Why title favourites Chelsea are bucking the trend

Why title favourites Chelsea are bucking the trend

A fashionable comment to make about modern football is that it is a squad not a team that wins the premier league. With the title challengers likely to be challenging on all fronts, it is said to be necessary to have a squad of players who can be rotated to keep everyone fresh. Chelsea appear to be bucking the trend.

Chelsea have fielded just 18 different players from the start in premier league matches, with Loic Remy, Petr Cech, Fillipe Luis, Ramires Didier Drogba and John Obi Mikel starting 3 games or less out of the 16 played. Therefore, Chelsea have mainly used the same 12 players, yet look to be running away with the league. Amazingly, only Southampton have used fewer players from the start, showing that Chelsea have applied doubt to the idea that squad rotation is vital to perform well in both the Premier League and Europe. In terms of their perceived start of the season rivals, Man Utd have used 26 players from the start, Arsenal have used 20, Liverpool have started 23 different players and Man City have used 22 players.  So whilst squad rotation is shown to not automatically ensure success and indeed a settled team seemingly helping Chelsea, it is individual brilliance that marks Chelsea as better than the rest. Whilst it is argued by many pundits that it is a team and not individuals that win titles, I argue differently and I pick out 5 individuals in the Chelsea side that are irreplaceable within their squad and reasons why Mourinho turns his back on rotation, you may be surprised by the names I don’t include.

In terms of Centre backs Chelsea have 2 of the best 3 centre backs in England I would argue. Only Vincent Kompany is comparable I believe, and his injury problems are such that Terry and Cahill are more valuable to their side. Cahill and Terry are fantastic and are obviously a key reason why Chelsea have only conceded 13 goals. Furthermore, they could not be rotated without clear harm to Chelsea’s backline with only the inexperienced Kurt Zouma and the option of shifting Ivanovic to centre back. I’ve never been a fan of Ivanovic at centre back as I feel his decision making in the position is often rash. Whilst I’ve seen little of Zouma, the problems faced by many young centre halves who arrive in England (note Eliquim Mangala) suggest that it is best if he is bedded in slowly.

You only had to see how much Chelsea missed him to know how good Nemanja Matic is. The Premier League isn’t blessed with a plethora of high quality defensive midfielders but Matic is far and away the best of what we have in the division. John Obi Mikel his understudy is decent but is a long way of Matic’s ability and the gulf between the two shows why Mourinho doesn’t rotate his defensive midfielder too often.

In terms of genuine central midfielders, Cesc Fabregas is as good as you’ll get in terms of creating chances. Quite simply no-one else at Chelsea and probably the league is as good at finding the right pass and playing it. In the last match against Hull, Chelsea were forced to play with Matic and Mikel in midfield, and they missed Fabregas by all accounts despite the 2-0 win.

Last but not least it’s their main flair player Eden Hazard. Whilst they have other players capable of producing magic moments behind the striker, they all lack the consistency of Hazard. Whilst Oscar has potential, too often he doesn’t produce against the top sides.  Andre Schurrle and Mohammad Salah have struggled to make an impact since joining Chelsea, whilst Willian is a fantastic player but it is his work ethic rather than his goals and assists that has been noted since he joined the club.

Many will say I should’ve included Courtois, Costa or Ivanovic but I feel the competition for places in those positions is such that Chelsea have cover. To miss these players for 2 or 3 games would be a blow but Chelsea could cope. Without the 5 I’ve mentioned above, they would struggle more.

My England cricket world cup squad and lineup

Moen Ali, Ravi Bopara, James Vince, James Taylor, Joe Root, Adam Lyth, Alex Lees, Gary Ballance, Eoin Morgan, Alex Hales, Jason  Roy, James Hildreth, Samit Patel, Luke Wright, Ian Bell, Craig Kieswetter, Jos Buttler, Johnny Bairstow, Sam Billings, Varun Chopra, Ben Stokes, Jim Allenby.

The above is a list of players that I would rather have in the ODI squad than Alistair Cook purely as batsmen. Cook for most people, looks very uncomfortable when he looks to score quickly and has a strike rate too low for one day cricket and should not even be considered in my opinion. The above list however, shows how hard it is to pick an ODI batting lineup for England with so many strong options around the country. There are 22 names on the list above and all of them could do a job for England in one day cricket I believe, yet we can fit just 7 of them into the lineup.

This goes to show that England should not be poor at one day cricket. England have the players in the country to make big scores, it’s just about picking the right team. If you sat 10 people down in a room to select their one day sides they would probably all disagree on some players. Then you add in some strong bowling options in my opinion:

Adil Rashid, Stuart Broad, Tim Bresnan, James Anderson, James Tredwell, Harry Gurney, Chris Jordan, David Willey, Steven Parry, Luke Fletcher, Toby Roland-Jones, Steven Finn.

There’s 12 options there that should offer enough to create a good 4 man attack with many of the earlier options discussed able to bowl the overs of the 5^th bowler plus Ben Stokes can also be considered in this category.I think its important in one day cricket to have some genuine wicket taking options and not just players there to stem the flow of runs in the easier overs to bowl in between overs 10 and 35. 

 Bearing all the names I’ve mentioned in mind this would be my  11 plus the other 4 players I’d take to the world cup:

Alex Hales- England’s most destructive batsman at the top of the order and he quite simply has to play in my opinion. Hales can pace a one-day innings superbly and this puts him ahead of Jason Roy in my opinion who seems to me to be over aggressive at times opening the batting.

Moen Ali- a very good spinner as well as arguably the best timer of a ball in the team, Ali has to be in the side it’s just a matter of where. I think opening is the best position for him as his superb timing will be best utilised during the fielding restrictions.

Joe Root- I think every 1 day side needs 2 players who they build a total around and Root and Taylor are the men to do this for me. His 100 at Headingley showed he has the ability to make a big score and I think he is learning all the time in the limited overs formats and will get even better.

