This weekend’s glamour tie will raise the curtain for the Premier League’s much-needed return following the international break. Arsenal and Manchester City have thrown up some fascinating ties over the course of the past few seasons, and the current champions will be confident of travelling home from London with three points.
Likewise the Gunners enter the game in high spirits after newbie Danny Welbeck netted twice for England and will look to use home advantage to get one over on their Middle Eastern-backed foes – whose spending irks Arsene Wenger.
With the excitement surrounding the Premier League’s return buzzing around FFC Towers, here are three players from each side we feel could influence this game…
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CLICK ON DAVID SILVA TO REVEAL THE SIX
Football – Newcastle United v Manchester City – Barclays Premier League – St James’ Park – 17/8/14David Silva celebrates after scoring the first goal for Manchester CityMandatory Credit: Action Images / Lee SmithLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your acco
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Danny Welbeck
Fresh from a two-goal haul in England colours and a deadline day switch from Manchester United, Welbeck will want to continue his whirlwind few weeks. The versatile attacker convinced Arsene Wenger to blow £16m to lure him to London, where he could be fielded in his favoured central striking role given Olivier Giroud’s injury absence.
Welbeck has often shone in the position he craves to play in, and his pace and movement could test City’s backline, which has been far from its best so far this term.
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Edin Dzeko
While Sergio Aguero still commands the attention at the Etihad Stadium, Dzeko quietly continues to grab goals and lead the line for the Sky Blues on a consistent basis. The Bosnian will once again need to be at his best against Arsenal, but the Gunners’ shaky showings against Everton and Leicester will give him belief that goals are on offer at the Emirates Stadium.
Dzeko will be without Stevan Jovetic for the trip, but he may be reunited with Aguero, whose pace allows him more space.
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Aaron Ramsey
The Welsh ace has picked up where he left off last season with two goals in three games and is quickly becoming one of the first names on Arsene Wenger’s team sheet. A more reserved role against City is expected, but Ramsey has shown that he’s adept at arriving late to support his attackers, which could grant him a few opportunities against the Sky Blues.
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David Silva
Big players perform in big games, and Silva has shown through the years that he’s a top-notch performer. The Spanish magician’s weight of pass can open up tight defences, while his ability to find space in the box has seen him contribute big goals.
Manuel Pellegrini will be looking for Silva to drift in from his wide starting berth to link up with his attackers, which could test Arsenal’s back line.
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Mikel Arteta
While Alexis Sanchez or Mesut Ozil are more likely to win a game, Arteta can run the show from the middle. The Spanish veteran is fighting hard to be back in time for the kick-off following an ankle injury, and with his experience likely to be valuable Wenger may well gamble on him.
Arteta impressed in his solitary appearance of the Premier League campaign so far, and certainly boasts the grounded style needed to get the best from his attacking team-mates.
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Yaya Toure
Part man, part force of nature. Toure, on his day, is an unstoppable midfielder, but those days come and go. The Ivorian does perform on the big stage, and he will be needed against Arsenal. Pellegrini may have to reign in the African veteran’s tendency to wander forward, but if Toure can be held in a little, Arsenal will struggle to find space in the centre of the pitch.
Social media is a wonderful thing; it helps get you through your working day as you search all corners of the internet for amusing vines, images and captions. Sometimes, though, your boss will catch you and you’ll miss Newcastle United fans’ banner from the weekend.
That’s where we, FootballFanCast, come in and save the day!
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Click on the naughty children below to reveal all the best social media virals that you may well have missed.
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Lionel Messi sure knows how to dance his way around the football pitch
Got to get your priorities right
Not the best value for money…
Paul Merson with a little too much detail
Only FIVE Premier League wins for Newcastle so far in 2014
At least he didn’t print off a hymn sheet, I guess
What an assist
Xabi Alonso, the closest thing we have to the perfect male?
Needless to say that there’s no love lost between these two
It seems like Lovren was always destined to play for Liverpool
No wonder things didn’t work out for him at Chelsea
Robbie Savage has responded to a story about him in Roy Keane’s autobiography
Second-placed Southampton travel to White Hart Lane on Sunday to face Tottenham Hotspur, with former Saints manager Mauricio Pochettino now in charge of the Lilywhites.
Spurs have had a rather rocky start to the season. Supporters were thoroughly confident Pochettino was the man to lead them to glory after winning their first two games, but then only managed to gain two points from their last four fixtures.
