All posts by h79snht.top

After such a bitterly disappointing end to the season, Newcastle United have not surprisingly already made moves in the transfer market. Ayoze Perez, Jack Colback and Siem De Jong have all made the move to Tyneside, with Alan Pardew still reportedly looking at several more. However, replacements for the likes of Loic Remy and Yohan Cabaye are desperately required.

However, the vultures are inevitably circling around some of the club’s prized assets. At the time of writing, Mathieu Debuchy’s move to Arsenal has been all but officially confirmed whilst rumours continue to link Moussa Sissoko elsewhere.

After such an abysmal downturn in form in 2014, Newcastle need to raise morale amongst the Toon Army this summer. Bearing this in mind, here’s the FIVE steps to the perfect transfer window on Tyneside.

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Click on Pardew for the five steps to Newcastle’s perfect summer transfer window

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GET CABELLA “OVER THE LINE”

Even if it is just to save face now, Newcastle really need to resolve the Remy Cabella saga sooner rather than later. The latest reports suggest that the Magpies have recently re-opened negotiations over the playmaker, although there are no indications that a deal is in the offing any time soon.

Even with the arrival of Siem De Jong, Newcastle are still in desperate need of further creative reinforcements. Despite Montpellier’s struggles, Cabella still managed to rack up an impressive fourteen goals and five assists in Ligue 1 last season.

Capable of operating centrally or out wide, it seems as though the 24 year old remains Pardew’s number one target in this window. Rather than letting the saga drag out for the rest of the summer, Newcastle need to either complete a deal or move on to an alternative sooner rather than later.

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RESOLVE THE BEN ARFA CONUNDRUM

Whilst Newcastle’s attack misfired time and time again in 2014, many members of the Toon Army were bemused by Hatem Ben Arfa’s continued absence from the starting eleven. Rather than sitting in the stands, surely the club should be finding a way to bring the best out of the enigmatic Frenchman on the pitch?

After all, this is a player that has already delivered several moments of individual magic on Tyneside, like this FA Cup strike against Blackburn.

Judging by the latest photos and reports though, Ben Arfa has been training away from the first team squad and isn’t exactly in the best of shape.

A decision on the controversial Frenchman needs to be made this summer. Ben Arfa is undoubtedly gifted but evidently needs to apply himself better to impress his manager. If the Frenchman simply doesn’t figure in Pardew’s plans, Newcastle should move the 27 year old on.

STRIKERS!

With the departures of Shola Ameobi, Luuk De Jong and Loic Remy, there is currently a worrying absence of strikers at the club. Papiss Cisse is in the midst of recovering from a long term injury and while Siem De Jong can play up top, the Dutchman prefers a deeper role.

Demba Ba, Joel Campbell, Alexandre Lacazette, Loic Remy and Emmanuel Riviere are amongst a host of names linked with a move to Tyneside this summer. The Magpies made a move for Pierre-Michel Lasogga, only for the striker to opt for a permanent switch to Hamburg instead.

In any case, at least two strikers need to arrive at Newcastle sooner rather than later. Pardew’s side failed to score on too many occasions in 2014, a trait that they simply cannot afford to continue into the new season.

REPLACE KEY PLAYERS

After the deadline day sale of Andy Carroll and the subsequent downturn in form back in 2011, one would have hoped that Newcastle would understand the need to replace key players. Yet despite knowing of Yohan Cabaye’s departure for months, the Magpies repeated the same mistake last season with disastrous consequences.

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//www.youtube.com/embed/E2DjE49YOp4

Especially with such a threadbare squad, Newcastle simply cannot afford to allow key men to leave without signing a replacement. At the time of writing, Debuchy’s move to Arsenal has been all but confirmed whilst several reports have linked Sissoko with a move elsewhere.

If the big boys come calling, Newcastle aren’t in the position to realistically keep hold of their star names. But if any do depart St James’ Park this summer, Pardew needs to be granted at least some of the money to sign adequate replacements.

CLEAR OUT THE DEADWOOD

Despite having such a thin squad, there is still currently a fair amount of deadwood on Tyneside. The likes of Jonas Gutierrez, Sylvain Marveaux and Gabriel Obertan barely featured last season, whilst serious question marks linger over whether Steven Taylor and Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa should remain at the club.

