Robin van Persie has taken aim at some of his English team-mates and believes their lifestyle could limit the length of their careers.The Arsenal striker told The Sun he felt a party and drinking culture was more widely embraced by English professionals, and was part of the reason their careers did not last as long as those of their counterparts from the continent.
The Dutchman said footballers must be clear about their priorities in order to succeed at the top level.
“The really top players aren’t fooled by riches or fame because they are fully focused with their football,” the 27-year-old said.
“For me, it’s very important to be having breakfast every morning with my two children and that wouldn’t be possible if you were hanging about in a discotheque all night.”
“When I see some of my English colleagues who are out til three in the morning, then I can only conclude that they are invariably finished at 33.”
“I have made another choice and that’s to be doing what I love the most, playing football.”
Van Persie said Arsenal would need to inject some new faces into the current squad as they bid to end a run of six seasons without silverware at the Emirates Stadium.
“Every year it always goes wrong in an identical way and that is frustrating,” he said.
“When you look at results in the last years, then Arsenal shouldn’t be talking about winning the league because too many times things have gone wrong.”
“Sometimes you have to eat the truth and be realistic. But I do believe, with the signing of a number of players, then next season we should be in there competing for prizes.”
With the FA Cup third round draw to be made this weekend, who better to talk to about what the FA Cup means to people than Tottenham legend, Ricky Villa. It is coming up to 30 years on since that Wembley goal – one of the most iconic FA Cup moments. The Argentine is in England promoting his new book ‘And Still Ricky Villa’ and Football FanCast was lucky enough to meet with Villa to discuss all things football, including that 1981 FA Cup run.
Ricky Villa has a love for the FA Cup – which is common with many foreign footballers playing in England. Look at the record of Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger. The FA Cup has a magic about it – where a minor club can host a major club. Maybe it has something to do other nations not having the same love for their cup competitions, but the FA Cup still holds great memories for Ricky Villa – even over playing and winning the World Cup in 1978.
‘The World Cup in 1978 was special, but the highlight of my career has to be 1981. Keith Burkinshaw had the confidence to give me another chance in the replay. It symbolises me as a footballer. When one game I am brilliant and the next week I am not.’
It is this passion for the FA Cup that has kept it alive, even in its most difficult years when Manchester United pulled out of the competition. Due to goals like Villa’s in the 1981 FA Cup semi -final and final, the competition has a spark. Even a player who has played at the World Cup remembers these moments as the highlight of his career.
‘It wasn’t the greatest goal I ever scored in my career, but it was the most important.’
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This further goes to illustrate how much the FA Cup means to one the greatest players of an era. Just imagine what it means to a football who plays for a minor team – but because of the FA Cup, has a chance to showcase his skills at one of England’s top clubs. It is what dreams are made of. The FA Cup exists because of these iconic moments – and how many more will we have this season? Ricky Villa has given us two, and now it is up to the new generation, with the draw for the 3rd round this weekend, to give their fans a few more to cherish.
As well as the FA Cup ‘And Still Ricky Villa’ goes into great detail of Villa’s love for Tottenham as well as England in general. Villa describes his affection for a country, who on the whole treated him very well, and a club that have given him legendary status.
‘I couldn’t move to another English club as Tottenham is in my heart. The English people are great and they looked after me and treat me brilliant.’
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Maybe we can all learn a lesson from Tottenham. If we treat players well and give them a chance to shine, the results can be as successful as Ricky Villa. Maybe its too much of a political point, in terms of football we do things we right. Generally we pay our players well and we look after the ones that have left their homelands. With austerity measures hitting The United Kingdom next year, maybe some magical FA Cup moments, like those from Ricky Villa will go some way to cheer us all up come Saturday evenings.
Ricky Villa’s new book ‘And Still Ricky Villa’ is on sale now.
Arsenal fans everywhere leapt for joy on Saturday afternoon, when Robin Van Persie latched with deadly precision onto Alex Song’s long arching through ball, and the final whistle was greeted with deafening sighs of relief, suggesting Arsenal have come out of recent games with credibility still very much intact. Some may say the Gunners have even turned the corner. The Milan-Sunderland week will forever haunt fans, almost as much as the Szczesny-Koscielny mix-up that saw Birmingham City lift the Carling Cup last term.
