It appears that Sunderland Winger James McClean was overlooked for the Republic of Ireland’s latest World Cup 2014 Qualifiers.
In their first outing last Friday they suffered an embarrassing 6-1 defeat at the hands of Germany, and this lead to calls to include the Sunderland ace in their next fixture against the Faroe Islands.
However, the manager Giovanni Trapattoni had other ideas and decided that he did not need to call upon the midfielder for the 4-1 victory.
The player has been heavily watched by the Sunderland medical staff whilst on international duty as they want to monitor the situation with his groin injury.
It is believed the 24 year old would have been able to feature on Tuesday night, in Torshavn, but was deemed surplus to requirements.
However, the former Derry City star signed by old boss Steve Bruce is set to appear in the 146th Tyne-Wear derby.
The player will be looking for a chance to shine in this fixture but his international future still looms over him, before the Republic of Ireland squad meet up again.
Martin O’ Neill revealed to the Daily Mail that “’James himself was hoping he might have got a shout for the Republic’s second game but they went with what they had.”
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It is hoped that McClean will be given another chance to show that he is worthy of wearing the Ireland shirt and replicating his club form, for his country. The Black Cats are not worried about risking the midfielder though against their fierce rivals Newcastle on Sunday.
Sunderland fans have found another reason to bash their previous ownership, after reports suggested the Black Cats won’t get a penny if Jordan Pickford makes a huge move this summer.
According to reports, both Manchester United and Bayern Munich are targeting Pickford, but Sunderland will not receive a portion of the deal, as they did not agree a sell-on clause when they sold him to Everton.
The young stopper swapped Wearside for Merseyside last summer, after an incredible season earned him a nomination for the PFA Young Player of the Year award.
Despite grabbing an initial fee of £25million in the deal though, it seems the Black Cats made a big mistake by not demanding a portion of any future sale.
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The report claims Munich are eyeing the young Englishman as Manuel Neuer’s successor, and Manchester United could turn to him if David De Gea joins Real Madrid.
The previous ownership a the Stadium of Light took plenty of deserved criticism, and fans are bashing them again for not including a sell-on clause.
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It’s safe to say the club could do with some extra funds right now, and you can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…
Tottenham Hotspur host Arsenal in the latest episode of the North London derby at Wembley on Saturday, and Manchester United fans have made some surprise predictions ahead of the clash that will shock Gunners fans.
Fifth-placed Spurs welcome their sixth-placed local rivals to their temporary home knowing that a draw will be enough to take them into the Champions League spots – at least until Chelsea face West Bromwich Albion on Monday night.
However, a win would extend their advantage over Arsene Wenger’s men to seven points, and considering Arsenal have only won three of their 13 Premier League matches on their travels this season that certainly wouldn’t be a surprise result.
Despite that, Man United supporters all seem to have confidence in Wenger and his side – perhaps buoyed by the fact they now have Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in their ranks – and believe they will pick up the three points.
While one said “Arsenal will win”, another said “I think Arsenal will win”.
Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini believes that his side can pull off one of the shocks of the season by beating Bayern Munich over two legs in their imminent Champions League clash.
The Gunners are set to face the defending continental champions in the first of their double header with them this week, with few predicting that they can beat the German giants.
Arsenal were knocked out by Bayern last season on away goals at the same stage of the tournament, yet a new look Bundesliga side awaits them this term.
Bayern are now coached by Pep Guardiola and have been playing some of the very best football in Europe this season with a star-studded squad.
Arsenal meanwhile have been stuttering of late, with poor results having seen them slip from the summit of the Premier League.
But Flamini says that the Londoners are “ambitious” and are confident of knocking out their illustrious opponents:
“We know it won’t be an easy game because Bayern are a very strong team, but we are Arsenal, we have big ambitions,” he told the London Evening Standard.
“If we want to qualify, we have to get a good result against Bayern.
“What I will say about this season is that I see a great commitment, I see everyone working very hard on the pitch and helping each other.
“This year, Arsenal have a lot of ambition and are fighting for the league title. We have qualified in the FA Cup and we will do everything to qualify in the Champions League.
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“We know it will be a difficult game and now it is important to recover very well because we had so many games. Today, we will start thinking about Bayern.”
Arsène Wenger has said that both Theo Walcott and Kieran Gibbs will not be able to play in Saturday’s game against Norwich.
Arsenal’s official website has reported on an update from Arsene Wenger on the current state of the team’s injured players, and some of the Gunners’ key players are still a way from returning.
Wenger confirmed reports Walcott will not play on Saturday saying: “Theo is out for Saturday, for sure. He has an injury to his chest and lungs. We have to treat that clinically. He’s quickly short of breath when he makes an effort but that is bruising and that will heal. It’s no major concern but it will take we think about two weeks to be back to a normal level.” Walcott suffered the chest injury when he was clobbered by San Marino’s goalkeeper in England’s World Cup qualifier last week.
Wenger also confirmed that Gibbs will not play on Saturday, after coming off the pitch when playing against West Ham due to a thigh issue. However, he may take part in Wednesday’s Champions League game against Schalke. Wenger says: “He’s not healed yet. He has a little chance to be ready for Wednesday and a bigger chance for QPR.”