For a club operating on such a strict budget, it is somewhat of a surprise that a select few are still at Newcastle. Dan Gosling and James Tavernier have already been released, but there is a suggestion that several more should follow. If any do depart though, Pardew should again be granted the finance to find better quality replacements, even if it is just for squad depth.

Brendan Rodgers’ spell Liverpool manager has been embroiled with difficult personal challenges.

Only last season, when the Reds staged a surprise charge for the Premier League title, did he truly gain the faith of the Anfield fanbase, all the while not spending more than £20million on a single transfer.

In the process, he’s transformed a  Liverpool squad of overpriced, underachieving mercenaries into one of the most promising, progressive and value-for-money rosters in recent Mersey history. The Ulsterman’s most testing personal triumph thus far? Keeping Luis Suarez, despite the public relations disaster of the 2013 Confederations Cup, at the club a year longer than initially seemed possible.

But now Rodgers faces his biggest challenge to date in the form of Mario Balotelli, a striker dubbed unmanagable by Jose Mourinho in 2010 and sold by Manchester City in January 2013 after coming to blows with then Etihad boss Robert Mancini.

Reports of a £16million deal for the AC Milan star emerged last week, and he’s now expected to be named an official Liverpool player on Tuesday.

You can envisage the Liverpool gaffer’s light bulb moment. Less than a month ago, he ‘categorically told’ reporters in Los Angeles ‘that Balotelli would not be at Liverpool next season’. Since then, the idea has clearly lingered in Rodgers’ mind. ‘I did a good job keeping Suarez on a leash – perhaps I could do the same for Balotelli.’ It’s a justified rationale.

All the more considering that £16million is an exceptionally reasonable fee for a striker on the fringes of the European elite. Balotelli, although a volatile personality who has never scored more than twenty goals in a single season, has been threatening to take the footballing world by storm for some time through occasional displays of his incredible natural quality.

Now 24 years of age on the verge of joining his fourth major club, the Italy international’s Liverpool move could instigate a new sense of consistency to his game. Even if he can replicate his role in Manchester City’s 2012 Premier League title, or go some way to filling Luis Suarez’ goalscoring void, Balotelli will largely be viewed as a successful acquisition for the Mersey outfit. After all, the Reds’ long relationship with top quality strikers, through thick-and-thin, must always be maintained.

WANT MORE? >> Liverpool transfer news | Latest transfer news

Yet Suarez and Balotelli are incredibly different animals. Equally detrimental at their worst, but polar opposites in terms of personality.

The Uruguayan’s pivotal flaw, for example, is a sense of over-competitiveness.  He dives, fouls and of course, sporadically bites people, to try and have some influence on the match in his team’s favour. Suarez’s work-rate, for a striker so talented, is exceptional, and his condemned actions are an extreme manifestation of that.

He burst into tears when Liverpool drew to Crystal Palace, effectively ending their title hopes, at the end of last season. In short, motivating the now-Barcelona star was never the challenge for Brendan Rodgers – rather, it was keeping his desire to win within the rules of the game.

Indeed, Suarez’s work ethic came to typify Liverpool last season. The Anfield side played some sensational football but it was backed up by arguably the hardest working midfield and strikeforce in the league. Few could match the likes of Jordan Henderson, Raheem Sterling, Steven Gerrard and Suarez in terms of pure industriousness and Rodgers has taken active steps to maintain that theme for the current season, having brought in Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert, Alberto Moreno and Emre Can this summer, four players equally famed for committed and assiduous styles.

But getting Balotelli to buy into that ethos will be a monumental challenge within itself. In direct contrast to Suarez, the 24 year-old’s biggest failing – with the exception of essentially being a child trapped in the body of a top-class striker – is his lack of team spirit.

Even amid the most historic of wins or the most sensational of moments, there’s a persistent, unshakable feeling that Balotelli is doing it all for himself, rather than for his club or colleagues. Submerging the Italian into the all-for-one Liverpool mantra and getting him to parallel it through his own performances  will be Rodgers’ toughest test.

WANT MORE? >> Liverpool transfer news | Latest transfer news

Failing to do so, and it won’t be long before Balotelli sticks out like a sore thumb on Merseyside –  the collective Liverpool personality under Rodgers does not facilitate for passengers, regardless of their quality, and should the Italian become one, a rift will quickly emerge between himself and the rest of the squad.

