All posts by h79snht.top

Football fans across the world revel in the beauty of players pulling off the most ridiculous of tricks and scoring some unbelievable goals.

In an age when ‘Tekkers’ is a popular term among football fans worldwide, rarely a day passes without seeing a player at least attempt something extraordinary on the pitch.

And it’s normally the usual suspects involved, making the game look so easy it’s wrong.

So here’s TEN players who have made a living out of making football look effortless on the pitch…

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Dennis Bergkamp

The Dutch magician became an Arsenal legend during his time in North London and regularly wowed fans with his perfect first touch and outrageous goals.

His goals against Leicester and Newcastle will always be up there with some of the best in Premier League history.

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Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano’s antics on the field have almost become second nature over the last few years. Everything he does seems to have something special about it, whether it’s a goal or some silky skills.

The compilation above will have many fans asking “how?” on a number of occasions.

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Ronaldinho

Ronaldinho is still doing his thing over in Brazil these days, but he’ll always be remembered for his mind-blowing antics for Barcelona and AC Milan.

The Brazilian midfielder used to make football look so easy while humiliating his opponents week in, week out.

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Lionel Messi

The Argentinian has scored 365 goals in 455 career appearances in all competitions to date and he’s broken dozens of records along the way.

Rarely a season goes by without us seeing him running rings around defenders with ease all across Europe, which is why he’s won four Ballon d’Or’s.

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Mesut Ozil

He may have endured a difficult first season in England after his £42.5million move to Arsenal last summer, but there’s a reason why the Gunners paid so much for him.

The German midfielder made his name with Real Madrid and was one of the biggest providers for Cristiano Ronaldo before he left.

And the below Vine shows you just how easy he can make things happen on the pitch…

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Dimitar Berbatov

Not a lot of players can get away with being lazy in football. Dimitar Berbatov however, can, and he does almost every single week, getting results along the way.

He has been exceptional for pretty much every team he’s played for over the years and thrives on making football look so effortless.

These two videos of him that prove out how little effort it takes for the Bulgarian to be brilliant…

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Mario Balotelli

The Italian is known for his off-field misdemeanors just as much as he is on the pitch, but that’s testament to the type of character he is. The striker might be a bit of bizarre personality, but he sure knows how to make playing football look easy.

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Luis Suarez

The controversial striker has taken the Premier League by storm this season, scoring 31 goals in 32 appearances.

It’s a record that doesn’t just indicate how good he is, but also how easy football comes to him.

Just take a look at these goals and see for yourself…

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Eric Cantona

The Frenchman became a Manchester United legend for being phenomenal every single week.

Some of the goals he scored, for both United and Leeds, were out of this world during the early years of the Premier League, as well as his match-winning performances.

This goal though, just sums up the man himself…

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Zlatan Ibrahimovic

There’s nothing you can say about Zlatan that would do him justice. The Swedish international is one of the most egotistical footballers of the modern era and, whether you like it or not, he has reason to be.

He’s simply a genius on the football pitch and pure entertainment off it.

Here’s his top 20 goals to prove it…

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Promotion to the Premier League is what all lower tier football clubs aspire to, and recent years have seen a healthy number of teams with no prior experience of Premier League football making the great leap forward from the Championship to the top division, either via the automatic places or the play-offs. In the past ten years, Wigan Athletic, Reading, Stoke City, Hull City, Burnley, Blackpool, Swansea City and Cardiff City have all gained promotion to the Premier League for the first time, which is testament to the welcome unpredictability of the Championship. No-one wants to see the same teams oscillating between promotion and relegation, not least the actual fans of these clubs, as West Bromwich Albion supporters can surely vouch for.

The rise of the Premier League newbie has often come at the expense of the old heavyweights of English football. This was especially the case at the turn of the millennium. While the media marvelled at the arrival of small clubs such as Fulham and Portsmouth into the big time, akin to a throng of fawning family and friends showering a newborn baby with unrestrained attention, the old timers of Nottingham Forest, Leeds United and Sheffield Wednesday – highly decorated, yet in decline – slid away from the bright lights of Premier League football, like a war veteran coming to the sad realisation that the medals still proudly pinned to his old uniform are no longer relevant to anyone but him, and that the ruthless, ever-changing modern world has no place for him anymore.

