Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina has defended Fernando Torres’ decision to join English Premier League rivals Chelsea.
Torres moved from Anfield to Stamford Bridge for a British-transfer record 50 million pounds on January 31, sparking anger among Liverpool supporters.
But Spain keeper Reina maintains his fellow World Cup winner did enough during his time at the club to earn the respect of the fans, regardless of the timing of his departure.
“He decided to leave because he thought it was an opportunity to keep growing as a player and we have to respect that,” Reina told the Liverpool Echo.
“Some of the people are saying he’s being disrespectful with Liverpool, but all that Fernando gave to Liverpool was huge.”
“He grew up as a Liverpool player and Liverpool has also grown as he’s been a player on the team.”
“At the end of the day, it’s daily business, players come and go. It’s the club and supporters who are the most important thing for the club.”
“Fernando was great for us for three-and-a-half seasons, and we wish him all the best.”
“I think he did everything for this club.”
“He maybe didn’t leave at the right time, but it was an opportunity for him and he left ?50m in the bank which was double the price that he was.”
Liverpool captain Jamie Carragher also paid tribute to the contribution of Torres, but believes the transfer – coming after months of speculation and mixed performances – may ultimately have been for the best.
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“I think it was probably better that Fernando moved on if he didn’t 100 percent want to be here or it was going to happen in the summer,” Carragher told Talksport.
“It’s probably better for everyone all round. I think it’s been in the offing since the summer. We always felt that at some stage this season, or maybe the end of the season, this may happen.”
“Whether people agree with how he’s gone, supporters can’t deny he was an absolutely fantastic player for Liverpool.”
Juventus veteran Alessandro Del Piero has dismissed reports he is stalling on a new contract in the hope of securing a pay rise.The Juve captain is out of contract in June and yet to agree a new deal with the Turin giants.The 36-year-old forward has been with Juve since 1993 and scored 280 goals in 667 appearances.He insists it would be out of character for him to hold the club ransom and would in fact be willing to agree a new deal for any amount they nominate. “I’ve signed my first blank contract with Juventus,” Del Piero said.”I’ll sign my last one to wear this jersey blank too.””It’s not about money. I’ve earned a lot in my life, though I could have earned more if I’d accepted certain offers.””I spoke with the president (Andrea Agnelli) not about financial matters but my willingness to make myself available for next season,” he added.Del Piero believes he has demonstrated his commitment to the club repeatedly over the past 18 seasons, particularly the year spent in the second division following Juve’s demotion as punishment for a match-fixing scandal. “My passion and my will to win that has been with me from the Viareggio (youth) tournament to the World Cup, not to mention Serie B,” he said.”My ties to the colours and the fans cannot be measured in numbers.”
Tottenham Hotspur have already managed to surpass all expectation this season. Many of us predicted they wouldn’t even make it into the group stages of the Champions League, let alone make it through to the quarter-finals. Amazingly, even with this most unlikely assault on European glory, Harry Redknapp’s side are still a force to be reckoned with on the domestic front. Okay, so maybe they haven’t really gone on to compete for Premier League glory like their manager so boldly predicted, but many teams who are faced with the unfamiliarity of European football as well as the league and cups, normally struggle. So what’s next for Redknapp’s men? How can they improve on an already incredible season?
Spurs need to strengthen, because the next step up is going to be the hardest of them all – more of a leap, in fact. Gareth Bale, Luka Modric and Rafael van der Vaart, amongst others, are players worthy of winning the Premier League, so now it’s all about building around them. Players like Sandro can make that happen. But the problem ’Arry has, is that to make this next big step, he may have to get rid of a few who have served the club well, but are no longer good enough.
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I’m talking about the likes of Jermaine Jenas and Wilson Palacios. These players, however good they may have been, are only now serving to eat into a wage bill which could be better spent elsewhere. Redknapp has the eye for a star buy, and has proved his ruthlessness in the transfer market with van der Vaart and Steven Pienaar. Now he has to be ruthless towards his own squad. I mean, how long can they continue to pay Ledley King to not train and give 60 minutes every couple of weeks? Spurs need a new Ledley; a consistent leader who will be available more often than not. Just think how valuable Nemanja Vidic is to Manchester United – that is now the target for Spurs.
Redknapp has one of the biggest squads in the Premier League but it may time to trim it down. Have you ever heard the expression ‘less is sometimes more’? Every manager has to compensate for a rigorous season, so obviously getting rid of too many would be suicidal, but it’s time White Hart Lane had more quality over quantity.
It’s going to be harsh on the ones that go, but I’m sure Tottenham fans would rather see success down at the Lane rather than Harry stick by some of his players. He did his level best to keep Niko Kranjcar in the January transfer window, but realistically, how often is he going to play? I think the Croat is a fantastic player for Tottenham now, but should they make it into a permanent fixture of the top four, he’s likely to be even more frozen out than he has already been experiencing – and he’s pretty cold as it is at the moment.
It seems harsh to now ask the players who have got Spurs so far to step aside, but football is very rarely a game of loyalties these days. Redknapp may soon have to recognise that some must go, otherwise they cannot carry on moving forward in the way they are. Football’s a cruel game, Tottenham may have to find that out first hand.
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There was a time when Rohan Ricketts was being mentioned as a possible inclusion in the England side. A pacy winger who was not afraid to take on players, seemed a perfect fit for Sven’s England squad. However, a change in fortunes soon saw Rohan having to look far and wide just to find first team football.
A youngster at Arsenal, Ricketts spent his football youth with the likes of Jay Bothroyd, Jermaine Pennant and Steve Sidwell. He even managed to pick up two FA Youth Cups during his time at Highbury, in 2000 and 2001.
Despite early promise, Ricketts was allowed to leave Arsenal at the end of the 2001/02 season. But, it was just a short move for Ricketts, who joined North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur – becoming only the fourth player in history to move between the two clubs.
The Spurs days
A quiet first season at White Hart Lane saw Ricketts restricted to reserve team action. However, he managed to impress manager Glenn Hoddle enough to persuade him to give him a chance in the first team. Ricketts impressed immediately and soon became a favourite with the Spurs fans, and was even linked with an England call-up.
However, Hoddle was sacked as manager in September 2003 and Ricketts started to find his first team opportunities limited. He did manage to score his first league goal for the club, during a 2-1 win against Aston Villa in November 2003. Ricketts continued to find himself in and out of the side until the end of the season.
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French manager Jacques Santini took charge at the beginning of the 2004/05 season and, again, Ricketts struggled to make an impact. Even a quick change in manager, when Santini was quickly replaced by Martin Jol, didn’t prove successful for the winger.
He was sent out on loan to Coventry in late 2004. He returned to Spurs, but was sent out on loan again in March 2005, this time to join up with Hoddle, who was now in charge at Wolves. A loan spell saw play seven times and score once, a late winner against Reading.
Move to the Black Country
Ricketts was allowed to leave Spurs in the summer of 2005 and joined Wolves permanently for the 2005/06 season, a time when many were backing Wolves for promotion. However, a difficult season saw Ricketts in and out of the team again and Wolves missed out on promotion – which inevitably spelt the end for Hoddle, who left the club before the 2006/07 season.
Mick McCarthy took charge and initially kept faith with Ricketts, giving him the chance to prove himself in the first team. But, following the arrival of Michael Kightly, Ricketts found himself in the reserves and was sent out on loan to QPR in March 2007. He returned to Wolves briefly before being released at the end of the season.
He joined Barnsley in the summer of 2007, but again struggled to hold down a first team place and left the Yorkshire club in April 2008, a few weeks short of the end of the season. However Ricketts did manage to agree a new deal quickly, this time with Toronto FC in Canada.
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Oh Canada…
All looked well for Ricketts now, who quickly settled in and established himself in the first team. His performances quickly made him a fan’s favourite at Toronto and it looked like he had finally found somewhere he could settle. However, more disappointment lay ahead.
Following the arrival of several international players, Ricketts once again found himself out of the side. He left the club in the summer of 2009 and moved back to England to find a new club.
He had a trial at Aberdeen and impressed during his time there. However, financial constraints at the Scottish club prevented him from signing and he had to look elsewhere – which happened to be Eastern Europe.
Eurotrip
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In early 2010, Ricketts joined Hungarian side Diosgyori VTK. The move quickly tuned sour though as Ricketts was not selected for first team action, leading to him leaving the club in the summer.
His next move in August 2010 saw him become a record-holder. He joined Moldovan side FC Dacia Chisinau – becoming the first English player to play professionally in Moldova. Again, the move did not work out as expected and he decided to leave.
After doing some TV work for the 2010 World Cup , Ricketts decided to look for a new club and headed to Germany in 2010 in search of trials. Recently, he signed for SV Wilhelmshoren, who play in the fourth tier of German football.
I think it’s fair to say that Ricketts has taken one of the most unusual paths in football. However, it is refreshing to see someone who has had to go through a lot remain so upbeat, and I highly recommend following Ricketts on Twitter. He is never short of an opinion and provides a lot of entrainment to football fans worldwide. Here’s hoping that his German move proves a successful one!
If you enjoy my blogs, please follow me on Twitter robertmfletcher.
Charlie Adam has goals, countless assists and numerous man of the match performances to his name, so it’s unsurprising that his performances have turned the heads of the Premier League’s ‘big boys.’ Throughout the January transfer window Adam was linked with Liverpool, who had a bid in the region of £4 million rejected, with Aston Villa and Tottenham also showing interest. As the season draws to a close and the window opens again, there’s no doubt that Adam will be linked with a move away, especially if reports are to be believed that Manchester United now want the Scot. With so many mouth watering propositions for Adam, it’s hard to decide where the Scottish international should ply his trade next season.
Liverpool, the first team to signify major intent on signing Adam have turned the corner since the arrival of Kenny Dalglish, but there is still room for Charlie Adam in their midfield, perhaps replacing Lucas (despite his improved performances this season) with Maxi Rodriguez and Kuyt on the flanks. Gerrard and Adam would be a dynamic duo to provide fantastic support and assists for the likes of Suarez or Carroll respectively; however such is the versatility of Adam that Liverpool could adopt a more attacking 4-3-3 formation with Kuyt, Carroll and Suarez used as out and out forwards, Adam adding a new dynamic to the Liverpool squad and without a shadow of a doubt being readily called upon as a match winner when Steven Gerrard is unavailable.
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Tottenham Hotspur failed in their signing of Charlie Adam due to certain paperwork not being completed on time and that proved very costly when Adam scored in Blackpool’s 3-1 win over Spurs in February. Tottenham have an abundance of talent in the middle of the park with Sandro, Jenas, Palacios and Huddlestone all competing for that starting berth alongside the ever impressive Luka Modric. In this writer’s opinion, Adam is a more gifted and influential player than Sandro, Jenas or Palacios however these players all offer a protective cover for Modric to get forward and thread the ball through to the likes of Bale and Defoe. If Spurs were to sign Charlie Adam it would be a bold yet risky move playing Adam and Modric in their current formation, as neither are the most defensively minded players. Spurs perhaps could adopt a different formation with three in the middle, which makes them narrow yet plays to Modric and Adam’s strengths; but how do you sacrifice a formation that has achieved a Champions League Quarter Final and has put them on the cusp of repeating a top four finish?
Manchester United being one of the world’s biggest teams renders a transition from Bloomfield Road to Old Trafford supremely difficult; the gulf in class in every element is astronomical. Sir Alex Ferguson has been impressed with Adam’s goalscoring feats and with many believing that Paul Scholes will not take up the option of an extra year with United to call time on his glittering career, Adam appears the obvious choice for an adept replacement; a simple like-for-like swap. Adam is of the Scholes mould, scoring crucial goals and generally working hard for the team, thus no formation or tactic changes would be needed, as Fletcher would provide the cover for Adam to roam; picking out passes and loitering around the 18 yard box.
White Hart Lane, Anfield and Old Trafford are some of the biggest footballing venues in the world; Bloomfield Road, however, may yet be the best venue for Charlie Adam to continue playing. With all due respect to Blackpool, Adam may just be ‘a big fish in a small pond’, as at Glasgow Rangers (which is a distinctively larger ‘pond’), Adam didn’t set the world alight and didn’t look half the player. Think back to Matt Le Tissier, a loyal servant to Southampton, who regularly pops up in the top 20 Premier League players ever. However, Le Tissier never tested himself outside of The Dell; perhaps if he had moved onto Tottenham in 1990 or Chelsea in 1996 when they both showed interest he would have faltered and not gone down in Premier League history with the nickname ‘Le God.’
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It would be a compliment to Adam to go down as Blackpool’s Le Tissier, and why not? It was Ian Holloway who managed Adam into the player he is today and it’s hard to argue that Sir Alex, Harry Redknapp or Kenny Dalglish would have or will do a better job for the Scottish international. If Adam does stay, it will be a breath of fresh air for the Premier League to have a team outside the top five or six that has a little something about them.
Ligue 1 leaders Lille will be wary of the threat posed by a Monaco side battling to avoid relegation for the first time since the 1970s.Monaco were French champions in 1999-2000, and progressed to the Champions League final in 2004, where they were beaten 3-0 by Porto, but since then have dropped off the pace considerably.
After claiming third-place in 2004-05, Monaco have finished 10th, ninth, 12th, 11th and eighth, and Laurent Banide’s men are sitting in the drop zone – one point behind 17th-placed Auxerre.
Lille will also have history on their mind heading into Saturday’s clash, and after setting the pace for much of the Ligue 1 season, their chief objective is to break a 57-year championship drought.
Rudi Garcia’s men are four points clear of Marseille on top of the table with nine games to go this season, and make the trip to the Stade Louis II on the back of a four-game winning streak.
Also on Saturday, third-placed Rennes – who are seven points behind Lille – visit a Brest side keen to put some more breathing space between themselves and the relegation zone.
Paris Saint-Germain, who are fifth, will look to close the gap on fourth-placed Lyon and keep their hopes of European football alive when they visit a Caen side just three points clear of the relegation zone.
Bottom side Arles can keep their slim hopes of survival afloat when they visit Jean Tigana’s Bordeaux side, seventh-placed St Etienne take on Auxerre at the Stade Abbe-Deschamps and Lorient welcome Sochaux.
Nancy make the trip to Valenciennes in a battle of two sides in the bottom half of the table, and on Sunday second-placed Marseille will look to keep the pressure on Lille when they host Toulouse, who are in 11th place.
Elsewhere on Sunday, fourth-placed Lyon welcome second-from-bottom Lens, and sixth-placed Montpellier will look to keep their chance of European football alive when they host Nice.
Fulham manager Mark Hughes is hoping to have skipper Danny Murphy and star striker Bobby Zamora fit to face Bolton on Wednesday.The Cottagers will be aiming to claim a win that will guarantee them another season of Premier League football.
Captain Murphy is expected to recover from the dead leg that forced him to come off during the weekend draw at Wolves.
Zamora should also start after being named on the bench as a precaution at Molineux following a minor back and hip injury sustained in training at the end of last week.
Hughes said: “Bobby said he wanted to play but we protected him, especially as he is not long back from a long-term injury. But he made an impact coming on.”
Fulham look safe on 39 points with five games to play, but the players themselves fear there is much work to be done.
“I don’t think you can say you’re safe at any point,” said striker Andy Johnson.
“It’s so tight at the bottom of the table, and there’s still a lot to play for in these last five games.”
“Every year people talk about the 40-point mark, but it might be higher than that this year, because everyone keeps beating everyone else down at the bottom.”
“It’s the closest run-in I’ve ever been involved in come the back-end of a season, so we have to take every game as it comes and try and take what we can from each one.”
“But at the moment I don’t think anyone is safe from 10th downwards, so we’re looking forward to the game against Bolton on Wednesday and then the visit to Sunderland next weekend as chances to secure our safety.”
Real Madrid have looked to the future by signing Borussia Dortmund star Nuri Sahin on a six-year contract.Jose Mourinho’s men look likely to miss out on clinching the La Liga title this campaign – leaving them with the Copa del Rey as their only silverware in 2010/11 – but the signing of Bundesliga livewire Sahin will no doubt lift the mood at the Bernabeu as the season comes to a close.
The 22-year-old midfielder said he was not motivated by finances in his decision to leave the German top flight champions for the Spanish capital.
“Money wasn’t the reason for my move. When I stay healthy, I’d earn enough anyway,” Sahin told Dortmund’s official website.
“Real Madrid is the biggest club on earth. I’m proud to make this step. It’s the highest plateau you can reach as a football player and the chance for the world career I’ve hoped for. Only because of this I will leave Dortmund.”
While Sahin held Madrid in the highest echelon of world clubs, the German-born Turk said he would never forget his time spent at this home club.
“I’m a player who has the potential to break through at Real Madrid. I’ve signed there for six years. It was hard decision, because I’m a Borussian and love Dortmund and the club – and I always will be a Borussian,” he said.
“It made me very proud, that I was allowed to lead this team as captain into this stadium. I want to say thank you to all, who supported me on my way.”
“The hardest part for me was to announce my decision. I will miss Jurgen Klopp. I’ve invited the team, trainer, staff members, plus Mr Watze and Mr Rauball to the next Clasico.”
Sahin holds the record as the youngest player, at age 16, to play in the Bundesliga, as well as becoming the youngest to score in the German top flight.
Real Madrid have ensured Barcelona will wait at least another week to claim the La Liga title after romping to a 6-2 win at Sevilla.Portuguese maestro Cristiano Ronaldo was the star of the show, with four goals in a virtuoso performance that would have delighted his manager Jose Mourinho.
Brazilian playmaker Kaka also got on the scoresheet for Real, as did defender Sergio Ramos, who powered Madrid into the lead after 21 minutes with a header, while Alvaro Negredo scored both goals for Sevilla.
The result means Real trail Barca by five points and have three matches remaining, although Barca have four games to play and take on Espanyol at the Nou Camp on Sunday.
Elsewhere on Saturday, Athletic Bilbao climbed into fifth place – which would guarantee them a place in next year’s Europa League – with a 3-2 win over Levante at home.
Goals from Gaizka Toquero, David Lopez and Fernando Llorente had Bilbao cruising at 3-0 just after the hour mark but late strikes from Christian Stuani and Victoriano Nano ensured some anxious moments for the hosts in the closing stages.
Atletico Madrid’s grip on sixth place looks tenuous after they were thrashed 3-0 at home by Malaga, who had goals from Rondon, Julio Baptista and Enzo Maresca to thank for their fourth successive league win.
On-loan Spurs midfielder Giovani dos Santos scored a brace to help Racing Santander take a big step towards La Liga survival with a 3-2 win at Hercules, who look certain to face the drop.
Almeria were not so fortunate, and their 2-0 loss at Getafe confirmed a relegation that has looked likely for much of the campaign.
Sporting Gijon had a late penalty from David Barral to earn them a 2-2 draw at home against Deportivo La Coruna, while Valencia moved six points clear of third-placed Villarreal – who play on Sunday – with a 3-0 home win over Real Sociedad.
Roberto Soldado scored twice for the hosts, and Brazilian striker Jonas scored the other.
Yet again the Premier League gave us footy fans a season with triumphs, heartbreak and entertainment. In amongst all the emotions and money, players became cult heroes, teams over achieved and managers came and went. Javier Hernandez was arguably the bargain of the season, but does this mean he will improve next season? Tottenham Hotspur missed out on Champions League qualification; will they regain a top four berth in the coming campaign? Already we all cannot wait for the next season to get up and running and we all have our predictions on who will achieve and who will fall through the Premier League’s trapdoor; here are mine.
Luis Suarez for player of the season- Harry Redknapp reportedly turned down the chance to sign the former Ajax man in the recent transfer window, how he must be cursing that decision now. Suarez has injected energy, desire and flair into Liverpool, and has been a major influence on the Merseyside club’s climb up the table. The Uruguayan has turned in numerous Man of the Match performances, most notably in Liverpool’s 3-1 win over bitter rivals Manchester United, where he single-handedly terrorised the entire defence. It’s those sort of performances that make me think the Liverpool ace will collect Barclay’s Player of the Season for 2011/12.
QPR in dreamland- Every season needs a ‘fairytale’ and for me I think it will be that QPR will be in the Champion League places at Christmas. I don’t for a second think they will stay there, but West Brom were up there this season and Ipswich in the past nearly achieved the unthinkable. QPR’s return to the top flight of English football may well be ‘the stuff dreams are made of’.
Norwich will be relegated with five games still to play- This season’s relegation battle has gone right down to the wire, with the first confirmed relegation only happening on the penultimate fixture. It has been entertaining down the bottom of the league, with no team standing out as the ‘whipping boys’. However, for me, I think this will change, with Norwich City’s return to the top flight being short lived.
Torres will be the highest scorer in the league- There is only so much criticism a man can take before he bites back, and next season, I believe the former Liverpool man will take up the mantle of Chelsea’s main man.
Robert Huth will score 15 goals- His scoring ratio, for a defender, is amazing, with 9 goals in all competitions this season. It would be a brave man betting against the Stoke defender breaking into double figures next season.
Newcastle will sack Alan Pardew before Christmas- Mike Ashley doesn’t have the best track record when it comes to managers and Pardew, as of yet, hasn’t won over all the St James Park faithful. Newcastle will no doubt soon want to challenge for the European places again and I don’t think the former West Ham manager is the right guy to do it.
Everton to get caught in relegation scrap – Admittedly, the Toffees have turned their season around in the second half but at the beginning of the season it was looking bleak for David Moyes’ side. With reported debts of up to £45 million, Everton will have to look to sell the likes of Jack Rodwell and Leighton Baines. Unless Moyes can pull off another signing that has the impact of Tim Cahill, for minimum expenditure, I fear for Everton could get dragged down to the lower reaches of the table.
Owen Coyle will win manager of the season – I’m not quite sure what Coyle will achieve to warrant such an award, but this season I have been very impressed with the Bolton manager. The former Burnley man has transformed their style of play and Bolton even threatened to break into the Europa League places earlier in the season. Next season could really see Coyle take his management to the next level.
Arsenal will win something- Surely they have got to?
Manchester United will beat there 29 match unbeaten run- They play poorly, they get criticised and yet they still grind out results to win the Premier League title, and very convincingly in the end. Sir Alex Ferguson instils an incredible self belief into his side, and assuming the Premier League’s most successful manager is still around next season, then who knows what can be achieved.
Tottenham Hotspur will finish as the League’s highest scorers- Funny old game is football; with the constant criticism the Lilywhites strike force has received this season, with Crouch, Defoe and Pavlyuchenko failing to score 20 league goals between them. It is written in the script for Spurs to dominate the scoring charts next season.
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Sunderland will finish in the top eight- Steve Bruce’s side had a superb start to this current season, and although injuries are expected in the game, Sunderland had more than their fair share, with eleven first players being out injured at one point. A couple of signings to replace the returning loanees’ Danny Welbeck and Sulley Muntari and Sunderland will be in and around the top half come the final whistle of next season.
Roy Hodgson will achieve some unimaginable feat- Hodgson has a knack for working miracles with the ‘lesser’ clubs, ignoring his disaster stint on Anfied, the Blackburn manager lead Fulham to a Europa League final last season and turned West Brom from relegation candidates to a comfortable mid table side. I’m not saying West Brom for the title but they will achieve something.
Wigan Athletic will get relegated- The only reason Wigan stayed in the Premier League was Birmingham’s inability to score (37 goals in 38 games). Wigan’s final two fixture victories was their first back to back wins since Roberto Martinez took over in 2009, and that is not the sort of ‘achievement’ a side in the world’s ‘greatest’ league, should be achieving.
Aston Villa will continue moving backwards if Houiller stays in charge- Despite being controversial, Martin O’Neill had the Villians dreaming of Champions League football. One season after his departure, Villa only secured their Premier League survival in the penultimate league fixture. Randy Lerner needs to hire a young visionary of a manager or Villa’s decline will continue.
Blackburn Rovers will sack Steve Kean- The new owners Venky’s showed there policy on managers for the inexplicable sacking of Sam Allardyce in December. Steve Kean still gets the odd chant of “Who?” and it wont be long before he heads for the exit door after failing to build on Allardyce’s top ten finish last season.
Karl Henry will recieve the most red cards- I love a committed, strong and passionate slide tackle as much as the next football fan, but a few times this season the tenacious Wolves centre midfielder has escaped punishment, but next next season he may not be so lucky.
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Fulham will be last in the fair play table- There are a few suggestions that the Cottagers will miss out on Europa league via the fair play league after Zoltan Gera’s sending off on the final day of the season, their first red of the season. Football loves irony, and although Fulham should be alright this season in securing their Europa cup spot, next season will probably result in a postponement of a game Fulham had five men sent off.
Manchester City will fail to finish in the top four- Yes this season looks impressive with an FA Cup final win and finishing third in the Premier League. However Manchester City have hardly looked a fluid unit this season; and if we are all honest the only reason they qualified automatically for the Champions League this season, was because of Arsenal and Tottenham’s massive dip in form. Furthermore with Carlos Tevez reportedly readying his suitcase and Edin Dzeko looking about as useful as Emile Heskey, will they really push the ‘big boys’ again?
Depending on who gets promoted:
Scott Sinclair will get a transfer to a ‘bigger’ club in January- If it wasn’t for Adel Taarabt’s performances the former Chelsea man would be getting more of the limelight. Sinclair has had a phenomenal season in front of goal and setting up goals, combined with his pace and flair, it won’t be long before the Premier League vultures straight circling around Liberty Stadium.
Shane Long will score ten goals in the League by Christmas but finish the season with only 11- So many times we have seen players fail to live up to the Premier League standard despite impressing in the Championship. Reading’s Shane long could very well be the next Dave Nugent.
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