The morning after the night before as Sir Alex Ferguson and his Manchester United charges must still be struggling to come to terms with the lesson that was served up by Barcelona last night in what was an absolute exhibition of football by Pep Guardiola’s men. Fergie has come out today and conceded that no team he has ever faced in management has given him such a hiding like the one that was displayed at Wembley last night.
In the papers this morning there have been a mixed bag of stories that include Bin Hammam pulls out of FIFA race; Gareth Bale fancies the Olympics, while Ashley Young will snub Liverpool to join Man United.
*
Bin Hammam pulls out of Fifa race – Guardian
Beckenbauer leaps to defence of under-fire FIFA chief Blatter – Daily Mail
‘No one’s given us a hiding like that’ – Guardian
Capello fears England players don’t have the mental strength to cope – Daily Mail
Ferdinand wants explanation from Capello – Daily Telegraph
Bale wants to play for GB at Olympics – Guardian
Barcelona prepare new Fabregas raid after Wenger swoops for yet another youngster – Daily Mail
Ashley Young will snub Liverpool to join Man United – Mirror
Chelsea will pay £15m to get Redknapp – People
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 must change mental approach next season, says Alex Song – Mirror
Mancini told he won’t be given ‘crazy money’ for transfers – People
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce has played down recent rumours linking midfielder Jordan Henderson with a move away from the Stadium of Light.
The 20-year-old has been mentioned as a possible target for the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City, but Bruce is not getting carried away by the silly season in the tabloids.
He told reporters:"I give him a bit of stick and say to him 'who is it? Chelsea this week, Inter Milan next week? Real Madrid? I always just make light of it.
"It is inevitable that there will be stories linking him with all sorts of clubs.
"You know that when the big boys come, you are up against it and we have to be realistic about that. We will have to deal with that if and when the time is right.
"But it is normal when a player has burst on to the scene, as he has, then all the top teams in the country are going to be looking at him and obviously want him because he is young and, more importantly, he is English.
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 is fantastic he's getting all these accolades at the moment.
"But it's very important to make sure we keep him on track and that he fulfils all that potential, because he has only played 40 games."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Over the past 12 months dozens of youngsters have come through and made their Premier League debuts and gone on to make a real impact in the greatest league in the world. The likes of Kyle Walker, Martin Kelly, Daniel Sturridge and Steven Caulker are just a few names that spring to mind as having a terrific 12 months breaking into first team squads.
2012 is set to top that with a promising group of youngsters starting to make a name for themselves in and around the youth system that has put them on the edge of a first team call up. With Euro 2012 on the horizon it may be too soon for any of these teenagers to make the plane, but with a new England manager set to take over after Ukraine and Poland an impressive six months from now on could impress the new boss.
Every club loves seeing one of their youth players coming into the first team and making an impression. More often than not they seem to put in more effort than the established stars and always get the crowd on their side. Here is a look at the top ten youngsters looking to 2012 as their breakthrough year.
Click on Tom Carroll to unveil the top 10
[divider]
[divider]
Have I missed a player at your club? Let me know on Twitter: @Brad_Pinard
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.
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp called for goal-line technology to be introduced after his team’s controversial 2-1 defeat at Chelsea.Spurs were leading the English Premier League match through Sandro’s long-range effort in the 19th minute at Stamford Bridge, but the game turned when Heurelho Gomes let a Frank Lampard shot squirm through his legs.
The Brazilian goalkeeper appeared to claw the ball off his line, but the assistant referee awarded a goal, with Chelsea going on to win courtesy of Salomon Kalou’s 89th minute effort.
“The first one wasn’t over the line and the second I thought was offside,” Redknapp said.
“That (the first goal) changed the game. The linesman’s made a mistake – an honest mistake. He’s had an honest guess, but he’s guessed wrong.”
“It’s the most difficult thing in the world to see from where he was – he was probably on the 18-yard box when the ball dropped on the line, and he’s given what he thought was the right decision.”
“But technology’s got to come in. That took seconds to see it, five seconds just to go, ‘Yes it’s a goal; no it’s not a goal’. You get a fair decision, the game moves on.”
“I don’t see why we’re still messing around after all these years and haven’t got technology in the game. It’s amazing.”