Southampton, on the other hand, totally defied their critics after the mass exodus of players during the summer by sitting second on the table. Ronald Koeman’s tactics and the shrewd purchases of Dusan Tadic, Ryan Bertrand, and Graziano Pelle have seen the Saints win their last four games.
As the two sides meet this Sunday, we look at which battles can decide the much anticipated fixture between Mauricio Pochettino’s Spurs and Ronald Koeman’s Southampton.
Here are FOUR KEY BATTLES that will decide Tottenham Hotspur vs Southampton
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Graziano Pelle vs. Younnes Kaboul
Graziano Pelle was purchased from Feyenoord with an amazing goal record of 55 goals in just 66 appearances, but due to his failure in the Italian Serie A several years ago many looked past the stats and ignored his potential impact.
But Pelle, who worked with Koeman previously at Feyenoord, has settled in at Saint Mary’s like a duck to water already with four goals in his opening six Premier league games.
Tottenham’s Younnes Kaboul will be the man responsible for stopping the in-form 29-year-old, as if Pelle is given any space in the box he could punish the Lilywhites with his finishing ability.
Emmanuel Adebayor vs. Jose Fonte
Unlike the form of Pelle for Southampton, Adebayor has not been performing to his full ability but will be tasked to trouble the Saints backline marshalled by the impressive Jose Fonte.
The departure of Dejan Lovren to Liverpool put Southampton’s defence into question but the summer acquisition of Ryan Bertrand at left-back and the amazing form of Nathaniel Clyne on the right have seen the Saints concede only four goals thus far.
However if Adebayor is in top gear, Fonte must make sure he can nullify his presence.
Dusan Tadic vs. Eric Dier
Dusan Tadic was another summer Southampton signing that looks like he’s been playing in the Premier League for the last decade. The left-sided attacking midfielder is the Saint’s number one creative force, already conjuring three assists and has been relatively unlucky in yet finding the net, hitting the woodwork on a number of occasions.
Tasked with marking him is Spurs’ Eric Dier, who had an amazing start to his White Hart Lane career by notching two goals in the first two games. However it has been downhill from there, as Dier has been shifted to play right-back for the injured Kyle Walker and hasn’t looked as comfortable.
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The young Cheltenham-born defender will have to step up his game against Tadic, as the Serbian will be attacking the right-back to supply or finally grab his first Premier League goal.
Mauricio Pochettino vs. Ronald Koeman
When Pochettino was in charge of the Saints last season he was able to transform the likes of Adam Lallana and Rickie Lambert into players that could trouble any Premier League squad. Southampton were a tricky team to beat for anyone, and Spurs employed him hoping he would do the same at White Hart Lane.
But apart from their first two games, the Lilywhites looked flat in attack while vulnerable in defence, which is what was expected of Southampton and Ronald Koeman with so many summer changes. Koeman, however, turned the Saints back into a unit and are possibly even better than last season.
They both have had around the same amount of time with their new squads, but so far Koeman is winning the battle of the managers. Yet if Pochettino can get the best out of his star-studded squad featuring the likes of Christian Eriksen and Erik Lamela, then he could well redeem himself with the Spurs faithful.
As a club that receives over 80,000 passionate fans every home game and is run by an enigmatic coach who has become the envy of Europe, Bundesliga favourites Borussia Dortmund are currently experiencing a very bad turn of events in 2014/15.
BVB have already lost eight games so far this campaign, with a worrying goal-difference of -6. They are certainly not going to be challenging for the Bundesliga title this season, as that award seems to already have Bayern Munich’s name written all over it. The once invincible German side currently sit 14th in the table after propping up the league twice already in 2014/15.
How can a team go from imperious domestic champions and Champions League finalists to this current state of affairs?
One factor behind this dramatic decline has been the Bundesliga’s cruel transfer activity in recent years. Largely at the hands of arch rivals Bayern Munich, the loss of star talents, Mario Goetze and Robert Lewandowski, have been huge for Jurgen Klopp and have sent subsequent shockwaves throughout the mind-set of rest of his squad. How are Dortmund’s remaining stars going to stay focussed when they know that their team is literally falling apart around them?
The BVB players also share a slice of this blame, as bad career choices haven’t helped Dortmund either. The likes of Nuri Sahin and Shinji Kagawa have opted to move away from the club that saw them breakthrough in recent years, only to return to the Signal Iduna Park once their supposed transfer dreams didn’t go as well as planned. This has led to a dramatic lack of consistency in Klopp’s starting XI’s for BVB.