But with forthcoming league fixtures deemed ‘winnable’, potential transfers targets seemingly upbeat about summer moves and nearly turning over Milan in the Champions League last night, was there ever really a crisis at the North London club?
A win can work wonders, but two wins have the ability to get fans ever so carried away again once more. The Gunners fans have experienced exactly that. Two highly commendable victories against stellar opposition in Tottenham and Carling Cup victors Liverpool have bolted down the belief that Arsenal can actually do it and nail down that fourth spot this season, amidst a campaign which has been amongst the most inconsistent in Wenger’s tenure.
With Tottenham’s collapse in their respective last two league fixtures, Gunners fans would take the most pleasure from even catching their arch-rivals in third when seemingly just weeks ago, Spurs were out of sight and that there was a cavernous gap between the top three and everyone else.
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With the gap now representing just four points between the two clubs, Arsenal’s critics have been thrown a curveball with the North London’s clubs recent contrasting fortunes. With a recent profit of some reported £49.9 million and many media outlets reporting that the Lukas Podolski deal is as good as done, it seems that the power may be shifting back to the red half for the remaining months of the campaign. With Chelsea also unsettled or perhaps boosted via the departure of Andre Villas Boas, some are suggesting that Arsenal are best placed to secure Champions League qualification.
Robin Van Persie is in the form of his life, and whilst some players are still coasting for the Gunners, when the Dutchman is fed, he is finishing more often than not, papering gently over many of the cracks that the Gunners may have found themselves within if without the striker.
Of course, when you are winning, everything is rosy and Arsenal fans cannot be lulled in by the teams’ recent success. A week is a long time in football, and a few injuries to key men such as Szczesny or Van Persie or another ‘Swansea’ shock result can halt or lessen the clubs’ momentum going into May.
But there are green shoots of recovery in that a few of the long-term injuries are back in the first team fold. Carl Jenkinson and Kieran Gibbs have regained fitness, with Andre Santos deemed not too far away from a full recovery also. Furthermore, the Gunners will not have their hand forced in playing most definitely their best defender Thomas Vermaelen in the full-back positions where his talents aren’t best suited. Jack Wilshere too is still likely to figure at some point this term according to his manager but his return will be treated with the utmost care and consideration.
Arsenal face Newcastle United at the Emirates in the next Premier League game and a home defeat would spark up the ‘Wenger Out’ brigade once more. That’s just the way it is at the Emirates this campaign, and a sign of the immediacy and impatience in modern day football. The Gunners have been inconsistent and will have to be on their game to deny a spirited Magpies team who came back with great passion and commitment in the recent Tyne-Wear derby.
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But with Arsenal’s slump over for the time being, the calls of a crisis may have been a little premature. Arsenal crisis, what crisis?
Are Arsenal going to come good in the remaining months of the season or are there more troubles ahead? Follow me @ http://twitter.com/Taylor_Will1989
I think it’s fair to say Manchester United have picked up the buy of the season in Mexican sensation Javier Hernandez. ‘The Little Pea’ has been an instant hit in the Premiership after completing a summer move from his homeland. This is reaffirmed with his twenty goals in all competitions for the Red Devils. Hernandez has notched thirteen Premier Leagues goals in a season where he has only completed ninety minutes on five occasions, making his feat even more laudable. Sir Alex Ferguson’s faith in his young striker has paid dividends and shown what a young player can do at a big club if given the opportunity. Sir Alex has also given me the opportunity to raise an interesting question. I wonder – if Carlos Vela and Giovani dos Santos had been entrusted in the same way at their clubs as Hernandez has at United, might they may have blossomed similarly?