Despite his team benefiting from the decision, Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti supported Redknapp’s view on the need for goal-line technology.
“Unfortunately the referee does not have a television and I think technology for the goal could be a good decision,” Ancelotti said. “It was not an easy decision, in my opinion.”
“We did our job and our job was to win. I think that to be honest we were lucky because some decisions were good for us but this is football.”
“We are happy for this result and the performance today.”
“The spirit in the game also, when we were 1-0 down and then in the second half, was very good.”
Much has been made of young Chelsea midfielder Josh McEachran’s meteoric rise to prominence. The 17 year old made his first-team debut against MSK Zilina in the Champions League and followed this up with substitute appearances against Newcastle United in the Carling Cup and Manchester City on the weekend. In his three appearances, McEachran’s composure and maturity have caught the eye but is he ready to make the step up to start regularly for Chelsea?
McEachran has been at Chelsea’s academy for 9 years after having been spotted playing for his local side Garden City F.C. in Oxford. His ability even at an early age was clearly evident and he has progressed rapidly through the Chelsea ranks. He was an integral part of Chelsea’s FA Youth Cup winning side from last season, turning a number of dominant performances in the centre of midfield.
In addition to his youth team exploits, McEachran has also been featuring regularly for Steve Holland’s reserve side along with fellow academy stars Gael Kakuta and Jeffrey Bruma.
His talent has brought international recognition and McEachran has been capped by England at U-16 and U-17 level. He was part of the victorious U-17 side which won this summer’s European Championships, with McEachran delivering the assist for Andre Wisdom to score the opening goal in the final.
A gifted play-maker with great technique and vision, comparisons to Frank Lampard are inevitable. Indeed, McEachran himself has welcomed the comparison and has looked to incorporate Lampard’s style of play into his own game. Speaking to the Sunday Mirror, McEachran said:
“Look at Frank Lampard. I need to get into the box more and score more and that will help me as a player, so I will try that more this season.”
And from what we have seen so far, comparing McEachran to Lampard might not be too far off.
Against Newcastle, McEachran looked completely at ease in possession and showed an impressive range of passing in an assured display after coming on as a substitute. He dropped into space intelligently and used the ball well. He almost managed to get himself on the scoresheet when he cut inside a Newcastle defender and forced a save from Tim Krul in the Newcastle goal.
His confidence must have been sky-high after impressing against Zilina and Newcastle and he showed his class once again in a ten-minute cameo against Manchester City on the weekend. He looked to get on the ball at every available opportunity and invariably used it well. He also produced a moment of sublime skill when he dragged the ball back to leave two Manchester City players on their backsides.
There is no question of McEachran’s talents and he is certainly highly-rated at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti has ruled out the possibility of McEachran going out on loan as he looks to give the youngster a chance to develop in the first-team with players such as Lampard and Yossi Benayoun currently out injured.
He looks a little lightweight and needs to bulk up a bit in order to deal with the physicality of the Premier League but he is still young and will no doubt fill out his frame in the not too distant 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.
We shouldn’t expect too much too soon from McEachran but he looks like a real talent that has the potential to become the first English academy player since John Terry to feature prominently in the Chelsea line-up.
Chelsea winger Florent Malouda has admitted that he is eager to play more games for Chelsea, and has vented his frustration at a lack of first-team opportunities at Stamford Bridge.
The France international has been largely a fringe player since Andre Villas Boas took over as manager in the summer; this is something that Malouda is not used to.
“I am the kind of player who needs to play week in, week out and the manager knows that,” he told The Daily Star.
“I am expecting to start more games because that’s my standard and it’s what I’ve been doing for the last two seasons.
“I am trying to show, when I get the time, that I have the quality to start games,” he concluded.
Another frustrated figure at the London club is Romelu Lukaku, who has also spoken of his displeasure at having to watch from the sidelines.
“You have to be willing to make sacrifices if you really want to succeed at a big club, so I have to be patient.
“However, if my situation doesn’t change in the next six months, I might opt for a one-year loan spell elsewhere.
“That could be in England or in a country like France. I could have a good year at another club, and then return to Chelsea as a better player,” the Belgium international 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.
Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola has praised Real Madrid and expects them to improve from their 5-0 El Clasico defeat in November.On that occasion, a David Villa double handed Barca a memorable victory, but Guardiola knows it will be a different story at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday.
