Transfer deadline day offers fans the chance to once again build their team up, stating that there is nothing to stop them from glory this season. Having finally made that big purchase, Arsene Wenger can claim to have delivered on his promise for a world star to be brought to the Emirates, and it has come in the form of Real Madrid player Mesut Ozil.
Of course, this would lead to sensational scenes on Twitter, and quite a storm it did indeed create. It is alleged that Ozil’s name was tweeted over three million times over deadline day, and therefore there is bound to be plenty of cracking tweets which are hidden among the avalanche of 140 characters.
Some will be from adoring Arsenal fans who can’t wait to see there new king donning the famous red and white kit of The Gunners, while others will come from rivals saying everything from the sensible, to the ridiculous.
Either way, below see some of the best tweets which emerged regarding Ozil’s move to Arsenal…
centre-back Thomas Vermaelen says that he is keen to stay at the club and prove that he merits a starting spot, despite rumours that he could leave in January.
The Belgian international has seen his first-team role diluted this season under Arsene Wenger, whose table-topping side have entered battle with Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker as their defensive pairing of choice on most occasions.
Despite being the Gunners’ captain, Vermaelen has been confined to the bench, although he did feature in the weekend loss to Manchester United.
His infrequent opportunities have led to speculation of a January move away from the Emirates Stadium, with a host of Serie A sides thought to be keen.
But, Vermaelen says that he is fully focused on winning back his spot in the Arsenal starting XI:
“At the moment there is no story. I’m not talking about it. It’s now November but any moment things can happen. If they do, I’m ready and I’m not thinking about anything else.” He told the Evening Standard.
“I can keep talking about my situation. I’ve done that with the national team and I keep on reading stories that I want to leave. But that’s not the case. I’m still focused on the team at the moment and that’s what I want to do.
“I’m always positive. What I have said is that it is not about my situation but what the team do and I’m really happy that we’re top of the League. Personally I’m still confident I can play for this club and every chance I get I will do a job for this club.”
Vermaelen is desperate to a key man for Belgium ahead of the 2014 World Cup, where he is in direct competition with the likes of Vincent Kompany and Jan Vertonghen – who are both expected to be playing regularly for the remainder of the season.
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It’s taken until January, the midway point of Alex Song’s first season at Barcelona to really put in a good performance. Has he finally displayed his qualities at the Camp Nou, or was it a reflection of the opposition? One way or another, Song had his best game for Barcelona against Cordoba in the Copa del Rey on Thursday night.
But it’s not enough. It never will be enough. Is this really what the player wanted? It was reported by a number of outlets that Song had become too big for his boots at Arsenal, considering himself well above the regular routines and rules in place for everyone else. There’s no doubting that he thought himself as a soon-to-be Barcelona player last year well before his move, or at the very least an ex-Arsenal player.
He was bought into the club because Javi Martinez was deemed too expensive, and that’s perfectly understandable; while the former Athletic Bilbao player has started brightly at the Allianz Arena, Bayern Munich certainly feel an incredibly heavy fee was spent on the player. But it doesn’t disguise the fact that big money was spent on Alex Song too. He was promised and showcased to be the versatile player that would fill in comfortably at both centre-half and in the midfield. Since his arrival and up until his most recent game, neither of those promises have come to fruition.
For starters, Song has had to ditch his devil-may-care attitude and really pick up the tactical importance of being a Barcelona player. No more wandering off out of position and casually jogging back when possession was lost: no one, team-mate or coach would stand for that sort of attitude. And you could see as much in his early appearances for the club; Song had a knack for picking out a pass and his technique had been very good at Arsenal, but something was holding him back and forcing him to play the simple passes that make up Barcelona’s game.
However, that was all from a midfield position. At centre-back, he’s been nothing short of a huge disappointment. It’s largely due to the fact that Barcelona’s central defensive partnership need to play a very specific game, but it’s also because Song isn’t a natural centre-back. Playing in that position at various stages of his Arsenal career didn’t necessarily mean he should have been purchased with the idea of using him in defence. With Barcelona’s lack of numbers at the back due to injury—remember, Eric Abidal has also played very well at centre-back in the past — a natural defender should always have been high up on the agenda.
So was it worth it? It’s obviously too soon to tell, but Alex Song will never displace anyone in Barcelona’s midfield three as a matter of talent or application. It’s very difficult to think of a better holding midfielder in the game at the moment than Sergio Busquets, and finding a player who plays the game exactly as Barcelona need Busquets to do is bordering on impossible.