James Taylor ©- perhaps my most controversial selection, Taylor has been outstanding this season and is by far the best player in county cricket not a regular in the one day side. He’s captained Nottinghamshire superbly this season so I would give the captaincy to him due to his experience of it in county cricket, whilst I know Eoin Morgan captains Middlesex in the limited overs forms, the poorness of the results does not inspire confidence.

Ben Stokes- His performance at Durham on Saturday showed me that not only does he have to be in this team, but he has to bat in the top 6. This guy should be huge to England’s future in all 3 formats of the game if handled correctly.

Eoin Morgan- I prefer Eoin Morgan down the order coming in towards the end of the innings. People saying he should bat at 4 are speaking nonsense for me because he is at his best at the end of the innings. Partnership building in the middle overs is not his strength but as he showed in the t20 international yesterday, is still England’s best and most destructive finisher.

Jos Buttler- 1 of 2 selections that everyone agrees with, Buttler has gone from strength to strength in the limited overs formats and is a strong finisher to have in the side.

Adil Rashid- the leading wicket taker in the RL50 thus far, Rashid is at the peak of his career and offers a threat in the middle overs that the reliable James Tredwell cannot provide. With Rashid and Ali, England have genuine threats in the spinner positions.

Stuart Broad- the other selection that everyone agrees with, it’s vital Broad has a good world cup being England’s best bowler in this form of the game.

Steven Finn- Finn seems to have rediscovered his form which is very good to see, with Stokes and Finn England have genuine wicket taking potential in the quick bowling ranks which is the best way to stem the flow of runs.

James Anderson- I’m actually not sure I’d pick Anderson for every game, but in swinging conditions there is no-one better in the world. He is a poor death bowler however and should not be used as 1. If conditions look like they are unlikely to swing I’d bring Chris Jordan in for the increased variety as Anderson struggles in shorter formats where it doesn’t swing.

Plus- Chris Jordan- A very talented bowler and clean striker with the bat, he misses out on the 11 because of Finn’s ability to take wickets in unlikely situations.

 Ravi Bopara- Its very harsh to leave Bopara out but I wanted to get Stokes into the top 5. Feel he isn’t really worth his place as a number 8 on his bowling which is the other alternative in my lineup.

 James Tredwell- a very reliable performer for England, however, I feel the more attacking duo of Ali and Rashid offer more of a threat for England whilst also having 4 seamers if 1 of the spinners has a bad day.

Jason Roy-A destructive batsmen, however, I remain to be completely convinced of his ability to either make a big innings at the top of the order or to bat through in a situation where he could come in at say 30-4. 

Why I’m happy the ECB have kept faith with their under-fire squad

England’s performance against Sri Lanka in the final 2 days was terrible and it cost them a series that up to that point they had dominated. The Sri Lankans were a poor side and England should have won the series 2-0 with the talent they have in their squad. I guess it is understandable therefore, that the likes of James Vince, Jos Buttler, Eoin Morgan, Steven Finn, Monty Panesar and in particular Ben Stokes were called upon to be selected. However, I think the current youthful side is showing potential and should not be tampered with too much. Bringing Stokes in for one of the seamers would leave them light in the bowling department, whilst overstocking the batting. In my opinion, Stokes has to bat 6 and Moen Ali is the current man in possession. To replace Moen Ali with Stokes would require a reshuffle in the bowling in order to bring in a spinner. I see two main problems with this, the first one being there isn’t a spinner ready to play for England and Moen Ali is one of the best spinners we can pick if we are talking purely in bowling terms and obviously he contributes a lot with the bat. Monty Panesar is in far too much trouble off the pitch and needs to sort himself out before he can have an England future. I must admit I haven’t seen much of Simon Kerrigan, the other leading candidate and I do feel it is unfair to judge him on his performance at the oval where the nerves got to him. Whether Kerrigan is ready therefore, is difficult to answer but spinners tend to reach their peak a lot later than Kerrigan’s current age not including the greats. The 2^nd reason is Moen Ali’s century during the 2^nd test which almost secured a draw for England. Ali cannot be dropped from the side after such a performance.

The other main debate is whether to include Jos Buttler or Matt Prior, but I think I would still go for the experience of Prior. In a new era with young talent coming through, I feel it is necessary to retain some experience in the current team and his half-century in the first test indicates he still has plenty to offer at test match level and his test match record speaks for itself. I think I may be in the minority when I see a positive future for English cricket, but the emergence of Sam Robson, Gary Ballance and Chris Jordan along with the resurgence of Joe Root and Liam Plunkett shows great positives for English cricket. 

Shola Ameobi; a tribute

Shola Ameobi: a Tribute

 

Ameobi was not the most talented player to play for Newcastle United. He himself would admit this fact. Newcastle fans up and down the country, including myself would often his question his selection in matchday squads or the starting XI. What Shola Ameobi gave Newcastle United was commitment, leadership and soul. Many fans would argue that the commitment side of things should be the bare minimum and I agree but there’s plenty of former Newcastle players I didn’t feel contributed it every time they played, Michael Owen and Damien Duff to name 2. Shola played through injuries, often to the detriment of his performances and his long-term fitness. I believe he lost a yard of pace following a hip operation during the 2006-07 season, a problem it is said he played with for 2 years due to a lack of other first team strikers. I don’t think many players would have done that for the Newcastle cause, at a time when Newcastle United were struggling.