To make matters worse for Klopp, the Borussia Dortmund fitness team have had their work cut out for the past few years with the likes of Ilkay Gundogan, and more recently Marco Reus, being struck down with lengthy spells on the sidelines. As several of their other stars returned late from World Cup duty in the summer, Jurgen Klopp has had only the bare bones of his squad to work with during spells of this campaign.
The most remarkable aspect of Dortmund’s fortunes this season, however, has been their Champions League form. They won Group D with 13 points from six games. BVB have only lost one match, to Arsenal, and have impressively won four and drawn one, scoring 14 and only letting in four in the process. This raises an important question in regards to Borussia’s form this season; has Jurgen Klopp prioritised the Champions League over Dortmund’s domestic duties for 2014/15?
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Whilst this may seem true on the surface, another more subtle factor may come into play here. It could be argued that after their initial Bundelsiga success when they first broke onto the scene, German teams may have now finally worked out how to best deal with Dortmund in the league. Several weaker sides, such as Hamburger SV and FC Koln, have profited from sitting back against BVB and hurting them on the counter-attack. For both Klopp and his loyal Yellow Wall, this has been nothing but frustrating.
As we are only in December, however, there is still time for Borussia Dortmund to perform a dramatic turnaround in form. Jurgen Klopp has already stated that he has ‘unfinished business’ at the club and it seems that the crazy German coach won’t be leaving the Signal Iduna Park any time soon. Perhaps a slight change in style that offers a new and fresh approach to winning Bundesliga games now needs to be picked up by Dortmund. Coupled with a stronger emphasis on league success and the return of many star names to the starting XI, BVB have every chance of moving on from this bad spell and rising up the Bundesliga.
Former Wimbledon striker Marcus Gayle believes at least TWO matches at the height of the ‘Crazy Gang’ era may have been influenced by Far East match fixers.
The subject of criminal organisations influencing professional football matches is one that has popped up in recent times across all levels of football in both England and abroad, with some claiming that betting syndicates have attempted to fix games for a profit.
Although the high wages on offer at the very top of the game is thought to have made such instances rare, if present at all, the salaries players earn now and the money swilling around the biggest clubs was not present in the Gayle’s era at Wimbledon.
Nicknamed the ‘Crazy Gang’ the London side were famed for their boisterous playing style and wild antics, and now the 44-year-old has opened up on what he thinks may have been match fixing during those days, with games in 1997 at Derby’s Pride Park and his own side’s Selhurst Park when the lights failed suspicious:
“As a player and the lights go out, the game is abandoned, you think that they haven’t paid the gas or electric bill!” he told Zapsportz.com.
“The lads joked about betting syndicates, but you laughed it all off as being implausible.
“Now I look back I am not so sure. All those rumours about match fixing might well have been true.
“I can recall certain situations in the past where I shrugged my shoulders, but now when I cast my mind back I can see there must have been more to it.
“I am now thinking ‘what really went on, there?” The lights go out, they said the floodlights failed At the time you are oblivious to what really might have been going on. I never imagined these sort of things went on in the game.
“We all knew there were punters putting money on the games, but no one dreamed there was match fixing going on.
“Now it appears to have been going on all over the place. I look back and wonder.
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“Did the goalkeeper really let that one in? You thought at the time, that was a soft goal, he should easily have saved it. The lights went out more than once when we played, was that really coincidence?
Danny Welbeck, dubbed ‘Dat Guy’, was once loved at Manchester United. Fergie favoured him but Louis van Gaal saw no use for him. So he has moved on to pastures new, and burnt his bridges with his former club. But will he fulfil his potential to be a great footballer?
Following loan deals to Preston North End and Sunderland, Danny Welbeck became more of a regular at Manchester United. He started in the infamous 8-2 over Arsenal and even scored an equaliser away at Real Madrid.
Once Sir Alex Ferguson announced his departure from Manchester United and thus from football altogether, things began to chance for Danny Welbeck. Although he recorded more goals in the 2013/14 season for Manchester United (and played well for England), Welbeck claimed it was his unhappiest season thus far due to the fact he was being played out of position. He wanted to play up front, as opposed to on the left.
The arrival of Louis van Gaal at Manchester United was essentially the nail in the coffin for Welbeck’s Manchester United career. After assessing his team, Louis van Gaal got rid of those he felt he didn’t need for his side – both selling and loaning – and Welbeck did not make the cut for his new boss. So Danny Welbeck was sold to Arsenal for £16 million and he had the opportunity to show what he could do under a new team and manager, without leaving the Premier League.
