Bent is a long way from being disliked in the way that, say, El Hadji Diouf is – but he just doesn’t seem to be anywhere near as well-loved or well-respected as a player with his obvious scoring ability should be.
With Stewart Downing and Ashley Young to supply him, Bent should be provided with the opportunity to add to his goal tally and help lift Aston Villa away from trouble at the foot of the table. However, if he is to make a name for himself as something more enduring than a reliable Premier League scorer, he should try to stay in Birmingham long enough to work his way into the fans’ long-term memory. Should Villa climb the table this campaign and push for a return to the top six next term – thanks to Bent’s goals – then it could also see him become a fixture in the England team in time for Euro 2012. For their part, Sunderland fans will probably remember that they still have Asamoah Gyan, Jordan Henderson and (once fit again) Danny Welbeck, and find it easier to forget about the player they’ve just sold for a very tidy profit.
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Roy Hodgson believes that England have nothing to fear, as he prepares his team to face Italy in the Euros 2012 quarter final.
The England boss also believes that they certainly don’t go into Sunday’s game as underdogs and the players have no reason to feel inferior to the Italians.
“Italy has been stable without actually tearing the tournament up. So we’re not underdogs in any way. We have good-quality players who are recognised worldwide and, certainly, would get into a lot of the top European teams. I don’t know Cesare Prandelli but he is entitled to look at our team and say: ‘This won’t be an easy game.’ Certainly, we go into the game knowing we have good players. We’re aware it’s a tough task but I’d be surprised if any of our players feel inferior.”
It certainly promises to be a battle and most neutrals are expecting this contest to go down to a penalty shootout.
Elsewhere in the news Ashley Cole hails England’s bulldog spirit; Manchester City are set to table an offer for Robin van Persie, while Laurent Blanc plots a ‘boring win’ against Spain.
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Headlines
Scott Parker has revealed that the England team are focused on the job in hand against Italy and are not ready to go home from the tournament – [Guardian]
Laurent Blanc is planning to frustrate Spain tonight and is happy to play defensively as long as they prevail as winners at the end of the tie – [Guardian]
Chelsea have unveiled plans for their new stadium, should they get their hands on the Battersea Power Station site – [Guardian]
Manchester City is set to make a formal offer to Arsenal for their talisman Robin van Persie – [Daily Telegraph]
Ashley Cole said that he is proud to play in this England team that is full of bulldog spirit – [Daily Telegraph]
Daniele De Rossi sparks transfer speculation after saying Premier League is ‘more interesting’ than Serie A – [Independent]
The FA is set to fast track Owen Hargreaves through his coaching badges as they look to the future – [Daily Mail]
Arsenal is set to offer Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain a bumper new deal after an incredible first season for the Gunners – [Daily Mail]
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Carlo Cudicini feels that Tottenham should go for Andre Villas-Boas to replace Harry Redknapp as manager – [Daily Mail]
Liverpool and Everton are fighting over Inter Milan’s teenage striker Luc Castaignos – [Mirror]
Gianluigi Buffon believes that Joe Hart has the ability to best the goalkeeper in the world – [Mirror]
PLEASE NOTE – Click on the source to view the original article
Romelu Lukaku’s transfer to one of the European elite seems almost inevitable this summer. The teenage superstar is touted to be one of the best young prospects in world football and whilst experience tells us that this potential doesn’t always materialise, Lukaku does look to have the talent to achieve great things. But where will he end up come the start of next season and which club would be best for the striker?
It was widely reported at the end of last week that Chelsea had made an £18million bid for the 18-year-old but the wealth of his talent means that it is unlikely Chelsea will get free reign to sign the teenager without some competition. Arsenal are the latest team linked with Lukaku and whilst both sets of fans can drool over the prospect of him joining them, which club would be the best destination for Lukaku?
Lukaku has been labeled the next Didier Drogba and it is easy to see why. Whilst still only being teenager, Lukaku is a massive physical presence in the box but has the skills and eye for goal to match. The comparisons with Drogba mean he would be an obvious fit in a Chelsea shirt. His style of play could fit easily well at Chelsea who have utilized Drogba with so much success over the years. Chelsea are also reported to be the only team that have made a firm offer so they look to have the lead on any potential deal.
