All posts by h79snht.top

They might be taking turns on the injury table, but Arsenal have built a squad bursting with incredible players in recent years.

Whether it’s at the back, in the middle of the park or up top, fitness permitting, Mikel Arteta has an embarrassment of riches to pick from.

In other words, if someone is underperforming, the Spaniard should have a few options at his disposal to replace them, and if they continue to underperform, the player in question could fall further down the pecking order.

This could be what eventually happens with Martin Odegaard, as while his talent is undeniable, the feeling among much of the fanbase is that he’s slowly becoming less integral to the team.

Therefore, it’s less than ideal for him that Arteta has an incredible prospect who is something of a Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze hybrid who could one day end his Arsenal career.

Odegaard's Arsenal regression

During his first two and a half years at Arsenal, Odegaard showed consistent improvement.

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For example, during his loan spell, the Norwegian international racked up two goals and two assists in 20 appearances.

That increased to seven goals and five assists in 40 appearances the following season, and then, in 22/23, he racked up an astounding haul of 15 goals and seven assists in 45 games.

In fact, all 15 of his goals came in the league, which saw him join Cesc Fàbregas as the only Arsenal midfielders to score so many in a single campaign.

Unfortunately, in the two and a bit seasons since, the former Real Madrid wonderkid has become less influential.

For example, while he actually produced more assists in the 23/24 season, 11, he scored significantly fewer goals, just eight.

Then, partly down to the ankle injury he suffered on international duty, and a general dip in form, the 26-year-old was only able to amass a tally of six goals and 12 assists last season.

Odegaard’s Arsenal Record

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

20/21

20

2

2

21/22

40

7

5

22/23

45

15

7

23/24

48

11

12

24/25

45

6

12

25/26

13

0

2

All Stats via Transfermarkt

It was likely this dip in productivity that, at least in part, influenced the club’s decision to sign Eze in the summer.

Injuries for the captain have once again blighted the start of this season, but even so, his return of two assists in 13 appearances is more than a little worrying.

In all, there is undoubtedly every chance that Odegaard gets back to his mercurial best this year, but if he continues to be less influential, he could see his place taken by someone who’s something of a hybrid between Saka & Eze.

The Arsenal gem who could replace Odegaard

Odegaard likely has a couple of years left to get back to his best, but if he doesn’t, Ethan Nwaneri could eventually take his place.

The Hale End dynamo might not be getting the game time he deserves, but his immense talent is practically undeniable, and last season proved as much.

For example, in what was his first consistent taste of senior football, the “unplayable” dynamo, as dubbed by Jack Wilshere, scored nine goals and provided two assists in 37 appearances, totalling 1378 minutes.

Nwaneri in 25/26

Appearances

10

Minutes

427′

Goals

1

Assists

0

Goal Involvements per Match

0.1

Minutes per Goal Involvement

427′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

In other words, the superstar in the making averaged a goal involvement every 3.36 games, or, more crucially, one every 125.27 minutes.

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Moreover, he did it playing off the right, covering for the talismanic Saka, and showing some of the same qualities his compatriot has demonstrated over the years, such as his eye for goal.

However, the 18-year-old also shares a lot in common with Eze, including a desire to play in attacking midfield, the ability to carry the ball in tight spaces, and a knack for making something from nothing.

In addition to being comparable to the two England internationals, the youngster is also a fair bit more direct than his captain and competitor for game time.

For example, while Odegaard likes to take plenty of touches and wait for an opening, the Enfield-born gem clearly prefers to drive at defences and either take the shot on himself, as he did in his cameo against Club Brugge, or quickly play a pass to a teammate.

Ultimately, Odegaard is still going to be Arteta’s first choice this season, and probably next year as well.

However, if the Norwegian can’t get his output back to the levels it was a couple of seasons ago, and Nwaneri continues to impress, there is every chance the youngster could one day take his place in the team.

Related Arteta must bin £40m star who was "Pires-like" in his first years at Arsenal

It’s time for Arteta to take the frustrating Arsenal star out of the team.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes

Pundit Kevin Campbell has been reacting to an update regarding Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Romano’s news

Rashford was left out of the starting line up against Manchester City earlier this month, with Fabrizio Romano revealing shortly after that the forward is considering his future at the club.

The 24-year-old will be into the final 12 months of his contract in the summer and reportedly wants clarity over his lack of game time.