The highlight of Welbeck’s debut season at Arsenal has to be the hat-trick over Turkish giants Galatasaray in the Champions League. Upon signing for Arsenal, there were doubts over Welbeck from the fans but Arsene Wenger urged his side to get behind the new signing. This was a turning point for Welbeck; it not only built his confidence but brought fans onto his side.
If there was ever a game to show up against your old side, Danny Welbeck certainly picked it. Scoring the winner against Manchester United at Old Trafford in the FA Cup resulted in Welbeck being splashed all over the papers. But, let’s call a spade a spade – Welbeck could not have had an easier chance to score. An open net, gifted the ball by Antonio Valencia; it was hardly a 40 yard screamer.
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So, can Danny Welbeck fulfil his potential? He has a far better chance of doing so at Arsenal. Competition up front was too much for Welbeck, the chances of starting ahead of Rooney and Robin van Persie were too slim, and it was best that he left Manchester United as opposed to rotting away on the bench. Will he be a world class star, and a Premier League legend? Doubt it. To put it simply, he is not clinical enough. His biggest asset is his pace, which is very valuable, but he is not an out and out goalscorer. Hopefully he enjoys a few more goals during his time at Arsenal.
Arsene Wenger has recently stated that it could be years before Jack Wilshere returns to his best; the midfielder has been dogged by injury problems for a number of years and his manager believes it could be quite a while till we see the Wilshere of old.
Now aged 23, Wilshere can no longer be deemed young in footballing terms and he is still yet to hit the heights many thought he would. Are Arsenal and Wenger right to hold out on the promise of potential?
Since becoming the youngest ever Gunner in 2008 aged 16, he has had a host of his ankle injuries which have no doubt stunted his development and through no fault of his own, he has yet to hold down a place for either club or country.
In the fits and starts that we have seen of the midfielder he has impressed, even his brief cameo against Hull on his long awaited return from yet another lay off, he drove his team forward with purpose and conviction. But still, arguably his best performance on a pitch was against Barcelona in the Champions League four years ago. Where that night there was unbridled hype and furore around the future of English football, there is now a much more quiet anticipation.
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With rumours beginning to emerge of him being a potential target for some of Arsenal’s rivals, is he still indispensable at The Emirates? The Gunners’ central midfield is certainly not lacking in options, Ozil, Carzorla and Ramsey all inhabit a crowded area and Wilshere’s consistent injuries mean it is difficult to argue a case for him to dislodge any of them.
Add to this the emergence of Francis Coquelin in a more defensive role, the main issue with Wilshere is finding a place to play him. The fact that this is an even an issue Wenger must face, simply highlights how his career has stalled in the past four years.
For any English football fan the troubles that Wilshere has encountered have been difficult to watch, he is a footballer that makes people want to go to games. He makes people get out of their seats, on his day he is all-action like Gerrard, but with the technique of Carrick, but unfortunately his day does not come often enough.
He still has the potential to be the beating heart for the Gunners and England but you feel, even at his tender age his time is dwindling where promise alone can earn him reprise from criticism.
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It is a crying shame that through no fault of his own, it feels like he has lost his footballing adolescence; but if Arsenal want to contend for titles it seems illogical that they can carry him until he re-finds his best form.
For every football fan in England they should hope that day comes sooner rather than later and more importantly that an extremely talented player can finally overcome his injury woes and be the player he seemed destined to become.
Another day, another Raheem Sterling transfer twist. The latest big ‘development’ suggests that Arsenal are ready to offer £20m and Theo Walcott to land the 20-year-old from Merseyside, which, on paper at least, appears to be a pretty decent deal all round.
Sterling could earn more money at the Emirates Stadium and play in the Champions League, while Walcott could get the game time he deserves for the team he’s known to support. As well as the players, Liverpool would make some cash and bring in a replacement, while Arsenal would be getting hold of one of Europe’s best young players at a relatively low rate.
However, we at FFC Towers think this potential deal could be a shocker for the clubs and stars involved… and here are FIVE reasons why.
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Sterling’s best position not yet known
Winger? ‘No. 10’? Striker? Wing-back? Just where is Sterling most dangerous and consistent? Brendan Rodgers appears unsure of the definitive answer, with ‘young Raheem’ having been deployed in all of the above roles over the course of the past 12 months.