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If Suarez needed  a leash, Balotelli needs a bone. Although he foten brought Liverpool’s reputation into disrepute, one could never question the Uruguayan’s dedication – the prevailing problem was that on several occasions, it materialised in poor taste.

Balotelli, on the other hand, is like a teenager, refusing to commit to anything, determined to be his own island, as if doing otherwise would be decisively ‘uncool’. Whether Brendan Rodgers can find that added incentive, where the likes of Jose Mourinho and Roberto Mancini – two of the most respected managers in Europe – have failed, remains to be seen.

But perhaps the Mersey boss can find an avenue in the fact this will likely be Balotelli’s final opportunity to fail at a major club. In truth, the Italian needs Liverpool as much as they need him, to change the direction  of a career that’s only moved backwards since that unforgettable moment at the end of the 2011/12 season.

If Rodgers can tap into that, billing Liverpool as a platform to catch the attention of Real Madrid, Barcelona et al, the clubs a striker of Balotelli’s natural talents should be playing with, in a similar manner to how Anfield went on to serve Luis Suarez, then perhaps the 24 year-old will find the renewed personal motivation he desperately needs.

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Ever since Italia 90, England have always been dubbed ‘a quarter final side’ having not reached the semi-final since that exciting World Cup campaign. Now, English football is very much on the downward spiral, with the team having performed dreadfully in the World Cup’s in South Korea, South Africa and Brazil, as well as failing to qualify for the European Championships in Austria and Switzerland. With the emergence of St. George’s Park in order to produce talented youngsters that are sure to bring back the glory days for the three lions, Roy Hodgson is failing to recognise that there is currently plenty of talent already playing in England’s top flight.

One fundamental factor is that Hodgson has always selected English players plying their trade in English football’s top four clubs, regardless of how good they are. With the likes of James Milner and Chris Smalling undeservedly getting call ups in every international game – friendlies and competitives – it’s no wonder English football is on the downward spiral. Winning back the fans is another obstacle the experienced Hodgson has to clear, and the only way of doing that is playing against strong opposition in friendlies rather than playing teams like Norway in front of a measly 40,000 supporters, and picking players that are on form.

Starting with the defenders, where England have struggled since the international retirement of Rio Ferdinand and John Terry. At right back, Glen Johnson and Kyle Walker have struggled with form and injuries respectively, meaning Arsenal youngster, Calum Chambers has had to make a big step up. An alternative is Tottenham Hotspur’s newest recruit Eric Dier. The English born defender, signed from Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon, is one of a kind for the nation, and he hasn’t had a look in. Playing most of his football abroad, Dier operates like a European footballer, instead of a typical English full back, and could have the continental experience to be the saviour of the English backline.

Another player that the former Fulham and Liverpool chief should consider is Stoke City’s Ryan Shawcross. Despite having only one cap to his name, the Potters centre half that is also club captain, has been ever present in the Premier League and pops up with the odd important goal on occasions. Strong in the air and exceptional when tackling, Shawcross, on countless occasions, has constantly been overlooked for Manchester United’s Chris Smalling, who very rarely gets a match at his respective club. Arsenal’s Kieran Gibbs is another to miss out every time Hodgson announces his international squad. Even a regular for a top four side cannot put the colours of his nation on his back and play for his country at Wembley. Finally, QPR’s Steven Caulker, who joined Harry Redknapp’s revolution from Cardiff City, is a young and hungry centre half that has the attributes and capabilities to form a formidable partnership with Gary Cahill, but Hodgson seems to know best.

Elsewhere, one player whom is very unfortunate not to even have his name mentioned for England duty is West Ham’s Mark Noble. The east end local boy has been an ever present for the Hammers, and has consistently performed to the best of his ability for the past five seasons. Yet, the closest he got to a call up was in last year’s friendly defeat at the hands of Sweden, where he was preferred to 33 year old Everton midfielder Leon Osman. Five years younger, Noble is energetic and hard working. With the recent retirement of Steven Gerrard, Noble could have a good crack at playing in the so called ‘quarter back’ position for the Three Lions, as he has done for the U-21 side, winning 20 caps. However, it seems that, putting two and two together, Tom Cleverley will have a better chance of being recalled by Hodgson, which is scandalous.