He was brought back into the side against Tottenham on the weekend and could well feature from the off against Atletico Madrid this evening.

The Latest: Campbell’s comments

Campbell, who contributes for Sky Sports, was talking to Football Insider regarding Rashford.

Ahead of the Old Trafford clash with Atletico Madrid, he urged the forward to delay making a decision on his future until a new long-term manager is in place.

“Look, it was a slap in the face last weekend.

“Without a shadow of a doubt.

“It must have been tough for him to take.

“You have to remember that the manager in there at the moment will not be the manager next season. Rashford has to wait until the new manager comes in.

“There’s no point making a decision on your future now because Rangnick will not be the manager. Rashford has to re-assess the situation when the new manager comes in.

“He has 18 months left on his contract so he will have to re-negotiate soon. I don’t see him leaving Manchester United.

“The club are already losing four or five players in the summer. Rashford is an important, home-grown player.”

The Verdict: Spot on

Even though Rashford hasn’t exactly been a regular in Ralf Rangnick’s starting XI, it would be wise to take his time regarding his long-term future.

Rangnick will more than likely move into a consultancy role in the summer, so Rashford could well be firmly in a new manager’s Old Trafford plan.

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If he isn’t, then a move away could be best for all involved, but we feel Campbell is spot on by urging Rashford to delay making a call on his future.

In other news: Man United set sights on ‘mad’ new manager target after dramatic development. 

Ever since Manchester City were taken over by the Abu Dhabi Royal Family there has been a lazy argument claiming that they have no interest in the club, the City or even football. Anyone willing to do a little bit of research however would have learnt that there was nothing in those arguments whatsoever, and the announcement coming from the club today will go a long way to putting that silly argument to bed.

The club are hoping to create the best training facilities in the world for their first team, but also the best youth training facilities as well. The remit of the development however goes further than just the game, one of the cornerstones of the plans is to aid the redevelopment and rejuvenation of one of the most deprived areas of Manchester, the needs and the thoughts of the local people are extremely high on the list of priorities.

As anyone interested in the game is aware, City have always been highly successful in youth development, but they have exhausted their current set up, and with these plans they will be able to go onto the next level and make the club the most attractive prospect in world football for young players from both Britain and further afield. As well as a 7,000 capacity stadium (which will also be available to local community groups) there will be a state of the art education centre and accommodation for upto 40 players.

11 full sized youth training pitches (which again can be used by the community)as well as a half sized pitch, a specialist sports rehabilitation and injury centre, and all round facilities capable of the training of 400 young players. As we are all well aware the future of football clubs isn’t big spending to secure the best players in the world, the ideal model is a club nurturing the best youngsters who will eventually fill the first team and it is that process that sets the scene for this development.

The first team currently train at Carrington next door to Manchester United , but that site is no longer suitable for a club with the ambitions of City, the facilities are good but could be improved and these needs will all be catered for on the new site. The ability to train in house will obviously be preferable for the players and it would make the match day experience for the first team squad much easier.

The focus however is on so much more than football, and whilst this is a football site I think it is important to not forget about the bigger picture, the club will be creating 160 construction jobs and 90 permanent jobs, 80% of which will be earmarked for local people, that is as well as a new 6th form college that will be part of the newly formed Etihad campus.

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Local infrastructure will be greatly improved with the construction of 2 new metrolink stations and the environmental impact is clearly wonderful with this old brownfield site being totally transformed. What is currently an eye sore is going to become one of the best facilities of its kind in the world. The planting of tree’s and hedging will ensure the site improves the aesthetics of the local area and this thinking is partly responsible for the huge positive feedback that the club has received.

People who raised question marks over the figure that Etihad have put into the club have clearly lost sight of the bigger picture; the sponsorship deal covers not just the stadium but also this forward thinking and impressive development centre. There are clearly not just benefits here for the club but also the community that live around the site, anyone still questioning the mindset of our owners will now have to find something else to moan about because the notion of them getting bored and walking away at this point seems totally laughable. The full scale ideas and thoughts behind the scheme can be seen here, hopefully any doubters can now be put in their place, Sheikh Mansour losing interest after a couple of years? Do me a favour…

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Unhappy Blackburn fans are planning an anti-Steve Kean protest march ahead of their home fixture against Arsenal on Saturday.

The Ewood Park outfit have started the season slowly, and sit bottom of the Premier League pile with only one point from their first four games.