Traditionally a wide attacker, Sterling’s pace and trickery are suited to playing on the flanks, but the position leaves him a little isolated. In the ‘No. 10’ he can influence games, but he often lacks the decisiveness and ruthlessness of a top playmaker. Further forward as a striker, his finishing is not quite up to scratch. And finally at wing-back, his attacking qualities are neutered.
Tough call. Arsenal need a top class, instant impact player to challenge for the big honours, and until Sterling’s best position is found, he cannot be that.
Walcott not suited to Liverpool
While Sterling appears a little unsuited to the needs of Arsenal, Walcott himself is not quite right for Liverpool. The ex-Southampton man is genuinely talented, but pace is the big thing he brings to the table. He can often be a bit of a blunt instrument, with straight-line speed not always the right method of breaking a defence, and the Reds frequently come up against packed backlines, who sit deep to counter their threat.
This is partly why Walcott has never truly shone at Arsenal, and the likelihood of him being a better fit at Anfield isn’t great.
Walcott could interfere with Coutinho’s development
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While Sterling has been making the headlines, Philippe Coutinho has quietly signed a new long-term contract and been, arguably, the club’s best player this season. In an attacking midfield role, he needs players around him capable of contributing to his neat style of play, and with Walcott not adept in a central attacking role (Coutinho has been playing alongside Adam Lallana or Sterling in a two-man system off a main striker) his promising performances may be at risk.
Walcott too injury-prone for Liverpool
With Daniel ‘made of glass’ Sturridge also at Anfield, the last thing Liverpool need is a player who’s likely to miss a large chunk of the season. Walcott has only just re-emerged from a hellish injury that ruined his 2014, which is far from being a good sign.
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The pacey England star has also suffered with fitness issues on numerous occasions in recent years, which has contributed to his average of 19 Premier League starts per season since the 2009/10 campaign (discounting this season).
Sterling too raw to make the impact needed
At just 20, Sterling is far from being the finished article. Although he’s definitely a talented player, his moments of magic are not quite frequent enough as it stands for him to be classified as world class.
Arsenal are expected to challenge for the Champions League, the cups and the Premier League, so ‘hit the ground running’ players are what they need, and the England international is not likely to be in that bracket for at least a few more years.
Hooray! It’s FA Cup final day! Look forward to seeing Ryan Giggs’ goal against Arsenal played about 1000 times in a row by the BBC, with a couple of Rickie Villas and Sir Trevor Brookings thrown in for good measure – not to mention the predictably awkward moment when somebody asks Alan Shearer how many FA Cups he’s won, whilst Gary Lineker cheekily grins in the background.
But on a serious note, the FA Cup final is still the most anticipated and magical day on the English football calendar. This year’s thrown up quite the corker in Aston Villa vs Arsenal; a classic clash of last year’s winners facing a feisty underdog, who’ve ended the season with their star striker Christian Benteke in fantastic form.
Captain Morgan set up a sublime treat for us here at Football Fancast ahead of today’s game – a little bit of face time with one of the most successful goalkeepers in FA Cup history, Arsenal legend and former England No.1 David Seaman, who is also the owner of the bassiest, least controllable laugh in world football.
Seriously, he laughs at everything. My jokes, his jokes, my sincere questions, his own sincere responses. At one point he laughed at me laughing – and I was only laughing out of politeness because he’d started laughing. It was Laughception.
Together with Captain Morgan, Seaman and former Villains skipper Andy Townsend took over The Globe for the first shift of the day, where thousands of fans traditionally gather before matches. The Globe’s bartenders will be given the day off to enjoy the Final; escaping one of the busiest shifts of the year and their everyday jobs, to go and live like the Captain.
Suprised Arsenal and Villa fans were instead greeted by the Captains, who took orders from behind the bar, giving their tips ahead of the game, and delivering an unforgettable pre-match build-up.
Hi David, why don’t you start by telling us about your shenanigans with Captain Morgan ahead of todays final?
We’re going down with a Captain’s crew and we’re going to surprise a few of the bartenders in The Globe pub. We’re giving them a day off to enjoy the captain’s spirit in style, and then me and Andy Townsend are going to take over and attempt to do some beer, wine and spirit serving. Haha! We’ll actually be bartenders for a few hours so it should be good fun.
Do you and Andy Townsend have much experience behind the bar?
No, I’m good under the crossbar but not sure how good I’ll be behind the bar! I love serving drinks for people at home but that’s about as far as it goes.
