Former Liverpool star Jamie Carragher believes that there is no pressure for the Reds and that they can get a result against an in-form Real Madrid on Tuesday, Express reports.
Liverpool haven’t had the best start to the season and are on a poor run of form, and after their 1-0 defeat to Newcastle this past weekend, face the reigning European Champions at the Santiago Bernabeu in their next Champions League fixture.
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The previous tie at Anfield only two weeks ago ended in a 3-0 thrashing by Madrid, but ex Reds defender Carragher claims Brendan Rodgers’ side can perform better than expected.
“People don’t expect Liverpool to get anything so the pressure is off a bit but you don’t want to go there and get embarrassed,” he said.
“You don’t want to be 3-0 down at half-time in the Bernabeu because they won’t be holding back in front of their own fans.
“Of course Real Madrid are big favourites but it’s not impossible for Liverpool to get something out of the game
“The big thing is defending better than they did at Anfield.
“They will be under pressure for long periods of the game and they have to stay neat and compact. They have to keep it tight and then try to hit them on the counter-attack.”
Carrager also added that if Liverpool are to get at least a point, then they must do all they can to stop Cristiano Ronaldo.
“He’s the best in the world and he’s in the form of his life,” he said on Cristiano Ronaldo.
“It’s not easy to stop him but you have to try to deny him the kind of space he revels in with his pace and power on the counter-attack.
“He was very quiet for the opening 20 minutes at Anfield but then came to life and transformed the game with a stunning finish. No-one else in the world would have scored that goal.
“It’s going to be tough over there as Real are a top team. They proved that at Anfield.
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“Liverpool haven’t started the season well but they’re still not away from the top four and they’re still right in contention to get out of their group in the Champions League.”
The last few weeks have been fantastic for Leeds. We’ve seen new owners come onboard who instantly provided funds to recruit players that have made a real difference to the team, we’ve seen performances on the pitch improve in an impressive fashion, and we’ve seen the atmosphere finally return to Elland Road.
Unfortunately one thing we haven’t seen return, is the attendance.
Before the takeover was completed fans were understandably boycotting games to ensure that their money didn’t end up in Bates’ pocket, it made sense, even if it wasn’t agreed by everyone as the correct way to do things.
What doesn’t make sense is why, after the clubs ownership changed hands, the majority of fans that opted to boycott have failed to return. Throughout the entire takeover saga GFH were repeatedly told not to worry about falling attendances, as they would definitely pick up again once they became owners. How disappointed they must’ve been to look over a half empty stadium on their first game as owners against Crystal Palace.
I’ve heard a few excuses over the last few weeks – ‘I’m not coming back while Bates is still there’ being the main one.
I have to question this.
Bates is still Chairman for the time being, but he has sold his entire share of the club to GFH. He has zero power, zero say in anything and importantly, zero control. He is simply there to give GFH his advice on how to run things. That doesn’t even mean GFH have to take his advice, in fact I’d be surprised if him staying on ‘til the end of the season was anything other than a demand he made to ensure the takeover went through.
GFH own the club, any money you spend on tickets, programmes or merchandise goes to GFH and towards the rebuilding of the club.
If Bates being around on an advisory basis is enough to keep you from Elland Road then I’m sorry, but he’s beaten you.
Another excuse for staying away is ticket prices.
A quick check on the online ticketing system suggests that the Chelsea game is almost sold out. Tickets for this game are £24 each.
Not only that, but it’s for a cup game. It’s all good and well filling the stadium for Chelsea, but where are the other 20,000 fans on Saturdays while our team are scrapping for promotion?
The atmosphere at Elland Road lately has been amazing, those of us that have been there have given everything to the players and look how they’ve responded? Can you imagine the difference a 30,000 crowd would have on a game with all four stands bouncing?
The club is finally going places again, so forget Bates, It’s time to start supporting the team. Your team. They’ve shown more fight and desire over the last few games than any Leeds team in recent memory, not only that, but they’ve looked good.
