Liverpool
PREMIER LEAGUE REVIEW - MATCHDAY ONE
The 2008/09 campaign kicked off with the top three from last season all at home, all avoiding defeat. Arsenal set the ball rolling with the lunchtime kick-off against last season’s Championship title winners, West Bromwich Albion. Having been relatively inactive during the summer transfer window, The Gunner’s major signing, Samir Nasri, took just four minutes to introduce himself to The Emirates crowd. A signature flowing move down the left took the ball to the touchline where Denilson cut the ball back to the Frenchman to sweep the ball home. It was to be the only goal of the game but not for lack of Arsenal effort with Albion rarely threatening their host’s.
The defending Champions, Manchester United, found Newcastle United to be unusually obdurate. Missing last season’s golden boy Cristiano Ronaldo, the home side lacked a cutting edge and were taken by surprise when Obefami Martins opened the scoring for the visitors midway through the first half. Such joy was shortlived as United equalised through Darren Fletcher but despite Vidic hitting the bar late on, the Toon Army travelling back to Tyneside with a well-deserved point.
Chelsea on the other hand made light work of Luis Felipe Scolari’s first match in charge, FA Cup winners Portsmouth proving to be lambs to the slaughter. Joe Cole set the ball rolling in their 4 - 0 drubbing of Portsmouth with the opener on twelve minutes, a lead doubled on twenty six when Nicolas Anelka broke his Premier League duck for the season. The end to a contest long viewed as over was confirmed in the final minute of the first half when Frank Lampard converted a penalty. Deco made his debut and scored with two minutes of the match remaining, giving the Chelsea board the style they craved in Scolari’s first match in charge.
New boys Hull City, making their debut in the top flight of English football, entertained Fulham at the KC Stadium. They proved to be the Sunshine Band as they overcame Ki-Hyeon’s eighth minute opener for the visitors through Geovanni midway through the first half and Folan with nine minutes remaining to give The Tigers a 2 - 1 opening day victory.
Performance of the weekend though surely belonged to Blackburn Rovers who scraped a victory at Goodison Park. David Moyes had found it difficult to strengthen his squad during the summer and the lethargy seemed to severely impact Everton as they fell behind to a cracker from David Dunn midway through the first half. Spaniard Mikel Arteta spared blushes by equalising two minutes before the interval and Evertonians believed in a bright new future when Yakubu put them ahead midway through the second half. It was a short-lived joy as Roque Santa Cruz equalised two minutes later with The Toffees coming unstuck as the visitors took three deserved points when Andre Oojer scored with almost the last kick of the ball.
Sunderland entertained Liverpool at the Stadium of Light and despite holding out for eighty-three minutes, they succumbed to Fernando Torres’ first strike of the season. It was a rare bright spot for the Merseysider’s following the summer’s aborted and terminally dull courtship of Gareth Barry, mixed with the interminable in-fighting between their owners, eventually agreeing a truce that will last all of about five minutes. Oh, and Robbie Keane did not score for the first time this season.
Tottenham Hotspur were once again tipped to be the team to break into the cosy cartel of teams in the top four and once again failed abysmally to live up to that expectation, fading almost invisibly to a 1 - 2 defeat at The Riverside. Hosts Middlesbrough took the lead with twenty minutes to go when David Wheater scored, Spurs old boy Mido doubling the advantage with four minutes to go. Indeed, a Tottenham player failed to find the back of the net all afternoon as their goal was down to Robert Huth putting through his own net three minutes into injury time.
Stoke City were many people’s tip to go straight back down to The Championship and set about proving the pundits right with a poor performance at The Reebok. Bolton Wanderers took the lead on thirty-four minutes through Steinsson, Kevin Davies adding a second before the interval. The points were wrapped up in first half injury time when another summer addition to The Trotters squad, Jonas Elmander scored his first goal for the club. Scant consolation was gained when Fuller opened The Potters account for the season with barely a minute of the match remaining.
At Upton Park, Dean Ashton scored twice in the opening ten minutes to give West Ham United an unassailable lead against Wigan Athletic. Zaki pulled one back for the visitors two minutes into the second half as they looked set to struggle during the coming campaign.