Will you be watching the game on TV like us mere peasants then?
No! Haha! We’ll be going to the game later on. It’s something you don’t want to miss – trust me. Although saying that I wouldn’t have minded missing the first half of last year’s final. It was dreadful!
Arsenal and Aston Villa skippers David Seaman and Andy Townsend testing their serving skills at The Globe Pub
You had huge success in the FA Cup, winning it four times with Arsenal. What’s your fondest memory of the FA Cup – as a fan and as a player?
My fondest memory as a fan would be when Leeds United won it against Arsenal years and years ago – 1972 I think – but I remember losing it as well against Sunderland. I was only about eleven then.
The best memory as a player… I think it’s got to be the first time I won it with Arsenal. It was so special and so nerve-racking because I’d never experienced it before. So to go there and actually win for the first time at Wembley was just absolutely brilliant.
What about THAT save against Sheffield United? If that’s not your greatest FA Cup memory, perhaps it’s your greatest FA Cup moment?
Yeah. Well, I’m so lucky because my last ever game for Arsenal was the FA Cup final against Southampton. I was leaving, but at the time I didn’t know it was going to be my last game. I just went there like normal and Patrick Vieira was injured so I took over as captain for the day.
To lift the trophy – wow. That was better than all the other finals, because to lift the FA Cup as the captain of your team is so and was so special. Even the introduction of your players before kick-off, actually introducing them to the officials and big guys that were there, it was just amazing.
And the save, that was the semi-final. That was awesome for me because I made that save when I was 39 and people were saying I was past it!
Did you have any idea how spectacular that save was at the time?
No! I mean, it’s just reactions. The corner came in and it went one way then the other way. All of a sudden I knew the ball was behind me and I knew I couldn’t knock it away because I was reaching too far behind – I knew I had to try and scoop it out. And even when I watch it now I still think ‘how did I do that?’ haha!
How do you see the final panning out? Would you care to make a prediction?
Any Arsenal win will do for me. Whether it’s 1-0 or 10-8… or 10-9! Just a win. I’m going to say 3-1 to Arsenal because it’s going to be an attacking game. Aston Villa are not know for their defensive qualities but they’re decent up front and Arsenal have a better all round team to cope with that; Arsenal’s defence is good, and the Arsenal attack’s great. So I’m hunching for an Arsenal win, obviously!
If Arsenal don’t retain the FA Cup, would you still see this season as a success?
It depends because the main judge has to be Premier League form. We’ve got a place higher. We’re in the Champions League proper now so we don’t have to qualify earlier in the season – so it’s definitely a step forward. To lose the FA Cup would be a disappointing end to the season, but I think overall it’s still a progression because you know you’ve had a good season when you finish above where you did the year before. It’s difficult for Arsenal because they’re always in the Champions League and the top four, so even to finish one place higher is a big achievement.
There’s quite the debate brewing regarding Arsenal’s goalkeepers at the moment, with David Ospina coming in for Wojceich Szczesny about half way through the season. What do you see as the main differences between the two? And who do you think is the stronger goalkeeper?
Well the issue with Szczesny is that he’s started making mistakes, so that obviously left the door open for Ospina. They’re both very similar though; they’re both international goalkeepers and their all-round games are good, it’s just keeping that consistency.
Ospina’s only come in for half of the season or three-quarters of the season, so you can’t really judge him on that because he needs a bit more time. Szczesny, on the other hand, has been Arsenal’s No.1 for quite a while but now it looks like he’s lost that position, so we’ll have to wait and see what happens in the summer – whether Arsene Wenger goes out and buys another goalkeeper or he uses the money in defence and midfield. But I wouldn’t say one is better than the other yet, because realistically there’s not been enough time to judge Ospina.
Would you go and get a new No.1 this summer if you were Arsene Wenger?
It’s a tough one. If somebody like Petr Cech became available then you’ve got to really think about it because whatever team he goes into he’s really going to improve. But he’s not going to go into another team as a No.2 or with the question mark of being a No.2, he’s coming to be a No.1. So then who’d you let go? Do you let Ospina go or do you let Szczesny go? It’s a tough question!
Who would you like to see start in the FA Cup final?
Well I think it’ll be Szczesny because he’s played the majority of the games in the FA Cup – which is what Arsene did with Lukasz Fabianski last season. I know it’s a little bit different because it was Fabianski’s last game and he knew that.