However, the sleeping giants of English football seem to have awoken from their slumber and are making a march for the Premier League once more. Nottingham Forest – the two-time European Cup winners and whose last experience of top-flight football came fifteen years ago – have enjoyed a great start to the season under Stuart Pearce and currently sit in one of the automatic promotion places, a position many believe they will remain in at the end of the season. It has been a long and painful journey for Forest – their relegation to League One in 2005 saw them become the first ever European Cup winners to play in their domestic third division, and a number of play-off defeats have led  to them narrowly missing out on Premier League promotion. Nevertheless, many Forest fans believe that this year will finally see them reach the top flight after a long spell in the wilderness, and on current form, this looks increasingly likely.

Comparisons can also be drawn between Forest and Sheffield Wednesday. Although the Owls are not as decorated, they, like Forest, are one of the oldest teams in world football (both were founded in the 1860s). The two teams possess large fanbases and have stadia which are larger than those of many teams in the Premier League, and Wednesday have also suffered the ignominy of playing in the third tier since their relegation from the top flight in 2000. Under the guidance of Stuart Gray, the Owls are currently just four points worse off than second-placed Forest, and although they are outsiders to make the play-off places, let alone gain promotion, the proud old club will be considered as dark horses.

Elsewhere, Ipswich Town and Derby County – who have both previously won the English First Division, with the Tractor Boys also tasting UEFA Cup success in 1981 – have made strong starts, and find themselves in the play-off position. Meanwhile, due to some strange decisions by a certain extravagant owner, Leeds United have endured a turbulent start to the season, although they will be hoping that new manager Darko Milanic – their second already this campaign – can calm the waters and help the club rise up the table. The Elland Road club are arguably the biggest heavyweights in the Championship and boast a fine Premier League pedigree. With just four points separating them from the play-offs, promotion is within the realms of possibility, providing they find some stability – which is admittedly easier said than done when it comes to the Yorkshire side.

After years of hardship and obscurity, the resurrection of English football’s sleeping giants may be upon us.

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Brendan Rodgers is adamant that the signing of Mario Balotelli is not as big of a risk for Liverpool as some have suggested.

The Reds swooped to sign the Italy international from AC Milan in a £16m deal late on over the summer after allowing lasts season’s star man Luis Suarez to leave Anfield.

‘Super Mario’ has endured a turbulent career despite being only 24, with his off field antics having detracted from his impressive medal collection, which includes the FA Cup and Premier League with Manchester City as well as three Serie As, the Champions League and the Coppa Italia while at Inter Milan.

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‘Balo’ made his debut for the Merseysiders before the international break in the 3-0 win at Spurs and is expected to lead the line for most of September following Daniel Sturridge’s injury, and Brendan Rodgers is confident that the forward will not let himself or the club down:

“It was a calculated risk, there’s no doubt about that,” he told talkSPORT. “The group we have here are very focussed and work very hard.

“I’ve worked with kids who have been written off most of my life as a coach though. Some of the best players have flaws and issues.

“I didn’t speak to many people about him because everyone will have an opinion on him. I don’t decide until I meet with someone and work with them. I’m not going to judge someone [until then].

“When I spoke to him I realised he is a very clever boy. His talent speaks for itself.

“He’s arrived here now at 24 years of age, wanting to show maturity in his life and his football. Since he’s been here he’s been absolutely fantastic.

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“There’s no doubt it is a risk, because of his previous. I felt it was a risk worth taking though. For £16million, he’s a world class footballer and we’ll see how it goes.”

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There are some players in the Premier League this season that are playing fantastically well for their respective clubs. Diego Costa, Cesc Fabregas, Eden Hazard, and Oscar at Chelsea, Sergio Aguero at Manchester City, Angel Di Maria at Manchester United, and Dusan Tadic and Graziano Pelle at Southampton.

However, there are some who need to turn their season around immediately, otherwise, it could be detrimental for their clubs. And we at FFC Towers have compiled a list of the culprits…

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CLICK ON MARIO BALOTELLI TO REVEAL THE FIVE

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Emmanuel Adebayor

The Tottenham Hotspur striker has scored only one goal from seven league games this season. Last season he scored 11 goals from 21 games, averaging a goal every two games he played. His shot accuracy has dropped from last season as well when it was 70%, as this season it is only 60%. The Togolese ace needs to start scoring goals to help Spurs in the league, and to keep away his teammate Roberto Soldado from the starting striker spot.

Mario Balotelli

Where do we begin with this player? The Italian has played six league games for Liverpool but has failed to score. The 24 year old has had on average five shots per game and out of the 30 he’s taken, he’s only had a 41% shot accuracy. Liverpool are currently in fifth place in the Premier League, but if they still have any title aspirations, they need to be scoring goals on a consistent basis, like Chelsea and Manchester City. With Balotelli being their main striker, he is relied upon for most of these goals, so he needs to start scoring.

Connor Wickham

The English striker has only scored one goal from eight league games this season. This isn’t the same player who took the league with both hands at the end of last season and scored five goals in six games. Last season, the 21 year old had 56% shot accuracy, but this season it has only been 27%. Sunderland is desperate for goals as they currently sit in 17th place in the Premier League, only one point away from falling into the relegation zone. Wickham needs to score more regularly to get his side out of this situation, and to also avoid embarrassing losses like their 8-0 loss away at Southampton.

Wojciech Szczesny

Whilst Arsenal certainly aren’t hitting the panic button just yet, their Polish goalkeeper could certainly improve on his performances. He has only kept one clean sheet so far this season whereas last season he had a clean sheet nearly every two games on average. The Gunners have also drawn five games in the league this season, with two coming from winning positions against Leicester City and Manchester City. If the 24 year old had performed better in these two games, Arsenal could be sitting in fourth place and in a Champions League spot. Szczesny must start to play better if he wants his side to see out games instead of drawing, and stay close to a Champions League spot.

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Robin van Persie

From seven league games this season, the striker has scored just two goals, only taking on average two shots per game. Last season, his shots per game average was higher, with close to three shots per game. There have been talks that 31 year old could be dropped in favour of Juan Mata to put Wayne Rooney and Radamel Falcao or both up front. The Dutchman needs to start scoring more goals if he doesn’t want to be dropped, especially if he picks up another injury. Last season, Van Persie missed 15 games through injury.

New players, new management and plans ahead for a new stadium would galvanize most Premier League teams in order to succeed.

In Tottenham Hotspur’s case, it has gone completely in the opposite direction. Currently lying in 12th in the table, they have lost five games already, including defeats to West Brom, Stoke City and Newcastle United all at White Hart Lane. This is definitely the Tottenham Hotspur that nobody is used to.

The days of a strong challenge for that crucial fourth spot in the table are slowly fading for the north Londoners. This maybe music to Spurs fans’ ears, but selling Gareth Bale to Real Madrid for a staggering £80m was the wrong move by moneyman chairman Daniel Levy. The players that have been brought in are not bad, but you would expect them to settle into England’s top flight quicker.

Signs of quality are starting to creep into the Spurs team from the likes of top scorer Nacer Chadli, skilful midfielder and record signing Erik Lamela and playmaker Christian Eriksen. Maybe this was the problem for them, buying players that had no experience in English football.

However, the one problem that new gaffer Mauricio Pochettino has created is leaving his best centre back on the bench. Jan Vertonghen could easily fit into any Premier League side, but Pochettino thinks that fellow countryman Federico Fazio is a far better fit in the line-up than the Belgium international. Whilst Tottenham have conceded more goals (16) than they have scored (14) so far, Vertonghen has been surplus to requirements and all he can do is sit and watch the likes of the clumsy Vlad Chiriches perform well below standard in his place.

This is a defender who was courted by the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester United in the summer. Surely if players at your club were linked with a move to these clubs with huge ambition, calibre and quality that he is capable of performing on a regular basis to the best of his ability? Pochettino doesn’t think so.

The 27-year-old centre half, who can also operate as a left-back, is not only known for his defensive ability, but also his attacking prowess. In his first season at the club, Vertonghen managed to notch four league goals and three assists. Furthermore, the Belgian nearly made as many successful dribbles (28), as he did appearances (34), while the solid defender also made a total of 204 tackles and interceptions, the fourth best in the division.

One could only assume that there has been some sort of disagreement between the management team and the player himself which has resulted in Vertonghen watching his teammates under perform. Spurs’ only hope of success is through the Europa League, where they have been faultless thus far.

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Whether Vertonghen will still be a part of that come January remains to be seen, but he certainly doesn’t deserve to be warming the bench.

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It’s been said before but I feel compelled to state it once again – Arsenal’s Santi Cazorla is not a winger.

Returning to more central capacities has been the source of the cheeky-faced Spaniard’s incredible form in recent weeks, tipped by a Man of the Match performance against Manchester City last weekend, and in total he’s found five goals and five assists when deployed as a No.10 or in deeper midfield this season, compared to just the solitary set-up from his seven incredibly forgettable appearances on the left wing.

Central roles embellish the 30 year-old’s predominant strengths as a footballer, particularly his mixed-range passing game, ambipedal feet and technical mastery in tight spaces, whilst the comparatively floundering displays out wide highlight his inevitable limits – a lack of penetrative pace and power and a naturally persistent desire to cut inside, often rendering Kieran Gibbs and Nacho Monreal too easily exposed and creating a typical ‘too many cooks trying to walk the broth into the saucepan’ Arsenal scenario. Compare his style and traits to Alexis Sanchez, Theo Walcott or Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s for example,  attacking players far more comfortable hugging touchlines and beating full-backs on their outside, and the differences become increasingly clear.

So to get best use out of Cazorla, arguably Arsenal’s most in-form player at this exact moment, he needs to be in a central, preferably attacking, role. Big whoop, it’s been happening for the last three months – where’s the problem there?

Well, my concern is a simple one.  What does Cazorla’s recent form mean for Arsenal’s club record signing, Mesut Ozil? An equally effective, or arguably superior, No.10, that cost the Gunners an incredible £42.2million?

The 2014 World Cup winner shares Cazorla’s incompatibility with wider roles, void in the speed and strength required, and resultantly proved hugely ineffective on the wing at the start of the season. Rather tellingly, his only goal and only assist of the campaign thus far came during his solitary selection in central attacking midfield, the position that served him so well at Real Madrid and with German national team, from a total of seven Premier League outings.

It’s the 26 year-old’s absence through injury since October, combined with the superfluous form of Sanchez and Chamberlain, that’s inspired Cazorla’s recent renaissance at No.10, with a catalogue of fitness problems throughout the squad forcing Arsene Wenger’s hand. Whether by coincidence or design however, the Spain international’s importance to Arsenal has arguably hit it’s maxim this season; Wenger claims Cazorla’s amid the best form of his entire career and logic suggests the Gunners should continue to take advantage – especially amid a campaign in which their 18-year Champions League status has come under serious threat from Southampton.

But Ozil made the bench for the 2-0 win at Manchester City and, although he’ll likely be spared for Arsenal’s trip to Brighton on Sunday, will expect to be included in Arsenal’s starting line-up as soon as his body allows. He is considered to be one of the finest No.10s in world football, after all. He is the most expensive signing in Arsenal’s entire history, after all. He is, or at least should be, the undisputed star of the show, after all. Why else did Wenger spend £42.2million on him, if not to play Ozil in his most effective position? Furthermore, getting the German international as close to Sanchez as possible, allowing Arsenal’s two leading and most expensive talents to operate frequently in attacking tandem, seems like a naturally obvious strategy.

The prevailing dilemma however, is deciding whose qualities should be sacrificed for the sake of the team, or perhaps even more troublingly, deciding whether or not Cazorla and Ozil can even coexist in the same midfield.We saw at the Etihad the positive effects dynamic pace in wide positions can have on Arsenal, and in theory, Ozil and Cazorla are the ideal candidates to provide those cutting passes to Sanchez, Chamberlain or Walcott. Having Cazorla or Ozil on one flank however, will leave only one avenue of forward pass available to the No.10. Suddenly, the whole functionality of Arsenal’s starting Xi, especially when attempting to move the ball swiftly and directly, comes into jeopardy.

Potentially, the Spaniard could be moved behind the German, having recorded two tackles, three interceptions, one block,  two key passes and ten (yes, an incredible ten) successful dribbles as a central midfielder against Manchester City. But that would throw the balance of the entire engine room out of kilter, through lack of a recognised defensive element, and having enough attack-minded players on the pitch has never been Arsenal’s problem – in fact, quite the opposite.

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With Arsenal’s schedule set to be overloaded with league, European and cup fixtures in the coming weeks, there is the opportunity for rotation, especially with Ozil still some way off full match fitness. But in the long-term, it’s impossible for Arsenal to get full value from both players – inevitably, a choice will have to be made.

And although Cazorla’s form right now is amongst the best of any Premier League midfielder, he’s unfortunately the more expendable of the two, aged 30 and without a club record transfer fee lingering over his head – those who don’t believe price-tags and reputations influence selection policies, even at a club as big as Arsenal, are worryingly naive.

Fresh from that heroic performance against Manchester City however, Cazorla’s role as Arsenal’s No.10 remains safe for now.

When your team spends as much as Manchester City have done in recent years, finishing one whole season without the touch of silverware is often perceived to be – among the most pessimistic of supporters – an unforgivable failure. The days when hard work and determination were enough for the fans to leave the stadium satisfied are seemingly becoming a thing of the past, due to the increased hype and sensation that currently surround the modern game.

With the Citizens being unceremoniously knocked-out of the FA Cup earlier this season, and both the domestic campaign and the Champions League not looking favourable for the Sky Blues either in 2014/15, Manuel Pellegrini is a man under a great deal of pressure, if reports in The Guardian prove true. Several high profile managers may be already being lined up to replace the Chilean at the end of the season, with The Daily Star suggesting former UCL winner and Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is in the frame.

In light of such a dramatic turn of events in the space of two seasons, just how tenable is Pellegrini’s position at the Etihad? Does he deserve to be sacked if he finishes the campaign entirely trophy-less, or is such a line of thinking premature, a sad indictment of what the game has ultimately become in the modern era?

For those in support of the 61-year-old’s potential sacking, Manchester City’s somewhat indifferent league form this season does in fact act as partial evidence for their bold claims.

Yes, they have pretty much been in decent form throughout the entire 2014/15 campaign. And yes, the Sky Blues still theoretically remain in touching distance of the title if Chelsea produce a major slip up between now and the end of term. But as today’s game is all about winning, and winning with style, Pellegrini’s team will nevertheless be considered failures if they fail to pick up any silverware this season.

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The Chilean’s tactics have often been called into question in 2014/15, some of his major stars have simply not lived up to their usual standard, and one too many times Manchester City have looked far too lack-lustre and over confident to be considered worthy of winning anything this year – just cast your mind back to their most recent outing against Burnley if you’re still undecided.

Having said that though, what will become of the English game if clubs think it necessary to sack their manager a mere one year after they successfully won the league title? This demanding attitude simply can’t take hold if the sport is to survive in its purist form – and as Chelsea have displayed through their recent merry-go-round of managerial appointments in recent years – such a notion very rarely comes with the success that it intends. The Blues eventually won the Champions League with Roberto Di Matteo at the helm after-all, an interim boss who was put in place initially on a temporary basis as best.

Manuel Pellegrini should therefore keep his position at Manchester City at the end of the season even if his side finish the campaign completely trophy-less. He deserves time to build whatever he wants to at the club – for that’s what was issued to him upon first becoming City’s boss, and that is therefore what he should justly receive.

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If he were to be unceremoniously sacked on the back of one ‘bad’ season however, the game will be that one step closer to turning into somewhat of a joke. Those with the money will seemingly prevail over those with the determination to build and lay the foundations for further success and the Premier League will simply be filled with even more glory hunters than currently make up the English game.

In deciding whether Pellegrini stays or goes, Manchester City are ultimately taking on a great amount of responsibility, whether or not the recently wealthy club realise it.

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West Ham United and manager Sam Allardyce have always been somewhat of an unholy alliance.

The 60 year-old has guided the East Londoners from the English second tier to the top half of the Premier League – this term in contention for an impressive eighth place finish. But the persistent grumblings from many sectors of the Upton Park support regarding the attritional, direct and often boring Allardyce philosophy have created a rather volatile working environment during the last 18 months.

The former Bolton, Blackburn and Newcastle gaffer’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season, and perhaps bearing their move to the Olympic Stadium in 2016 in mind, it appears the West Ham board are reluctant to renew his current deal.

So being the ever-helpful bunch we are at Football Fancast, we’ve listed FIVE managers who could realistically succeed Big Sam this summer. Will one of these lads be donning the Upton Park dugout next season?

HARRY REDKNAPP

Harry Redknapp limped away from relegation-bound QPR upon the close of the January window with a rather disappointing win rate of just 19% in the Premier League, but many at Upton Park still have a soft spot for their former manager.

After all, the 67 year-old represented West Ham over 175 times as a player, and during the 1998/99 season guided them to their highest league standing of the Premier League era, a more than respectable 5th.

Redknapp’s also enjoyed successful spells with Bournemouth, claiming the Division Three title in 1987, Portsmouth, where he lifted the FA Cup in 2008, Tottenham, whom he guided to the quarter-finals of the Champions League in 2010, and was once in line to succeed the England job from Fabio Capello, before the FA turned to Roy Hodgson.

The former midfielder’s greatest gift remains his shrewdness in the transfer market, but over the last few years at QPR, the tactical side of his game has looked worryingly outdated.

SLAVEN BILIC

Forever linked with a return to his former club, it seems inevitable ex-Hammer Slaven Bilic will take to the West Ham dugout at some point in his management career.

The 46 year-old is currently in charge of Besiktas, for whom he boasts an impressive win rate of 54% since his appointment in June 2013, recently masterminding the Turkish outfit’s way past Liverpool in the knock-out stages of the Europa League.

Admittedly, he lacks experience in Europe’s leading top flights, but Bilic’s reputation is built upon his successes with the Croatian national team; in 2008, he eliminated Steve McLaren’s England from the qualifying rounds of the European Championships and many of his players subsequently went on to have impressive careers in the Premier League, namely Eduado, Verdan Corluka and Luka Modric.

Bilic left the international scene in 2010 with a win rate of 65%, and in addition to that impressive return, has developed the repute of a particularly passionate, hardworking manager.

NEIL LENNON

Neil Lennon may not be everybody’s cup of tea, but his incredible successes at Celtic cannot be ignored.

After representing the Hoops over 214 times as a player, the northern Irishman lead them to three consecutive SPL titles and masterminded a historic victory over Barcleona at Celtic Park during the 2012/13 Champions League season – poignantly just one day after the club’s 125th anniversary.

Most impressively, the 43 year-old achieved it all with a squad ever-diminishing in quality, demonstrating his ability to add huge value to low-cost players in a short space of time.

Unable to find work in the Premier League, Lennon was forced to search for Championship employment after leaving the Scottish champions last summer. He took over a bottom-place Bolton Wanderers last October and has since guided them to 17th – an impressive ten points clear of the relegation zone.

With superior resources and quality of player, the former midfielder could uproot trees in East London. At this point in his career however, despite some huge successes in Europe, the West Ham board might view Lennon as too much of a gamble.

EDDIE HOWE

A new manager for a new era at West Ham, Eddie Howe could be the man to propel the East London club towards the level of success the Olympic Stadium deserves.

Admittedly, he’s completely untested in the Premier League, but in the space of seven years has guided Bournemouth from rock bottom of the Football League to the top of the Championship, claiming a win rate of 51%.

Still just 37 years of age and renowned for his insistence upon stylish, attacking football, Howe’s become easily the hottest management prospect England has to offer over the last few years.

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It’ll be a real sink-or-swim test for him at West Ham however, and the former defender is unlikely to leave The Cherries if they’re promoted to the top flight, as widely expected, this season.

RAFA BENITEZ

If West Ham plan to become regulars amongst the division’s European rankings, they need a manager who knows both the continental and Premier League scenes extremely well.

Meeting that demand in abundance is former Liverpool and Chelsea manager Rafa Benitez, who has miraculously emerged as the bookies’ favourite to take over at Upton Park next season with his Napoli spell almost certain to come to an end.

The Spaniard often has a marmite effect on football fans but his success is undoubted, winning two La Liga titles and a UEFA Cup with Valencia, an FA Cup and a Champions League with Liverpool and the 2013 Europa League, despite an incidious relationship with the club’s fanbase, during his infamous ‘interim’ stint at Chelsea.

Only at Inter Milan has his win rate dropped below 50% in the last decade, whilst Benitez’ ability to attract star-studded names to East London due to his high status and many connections throughout the game remains another positive.

Whether West Ham have enough financial muscle to acquire a manager who’s worked almost exclusively at Champions League level since 2004 however, remains to be seen.

Manchester United’s wonderkid of last season is not quite making the cut under Louis Van Gaal this term.

Adnan Janazaj is severely struggling to hold down a first team spot, and he failed to make a real impact in his last outing, which was an appearance off the bench in United’s 1-0 loss to Chelsea two weekends ago. When the starlet was linked to a loan move away from Old Trafford in January it was quickly shot down, and it was believed the Belgian would play a more important role in the side after all.

But, as Louis Van Gaal chopped and changed his starting eleven and formation, Adnan Januzaj could not make himself undroppable, unlike his fellow countryman Marouane Fellaini. The odds are stacked against him, and now it is time for Januzaj to go out on loan.

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Despite Van Gaal publicly insisting Januzaj would not be leaving United on loan, the 20 year old has not made the same impression on his new boss as he did the last. It now seems more like Van Gaal was playing it safe by keeping Januzaj at Old Trafford in January, in case of injuries.

A loan move this summer would be perfect for the Belgium international. All focus seems to be on adding to the squad; undoubtedly making it even harder to Januzaj to make his mark. If he isn’t going to be playing regular, first team football at this stage in his career, is it worth it? Staying at a club that doesn’t really need him could end up hindering him in the long run.

So Januzaj needs to get his options on the table in order to help himself. He’s still a young player and is making mistakes that can be worked out if he played more regularly. Most importantly, his incessant need to ‘showboat.’ He does not have to be Cristiano Ronaldo and show his tricks, when he can just play football.

A move to Europe would be ideal, to gain some perspective and a new footballing experience in another league. At the beginning of the year, Paris Saint Germain were rumoured to be in the running for the Belgian’s signature.

Once David Moyes catches wind of a potential loan deal for the 20-year-old, he will of course put his name forward to bring him to Real Sociedad. It will be just another reason for Moyes to talk about his time at Old Trafford.

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A year away from the side will do Januzaj the world of good if he can become a regular starter. He will be much more valuable after a loan move, when he will be more confident and experienced – thus more of an asset to Manchester United.

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Just what are Manchester United up to?

Some of the economists talking about Greece suggest generating new income rather than curtailing public services. Spending your way out of recession rather than saving your way out. Surely United don’t think that approach works in football too!

Manchester United have spent £213.7m since last summer when Louis Van Gaal sauntered through the door. You can imagine the scene – LVG walking through the door, nicely tanned from his sojourn in Brazil, wearing cream shorts and a polo shirt. He takes off his dark sunglasses and shakes his head to free up long locks of hair, all crumpled and blonde and sumptuous. ‘I’m here to save your club,’ he says in a dreamy accent.

It’s a level of Hollywood, wealth and suaveness that’s above most Premier League clubs. But it’s what Manchester United are good at these days. More Madridista than Mancunian, to be fair.

And ‘Galacticos’ are what Van Gaal seems to want to bring to the club. Start off with Mata, then add Depay, Di Maria – ironically signed from Real – Schweinsteiger, and maybe Pedro, Muller and Ramos? Don’t forget, they even signed Falcao. It’s like playing as PSG on a FIFA career mode. You don’t care about the makeup of the squad, you just care about having all those players on the pitch. ‘Can Di Maria play right wing-back? Yeahhh!’

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Presumably, though, United have more of a plan than that. If they were to add a Muller or a Ramos, they’d have a squad to rival City and Chelsea, and on paper they might have even more. Just in terms of star names, United would be a class above anyone else. Possibly not if they play Di Maria at full-back, though.

And they have to have another name in mind for a new signing. Surely Van Gaal can’t leave it there. Di Maria is reportedly off to the real-life version of PSG – they have just as much money – and United really only have Rooney as their recognised striker, unless Javier Hernandez is taken back into the loving bosom of the club. Right now he’s out in the cold. Perhaps he’s not box office enough.

So back to my original question – what are Manchester United up to?

Buying a barrel-load of midfielders is one thing, but fitting them all into the same midfield is quite another. Especially with all of the pedigree United have in there. Last summer LVG bought Daley Blind, who will surely be out in the cold more often himself with the arrival of Schweinsteiger and Schneiderlin. Michael Carrick played a hugely important role for United last season, but is there someone who can replace him in such a deep-seated midfield role?

And then there’s the wide players. United have Depay and a possible Pedro out wide with Ashley Young still at the club and Antonio Valencia – although Van Gaal says he sees the Ecuadorian as a full back next season – to back them up on the flanks.

So maybe there is logic to Van Gaal’s spending spree. He seems to have players in all key positions except up front, at least as a backup to Rooney, and in the centre of defence.

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So expect Van Gaal to spend even more this summer. His policy of finding two world class players in every position means he still has a ‘surprise’ target to play up front, and he’ll be looking for at least one world class defender to come into the club too.

£213.7m and counting on players to make United great again. Van Gaal firmly believes in spending his way out of troubled times at Manchester United. But if it doesn’t work, United can put all of that money to good use and just pay down the Greek debt instead.