 Whilst Shola was never a prolific scorer, he had a knack of scoring important, memorable goals. From his stunning equaliser against Tottenham, to his winner in the cup against Chelsea, to his brace against Sunderland in a 5-1 win, every Newcastle fan has memories of Shola they remember fondly. His derby goals are well documented, 7 goals against Sunderland places him only below Jackie Milburn on an all-time list in that fixture and he’s also netted 4 against Middlesborough. His goal against Barcelona at the Nou Camp, will also live long in the memory. His calmness and record from the penalty spot is faultless and I was always confident if he was taking a penalty. His European record was much talked of and he scored 15 goals in 51 games in European competitions. During the 2005-06 season, Shola netted 6 goals in the last 12 games to fire Newcastle into Europe. Following Newcastle’s disastrous relegation season big name strikers abandoned the club. Mark Viduka, Michael Owen and Obafemi Martins all sort new clubs. Going into the new season, there was huge worry around the club, with many fans such as myself thinking a return to the premier league was unlikely with the lack of goalscoring prowess in the squad. But Shola stepped up for HIS club, he cared about this football club. The goals of Kevin Nolan, Andy Carroll and Peter Lovenkrands will be remembered but Shola was prominent at the beginning of the season, when the doubt amongst the fans was really there. His hat-trick against Reading in the 2^nd match laid a marker for the whole team for the season.

His final interview brought a tear to my eye, my favourite quote was “I hope the fans realise that I have given everything for this club blood, sweat and my soul. “ I can only say I hope the fans realise this also, he has been criticised over the years, but he doesn’t select himself and he cared about this club. Shola Ameobi should be remembered fondly by every Newcastle United fan. In a club devoid of leaders and fighters since the departures of Kevin Nolan, Joey Barton, Andy Carroll, Steve Harper, Nicky Butt, Alan Smith and Yohan Cabaye in recent years, Shola was both of these. No-one has a bad word to say about Shola Ameobi he is a footballing gentleman. Joey Barton once called him the “nicest man in football” and this shows the respect he has in the game.

When Newcastle managers have been in bad predicaments they have turned to Shola Ameobi. Joe Kinnear brought him back in when he came in, a calm figure amongst the turmoil. Alan Shearer did not pick his former strike partner much but threw him on during the final day of the relegation season. Chris Hughton turned to him at the start of the championship season when he needed an experienced striker to put in the performances. He wasn’t prominent towards the end of the season or the start of the next season but came back shortly before Hughton lost his job- contributing important goals. Shola played an important role at the back end of that season, when it was feared Andy Carroll’s sale would contribute to relegating the club. When Pardew was under-pressure in November and December, Shola found himself back in the manager’s first team. This shows the high-regard Shola was held in and that when the team needed leaders, the manager relied on him.

 

I really do wish Shola the best in the rest of his career and after it. A true footballing gentleman, who I and many others will miss seeing as part of Newcastle United. I encourage any Newcastle fans to read Shola’s final interview at Newcastle linked below and think how long it may be until we see another character like Shola spending 14 years at Newcastle.

 

 

http://www.nufc.co.uk/articles/20140523/ameobi-ive-given-everything-for-this-club_2281670_3833854

Random former premier league players at the world cup

Random former premier league players that are at the world cup

 

The first thing I was interested in finding when I looked through the world cup squads was some random former premier league players. Not your Cesc Fabregas’s and Luka Modric’s the ones who were quite good but the random ones, who looked lost at premier league level, the ones who jumped ship early into their stay or raise a smile when a football fan mentions them as if to say  “I remember him”. I’m pleased to report there a large amount of these players going to the world cup, many more than I expected. Now I’ve got over the disappointment of Alessandro Diamanti not making the competition, here is my list of random former premier league players to look out for.

 

Jô

 

The £21 million man, the man to fire Man City into a new era who netted once in 21 games. His initial loan spell at Everton was relatively decent followed by a poor 2^nd loan spell and subsequent departure from the country. I think I speak for many English football fans in being surprised at his selection in a strong Brazil squad, but maybe he’s improved?

 

Jean Makoun

 

Gerard Houllier signed him for around £6million pounds with a high reputation back in France. An early red card a few weeks after joining was a bad start and it never really got better for the Cameroon man making just 9 league appearances in 18 months before a loan back to France.

Philippe Senderos

 

Senderos is a bit more experienced in English football than many of the other members of this list and he surely has a fantastic agent for his continual transfers to massive clubs far superior to his ability. Starting at Arsenal he made 84 league appearances, far too many in the opinion of Gunners fans I suspect. A surprise loan spell to Ac Milan was followed by a surprise loan spell for Everton for whom he only played twice. He even struggled when he went to Fulham so many would’ve suspected he’d finally drop out of the top tier, only for Valencia to decide he was good enough for them. A very confusing situation indeed.

Gelson Fernandes

 

The man Sven once described as the “best young player in Switzerland” he failed to light up Manchester. Unperturbed by this, Sven signed him on loan for Leicester in a very strange loan move. When Sven was sacked he was confined to the Leicester reserves and asked for his loan move to be terminated, I don’t think he’ll be queuing up to return to England. He seems to have rebuilt his career slightly with Freiburg in the Bundesliga but Sven’s ringing praise seems to have been misled.  

Eduardo

 

Certainly not as bad as others on this list and it’s a bit harsh to be critical due to a horrific broken leg injury however, I feel the need to include him on this list for that dive alone that earned him a 2 match champions league ban

Giovani dos Santos

 

This guy is someone who had a huge reputation when he arrived in England from Barcelona. 15 appearances in 4 years was very much a disappointing return for someone who’s attitude was heavily criticised by Harry Redknapp in particular his liking of the London nightlife. His brief loan spell at Ipswich surely makes him one of the more unlikely players to have taken part in the English 2^nd tier. He has 73 caps for his country at only 25 which is a big surprise to many, he did make his debut at 18 though

 

Giorgos Karagounis

 

I know he’s only just left Fulham but he certainly isn’t the most memorable of players and I think many of us still think we were just imagining that a veteran Greek midfielder played for Fulham for 2 seasons.

Alberto Aquilani

 

A big money Xabi Alonso replacement, injuries caused his Liverpool career to never get going. Roy Hodgson said he was loaning Aquilani to get some much needed match fitness the season after, 56 league games later in 2 different loan spells, he was sold for a massive lost.