But I remember when we played in the FA Cup final against Chelsea in 2002. Richard Wright played all the games up to the final, but Arsene put me in for the final and we went on to win it. So I don’t know for sure who’s going to play but I imagine it’ll be Szczesny.
We’d love to hear your opinions on the England front as well. Do you see Fraser Forster as a real competitor to Joe Hart? Ben Foster’s never really challenged him.
Well both of them are decent goalies, but we’ve got such a good goalkeeper in Joe Hart. I think for as long as that stays we’re going to be fine because Joe Hart’s a quality goalkeeper and he’s playing well, he’s having big games every week and he’s got great experience now. He’s playing in the Champions League all the time, he’s playing high-profile games with City and with England. It’s very similar to what I had and it really helps because it puts you into a better position to handle the pressure. If Fraser Forster and Ben Foster go in they’re a bit nervous because they’re not used to handling the big games.
Have you seen much of Jack Butland? How far do you think he can go?
I’ve seen a little bit of him, not loads. It depends because it’s the consistency in the season that really matters. It’s no good making a lot of mistakes and a lot of saves. You’ve got to be more consistent; having good performances and then brilliant performances while trying to eliminate the mistakes. My coach Bob Wilson and I, we used to have a chat at the start of the season about how many mistakes are we allowed. By the end, we were down to about two or three that cost goals or cost games. That’s the sort of standard you need to get to – you need to be that consistent.
A lot of our readers were really interested in the psychology behind being a goalkeeper. Do you have to be a specific type of character to be a goalkeeper? Is there a trait you all share?
You’ve got to be really mentally strong. You’ve got to have a strong mind because the mistakes can be really harsh. I’ve done it in a World Cup against Brazil. Luckily I had a lot of experience to fall back on – and I’ve done it with Arsenal a few times as well. Mental strength is the key thing.
Obviously every goalkeeper is going to have a certain amount of natural talent and coached talent – that can all be dealt with. But the mental strength is something that’s gained by experience and I suppose gained by what you do in life. Because if you make that mistake, and you let that affect you for the rest of the game, it can really cost your team. If you do that mistake in the first five minutes you’ve still got a chance of getting back in the game, but if you’re a wreck for the rest it you’re really going to put the team in trouble. It’s dealing with that pressure, being able to put things behind you and react positively.
There’s always great comradery between goalkeepers but it must be an unusual situation, training with three or four people who are all fighting for just one spot in the team?
Haha! It’s strange because with the England situation there’s normally a pecking order. When I was at England, it was Peter Shilton, Chris Woods, and then it was me. You worked your way through; Peter retired, Chris took over, Chris didn’t have a great time and then I took over, so it goes in order.
At club level, because it’s two games a week you’re judged on that every week, it’s a little bit different. If you’re playing bad you get replaced! But then you can go back in if he plays bad.
But normally, if you get dropped with England, that’s it! You don’t make it back!
As we mentioned earlier, Wojciech Szczesny’s taken a lot of stick this season and you’ve suffered some bad press over the years – particularly after the 2002 World Cup. Is it especially hard for goalkeepers to cope with that kind of pressure, compared to an outfield player?
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It’s really difficult because you want to be out there playing. With me and the World Cup, I had to wait for a while to get back on the pitch. It is difficult but you have to learn different ways to accept it. If you feel that by reading about it in the papers really affects you, then don’t read it, don’t buy the papers. What you don’t see isn’t going to hurt you! And especially with club football, you’ve got a game every three days – so if you’re reading negative stuff all the time it’s not going to improve you as a goalkeeper.
The three Captains side by side: Seaman, Morgan and Townsend
Time for Football Fancast’s world famous, totally-not-a-rip-off-of-one-to-eleven segment Fantasy Five Aside! We construct a star-studded, five-man team – but every player has a stipulation. David, start us of with the greatest player you’ve ever played alongside?
Best player… Gazza.
And the greatest you’ve played against?
Ronaldo – the old Ronaldo! Although I played against Maradona as well, for Soccer Aid. Haha!
The third player. Your footballing role model growing up?
David Harvey and Bruce Grobbelaar – both of them.
Fourth, somebody playing now you wish you could’ve played alongside?
I would say… Eden Hazard.
And finally, any goalkeeper – including yourself.
Either me or Peter Schmeichel. Haha!
And finally David, will that beautiful moustache and ponytail combo ever make a comeback?
No chance! The ponytail’s in a drawer and that’s where it’s staying. And the moustache tries to make a comeback every day but it gets shaved off!