The Lancashire club’s fans are concerned with the lack of experience of current coach Kean, and are protesting to have him removed and replaced with a manager with a better track record in the game.

Reports indicate that the protesters could be as many as 1000, as an online petition gathers speed ahead of the match against Arsene Wenger’s men.

“The numbers look like hitting the 1,000 mark so the fans are keen to have Steve Kean removed,” Glen Mullan, the organiser of the march, told reporters.

“It’s going to be a peaceful march, but we want to make our point and there will be banners made. It’s about time the owners listened to the fans. We want someone who is experienced and can relate to the fans,” he concluded.

A defeat in the game against Arsenal could be the beginning of the end for Kean, with Blackburn owners Venkys under pressure to get their side out of danger.

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Former Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack has stated that the London club are not as strong now as when he played for them, and that the team lack mental strength.

Andre Villas Boas’ men have struggled with inconsistency of late, are 12 points behind league leaders Manchester City and face a struggle to progress to the Champions League knockout stages.

Ballack faced his former employers for Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday night in a 2-1 victory for the Bundesliga outfit, and felt that their lack of confidence was evident.

“We knew before the game they were in a difficult moment. But it’s only when you play against a team on the pitch that you see what is really happening and get a clearer picture,” he told Mirror Football.

“We could feel it on the pitch every minute – especially at the beginning of the match – that they were not as strong as they normally are.

“Even when they were 1-0 up, we could sense that – that they didn’t have the strength mentally that they normally have,” he stated.

The German midfielder has admitted that the senior players must guide the Stamford Bridge club through this tricky period, and feels they must work hard to achieve their ambitions.

“I don’t know what is going on in the dressing room. When I was there, I was one of the strong characters, but I think there are enough big players, experienced players, still in the dressing room. It wasn’t just me.

“They have to do it now. You can’t just look at the young players and criticise them. This has to come from the older, experienced players – especially now.

“I played four years for Chelsea and I know how quickly it can go. I had a few managers in that short time!

“So I know it is always difficult for the coach. I know he [Villas-Boas] is young and has ambitions and is a good guy. He had success at his last team.

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“At the moment, it is not that easy for them. But that is not just about the coach, it is about the players too. They have to get out of this situation.

“You have to get back to your roots, to square one. But with the ambitions they have of course it is harder and they are not matching them,” the veteran concluded.

By Gareth McKnight

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For the first time in years Arsenal’s squad had a major shake up last summer. With nine players signed and eight players leaving the club, including some that personified the Arsenal style of recent years, it is understandable that a change in the way they play would be forthcoming; but just how much have the north London club been transformed?

A criticism often levelled at Arsene Wenger since 2005 is that he fails to adapt to the problems of his team and that his stubbornness is depicted in flaws that have become characteristic of his team such as the inability to defend properly from set pieces. However there is evidence to suggest these slurs are unfair. Whilst a refusal to deviate from his desire for an aesthetically pleasing style of play is clear, he is not averse to correcting the problems that have run through his team over the last few years and there are various factors this season that demonstrate this. Some show a change that has benefited Arsenal and others show a change that hasn’t, but all show a change in the way Arsenal are playing.

Defence

Last season Arsenal drove up the wings with their full backs and had, for much of the season, a notoriously shaky centre back pairing. This year things a different. Obviously partly their defence has been altered by the sale of Clichy, the return of Vermaelen and the injuries to all of Arsenal’s full backs. This has left them with a narrow back four; more solid but with less attacking potency. However there are clear tactical changes to the Arsenal defence too. Wenger has swapped and changed between zonal and man marking and the addition of the giant German Per Mertesacker is a rather obvious attempt to address the lack of height at the heart of Arsenal’s defence. The result? Arsenal have only conceded eight per cent of their goals from headers this season. That is the lowest percentage of any team in the league.

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You could argue that this is because they have been playing with four centre backs recently; however, whilst this will definitely help the cause, you have to remember that Santos only got injured relatively recently and Sagna has played half of the season so far. Therefore to wholly attribute the better defence of crosses and set pieces to the injuries suffered by the full backs would be to ignore the huge defensive changes that have taken place at Arsenal. The rise of Szczesny too has helped but it is key to remember that last season Arsenal had conceded over half of their goals from set pieces, more than any other team in the league. In the space of six months they have totally reversed their fortunes in that department.