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But what about Arsenal? The deal that saw Gervinho arrive at the Emirates may cast doubt over whether Wenger is in the market for another new striker but would Lukaku be a good match for the Gunners? Wenger always as an eye on the next young talent so Lukaku could not have gone unnoticed by the Arsenal manager. Arsenal have a fantastic record of developing youngsters and Lukaku would certainly fit into that model. He also has the skill to slot into Arsenal’s attacking game. By going to Arsenal over a team like Chelsea he would give himself more chance of playing first team football on a regular basis. Despite Gervinho’s arrival there is still a need for more goals at the Emirates but with Chelsea there is Fernando Torres, Nicolas Anelka, Daniel Sturridge and Drogba to compete with.
A move to Europe is also a possibility for Lukaku despite England looking the more likely destination. Real Madrid have been linked with him in the past and are in the market for a target man. But whilst Lukaku has the skill to cause Spanish defenses endless problems, I think his combination of power, presence and physique would be best utilized in the Premier League.
But what would the Premier League be getting if Lukaku did make the move to England? Well the stats are frighteningly good for a player who made his first team breakthrough at Anderlecht at only 16-years-old. He scored an amazing 121 goals in 88 games for Anderlecht’s youth sides and such form understandably saw him promoted to the first team. Despite only being 16 he was the top scorer in Belgium in the 2009/10 season where he scored 15 goals (he has scored a total of 31 league goals in 71 first team appearances) and has already made the breakthrough on the international stage with Belgium.
A move to Chelsea does look the more likely and whilst Lukaku would have to face more competition for places at Chelsea rather than Arsenal, the chance to work alongside Drogba and build on his game at Stamford Bridge would benefit him more in the long-term. But wherever Lukaku does end up, any of the Premier League’s top teams should do their upmost to sign a star of the future.
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Manchester City head to The Emirates Stadium tonight to face Arsenal and to try and erase memories of their loss to the Gunners at Eastlands earlier in the 2010/11 Premier League season. That day City’s hopes were ruined by a red card early in the match, but which players will Roberto Mancini and indeed Arsene Wenger be looking towards to make the big difference this time around?
If Arsenal are to beat Manchester City and in turn move ahead of them in the Premier League table then much of their hope will rest on Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri once more. They are Arsenal’s most consistent Picklive performers this season and if you were to select either of the two for tonight’s live fantasy football event you couldn’t go far wrong.
However, if you’re looking for more of a left field selection, then maybe you should turn to Alex Song. Song broke the 100 points barrier in Arsenal’s last Premier League fixture that was featured on Picklive against Chelsea, and is sure to complete a whole bunch of passes tonight. Other than Fabregas, Nasri and Song, maybe Gael Clichy would be a good pick as the Frenchman will be looking to stamp his mark on the left back slot before Kieran Gibbs returns from injury.
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Manchester City will need to take control of the midfield if they are to get a stranglehold of the game tonight, and that will largely depend on the work of Gareth Barry, Yaya Toure and Nigel de Jong. While de Jong may not be the wisest selection due to his tendency to throw in a bad tackle or two during the 90 minutes, either Barry or Toure, or both, would be good additions to your Picklive trio.
With City looking solid at the back and earning clean sheets in their last two matches against Blackpool and Aston Villa, Joe Hart could be a wise choice. It would certainly be a bold selection given Arsenal’s attacking talents, but Hart would rack up the points if the England ‘keeper could make it three clean sheets in three.
So for the Arsenal v Manchester City LIVE fantasy football match I’d select Cesc Fabregas, Alex Song and Joe Hart in my Picklive Trio, but who would you select?
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Manchester United are set to raise their offer for Borussia Dortmund winger Shinji Kagawa to £13 million, according to The Daily Mail.
The Japan international has been a star in Germany over the last number of seasons, but with the Asian attacking midfielder’s contract expiring in 12 months time a move abroad seems likely.
With Arsenal also lurking, Sir Alex Ferguson is ready to step up his attempt to land Kagawa, as he looks to add a bit of energy into the team’s midfield.
Meanwhile, United are reportedly confident of landing Lille star Eden Hazard despite the interest of Manchester City and Chelsea.
The Belgium international will choose on of England’s top club this summer, but reports indicate that the Old Trafford outfit are confident of winning the race for his signature.
Hazard has once more indicated that a move to the Premier League is likely, but his destination has yet to be decided.