With the FA commission in place to improve the state of English football, bring through young talent, and target the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Hodgson is on course to destroy it. However, the England gaffer should remember this, the Premier League team that has produced the most capped English players is not Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City or Liverpool, its Aston Villa. With the top four’s on a never ending spending spree on foreign exports, English talent hasn’t got a look in, so as well as Hodgson failing to recognise underrated players, the FA are also to blame.

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New Southampton star Graziano Pelle recalled a time with Dutch side AZ where he played a joke on Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal, but didn’t get the response he was actually hoping for.

Thanks to a very impressive start in the Premier League with four goals and one assist in seven matches, Pelle has just recieved his first Italy cap at the age of 29, showing just how far he has come and the fact that he actually survived the event of trolling Van Gaal.

The video below shows the actual interview, but since it’s all in Italian, it has been translated so everyone can recall the moment Pelle try to make a fool of the Dutch manager and somehow got away with it.

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Q: Tell us the weirdest thing that happened whilst you were in the Netherlands

A: There are a lot… When I was signing for AZ, I was discussing what shirt number I could have with Louis Van Gaal. I love the number 9, be it 9, 19 or 18- I’m not afraid of fate.

Anyway, I like the number 9 because it symbolizes the striker.

Van Gaal told me: “9 is taken, 19 is too… Ok, 90 or 99”. I replied: “No, no please, not those high numbers. Which number are you going to give me?” He: “29 or 39”… And I said: “I don’t like 29 very much”.

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Van Gaal said: “Then 90 or 99”, and I reiterated my disappointment. Van Gaal is very strict and I eventually said: “Then I’m not signing for the club”. He got very angry, stood up and went to my agent and said to him: “How dare this guy to do something like that?”

I then told him that I was joking. He is a great coach too.

Probable Lineups…

Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Martinez, Chambers, Mertesacker, Monreal, Gibbs, Arteta, Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sanchez, Cazorla, Welbeck

Arsenal’s injury concerns haven’t improved in recent weeks as they are still without Mathieu Debuchy, Mesut Ozil, David Ospina, and now Jack Wilshere. To make matters worse, the club didn’t register Olivier Giroud for the first half of the Champions League campaign as they assumed he woouldn’t return to action until January, forcing him to be ineligible to face Borussia Dortmund. Wojciech Szczesny, Laurent Koscielny, and Theo Walcott are still doubtful for the clash, but there is a chance Koscielny would feature after Arsene Wenger revealed he would start on the bench. This means left back Nacho Monreal will have to continue playing alongside Per Mertesacker in centre-back while Danny Welbeck will play the lone striker’s role.

Borussia Dortmund (4-2-3-1): Weidenfeller, Piszczek, Ginter, Subotic, Durm, Kehl, Gundogan, Aubameyang, Kagawa, Mkhitaryan, Immobile

Borussia Dortmund has recently been struck with a huge injury blow with Marco Reus set to miss the clash with Arsenal. Elsewhere, Jurgen Klopp faces a selection headache with up to six players still doubtful to feature. Nuri Sahin, Sven Bender, Mats Hummels, Sokratis, Jakub Blaszczykowski, and Oliver Kirch are not likely to be risked as the club have already ensured qualification into the next round. Despite missing a number of regular faces, they have very adequate replacements and is also likely to keep up to par with the pacey attack Arsenal have to offer by calling upon their own group of speedy stars. A player that is bound to cause problems is Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang because if he manages to break the offside trap, there is no catching up to him.

What the fans are saying…

Remember this?

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//www.youtube.com/embed/4g3GeqoqusQ

Last season when the two teams met at the Emirates, Borussia Dortmund got the better of Arsenal by taking home all three points with a 2-1 scoreline. Having met one another on multiple occasions and given their pacey style of play, there is bound to be a lot of attacking football.

Jose Mourinho reopened his war of words with Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, claiming he would have been given a stadium ban had he pushed the Frenchman, reports the Daily Mirror.

The Arsenal boss was not punished for a push on Mourinho when Chelsea beat Arsenal 2-0 in October, and Mourinho has used this as further evidence in his quest to prove his side are unfairly treated by officials.

Mourinho reckons there are double standards when it comes to his side, and used an example of Stoke City having not been awarded a penalty against Manchester United for a handball on New Years Day, claiming there would be a ‘big noise’ if the same decision was made regarding Chelsea.