So what are the main reasons why Hernandez’s countrymen haven’t taken off in the Premiership in the same way as he has. Firstly maybe it’s simply the case that Vela and dos Santos aren’t good enough to be first choice at top Premiership clubs? They have both been in England for some time now and neither has made sufficient steps towards becoming a regular first team player. It’s almost as if they are both seen by their managers as players who have potential, but aren’t ready to realise it yet, so the best thing is to ship them out on loan. In dos Santos’ case it could be argued that surely Barcelona wouldn’t let a product of their youth system go if they thought he had the potential to be a top quality player? [ad_pod id=’unruly-2′ align=’right’]
My second rationale could simply be that maybe Vela and dos Santos haven’t been given enough of a chance to show what they can do yet? Giovani has only played ten league games for Spurs since joining them in 2008 and Vela has only played twenty nine league games for Arsenal since 2005, although he did spend the first two years out on loan. If Hernandez had been used as sparingly as his compatriots this season, his talent may still be locked away. It would have been easy for Fergie to stick with the tried and tested Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov combination and maybe if Michael Owen had been fit all year Hernandez wouldn’t have broken through? However, luckily for Man United fans, his goal scoring qualities have been exposed to us. This has meant Chicharito has been able to score some crucial goals that have guided United to within a point of their record breaking nineteenth title.
Both Giovani and Vela are highly rated within the national team set up with Mexico and they are both clearly talented footballers, so why has it not gone to plan for them in North London? After Giovani’s superb performances for Mexico at the World Cup he may well have thought he would have got his chance at the Lane this season. Both players are still young and could still embark on successful club careers, however whether it is in the capital or elsewhere depends whether Arsene Wenger and Harry Redknapp give them their shot. So is it a case of Arsenal and Tottenham not giving their Mexicans enough opportunity to showcase their ability or is it more a question of the two players not being good enough? It’s a question Arsenal and Spurs fans will be best equipped to answer, so what do you think?
FootballFanCast.com WORLD Exclusive, Robbie Savage’s Face in a Baby Scan
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The news this week that Chelsea are in talks to move to the site of the soon-to-be-demolished Earl’s Court exhibition centre must be seen as a step in the right direction for the economic future of the club. Earl’s Court is set to be demolished after hosting the Olympic Volleyball tournament in 2012, and Chelsea have reportedly expressed an interest in the site. They will have a fight on their hands to secure the land, however, as there has already been interest in turning the site into a residential estate with over 8,000 homes being built there. But in order to keep up with the footballing giants of this world Chelsea must move, as over the past decade they have slowly but surely outgrown their spiritual home of Stamford Bridge, and the logical step is to increase capacity and increase revenue.
With Roman Abramovich’s desire for the club to become self-sufficient and UEFA’s new regulations coming in, which somewhat tie owners hands when it comes to financing their club’s needs, Chelsea need to increase their fiscal means somehow, and through selling around 20,000 extra tickets per home game, they may find the answer. This, combined with the increased revenue more corporate boxes a new stadium would bring, such as the facilities found at the Emirates and Eastlands, will greatly increase the matchday financial intake.
Although they have the 5th highest average attendance in the Premier League, Chelsea fall well behind title rivals Manchester United and Arsenal, and, as has been mentioned above, in terms of revenue from corporate boxes, they rank well below Manchester City. Like Liverpool, whose average attendance ranks 4th and whose Anfield stadium holds a little over 45,000 compared to Stamford Bridge’s 41,841, Chelsea are searching for pastures new in order to compete both globally and financially in years to come.
A move half a mile down the road to Earl’s Court may seem ideal, keeping the club in west London, and, in fact, moving the club from the Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham to the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, but there may be some problems along the way. Namely, that neither the Stamford Bridge pitch, nor the naming rights of the club are owned by the club. They are both owned by the Chelsea Pitch Owners. This was originally set up in the 1990s to protect the ground from property developers, before the time of Roman Abramovich, and means, if Abramovich moved the club without the consent of the CPO, the club would no longer be able to operate under the name of Chelsea FC. In financial and legal terms I don’t see this being a problem for Abramovich as he could surely just buy these rights back. But what could become interesting is if the CPO have an ideological opposition to the move, after all, the CPO number over 12,000 fans who bought a share in the non-profit organisation for the precise reason of protecting the club and its traditional home. If the move goes ahead, there could be some interesting ramifications.
Stamford Bridge has been Chelsea’s home for over 100 years and has a long history and heritage, but in order to keep up with their main rivals in England, Chelsea must look to their future, as well as taking solace in their very successful present, and secure a move to a new, purpose built, stadium.