Attack

Arsenal’s attack is perhaps the mutated brother of what it was before – similar, but not the same. Over the past ten years Arsenal have become known for their short and intricate passing style, they have become known for dominating possession, and, all too often, not doing enough with that possession. However that too seems to have changed. Perhaps having lost Nasri and Fabregas Wenger realised that the same level of possession football would not achieve the same results. Consequently there seems to be less of an emphasis on permanent possession and more of a value placed on counter attacking football. Something that has been lacking from Arsenal’s game in any abundance since their last title winning side. This year Arsenal have scored more goals from counter attacks than any other side in the league. This not only shows that Arsenal are doing more with the possession that they have but also suggests that they are having less possession if they are getting more counter attacking opportunities.

Indeed, Arsenal’s style of play is perhaps not as easy on the eye as it has been in recent seasons, partly due to the loss of Fabregas, however they have addressed many of the problems last year – defensive solidity, a lack of height, inefficiency with the ball. The question remains however: has their change in style merely opened up new problems such as a decrease in attacking threat? For Arsenal fans it is pleasing to see problems solved that they thought might somehow be going unnoticed by the Arsenal backroom staff however they will greet the slightly more rugged style of play with less enthusiasm. One thing however is for certain: if it brings results there won’t be any complaints.

Follow me on Twitter @H_Mackay

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There’s nothing more infuriating for a fan than watching an official share a joke with a member of the opposition. You feel your blood start to boil as they smile or perhaps share a little embrace. To the unsuspecting viewer it may look innocuous but you can’t help yourself picturing the referee wearing their ‘colours’ underneath his traditional black uniform. You know deep down it’s ludicrous that this little incident will have any effect on the game itself but that doesn’t stop you berating their apparent friendship the moment a decision goes against you. With this is mind I feel that officials will never be truly respected until they put an end to their on field ‘bromance’.

Let us be brutally honest for a moment, the ‘respect’ campaign is mutating into a bit of joke. Players, fans and members of staff still hurl a torrent of abuse at the officials every weekend, as well as surrounding the referee in an attempt to sway or alter his decision. Clubs are often charged with a ‘failure to control their players’ but the fines are so mediocre and insignificant that it remains ridiculous to believe that this will deter individuals from conducting themselves any differently.

In my eyes the officials need to realise that their relationship with the professionals exists solely in that 90-minute period on the pitch. Once the final whistle blows and they share a disinterested handshake, their affiliation with one another will only continue if a player is keen to dispute a decision made during the game.

Can anyone imagine Wayne Rooney and Howard Webb nipping down the pub for a lager shandy and a catch up after the game or perhaps Mike Dean waiting outside Stamford Bridge to give John Terry a lift home?

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Perhaps I’m being too harsh, maybe if the players and the officials were to enjoy a more informal rapport then it would relieve a certain degree of stress. Players could relax and play their natural game, safe in the knowledge that they weren’t going to be penalised for every single misdemeanour, whilst the referee would be less error-prone if he knew he wasn’t going to be insulted every time he had to make a judgment call.

It all sounds perfectly logical in theory until you realise that every decision awarded for a team, is a decision awarded against the other. There is always going to be someone penalised, which is when the arguments and ill-tempered reactions spew to the surface. In this modern day culture of ‘gamesmanship’, players will do anything to ensure victory and it’s this ugly human trait that makes an official’s job impossible, serving only to intensify the pressure surrounding the match day environment.

It’s clear that football could learn a lot from other sports when it comes down to principles of respect and admiration. I flicked over to the Rugby the other day (I think I sat on the remote) and managed to catch one player address the referee as ‘sir’. I couldn’t believe it, this man mountain was twice the size and four times as wide as the referee and yet there was no bullying tactics or flood of verbal abuse. Instead the player followed each and every one of the referee’s instructions and the game continued without confrontation. It was a refreshing change from the events we see unfold week in week out across the football league. Perhaps it’s something else we can incorporate into our ‘beautiful’ game if the approval of video replays ever goes ahead.

At present officials act like giddy teenager girls when faced with the football heavyweights, either shying away from decisions or trying desperately to appease their every demand. They could almost be depicted laughing away like long lost friends who happened to bump into each other whilst crossing the pitch. They all need to take a staunch and impersonal approach, remain defiant and refuse to be intimidated under pressure. The players won’t like it but then again you don’t have to be liked, to be respected. Just ask Ryan Giggs.

