Stoke welcome Swansea City to the Britannia on Saturday, still in search of their first Premier League win of the season.
Tony Pulis saw his side go down 1-0 to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last time out, in a match many believed they deserved more from.
Meanwhile, Swansea manager Michael Laudrup endured his worst day since taking over in the summer last time out, as his side were beaten 3-0 at home to Everton. Recent encounters between the two teams have been tight affairs, with seven league meetings in a row finishing with a 2-1 score-line, before both Premier League matches last season ended 2-0.
Stoke have now fresh injury concerns, with Charlie Adam likely to start having recovered from illness.
Andy Wilkinson will not be available, as he serves the second of a three match ban.
Swansea are set to welcome back Chico Flores and Nathan Dyer from suspension. Defender Flores has missed three games since his red card against Sunderland, while winger Dyer missed the Capital One Cup win over Crawley following his dismissal against Everton last weekend.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Swansea have been given a boost by the news that goalkeeper Michel Vorm has signed a new four-year contract with the club.
The Dutch stopper has impressed since moving from Utrecht last summer, and has been linked with a move to a bigger club after a solid first season in English football.
After breaking into the Netherlands international set-up also, Vorm is happy to have extended his stay at the Liberty Stadium.
“I’m delighted. I’m enjoying my time here very much and it is one of the reasons why I’ve signed an extension,” he revealed to the side’s official website.
“I can also only see things at Swansea getting better and better. I can see a lot of positive things happening here and I believe the club has a bright future ahead of it.
“The club has signed a lot of its quality players for longer periods, which is a good thing,” Vorm concluded.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Manchester City are ready to make another attempt to sign Daniele De Rossi, according to The Sun.
The Italy international midfielder has been a transfer target for Roberto Mancini for some time, with Roma rejecting a number of offers from the Premier League champions in the summer.
With the signings of Jack Rodwell and Javi Garcia in the last window it was believed that Mancini had given up hope of signing De Rossi, but City may well try to tempt the midfielder once more.
De Rossi recently signed a new contract with the Stadio Olimpico club, but has clashed on a number of occasion with new coach Zdenek Zeman.
After the Giallorossi were beaten 4-1 by Juventus the pair were caught up in a heated argument, which saw De Rossi benched for the next game against Atalanta.
As such Zeman is ready to offload the Rome hero, with City prepared to pay £30 million in January for the combative midfielder.
De Rossi currently earns £180,000 per week with the Serie A club, however City are ready to match the players wages to bring him to the Etihad Stadium.
Chelsea have also been linked with a move for the Italian, but it is believed that De Rossi would prefer a move to City to join countryman Mancini in England.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
City’s potential bid would not be a positive step for the clubs finances with Financial Fair Play regulations coming into effect, however Mancini believes De Rossi’s signing would be a major boost for the club mid-season.
Burnley forward Charlie Austin has been heavily linked with a move to Newcastle United.
It appears that both Newcastle and Aston Villa are set to go head to head in a bid to snap up the striker’s signature.
The former Swindon centre forward has been in prolific form this season scoring 12 goals in 9 appearances and has a formidable record of 37 goals in 65 outings for Burnley.
It is remarkable that despite these goals, the club are languishing in 16th place in the Championship table and with no promotion bid on the cards, the striker could be lured to the Premier League in January.
The 23-year-old has been in red hot form at the start of the season, and with goals a precious commodity in the top flight, a mooted £4million fee could represent real value for money for interested clubs.
The marksman has been on the Magpies’ radar before, but the club will have to overcome the obstacle of a chairman reluctant to sell this time round if they are to secure the player’s signature.
The Clarets’ Co- Chairman John Banaszkiewicz issued a hands-off warning when speaking to Sky Sports.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
“We would very much like to keep him at Burnley. He seems to be very focused on scoring goals for us,” he said.
Whether the chairman will have the same resolve when offers start to come in remains to be seen. If the striker were to move to Newcastle in January, he would face an immediate fight for his place with Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse set to remain at the club in January.
Former Charlton and West Ham manager Alan Curbishley has told Sky Sports News that Manchester City need to improve on their set pieces if they are to beat Tottenham in Sunday’s game at the Etihad Stadium.
Curbishley also believes City boss Roberto Mancini is under pressure this season following the Citizens’ poor defensive performances in the Champions League, drawing attention to the use of the Italian coach’s 5-3-2 system, not to mention the recent arrival of Txiki Bergiristain as Director of Football, which has affected Mancini’s power-base at the club.