Aston Villa met fellow UEFA Cup competitors Manchester City in a pulsating clash at Villa Park, emerging victorious with a 4 - 2 win. Surprisingly it took forty-seven minutes for the opening goal, John Carew for Villa beginning the glut. Elano equalised from the spot just past the hour before Gabi Agbonlahor took over the show, scoring a hat-trick in seven minutes. Corluka’s final goal for City before his protracted move to Tottenham served only as a goodbye gift for the stunned visitors.
GILBERTO DEPARTURE LEAVES VACANCY IN ARSENAL MIDFIELD
The departure of Mathieu Flamini left a hole in the Arsenal midfield; that gap became bigger yesterday as Panathinaikos agreed to buy Gilberto Silva from The Gunners. It means a shortage of experience within the defensive department at The Emirates. Amongst Arsene Wenger’s squad, he has a number of youthful players who could fill this role - Abou Diaby, Denilson, Johan Djourou and Alex Song - but none have sufficient Premier League experience to suggest that they are ready to step into the position, despite their obvious quality.
The Brazilian’s departure has led to speculation that Xabi Alonso may be on his way to The Emirates, a move that would allow Gareth Barry the chance to move to Anfield. Despite weekend rumours of Arsenal interest in the Aston Villa player, there has been little to suggest that this was serious interest on the part of Arsene Wenger.
Alonso’s agent stoked the fires of this rumour when he spoke to Publico, a Spanish newspaper, and suggest that he was aware of Arsenal’s interest in his client. Were Alonso to join The Gunners, his fee would be in the region of £14m. However, doubts are cast upon this move when considering the style of play the Spaniard would bring to the Arsenal squad. Alonso is a more thoughtful passer of the ball and is not in the same mould as Mathieu Flamini in that he is not an energetic or busy player. However, cast against that would be the wealth of experience that he has and a judicious choice of passing that he possesses.
Either player would sit comfortably in the Arsenal midfield yet the sensible money is on Wenger promoting from within. Diaby has played plenty of games on the left for Arsenal, covering the absence of Tomas Rosicky and Wenger is believed to have great faith in his ability. Song meanwhile has been introduced at the back although some sterling performances in the 2008 African Cup of Nations suggest he has a future in midfield. Djourou and Denilson would be considered outsiders for the role; the Swiss international played for Birmingham City on loan for six months last season and would benefit from such a move again. Denilson is more of a passer and creative than defensive and perhaps an understudy to Cesc Fabregas.
Wenger has a problem area but no-one should discount his ability to have already found a solution from within.
ALONSO FUTURE LEAVES BARRY MOVE IN DOUBT
Liverpool’s public pursuit of Gareth Barry appears to be shrouded in doubt with the apparent failure of Juventus to seal the transfer of Xabi Alonso. The Italians have moved to sign Christian Poulson from Sevilla, leaving their only target now another goalkeeper.
Manager Claudio Ranieri said,
We’re 99 per cent complete, at least in terms of people coming in. We only need another keeper and then we’ll be all set, ready to face the new season
With Javier Mascherano signed permanently earlier this year, the departure of Alonso was seen as crucial to bringing Barry to Anfield. Now that has fallen apart, for the moment at least, Rafa Benitez needs to find another solution to fit the England international into his squad.
Reports of Arsenal’s interest in the player seem to be overplaying the situation; Martin O’Neill’s comments suggest that the enquiry by Pat Rice as to the current state of negotiations with Liverpool was more of a casual enquiry than a serious attempt at signing the player.
Whether Liverpool will be able to keep their interest alive remains to be seen. The desperation of the Merseysiders to sign Barry has been apparent and belittling to a club of their stature.
WEST BROM TO OFFER ROBINSON ESCAPE FROM SPURS HELL
West Bromwich Albion have marked the Premier League’s cards that they do not intend to be patsy’s and suffer relegation on their return to the top-flight. The Midlanders have made an inquiry for former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson whose future at White Hart Lane has been doomed since the appointment of Juande Ramos, exacerbated by the signing of Huerleho Gomes from PSV Eindhoven last month.