“I do not know when I’ll make a decision about my future club,” he confessed.
“It will anyway be Manchester City, Manchester United or Chelsea.
“The decision will depend on the amount of play I would see and the position where I would play.
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“Not everyone can say that he can make a choice between the three top clubs,” he concluded.
Real Madrid playmaker Kaka insists he will not leave the club after a heart-to-heart meeting with coach Jose Mourinho.The 29-year-old has been linked with a departure from the Spanish capital following two injury-plagued campaigns after his move in 2009 from AC Milan but he said Mourinho had convinced him that he will enjoy a bright future at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Kaka was reportedly wanted by both his former club, and rivals Inter, but the Brazilian has once again made it clear there he has no intention of leaving.
“I always said I wanted to stay and I want to play for Real Madrid and convince,” he is quoted as saying by Marca.
“My friends have always helped me, the technical staff, the club. I always knew there would be much speculation, but I spoke to the club and with the coach and he was tranquil.”
“I do not want to leave and the coach told me he wants me here for next season and the club told me there is no need to sell me.”
The former Milan ace hopes it is third time lucky next season, as he looks to help Madrid overcome rivals Barcelona.
“It will be very special for me because after two difficult seasons it can be a very good term,” he said.
“I hope to enjoy playing for Madrid, Mourinho has asked me this – that I enjoy it and play with confidence.”
Kaka featured for Real Madrid as they beat Philadelphia Union 2-1 in the third match of their tour of the USA, with Jose Callejon and Mesut Ozil scoring the goals.
I imagine that Arsene Wenger has different priorities than most other people this Christmas. He won’t be hoping that he finds a PlayStation, or an iPod, or some other gizmo at the bottom of his stocking. He eats, sleeps and breathes football. What Wenger wants for Christmas, no doubt, is for his side to fight their way to their first piece of silverware in five years.
This Arsenal side has its problems. Recent defeats have exposed a fragility that must be dealt with if this Arsenal side are to be title-challengers this season. Certain areas of the squad are stronger than others, whilst other areas need slightly increased competition. I understand that Wenger is not one to go out and splash the cash and that the January transfer window is likely to be pretty quiet for the Gunners. Nonetheless we can dream. Here are three players that I believe would bolster and boost this Arsenal side.
The first port of call must be the defensive midfield position. Alex Song is a good player, but he’s been disappointing on a number of occasions this season (not least his poor showing against Manchester United on Monday evening). A defensive midfielder should not be a box-to-box player. He has to be the anchor in front of the back four and Song simply doesn’t provide Arsenal with this basic protection. With this in mind, I’d love to see Arsenal swing for West Ham’s Scott Parker. He’s feisty, his competitive and he’s English. Not only is a he as hard worker and a tough-tackler, but he’s organised and could excel in the centre of the park for Arsenal. He could provide Arsenal with the backbone they appear to have been missing this season.
The next port of call is to assess the situation with the strikers at the club. Maroaune Chamakh has started well and I’m sure will continue to excel. Robin Van Persie is a slightly more worrying case. Talent to burn, but constantly either injured or lacking fitness – is it time the Gunners gave up on the Dutchman? Nicklas Bendtner doesn’t appear to have the quality necessary to make it at the club. With this in mind, Arsenal need a strike partner for Chamakh who can perform week in and week out. Given that it’s Christmas and it’s the season of wish fulfilment, I’d like to see Arsenal go after Karim Benzema who isn’t getting a look in at Real Madrid. Yes, he’d be pricey, but Arsene might be able to appeal to the Gunner’s French connection by means of enticement. He’s a proven goal-scorer and might fancy himself in the Premier League.
Finally, a look needs to be had at the goalkeepers within the club. Almunia isn’t up to scratch and Fabianski is dodgy. I wouldn’t be too sad to see the back of either of them at the Emirates. Wojciech Szczesney looks like a genuine prospect, but at just 20 years of age, he might not be fully ready for the rough and tumble of the Premier League just yet. With that in mind, I’d like to see the Gunners get back on the trail of out-of-favour Manchester City goalkeeper Shay Given. We all know that Given is a quality goalkeeper who has already proven himself in the Premier League. City don’t need him and Arsenal desperately need an experienced keeper. It should be a no-brainer.
