Tag Futebol

Honestly, I dread to think about the gruesome state of the United dressing room in the aftermath of their defeat last week at Old Trafford. There is no doubt a fresh paint job will have been required after Sir Alex Ferguson’s fabled ‘hairdryer treatment’ peeled the skin off the walls and even the players for that matter. Performances of that nature are becoming an increasingly distressing regularity for the Red Devils faithful as they were carved open not once, not twice but three times by their North London conquerors. The root of the problem is that they lack a natural leader in Nemanja Vidic’s absence. Someone to set an example, organise, rally the troops and eke out that extra 10 per cent that could prove the difference between victory and defeat. Frankly, the less said about Rio Ferdinand’s astonishing decline the better, while Ryan Giggs is slowly becoming a liability as he creeps towards pension age. This may be an issue that even Ferguson can’t fix.

This week on FFC is the fast paced enviroment of the Premier League proving too much for United and which former defender could be set for a return to Old Trafford?

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Best of FFC

Simply trying to force a rise out of Wayne Rooney

Are Manchester United really struggling with the tempo?

Time for Fergie to get tough and move him out at Old Trafford?

Does he get the appreciation he deserves outside of Old Trafford?

Newcastle vs Manchester United – Match Preview

Why Rio Ferdinand deserve better than this…

Does Sir Alex Ferguson seriously have a point here?

Former defender linked with shock return to Man United

Manchester United closing in on £6m deal

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Best of WEB

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Could This Midfield Trio Hold The Key To United’s Season? – Red Flag Flying High

The Greenhoff Column : Leaders, Please – 7Cantonas

van Persie ‘on the way’ to United super-stardom – United Rant

Duncan Edwards: A Tribute. – Red Flag Flying High

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Johnsen: United Legend Can Replace Fergie – The Busby Way

Sir Alex Would Be Insane To Refuse Bids Remotely Close To £25M – Transfer Tavern

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Quote of the Week

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“It does bother us having to come from behind because we are losing those early goals. It is not nice and it is something that we have to stop because we cannot afford to keep letting teams get a head start on us, especially in the Champions League because it is difficult to win the game anyway. We have to make sure we are more solid and hopefully we can be in future games.” Wayne Rooney wants Man Utd to be ‘tighter’ in the future

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Featured Video

Udinese have emerged as contenders for Marco Silva’s signature, which could potentially pour doubt over Everton’s chances of landing him as new manager, according to Gazzetto dello Sport.

What’s the word?

This time last year, Everton fans were getting excited by the prospect of the club’s summer spending activity under then-manager Ronald Koeman.

Fast-Forward 12 months and now the club are on the hunt for their second boss since Koeman’s sacking in October.

Sam Allardyce was dismissed at the end of the season, and it is safe to say that not many were shocked by the news.

According to the Liverpool Echo, Everton are closing in on the appointment of former Hull City and Watford manager Silva, but Gazzetta dello Sport report that he is also on the shortlist for Udinese.

It is believed that the Portuguese coach’s former club Watford will demand compensation from Everton if they appoint Silva after accusing the Toffees of illegally approaching the manager last year.

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What should Silva do?

It does not appear that a move to Everton would be smooth sailing, despite the fact that the 40-year-old is a free agent.

However, it would be a very odd decision on his part to take over at Udinese, who have won just four trophies during their existence.

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The main reason why it would be a baffling move is down to the fact that the club are owned Giampaolo Pozzo, who is also the owner of Watford.

Everton did not have the season that they wanted, but they avoided relegation relatively comfortably and they can begin the 2018-19 campaign with a fresh slate.

Whether Silva will be the man in the dugout remains to be seen.

After a loan spell at fellow Scottish Premiership side St Johnstone, Rangers star Michael O’Halloran has returned to the club and is ready to fight for his first team place.

The attacking midfielder is in Florida with the Rangers squad for their winter training camp and has opened up on his desire to be involved in Graeme Murty’s plans.

As quoted by the official Rangers website, O’Halloran said:

Hopefully this time I can come and work hard and show the manager what I can do and get into the team and play as regularly as I can. For me it’s important that I come and show what I’ve done at St Johnstone and do that for Rangers as well as that’s the club I play for and I’m really glad to be back.

He got a chance to impress in the second half against Brazilian side Atletico Mineiro on Thursday evening, impressing some supporters eager to see his return to the first team.