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Would you rather the officials distance themselves from players or would a more humane, informal approach help improve relations? Let me know below or via twitter @theunusedsub

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Manchester City midfielder Nigel De Jong has praised Mario Balotelli after the striker put in an excellent performance in the 4-1 win over Aston Villa on Saturday.

With Edin Dzeko, Samir Nasri and David Silva all on the bench against Alex McLeish’s men, and Sergio Aguero rested, the impetus was on Balotelli to provide the attacking spark for the Etihad Stadium outfit.

The Italy international opened the scoring for Roberto Mancini’s side in a comprehensive victory, and the De Jong feels he has finally got his attitude sorted.

“I think he is getting it now, why we always try to teach him a lesson. He is getting it slowly but surely,” the Netherlands international told City TV.

“You have to give him credit for the last couple of weeks, not just on the pitch but in the training sessions. He is behaving quite normal for him. Everyone is happy to be with him.

“Nobody ever doubted his qualities but with great qualities you need to have big responsibilities as well – not only on the pitch but outside as well. I think he showed that to the group and Manchester City as well in the last couple of weeks,” he continued.

City have an important week coming up as they host Villarreal firstly on Tuesday night in the Champions League, before taking on Manchester United next Sunday.

De Jong knows the importance of the games, which could have an early season influence on the team’s fortunes this campaign.

“They are two massive games. The Champions League is the first one and it is obvious we have to win that game to proceed to the next stage.

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“After that is the United game, which will be a massive game, number one and number two against each other. We just have to prepare ourselves very well and focus again now,” he stated.

By Gareth McKnight

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The rumour mill is well are truly turning with some crazy transfer stories coming out today. The pick of them sees Chelsea willing to take a £30m loss on Fernando Torres, while Tottenham are apparently sizing up a £20m bid for Carlos Tevez.

Elsewhere in the news Martin Jol denies a spat with Bobby Zamora; Blackburn downplay rumours about a financial crisis, while Jay Spearing wants to prove his worth at Liverpool.

 

News

Martin Jol denies Zamora spat

Bolton looking for Cahill replacement

Jay Spearing wants his Liverpool chance

Darren Fletcher forced to take break

Blackburn downplay financial crisis rumour

Levy wants Premier League title

Lampard keen to secure starting spot

Milan to take time over Carlos Tevez

Wenger eyes cut-price deal

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Transfer Talk

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Torres for sale! Chelsea will take as little as £20m in January for flop striker – Daily Mail

No Chelsea bid for £12m-rated Vargas – agent – Mirror

Giovani wants to leave the Lane -Sun

Taiwo alerts Arsenal with rant over first-team chances – TalkSport

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Injury-hit Manchester United poised to sign Juventus winger Krasic on loan – Daily Mail

Wolves eye £2million Diame swoop – Sun

Spurs launch shock £20m bid to sign Tevez as Redknapp chases title – Daily Mail

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Football is a sport of emotion. From the ecstasy of winning to the heartbreak of losing, emotions are always running high. Often players, managers and of course fans let emotions get the better of them, but sometimes you have a perfectly good reason for letting it all out. Billy Sharp is a prime example of this.

If you missed the football news from earlier in the week, Doncaster striker Billy Sharp lost his son Luey on Saturday, when he died after just two days. One can only imagine what is going through your mind when you experience a tragedy like that, and while Sharp will have been going through the ringer on the inside, on the pitch he showed just how strong a character he is.

That Billy Sharp even put himself up for selection for Doncaster’s Championship match at the Keepmoat Stadium last night against Middlesbrough says all you need to know about him. Manager Dean Saunders explained that “Billy rang me and said he wanted to play because he wanted to score a goal for his son,” and that’s exactly what he did.

His son was rightfully given a minute’s silence before the game, and Billy posted on Twitter later that “the minute applause I was crying meant so much to me thanks to both sets of fans.” The goal was really special, with Sharp saying “My goal tonight was the most important goal of my career dedicated to my brave boy luey jacob sharp I love u son sleep tight. thatsforyouson.”

This is a perfect example of how we can make the world a better place through sport. While many stories in the press don’t always paint competitive sport in a good light, this one shows the power that sport does have. In Billy’s case it can help you through the toughest of times; it can bring communities together and break down barriers.

We should be supporting grass-roots projects to get kids playing sport and experiencing what it is like to be part of a team. Sharp will need the support of his teammates now more than ever and we can always strive for more. This is the message Nike are trying to get across…

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