“I have always held Madrid in high regard, since I was young through to when I was a player – and now as a manager.” Guardiola said.
“Football-wise, they are better than they were in the first game. They are faster than us and are more powerful, and they also shoot more than us.”
“They were better than us in a lot of aspects in the first game, and now they have spent more time together.”
“They are using different ways of playing and making things more difficult to control, and we will try to impose our game as best we can.”
It is the first of four El Clasico fixtures in less than three weeks and Guardiola admits he does not know how to prepare or plan for so many high-profile matches in such a short period of time.
He also said that Real Madrid will enter Sunday’s long-anticipated fixture as favourites, despite the drubbing they received last time the two sides met, but hopes his side can continue their good record at the Bernabeu.
“We know that it is a ground at which we have won for the past three years,” he said.
“But Madrid are favourites there, just as Barcelona are at the Camp Nou. Their tradition and fans carry weight, and the way that the team have played has left a big impression on me. We will have to have a very good game in order to beat them.”
West Ham United have completed the signing of defender Lars Jacobsen from Blackburn Rovers following Premier League ratification.
The Hammers agreed a deal to sign the Denmark international ahead of Tuesday's transfer deadline and Jacobsen has now been given permission to join the Upton Park club.
The 30-year-old full-back spent just one season at Ewood Park following a similar short stint at Everton the year before.
Meanwhile, the Hammers have also announced the signing of Belgian goalkeeper Ruud Boffin.
The 22-year-old has arrived from Dutch outfit MVV Maastricht on a two-year contract.
"We have combined youth with experience this window and are pleased with the work we have done, even in these challenging times for the club," chairman David Sullivan told the club's official website.
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.
"Half of our eight signings are 23 or under and we are confident they can become major players for the club, while the other four have a wealth of international experience."
Thomas Hitzlsperger, Tal Ben Haim, Winston Reid, Pablo Barrera, Frederic Piquionne and Victor Obinna were the other players to arrive at Upton Park during the summer transfer window.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Barcelona left-back Jordi Alba has moved to quell rumours linking him with a move to Tottenham Hotspur this summer, according to Goal.
What’s the story, then?
Goal report that Alba has said that he wants to finish his career with the Catalan giants having already spent six years with the club following his move from Valencia.
They say that he was directly asked about reports linking him with Tottenham and categorically denied wanting to leave, stating that he is very happy where he is and that he wants to see out his playing days at the Nou Camp.
He did reportedly leave the door open for an exit if Barca decide that they want to dispense with the left-back, but he has a contract until 2020 and a 150 million euro release clause.
Hakimi is a better alternative
In truth, Tottenham’s hopes of snaring a settled, elite defender from one of Europe’s superpowers were always slim but Barca’s bitter rivals may hold the answer for Mauricio Pochettino.
With Marcelo the number one left-back at Real Madrid, opportunities are limited for any pretenders to the throne so the impressive performances for Morocco of Achraf Hakimi will be of interest at this summer’s World Cup.
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.
Still only 19, the full-back can play on either side and eat up the ground up and down the flanks, offering quality in attacking areas and defensive solidity to boot.
Instead of chasing Alba, Pochettino should once more look towards young talent if he is seeking a replacement for Danny Rose.
Southampton will face Manchester City or Wigan in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup after successfully navigating a tricky tie away to West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
With English Premier League action causing supporters anxiety, the cup has been a welcome change of scenery for Southampton and the win against the Baggies means this is the furthest they’ve gone in the competition since 2005.
Wesley Hoedt and Dusan Tadic were the goal heroes on the afternoon, ensuring progression despite Salomon Rondon’s stunning volley for the home side.
It was also another opportunity to see new striker Guido Carrillo in action after he joined the club from Monaco in January.
The Argentinian has started just three matches but fans are already coming to judgements on how he’s fitting in with life at St Mary’s.
Yet to score, some fans are questioning whether he was the smartest buy.
Others though have been quick to rush to the striker’s defence, given it is so early in his Saints career, believing that he is showing promise spearheading Mauricio Pellegrino’s attack.
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.
There’s also the suggestion that every striker looks isolated in the Southampton team right now.
Can the 26-year-old become the striker that every supporter is hoping for?