A repeat of his 5 goals in 16 appearances for Saints this season in the second half of Rangers’ campaign would no doubt go a long way to proving his worth to supporters and it’ll be interesting to see the level of his involvement when the the Light Blues return to competitive action next weekend.

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Fans took to Twitter this week to discuss his return to the club…

The meteoric rise of West Brom and England’s Saido Berahino has provided the media with a considerable number of stories so far this season.

From relative obscurity, the 20-year-old has become one of the Premier League’s most talked about players; so much so that there is already speculation linking him with a move away from the Baggies, with Arsenal and Chelsea both said to be weighing up bids.

Yet a potential transfer is just one of a number of rumoured possibilities for the striker with talk of a place in Roy Hodgson’s World Cup squad also having been mentioned.

It says much for the value of Premier League goals then, to a player who’s only previous experience, prior to this term, came from loan spells at Northampton, Brentford and Peterborough respectively.

Now, having said to have opened talks with his current club over a new deal, it seems there could be some tough decisions on the horizon for the youngster.

Whilst the evolution of current club WBA under boss Steve Clarke has been impressive to say the least, it is evident that they are still some way off being a real force in the top-flight. Without a win in their opening four games, it took a 3-0 demolition of a struggling Sunderland to lift the Hawthorns outfit, a result that was promptly followed by an unexpected 1-1 draw away at Arsenal, in which Berahino bagged an equaliser.

Now lying in tenth, with 14 points from 11 matches, it is difficult to say what course the Baggies season is likely to run, but pragmatism aside, it’s clear that it is unlikely to be as fruitful as those of Berahino’s London based suitors.

Both the Gunners and the Blues are struggling for strikers this season, with Arsenal largely reliant on the in-form Olivier Giroud, whilst Chelsea’s misfiring trio of Torres, Eto’o and Ba have just three Premier League goals between them; a record that makes currently league placing of fourth a fairly remarkable feat.

Thus bids for Berahino could well be immanent, with both sides able to offer him a more lucrative contract than Albion.

Indeed, his current deal has arguably been the source of much of the speculation regarding his future, with reports alleging that his wage is just £850-a-week, making him one of the Premier League’s lowest paid players.

Last week the Daily Mirror reported that the striker had rejected West Brom’s offer of a new £7000-a-week deal and though it is thought that ongoing negotiations appear promising for the Midlands outfit, the lure of European football with a prospective move to the capital might prove difficult to resist.

This all seems a little impulsive though. Berahino has, after all, only scored six goals for his side this season, three of which came in the Capital One Cup win over League Two Side Newport County. And though goals against Arsenal and later Manchester United are impressive, his record hardly yet smacks of a proven goalscorer.

But it seems that the media hype surrounding the player has become something of a whirlwind; admittedly aided the man himself, who’s exploits for the England under-21’s has made for similarly impressive reading in recent weeks.

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Yet these feats alone still don’t really tally with a prospective move to a top club, at least not yet anyway.

A name that springs to mind in connection to this case, is that of Federico Macheda, who’s debut goal for Manchester United saw him heralded as some sort of footballing prodigy, an outcome that never really came to pass.

And so, as the speculation and lofty rumours build regarding the future of the young Berahino, albeit potentially justified, could there be something to be said for letting him mature at his own pace, without constant pressure from the press and expectations of a title-challenging club. West Brom, and indeed England, could well be on to a good thing here, so can we nurture it and avoid the pitfalls many young players have fallen victim to in the past?

Well, I guess we’ll see.

Inverted wingers, false 9s and now trequartistas are dominating the modern make up of the game. The rotation of central players has become king to success, with few operating on the flanks as traditional wide attackers. It’s a pass and move game, with quick five yard passes and one or two touches. The creativity in a team can be stretched across a number of positions in the starting XI, but central players are the likely suitors to the role of puppet masters.

The trequartista operates in the advanced role up the pitch, ruling out players like Xavi and Xabi Alonso. Cesc Fabregas is an interesting one: does he fall into a deep-lying category like his earlier days at Arsenal, or is he now an established advanced player? If it’s the latter, then surely he takes up a role as a false 9, thus ruling him out of this list as well. Although, with Fabregas it’s definitely one for debate.

