After a demoralising Rangers defeat at the hands of Celtic, fans of the Light Blues appear to have had enough of Graeme Murty’s management of the club.
Many believe he is not cut out to lead the club forward into a new season and with his contract up at the end of this term, it seems inevitable that a change will be made.
One man that a lot of supporters are eyeing up as a potential replacement is Kilmarnock boss Steve Clarke.
The 54-year-old has done a phenomenal job at Rugby Park, transforming Killie from relegation candidates into one of the best sides in the division.
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He certainly has more experience than the former U20s coach and appears to command the respect of his dressing room, which could be important at Ibrox after ill-discipline came to the fore at Hampden.
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At this stage of his career, the flying winger should be established as a top star for a Premier League club and playing week in, week out… especially as he burst onto the scene as a teenager!
However, Walcott is far from integral to Arsenal, who have plenty of options and the luxury of rotating the speedster in and out.
Don’t get us wrong, Walcott offers the Gunners plenty in terms of what he’s good at, but maybe it’s time for Walcott to think about himself and chase a big move to get his career on track.
There are options waiting for the versatile ace, and many clubs would be thrilled to have him… Here are FIVE potential moves for Walcott.
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Liverpool
The links have been there and Walcott is a Liverpool fan.
So this move could make some sense, then! The speedy winger seems suited to a Brendan Rodgers style of play, with his pace and direct running both traits that the Northern Irishman covets in players.
Liverpool also have the cash to fund a move and can attract players of Walcott’s stature due to their standing in the game, so the player himself may be swayed.
However, Walcott wants to play centrally, which will put him in competition with Philippe Coutinho, Daniel Sturridge and Adam Lallana, while his, arguably, weak passing is another problem.
Spurs
Now this would be a shocker!
No player has crossed the north London divide since Sol Campbell and Walcott’s ‘2-0’ gesture has put him firmly in Lilywhites fans’ bad books, but he would be a good fit at White Hart Lane.
With Aaron Lennon’s future unclear, Tottenham could do with genuine pace to accompany the creative threat of Christian Eriksen, while his ability to get wide and deliver the ball might give Harry Kane the ammunition he needs.
Unlikely, but stranger things have happened.
Southampton
He left the Saints when they were in the Championship in search of big time football, but with Southampton having caught him up, could a return be on the cards?
Who knows, but with the ambitious South Coast side challenging for European qualification, they could look to lure a marquee man to St Mary’s.
The mega TV deal and money left over from last summer’s sales means that there could be cash in pace to land Walcott, but whether he’ll want to step away from an ‘elite’ club or not remains in doubt.
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Manchester City
Manchester City need homegrown players and a few Arsenal stars have relocated to the Etihad Stadium in the past… Walcott could be just what the Sky Blues need, with a lack of English players set to become even more of an issue as James Milner edges closer to a free transfer to join Micah Richards in exiting this summer.
From a non-cynical perspective, the Gunners ace could offer City another dimension and function well in a front two alongside Sergio Aguero or as an alternative to the Argentine, while he may also be an upgrade on Jesus Navas on the right.
Europe
Broad, we know, but possibly a move away from England could help Walcott to get his career back on track. La Liga is, arguably, the best division on the planet and favours pacey, skilful players, while Serie A has attracted Englishman such as Ashley Cole and Micah Richards.
The Bundesliga is not dissimilar to the Premier League in terms of style, or perhaps Walcott could earn himself a massive salary in the likes of Turkey.
Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino is surprised by Rickie Lambert’s lack of Premier League experience.
The Saints icon is currently the league’s top scoring Englishman, having netted 11 goals in his first campaign in the top tier.
Before joining the South Coast club he gained a reputation for being a lower league goal getter, performing admirably for Bristol Rovers, Macclesfield, Stockport, Blackpool and Rochdale.
He has carried this form into the top division, and his manager believes that he is one of the best front-men in the Premiership:
“For me, he’s an extraordinary footballer. When I see his career, I’m surprised he hasn’t played longer in the Premier League.” He is quoted by The Mirror.
“He has many qualities and none are outstanding over the others. It’s well known he’s a good player, he can shoot well and he’s skilful, what surprised me is his mentality.”
Lambert has performed well under Pochettino, who recently took charge of Southampton after Nigel Adkins’ controversial dismissal.
The Argentinian, whose team beat Manchester City on Saturday, is happy with the way they are playing:
“We have a methodology and philosophy and the players have shown a great -willingness to accept it.