“I think there is tension going on at Manchester City at the moment. Last week we had a press conference where he [Mancini] snapped a little bit,” Curblishley told Sky Sports News.
“I just think he’s going in the game a little bit under pressure.”
In regards to the 5-3-2 system, Curbishley told Sky Sports News that it simply hadn’t worked for City.
“Some of the tactics used, especially in Champions League games – They’ve ended up conceding goals.
“Against Real Madrid he went five at the back and I don’t think the players were accustomed to it. They used five at the back again against Dortmund and came unstuck.”
The manager-come-pundit believes one of City’s weaknesses this campaign has been at defending set pieces, which Curbishley puts down to Mancini’s use of the zonal marking system.
“They’re struggling with set plays, quite a few have gone in – in the Champions League and the Premier League.
“One of the reasons is they’re defending zonal.
“When you’re marking zonal, you’re asking the four players on the six yard box to attack the delivery. So when the ball comes into your space you attack it, and not mark man for man.
“But at the moment City are doing neither, they’re not attacking the ball or marking the man.
“They’re being flat footed and not aggressive enough.”
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Turning his attention to Sunday’s clash with Tottenham, Curbishley told reporters: “I think Mancini will have to rethink how he’s setting up at set plays.
“Tottenham will notice it as well; they are an important part of the game,” he added.
As a player, there can be nothing more devastating than the realisation that your stint at the summit of the beautiful game is over. The passion and hunger may still burn bright but as athletes fall the wrong side of 30, their body enters a state of decline and their ‘touch’ and ‘shooting boots’ become more elusive with each passing weekend.
Some players bow out from the sport gracefully while others frantically gather up thier wage packet like an anxious squirrel preparing for winter. The start of the new season has provided evidence that certain players are nearing the light at the end of the tunnel and should perhaps look to step down a division to prolong their already lengthy career.
Click on Rory Delap to reveal the players who are a shadow of their former selves
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Arsenal have renewed their interest in Montpellier centre back Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa following the French clubs elimination from the Champions League group stage, reports the Metro.
The versatile defender rose to prominence and increased his value last season captaining his Montpellier side to the Ligue 1 title, with Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger said to be a long term admirer of him.
The 23-year-old has since been the subject of interest from Chelsea and AC Milan but it is believed Arsenal remain favourites to bring the defender to the Emirates.
Montpellier have been quick to warn off interested parties in Yanga-Mbiwa who is contracted to them until 2015, however their exit from the Champions League in their first ever participation in the tournament may open the door for other clubs to attract him away from the French champions.
The Gunners are suffering a poor start to this campaign and Wenger is under increased scrutiny and pressure to turn the clubs fortunes around.
The team have struggled to recover from the loss of Robin van Persie to Manchester United in the summer and have won just one of their last six Premier League encounters despite reaching the knockout stages of the Champions League.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Arsenal fans will be hoping they can bring in quality in January to give the club a lift and help them out of their current struggles.
Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas celebrated the performance of Gareth Bale during their 4-0 Premier League win over Aston Villa.
The Welsh winger notched a hat-trick at Villa Park, with all three of his strikes coming in 23 second-half minutes.
The 23-year-old, who has now scored ten goals this term, drew special praise from his manager after the final whistle:
“He is up there with the best.” Villas-Boas responded when asked by Sky Sports if there were many better players in world football.
“He is showing tremendous skills and talent, I think he is improving every day – he is such a young player – and he is helping the team. He is one of our major assets.
“His personality is wonderful, he is going through an excellent moment of his professional and personal life, and we are benefiting from that.”
The Portuguese coach went on to claim that the pacey winger will get even better:
“I think so. You always expect that the team can make an individual even better.
“The team changes so much from one year to another, and as he keeps learning, he will feel even better and probably his performances will improve.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
“His finishing is very accurate. He has been prolific in front of goal this season and I think he is enjoying getting into those positions.
“His left foot is wonderful and the power and direction he applies on the ball is wonderful too.”
Jermain Defoe broke the deadlock shortly after half-time before Bale added the remaining three goals.
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is ready to move for Valencia winger Sofiane Feghouli after Alexis Sanchez’ agent ruled out a move to Anfield.
The Reds poor start to the season continued at the weekend as they were comprehensively beaten 3-1 at home by strugglers Aston Villa.