Andranik Teymourian

The surprising stat about this man is that he had 2 different premier league clubs. Real blink and you’ll miss it stuff from the Iranian at Fulham as he made his only appearance in a 1-0 victory over Arsenal which makes you ask why he didn’t play more. Perhaps more well- known for his prior spell at Bolton including a man of the match performance against Wigan in which, he grabbed 2 goals and this performance will live long in Bolton fans hearts. He also had a brief loan spell at Barnsley in the championship.

 

Victor Obinna

 

This speed demon had a season long loan at West Ham back in the 2010/11 season in which he grabbed 3 goals in 25 games. His red card against Birmingham in the league cup semi-final in an incident with serial wind-up merchant Sebastien Larsson is unfortunately his most memorable action in a West Ham shirt.

 

Diego Forlan

 

Certainly not as random as many on this list but his 10 goals in 63 premier league appearances in a Man Utd shirt grabs him a place on the list. I do like that he ended his goal drought on signing for Manchester United with an 89^th minute penalty in a 5-2 win, certainly the best way to see a goal drought ended. Other than his spell at Man Utd however, his career has been a lot more successful than most on this list.

Jérôme Boateng

 

Another not so random selection on the list, but I thought I’d include him based on how he changed from being a bench-ridden right back to being at the centre of the defence of the best team in Europe within 2 seasons. Maybe an example of a player poorly used rather than him being awful for Manchester City.

Jonathan Mensah

I struggle to believe that this man was only 27 when he arrived at Sunderland, he seemed to be in his early thirties back then. His persistent injuries meant he was not a regular fixture in the side. His bust-up with Nedum Onuoha in which they had to be separated by other players was allegedly caused by his poor performance. Its lucky not all Nedum’s teammates take the same approach when they think he’s had a poor game…

Asamoah Gyan

 

Gyan wasn’t actually poor for Sunderland and looked like he may turn into a good signing. Then a ridiculous transfer in which he signed for Al-Ain to play in front of a reported 300 fans. To be fair I don’t blame him based on the reported £140,000 a week offer for 5 years, just the bizarreness of the transfer is something that brings a smile to the face. Gyan has banged in 81 goals in 65 games for his side so I’m sure the man and his dog are frequently celebrating avidly.

Hélder Postiga

 

The man who helped knock England out of Euro 2004, his Tottenham spell was particularly forgettable scoring just once in 19 league games. Still only 31 (I know), he is travelling to another world cup despite another poor season in which he has managed just 3 league goals. To be fair to him, his goal scoring record in international football is impressive with 27 goals in 66 games, the marked difference from his club form is probably just one of those unexplainable things.

Hassan Yebda

A member of the Portsmouth side that went down, need I say more? I will expand, he’s probably one of those players that you’ve heard the name of before but can’t think of where from or what position he played; he’s a defensive midfielder in case you’re wondering.

Park Chu-Young

 

I know he still technically plays for Arsenal, but I’m including him seeing as his one and only Arsenal league appearance was back in January 2012. Also had a 2 game loan spell with Championship side Watford to close the season and  with 1 of those appearances as a 90^th minute substitute, he doesn’t go into the world cup with much form behind him.

 

Ji Dong-Won

 

Probably more affectionately known than many of the list just because he produced that moment against Man City and Martin Tyler’s subsequent excitable reaction. Him and the aforementioned Park up front together could be a field day for fans of random footballer fans such as myself.

Why the neutral fan doesn’t understand why Alan Pardew must leave Newcastle

The neutral fan doesn’t understand why Alan Pardew must leave Newcastle

 

If you look at the table compared to the Newcastle United squad, 9^th place would be seen as a reasonable finish. One which most fans would have taken at the start of the season. Therefore, neutral fans do not understand why Pardew gets so much stick. This article will explain the reasons why.

 

In 2014, Newcastle haven’t scored many goals. In fact they’ve managed just 3 at St James’ Park since the turn of the year. So why is it that Pardew continues to leave out his most creative players? I get that losing Yohan Cabaye was a big hit to the squad, and that not replacing him was an obvious error. But continuously picking teams with no creative outlet is obviously not going to result in goals. Pardew has players who can create goals in his squad. Hatem Ben Arfa, who I won’t hesitate to say is the most talented player in the squad, rarely starts games. When he does, he is blamed for his lack of defending. The fact is, Ben Arfa can do things that no-one else in the squad can. On a similar vein, Sylvain Marveaux is almost never seen, not even from the bench. Strange seeing as he had the most assists in the squad last season. Neutral fans may argue that yes, we are still 9^th in the table but there is a right to complain. How would Chelsea fans react if Eden Hazard was regularly left out with John Obi Mikel played in his place on the wing? What about Arsenal fans if Nicklas Bendtner was selected to partner Olivier Giroud regularly with Santi Cazorla on the bench and Mesut Ozil not in the squad? What about Manchester City fans if Silva and Nasri were leftout of the lineup only to make way for Jack Rodwell on the flanks? They wouldn’t be impressed and would also call for their manager’s head. The fact is football is all about entertainment and most Newcastle fans don’t get that. I for one, have often sat twiddling my thumbs for 65 minutes knowing that the thought that we might score doesn’t enter my head until Ben Arfa is turned to. I’m not saying Ben Arfa and Marveaux are comparable in ability to Cazorla, Ozil and Hazard but they perform similar roles for the Newcastle team and without them Newcastle are dull as dishwater to watch. Since Alan Pardew took over 3 and a half years ago, I don’t think Ben Arfa and Marveaux have started more than 10 games together, this shows Pardew’s defensive style.  I think West Ham fans will sympathise here, thinking back to the days where he left out Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano for Marlon Harewood and Hayden Mullins. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a worse Newcastle team to watch, not even the relegation season saw a side that was as boring as this one, it doesn’t have to be with Ben Arfa and Marveaux in the squad.