Robinson had been expected to join Aston Villa as Martin O’Neill sought to replace the Liverpool ‘keeper Scott Carson after his loan spell at the club finished. The two clubs have locked horns over Gareth Barry and Carson may yet be involved as a makeweight in the deal although Villa are demanding that their valuation of £18m for the England midfielder be met in cash. Carson’s future at Anfield is under pressure already with rumours of Liverpool scouring the globe for back-up for Spanish Number Two, Pepe Reina, with Brazilian Diego Cavalieri expected to join next week for £3m.
Gordon Banks in this morning’s Sun newspaper laments the current state of English goalkeeping, noting that
If foreign managers keep buying foreign keepers, we’ll never have a top-quality England No. 1
Robinson was supposed to be such a player. At Leeds, he was constantly linked with the top sides yet when his availability became known, none moved for him and he ended up at Tottenham. His confidence consistently fell, reaching its nadir in Croatia when an own-goal contributed to England’s failure to qualify for Euro2008. Carson was given his chance in the return match at Wembley but suffered when a mistake gifted the Croats an early lead that they ultimately held onto.
It is however harsh to write-off the future of English goalkeeping at this moment in time. Robinson may recover at a new club whilst Carson, Ben Foster of Manchester United and Joe Hart of Manchester City head a promising generation. As with most other positions in the England team, there is a paucity of world class talent currently but enough coming through to suggest that its demise may yet be prematurely called.
CROUCH DOWN TO PORTSMOUTH
Liverpool moved a step closer to signing Gareth Barry this week when Aston Villa manager disciplined the player for his interviews last weekend, the punishment not conducive to a good working relationship. The final piece of the jigsaw may well fall into place with reports that Peter Crouch will return to the welcoming arms of Harry Redknapp and Portsmouth for a fee that might reach £11m.
For Crouch, the possibility of a move is crucial to stopping his career from stagnating. Rafa Benitez has made it clear that he does not believe that Torres and Crouch are a working partnership and has relegated the England international to the bench or playing when the Spaniard is rested. Still more famous for his ‘Robot’ dance celebrations than his career achievements, Crouch desperately needs first-team football on a regular basis to ensure that he figures in Fabio Cappello’s plans. More pressure is likely to be put on him if Michael Owen can stay fit and rediscover consistency in front of goal at Newcastle.
The perception of Crouch is that he is a one-dimensional player but he has shown that his touch belies the idea that he is purely a target man. However, his career is at an important crossroads. For it to carry on he must move in the right direction and that is away from Anfield
LIVERPOOL CONTINUE THEIR DESPERATE CHASE FOR BARRY
Like a spurned lover, Rafa Benitez continues to court Aston Villa in the hope of seducing them with enough money for the transfer of Gareth Barry to Anfield. Following the weekend’s stories in the press, Barry’s position at the club seems untenable with criticism of Martin O’Neill not likely to have sat well with the Villa manager.
It is understood that the revised bid is for £15m cash plus bonuses dependent upon Liverpool’s success. With Villa holding out for £18m, such an offer is not likely to be well received, especially as Liverpool have not managed to mount a genuine title challenge for nearly a decade.
O’Neill’s stance on the transfer has changed over recent weeks. Having been filled with righteous indignation when news of the original bid leaked towards the end of last season, Barry’s genuine desire to move and the agitation that has gone with it, has convinced O’Neill that the time has come to cash in on his unsettled skipper. Such funds would allow the Villa manager to enhance his squad in several positions and were the move to be completed shortly, sufficient time to allow any new players the time to familarise themselves with his expectations and the style of Villa’s play.
The loss of one of the most consistent players cannot be ignored but no player is bigger than any club. For Villa it is the chance to open a new chapter and build on last season’s improved league form, perhaps challenging successfully for a European spot. The top four seems beyond them next season but judicious investment may open up the UEFA Cup for the Midlanders.
Villa To Stay At Valencia For Now
David Villa has dashed the dreams of supporters of Europe’s biggest clubs by stating his desire to remain at the Mestalla for the coming season. Having finished Euro2008 as top scorer, Villa has been heavily linked with a move away with the Premier League, Barcelona or Real Madrid favoured destinations in those reports.
