Spain were as fancied as any side going into the week before the World Cup began, but then their preparations began to unravel.
Julen Lopetegui agreed to join Real Madrid at the conclusion of the tournament but the Spanish FA were so affronted that the process had bypassed them that they fired him just two days before their opening match of the tournament.
Fernando Hierro has been left to oversee a tournament that has seen the 2010 winners struggle to find their best form, but still contrive to win Group B on goals scored thanks to a 2-2 draw with Morocco.
What do you think of the World Cup so far? Let us know and win any World Cup shirt of your choice.
That game yet again saw Real Madrid playmaker Isco – valued at £67.5m by Transfermarkt – stand out above nervous teammates making six key passes and scoring his side’s first equaliser after Khalid Boutaib’s shock opener.
On this form, it is staggering that the Champions League winners cannot always find space for the playmaker in their starting eleven, and Manchester United have been linked with a summer move.
That prospect could be raised again amid rumours that Juan Mata is very much on Barcelona’s radar and there can be little doubt that Isco has the star quality that United are sorely lacking in forward areas.
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Manuel Lanzini has compared current West Ham United teammate Marko Arnautovic to former Hammers star Dimitri Payet.
Payet left West Ham under a cloud in January 2017 after refusing to train or play for the London club as he forced a move to Marseille.
The attacker was outstanding for the Hammers during the 2015-16 season, however, scoring 12 times in 38 appearances in all competitions.
Lanzini has claimed that Arnautovic, who has found his feet at the London Stadium following a slow start to the season, is very much like Payet due to the incredible ability that the Austria international is able to call upon.
Lanzini told West Ham’s official website:
“We make each other better, of course. We want the same things and we think the same way.
“It’s similar to the feeling I had with Dimi before, because they are similar players. If you have a player who plays like you, it’s easy.
“You need to connect and that’s it. You touch the ball one way, and he touches the ball the same way.”
Arnautovic has scored seven times in 21 Premier League appearances for West Ham this season, with his form particularly impressive since David Moyes took charge.
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Lanzini, meanwhile, has recently returned to action following a month on the sidelines with a hamstring problem, and is in line to start against Swansea City this weekend.
With the international break over (cheer or sigh depending your feelings towards the past two weeks) the Premier League roadshow is once again back in town and that means Fantasy Football returns!
The fiendishly addictive game will have us all scrambling for 3G signal while taking a strange interest in Crystal Palace v Burnley as we plot to overhaul our mates or continue the quest for office bragging rights.
Manchester United provide, perhaps, the most interesting challenge heading into the weekend following their transfer activity, and here is how you could take advantage of Louis van Gaal’s dealings…
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IN – Angel di Maria
Having broken the British transfer record and shown signs of promise during his debut at Burnley, Di Maria is likely to be a key cog in United’s XI against QPR on Sunday. The Argentine was La Liga’s top assist maker last season with Real Madrid and has shown in the past he knows where the goal is, making a points return feasible.
He may not come cheap, but Di Maria could become the focal point of your side and potential future captain material.
OUT – Juan Mata
With the raft of attacking additions at United it looks like one man could drop out just to ensure that LVG doesn’t have the most top-heavy team in Premier League history. Even though Mata has impressed so far in terms of points, his Dutch manager may be tempted to add more pace to his side and incorporate his own players, which could see the Spaniard drop out.
IN – Marcos Rojo
After finally being granted a work permit, Rojo looks set to slot into United’s backline in a bid to add some form of solidity. The Argentine was decent at the World Cup in a left wing-back role, and he has shown in the past with Sporting Lisbon that he can occupy a centre back position capably – which is where he could be used.
Rojo won’t break the bank and chances of keeping a clean sheet at home to QPR are relatively high.
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OUT – Tyler Blackett
For anyone who has been using Blackett as a cheap way into a big side’s backline, it may be the time to cut the youngster loose. With Rojo in and Jonny Evans back, the academy graduate’s short run in the first-team might be at an end. Blackett picked up a decent return at Burnley, but that may not be enough to keep him in LVG’s XI any longer.