Similarly, Pardew prefers to play players out of their usual positions rather than turn to some of these players. This season alone, Davide Santon has played as a central midfielder, right back and left back. Moussa Sissoko has played as a central midfielder, right and left midfield, right and left winger and as an attacking midfielder. Yoan Gouffran has played all across the midfield and upfront, Mapou Yanga Mbiwa has played all across the backline. Some of these players have deserved to be dropped but Pardew keeps them in the team continuously. Moussa Sissoko offers very little to the team and doesn’t compete for the ball, yet still keeps the likes of Ben Arfa, Marveaux and Sammy Ameobi on the sidelines and praise from his manager who says he has had a “terrific season”. Yoan Gouffran I think is a good player but needs some competition, I struggle to think of a good performance he has put in since boxing day because he has had no-one pushing him for a spot. Davide Santon has been a liability for 12 months but has only finally been replaced because he has had injuries. Pardew’s frequent selection of Shola Ameobi who scored his first premier league goal in 16 months on Saturday is baffling.

 

Furthermore, Pardew frequently mentions his struggle to motivate his players to play for Newcastle since a top half finish formerly looked a near certainty. I am by no means saying the players are blameless here but surely Pardew should be able to motivate his team. That is a part of his job. The falling to pieces of Newcastle sides that have gone 1-0 down, only to lose by 3 or 4 since January has been disgusting. I witnessed the home games with Everton, Tottenham and Man Utd and the team just stopped trying once it went behind. It was embarrassing to watch and it made me angry. Any football fan is entitled to expect 100% commitment from his team at any point.

 

Part of the worst bit of Pardew’s management is his excuses. It’s never Alan Pardew’s fault. This season he has blamed injuries ( which I feel we have not had that many of this season, compared to other seasons), the local media (implying fans can’t decide for themselves he’s useless- believe me they can), a negative stadium (because of your team’s poor performances), Cabaye going ( you could use that for a week not 3 months and counting), science (a very odd suggestion), the wind ( not convinced again), tiredness (not surprising seeing as you never change the team and rest players). Not only this, he has used the excuse that we “controlled the game” on various occasions, when we quite simply haven’t, yesterday being a prime example. The arrogance of the man was summed up yesterday when he argued that he would have stopped the Swansea winner going in, had he been on the touchline, prior to the Southampton game he said his return to the stadium would give his players a lift, they lost 4-0 in perhaps their worst performance of the season.

 

This brings me onto the worries for next season. The current form would see Newcastle relegated from the premier league. 13 defeats in the last 18 games means that it is likely that Newcastle will be battling relegation next time out without some serious changes. Yes new players are needed, new strikers and wingers in particular, but Pardew’s mismanagement of the current squad means I don’t think he is equipped to handle a squad overhaul.

England First Test Team

My England team for the first test of the summer

 

Alistair Cook- The England captain is an obvious selection, and despite his weaknesses as a captain, he is a fantastic batsman.

Sam Robson- I saw his magnificent 163 v Nottinghamshire first hand last week. I was beginning to wonder what all the hype was about when he struggled to 15, frequently playing and missing at Peter Siddle and Luke Fletcher. However, I was impressed with the way he persevered and got through a difficult spell, even when he was put under pressure by two of his teammates falling early. After making 30, he looked completely at ease as did Eoin Morgan, but the fact that Robson went onto get 163 and Morgan 85 shows the difference between the two. Robson’s higher concentration allowed him to take Middlesex into a dominating position. With this a place very much up for grabs, Robson is the leading candidate for me.

Joe Root- He struggled throughout the winter in Australia but he is a big talent. I think Jonathan Trott’s absence leaves a huge hole in the side but I think Root is the man to fill that void. He has shown his class on occasion for England and I expect him to become more consistent as he adjusts to test match cricket.

Ian Bell- A fantastic batsman but I would rather leave him at 4 as I think that’s where the best batsman in the lineup should bat, don’t want him exposed to the new ball.

Moen Ali- Maybe a slightly left-field selection, but Ali is a very talented batsman. Added to this, with the quality of spin bowlers on offer in England, he is possibly one of the best options to bowl spin for England. With him batting 5 it enables me to get an extra seam bowler into this lineup.

Ben Stokes- Stokes enjoyed a very good ashes and at number 6, there is a chance for him to provide either a counter-attacking innings in difficult situations or accelerate the game from a position of strength. His bowling would still be useful on occasion but maybe not so much with 4 seamers

Matt Prior- He had a horrible 2013 but class is permanent and I believe Prior will be back to his old self this summer and his record shows he deserves another chance to bounce back from a bad year.

Tim Bresnan- I wasn’t shore whether to select an extra batsman or Bresnan but I decided on Bresnan as I think he adds something different to the England attack. His reverse swing and his famous ability to “bowl a heavy ball” make him a useful addition to the team. Bresnan is also capable of scoring runs, making his selection above that of Graham Onions.

Stuart Broad- Broad is one of the best in the world when he is at his best and is an automatic selection.

James Anderson- The leader of the England attack for a few years now, I have no reason to think that this should change.

Steven Finn- Finn had a horrible year last year, but he has started the 2014 county season superbly and this for me shows evidence of him getting back to somewhere near his best. I only saw him bowl 2 overs at Lords last week against numbers 10 and 11 but he did look to be getting it through at a high pace. In some conditions I might say that Graham Onions should be preferred.

                                                                                                                                                                        

Newcastle United; a squad review

Newcastle United; a squad review

 

Those of you who follow my personal twitter account (@bastie35) will know that I am no Alan Pardew fan. I think his tactics are stuck in the dark ages, and he has an ability to get the best out of his most talented players. However, it seems likely he will be tasked with overhauling the squad this summer, this analysis shows who I would like to keep and who I think is not good enough for the Newcastle squad. I have not included Loic Remy as I know he won’t be signing anyway.

 

Goalkeepers

 

Tim Krul- Keep- Krul has had a poor season apart from a blinding performance away to Tottenham and has made a lot of mistakes. Nevertheless, he is a good goalkeeper and should be kept unless a substantial bid comes Newcastle’s way.