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Leeds United will look to bounce back from their disappointing 3-0 defeat against Championship leaders Wolverhampton Wanderers at Elland Road in midweek, and keep their faint play-off hopes alive, when they face strugglers Reading at the Madejski Stadium on Saturday.
The Yorkshire outfit knew they could close the gap to the top six to just six points if they could beat Wolves on Wednesday night, but instead they suffered a comprehensive defeat against the runaway leaders with a number of players putting in below-par performances.
The loss left the Whites nine points adrift of the play-offs with just 10 league games remaining, but considering they have suffered successive 3-0 reverses and have only won one of their last 12 Championship matches, they need a big upturn in form to save their season.
Paul Heckingbottom has only taken five points from a possible 18 since he succeeded Thomas Christiansen last month, and he will also be desperate to pick up some wins before the pressure begins to increase on him from the passionate Leeds supporters.
Meanwhile, the Royals lie just five points above the relegation zone having reached the play-off final last season, and while they should be fighting for their lives Heckingbottom will certainly take some solace from the fact that they have only won three of their 18 matches at the Madejski this term.
The 40-year-old boss made three changes from the side that was beaten 3-0 by Middlesbrough for the game against Wolves last time out, and he will be considering making some more following another disappointing display.
Here is how Leeds must line up against Reading on Saturday…
Defence
Bailey Peacock-Farrell started between the sticks for Leeds against Wolves following another disappointing display by Felix Wiedwald at the Riverside Stadium, and the 21-year-old did well and made a number of good saves – even if he perhaps should have done better with the third Wolves goal.
He should start again at the Madejski Stadium in order to keep his confidence high, and with Liam Cooper absent because of injury, something the fans aren’t too disappointed about, Matthew Pennington should come in to partner Pontus Jansson at the heart of the defence.
Gaetano Berardi must again start at right-back but Heckingbottom must consider making a big change at left-back, and with Vurnon Anita and Laurens De Bock both struggling for form the Whites boss should look to give youngster Tom Davies an opportunity.
Midfield
Heckingbottom started with Adam Forshaw and Kalvin Phillips in the middle of the park against Wolves after Eunan O’Kane had a night to forget against Middlesbrough, but while January addition Forshaw did ok, Phillips was once again disappointing and was widely criticised by Leeds supporters for his display.
With neither him nor O’Kane in good form, the Whites boss should look to start Ronaldo Vieira alongside Forshaw even though he himself hasn’t been producing the good performances he has done previously this season.
He deserves an opportunity like Phillips and O’Kane have had in recent times though, and the 19-year-old could bring some much-needed energy and aggression in the middle of the park at the Madejski.
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Attack
Heckingbottom dropped Ezgjan Alioski to the substitutes’ bench and brought Hadi Sacko into the starting line-up against Wolves, but the latter looks unlikely to keep his place in the XI in Berkshire given he was replaced at half-time against the Championship leaders and with some fans not wanting him to start for them again.
Pablo Hernandez replaced the Frenchman on the left-hand side and should start there against Reading too, with Alioski returning in place of Stuart Dallas on the opposite flank and Samu Saiz starting in the centre as Leeds look to go on the attack to get the win they so desperately need.
Pierre-Michel Lasogga should keep his place up top, and he will be confident of getting on the score-sheet against a fragile Royals defence – as long as he gets the right service.
Mario Balotelli and Dejan Lovren got important goals for themselves last night, while a number of infrequent starters got a chance to impress in the dramatic last gasp Capital One Cup win over Swansea. Plenty to be cheerful about then, right? Yes, it may not be the most glamorous trophy, but English football’s third biggest pot of silver is one that Liverpool should really be looking to take advantage of this term, and here are FIVE reason why it really matters for them…
Last season was, arguably, Liverpool’s finest in recent memory. The Reds took the title battle to the final day of the season, and had it not been for an unfortunate loss at home to Chelsea they could well be playing with the gold crest on their arm this term. After a tricky start to the new campaign another shot at the big prize looks to be off the agenda, while Champions League glory is a pipedream nowadays for clubs outside of the very elite the continent has to offer.