Despite being quoted as saying not to expect too much from the January transfer window, Rodgers is still keen to bolster his squad and reports in Spain have linked Liverpool with a move for the Algerian wide player next month.
SuperDeporte suggest the Reds have already made contact with representatives of the player who predominantly prefers to play on the right hand side.
MirrorFootball’s Spanish correspondent David Cartlidge believes Feghouli, who’s current contract runs out in 2014, would be a great addition to their squad:
“Liverpool would get a player who is hard working, direct, skilful and has a lot of potential. He can replicate Kuyt’s success at the club.
“A deal could happen due to Valencia’s need to sell, and Feghouli’s unresolved contract situation. Also, Valencia have already identified replacements.”
It is believed Rodgers has intensified his interest in the player after suffering a blow in his pursuit of Barcelona winger Alexis Sanchez, with the Chilean’s agent ruling out a move to Anfield.
Liverpool currently sit 12th in the Premier League after an inconsistent season in which they have had to rely heavily on inexperienced players such as Raheem Serling, while struggling to provide sufficient support for star striker Luis Suarez.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
It hasn’t always been the best career move for a youngster to accept a transfer to Real Madrid, as Sergio Canales will provide evidence. It didn’t help the young Spaniard that Jose Mourinho doesn’t have the best track record for developing young players, seeing to it that the current Valencia midfielder only saw 15 games in his first season at the Bernabeu. Sergio Ramos is the exception to that rule, a masterful defender who has risen up the ranks at Madrid and become one of the senior figures in the team. That exception also applies to Raphael Varane.
You could more or less see the likely trajectory of Varane’s career over the next few years: plenty of promise, winds up at Real Madrid (due to the recommendation of Zinedine Zidane) but loses his momentum and, importantly, vital years in his development.
[cat_link cat=”premiership” type=”list”]
But that hasn’t really been the case. Ok, last year when Real Madrid were storming to the La Liga title and looked good for their 10th Champions League crown, it became well-known that Mourinho didn’t have the depth of squad he wanted. Pepe and Sergio Ramos are his first-choice centre-backs and two of the very best on their day. In reserve, it wouldn’t really fill many managers with confidence to place an ageing Ricardo Carvalho or a hugely underperforming Raul Albiol in against either Bayern Munich’s attacking trident of Franck Ribery, Arjen Robben and Mario Gomez or Barcelona. For that, it’s wholly understandable that we didn’t see much of a then 18-year-old Varane.
However, for the young Frenchman, the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final against Barcelona this season was his watershed moment at the Spanish champions. The teenager was paired with Carvalho at centre-back but far outshone his more experienced partner; it was a wonderful defensive display from a youngster who looked like a seasoned veteran.
Maybe it would have been seen as a fairly hefty price to pay for a teenager out of Ligue 1. Real Madrid, however, took the initiative when others wouldn’t and parted with the 10 million euros for Varane’s services. The summer of 2011 was also the window where Manchester United paid Blackburn Rovers £16million for Phil Jones, and who had completed the signing of Chris Smalling from Fulham in January of 2010 for just under £10million. Both defenders, at the time either still a teen or having just left his teenage years, more than warranted another club spending heavily for Varane.
What you have in Raphael Varane is a player who has always looked promising but really needed a good run in the team to solidify his place as one of the best rising stars on the continent. Dropping in and out of the starting XI is always good for the player’s development, but you don’t get many baptisms of fire quite like the Clasico against Barcelona.
Pepe was out injured and Ramos was completing his final game of a five-game suspension; you could forgive Jose Mourinho for feeling a little uneasy with his back line, which featured Michael Essien at right-back and Alvaro Arbeloa on the left. But here was a youngster who displayed the pace of a natural athlete to keep up with even Lionel Messi. His tackle to deny Cesc Fabregas was arguably one of the finest, if not the finest tackle you’ll see all season. Varane showed power, confidence, an unwavering desire to prove that he was good enough for Mourinho to look at when he was short of numbers. Varane’s equaliser with less than 10 minutes left of the 90 was the perfect way to sum up a perfect game.
So you have to ask what that performance means for the youngster. What you have here is a player who was always building towards something like that. It wasn’t a fluke or something that was totally unexpected. It’s always been said for the past 18 months that Real Madrid needed another centre-back who was good enough to come in and offer similar contributions to that of the first-choice pairing. In Varane, and at only 19 years of age, Madrid have a sensational talent and one who is destined for the big time in near future.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.