Song was also given licence, either by Arsene Wenger or himself, to push further up the pitch and play a role in the build up of goals. But again, that’s not his natural game. And again, he won’t displace anyone in the Barcelona team for that position.
For Song, and like Alex Hleb, Martin Caceres and a few others in recent years, it will remain a case that he simply won’t be good enough to make a lasting impression at the Camp Nou. He’s a good player, but one who perhaps didn’t think about the huge likelihood of warming the bench for much of his Barcelona career, however long it may be.
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He doesn’t bring anything to the team that isn’t already there, and with La Masia heaving with talent waiting for their chance, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Barcelona move Song on come the end of the season.
Tottenham midfielder Scott Parker has been ruled out until at least the festive period extending his spell on the sidelines even further, but with a new manager at the helm and the club having brought in a number of fresh faces in midfield and with the promise of more to come over the past few months, will the England international be able to force his way back into the side when he returns to full fitness?
Having turned 32 this month, it’s not as if Parker has time on his side either and there’s a doubt whether he fits into Andre Villas-Boas’ high tempo style of play which focuses on pressing the opposition high up the pitch much in the same way that the first-choice central midfield partnership of both Sandro and Moussa Dembele have done to good effect so far this campaign.
The Portuguese manager told the press before this weekend’s game against Chelsea on the subject of Parker’s injury: “It’s difficult for him as he still feels pain and is still disturbed in his recovery. It prevents him from being on the pitch but he has been in the gym and with the medical department. We are looking at Christmas. It is still within the limits of what we expected. He is making good progress and there has been less pain.”
I’m not for a moment doubting that Parker has his merits as a player and he’s evolved from the all-action midfielder at West Ham to a deeper-lying, more reserved player since his move to White Hart Lane, which in itself displays a level of adaptability which could stand him in good stead. He’s extremely tactically aware of his role within the side, is tidy in possession and has an exceptional work-rate, best displayed by when he almost an himself into the ground while carrying an injury at Euro 2012 ‘for the England cause’ so to speak.
However, you do have to question whether he may just be a tad too limited for what Villas-Boas is trying to achieve at the club now and there’s a worry that he doesn’t recycle possession quickly enough, an attribute which is a major strength of Dembele’s and was deeply missed against Chelsea at the weekend.
The nature of the 4-3-3 formation that Tottenham are carrying on with at the moment means that a goalscoring midfielder must occupy a central role at the tip of the three, while there’s an all-running player capable of beating a man and a more defensive option sat just behind him, so when the side has the ball, it effectively turns into a 4-2-3-1 system.
Gylfi Sigurdsson and Clint Dempsey will battle it out for the first spot while Dembele seems to have made the second role his own with a series of bustling and energetic performances, which leaves Jake Livermore, Sandro, Huddlestone and Parker to contest the final place in the side and the Brazilian has shown a growing maturity to his play so far this season which surely sees him sit top of the pecking order.
Moreover, I wrote earlier in the summer that Huddlestone may have a pivotal part to play this season under Villas-Boas, given that his ability to drop in-between the centre-backs when on the back-foot and his passing range made him a decent candidate for the role just in front of the back four should Sandro fail to perform and he appears to have benefited from the change in manager this summer.
There’s also the fact that the club vigorously pursued the signature of FC Porto playmaker Joao Moutinho right up until transfer deadline day and were said to be just minutes away from clinching the deal after being granted an hour extension by the FA, so there’s a cleat intention on their part to bring in at least one more body in the future.
It’s clear for all to see that as good as Dembele is, the side still lacks an element of control in midfield which has been evident against the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea (which he missed) and that they struggle to hold onto the ball at times. Luka Modric is still yet to be properly replaced and you suspect that even if they don’t go back for Moutinho in January or even next summer, that a similar style of player will be right at the top of the agenda sooner rather than later.
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I’m a big fan of Parker’s and it’s unfortunate that he’s found himself confined to the treatment table precisely at a time when he needs to be fit and pressing home his claims for a regular starting berth, but there’s certainly a danger of the side moving on without him and while he has his merits, it looks as if his face might not quite fit into the new manager’s plans.
Newcastle have cancelled their Christmas party after a terrible string of results has left them languishing in the lower reaches of the Premier League table.
The Magpies’ 3-1 home defeat by reigning champions Manchester City at the weekend was their sixth in seven league outings, leaving them in 15th place, just two points above the relegation zone.