But importantly, the real emergence of these roles in a team has forced the need for a 4-2-3-1 system. Barcelona and Spain do not necessarily play strictly to that formation, but then Barcelona do not strictly adhere to any formation or tactics for a great length in any game. Alexis Sanchez may be found as the most advanced and central player on the pitch, while Lionel Messi is just as likely to take up that position in the next phase of play.

But it’s a formation and a desire to play in this manner that has been adopted by many across Europe and has played a part in the capturing of league titles for a few others. England, Spain, Germany and France all crowned champions who play with the trequartista behind the lone striker, and it’s a formation that looks to be a mainstay in the game.

It encourages a passing game in the centre of the pitch, while those who opt for a more traditional 4-4-2 are seen as living in an age that has no relevance to modern football.

Click on David Silva to unveil the 10

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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has promised to bring in ‘a couple of players’ in the summer transfer window, according to the Mirror. 

In the same interview, Klopp bemoans the loss of Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona and it is clear that the German manager is keen to make reinforcements to account for the January loss of the Brazilian.

What’s the story, then?

The report states that Klopp made a clear statement that Liverpool ‘will bring in a couple more players, that will happen’ ahead of the summer transfer window.

He also went on to say that the imminent arrival of Naby Keita will not hold back the Reds from making those signings, which are necessitated by the extended absence of Adam Lallana through injury this term and the sale of Coutinho.

He also clarified that the new arrivals do not mean that players will be departing Anfield, quelling any immediate fears about needing another Coutinho-style sale to facilitate spending.

Liverpool need variety and depth

There can be absolutely no doubt that Liverpool have assembled an attack to worry any team in Europe, as evidenced by their rampage into the final of the Champions League.

However, without the subtlety of Coutinho – who could also step into the front three to add guile when the gung-ho approach isn’t working – Klopp’s men only know how to attack in one way.

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More depth to give the starters a rest and more options to either change a game from the bench or set up in a slightly different way from the off is sorely needed if the Reds are to sustain an assault on more than one front next season.

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According to reports in The Telegraph, West Ham United are lining up a January move for Swansea City defender Alfie Mawson, and Irons fans are divided on the potential addition of the centre-back.

The Telegraph says that Hammers boss David Moyes is weighing up making an offer for the 23-year-old next month as he looks to bolster his side’s backline, but he may have to pay £25m to convince the Welsh club to sell.

Mawson has been an ever-present at the heart of the Swans’ defence this term and has been busy, with the managerless outfit currently lying bottom of the Premier League table following a disappointing campaign to date.

West Ham supporters were quick to have their say on the rumour via social media, and they were divided with their opinions.

While one was excited and said “what a signing this would be”, another was less than enthused and said “I hope not, don’t rate him”.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

In part it’s owed to the good form of the attackers; the other side is the extremely light schedule.

Liverpool are looking good value for a top four spot in the Premier League come May. Brendan Rodgers has shown his own versatility as a manager to balance out his team so as to get the most out of Liverpool’s greatest strength, its attack, while integrating the new arrivals to such a level where their own shortfalls are never consistently exposed as they would have been in the past.

It would be a bit of a stretch to say Liverpool have a unity about them that is absent from their closest rivals. They’re a team with good players who are in or around where they ought to be, though importantly without the hindrance of midweek football.

But it’s the means to an end, that being to get Liverpool back to the summit of the Premier League. The league at present is unpredictable and some are either cautious to hand out labels as to who the genuine title challengers are or will flat out deny such a status to some. Liverpool, however, will know that this isn’t the end of the road. Top four is very much a possibility, but as a collective are they good enough to win the race for the title come May?

I ask the question because they’re being aided in a great way by having the entire week off between league matches to recoup while others are either off travelling around Europe or tied into domestic cup games. The flaws that are present in this Liverpool side – not always looking certain of a win, Swansea and Newcastle as examples, and the fact that the majority of the team’s goals are coming from only two sources – are being masked by the freshness of key players.

That isn’t really a needless swipe at the team, but who would have thought of this Liverpool side, regardless of summer activity, to be a genuine title challenger? Of course, that could be said for others, but the gap is bigger to close from seventh to first than it is from fourth or fifth.

Nevertheless, Rodgers appears focused in what needs to be done. A lack of midweek games could arguably force a team to eventually lose focus, but Liverpool continue to press in such a way that it discounts that theory for them. The win against Fulham on the weekend was convincing. The loss to Arsenal the week prior shouldn’t really knock Liverpool off course; they’ve beaten other big teams in the league this season and are capable of doing so again.