So, with Brendan Rodgers eager to get his first trophy at Anfield the League Cup is one that really matters. With their name in the pot for the last eight, the Merseysiders have a better shot than most and can realistically aim for the trophy.
Trip to Wembley
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The fabled trip to Wembley to watch their side in cup action is a little cliché, but fans still love travelling to the national stadium for the biggest games. Since its rebuild, Liverpool have rarely made journeys to the capital’s ‘home of football’ with the League Cup success of 2012 and the semi-final / final appearance in the FA Cup a matter of months later during the Kenny Dalglish era the only trips to speak of.
For a side of Liverpool’s stature, more regular showings at Wembley are a must.
Gives youngsters a chance
Some hate the League Cup for a perceived lack of importance, with younger players often given a chance to get on the pitch as their elders are rested for ‘more meaningful’ league and European games. Yet this season has given Liverpool fans reason to get on board with the competition, with youngsters such as Jordan Rossiter having been blooded. The starlet – dubbed the ‘new Steven Gerrard’ – scored in the clash with Middlesbrough and it would appear that this taste of senior action may well be a building block for a successful career.
Suso and Jordan Williams also got a run out on the same fame, with the former scoring a late goal. Should the run continue, then the new generation may get more minutes.
Gives fringe players a chance
Much like youngsters, those dipping in and out of the team have also benefitted at Liverpool this term. Although Mario Balotelli grabbed the headlines last night for his long-awaited goal, Fabio Borini produced one of his few notable performances in the red shirt. The little Italian played well from a wide role – usually occupied by Adam Lallana or Raheem Sterling – and swung in the cross for his aforementioned compatriot to net.
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Lucas also got a run out whilst Lazar Markovic was afforded more time to find his feet – which he desperately needs after a difficult opening to his Anfield career.
Guaranteed route into Europe…
Although Champions League action is the aim and the Europa League is very much the competition’s ‘runt sibling’, continental action is still a positive and something Liverpool cannot really afford to pass on. In reality the Reds should have enough about them to gain entry to the tournament through their league position if the desire to stay at the big table ends in disappointment, but in a worst-case scenario the likes of Manchester United, Everton and even Spurs could finish ahead of them also. It may not be the big one, but it’s still worth some money and can help to attract players.
Andre Villas-Boas is facing going into the north London derby this Saturday missing some key regulars from the Tottenham Hotspur first team.
It is doubtful whether Jermain Defoe, Moussa Dembele, Kyle Walker and Aaron Lennon will be fit enough to play in the Premier League clash at Arsenal this weekend.
Moussa Dembele will definitely not be able to play a part in the match, with Villas-Boas confirming the midfielder has not recovered sufficiently from an injury to his hip. He has carried a knock since October, but aggravated the issue when playing for Belgium.
It is expected that Tom Huddlestone will replace the Belgian and team up in the centre of midfield with Sandro.
“Dembele will not be back for this game. There is a 50 per cent chance he will be ready to play Lazio on Thursday. At the moment surgery is out of the question – hopefully,” Villas-Boas said.
Walker, Defoe and Lennon all face late fitness tests after having to withdraw from last night’s international friendly between England and Sweden as they are all suffering from hamstring strains.
However, the Tottenham boss is hopeful they will be sufficiently fit for Saturday.
“They haven’t trained with the team yet. They trained separately on Wednesday in a recovery session away from the team,” he added.
“We have to see how they return; see if there is any disturbance. Lennon had a scan on Wednesday and it’s fine on his hamstring. We have to wait and see. They have had quite enough time to rest and recover.”
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Tottenham are also still trying to cope with existing long-term problems with Younes Kaboul, Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Scott Parker.
According to ESPN, Southampton are one of the clubs interested in signing Aaron Mooy this summer, alongside Everton, West Ham and former employers Manchester City.
The 27-year-old midfielder impressed in the Premier League for Huddersfield last season and although Australia failed to escape the Group Stages, some of his World Cup performances have caught the eye as well.
Combining the abilities to both make and break play, the 37-cap international – who Transfermarkt value at just £9million – seems like a smart signing for the south coast outfit, who will hope next season isn’t another overshadowed by the threat of relegation.