“The players have a great capacity for assimilating ideas, a great ¬intelligence and have also adapted very, very well.”
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The Saints are now four points clear of the relegation zone having secured six wins from their opening 26 games.
One issue has been a leaky defensive line, which has been breached on more occasions than bottom of the table QPR.
Newcastle fans are furious with the FA after their club were charged for having a betting sponsor on their Under-18 kits.
Newcastle have accepted a charge from the Football Association for breaching betting rules.
The charge is due to Newcastle’s sponsor, FUN88, being present on the U18’s kits, which is against FA regulations. The deal with FUN88 is the biggest in the club’s history, worth £8million-a-year.
According to the FA, Under-18 sides cannot advertise “services and related activities such as alcohol and gambling”. It comes from the same set of rules that recently saw Pep Guardiola charged for wearing a yellow ribbon in support of Catalan independence.
Newcastle plead guilty to the charge, and will now probably face a fine.
Fans on Tyneside aren’t exactly the biggest fans of the FA, although that could probably be said about most clubs outside of Manchester.
Last week, fans were furious over a TV fixture change, which left hundreds of travelling fans with their tickets refunded but no help on travel costs. Now fans are asking why an establishment that advertises betting on TV at every opportunity is carrying out this charge.
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Some of the best Twitter reactions can be found below…
Southampton were at their stubborn, resilient best once again on Saturday as a late Sadio Mane strike earned them a priceless 1-0 victory at Queens Park Rangers. The win kept the Saints firmly lodged in the top four, with a staggering 45 points from 24 games.
We’ve ran out of superlatives to describe how good a job Ronald Koeman has done at St Mary’s this season, so it’s just best to look at the Premier League table and believe what you see. The disappointing run of at the start of December aside, the Saints have been incredibly consistent, and everyone involved in the club must now believe they have a genuine chance of securing Champions League football for next season.
But the Southampton boss has other ideas. I’m sure deep down he’s silently optimistic, but Koeman has gone for the ‘under the radar’ approach. Sometimes a bit of reverse psychology is just what a club needs when they are exceeding their expectations. After the Saints’ last-gasp victory over QPR on Saturday, the ex-Ajax and Feyenoord boss was quoted by Sky Sports as saying:
“I still look down more than up. Maybe in three weeks it will be different, but we are watching the teams around us at the moment and behind us. That’s our focus, rather than second or first place. It’s not all about the top four places in the table.”
Koeman added: “We are trying to reach a European position for next season, that is the target. Seventh place may be enough for that or sixth.”
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Last week, Southampton were bitterly disappointed to lose at home to Swansea City when a late Jonjo Shelvey goal sealed all three points for the Swans. The manner of the defeat against Swansea made the win at Loftus Road even sweeter for Koeman, with manager again telling Sky after the game:
“How we played today and the result was very important. In a season you always have some key moments and one of these was today. After last week’s defeat, we needed to show how we like to play football and to have a good result and get three points. That’s very good. It’s our fourth win away in a row and that’s fantastic.”
So is the Saints boss doing the right thing by playing down his side’s top four chances? Well, as always in these situations, the talking will be done on the pitch. You have to strongly believe that every Southampton player who steps across that white line has real ambitions of getting into the top four. For a team who were tipped to struggle this term, to be third in the league at this stage of the season is a monumental achievement in itself, regardless of what happens between now and the end of the campaign.
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The South Coast club have as good a chance as any of the sides challenging for a Champions League spot – the Saints have the squad, the backing and certainly the manager to pull off what seemed an impossible task at the start of the season. If Koeman’s side do get the job done, then it will surely have to go down as one of Southampton’s greatest achievements of all time.
Another weekend passes in the football calendar and Coventry come out of it pretty well. A hard fought point away to Preston as well as having an unwanted FA Cup record taken away from them.
The draw at Preston was never going to be a classic with their often ‘ugly’ style of football combined with the shockingly poor pitch conditions. It was a game however which produced 4 goals evenly shared between the two teams although Preston technically got three of them with an own goal from Robertson.
It was a game which on the face of it Coventry would find difficult however we adapted surprisingly well and based on the stats could have easily won the match on another day. City finished the game with 14 attempts on target compared to Preston’s 3 and that stat tells its own story.
Coventry are clearly the better footballing side of the two and in that respect a point seems slightly disappointing but given the conditions we have to be happy with it and look forward to what is a huge game on Friday night away to Sheffield United. They are a team who are in and around the promotion chasing pack and a victory against them would be a huge step towards reaching our playoff goal.