However, things are not looking so good for other Arsenal stars. Wenger said that goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski was visiting a specialist yesterday about his ruptured ankle ligaments. He also thinks that first choice goalkeeper Wojiech Szczesny is still two weeks from returning, while he says that other injured stars Tomas Rosicky and Abou Diaby will not return for another few weeks.
Arsenal’s fixture against Norwich kicks off at 17:30 at Carrow Road.
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According to reliable West Ham United insider @ExWHUemployee on his latest The West Ham Way blog, the east London club are ready to listen to offers for defender Aaron Cresswell, rated at £10.8m by Transfermarkt, this summer.
The left-back often filled in as a left-sided centre-back in a three-man defence under David Moyes in 2018, but he often struggled from a defensive point of view with the Irons, whose fans would forget about Manuel Lanzini’s injury blow if they sign £45m attacker target, ending the Premier League season with the joint-worst record at the back having conceded 68 goals in their 38 fixtures.
However, the 29-year-old did show the threat he brings at the other end of the pitch with seven assists – a stat that could tempt their top flight rivals to bid for him.
So, how would selling the former Ipswich Town man truly impact the club from the capital? Football FanCast take a look at the potential consequences of a summer deal for the left-back…
Beginning of the end of an era
Following another disappointing West Ham season, there could be big changes within the squad this summer that could see members of the old guard like Cresswell, Winston Reid, Michail Antonio and Andy Carroll leave – something that @ExWHUemployee alludes to in his blog.
If the 29-year-old does go this summer and some of those names follow him through the exit door it could be the beginning of the end of era in some ways, with the east London club looking to take a new direction under Manuel Pellegrini.
Luke Shaw signs
Pellegrini has usually played with a back four during his managerial career, and he may well choose to stick with that despite the fact that the Irons often played with a back three under Moyes.
If Cresswell is sold then the Chilean boss may well look to sign a new left-back who is more reliable defensively than Arthur Masuaku, and rescuing Shaw from his Manchester United nightmare under Jose Mourinho could be a great move for all parties.
The 22-year-old England international is still young and has plenty to offer at this level, and he could be the Irons’ first-choice player in that position for a number of years.
Vashon Neufville makes first-team debut
The highly-rated 18-year-old is yet to make his bow for the east London outfit, but he showed how highly thought of he is when he was named on the substitutes’ bench for the FA Cup third round tie against Shrewsbury Town in January.
ESPN reported back in May that Arsenal and Manchester City are both watching the teenager closely, and if he doesn’t get more first-team opportunities soon there could be a real risk of him moving on.
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The departure of Cresswell this summer would surely ensure that he makes his Irons debut under Pellegrini next term.
So, West Ham fans, should your club sell the £10.8m-rated Aaron Cresswell? Let us know by voting below…
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Thomas Lemar is a player well-known to Liverpool fans given that the Monaco star is regularly linked with a move to Anfield.
Last summer, the Frenchman was touted in the media as a possible target, and this month following Philippe Coutinho’s switch to Barcelona, the 22-year-old’s name emerged again.
In recent weeks, the speculation has quietened down, but now a report by Yahoo! Sport has claimed the Merseyside outfit have agreed a deal with the player, who has also been linked to Arsenal.
The sticking point, though, is that the Premier League club are refusing to meet Monaco’s asking price of around £90m.
The Ligue 1 giants let a number of first-team stars leave the club last summer, including Tiemoue Bakayoko, Bernardo Silva and Kylian Mbappe.
If Lemar is to join Liverpool, then it is likely that Monaco will try to squeeze as much money out of the deal as possible.
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These latest reports have got Liverpool fans talking.
This weekend’s victory over Arsenal at Old Trafford more or less concludes the recovery of Manchester United. The crisis is put on hold for now, and David Moyes gets some breathing space. Instead of falling 11 points behind the Gunners, Man United are now only an Arsenal loss followed by a draw away from catching up at the very top in the premiership. What’s more, the win was a statement of intent; the Red Devils refuse to roll over just because of a bad start.
Still, this merely papers over the cracks in United’s squad for a limited time. It was a hard fought and thoroughly deserved win in my opinion, and especially in the first half, the home team’s game plan went perfectly. Arsenal’s attacking trio of Özil, Ramsey and Cazorla had no space to perform their magic in, and the United midfield, with Phil Jones in particular stepping up his game for the occasion, looked rock solid. With a Barcelona-like pressing game, they never gave Arsenal time on the ball. As a sentiment to the home side’s midfield dominance, the combination of Özil and Ramsey completed less passes than in any game earlier in the season.
This certainly suggest that United have found the answer to their midfield conundrum. If Phil Jones can do the job Marouane Fellaini and Tom Cleverly have failed to perform alongside Michael Carrick, then there should be no need for a new arrival at Old Trafford i January, right? If they have found a player that can provide that DM-solidity in their own ranks, things look rosy red for the champions, right? Well, not quite.
Former Manchester United first team coach Rene Meulensteen answered questions from fans on Twitter recently, and was asked which player he thought his employer of over a decade should sign in January. His answer: Ilkay Gundogan.