However, in response to chants from supporters yesterday, Villa spoke at Valencia City Hall where the Spanish squad were celebrating their triumph, the striker said,
I am very grateful and I am very happy here. I hope to stay here. The president should be thanked for wanting to keep the best players and to make a great team
Had Villa left, it would have created a huge problem for Los Ches, still reeling from an indifferent 2007-08 campaign that saw them only pull clear of the relegation spots in the final weeks of the season. Villa maintained his excellent scoring record, a key reason for their survival.
Despite his proclamations, there is still no certainty that he will line-up at Valencia next season. The money that the club could raise from his sale would enable the squad to be strenghtened. That according to President, Agustin Morera, is not the key matter, keeping Villa is,
We had offers last year, we have had more this year and we continue to receive them. Our plan is to keep him and we will try and do this
For how much longer though remains to be seen. Having had his appetite for glory whetted with the national team, his desire for success at club level may yet overrride any sense of loyalty.
BENITEZ SETS THE EARLY TOP FOUR PACE IN THE TRANSFER MARKET
Rafa Benitez is determined to put right the inconsistent form in the Premier League by overhauling his squad. To what effect remains to be seen. Having dabbled with the odd low-key signing thus far, Benitez is looking to up the ante with two potential signings arriving at Anfield in the near future.
Gareth Barry publicly talked himself out of Villa Park at the weekend and also off of Martin O’Neill’s Christmas Card list, criticising the Aston Villa manager for finding time to be the outstanding pundit on the BBC’s Panel for Euro2008. Without even a nod in the direction of hypocrisy, Barry continued his public eviction by talking to the News of the World on Sunday. Perhaps his time might have been better spent trying to contact his manager instead of leaving the legwork to his Agent? Villa’s stance has been pretty clear through the tawdry public courting of Barry by Liverpool; he is not for sale unless you meet our valuation of £18m.
The gap in Liverpool’s finances has made such a bid virtually impossible. The Merseyside club welcomed George Gillet and Tom Hicks with open arms amid what turned out to be wild claims that money would be made available for Benitez to spend on an annual basis in the transfer market. The hidden caveat appears to be manifesting itself this summer - ‘but only if you sell to fund any purchases’.
This explains the tough stance taken over the departing Peter Crouch and Xabi Alonso. Both could have been settled in their new homes weeks ago but for the fact that Liverpool need more than Portsmouth and Juventus are offering. The crunch will soon come and Liverpool will need to hold their nerve to obtain best price. Their hand in Alonso’s case was strengthened slightly with Spain’s Euro2008 triumph. Unfortunately, Alonso was a peripheral figure, a substitute aside from the meaningless Group rubber against Greece. He proved his worth in that game and in solidifying the Spanish midfield in the Final but it is not the same as, say, Iniesta or Xavi Hernandez.
With a rumoured Crouch and Cash being the offer for Robbie Keane, it is also indicative of a change in playing style with the two players being polar opposites on the pitch. Should Keane arrive, tactically Liverpool would have more mobility up front with Keane being an excellent foil on paper, similar to Nigel Clough in the style of play. Will this be enough to propel The Reds to a title challenge? It seems unlikely for that would necessitate a change in Benitez’s thinking; the Champions rarely, if ever, rotate their side to the extent that he prefers to. Indeed, his successes at Valencia came on the back of a settled side. The spending days of summer at Anfield will not be over with these changes alone.
PLATINI WANTS CLUB DEBT OUTLAWED
Michel Platini has set himself on course to become football’s Robin Hood, robbing the rich and giving to the poor. Days after his plan to adjust the Champions League revenue share to clubs, he is now seriously tackling the issue of the debt levels that plague the larger clubs across the continent.
Regular financial reviews from Deloitte & Touche and their ilk show that the challengers for the premier trophy in European club football are heavily in debt. The problem for Platini is how to deal with such an issue. The framework for any changes already exists with the UEFA Club Licencing process; the Frenchman wants to take it further and curb the excesses of the former G14.
The European Club Association (ECA) was formed as an umbrella organisation within UEFA’s ranks to compensate for the disbandment of the G14; Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has been appointed President, subject to confirmation at the ECA’s meeting in ten days time. An illustrious playing career was followed by a successful spell in the commercial confines of Bayern Munchen, giving the German some kudos within both circles, indicating that the thought processes of the Governing Body and the clubs are in tandem in some respects at least.