Mourinho said: “With Chelsea and with me the reactions are different. Do you think if I push a manager in the technical area that I don’t have a stadium ban? I have a stadium ban.

“So referees are not guilty, they want to do their best but clearly there are measures and there are ways of reacting and clearly with my club and in relation to myself there are different standards, it’s as simple as that and you know that.

“I’ll tell you a good example. Was it a penalty in the game Stoke versus Man United? The Smalling handball? Everybody thinks so. Did you see big noise around it? I didn’t.

“Would you think such a pen against Chelsea would have a reaction in the media and with managers in the same way after that reaction? I don’t think so.

“After that the reaction would be double or treble so obviously a referee needs to feel free, relaxed and with no pressure to do the best they can.”

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Mourinho also took a swipe at Manchester City for their signing of Wilfried Bony for £28million, with the Premier League champions having previously been punished for breach of Financial Fair Play.

Mourinho added: “They can only play with 11, unless the rules for them are different and they can play with 12. It looks like the rules are different for them in certain aspects, but not this one.” When pressed which rule, Mourinho added: “You know what I mean.”

What a game we had at Anfield this afternoon; an end-to-end, frantic and exciting 90-minutes between two attack-minded and defensively woeful sides.

Liverpool put a huge dent in Man City’s title hopes – a win would’ve seen the Citizens go to within two points of Chelsea – and, in truth, were well worth the victory.

Jordan Henderson got the ball rolling with a sublime finish that added to the talk that the former Sunderland man could replace Steven Gerrard.

City responded through an Edin Dzeko goal – which should be remembered for the wonderful assist from Sergio Aguero – but Philippe Coutinho’s second outrageous goal in a matter of days, settled the affair with Joe Hart unable to do anything as the former Inter Milan midfielder sent the ball into the top corner.

Liverpool now move level on points with fourth-placed Arsenal and although the Gunners play Everton later today, the Reds will have real belief they can bag their all important top four spot.

Defence has sorted itself out

Dejan Lovren’s high profile summer move from Southampton to Liverpool was meant to sure up a side that played with the mentality during the 2013/14 of ‘we will just score more than the opponent’.

The former Saints man hasn’t had the desired impact and, combined was the haphazard Glen Johnson, Kolo Toure and Martin Skrtel, it looked like it was going to be a long season for the Reds. However, Liverpool are now the only Premier League side yet to make a defensive error since the turn of the year.

No Europa League

Sure, Liverpool would’ve been gutted to exit the competition that now guarantees the winner a place in the Champions League, however, they certainly won’t miss the Thursday kick-offs in the obscure corners of Europe plus the long trips. It is a bizarre thing that clubs struggle to win their next Premier League game after a Europa League clash but it certainly seems to be thing.

All Brendan Rodgers has to do now, is focus on bagging that top four spot; he will also be plotting FA Cup success and seeing as the Reds have a nice tie against Blackburn Rovers in the quarter-final, their continued run in the competition will surely only serve to increase their belief and good form.

Goals from all over the park

Brendan Rodgers surprised us all by naming four strikers on the bench, with Mario Balotelli, Daniel Sturridge, Fabio Borini and Rickie Lambert failing to make the starting XI.

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Sturridge is the man the Reds have been pining for all season, with injuries hampering the England international, but Rodgers is obviously worrying about rushing the former Man City striker back.

Mario Balotelli has started to find his goalscoring boots with important goals in recent clashes against Tottenham Hotspur and Besiktas.

Bagging three points without an out-and-out striker starting the match will be music to Brendan Rodgers’ ears.

There were many pleasing aspects about Manchester United’s victory over Tottenham last weekend; their most impressive display of the season. But perhaps the most pleasing part was the performance of their Belgian midfielder Marouane Fellaini.

Heavily criticised at times since his arrival at Old Trafford at the beginning of last season, it looked increasingly unlikely he was going to be able to make a name for himself at the Red Devils. However, not only is he fast becoming one of Louis van Gaal’s most important players as the club continue their push for Champions League qualification, he is slowly but surely beginning to win over the fans.