And I find it extremely easy to agree with Mr. Meulensteen. Borussia Dortmund’s German international would in my eyes turn the wobbly and unhinged United side we have all been criticizing recently into a challenger for the Champions League. Although putting Jones next to Carrick worked well on Sunday, it was a one time measure, based on a lack of options more than anything. Moyes simply doesn’t trust Cleverly’s defensive ability or Fellaini’s ability to move each and every one of his 6 feet and 4 inches about the pitch quickly enough. Therefore, Jones’s Rino Gattusoesque rampaging approach to defending got the nod ahead. Wisely so.
But Jones lack the creative ability Carrick’s partner should have. His passing accuracy last night was very good – he didn’t lose the ball a single time in the first half – but he plays it safely. He’s a longterm centre-half at United. Therefor, they should invest in Gundogan when 2014 arrives. The German possess one of the most ferocious capacities in European football. A true midfield engine, Gundogan have the legs to get on the right side of opponents, close them down, and make a powerful run at the oppositions defense. He also have goals in his game, like the brilliantly taken curled strike he provided in July’s 4-2 win against Bayern Munich in the DFL-Supercup.
I have heard arguments that Gundogan would further influx the United attacking three. Former Dortmund playmaker Shinji Kagawa in partly a victim of their desire to play 4-2-3-1. Kagawa enjoy’s playing behind the striker, but has fallen short of Wayne Rooney, and is pushed out on the left where he has struggled to find the superb form that put him on United’s radar in the first place. The argument I’ve been confronted with is that Gundogan would simply become another casualty of Wayne Rooney’s status at Old Trafford. This is missing a key point – Gundogan isn’t originally an attacking midfielder.
He can certainly fill that position with much confidence, like he did in the mentioned game against Bayern, yet this is not where he made his trade. In Dortmund’s two golden seasons in the Bundesliga, in 2011 and 2012, Gundogan sat back alongside Sven Bender in the midfield, with an attacking three pushing forward ahead of him. The exact system Moyes hope to succeed with at Old Trafford. And guess what other playmaking prodigy had the best years of his career in that Dortmund system, scoring 21 goals in 49 games from an attacking midfielder position: Shinji Kagawa. Perhaps a transfer would alight the little Japanese’s career in England as well.
Gundogan has barely appeared for the Germans this season, though, due to a back injury, but is expected to be ready for action before Christmas. I firmly believe that this addition would strengthen United sufficiently to extinct the ghosts of the 4-1 thrashing at the Etihad earlier in the season. However, they are unlikely to rob Dortmund of yet another talent without any fight. Jurgen Klopp will be reluctant to let yet another instrumental feature in his side leave Westphalia, and even if he does, Real Madrid are reported to be monitoring Gundogan closely, looking to replace the unsettled Sami Khedira.
It remains to be seen if Moyes and Ed Woodward can put the disappointing summer transfer window behind them in order to seal the deal, and put Manchester United back in the mix with the best in Europe.
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Would Gundogan put Manchester United back in the top of Europe?
Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has stated that his side want to win the Europa League and will field a strong side against Bordeaux on Thursday night.
The Magpies have a Premier League clash with Manchester United this weekend, but the Tyneside chief has confirmed his intention to take the European competition seriously.
“We have entered this competition to win it and this is a significant game to up the levels. The team has to be good enough to beat Bordeaux but I have Manchester United coming on Sunday and have to make sure the Premier League result is right too,” Pardew told reporters, published by The Daily Mail.
“It is difficult to produce a team to play at maximum in two games but we will not beat Bordeaux and Man United if we are not at the maximum.
“No one analyses players performance physically, mentally and tactically more than us and we need to put a team out to play Bordeaux and, with all due respect to the teams we have played so far in this competition, our team needs to be stronger.
“It is pretty obvious they are favourites for the group after the fine result in Bruges and to win would be a big step towards qualifying. They are a very good side, had a terrific result on Sunday so are in good form but it is at home and we are strong at home, regardless of the opposition.
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“This is the first real time in this competition where our fans will be taking it seriously too and that will be important for the atmosphere and to focus our minds.
“In European competition your concentration level goes up a little and you have to be prepared for this type of opposition,” he confessed.
Arsenal have been linked with moves with a number of central midfielders – including Sevilla’s Steven Nzonzi and Watford’s Abdoulaye Doucoure already this year, but Gunners fans have urged their club to sign Tanguy Ndombele instead following an impressive campaign on loan at Lyon.
The France U21 international joined the Ligue 1 club on loan from Amiens last summer for the 2017/18 campaign, and he impressed by making 50 appearances in all competitions, scoring one goal and providing a further eight assists.
Lyon are expected to get the athletic 21-year-old on a permanent basis, but his fine performances may mean that they still face a battle to keep hold of him this summer after he showed how effective he can be from both a defensive and attacking point of view in the middle of the park.
Arsenal supporters, the large majority of whom want Emery to reunite with a £63m midfielder this summer, have been quick to have their say on Ndombele, and while one described him as “better than both” when comparing him to Nzonzi and Doucoure, another said “Ndombele would be a dream signing”.