The Toon have travelled to Dublin and Glasgow in recent years to enjoy the festive season, but their recent form has left the club undeserving of celebrations this year, according to manager Alan Pardew, who now needs to steer them away from their perilous league position.
“It’s out of respect to our fans and what we have served them this year,” Pardew told the Evening Chronicle.
“There’s no party for us, and the same for the staff. That’s how it should be.
“Trust me, there have been horrible things said about our group and our staff, but we are together, and we are fighting and trying to put it right.
“The fans have to realise this isn’t just a game to us, it’s our livelihoods and our profession. It pays our bills.
“Not only that, we have to have a certain pressure of entertaining our fans, who pay good money to come and watch.
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“Looking at all those factors, we have not done enough this year. That’s why I think it’s right we called it off.”
Newcastle face Queens Park Rangers at St James’ Park on Saturday, knowing they will need a victory to help restore some confidence in a stuttering season.
As we near the half-way point of the season, the Premier League table is starting to take shape and pressure will start to grow on the managers who are under-performing. However, those who have done well are earning their rightful praise, but who do you think has been the manager of the season so far?
As seems to be the case every year, David Moyes is once again working wonders at Everton. While the Toffees have stuttered a bit recently, having won just once in the last six, they are unbeaten in the last five and find themselves sixth in the table, just two points off Tottenham and a place in the top four.
One of the surprise packages of the season have been West Bromwich Albion, with Steve Clarke doing well in his first season at the helm at the Hawthorns. West Brom are equal with Everton in seventh place in the Premier League table and while they haven’t won in the last four in the league, the Baggies should be really proud of their achievements so far.
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A manager of the season shortlist wouldn’t be complete without the inclusion of Sir Alex Ferguson. The experienced Scot has again taken Manchester United to the top of the Premier League table, six points ahead of rivals City and looking good for another domestic crown. The Red Devils’ squad may not be as strong as some previous title-winning sides, but Fergie still manages to get the best out of them.
Who do you think the Manager of the Season has been? Have your say by Tweeting @RNRFootball with your choice of manager and the hashtag #TellWrighty
Arsene Wenger is reportedly ready to scrap his transfer philosophy of signing young players for Arsenal by making a shock move for Chelsea’s Frank Lampard.
The Blue’s midfield legend is in the last year of his contract at the club and new manager Rafa Benitez has revealed the player will be free to leave Stamford Bridge at the end of the season.
Signing Lampard, 34, would be going against Wenger’s usual preference of looking to sign and develop stars for the future rather than those who have already reached their peak.
Lampard has been subject of rumours linking him with a move to LA Galaxy but the England international is reported to be keen on staying in Europe.
With the midfielder able to move on for free in the summer, Wenger will be weighing up the decision of whether to make a cash offer to Chelsea for him in January in a bid to prize him away early.
Arsenals miserable start to their Premier League campaign sees them in 10th position in the table and Wenger has fallen under increased pressure to turn the clubs fortunes around.
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The Frenchman has also been heavily linked with moves for strikers Klaas-Jan Huntelaar of Schalke, and Atletico Madrid’s Adrian Lopez, as well as Everton midfield Marouanne Fellaini amongst others.
recent away loss to Norwich would naturally have sent a number of supporters into an angry frenzy. Arsene Wenger’s team had no right to play as poorly as they did, and one step further would suggest that Norwich had no right to win that game. But the major talking point—as it always is when Arsenal lose in embarrassing fashion—is what the club should be doing with all that cash that’s currently stuffed away.
There wasn’t too much said following the arrival of Santi Cazorla, although many were still upset at a lack of obvious replacement for Alex Song. But Arsenal had seemingly identified and addressed the problem areas in attack. All that was missing was transmitting the good-on-paper to good-on-the-pitch and getting results.
But Arsenal are still short—they always will be because Arsene Wenger appears powerless to stop big players leaving at the end of every season. He’ll replace, hopefully, but it is often never enough. Meanwhile, the cash reserves—a figure that would turn many other clubs around Europe green with envy—sits in a pot and gives Arsenal supporters plenty of ammunition to fire back at the club.
But regardless of how well Wenger did to land his three summer signings, there are still a number of holes in the team which need addressing.