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This season looks like it could still have a very happy ending, promotion back to the Premier League is a serious possibility and I personally couldn’t imagine missing it for the world.
The Rangers fans in and around the Transfer Tavern are extremely excited with the future of their club in the hands of Steven Gerrard and feel that should this appointment be successful, silverware will soon be back at Ibrox.
The ex-England star will take up his first professional management role with the Gers as he hopes to lead them to glory once again. Already Rangers have been busy in the transfer market and that has to continue should they be in with a chance of matching Celtic’s talent ahead of the new season. Our punters would love to see a goalscorer join Ibrox and someone that could be in the form of Umar Sadiq, who is valued at £1.6 million on Transfermarkt.
The 21-year-old has recently been out on loan with Dutch outfit NAC Breda, where he played in 12 Eredivise games, scoring 5 goals and setting up 3 assists. That’s an impressive record for a player just joining a new league and upon his return to parent club Roma this summer, our punters believe Gerrard should take a punt and offer whatever it takes to bring him to Scotland.
Nigerian star Sadiq has a lot of potential and that could be fulfilled under Gerrard at Rangers this season. Umar Sadiq has bags of pace, power and determination, all vital attributes that will allow him to succeed in football. Roma aren’t prepared now to take a risk as they want proven players in their squad so for Rangers, this is the perfect time to sneak in and grab a bargain.
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Steven Pienaar announced his retirement from football this week, and needless to say Everton fans are missing him already.The 35 year-old made 189 Premier League appearances for the Toffees, scoring 20 league goals along the way.His announcement left some fans yearning for the good old days, reminiscing about the passion and fight players like Pienaar and Tim Cahill showed for the Blues every match.Everton have hit a wall this season. This was supposed to be the season where they break into the league’s elite, but none of the summer’s big money signings have made the desired impact. Sandro Ramirez has been loaned out to Sevilla, Davy Klaassen has hardly played and Michael Keane has been a disappointment.The club posted several tributes to Pienaar, which was met with mixed responses from the fans. While some had nothing but positive things to say, others couldn’t miss the opportunity to have a dig at their club’s current condition.A selection of the responses can be seen below…
Liverpool’s pursuit of Sevilla left-back Alberto Moreno is becoming one of the summer’s most arduous transfer sagas.
No doubt, the Spain international is an impressive talent – arguably La Liga’s equivalent to now Manchester United prodigy Luke Shaw. But Los Palanganos are incredibly reluctant to sell – their reported valuation has gone from £11million to over £20million in the space of single transfer window.
Mirror Football believe the deal could be back on. But we’ve heard all this before, and it’s time for the Reds to consider some alternatives. Just in case Brendan Rodgers is short on ideas, we’ve listed SIX of them.
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RICARDO RODRIGUEZ
The obvious alternative to Alberto Moreno is Wolfsburg prodigy Ricardo Rodriguez, a marauding left-back who shares the Spaniard’s entrenched desire to contribute going forward.
The 21 year-old absolutely destroyed the Bundesliga last season and transitioned his potent form into the World Cup, as shown below:
The Switzerland international may not be the most assured defender, but his attacking style would fit perfectly into Brendan Rodgers’ progressive philosophy. Here’s a look at him in action last season – some of his goals are absolute stunners:
//www.youtube.com/embed/2U1d6s_LAGI?
This World Cup assist to Haris Seferovic wasn’t too bad either:
But Die Wolfe are understandably keen not to part with Rodriguez this summer. As well as the Swiss star’s agent announcing an apparent €25million price-tag, the Bundesliga side have issued a hands-off warning:
SEAD KOLASINAC
Another Bundesliga left-back said to be in Liverpool’s transfer thinking is Schalke hot shot Sead Kolasinac, who offers a more rugged and conventional style than Alberto Moreno.