Rob Elliott- Keep- Elliott is a very good backup for a premier league side to have and I see no reason to move the former Charlton keeper on.

 

Defenders

 

Fabricio Coloccini- Keep- Coloccini has been criticised by sections of the fanbase this season and I find that staggering. Whilst he has not enjoyed the best of form in the last 4 or 5 matches, the skipper is far and away Newcastle’s best centre-back and a big effort must be made to retain his services

Davide Santon- Sell- Santon has had an awful season and I still think his best position is at right back where he was our biggest threat against Manchester United. Having said that, Mathieu Debuchy plays in that position so Santon would be an expensive luxury as a backup right back as it is likely we could receive a fee in the region of £6million for the defender. If Debuchy goes to PSG as rumoured however, I would not be averse to keeping Santon as first choice right back and using the money elsewhere.

Mike Williamson- keep- Williamson is not the most talented player in the squad but he is solid. I don’t believe he is good enough to play week in, week out but is a useful squad player for the club to keep.

Mapou Yanga Mbiwa- keep- I think there is a talented player here but he needs to be played at centre back alongside a big strong defender, not with Colo and definitely not as a fullback where he is atrocious. I think he has looked good in the games he’s played at centre back with Mike Williamson.

Ryan Taylor- keep- I have no idea how good he will be after his cruel luck with injuries. At his best he is one of my favourite players in this squad due to the utter contempt I have for some of them and his passion for the team. His ability to play a number of positions, whilst being able to contribute to the team in all of them would be an important ingredient once more if he could return to his best.

Massadio Haidara- keep- I think he is a talented player but he needs to work on his crossing. He’s got a good build for a fullback as he is strong and athletic and is very strong in the tackle as Ashley Young found out 2 weeks ago!

Mathieu Debuchy- keep- An outstanding right back and the only Newcastle player who is in the top 5 in his position in the division. He can do everything you want in a right back he can tackle, head, cross, positionally very sound,  comfortable in possession and has a fantastic engine. Newcastle must do everything in their power to keep hold of him but I think he will reunite with his best friend Yohan Cabaye at PSG.

Steven Taylor- sell- Has been allowed for far too long to get away with too much from the supporters because he is a local lad who fist pumps the fans. The truth is he lacks concentration and anticipation and so should be moved on this summer.

Curtis Good- keep- haven’t seen much of him but as he’s only 20 and getting first team football, its worth having an extended look at him.

James Tavernier- keep- He looked awful in the Newcastle games he played in last season but has had a very successful loan spell at Rotherham this season so it may be worth giving him next season to prove himself.

Paul Dummett- sell- He looks all over the place positionally in defence, offers little in attack. At the age of 22 I think the time has run out for him to prove he’s worthy of playing for Newcastle.

Midfielders

Moussa Sissoko- sell- I honestly think he brings little to the table for Newcastle. He’s quick yes but he lacks end product as both his shooting and crossing are poor. He’s also tall but is scared of challenging for the ball so that doesn’t help him. Whilst he is often defensively disciplined, I expect a bit more from a winger which is where he has been playing and I’ve been far from impressed when he has played infield also. Sissoko is also one of the first to let their heads go down if we fall behind.

Vurnon Anita- keep- I think Anita is a tidy player but his performances have dropped of late. Pardew moving to the flanks in the last 2 games has certainly not helped however, and I think he is technically a very fine player and should be one of the first names on the teamsheet.

Hatem Ben Arfa- KEEP PLEASE- look at the names on this list and think like a defender, which one would you least like to face? He is by far the most talented player in the squad and the fact that he doesn’t start games is ridiculous. I will be heartbroken if as expected, he does leave the Toon this summer.

Yoan Gouffran- keep- His performances have been very poor of late and he needs a kick up the backside. However, I don’t think selling him is a good option as at his best he is very good defensively and scores plenty of important goals.

Dan Gosling- sell- Gosling has actually been one of our better players of late but I think that tells you more about the teams performances than Gosling’s. 2 starts in the last 2 and a half years in the league tells you it’s time for the 24 year old to move on.

Romain Amalfitano- sell- move on, simple as.

Jonas Gutierrez- sell- It breaks my heart to say it, but his best days are a long way behind him. It’s a shame because at his best he was a very effective player for Newcastle he was good defensively and a fine dribbler. Will not be forgotten by me for his services to Newcastle particularly during the promotion winning season.

Gael Bigirimana- keep- Another Newcastle youngster who seems to have faded away after a bright start, really hope he pushes on next season.

Sylvain Marveaux- Keep- Another that I would ideally keep but Pardew has clearly made up his mind here. It’s a shame because he made a few important goals last season, notably for Papiss Cisse in his winners against Stoke and Anzhi. A very talented player who can dribble with an eye for a pass, but is rarely included in the matchday squad these days.

Cheick Tiote- Keep- a warrior for Newcastle, it is essential Newcastle keep hold of him this season, the only other leader in the squad apart from Coloccini who may well leave. Would have no qualms handing him the captaincy should Colo leave.

 

Gabriel Obertan- sell- He has never cut the mustard as a premier league player and his lack of involvement this season shows that he will surely be out of the door come the summer.

Sammy Ameobi- keep- If you’d asked me this question in January of Sammy, I would have wanted him out of the door. However, in February he looked lively in the games I saw and so I would like to see him have one more season to prove himself.

Haris Vuckic- sell- the great big hope who Man Utd and Real Madrid wanted to the Rotherham bench, a sad decline for a player who was clearly talented, but injuries have ruined him.

Shane Ferguson- sell- I have no idea what happened to the this one, he was looking like a potential star of the future in the games he played for Newcastle in the early part of his career but these days he struggles to make the Birmingham bench.

Mehdi Abeid- keep- his loan spell at Panathinaikos looks to have been very successful so it sounds like he is worth integrating into the first team squad next season.  