It will very likely be a similar game to the Preston match in terms of the football on show. They have similar philosophies and ones that I really am not a fan of. Sheffield united have been one of the kings of this type of football for a long time and it has brought them both success and failure, more recently failure. They are undoubtedly a big club and along with us and Portsmouth are probably the only other club in league one who on name alone feels as if they shouldn’t be there.
They are though and so are we and this is a vital game in our season. We have shown we can compete with Sheffield united having knocked them out of the Johnstone’s paint trophy and with their lack of form recently I do fancy our chances.
My main concern is that of the match which follows and whether the player’s minds will be on that one. It is of course the home leg of the area final of the Johnstone’s paint trophy against Crewe. News broke this week that the match is a sell out and this is almost unheard of for a Coventry match and this will only add to the anticipation of the game for the players. I hope Robins can focus the players on the task in hand on Friday night and get a positive result to keep our hopes alive for not one but a potential two trips to Wembley.
The other positive of the weekend was that of Luton Town’s victory over premier league Norwich. For 14 years now Coventry City have been the unwanted holder of the record of being the last top flight team to be knocked out of the cup by a non-league side. This unwanted record is now passed onto Norwich after what can only be described as an incredible victory for Luton.
It was a bit of FA cup magic though and it wasn’t the only bit with seven premier league teams now having been knocked out by lower league sides. Most notable for us Coventry fans was Aston Villa’s loss to Millwall which came only days after their capital one cup exit at the hands of league two Bradford. Villa are a club in turmoil and there is a distinct possibility of seeing them relegated to the championship.
If relegation to the Championship were to happen then this is even more motivation to get promoted as that would create the chance for a local derby that has not happened since Villa beat City on the 5th May 2001 to condemn Coventry to relegation from the premier league. Relegation was inevitable but for Villa to be the team to confirm it made it hurt just that little bit more. A rematch has been a long time coming and I for one am hoping that it can take place next season in the championship.
That is next season though and what’s happening right now is the January transfer window is coming to an end. Coventry have already been busy doing business with the most recent being Cody McDonald leaving on loan to join the club in which he had the best spell of his career so far. He clearly hasn’t been showing what he can do in training and Robins has taken the chance to hopefully get him back to scoring goals and then there is every chance he could return full of confidence and be like a new signing for us.
Another player on his way out is Roy O’Donovan well that is if we can convince anyone to take him. He has never looked like he could cut it for us and if he does go that will leave us with only two fit recognised strikers in Clarke and Elliot. There are rumours going around that Robins does want some new blood in the squad and that a new striker is his top priority. This will only happen with outgoings freeing up wages though and it is looking pretty bleak on that front at the moment.
Names like Scotland and Earnshaw have been bandied about but neither of these were ever realistic in my opinion. I am actually drawing a blank when it comes to other potential names but one player who is currently on trial with the club is ex Chelsea and Sheffield united player Danny Philliskirk. At the age of 21 he is still young and I hope Robins takes a good long look at him before making his decision. There is clear potential there but what we don’t need is another player on the books who is not going to be involved in the squad.
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It could and should be an interesting last few days of the transfer market for us Coventry fans and let’s hope someone who can help our push for promotion can be drafted in.
England face the Netherlands in a friendly on Friday night that will give Gareth Southgate some idea of what his starting XI will look like when the World Cup in Russia comes around.
Unfortunately though, the Three Lions are without their only truly world-class player – formidable frontman Harry Kane, who hobbled off with an ankle injury against Bournemouth during his last Premier League outing.
That does, however allow Southgate to test some contingency plans in the event of Kane unfortunately not making the the international tournament this summer, with three alternatives to choose from.
Arsenal attacker Danny Welbeck boasts the best scoring record for England, with 15 goals and 36 caps, but Jamie Vardy has scored the most Premier League goals this season of any centre-forward in the squad, netting 14 times in total.
Then there’s Manchester United’s boy wonder Marcus Rashford, who Transfermarkt value at £45million. He’s dipped in and out of Jose Mourinho’s starting XI this season but remains one of England’s most exciting and potent attacking threats.
So, England fans, who would you choose to lead the line against Oranje on Friday? Let us know by voting below…
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Christmas day has come and gone and now we’re all focusing on the New Year – a time for parties, over-intoxication and of course, Premier League football.
But before we usher in 2015, it’s time to reminisce over the last twelve months. And what better way to regurgitate the footballing memories than mulling over some of the best goals of 2014?
