Sunderland striker Asamoah Gyan may yet leave the Stadium of Light according to the player’s agent.
The Ghanian international forward signed for The Black Cats from Rennes for a fee of £13million, and following impressive displays and ten goals last term has been linked with a move away from the Wearside club.
Manager Steve Bruce and Chairman Niall Quinn have been quick to rubbish speculation, but ahead of the first day of pre-season training on Wednesday the 25-year-old’s representative Fabien Piveteau has stated the frontman may yet move.
“I can’t say if he is staying or not. As far as I know, one club has tabled an offer. He is returning to the club for pre-season and we will sit down with the coach to talk about it,” Piveteau is believed to have stated in The Guardian.
Zenit St Petersburg are believed to be the side to have bid for the Accra born player, with Harry Redknapp and Tottenham supposedly also interested.
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Meanwhile, Sunderland hope to tie up the signatures of Manchester United trio Darron Gibson, John O’Shea and Wes Brown for a collective £12million in the near future, with the Irish defender the closest of the three to moving thus far.
Chelsea are already being linked with players for the January transfer window and next summer, but should Bayern’s Bastian Schweinsteiger be the Blues’ number one target at the end of the current term?
I personally feel that the Germany midfielder is a perfect fit for Chelsea’s system and would help fill a void which has opened up since the likes of Michael Ballack, Deco, Joe Cole and Juliano Belletti have left the club.
Chelsea have been missing a key man in midfield in Frank Lampard for much of the current campaign due to injury and it is worrying that there is no ready replacement in place. Josh McEachran has won plaudits when he has had the opportunity, but at 17-years of age he needs more time to develop as a player without the pressure of stepping into big shoes like Frank’s.
Schweinsteiger has caught the eye of many admirers during his time with Bayern Munich both domestically and in the Champions League, but it was his displays in South Africa for the 2010 World Cup that led to many calls from Chelsea fans appealing to the west London club to sign the 26-year-old. The Stamford Bridge outfit were even linked to him pre-tournament after Ballack’s departure was confirmed.
The midfielder impressed in South Africa and was in my opinion one of the players of the tournament. He bossed the midfield for a young and exuberant Germany team that ended up finishing in 3rd place, with one of his best moments in the competition being the superb run and low cross which setup Arne Friedrich’s tap-in for Germany’s third goal against Diego Maradona’s Argentina side.
Schweinsteiger has been successful in a deep-lying midfield role, similar to the role played by Ballack towards the end of his time with Chelsea (a role which Jon Obi Mikel has made his mark on), but the Bayern man is also capable of playing a more offensive midfield position or even in a wider role. Due to his versatility he would arguably be well suited to the Blues’ 433 formation and Ancelotti’s originally preferred diamond option.
He has been at Bayern Munich for the entirety of his professional career, so it could be tough to prise him away and that is made especially hard considering the fact it is Real Madrid who are favourites for his signature should he leave Germany. Roman Abramovich has been rather frugal in the transfer market in recent years, but Schweinsteiger is a genuine world-class talent and could be worth the hefty price tag… I realise under current circumstances this is unikely, but I live in hope.
Schweinsteiger has never really been prolific himself, but can chip in with the odd goal (38 goals in 324 Bayern Munich games). More impressive are the amount of assists he makes (62 in his Bayern career). He has also earned 84 caps for his country and has scored 21 goals.
Who would you like to see the club go for (if anyone) in January or the summer?
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With the 4 point gap to West Ham opened up and only 6 games left, it may seem that promotion is in our hands.
However, looking through our remaining 6 games, specifically our 3 away games it doesn’t get much tougher.
That’s why I feel our 3 home games will prove massive in us achieving the ultimate goal, starting with Leeds today. Leeds have not had the best of starts under Neil Warnock, but have put in great performances against the likes of Southampton and Middlesboro recently so cannot be underestimated.
Despite them having a few injuries and suspensions, they still have dangerous players in Snodgrass and McCormack who will need to be dealt with.
We should put out an unchanged line up from Saturday and our settled 11 really should come out on top today, but don’t expect it to be easy. We also have home games against Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace before the end of the season, teams who have been on decent form as of late.
The Madejski has been a happy hunting ground for us recently, with no team leaving with a result since Hull in mid January. This run will have to continue if we are to hold on to that coveted second spot, or even make a challenge for the title.
I personally cannot wait for the challenge of the run in.
Upcoming fixtures:
Leeds United (h)
Brighton (a)
Southampton (a)
Nottingham Forest (h)
Crystal Palace (h)
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West Ham are threatening legal action against the Sunday Times over claims that illegal payments were made to an official on the Olympic committee. The Hammers are adamant that their bid wasn’t underhand and are going to go through the courts to clear their name.
In the papers this morning there have been a mixed bag of stories that include Arsenal set to make a shock bid for Downing; Liverpool losing patience over Adam, while Villas-Boas was shocked that any club would pay his release fee.
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See you in court! West Ham threaten legal action against Spurs over Olympic Stadium – Daily Mail
Wenger vision falling apart – Daily Telegraph
Joey Barton: I wouldn’t leave Newcastle for the Championship – People
Villas-Boas believed no club would pay his release fee – Mirror
Suarez: Torres told me to join Liverpool – Independent
Tevez staying at Manchester City, Mancini claims – Guardian
Liverpool losing patience as Blackpool play hard-ball – Daily Mail
Sunderland ready to move for Dann – Guardian
No League sanctions yet for Yeung or Blues – Guardian
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Arsenal plot shock Downing bid – Mirror
Manchester United snatch early lead over rivals City in race to spend – Independent
The inclusion of Cardiff City striker Jay Bothroyd in the England squad may have come as a shock to many, including yours truly. But what I found truly shocking was that the dearth of English striking talent in the Premier League is so evident, Fabio Capello had to go into the second tier of English football to complete his squad.
Now I mean no disrespect to the Football League, but when choosing a national team, especially one of England’s respective calibre, you would tend to seek out your players from the upper echelons of the ‘Premier’ (hence the name) League in your country, and if they were unavailable, then you should look to the middle and lower sections of the table to find suitable replacements. Capello clearly saw no fit replacements in these clubs. So much so, that he felt it imperative to continue his search at the top of the Championship.
With the likes of Wayne Rooney, Jermain Defoe and Darren Bent out injured, Capello has had his hands tied somewhat over the issue of strikers for the friendly against France, but what does the inclusion of Bothroyd say to the likes of Kevin Davies and Carlton Cole (even if Cole has since been called up to the squad as a ‘replacement’)?
What it says is that they are not good enough, and neither are any of the other English striking options in the Premier League. With their new squad rules, the FA are trying to get more English talent through the ranks at club level in the Premier League, but with the inclusion of Bothroyd in the squad, can these new rules be seen as closing the gate after the horse has bolted?
We have of course seen the Football League represented before in the recent past when Preston North End striker David Nugent was included in Steve McLaren’s squad to face Andorra in March 2007. At the time this decision seemed more like McLaren was giving lip service to the lower leagues rather than anything else, but Capello’s inclusion of Bothroyd seems slightly more serious.
I realise the France game is only a friendly and it is only fair to give in-form strikers the opportunity to shine whether they ply their trade in the Premier League or elsewhere, but Capello’s move to include Bothroyd in his squad is a damning indictment of the English strikers available to him in our nation’s top league. What also remains to be seen is whether the Kevin Davies’ of this world will see Bothroyd’s inclusion as an incentive, or an insult.
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There are just three weeks to go until the end of the season, so the timing for a double gameweek in Fantasy Football couldn’t have come at a more pivotal moment. As Manchester City and Manchester United prepare to duel, eight clubs in the Premier League make up for the fixtures they missed due to the FA Cup Semi Finals two weeks ago. Who are the players performing twice though that you need to be keeping an eye on?
The Captaincy Debate
Due to the well publicised financial situation at Everton, David Moyes hasn’t had many opportunities to delve into the transfer market of late. However, in Nikica Jelavic, he’s found the regular goal scorer Everton were in need of. In his last four games, Jelavic has found the net five times. His best performance to date came last weekend as he bagged two against Manchester United at Old Trafford. In the double gameweek, he’ll go up against Fulham and Stoke City. It would be surprising if the Croatian forward didn’t net in either of these games, judging by his recent form.
Good form though is something unfamiliar to Spurs currently. Ever since Fabio Capello resigned as England Manager, the North Londoners challenge for the Champions League has rapidly disintegrated. With that, so has the form of Gareth Bale. However, with four games left, all is not yet lost and over the course of this gameweek, Bale will face two relegation candidates in Blackburn at White Hart Lane, followed by Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium. Facing the relegation candidates could just rekindle Bale’s form from earlier in the season when the Welshman was playing superbly.
Whilst Spurs have suffered of late, Chelsea have managed to turn around their fortunes under Roberto Di Matteo. Juan Mata has been one player in particular who has been impressive of late. Whilst he hasn’t had too much of a chance to make an impact in the last two league matches, he has a goal and three assists in his last four starts for Chelsea in the Premier League. The Blues have two home games against QPR and Newcastle in the next week. They will be pivotal to any hopes of qualifying automatically for the Champions League although should they fail, there’s always the Champions League final. That said, Mata is likely to start in both games and is therefore a great option to have.
Just to check though, you have Papiss Demba Cissé in your side, right? What? What do you mean you don’t? The Newcastle striker is the most in-form player in the Premier League. He’s scored 11 in his first nine games. That includes nine in his last six matches. The man is a revelation. Yes, he does have two tough away games coming up against Wigan and Chelsea but this is Demba Cissé – he’s scored when he wants so far.
Captain: Papiss Demba Cissé – It’s very hard to ignore the Senegalese the way he’s playing at the moment.
Vice Captain: Juan Mata – He hasn’t started in the last two league games but that’s because of the Champions League. You have to fancy the Spaniard to make a mark over the next week.
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New Fulham manager Martin Jol looks set to move for former player Robbie Keane, according to The Sun.
Despite netting his 51st goal for the Republic of Ireland at the weekend, Keane is out of favour at Tottenham Hotspur under manager Harry Redknapp.
Redknapp re-signed the Ireland forward from Liverpool for £12 million in the January 2009 Transfer Window but he has failed to cement a place in the Spurs team since. He has spent much of the past two seasons on loan at Celtic and more recently West Ham and, with wages estimated at £70,000 a week, Redknapp is keen to remove the striker’s salary from the wage bill.
The 30-year old has made 238 League appearances for Spurs and enjoyed a productive period under Jol. The Dutchman is keen to pair Keane with Bobby Zamora and the forward could cost as little as £4 million.
The former Spurs captain has also played for Wolves, Coventry, Inter, Leeds and Liverpool and has commanded over £75 million in career transfer fees. He will hope the move across London will reignite his career but will have to accept a pay cut if Fulham are to secure him on a permanent deal.
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Chelsea haven’t exactly lamented the absence of Frank Lampard who has missed Chelsea’s last 12 matches, out of these games Chelsea have won nine, drawn one and lost two. This record would be a favourable one even with Lampard in the starting line-up, but without him, it goes to show how capable Chelsea are of continuing winning ways even if they do miss Lampard’s influence. The likes of Florent Malouda, Michael Essien and new arrival Ramires have filled the void left by Lampard without any signs of longing for his return. Having scored 27 goals in the Premiership and sitting commandingly at the head to the pack by five points, it seems as though Lampard might have been watching the games at home with a slight doubt over his starting prominence when he returns.
Do Chelsea need Lampard within their ranks at present or should they continue as they are, not wishing to disrupt the team? This question strikes as a non sequiter due to the fact that just because Chelsea are progressing without Lampard, it doesn’t follow that upon his return from fitness that they’ll be reluctant to play him. It should be self-evident what an exceptionally consistent and gifted player Lampard is after having scored 22 goals last season and having scored twenty or more goals for five consecutive seasons in all competitions. In the 2007-08 season when Lampard played a mere twenty-four games, as opposed to the regular thirty-five plus in all other seasons, Chelsea missed him in their bid for the Premiership and finished second.
Carlo Ancelotti confirms how auspicious it is to have Lampard in the squad by having said that Chelsea aren’t at full strength without him, when speaking he said: “The team has been doing very well without him, but when he comes back we will have a stronger team.” With the incessant amount of games a successful club has, the return of a star player such as Lampard is welcomed with arms opened so far wide you’d be reminiscent of a certain Stretch Armstrong.