Strikers

Papiss Cisse- keep- more out of necessity than because I really want to keep him, but he does get in the position to score goals so will every now and again put one of his many chances away. Not the most glowing of reports but this does at least make him a better option than Shola Ameobi and Luuk De Jong.  

Luuk De Jong- don’t sign- offers very little, he rarely gets in the position to score goals and when he does he doesn’t look like he could score in a brothel armed with £5,000. He’s very weak on the ball and spends a high portion of the game on his arse.

Shola Ameobi- sell- Sorry Shola, but you no longer cut it at premier league level. Not scoring in 16 months is not good enough, and whilst a few years ago he did enough to do ok, not anymore. He's immobile and gives away cheap freekicks.

Adam Armstrong- keep- looked lively against Stoke at the weekend, but that is all I’ve seen of the youngster. At 17 and already in the first team squad it would be silly to get rid.

Adam Campbell- keep- I went to a reserve game earlier this season, mainly to see what all the fuss was about with this young kid. He was awful, the young Chelsea centre back Ake won every ball against him. I hope this was just a one off but his lack of appearances for St Mirren is hardly encouraging. However, he’s still very young and so I think he should have at least another season.

Is January the time for panic buys?

January is for panic buys?

It’s often said that the January window is there as a last resort for clubs if their season isn’t going well. Pundits have frequently claimed that teams do not get value for money in this window. I have compared the transfers of the last two summer transfer windows with the last 3 winter transfer windows to find out if this is true. I will rate each signing out of 10 and take an average of the quality of summer transfers and then of the winter transfers. Players have to have played 10 matches to qualify in the interest of fairness. I have done it based on the 2011 and 2012 windows as it is too soon to judge some of this summer’s transfers. Obviously this is only as I have judged it so there could be some inaccuracies but it will provide a rough outline.