The 21 year-old is an impressive talent, having racked up 40 league appearances for the Miners since his debut at the start of the 2012/13 campaign. Last year he kept the ever-dependable Christian Fuchs out of the first team.
The World Cup didn’t fare too kindly for the Bosnian international, his tournament typified by this own goal against Argentina:
But the 6 foot full-back was in strong form last season. Here’s how he compared to Alberto Moreno:
Indeed, proficient tackling is a major part of the youngster’s game. Take this challenge against Stuttgart for example:
//www.youtube.com/embed/DH2UWswlv-M?rel=0
Or this against against Frankfurt:
//www.youtube.com/embed/lZF1OeAtqKY?rel=0
Although Kolasinac found two assists last season and is famed for his high-energy style, the Schalke starlet doesn’t offer too much going forward, as detailed below:
And having agreed a new contract until 2017 just last year, the Veltins Arena outfit are under no obligation to sell.
DALEY BLIND
Netherlands international Daley Blind was absolutely sensational at the World Cup, finishing the tournament with the second-most assists, as detailed below:
That includes this sensational delivery to Robin van Persie against Spain:
Not to mention this tidy strike in the play-off to help Oranje clinch third-place:
The prominent form follows an impressive domestic campaign which saw the Ajax utility man claim his club’s Player of the Year award. Here’s a look at his stats from last term:
And although the 24 year-old may not be a specialist at No.3, his ability to play in midfield or at centre-back would add vital depth to Liverpool’s roster.
Should the Reds revive their rumoured interest from earlier in the summer however..
They’ll face stiff competition from fellow suitors Manchester United and Barcelona, with the Red Devils reportedly prepared to meet Ajax’s £17.5million valuation.
JETRO WILLEMS
Another Dutch left-back that’s been catching Premier League attention for some time is PSV youngster Jetro Willems, who was on Manchester City’s radar back in April 2013:
The 20 year-old was in sensational form last season to find four goals and three assists from defence. His stats were pretty solid across the board too:
Here’s a short clip of the Netherlands international – who missed the World Cup through injury – in action. As you can see, his attacking attributes are underpinned by lethal pace and silky skills:
//www.youtube.com/embed/-iBh5Z-0-Ag?rel=0
Currently the record-holder as the youngest player to ever feature in a European Championship, there’s no doubting Willems’ potential.
But tied down to a contract until 2016, PSV will likely command a sizeable fee to let the youngster leave.
GAEL CLICHY
And while we’re on the subject of Manchester City, Liverpool could do a lot worse in their left-back pursuit this summer than French defender Gael Clichy.
The 29 year-old is no world-beater but offers vital Premier League experience, having amassed 251 top flight outings throughout spells with the Citizens and former club Arsenal.
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Furthermore, the France international is incredibly consistent and offers a very complete all round game, just take a look at his stats from last season:
Dependable defensively, influential but not proficient going forward and famed for his blistering pace, Clichy comes with a lot of positives.
The former Gunners star denied plans to leave the Etihad earlier this summer:
But still sharing game-time with Aleksander Kolarov, first team football whilst remaining in the Champions League could be enough to make Clichy reconsider. Here’s a short clip of the defender in action:
//www.youtube.com/embed/k6UcVEbiqzo?rel=0
MARCOS ROJO
The World Cup performances of Argentina international Marcos Rojo have reportedly caught the transfer attentions of Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Southampton:
Indeed, the 24 year-old was nothing short of exceptional at Brazil 2014. Here’s his stats from the tournament:
No doubt, the Sporting Lisbon defender is a classy and confident footballer, typified by this ‘Rabona’ clearance in his own penalty box against Bosnia:
He also measures in at 6 foot 2 and is equally adept at playing at centre-half – that could have particular significance for Liverpool, with rumours that Daniel Agger could be sold this summer.
There’s hot competition for his signature however, and recent speculation suggest the Saints are planning a £14million bid.