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Those would be my picks. Who would you like to see join Arsenal this January? Feel free to leave a comment or follow me on Twitter: @ThePerfectPass
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We say our Premier League is great, but why? Perhaps it is the drama and shock in unlikely results. Perhaps it is the uncertainty in both the race for the title and the race for survival in the division. Or maybe it is perhaps because of the few surprises the League has had up its sleeve over the course of an enthralling eight months we have sampled thus far. In March, we are no closer to knowing just which Manchester club will be engaging in an open top bus jaunt around the city or which set of fans is to hold their heads in their hands at the gruelling fate of relegation. It is all still to play for and the overriding notion of uncertainty is what shapes successful contemporary team sport as a whole.
But nothing has been as uncertain as the next set of factors. Whether a player has defied the odds to score at the highest level, whether a team has shocked their own supporters at their good form or simply because an old hero has returned to the club, the Premier League has had as many as twenty identifiable ‘surprises’ in the current campaign and we thought we would remind you just why they captivated the watching nation as open mouthed expressions and scenes of unchartered joy set the tone for the following incidences. Let us begin with yes; some stability and calm up on Tyneside.
Click on Leon Britton to unveil the 20 great surprises from the Premier League season
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While Sunderland and Newcastle United fans fiercely protest their bitter rivalry, there has been something of a similarity between the two developing over the past six months. They both had solid enough seasons, with Newcastle consolidating their position in the top flight after their return and Sunderland breaking into the top half of the table. However, a more worrying area in which they have previously found common ground is their tendency to sell their key players.
Over the course of the January transfer window Sunderland lost Darren Bent, only signed in Summer 2009, and Newcastle allowed Andy Carroll to leave. Then, come the summer, Sunderland’s Jordan Henderson joined Liverpool and Newcastle sold Captain and leading goalscorer Kevin Nolan to newly relegated West Ham. A lack of ambition or a case of player power pushing through unwanted deals?
Every year sees a huge turnaround in the squads, arguably to such an extent that fans find it hard to choose a name for the back of their replica shirt for fear of that player leaving and their £60 pound investment consequently prancing off with him. However compared to previous seasons, the flock of migrating birds heading to sunnier (or more financially appealing) climes is dramatically smaller this year. Henderson and David Healy, last seen on loan at Doncaster Rovers, are the only Sunderland exits this year so far, with only Nolan leaving Newcastle as yet. The Magpies’ former captain, it was revealed yesterday by manager Alan Pardew, was after a 5-year deal at the club, something that Pardew couldn’t offer as he didn’t see Nolan in his midfield in 4 years time, let alone 5.
This does raise an interesting question, being what is the difference this year? Perhaps it is the fact that most of the players can see the progress that is being made on the field after last term. Sunderland finishing higher than their arch-rivals was a massive boost for the Black Cats, and the players and fans know it. Steve Bruce now has to deal with greater expectancy this year, and he is very clearly looking to add experience to his squad in order to stave off a similar fall away as they saw at the end of last year. The potential signings of Wes Brown and John O’Shea will add renewed steel to the team, as well as an understanding and experience of what it takes to win big, although admittedly restrictedly at Manchester United. The actual signing of Connor Wickham, allegedly from under the nose of Liverpool, shows that Bruce is planning for the future. And if Wickham saw that he could fulfil his potential greater at Sunderland than on Merseyside, something must be going right for the Mackems.
Similarly Newcastle’s progress should be cause for celebration following last season. They put in the best (second half) performance of the season against Arsenal, survived losing one of their main men in January and the unjust sacking of Chris Hughton and all in all had a solid season. While some fans will have been hoping for a more miraculous return to the league, with Champion’s League qualification a formality, hopefully most supporters will see the positive signs from last season; that they can cut it among the big boys once more and the performances of players like Cheik Tiote, Joey Barton and Jose Enrique. Assuming that there are no more contractual disagreements, they should be able to keep the squad together. Further to this, Pardew has begun moulding the squad in his shape, bringing in the likes of Demba Ba from West Ham, Yohan Cabaye from French champions Lille and Sylvain Marveaux from Rennes. This influx of pace and creativity should enable the team to push on from last season, with a top-half finish definitely within their sights.
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It looks like Geordie Shore might have some competition for the ‘Pride of the North East’ award this year.