Summer transfer window signings

Arsenal-

Santi Cazorla- 9

Olivier Giroud- 8

Lukas Podolski- 6

Alex Oxlade- Chamberlain- 7

Gervinho- 4

Carl Jenkinson- 7

Per Mertesacker- 9

Andre Santos-3

Mikel Arteta- 7

Arsenal average= 6.7

Aston Villa

-          Charles N’Zogbia 2

-          Shay Given- 4

-          Alan Hutton- 3

-          Matthew Lowton- 7

-          Ron Vlaar- 7

-          Karim el Ahmadi- 5

-          Jordan Bowery- 4

-          Joe Bennett- 4

-          Christian Benteke- 8

Aston Villa Average= 4.89

Blackburn

-          Simon Vuckevic- 3

-          David Goodwillie- 3

-          Radoslav Petrovic- 4

-          Scott Dann- 4

-          Yakubu-8

Blackburn average= 4.4

Bolton

-          Chris Eagles- 7

-          Tyrone Mears- 6

-          David N’Gog- 5

-          Darren Pratley- 6

-          Nigel Reo-Coker- 4

-           

Bolton average = 5.6

Chelsea

-          Eden Hazard- 9

-          Oscar- 7

-          Victor Moses- 5

-          Cesar Azpilicueta- 8

-          Juan Mata- 9

-          Oriol Romeu- 6

-          Raul Meireles- 4

Chelsea average= 6.86

Everton

-          Steven Pienaar- 8

-          Steven Naismith- 6

-          Kevin Mirallas- 8

-          Bryan Oviedo- 6

Everton average= 7

Fulham

-          Hugo Rodallega- 4

-          Kieran Richardson- 4

-          Dimitar Berbatov- 7

-          Ashkan Dejagah- 6

-          Patjim Kasami- 4

-          John Arne Riise- 6

-          Bryan Ruiz- 4

Fulham average = 5

Liverpool

-          Stewart Downing- 3

-          Jordan Henderson- 8

-          Charlie Adam- 3

-          Jose Enrique- 7

-          Sebastien Coates- 4

-          Craig Bellamy- 7

-          Joe Allen- 5

-          Fabio Borini- 3

Liverpool average= 5

Man City

-          Jack Rodwell- 4

-          Scott Sinclair- 3

-          Javi Garcia- 4

-          Matija Nastasic- 8

-          Sergio Aguero- 9

-          Samir Nasri- 7

-          Gael Clichy- 8

-          Stefan Savic- 3

Man City average= 5.75

Man Utd

-          Shinji Kagawa- 4

-          Alexander Buttner- 4

-          Robin Van Persie- 9

-          David De Gea- 8

-          Phil Jones- 5

-          Ashley Young- 4

Man Utd average= 5.67

Newcastle

-          Vurnon Anita- 7

-          Gael Bigirimana- 6

-          Davide Santon- 7

-          Yohan Cabaye- 9

-          Gabriel Obertan- 3

-          Sylvain Marveaux- 5

-          Demba Ba- 8

Newcastle average =6.43

Norwich

-          Sebastien Bassong- 7

-          Robert Snodgrass- 6

-          Michael Turner- 6

-          Alexander Tettey-  6

-          Mark Bunn- 6

-          Steve Morison- 5

-          James Vaughan- 3

-          Anthony Pilkington-8

-          Elliott Bennett- 7

-          Bradley Johnson- 6

Norwich City average= 6

QPR

-          Junior Hoillett- 3

-          Park Ji Sung- 2

-          Samba Diakite- 3

-          Robert Green- 6

-          Ryan Nelsen- 7

-          Andrew Johnson- 3

-          Jose Bosingwa- 2

-          Estaban Granero- 3

-          Stephane Mbia- 4

-          DJ Campbell- 4

-          Armand Traore- 4

-          Danny Gabbidon- 4

-          Jay Bothroyd- 3

-          Joey Barton- 5

-          Shaun Wright Phillips- 2

-          Anton Ferdinand- 3

QPR average= 3.6

Reading

-          Chris Gunter- 4

-          Adrian Mariappa- 5

-          Pavel Pogrebnyak- 2

-          Danny Guthrie – 6

-          Gareth Mcleary- 5

-          Nicky Shorey- 3

Reading average= 4.16

Southampton

-          Emmanuel Mayuka- 4

-          Jay Rodriguez- 8

-          Steven Davis- 7

-          Paulo Gazzaniga- 5

-          Nathaniel Clyne- 8

-          Maya Yoshida- 5

-          Gaston Ramires- 4

Southampton average= 5.86

Stoke

-          Michael Kightly- 4

-          Geoff Cameron- 7

-          Steven N’Zonzi -7

-          Jonathan Woodgate- 5

-          Matthew Upson- 4

-          Peter Crouch- 5

-          Wilson Palacios- 3

Stoke average= 5

Sunderland

-          Louis Saha- 3

-          Carlos Cuellar- 6

-          Steven Fletcher- 6

-          Adam Johnson- 5

-          Connor Wickham- 2

-          Craig Gardner- 6

-          Ahmed Elmohamady- 5

-          Ji Dong Won- 4

-          Wes Brown- 6

-          James McClean-6

-          John O’Shea- 7

-          Sebastian Larsson- 7

-          David Vaughan- 5

-          Keiren Westwood- 6

Sunderland average= 5.29

Swansea

-          Michu- 9

-          Chico Flores- 8

-          Pablo Hernandez- 7

-          Michel Vorm- 8

-          Danny Graham- 6

-          Leroy Lita- 3

-          Wayne Routledge- 7

-          Gerhard Tremmel- 6

Swansea average= 6.75

Tottenham

-          Moussa Dembele- 7

-          Emmanuel Adebayor- 5

-          Jan Vertonghen- 8

-          Gylfi Sigurdsson- 6

-          Hugo Lloris- 8

-          Clint Dempsey- 4

-          Scott Parker- 7

-          Brad Friedel-7

Tottenham average= 6.5

West Brom

-          Ben Foster- 7

-          Markus Rosenberg- 3

-          Claudio Yacob-7

-          Shane Long- 7

-          Zoltan Gera- 6

-          Gareth McAuley- 7

-          Billy Jones- 6

West Brom average= 6.14

West Ham

-          Matt Jarvis- 4

-          Modibo Maiga- 3

-          James Collins- 7

-          George McCartney- 5

-          Jussi Jaaskelainen-6

-          Mohammad Diame- 7

West Ham average= 5.33

Wigan

-          Arouna Kone- 8

-          Ivan Ramis- 7

-          Ali Al Habsi- 6

-          Shaun Maloney- 7

-          David Jones- 5

Wigan average= 6.6

Wolves

-          Roger Johnson- 2

-          Jamie O’Hara- 2

-          Dorus De Vries- 5

Wolves average= 3

The Average rating over the division in the last two seasons of summer transfers is 5.52 out of a total of 171 players

January Signings

Arsenal

-          Naxto Monreal- 6

Aston Villa

-          Yacouba Sylla- 5

-          Darren Bent- 3

-          Jean Makoun- 3

Aston Villa average= 3.67

Birmingham

-          Curtis Davies- 7

Blackburn Rovers

-          Marcus Olsson- 6

-          Bradley Orr- 6

-          Ruben Rochina- 6

-          Mauro Formica- 4

Blackburn average= 5.5

Bolton

-          Tim Ream- 4

-          Marvin Sordell- 4

-          David Wheater- 4

Bolton average= 4

Chelsea

-          Gary Cahill-7

-          Demba Ba- 3

-          David Luiz-7

-          Fernando Torres- 3

Chelsea average= 5

Everton

-          Darren Gibson- 5

-          Nikica Jelavic- 6

-          Apostolos Vellios- 6

Everton average= 5.67

Fulham

-          Steve Sidwell- 8

Liverpool

-          Daniel Sturridge- 8

-          Phillipe Coutinho- 7

-          Andy Carroll- 2

-          Luis Suarez- 9

Liverpool average= 6.5

Man City

-          Edin Dzeko- 7

Man Utd

-          Anders Lindegaard- 6

Newcastle

-          Papiss Cisse- 5

-          Mathieu Debuchy-8

-          Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa- 6

-          Yoan Gouffran- 8

-          Moussa Sissoko- 7

-          Massadio Haidara- 7

-          Hatem Ben Arfa- 7

Newcastle average= 6.86

Norwich

-          Johnny Howson- 7

-          Ryan Bennett- 6

-          Luiciano Becchio- 3

Norwich average =5.33

QPR

-          Nedum Onouha- 4

-          Djibril Cisse- 4

-          Bobby Zamora- 3

-          Loic Remy- 8

-          Chris Samba- 2

-          Jermaine Jenas- 4

QPR average= 4.17

Reading

-          Hope Akpan- 7

-          Stephen Kelly- 6

-          Nick Blackman- 4

Reading average= 5.67

Stoke

-          Jermaine Pennant- 6

-           

Sunderland

-          Alfred N’Diaye- 4

-          Danny Graham 3

-          Stephane Sessegnon- 6

Sunderland average= 4.33

Tottenham

-          Lewis Holtby- 7

-          Steven Pienaar- 4

-          Ryan Nelson- 5

-          Louis Saha- 6

Tottenham average= 5.5

West Brom

-          Liam Ridgewell -6

-          Keith Andrews- 5

West Brom average= 5.5

West Ham

-          Joe Cole- 4

-          Gary O’Neill- 6

-          Demba Ba- 7

West Ham average= 5.66

Wigan

-          Jean Beausejour- 4

-          Roger Espinoza- 6

-          Connor Sammon- 3

Wigan average= 4.33

Wolves

-          Adam Hammill- 4

The average rating of premier league transfers in the last three years based on a sample of 62 players is 5.39

So whilst there is a slightly better result for transfers that have happened in the summer windows, it is not a major difference and so does not live up to the widely held view that January is a poor time to do your business.