Following his big-money move from Everton in 2013, Fellaini struggled to adapt to life at his new club, burdened by the £27.5m price tag David Moyes had convinced the United board to fork out for him. At the end of a disappointing summer in the transfer market; having missed out on a number of high profile signings, Fellaini’s purchase was seen as an act of desperation. It was difficult to see where he was going to fit in, how he was going to fit in with the team’s style of play, and ultimately at times why they bought him in the first place.

Having struggled to gain a consistent run in the side, he was employed in a deeper role in midfield, and looked well out of depth in a United shirt. And once Moyes departed and was replaced by Van Gaal, it looked like just a matter of time before Fellaini would be moved on.

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However despite speculation surrounding his future, the 27-year-old kept his head down and continued to work hard, in the hope he might be able to salvage his career at United. And credit to him, his patience seems to be paying off.

Since his manager entrusted him with a more attacking role in the side, his importance to the team has continued to grow. With injury to Robin van Persie, and Radamel Falcao lacking form, Fellaini has built up a great partnership with Wayne Rooney, something that flourished last weekend, with both players getting on the score sheet.

He is a constant threat when around the opposition’s box, and not just with his head as he showed by netting a wonderfully taken goal with his left foot to open the scoring. Playing as part of a three in midfield, he has the freedom to get forward, where United can exploit his effectiveness. But his work rate in tracking back and helping defend, make him even more important to the team, highlighting just what an important player he is becoming as the season reaches an exciting climax.

Fellaini received a standing ovation when he was substituted in the dying stages of the game, something which will do his confidence the world of good. He may not be your typical United player, but his effectiveness cannot be doubted, and under Van Gaal, he seems to relishing his new role alongside Rooney having established himself as a key member of the first team in recent weeks.

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His performances between now and the end of the season could play a crucial role in United’s bid for a top-four finish, and if he can continue to replicate his performances from his time at Everton; where he was often unplayable, United could have a great weapon at their disposal.

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St George’s Day is here, and it’s one of the few occasions each year that Englishman get all patriotic. As a nation, we tend to shy away from sticking our chests out and bragging about what we have going for us, so let’s change that today and talk about how we’re ready to take the world of football by storm.

English football produces plenty of talented young players, and Liverpool have certainly done their share down the years, giving out great names such as Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, Michael Owen and Steve McManaman. But are there any more talents waiting to drop off the conveyer belt? Yes! And here are FIVE on the verge of the breakthrough…

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Jordan Rossiter

Since scoring a League Cup goal against Middlesbrough earlier this season, Rossiter has faded away a little at Liverpool. A few appearances as on the sub’s bench have come along since, but the 18-year-old has been, as of yet, unable to break through – albeit he has suffered with injury issues. A little on the slight side in terms of build, the teenager needs to do some bulking up, but should he prove himself during the Reds’ pre-season work – which he’s sure to be a part of – he’ll be in line to feature next term, especially as Gerrard’s exit will thin out Brendan Rodgers’ midfield options.

A local lad who bears similarities with the aforementioned Liverpool skipper, Rossiter is one to watch.

Cameron Brannagan

Brannagan has popped up on the bench in recent weeks as Rodgers’ squad has become ever depleted in terms of numbers, which suggests that he’s very much on the fringes of the first-team. Able to play on either flank or as a ‘No. 10’, the 18-year-old is well suited to the Reds’ current set-up and has been earning rave reviews for his showings in the club’s youth and reserve sides.

Jerome Sinclair

The youngest player to have ever played for Liverpool – 16 years and six days old against West Brom in the League Cup back in 2012 – Sinclair’s talents are not fresh news for Liverpool fans. A physically imposing striker with electric pace, the 18-year-old – currently on loan at Wigan – has bags of potential, even if some consider him to be a little too blunt for the top level. A pre-season chance awaits, and with Liverpool short of strikers, who knows what a few goals could do.

Sheyi Ojo

Also on loan at Wigan – he’s made 11 appearances for the Latics – Ojo is thought of as one of the Reds’ top young talents. Signed from the MK Dons’ youth set-up, The winger is similar in some ways to Raheem Sterling – poached from QPR – with his game all about speed of movement an quick feet. He’s appeared on the Liverpool bench already, hinting that he’s in line for a first-team role.

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Andre Wisdom

Okay, Wisdom has made his Liverpool debut and featured regularly early in Brendan Rodgers’ tenure at Anfield, but he’s hardly broken through. