Is Santi Cazorla Worth £16 Million?

One transfer that's status is closely approaching inevitable is the saga of Santi Cazorla to Arsenal. The Llanera-born midfielder was bought back from Recreativo de Huelva to Villarreal for a fee of £700,000. He impressed for the Yellow Submarine in his first season, so much so that Real Madrid wanted him. He established himself as one of La Liga's most exciting players in the coming seasons, and he was rewarded with his first Spanish cap in 2008. His virtuoso performances made Villarreal a real force in Spain and also in Europe through their endeavours in the Champions League. Malaga, after a major cash injection from another Qatari, picked him up for £18 million in the 2011 transfer window. Surprisingly, Villarreal were relegated that year. Could this have been down to Cazorla's departure? Santi master minded Malaga to a 4th place finish, qualifying them for the Champions League next season. But controversy arose. Unpaid wages has put a dark cloud over the club and now Malaga has suddenly found themselves up for sale. Players are looking to leave Los Boqueneros and Santi Cazorla looks set to lead the exile. The fee reported for the purchase of the playmaker is between £15 and £18 million. But Is He Worth It?

Goals


Santi Cazorla hit 9 goals last season

Assists


Santi Cazorla made 5 assist last season

Key Passes


Santi Cazorla made 84 key passes last term

Successful Dribbles


Santi Cazorla made 49 dribbles last term

Dispossessed


Santi Cazorla was robbed of possession 92 times last season

Turnovers


Santi Cazorla gave away possession 57 times last season

Tackles


Santi Cazorla made 82 tackles last season.

Interceptions


Santi Cazorla made 99 interceptions last term

Long Balls


Santi Cazorla made 281 successful long balls out of an attempted 350


Whoscored Season Rating : 7.6


So, in conclusion

• Key Passes - With better forwards at Arsenal, Santi's key passes can be converted and increase his assist number
• Ball Retention - His ball retention is poor, needs to seriously improve for the Premier League
• Defensive Contribution - Excellent contribution defensively
• Goals - With 8 of them coming from free kicks, Arsenal will now have a set piece specialist in their ranks

Another trait to note is his versatility.

Position : Average rating

CDM - 7.33

MC - 7.68

AMR - 7.86

AMC - 7.98

AML - 7.3

MR - 7.75

This is very important asset to have. If injury strikes in the engine room, Arsenal will have a back up for each position in Santi Cazorla.

So, is he worth it? In my opinion, as an apparently utterly biased Arsenal fan, is that Cazorla is worth more than just £16 million. He was the best player in La Liga last season who wasn't playing for Real Madrid or Barcelona, the big two. His rating of 7.6 earned him a place in the La Liga Team Of The Year, and finished in 4th place in the Player Of The Year, behind Xavi, Ronaldo and  Messi. Should Arsenal snap him up for the reported price, they have bagged themselves a real coup.

NEXT UP : IS LUKAS PODOLSKI WORTH £11 MILLION

Chelsea FC : The Bitter Truth

Take a long hard look at this team. Examine each player closely. Examine the formation. Take in everything you see in this picture. Now take a look at this picture :

Now look me in the eye and tell me that Chelsea can win the Premier League.

It's amazing. It's simply amazing. It's amazing how Chelsea suddenly think they are this global superpower because they fluked the Champions League. The addition of Eden Hazard and Oscar can now suddenly propel the Blues to the Premier League title. Well, let's not get carried away.

Eden Hazard is a very good player, no question. But one very good player isn't the difference between 6th and 1st. One overpriced and overrated midfielder is not going to bring the Premier League to West London. Just look at Manchester City. They needed Samir Nasri, David Silva, Yaya Toure, Sergio Aguero, Carlos Tevez and Mario Balotelli to lift the league title. And they only edged it on goal difference to an ever outstanding Manchester United. Now look at Chelsea. Eden Hazard and Oscar. Don't make me laugh.

So who is this Oscar kid anyway? Well, in his last full season for Internacional, he hit 10 goals and 8 assists in 31 appearances. And Chelsea decided that the kid was good enough to splash out £25 million on. I repeat, £25 million. That's right, more than Nasri, Silva, Tevez and Toure when they were brought to the green side of Manchester. Sorry, the blue side of Manchester.

Watching him against Team GB in the warm up game for the Olympics, I couldn't see what made him so highly rated. So I decided to watch him against Egypt in an attempt to muster any kind of consolation praise for the young Brazilian, and once again I wasn't impressed. He did grab 2 assists to his name so i'll commend him for that, but.....

0 : 05 - His touches are very slow and he needlessly gives away possession

0 : 15 - Very poor final ball and relieves pressure on the Egyptian defence

0 : 17 - Poor touch as the ball moves away from him

0 : 55 - Bad decision and gives away possession, again

0 : 58 - Defensive contribution good as he supports team mate, Rafael

1 : 04 - But again dallies on the ball and gives away possession

2 : 35 - Good ball to release Marcelo

2 : 41 - Terrible cross to end the attacking move and allow the Egyptian defence to reorganise themselves

So, dispossessed 3 times, turns over possession 2 times, and this was, apparently, his best performance in a Brazil shirt.

So he hit 10 goals and 8 assists domestically. The Brazilian league isn't renown for it's water tight Alcatraz defences. Had he repeated his feats in Serie A, then I would applaud him. To be really worth something in Brazil, you have to destroy the league. Neymar, in 186 appearances, has scored 110 goals and has provided 37 assists. Neymar is worth the hype. Now take a look at Oscar and repent your sin of overrating him.

To win silverware, you need goals. So, where are these goals going to come from exactly? Fernando Torres? Seriously? Torres had Xavi, Iniesta and David Silva supplying him, and all he could muster was 3 goals. What good would having Mata, Hazard and Oscar do for him? He hit 8 goals in 37 appearances for Chelsea in the Premier League and FA Cup, so he's hardly showing any signs of improving. Darren Bent missed half the season through injury and still scored 9 goals for a lacklustre Aston Villa side. If I was Roberto Di Matteo, I would cut my losses and sell him for anything between £5 and £10 million.

So, what will Chelsea achieve this season? I predict the usual FA Cup win, a competition that has been a formality for the Blues since 2007, as they've won it 4 times since. A 4th place finish seems to be on the cards, with Arsenal stealing 3rd place ahead of them. But this could change. Andre Villas-Boas' Tottenham could spring a surprise and finish ahead of the Blues. Should Tottenham trust the Portuguese and allow him to make changes around the club, then Tottenham will be a force to reckoned with next season.

Is Shinji Kagawa Worth £17 Million?

Bought from J-League side, Cerezo Osaka, Kagawa arrived in Dortmund with a goal scoring pedigree. In his 127 games for the Japanese team, he scored 57 goals for midfield, with a average of 0.45 goals per game. His debut season for Die Borrusens saw him help the club to the Bundesliga crown, breaking the dominace of Bayern Munich. He scored 12 goals in 28 games as the attacking quartet of Mario Gotze, Shinji Kagawa, Kuba and Lucas Barrios destroyed the league. His next season saw Shinji rise in importance as the club lost two key players - Nuri Sahin joined Real Madrid in a £8 million deal and Mario Gotze was ruled out for most of the season due to a hip injury. Kagawa stepped up to the plate and didn't disappoint as he led Dortmund to their second successive league title. It was now obvious that Kagawa wouldn't be spending 2012/13 with Die Borrusens. Sir Alex Ferguson picked him up for a fee reported around £17 million. Question is : Is He Worth It?

Goals


Shinji Kagawa scored 13 goals for Dortmund last season

Assists


Shinji Kagawa assisted his team mates 8 times last season

Key Passes


Shinji Kagawa made 55 key passes last term.

Successful Dribbles


Shinji Kagawa made 61 successful dribbles last season

Dispossessed


Shinji Kagawa was robbed of possession 67 times last season

Turnovers


Shinji Kagawa gave away possession 53 times last season

Tackles


Shinji Kagawa made 37 times last season

Interceptions


Shinji Kagawa made 17 interceptions last season

So, in conclusion

• Goal Scoring - 13 goals from midfield is an excellent number
• Assists - 8 assists in CAM is a respectable number
• Defensive contribution - His 1.2 tackles per game average is good enough
• Ball retention - Gives away possession way to easily, needs to improve that number

But, is he worth it? For £17 million, I would take him to my team. His creativity and imagination will give Manchester United a new edge to their game as they finally have a trequartista to fashion chances for his team mates and take some for himself.

NEXT UP : IS LUKAS PODOLSKI WORTH £11 MILLION?

Is Olivier Giroud Worth £9.6 Million?

4 years ago, Giroud was plying his trade at Tours, in Ligue 2. 4 years later, Giroud rejects a move to Chelsea in favour of a move to Arsenal. So what happened?

In his debut season for Tours, he hit 14 goals and got 3 assists, but Tours failed to achieve promotion to Ligue 1. It was the 2009/10 season where Olivier made a name for himself. He scored 24 goals and got 7 assists, and was crowned Ligue 2 Player Of The Year. His performances earned himself a move to Ligue 1 club, Montpellier. He, once again, scored 14 goals and provided 3 assists in his first season. And, once again, it was his second season that put Giroud on the shortlist of many managers around Europe. He fired Montpellier to a surprising league win, beating off the challenge big spending PSG. And finished the season with 25 goals and 9 assists. So it came to no one's surprise when he was linked with a move away from Stade de la Mosson. Arsenal, however, beat off the attentions of Chelsea and PSG to sign him up for a fee of £9.6 million. Question is : Is He Worth It?

The French powerhouse was brought in to replace Arsenal's talisman, Robin Van Persie, so let's compare them as well.

Goals


Olivier Giroud topped the scoring charts with 21 goals.

Robin Van Persie topped the scoring charts with 30 goals

Assists


Olivier Giroud provided 9 goals for his team mates.

Robin Van Persie provided 9 goals for his team mates.

Hidden Stats :


Key Passes


Olivier Giroud made 47 key passes last season

Robin Van Persie made 92 key passes last season

Shots


Olivier Giroud hit 161 shots last season

Robin Van Persie hit 174 shots last season

Dispossessed


Olivier Giroud was robbed of possession 48 times last season

Robin Van Persie was robbed of possession 90 times last season

Turnovers


Olivier Giroud gave away possession 109 times last season

Robin Van Persie gave away possession 55 times

Aerial Duels


Olivier Giroud won 132 aerial duels out of 188 last season

Robin Van Persie won 28 aerial duels out of 95 last season

Offsides


Olivier Giroud was caught offside 45 times last season

Robin Van Persie was caught offside 44 times last season

So, in conclusion

• Aerially Dominant - Won a lot of aerial duels last season, perfect for the Premier League
• Ball Retention - Doesn't get dispossessed as much as Van Persie, but gives away possession frequently
• Efficiency - Olivier made 47 key passes, while Van Persie made 92. Yet they both finished on 9 assists

I think that Giroud does live up to his price tag, in fact, I think that it should be around the £13 million mark. He can offer Arsenal a lot. For example, against Swansea in our 3-2 loss, we were being constantly harried in possession and were outnumbered in the middle of the park. With Giroud up top, it would have given us another outlet. A lobbed ball from defence to Giroud would have been a perfect option, his strength and aerial abilty would allow him to hold up the ball and bring others into play. Chelsea have been doing it for years. For Olivier Giroud, read Didier Drogba. We finally have something that we have been craving since the departure of Emmanuel Adebayor, a Plan B.

Post your verdict in the comment section below!!

Is Thiago Silva Worth £33 Million?

Joining AC Milan in an £8 million deal from Fluminese in 2008, Thiago Silva was instantly involved in first team affairs, partnering Alessandro Nesta in the heart of the defence. He impressed for the Rossoneri and in the following seasons, was courted by a selection of Europe's top clubs. Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester City and Manchester United were all interested in bring the Brazilian to their club. He could tackle. He could head. He was fast. He was one of the best defenders in the world. So it came as a surprise when French club, Paris Saint Germain, stumped up 42 million euros to secure his services. But the question is : Is He Worth It?

Tackles


Thiago Silva made 34 tackles last season.

Interceptions


Thiago Silva made 91 interceptions last season.

Fouls


Thiago Silva made 20 fouls last season.

Aerials Won


Thiago Silva won 44 out of his 56 aerial duels.

Turnovers


Thiago Silva gave away possession 3 times last season.

In conclusion,

• Great Intelligence - Making 91 interceptions is an excellent feat
• Aerial Dominance - Winning 44 duels out of 56 is very good
• Low Tackle Rate - Only 34 tackles made
• Ball Retention - Giving away possession only 3 times in a season is a good and bad thing
• Good - Not needlessly giving away possession
• Bad - Not starting attacks himself

In my opinion, I think Thiago should be valued around the £18 million mark. If Belgian powerhouse, Thomas Vermaelen, was brought in from Ajax for only £10 million, then £18 million seems fair. Lescott was £24 million, but that's Manchester City we're talking about. Sheik Mansour inflates prices just to assert his authority in the transfer market. But enough of that.

Post your verdict in the comment section below!!

Ten Players Who Could Light Up London 2012

With the historic competition having a record of discovering new talent, the stage is set for this year's competition to follow in the footsteps of previous tournaments. In 2008, there was an array of new faces that lit up the summer. To name a few, Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Angel Di Maria and Giuseppe Rossi, who won the Golden Boot with 4 goals to his name. This year could the breakthrough for 10 players, and here they are :

Neymar, Santos, 20 years old

The player that everyone wants to see. With 9 goals for Brazil in 18 appearances and many more in the Brazilian league, the world is awaiting his performances for his team in this year's competition. Extremely talented, his extraordinary dribbling skill coupled with his steel nerves in front of goal could lead Brazil to Olympic gold for the first time in their history.

Oscar, Chelsea, 20 years old

Chelsea are renown for chucking their dough around, but you have to be a future world beater if they are prepared to splash out £25 million on you at the age of 20. Touted as the New Kaka, the young Brazilian certainly has a long way to go in replicating the feats of the legendary playmaker. An eye for a pass and for a goal, demonstrated by his 13 goals and 10 assists for Internacional this season, Oscar could become the player everyone expects him to be in future.

Lucas, Sao Paulo, 20 years old

This South American talent train just keeps on coming. The agile midfielder is a serious contender for future world recognition. He is lightning quick, can leave a trail of defenders in his wake with his devastating dribbling ability, and can produce a blistering shot off of his right peg. His final ball and decision making needs work, but the Brazilian can become one of the best players in the world if he plays his cards right. Joining Manchester United or Barcelona would be the best options for him, but it looks like the Red Devils have moved into an unassailable lead in the race for his services. They won't be disappointed.

Luis Suarez, Liverpool, 25 years old

After a hugely frustrating season for the Uruguayan, where he hit the headlines for the wrong reasons, Suarez is hoping seek consolation with an Olympic gold medal. Charged with racially abusing Manchester United left back, Patrice Evra, Luis missed 8 games for the Reds which saw them tumble down the table. Luis is an excellent player, no doubt. Blessed with mind blowing skill and agility, and bulldog-like tenacity, he could inspire La Celeste to the Olympic crown.

Cristian Tello, Barcelona, 20 years old

The Spanish forward has enjoyed a fruitful start to life as a Barcelona player. Scoring 7 goals in 22 appearances towards the end of the season, including two in the Champions League against Bayer 04 Leverkusen in a 7-1 rout. The speedy winger/striker is regarded as a future Nou Camp star, and what better way to announce yourself to the world than in an international tournament? Most likely to be reduced to substitute appearances, but Tello can make this a tournament to remember for himself and for Spain.

Joe Allen, Swansea, 22 years old

Swansea succeeded Blackpool as the surprise package of the Premier League last season, playing some of the best football the league has ever seen. So much so that their newly departed manager, Brendan Rodgers, wants to be reunited with a few of the players. One player that has grabbed the headlines for a potential move to Rodgers' new club, Liverpool, is combative midfielder, Joe Allen. The versatile box-to-box player was excellent for the Swans in their breakthrough season, breaking up attacks as well as starting his own ones. Valued at £15 million, this figure won't put off the Merseyside giants. Liverpool fans can get an idea of the type of player he is when features for Team GB this summer.

Omar Abdulrahman Al-Ahli, 19 years old

Remember this day when you read this quote. "Omar Abdulrahman Will Be The Next Xavi" And he'll prove it this summer.

Sebastian Coates, Liverpool, 21 years old

The Copa American winning stopper earned himself a move to Liverpool after a successful campaign, capped with a deserved Young Player Of The Tournament award, beating off the likes of Neymar, Joel Campbell and Aguero. Standing at 6"5, Coates is an out and out defender. Technically, poor. Defensively, very good. Though being a ball winning centre back, Coates can produce moments of greatness, as QPR found out as he hit a bicycle kick against the Londoner is a 3-2 loss. At 21 years of age, Liverpool may just have unearthed the successor to legend, Sami Hyypia. Uruguay's chances of success will be greatly boosted by the exploits of the young defender.

Juan Mata, Chelsea, 24 years old

The Spanish playmaker is a step above the majority of players at this year's tournament. The Chelsea midfielder hit 12 goals and made 22 goals in his excellent season for the Blues. He played for Spain in Euro 2012, but solely played a bit part role in their successful campaign, but popped up to score in the final. He was deemed fit enough to represent his country again in the Olympics, and he could make it his own. He won Player Of The Tournament in the 2011 Under 21 European Championship, a year on, he could well replicate his feats for La Roja.

Aaron Ramsey, Arsenal, 21 years old

A largely inconsistent season for Arsenal, but the posterboy for Team GB could lead us to glory this summer. He possesses excellent vision, an eye for the killer ball, and probably his best trait, he's unpredictable. He could make a sloppy pass one minute, but in the next he could send a forward clear. His defensive game is very sound as well. He has excellent stamina, a much needed attribute in Team GB's engine room. The Welsh captain, is, technically, Team GB's best player. Only time will tell whether it will be a summer to remember or to forget for the Welshman.

Is Eden Hazard Worth £32 million?

Since his breakthrough season in 2008, the young Belgian was subjected to interest from Europe's top sides. The world awaited the club that Eden would join. Would it be Spanish giants, Real Madrid, where he would join the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Mesut Ozil? Would it be their fierce rivals, Barcelona, where he would meet world stars such as Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta? Or will he opt for England and join Arsenal or Manchester United where he would be under the guidance of one of the greatest managers in history, Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson? It looked like it was a four horse race, nothing else to it. But then Chelsea went and ' won ' the Champions League.

Eden said that Chelsea winning the European trophy was a big factor in his choice.

“ Chelsea had the most convincing argument for me to join and obviously being the Champions League winners was a big factor in my choice,Chelsea is a fantastic club with fantastic players and they can give me the best possible chance to progress as a player "

Apparently, Chelsea can give him the " best possible chance to progress as a player", obviously because the Blues have such a rich history of developing players. I wonder how that Shaun Wright Phillips turned out? And that Joe Cole? What about Scott Parker?

But anyway, Chelsea paid LOSC Lille £32 million for his services, and are paying the 21 year old £170,000 a week. Question is : Is He Worth It?

Let's see what he will bring to the Chelsea squad

Goals

Eden Hazard hit 20 goals for Lille last season, only 1 behind the top scorer of Ligue 1, Arsenal's Olivier Giroud.

Assists

Eden Hazard set up 16 goals for his team mates, the highest number in Ligue 1.

That's what you see from the outside, let's take a look at his hidden stats.

Key Passes

Eden Hazard made 92 key passes for LOSC Lille last season, averaging 2.4 per game.

Dribbles

Eden Hazard made 89 successful dribbles last season.

Dispossessed

Eden Hazard was robbed of possession 105 times.

Turnovers

Eden Hazard gave away possession 102 times last season.

Tackles

Eden Hazard made 28 tackles last season.

Interceptions

Eden Hazard made 28 interceptions last season.

So a conclusion we can draw from here is :

• Poor Ball Retention - Gives away possession too often
• Defensive contribution - Bad contribution defensively
• Great Vision - Key passes made is a good number at 92
• Energetic - 89 dribbles displays his primary trait perfectly
• Eye For Goal - Scoring 20 goals is a very good number

But £32 million is a big sum for any player. Is he worth the money?

I think that he isn't worth that much. He should be around the £20 million price range. But Chelsea just don't pay that kind of money. They want to pay as much as they can to make themselves feel powerful and almighty, like Manchester City do. But hey, that's just me talking ( well, typing but you get the idea ), I want to hear what you think.

Post your verdict in the comments section below or on my Facebook link!

Manchester United 2012/13 : Tactics And Transfers

Set a seemingly impossible task of toppling big spenders and cross town enemy, Manchester City, Sir Alex will want the title to be back to it's usual home, Old Trafford. But it won't be easy....

The Return Of Nemanja Vidic

The loss of the Serbian defender was a key moment in Red Devils' season. They had lost not only their best defender, but they also lost their chest beating leader. His return will boost United's chances of bringing the trophy back to the Theatre Of Dreams. In his abscence, Jonny Evans was given the task of fulfilling the defensive objectives alongside Rio Ferdinand. The result was a disaster. Manchester United conceded 508 shots last season, without David De Gea in goal, the title would have been Manchester City's a long time ago. This was down to really sloppy defending, that was luckily ironed out by Wayne Rooney prolific season in front of goal. Some argue that the title would have been Manchester United's had Vidic not been ruled out so early in the season. The fact is, there is no argument. Manchester United would have won the title had Vidic been there leading the back four.

Tactics

Scholes As The Deep Lying Playmaker

The veteran will have to endure another season at the top level, aged 37, will he be up for it? Will his body be able to take another 38 games against the best teams in England? We have to wait and see.

Michael Carrick will have to support Paul Scholes and ' liberate ' him so that the English playmaker can fully express himself in the middle of the park.

Aside from Xavi, Andrea Pirlo and Xabi Alonso, no one on the planet can execute a long pass like Paul Scholes. His team mates will have to create space for him at all times, so that Paul Scholes can build up an attacking move by a long pass or an incisive short one.

Kagawa Behind The Striker

In his final season with Borrusia Dortmund, Kagawa scored 14 goals and also made 7 assists from the CAM role. This will give the Red Devils another scoring option to relieve pressure on Rooney. The steel nerved striker hit 27 goals last season in the Premier League, the second placed hitman was impact sub, Javier Hernandez, with 10 strikes. Kagawa will add imagination and creativity to the Man United front line.

Antonio Valencia & Ashley Young Providing The Ammunition

Between the two wingers, they provided 20 assists for their team mates. They will need to better their wing play to trump Manchester City to the title.

Transfers

• Leighton Baines

The Everton full back is, arguably, the Premier League's best left back. Consistent throughout the season, as reliable in defence as he is on the attack. Patrice Evra endured a horrific season with Manchester United. Making crucial mistakes that could have led to goals that would condemned Manchester United to a trophyless season much earlier in the campaign. Plus, he is 31. Baines would represent quality and experience for the Manchester side.

• A Right Back

• Ignazio Abate, AC Milan, 25 years old

The Italian right back may be tempted by a move to Manchester United. He certainly looks the part. 92 tackles and 49 interceptions for AC Milan in his 29 games in Serie A. He also popped up to help out his team mates on 2 occasions. Would be one of the present and future at 25 years of age.

• Lukasz Piszcek, Borrusia Dortmund, 27 years old

Impressed for Poland in the Euro 2012 and in his title winning season with Borrusia Dortmund. He has a knack for marauding forward as he scored 4 times and contributed 7 assists, and can also recover as he made 89 tackles and 65 interceptions as well. If Arsenal did not have Bacary Sagna, I am certain that Arsenal would dip into their pockets to sign the Pole up.

• Mathieu Debuchy, LOSC Lille, 26 years old

France's best player at Euro 2012 is currently being chased some of Europe's top clubs. Newcastle look like front runners for his signature, but how could he say no to Manchester United?

Liverpool 2012/13 : Tactics And Transfers

After a torrid season for the Merseyside giants, finishing in 8th place behind their cross town rivals, Everton, Liverpool will be looking for a new start. A breath of fresh air at Anfield is needed for them to progress forward. And it looks like they've started the rebirth already.

Signing Brendan Rodgers

Appointing Brendan Rodgers as manager is a very good decision, I applaud you for that. Having impressed in the Premier League in his tenure with Swansea, he would be the ideal choice as gaffer. Here some statistics that I know will entice you :

At Swansea's home ground, the Liberty Stadium, they kept 59.3% of possession on average in their 19 games.

Away from the Liberty Stadium, Swansea kept 55.9% of possession on average in their 19 games.

Overall, they kept 57.6% of possession in the Premier League 2011/12 season.

With the limited funds that he had, he got the best out of his players, and got them playing some of the best football in the league. Passing.Moving.Passing.Moving. This is what football is about. If Brendan can install this philosophy into Liverpool, then top 4 can be taken into serious consideration.

The Return Of Lucas Leiva

Liverpool have really missed this player. Before his anterior cruciate ligament injury caused by a collision with Chelsea's Juan Mata, he was looking like the Premier League's best CDM. In fact, in his 12 Premier League games, he made 68 tackles and 33 interceptions, which is, literally, world class. With Lucas being ruled out for the season, Liverpool collapsed. 11 defeats in 24 games saw them plummet to the bottom end of the top half. What a difference one player can make. His return will surely boost the Reds.

Tactics

Play Lucas As A Pivot

At Swansea, Rodgers used Leon Britton as the pivot, Liverpool are very lucky that they have someone ever better in Lucas Leiva. Playing Lucas in the ' Makalele role ' is the best option for the Brazilian. He has a harry opponents to prevent any attacking opportunities. Cover the back four if one of them decides to maraud forward to start an attacking move themselves. Something that Daniel Agger is notorious for. Distributing the ball cleanly to the more offensive minded and more creative midfielders. Lucas will fit in perfectly to that role.

Unnamed Midfielder

If you're wondering, Liverpool have not got a player called ' na '. I've named the player in the position ' N/A ' because I really don't know who's going to play there. First and foremost, the player has to be a playmaker. Someone who can create chances for the front three. Build up attacking moves from a deeper position. And maybe get on the end of one. There are three or more candidates for this role :

• Jonjo Shelvey

2012/13 may be the breakthrough season for the England Under 21 midfielder. Having spent his entire career at Anfield with the reserves, we may see more of him in the coming season.

• Jordan Henderson

He endured a difficult season with the Reds, only amassing 2 goals and 1 assist in his 37 appearances. But under Brendan Rodgers, we may see the Henderson that convinced Kenny Daglish to splash out £20 million on.

• Gaston Ramirez

A player that is heavily linked with a move to Anfield. His 8 goals and 4 assists may not be world class, but what he offers in between is worth accounting for. As a CAM, he made 47 tackles and 32 interceptions, his defensive work rate is very good compared to other midfielders. He also made 81 dribbles, which should add some creativity into an otherwise bland midfield.

Gerrard As The Box To Box Midfielder

No surprises there.

Three Attackers

This is a very key area. As well as providing the goals for the team, the front three must use high pressing to get the ball back earlier than in the final third, maybe even starting a counter attack. Suarez and Dempsey should change positions if they find that nothings working for them on their respective flanks.

Transfers

• Clint Dempsey

It's no secret, Liverpool need goals. Utilising a goal shy striker like Andy Carroll isn't going to help them. They NEED Dempsey. The American forward hit 17 goals for Fulham last season. Liverpool's top scorer, Luis Suarez, netted 11. Premier League experience? Bingo. Goal scoring pedigree? Bingo bongo.

• That playmaker

Creativity. Every team needs it. Manchester City. David Silva. Manchester United. Paul Scholes. Arsenal. Tomas Rosicky ( Soon to be Jack Wilshere ). Chelsea. Juan Mata. Even West Brom have James Morrison. Nuri Sahin is a perfect option, but unfortunately for you, he'd rather be a benchwarmer at Real Madrid, than play first team for Liverpool. Alberto Aquilani could be the answer. The Italian midfielder could be part of the first team plans under Brendan Rodgers, unlike Kenny Daglish.

• Fabio Borini or Andy Carroll

 It's all up to Brendan here. Will he choose the Italian prodigy, whom he trained in his Chelsea days, and mould him into a classy frontman? Or will he go for the much maligned, yet unpredictable, powerhouse of a striker?

Robin Van Persie Special : What Now For Arsenal?

On Wednesday the 4th of July, Robin Van Persie issued a statement on his personal website, robinvanpersie.com. Here is the statement in full :

This is an update for the fans about my current situation. I have kept quiet all this time out of respect and loyalty for the club and as agreed with Mr. Gazidis and Mr. Wenger, but since there is so much speculation in the media, I think it is fair for you guys to know what’s really going on at the moment.

As announced earlier this year I had a meeting with the Boss and Mr. Gazidis after the season. This was a meeting about the club’s future strategy and their policy. Financial terms or a contract have not been discussed, since that is not my priority at all.

I personally have had a great season but my goal has been to win trophies with the team and to bring the club back to its glory days. Out of my huge respect for Mr. Wenger, the players and the fans I don’t want to go into any details, but unfortunately in this meeting it has again become clear to me that we in many aspects disagree on the way Arsenal FC should move forward.

I’ve thought long and hard about it, but I have decided not to extend my contract. You guys, the fans, have of course the right to disagree with my view and decision and I will always respect your opinions.

I love the club and the fans, no matter what happens. I have grown up and became a man during my time with Arsenal FC. Everybody at the club and the fans have always supported me over the years and I have always given my all (and more) on and off the pitch. I am very proud of being part of this fantastic club for the last 8 years. As soon as Mr. Gazidis is back from his 2-week holiday in America further meetings will follow and I will update you if and when there are more developments.

Robin van Persie

So it is clear that Robin Van Persie would like to leave the club that took him out of the backwaters of football, stood by him through injury, and moulded him into the player he is today. When Arsene Wenger plucked him from the reserve team of Feyenoord, he had earned a reputation that closely emulates that of a certain Mario Balotelli, with a fiery temperament and a serious attitude towards his coaches. But Wenger installed himself as a fatherly figure towards the young Dutchman. Even after being sent off against Southampton in a 1-1 draw that ended Arsenal's hope of retaining the title, Wenger was by his side. Even after his countless injuries, most of them suffered when Van Persie was on international duty for Oranje, Wenger was by his side.

And just how is he repaid?

Only with a strongly worded letter stating that Van Persie's ambitions do not match his own, effectively saying that his management does not match that of gaffers across Europe's top leagues.

Robin Van Persie sends a message to Europe's most ' ambitious ' clubs.

" Any offers? "

What exactly is being ambitious in the modern game? In Van Persie's point of view, ambition is conveyed through how much money is being spent to improve the club. As with Gael Clichy and Samir Nasri. So because Arsene Wenger doesn't spend a tonne of money like Manchester City and Chelsea do, that makes him less ambitious? Come on Robin, give me a break. If you've paid attention to The Boss in his 16 year tenure, you'd see that his philosophy of buying players cheaply and developing them has brought about 3 Premier League titles, 4 FA Cups and 4 Community Shields. Not a bad record. And does finishing 3rd make the club a less ambitious club? If you step outside of the box, you'd see that the club has finished 3rd in the world's most demanding league, behind an ever outstanding Manchester United and a Manchester City team who have spent a total of £481,850,000 on a new squad over 3 years. We beat off the challenge of our North London rivals, Tottenham, completely obliterated the threat of Chel$ea. And Liverpool. Well. I don't think we need to worry about them for a while.

So now, after 18 months of his best football, Van Persie now thinks that Arsenal are below him and he should move on to a team that spends a load of money, that they haven't earned, in bringing in an array of the world's best player's, in his words, a more ' ambitious ' club.

Well, if he doesn't want to be here at the best team in London, third best in England, and one of the best in the world, then so be it. We don't have time to give in to his fruitful demands of better pay. Why increase his pay from £100,000 a week to £240,000 a week just for him to not run off, spending an additional £7.3 million a year? We could buy two players who actually want to be part of the Gunners who would demand less than half of what the Dutchman wants. My guess is that Wenger thinks the same. Lukas Podolski will earn £100,000 a week, Olivier Giroud will be on £80,000. Saving £60,000 a week, and £3.12 million a year. Clever move.

So what now for Arsenal ahead of the 2012/2013 season? On the bright side, we will be seeing a lot more of this man leading the line.

"He is around 6ft 3in tall, so you would be talking in principle about a typical target man who you can hook the ball to and hope he holds it up. But he is not just that, though. He has huge physical presence, but one of the main characteristics of his game is his intelligence and willingness to find his team-mates in the danger zone. He is very alert to the runs made by his wingers, and is known for his link-up play as much as his finishing. He is terrific with his back to goal, at receiving the ball sometimes from awkward angles and, crucially for Arsenal when you think of their style of play, he has the technique and intelligence to play first touch. He doesn't offer just a physical presence, an aerial presence and a danger in front of goal, but he is also incredibly quick-thinking and quick-footed. "


- Phillipe Auclair, England correspondent of France Football and RMC, speaking on Arsenal.com


Phillipe also went on to say that Giroud " should be a 15 to 25 goals a season striker in the Premier League". That's a always a good sign.


My prediction for the transfer fee for RVP would be £30 million. It is a very unfair valuation for the best striker in the world, but with solely a year left on his contract, and the prospect of losing him for free in a year, £30 million would be the ideal price for a striker with a history of injury troubles and at a late stage in his career ( 29 years old ).

Below Van Persie? Never! This is ARSENAL FOOTBALL CLUB, we have never been below any player, we will continue to be one of the leading superpowers in world football, Van Persie or no Van Persie.

" And it's Aaaaaaaaaaaaarrrssseeeeeeenal,

Arsenal FC,

We're by far the greatest team

the world has ever seen! "

Euro 2012 Awards

Player Of The Tournament


Andres Iniesta

Words alone cannot describe ' El Cerebro '. His confidence won Spain their title, he was fearless. Squaring up to any defender, passing many seemingly with ease. Creating chances for his team mates, starting attacking moves, and continuously threatening the opposition back four. Cristiano Ronaldo cannot even dream of being as good as Andres.

Young Player Of The Tournament


Jordi Alba

Barcelona picked him up for a mere £11.2 million from Valencia just last week. And what a bargain it will turn out to be. He is the Spanish Dani Alves as I've said before in my Under 23 XI. Made a Bale-esque run to double the scoring in the final against Italy. We are in trouble.

Biggest Disappointment


Karim Benzema

Was highly tipped to top the goal scoring charts in this year's tournament. But what he produced was a PR disaster. Couldn't hold onto the ball even with his remarkable strength. Couldn't hit the back of the net once. Not once. But with the poor service from Samir Nasri and Franck Ribery, I can understand. His touches were rivalling Fernando Torres' as the worst in the tournament from a striker. Not exactly what we expected.

Biggest Surprise


Mathieu Debuchy

Fortunately, it was a completely opposite tournament for his team mate, Mathieu Debuchy. With the PREMIER LEAGUE'S BEST RB Bacary Sagna being ruled out for the tournament, up stepped the LOSC Lille player. Exceptional performances in the group stage for Les Bleus earned him interest from Europe's top clubs.

Manager Of The Tournament


Cesare Prandelli

For the fans of the Italian team, reaching the quarter finals was considered success. Prandelli made the final. And brought the best out of Balotelli. Roberto Mancini should be taking notes. Modelling the team of 2006 where Italy were crowned world champions, making Andrea Pirlo the focal point of the team. It worked. Beating England and Germany on the road to the final, only the greatest international team in history could stop them. Cue Spain. Prandelli has installed pride back into the Gli Azzuri.