That’s quite the revelation to end things with, David. You’ve been as delightful as expected. Enjoy the cup final!
You can follow David and Andy’s Captain’s adventure at @CaptainMorganEU, who will be updating with hilarious tweets, photos and videos throughout the day.
Balance is always a sought-after factor when managers are building their squad. Too top-heavy and goals will be shipped, but being too dependent on defensive discipline and positional rigidity will, naturally, limit chances in the final third.
Balance is even needed within each area, as an attack built around players of similar stature and style can be a little one-dimensional, which makes Arsenal in particular an intriguing case study as we look towards the start of the new Fantasy Football season.
As ever, the Gunners’ 2014/15 was a tale of two contrasting halves, with a slow start causing worry around the winter period, before a surge after January dragged the Londoners into the periphery of the title race, and to Wembley where they retained the FA Cup. With the momentum there changes have been minimal at the Emirates Stadium, and with Petr Cech the only notable arrival, Arsene Wenger will almost certainly be relying on the same crop of attacking midfielders and strikers to fire his side towards an ever-elusive Premier League trophy. Although the Gunners’ defence is intriguing, for differing reasons, it’s the final third that has got us thinking.
Two of last season’s top four midfielders hailed from the red half of North London. Alexis Sanchez and Santi Cazorla were common names among the Fantasy Football elite during the run-in, where they were joined by Olivier Giroud, who was in excellent form with a 20% chance conversion rate, and towards the very end, Mesut Ozil. Chuck into the mix Aaron Ramsey, a fit-again Theo Walcott, Danny Welbeck and Jack Wilshere, and the limit of three players-per-club becomes more of a hindrance than ever… and we’re only looking at one half of the team!
Such a wealth of options is set to result in some rotation from Wenger. It’s only natural that the Frenchman will deploy certain players in certain fixtures, with European football and the club’s horrendous injury record set to result in changes. Thus overstocking on Arsenal attackers poses a genuine risk – even two may be too many.
Who to pick, then? Well, it’s not exactly a bold call, but Sanchez is without doubt the best choice. An arduous summer of Copa America action with Chile could result in a slow start, but with the ex-Barcelona man a workhorse as well as a gifted attacker, his desire to get on the pitch may be too great for Wenger to overlook. Beyond that, Sanchez slots into the midfield section of the game, but in truth he spends more time operating in an attacking role. Even when on the flank he’s more of an inside forward, while 10 outings as the main striker last term suggest that he is among Giroud’s main back-up options. Points make prizes, and with goals of higher reward for midfielders, the Chilean has massive potential.
Walcott offers, perhaps, the most intriguing option of all, though. The England international started the Community Shield victory over the weekend as Wenger’s main centre-forward, hinting that he will be deployed in that role on a frequent basis. Walcott has long called for a chance in his favoured area, and with pace in abundance he could be a threat in a counter-attacking system. A record of 97.6 minutes-per-goal last term was the best of any midfielder available, and with points for attacking returns increased for players in the middle third, a potential striking role makes the former Southampton academy star all the more appealing. However, at 9.0m he’s by no means a cheap option.
And while Sanchez and Walcott remain popular, Cazorla could be the one to avoid. As the season dragged on Wenger dropped Santi deeper and deeper as the title charge gathered momentum, and it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that this could be a new role for the Spaniard. Although set-pieces always offer the chance for goals and assists, his assist tally of 11 and key pass count of 67 are likely to dip significantly if further from the action.
Ozil, with over ten games fewer than Cazorla and Sanchez, weighed in with a whopping 65 key passes last term, and with a full summer’s rest he could finally be fit and firing. The German is valued at just £8.5m (on a par with Christian Eriksen and only 0.5m more than Sadio Mane) and with his potential for points such a sum looks like an absolute bargain, especially as he created a chance every 27.8 minutes last term!
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Further to this Aaron Ramsey ranked well for a central midfielder with a score 116 last term, and with defensive options such as Cech (5.5m) and Hector Bellerin (£5.5m) both cost-effective and popular, there is a genuine dilemma when looking at the Arsenal squad.
The numbers point towards Sanchez, while the wildcard could be Ozil, but rolled into the mix are Walcott and Ramsey, too. Over exposure is high risk, high reward, but with so many options and rotation guaranteed, it may be worth limiting yourself to two Gunners attackers at the most.
Written by Football FanCast and commissioned by Fantasy Football Scout, the tips, news and views site for those who don’t just play Fantasy Football.