IN – Radamel Falcao
Now back to the fun stuff. Falcao grabbed headlines on deadline day by completing a loan move from Monaco, and LVG may opt to throw him straight into the action on Sunday. If the Colombian’s record is anything to go by he will guarantee goals, with his spells at Atletico Madrid and Porto having garnered a return of nearly a goal a game! You’re looking at a Wayne Rooney or Sergio Aguero style price tag, but the South American may well be worth it.
Olivier Giroud insists that Arsenal cannot afford another slip up when they come up against Montpellier in the Champions League tomorrow night.
Arsene Wenger’s side have failed to win in their last two games, both losses coming against Schalke and now take on the French champions who have just the one point in the group stage so far.
Giroud scored his seventh goal for Arsenal during the 5-2 victory against Tottenham at the weekend and understands the importance of getting a result when he comes up against his former team.
“It’s a must-win match for us because Arsenal have to go through to the next phase of the competition,” the Frenchman told The Sun.
“Montpellier have nothing to lose now they are already eliminated but we have to be careful as that’s when some teams are most dangerous.
“They didn’t become champions of France with no talent. We must not take anything for granted when they come to the Emirates.”
Giroud also hinted that Montpellier are struggling to cope with the success they achieved last season, adding fuel to the fire of his return to his former club.
“I’ve spoken to some of the guys at Montpellier and they have been having a difficult season. It was a big surprise to everyone that we were champions of France and maybe it was hard to digest,” he added.
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“Last season things seemed to go our way. We were riding a wave and it seems that wave isn’t there anymore.”
According to reports in Dutch media outlet De Telegraaf on Thursday, Southampton midfielder Dusan Tadic is closing in on a summer move to Ajax as he looks for a return to the Netherlands, and Saints fans know two players who shouldn’t replace the Serbia international.
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After four years at St Mary’s it seems that the 29-year-old could be on his way out, and while he hasn’t been at his best over the course of the last two seasons he has still been one of the south coast outfit’s most influential players in the final third – as he showed with three goals in their final six Premier League fixtures last season as they narrowly avoided the drop.
It has been mooted that youngsters Josh Sims and Jake Hesketh could step up and replace Tadic in the first team on a regular basis, but some fans don’t agree and believe a quality player needs to be brought in to fill the void the attacker will undoubtedly leave.
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Southampton supporters, who have reacted to a link with a 55-cap international with one saying “please announce the departure of Mark Hughes”, were quick to have their say on the potential of Sims or Hesketh replacing the Serbian star, and while one said “wake up people”, another described the idea as “madness”.
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Danny Welbeck has a decent chance of starting for Arsenal in Sweden on Thursday night.
Indeed, record signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is ineligible due to Borussia Dortmund’s presence in the Europa League, whilst Alexandre Lacazette will miss the next six weeks following knee surgery, which has opened up a spot in the final third of the field.
Welbeck, who is valued at £13.5m by transfermarkt.co.uk, has had another frustrating season at Arsenal – managing just three goals in 17 Premier League appearances.
The former Manchester United youngster has appeared twice in the Europa League this season, but failed to find the back of the net.
The 27-year-old should be given the chance to lead the line against Swedish side Ostersund, and the Englishman will be looking to make an impression in an attempt to earn a regular spot in Arsene Wenger’s first XI.
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The Arsenal fans, however, are very much split when it comes to the forward. A selection of the Twitter reaction can be found below:
Manchester United have wasted little time this summer, completing two major deals for Luke Shaw and Ander Herrera in the past week. It’s been a complete contrast to the shambles of last year’s transfer period, which only Marouane Fellaini arrive before the deadline.
It’s a massive step in the right direction for the club, even if the size of the transfer fees cause a little discomfort. Both Herrera and Shaw are considered among the most talented in their respective positions and United are set to benefit from both for the next decade at least.
But the recruitment isn’t done yet, with a couple of other areas of the pitch in desperate need of attention. There’s still plenty of cash left in this summer’s budget, which started at £200 million.
Following the capture of Shaw and Herrera, here are five players who could follow them to United.
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Arturo Vidal
Manchester United have reportedly kicked the tires on a deal for Arturo Vidal, with Juventus said to have placed a price tag of over £40 million on the Chilean international.