But could there be unforeseen repercussions? Football FanCast take a look at three potential consequences of a summer swoop for Mooy…
Saints cash in on Mario Lemina
Soccer Football – Premier League – West Bromwich Albion vs Southampton – The Hawthorns, West Bromwich, Britain – February 3, 2018 Southampton’s Mario Lemina celebrates scoring their first goal with Nathan Redmond REUTERS/Peter Powell EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Ple
There’s been plenty of Premier League interest in Lemina following an impressive debut season at St. Mary’s, with Manchester City even linked earlier this month, and it shouldn’t be forgotten that Southampton’s transfer model still largely revolves around adding value to talented young players before moving them on for a handsome profit.
So if Saints can get a deal for Mooy over the line, at relatively modest cost, that might just convince them to cash in on the Gabon international – injecting a significant sum into Mark Hughes’ transfer budget to improve other areas of the team. Mooy doesn’t have the same potential as Lemina, whose delicate touch, mobility and dribbling ability in central areas made him look like a future world-beater at times last season, but he’s a talented replacement nonetheless and with Oriol Romeu and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg already at the club, Hughes certainly won’t be left short of solid midfield options.
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Path is blocked for Harrison Reed
The club’s reported interest in another midfielder suggests Reed didn’t do quite enough on loan at Norwich last season to force him into the first team picture this time around. The red-head midfielder probably hasn’t progressed as expected since making his first-team debut way back under Mauricio Pochettino, but Canaries fans were left largely impressed with his form over the course of 2018/19.
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For Southampton too, it’s important that their academy players get first-team chances. That approach took Saints back to the Premier League and was a key part of their early success after returning to the top flight, with players like Adam Lallana and Calum Chambers coming through. Hughes though, appears more keen to work with finished articles such as the Australian international.
Output added to midfield
Mooy’s Premier League return of four goals and three assists last season might not seem like much, but that represented a contribution to 25% of Huddersfield’s 28 top flight goals, finishing up as the division’s joint-lowest scorers.
Southampton weren’t too far ahead of them with just 37 and while much of the blame for that was attributed to an out-of-sorts strike-force, there wasn’t much help from the midfield either – aside from Dusan Tadic, no midfielder scored more than thrice for Saints in the Premier League or bettered Mooy’s return for setups.
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The Serbian international has now completed a move to Ajax, so it’s vital Hughes brings some more ammunition to the midfield this summer. It’s not explicitly what Mooy’s been targeted for – he’s better suited to deep-lying roles that highlight his tenacity and ability to dictate play with the ball – but that extra output is a key bonus for Saints after a goal-shy campaign. He’s a dab hand from the penalty spot, too.
According to reports in the Sunday Mirror, Manchester United have stepped up their interest in Sporting Lisbon attacker Rafael Leao.
What’s the word, then?
The Sunday Mirror says that the highly-rated 18-year-old is attracting interest from all of the Premier League big guns, with the Red Devils’ arch-rivals Manchester City willing to splash the cash to bring the teenager to England.
The Sunday Mirror says that Sporting have so far rejected all enquiries for the striker, who has only played four first-team matches for the Portuguese giants.
The report adds that scouts have flocked to watch Leao in action after hearing that he could be one of the brightest young talents in European football.
How has Leao done this season?
The Portugal U21 international has scored six goals in 11 appearances for the club in the UEFA U19 Cup and seven in 12 for Sporting’s B team in his career, and that form has seen make five outings for the first team.
The speedy 18-year-old has scored two goals for them, including his side’s goal in their 2-1 defeat on Friday night which the Sunday Mirror reports was watched by scouts of all of the top six clubs in the Premier League.
Would he be a good signing for United?
He certainly would be.
The 18-year-old looks to have a bright future ahead of him and is already making an impact for Sporting’s first team, and the Red Devils should be picking up players like Leao who are still young with plenty of potential.
Given they signed Cristiano Ronaldo from the Portuguese club previously and have a good relationship with them, they may well be in pole position to bring the teenager to England.
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Mourinho would certainly be pulling off a big masterstroke if he brings the talented youngster to Old Trafford this summer, and the 6ft 2in centre-forward could provide some much-needed competition for Romelu Lukaku up top.