This article takes a look at Manchester United and their most memorable strikes of the calender year, featuring the likes of Steven Gerrard, Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez to name a few.
So without further ado, sit back and remember 2014 through the Red Devils’ top FIVE goals!
ASHLEY YOUNG VS CARDIFF CITY (JANUARY)
It’s not been an easy twelve months for winger Ashley Young, with persistent accusations over his infamous inability to stay on his feet – especially inside of the penalty box. But the former Watford and Aston Villa star kicked off Manchester United’s 2014 and reminded doubters of his quality with this sublime effort against Cardiff City in January.
WAYNE ROONEY VS WEST HAM (MARCH)
The eventual winner of Manchester United’s Goal of the Season award for 2013/14, Wayne Rooney’s wonder-strike against West Ham in April was always going to make this list. In echoes of David Beckham’s famed effort against Wimbledon way back in 1996, who was rather eerily, watching in the Upton Park stands that afternoon, the England and Red Devils captain swivelled on the ball at the centre-circle and hit it on the half-volley over helpless Hammers goalkeeper Adrian.
PATRICE EVRA VS BAYERN MUNICH (APRIL)
Patrice Evra wasn’t best known for his goal-getting during his nine seasons at Manchester United. In fact, the French full-back netted just ten times in 379 appearances for the Red Devils, giving him a potent strike-rate of 0.026 goals per match. But before moving onto Juventus this summer he left United with a parting gift – this absolute worldie against then-European champions Bayern Munich. The phrase ‘saving the best until last’ certainly comes to mind.
ANGEL DI MARIA VS LEICESTER CITY (SEPTEMBER)
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Manchester United splashed out a record-breaking £59million on Angel Di Maria this summer but the Argentina international is already be proving to be worth every penny. He’s notched three goals in eleven Premier League appearances for the Red Devils, with of the pick of the bunch being this deft lob against Leicester City, unsurprisingly winning the club’s Goal of the Month award for September.
ROBIN VAN PERSIE VS HULL CITY (NOVEMBER)
Just when doubts were beginning to surround the ageing Robin van Persie, he responded in November with this long-range piledriver against Hull City, instigating a run of five goals in his next six Premier League outings. The quality of the strike is no more than we’ve come to expect from the clinical Dutchman, but it’s his ability to shrug off a challenge and place the ball onto his stronger foot with one eloquent movement that particularly catches the eye.
Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has insisted winger Arda Turan will not be sold despite being linked with Liverpool FC, among others, talkSport reports.
The Turkish winger had been linked with moves away from the Vicente Calderon Stadium after expressing to CNN Turkey, his desire to play for a club “capable of winning the Champions League”.
However Atletico boss Diego Simeone denied the the claims, telling reporters:
“Arda isn’t going, definitely. I didn’t hear what he said but people have told me. Everyone has the right to say what he wants to, what’s important is what he does on the pitch.
“There isn’t a single Atletico supporter who wouldn’t say that Arda is one of the best players we have and that he gives his all in every game. He has a contract with the club, he’s ours, he’s an extremely important player for the squad and he demonstrates it when he has to.”
Turan, 25, signed for Atletico from Turkish club Galatasaray in 2011, and has become a key player for the Spanish side who are enjoying a very impressive league campaign. They currently sit second in the table, only behind Barcelona and seven points ahead of neighbours Real.
The Turkish international who also helped Atletico to triumph in the Europa league last season, has scored four goals in 16 appearances for them so far this term.
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Liverpool chief Brendan Rodgers has moved early in the winter transfer window, already securing the services of England forward Daniel Sturridge in a £12million deal, and is believed to be keen to add to his squad further.
Sevilla forward Wissam Ben Yedder came off of the substitutes’ bench to score twice in his side’s 2-1 Champions League win against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Tuesday night, and Liverpool fans have urged their club to sign the 27-year-old.
Following a goalless draw in the first leg of their last 16 tie, there was all to play for in the second leg but neither side found a breakthrough before Ben Yedder, who has been touted as a player who would be perfect for West Ham United boss David Moyes, replaed Luis Muriel in the 72nd minute.
Six minutes later he had found the net twice and given Jose Mourinho’s men a mountain they couldn’t climb as they were eliminated from Europe’s elite club competition, with the Frenchman also scoring twice against Jurgen Klopp’s side in a 3-3 draw at Anfield in November.
Liverpool supporters were quick to have their say on the 5ft 7in attacker’s display via social media, and while one said “sell both Sturridge and Origi and sign Ben Yedder”, another simply said “I’d take Ben Yedder”.
Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…
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