United were recently linked with a move for Bastian Schweinsteiger, but Vidal would make much more sense at this stage. Both players are equally versatile, able to carry out multiple roles in the midfield. But Schweinsteiger has a recent history of injury problems and, being 29, doesn’t have as long a Vidal at the top of the game.
Vidal is exactly what United need in the midfield to complement new signing Ander Herrera. Even with the signings of the former Bilbao midfielder and Luke Shaw, there should be more than enough left to make a serious move for the Juventus midfielder.
Thomas Vermaelen
Football – West Ham United v Arsenal – Barclays Premier League – Upton Park – 13/14 – 26/12/13Thomas Vermaelen – Arsenal Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Adam HoltEDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or live services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.
There are conflicting reports on this one, but logic suggests Thomas Vermaelen will play for Manchester United next season.
The Arsenal captain has struggled for games at the Emirates and sees a move to Old Trafford as an opportunity to kick start his career. United could possibly buy two centre-backs this summer, with Phil Jones and Chris Smalling struggling with both inconsistency and injury. Vermaelen, in that event, would be seen as the cheaper, experienced addition.
If he can get back to his best, the Belgian international would be a very good signing for United.
Paul Pogba
Paul Pogba to Manchester United seems hugely unlikely after the events of his departure in 2012, but you never know in football.
The French international is reportedly wanted by clubs throughout Europe, with two fantastic seasons with Juventus behind him and a World Cup which he’s been one of the stars. Pogba very much looks set to become one of the modern greats of the game, able to do it all in the midfield.
Juventus reportedly want £60 million for the young Frenchman, a mammoth fee considering United allowed him to walk for nothing. But the upside is clear, and £60 million for one of Europe’s absolute best must be tempting for a club in United’s position.
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Kevin Strootman
Kevin Strootman has been forced to miss out on the World Cup with the Netherlands due to injury, but he’s certainly not away from the transfer mill, with Manchester United still said to be eyeing a move for the Roma midfielder.
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Strootman is one of the few midfielders in Europe who would be seen as the perfect signing after United’s acquisition of Ander Herrera. The two would appear to be the perfect tandem in the centre of the pitch.
But Roma are putting up a fight, knowing full well the worth of their player and that the best is yet to come. United made a sizeable mistake in passing on Strootman last summer, and any transfer this year will be far more costly than the £14 million PSV received from Roma.
William Carvalho
Football – Portugal v Ghana – FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 – Group G – Estadio Nacional, Brasilia, Brazil – 26/6/14Portugal’s William Carvalho (R) and Ghana’s Andre Ayew in actionMandatory Credit: Action Images / Andrew CouldridgeLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
Sporting’s William Carvalho remains a target for Manchester United, with officials said to be on the continent in order to negotiate a deal for the midfielder.
Carvalho has attracted attention from across Europe, but United’s need is obvious, with the Portuguese international touted as one of the brightest defensive midfielders in the game.
He’d come at a high price, though, with Sporting placing a price of £37 million on the youngster. But United have the means to get this deal done, and under the guidance of Louis van Gaal, Carvalho could become a star at Old Trafford.
One of the most exciting Premier League fixtures of the weekend is at White Hart Lane – Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea FC. It sees Spurs manager Andre Villas-Boas return to his former club and the match also has a distinctly Brazilian flavour to it. Sandro will line up for Tottenham, while Chelsea boast Brazilian duo David Luiz and Oscar. Ahead of their clash at White Hart Lane on Saturday, Tottenham’s Sandro and Chelsea’s David Luiz got to grips with each other during a training session for Brazil, with Oscar and Paulinho looking on.
Can you come up with a funny caption for this picture?
Leave your suggestions in the comments section below…
This week you can win a copy of Chelsea FC: Double Champions! Season Review 2011/12 on DVD!
For Chelsea , 2011/12 was an incredible season that will live forever in the hearts and minds of players and fans alike.
The club completed an historic double, lifting The FA Cup and becoming newly crowned champions of Europe, lifting the coveted Champions League trophy following years of heartbreak, after beating four times winners Bayern Munich at their home ground in one of the most exciting Finals in recent times.
Every match and every goal from this unforgettable season are covered in this action-packed review, with bonus material thrown in, too.
For the FootballFanCast.com Caption Competition Terms and Conditions click here
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Check out our Caption Competition Gallery for some inspiration and to see the winners so far.