But there is a lot to take from the way Liverpool are handling things this season which can be applied to many. The race for European football often precedes the value of a domestic trophy. There is far more of a desire to put a club in the black than put a trophy in the cabinet. But on occasion, teams do need to have a good grasp of their own league before they can make a successful or at least meaningful transition into European football.

What if this Liverpool side were playing in the Europa League as they did last term? It’s unlikely, though not impossible that they’d still be in second place at this stage. European excursions can limit how far clubs can go in their own league. It stretches the squad to its maximum, forcing, eventually, for managers to sacrifice one for the other, by which time, due to fatigue, it may be too late to grab a top spot once again.

Liverpool have been put in a position where they can do it the right way. This squad are reaching their maximum – that being a top four side – but that’s because they have no other commitments. If Luis Suarez moves on next year, the club will be armed with a combination of his received transfer fee, the lure of Champions League football and the revenue it brings. That takes the club into a higher tier in the market and allows for further build.

Teams have shown in the past how difficult it can be to juggle more than one top competition. But by gradually easing themselves along the development path, Liverpool not only have a good opportunity to land Champions League football for next season, but also build even further on that. Importantly, this group of players will have the experience and understanding of what it takes to finish in the top four. Successfully managing an increased schedule comes with further additions via the market. But as the lack of Europa League football and the loss in the League Cup is showing, you sometimes have to take a step back to move forward.

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Will Liverpool’s light schedule see them into the top four?

Join the debate below

James Milner finally got off the mark for England in Friday’s 5-0 victory over Moldova, after 32 caps at senior level. The Telegraph reports.

It is hard to think of a more straightforward England win in recent memory; against a side ranked 141st in the World and one who offered very little resistance on what could have been mistaken as a training ground exercise.

But nevertheless, Hodgson’s men went about the match in a professional manner and did not underestimate their Moldovan counterparts, by playing a high-tempo, passing game from the word go.

Milner was one of those who worked tirelessly on the right wing, doing the simple things well and producing the goods when needed- scoring England’s fourth goal after neat link-up play with Theo Walcott and Danny Welbeck on the edge of the penalty area.

“There is no better feeling than scoring goals, but if you play a part in a goal – or ask the boys at the back if they split their head open making a goal-line clearance – that is as good as scoring a goal as well. The best thing is putting on an England shirt and being part of a winning team”, he said.

The Manchester City midfielder has impressed Roy Hodgson with his team ethic and selfless attitude, despite playing out on the wing instead of his favoured position in central midfield.

Milner is not a born winger and does not have the pace which the likes of Walcott or Ashley Young possess to fit into the position seamlessly, but his work rate in tracking back to cover Glen Johnson when he bombs forward is testament to his team ethic.

Milner also revealed his overall sporting prowess growing up in Leeds and used to enjoy cross-country running as well as playing cricket for Yorkshire at County level in his junior days, opening the batting and keeping wicket to the likes of Tim Bresnan.

Yorkshire has a proud sporting tradition, clearly evident at this summer’s Olympics. It is something which Milner is very proud of and he believes there is a sheer determination to succeed in the County

“Maybe it’s something they put in the water or the Yorkshire puddings. I’ve said it to the [England] lads and anyone else who’ll listen: if Yorkshire were a country we’d be well up there in the medal table and I’m very proud of that.”

On this evidence, it may be the magic of the Yorkshire puddings which sends England to Brazil.

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As reported by The Daily Record, Rangers are interested in signing Hibernian midfielder John McGinn during this summer’s transfer.

The paper say that incoming manager Steven Gerrard sent a scout to watch the player in action during the recent Edinburgh derby and is weighing up making a move for him.

The report states that Hibs manager Neil Lennon is hoping to receive as much as £5m for his signature.

Would he be a good signing for Rangers? Perhaps. He has been one of Hibs’ better players this season and has produced excellent performances against the likes of Celtic and the Light Blues themselves.

A Scotland international, he also has long-term potential at the age of 24.

Rangers fans though are not convinced, either with his ability or with how true this transfer report is.

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Many believe there is no chance he will be making the move to the blue half of Glasgow and took to Twitter to share their thoughts…

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