Here’s some of Rojo’s best moments for club and country:
Tottenham assistant manager Steffen Freund has insisted that his side are close to overtaking Arsenal and ending their spell of dominance over them in the Premier League, according to Talksport.
The North London rivals clash this weekend at The Emirates with Spurs currently holding a one point advantage, with both teams sitting in seventh and eighth respectively.
Andre Villas Boas took on Freund, a former Tottenham ace, as part of his backroom staff when he moved to the club this summer.
Freund soon realised that things had changed since his time at White Hart Lane, in particular the gap between his side and Arsenal.
Despite the respect for what the Gunners have achieved, the German believes that there is a real opportunity to take advantage of the drastically reduced gap between the sides and finish above their rivals:
“In my time Arsenal used to be involved in the title race every year and we finished ninth or 10th.
“That has changed now. We are really close to our biggest rival.
“It would be great to finish above Arsenal.
“It would be a great experience for me too because it has never happened for me in the past.
“I can’t wait for that game. It’s a special game.”
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Vibrant and dynamic partnerships can have an intrinsic impact on any team, and Everton fans who watched Leighton Baines and Steven Pienaar regularly link up down the left flank during their time together at Goodison Park will be more than aware of that.
Largely due to the Marcel Brands connection, the Toffees have been linked with PSV’s Hirving Lozano, who looks set to be remembered as one of the World Cup’s breakthrough stars after scoring the goal that saw Mexico unexpectedly beat Germany in the opening round of Group Stage clashes.
But that shock victory owed much to the defender fielded behind Lozano as well, 22-year-old Jesus Gallardo, who was excellent at left-back with seven clearances and eight interceptions to his name.
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With that in mind, we asked Everton fans whether the club’s new Director of Football should be looking to sign Gallardo too – an acquisition that could actually help Lozano settle quickly in England because of that extra familiarity.
And according to our poll, 79% of Everton fans would be in favour of a summer swoop. Brands does face a bit of a job to get a deal over the line though; Gallardo’s already agreed to sign for Monterrey, so he’ll have to convince the Mexican club to sell without the young full-back actually making an appearance for them.
Nonetheless, if Brands can get it done he could prove to be an incredibly smart signing for the Toffees.
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[brid autoplay=”true” video=”255857″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch Everton’s opening fixtures for the 201819 Premier League season”]
Aston Villa got back to winning ways in the English Championship on Saturday, defeating Sheffield Wednesday 4-2.
It was a hugely important three points, especially after poor results in recent matches, and Steve Bruce’s side showed tremendous spirit to come from behind twice to secure victory in the final five minutes of the match.
With the match poised at 2-2 heading into the closing moments, Conor Hourihane popped up with a fierce shot to put them ahead before Robert Snodgrass slotted home a penalty in injury time.
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Fans were delighted with the performance and result for the most part, but did have criticism for midfielder Josh Onomah, whose substitution on the hour mark was the catalyst for the comeback.
Supporters are now calling for him not to be selected in future, believing that the likes of Callum O’Hare would be a far better option.
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Is it time to stop playing the Tottenham Hotspur loan star?
Former Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke is sure that Louis van Gaal is the right man to be in the Old Trafford dugout after watching his Holland side at the World Cup.
The experienced Dutchman is set to make his switch to the Theatre of Dream proper when the Brazilian tournament finishes for his nation, which may be in three games’ time with the Oranje set to face Costa Rica in the quarter-finals.
Van Gaal has a wealth of experience at the very highest level following spells with Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Ajax, but some fans and pundits displayed reservations surrounding his appointment with club icon Ryan Giggs a name to have been tipped to take the role after being caretaker at the end of last season.
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Yorke was among that camp, but the ex-Trinidad & Tobago international says that he has been won over by van Gaal’s management of the Netherlands in recent weeks:
“I said on numerous occasions that I think Ryan Giggs was the one to be given the job and now I look back and reflect and think maybe Van Gaal is the right decision,” he told talkSPORT.