Yaroslav Rakitskiy
Yaroslav Rakitskiy has three league titles to his name as well as three domestic cups. He’s a regular in the Shakhtar defence and has also gathered together a solid number of international caps. But the recently turned 23-year-old would bring plenty to an Arsenal defence that has improved but may still be lacking in quality in numbers. Per Mertesacker has been excellent for the best part of the season so far for Arsenal, and Laurent Koscielny proved to be the Gunners’ best defender last term. But Arsene Wenger’s side are not shy of dancing with a disastrous injury plague. Rakitskiy really impressed two seasons ago when his side played Barcelona in the Champions League. The Ukrainian champions were on the end of a heavy loss but the young centre-back managed to get himself a goal. He also picked up a number of links to major clubs in western Europe, signifying that he was perhaps one of the best young defenders in Europe. He’s versatile and would be able to plug a gap in midfield if needed, but he reads the game well and is positionally very good. As mentioned, Arsenal’s defence are improving, but how many are totally satisfied with what they’re seeing and the options available?
Yevhen Konoplyanka
Yevhen Konoplyanka might sometimes find himself in the shadow of Andriy Yarmolenko whenever the two share a pitch for their national side. After all, the latter has been described as one to lead this generation of Ukrainian football. But Konoplyanka seems to have much more natural ability and is a player rightly picking up plenty of praise in eastern Europe. He’s a player who would greatly improve Arsenal’s wide position, where Lukas Podolski is the sure-starter on the left while Gervinho, Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are the other options for the right. Arguably, neither of the two England internationals are natural wide players, while Gervinho’s inconsistency should prove to be a real problem going forward. Konoplyanka has the trickery of a successful and natural wide player. He also has excellent delivery on his crosses into the box while in open play and from corners—something which Arsenal have lacked in quality for many years. But he’s a player who can really bring an attack to life. He’s not afraid to shoot from distance and is a very good striker of the ball. The Dnipro midfielder is already a regular in the national team and undoubtedly fits the bill of a typical Arsene Wenger signing.
Klass Jan-Huntelaar
There has been plenty of talk about Adrian Lopez or Fernando Llorente arriving at Arsenal in the near future to reinforce the attack. However, there’s been surprisingly less said about the availability of Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. The Dutch striker is currently in the last year of his contract at Schalke and has expressed a desire to leave Veltins Arena once the season is over. He was the top scorer in the Bundesliga last season, a natural predator around the box and is the favourite among Dutch supporters to start for the national team ahead of Robin van Persie. Huntelaar is sure to see interest in him rise as the season continues, but Arsenal would do very well to add a proven and natural scorer such as him to their squad. He’s managed to settle in Germany and could once again be ready for another big move. He’s comfortably one of the finest finishers in Europe at the moment.
Marc-Andre ter Stegen
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Borussia Monchengladbach goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen is part of the current rising group of impressive goalkeepers in Germany. The Gladbach keeper’s age should not deter potential suitors as, even at the age of 20, he has already picked up his first international cap and is the regular starter for Lucian Favre’s side. Arsenal don’t have any real competition for goalkeepers and Wojciech Szczesny is hardly the most comfortable in goal. The Polish international has seen a string of errors over the past season result from laziness and lack of focus. Szczesny is simply too comfortable in the knowledge that the other options at Arsenal won’t displace him, but the introduction of ter Stegen, regardless of his age, would be a big boost to the goalkeeping position at the club. Szczesny is a good keeper but needs real competition.
Lars Bender
There were a few really hollow links with Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen’s Lars Bender towards the end of the last transfer window, but the German international’s versatility would be extremely welcome in Arsene Wenger’s side. Bender is naturally a central holding midfielder, one with excellent defensive abilities. But he’s also capable of slotting in at right-back and performing well. The lack of real quality in that position for the German national team may see Joachim Low opt to deploy the 23-year-old into the right side of defence. But Arsenal are notably short of reliable quality at right-back. There’s no telling what Bacary Sagna’s future holds following his two serious injuries, and Carl Jenkinson, despite some very good performances, is still young and learning his trade. Lars Bender would act as another much-needed body for the midfield and could work extremely well in a two-man pivot with Mikel Arteta. Much of this praise, however, could be equally sent over to Dortmund and his brother Sven, who would also be a great addition to the Arsenal team.
River Plate’s defensive midfielder Leonardo Ponzio is a transfer target for Tottenham Hotspur, according to Sky Sports News.
Ponzio has spent the most-part of his career bouncing between River Plate and Zaragoza, being part of the latter club’s 2009 promotion back into the Spanish top flight. The midfielder only recently rejoined River Plate in January 2012 but could be on his way to the Premier League in the coming transfer window.
The Argentine international, capped seven times for his country, has been in good form for La Banda this season, and recently scored the equaliser during a derby clash with Boca Juniors which ended 2-2. It is believed Spurs scouts were at the match to watch the midfielder’s progress on the request of Andre Villas-Boas.