Last week’s winner: ulley – click here to see all entries
England are used to going into major tournaments on a wave of negativity and despair.
Either they’ve been set up for an almighty fall by a media machine that seems to love nothing better than eating its young, or – as has been the case more recently – the team is written off as a bunch of no-hopers who will be devoured by the bigger names from around the world.
This time, expectations probably hit rock bottom after the Iceland debacle two years ago and the fact that Gareth Southgate – whose last senior managerial job was with Middlesbrough a decade ago – is now the manager. And yet, this Three Lions side is arguably the most exciting squad at the tournament.
It’s clear the squad doesn’t match up to Spain, Brazil, France or Germany. But star quality isn’t the point. England have a team full of young and hopeful talent, bags of pace and a couple of players on top form. They play with an interesting formation and like to control games. Whether they win the thing or not, they are worth watching.
One thing has helped with all of that: owning their own media coverage.
England haven’t left it up to the national press to cover this team. They’ve done it themselves. On social media they’ve led the way, showing off their players and creating videos. And instead of seeing the media as a foe to be jostled with, England have embraced the fact that their players are interesting to people. Instead of fighting it, they’ve gone with the flow.
So, ahead of the opening game with Tunisia on Monday night, this is a team who will excite more than just England fans. Because of the feel-good factor and the makeup of the side, this is the hipster team, the one everyone wants to see on social media. This is the side who create the buzz even if they don’t win. This is the AS Roma of World Cup 2018 – a thoroughly modern side who interest the neutrals.
More importantly, though, this is a team who could genuinely go far. But despite some of the omens, not all the way.
Back in 2010, a Spain side made up of a core of players who starred for Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona brought home the country’s first World Cup. And despite defeat in their opening game against Switzerland, it never really felt in doubt.
In 2014, a Germany team again featuring a core of Guardiola’s boys – this time from Bayern Munich – were the winners after the Mannschaft dominated the tournament. Their squad was a machine where all the parts just seemed to fit together, and that was in no small part down to the Catalan coach.
This year…. It’s a little bit too easy and probably very wrong to proclaim that the same thing will happen again. Guardiola’s Manchester City side was again stunning on their way to ultimate victory in the Premier League last season. England might have a fair few Citizens in their squad, but few of them make up the core of Southgate’s team in the same way that Barcelona and Bayern Munich dominated the central positions in the last two World Cup winning squads.
Indeed, whilst 2010 and 2014 saw the triumph of a collective style of football over individual brilliance, 2018 might see the balance tip. The last three Champions Leagues have been won by a Real Madrid side who really just showed that they were a collection of irresistibly brilliant talents and that proved unbeatable.
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The Guardiola mould – or, worrying for England, even the Mauricio Pochettino one – may no longer be the dominant trait. This season’s PFA Player of the Year for the Premier League wasn’t a representative of the best team, and one who broke almost every record available to them. Such is the modern trend towards individual brilliance that it was a players from a team who finished fourth who won the accolade, even if Mohamed Salah was inarguably scintillating.
Those are the omens and it will probably be another team who lift the golden trophy this July. The fates of Manchester City, Liverpool and Real Madrid might show that the world of football has moved into a new era since Pep Guardiola’s club sides reigned supreme over the World Cup, too.
But despite that, there’s still one cause for optimism: it’s not about winning or losing that will define England’s tournament. This time, the Three Lions are worth watching. And that’s a victory in itself.
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Stoke City manager Paul Lambert took part in a candid interview with the Daily Telegraph this week and his time at Aston Villa was a topic of conversation.
During his time at Villa Park, the Scotsman managed just 34 wins from his 115 games in charge, equating to a win rate of 29.57%. These damning statistics combined with his number of years outside of the top flight meant that his appointment at the Britannia Stadium at the start of this year came as a surprise to many fans.
During his interview this week, Lambert was asked specifically about his time at Aston Villa and stated;
“I look back at some of the photos of me from my time at Aston Villa and I don’t recognise myself. I don’t look healthy and had put on a lot of weight. The actual pressure of it was incredible, so, in the end, it was a big relief to leave.”
Following his comments, a number of Villa fans took to Twitter…and it’s safe to say they weren’t happy at all…
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