“You can’t question Van Gaal with what he has done and achieved in his career as a manager,
“Wherever he has gone, he has been successful, even if it is for a short period of time.
“He proved again in this World Cup that he is not just a great manager, but gets the maximum out his players, which is essential.
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“I think the players have lost their focus a bit and with Van Gaal coming in, with so much experience, he may get that focus back again and get the players achieving things United are usually associated with.”
Theo Walcott continues to make a good case for himself to finally get a role through the centre of Arsenal’s attack. His well-taken goal for the Gunners away at West Ham was another impressive finish to add to the two goals against Coventry in the League Cup. But is it enough to warrant a starting role for Arsene Wenger’s side?
I’m yet to be convinced of Walcott as a leading striker for a top Premier League team. He may flourish into one in the near future, but I’m not seeing it now. Goals in the manner that he put them away are impressive, despite the opposition, but the best thing the player can do at the moment is keep his head down and continue on the same path.
The injury while on international duty will be a big blow, and it’s something we’ve seen in the past from Walcott. He’ll get himself set for a good run of scoring form only to be sidetracked by injury. It was a regular occurrence prior to last season and was arguably a big contribution to his slow development. However, even with the issue of a new contract needing to be ironed out before January, Arsene Wenger may not totally trust Walcott as his central figure in attack.
There’s no doubt that the player can come off the bench and make an impact. Champions League ties against AC Milan and Liverpool in the past are good evidence of that, but we’re not seeing the second half scoring performance against Tottenham in last season’s 5-2 win regularly enough. The first half in that game was typical Walcott. Poor first touch and no great contribution is how those first 45-minutes will be remembered. Even the recent loss to Chelsea in the league saw Walcott provide very little, and that was also from an appearance off the bench.
Quite plainly, there’s nothing about Theo’s game that suggests he’s ready for the responsibility of the team’s main striker. But I do believe he’ll become one in the future.
He’s had enough with the wide position in the right flank, and rightfully so. Walcott was never a winger, despite his pace, and he lacks the attributes of a traditional wide player to be effective. He also doesn’t have the aggression and drive that you’d like to see from a key attacking player. He seems too hesitant to take a defender on and use his pace, often dithering on the ball and eventually losing possession. However, that may just be another indication that he’s not good enough for a role in the build-up play.
This system that Arsenal want to deploy using differing attacking styles with Gervinho and Olivier Giroud may work in Walcott’s favour. What if he does start putting away all his chances from the bench? What if he doesn’t use just one or two examples and point to his readiness for a central role? A flurry of goals and consistently good performances will only leave the manager with thoughts about starting Walcott. It’s another option for Arsenal and another system that will only leave the opposition ill-prepared.
I’ve made the point in the past that Walcott can’t be used as the striker in games where the opposition defend deep and have no intention to attack. In games such as those, Walcott becomes close to useless. He doesn’t have the intelligence to get behind a packed defence, nor has he displayed an ability to hold the ball up for his team mates.
Part of the reason he’s been so good coming off the bench is because the opposition have been worn out. They’re in no state to deal with his pace in the 80th minute of a game, often allowing him to race past and advance on goal. It was the theme in which we saw him capitalise in Milan and at Anfield, and how much would West Ham’s defenders have had in the tank to deal with his attack in the recent win at Upton Park?
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It’s a learning process at the top level that Walcott never had. He’s never had a run in either the Arsenal or England teams as a striker, thus making the transition a potentially problematic one. The role he has been given of late—one which surely has a lot to do with the contract situation—is one that works for both him and the team. The rest of the Arsenal players are not slowed down by his inferior technical skill, but he’s still getting goals when he finds an opportunity.
If he decides to stay at Arsenal and listen to Wenger’s advice, this could be the season where Walcott establishes himself as a successful central player rather than a frustrating and frustrated winger.