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However, the thirty-two year old could be worth cashing in on and investing the money in a replacement. This imposed experiment has shown that Chelsea can survive without him and not only survive but flourish also, I ask then, would it be a worthwhile thought to entertain?
He has won every major trophy with Chelsea apart from that elusive Champions League title that is lusted after more than any at present by The Blues. He has three years left on his contract, which rises to a peak of £140,000 before being reduced in the final two years. Does this suggest that during those two final years of his contract, he may start learning a foreign language? If Chelsea win the Champions League this year and there is every possibility of that, Lampard will have won all there is and may be motivated to seek new experiences abroad.
Life after Lampard will have to be addressed in the coming years and possibly even sooner if my musings come to fruition. He is without question, when fit, one of the first names on the team sheet and will be in the coming weeks a massive boost for Ancelotti.
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Swindon Town’s 0-0 draw with Bristol Rovers on Saturday epitomised the lack of recent finishing power.
With only three goals being scored in our past five games, Di Canio’s Swindon have looked poor in front of goal with a neck injury for Paul Benson, ruling the striker out from the starting line-up, being a major blow for the Wilshire side.
With 13 shots on goal, seven on target and the woodwork being hit, Swindon failed to convert any of these chances. Bristol Rovers seemed to have settled for a point before the game had even kicked off and this showed in their lack of adventure with the ball.
Fans reaction using just five words…
@ijwilmer81 – Rovers game plan worked perfectly
@Charliejewell98 – Town dominated but poor finishing
Swindon’s first game in hand is away at Barnet on Tuesday night. With a two point lead over Torquay already, the Robins will be hoping to cash in on Barnet’s poor form. The Bees have accumulated just seven points in 12 matches leaving them just one place above the relegation zone. With a poor goal difference and Barnet shipping goals left, right and centre hopefully the Wiltshire side will adhere to the form book.
Earlier In The Season…
The sides have not only met already in the league this season but also in the Area Final of the Football League Trophy. The Robins won the two-legged affair 2-1 on aggregate with Benson scoring the decisive goal in the 2nd leg. In September, 7,297 fans saw a dominant 4-0 win for Swindon which left Barnet Manager Lawrie Sanchez reeling, ‘This is not what I expect from my players, the whole team played poor, I feel sorry for the fans who have paid and traveled to watch’.
…Cheerio Tehoue
Paolo Di Canio has sent on-loan striker Jonathan Tehoue back to Leyton Orient stating ‘It’s a technical decision. He’s not as good as I thought he was. It is nearly impossible he will see the football pitch at Swindon.’ The French forward has spent less than a month with Swindon Town making just three appearances. Paolo’s comments will be endorsed by many Robins fans after receiving scathing reviews around Tehoue’s performances for the side.
Trip down memory lane…
Saturday 28th December 1996
Swindon Town 1-0 Grimsby Town Match Abandoned 32 minutes (Frozen Pitch)
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I travelled from Grimsby on a coach laid on by a company in Grimsby that one of my neighbours worked for as there head office was in Swindon. I had an amazing day out, met some of the squad and received a signed ball which I still have. I was gutted when the match was abandoned as it was my first visit to the County Ground, but I was promised that I would return for the rematch. Unfortunately this didn’t occur as it was played on a Tuesday night and as I was only 11 at the time couldn’t persuade my parents to take me. Another reason is that the Club Shop was shut after the game and I didn’t get the chance to go in it beforehand, my heart sank and I almost cried at that moment.
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Last weekend wasn’t a happy one for West Ham fans. The phrase ‘you’re too good to go down didn’t ring true’, as West Ham’s selection of stars just didn’t perform over the course of the season. Avram Grant lost his job as a result of the Hammers’ relegation from the Premier League, but there is only one real victim of this West Ham debacle; the fans. While TV coverage from last Sunday was filled with a clearly distraught Scott Parker, there were also countless images of devastated West Ham fans, and here are two of them. What are these West Ham thanks thinking? Perhaps they’re contemplating the trips they’ll have to make to Doncaster and Barnsley next season?
Leave your suggestions below…
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