“I knew that some people came to watch me in the match against Boca and I think in another game too,” 30-year-old Ponzio told reporters.
“Nobody spoke with me about a possible transfer or real interest. Anyway, regarding my future, I am very comfortable where I am and I feel respect. I would like to take advantage of this moment.”
When quizzed on a move to White Hart Lane, the Argentinean replied: “What comes for my career from now on will be analysed. At my age I have to analyse everything with my family.
“It’s not a year yet since I came back from Spain. Therefore, if an offer arrives, River and me will have to analyse it,” he added.
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“I am at a good personal moment and I have to keep on going on in that way. I would like to have the chance to play for the national team again, so I have to keep on doing well at River.”
Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas is already under a degree of pressure, just three games into the new Premier League season, but the club’s chairman Daniel Levy needs the former Chelsea manager’s long-term vision, as they continue to recover from the short-term approach of predecessor Harry Redknapp.
The media, by and large, do not like Villas-Boas very much, which increases this sort of fictional pressure from outside; he doesn’t win friends easily, he has a cold demeanour and he doesn’t indulge journalists with quote after usable quote like Redknapp used to.
The fact that during transfer deadline day, I heard the Sky Sports News journalist by the name of Gary actually mutter the words “we’ve had none of when Harry was manager, driving in, winding down his window and telling us who would be leaving and who might be coming in. We miss him” says it all really. This self-serving attitude pollutes the media when objectively judging managers.
There’s also the club’s new style of play which the Portuguese manager is trying to implement which will take time to gel. Villas-Boas wants his side to press much higher up the pitch and win the ball back early, while under Redknapp, it was simply a team-sheet with the players names on it and they were told to go out and play.
A poor start to the season has already seen many ex-pros trying to play amateur psychologists, claiming that the likes of Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon are already ‘not playing for their new manager’ and that they ‘don’t like all the tactical work’. Former players now who say things like this are often the sort of players themselves that didn’t like tactical work, you see, they don’t understand it all that well, so they believe that they are speaking on behalf of every professional footballer, which whenever this happens, they end up only speaking for themselves.
The deadline day scramble and the way that the club missed out on Joao Moutinho as Luka Modric’s replacement will have also hurt Villas-Boas’ plans and the fault lays squarely at the door of Daniel Levy, and the club appear to have strangely prioritised securing the signature of Hugo Lloris instead.
Out went Rafael van der Vaart on deadline day too, as he returned to Hamburg, confirming his status as a luxury player, and he simply didn’t fit the side’s new style, seemingly either far too unfit, lazy or both to fit into it, even if he still has a wand of a left foot.
Emmanuel Adebayor, the focal point of their attack last term to the tune of 17 goals and 12 assists, is still in the process of getting match fit after dragging his heels during negotiations and the team have been forced to field their only senior striker, Jermaine Defoe – a player that doesn’t suit playing as a long front-man and is far too easily pushed off the ball.
At the back, Ledley King has retired, Younes Kaboul has been ruled out for three months with injury and Jan Vertonghen is new to the league, while just in front of them, Scott Parker has been ruled out through injury so far and he was a mainstay in the side Right through the spine of the side there has been change, some forced upon Villas-Boas, others he’s made as he looks to tinker with the side and stamp his own authority on their style, making them more disciplined in the process.
As manager of Chelsea, Villas-Boas was accused of trying to change too much, too fast, but that was the remit which he was brought in under, so it’s hardly his fault that the goalposts were moved midway through the campaign. During his short tenure at White Hart Lane so far, the pace of change has been equally as dramatic, but it was certainly needed as they fell away terribly last season, finishing fourth in a three-horse race, but the same criticism has lazily been levelled at him.
Every manager always pleads time upon taking over a new club, but Redknapp only ran it last season knowing that he wanted the England job in the future; he was biding his time, waiting for an approach from the FA over the England job and their January business shows both him and Levy knew that.
Now the team has a young, forward-thinking manager willing to implement a vision for the future and stick around for quite a few years. His doubters has an agenda and those fans which booed them off the pitch against Norwich should be embarrassed of themselves.
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Rome wasn’t built in a day and the fans need to be patient, despite the cringe-worthy overkill of the word ‘project’ by many. Levy came up short on deadline day, not Villas-Boas and he needs to back his manager both on and off the pitch now and make sure that they present a united front despite the obvious early teething problems.