Problematically, that harmonious state is set to diverge once the details are scrutinised. Rummeneige believes that the financial stabilitly of the games top clubs is crucial to football’s long-term survival; the clubs have yet to show, en masse, the same sensibilities. Rummenigge and Platini want to curb the excesses shown in expenditure, particularly wages. The financial rewards for players have long been a root cause for the financial turmoil which exists at club level. Proposals that require this spend to be curbed, pegging the salaries to 55% of turnover has been mooted, representing an immediately large obstacle which Platini and Rummeneige will struggle to overcome.
In setting financial restrictions, the duo have to come forward with achievable solutions otherwise they risk alienating the supporters. The simplest option for the clubs to bring revenues and wages into line is to increase matchday ticket prices sharply. For some clubs, the practicalities of doing so are relatively straightforward, limited capacities at the stadia means that waiting lists for tickets become shorter as less affluent supporters drop out. However, there is a downside to this in that those supporters become lost to the game. Broadcasters have reached saturation point in some countries and the matches which have the ratings that advertisers care about are increasingly becoming more polarised toward the top clubs domestically. And what of their offspring? If parents are out of the habit of attending, the example which they set to the next generation is lost and so forth.
Collective Bargaining has long been the preferred method for Broadcast Rights but an era of stringent financial guardianship is likely to see an end to that. The bigger clubs recognise that they would be significantly better rewarded through individual negotiations but the wealth gap which already exists would only become wider under those circumstances. UEFA would need to put in place some financial support for the losers in this situation, something that they have been strongly opposed to doing in the past.
Another crucial area to be addressed is the level of borrowing in evidence at clubs. The English Premier League is regularly held as an example where the excesses of this are most evident. That might be the case now but it was not so long ago that Real Madrid were winning the Champions League, saved from insolvency by the fortuitous sale of land to the city council. The current trend is different, foreign investors funding the purchase of clubs via borrowing which is loaded onto the clubs Balance Sheet or to parent companies, the repayments for which are removed from the club via Management Fees.
An inherently risky strategy, there is nothing wrong with this methodology provided it is managed prudently. However, too many clubs are barely profitable without such charges leading to an accumulation of future financial issues, clubs excessively dependent on future revenues to survive.
Separating the issue of third party borrowing from loans by owners is a thornier issue. Roman Abramovich has funded Chelsea via such loans yet can UEFA treat them as equals to the debts incurred at Manchester United and Liverpool for example, arising from the purchase of the clubs? What of the mortgage that Arsenal have on The Emirates Stadium? Is that of equal standing to any of the three previous examples. Wherever the line is drawn, the losers will bemoan their misfortune. It will take all of Platini and Rummenigge’s political acumen to find a solution that is beneficial to the game as a whole.
SPURS JOIN THE QUEUE TO BUY A VILLA IN THE SUN
Tottenham’s offer of £20m for David Villa seems more tongue-in-cheek than based in any serious reality. The player is being heavily linked with all of Europe’s major clubs and now some minor ones too and the Spanish club admit that offers have been received for the player but they have not given up on him staying.
The player has often been quoted as wanting to move to Real Madrid or Barcelona but has also drawn attention from at least two of the Premier League’s top two. A move to the Catalan giants seems to be the more stretched imagination of journalists with Joan Laporta closing the net on Emmanuel Adebayor although the chances of that succeeding are diminishing by the day. It seems that they have realised that Arsenal will not be negotiating a fee below €30m (£24m), a valuation that the azulgrana had previously baulked at paying.
Villa meanwhile has been subject to more interest that the media is aware of. Juan Sanchez, Les Ches technical secretary, spoke with Spanish daily AS,
A number of teams have come in with offers, more than are being spoken about, but both (coach Unai) Emery and I think that he’s going to stay
Were El Guaje to leave the Mestalla, it would be a big hole for them to fill. Scoring twenty one goals in thirty-five appearances in all competitions is a record comparable to any of Europe’s leading strikers. Considered in the context of Valencia’s dismal season in 2007-08, it becomes all the more remarkable.
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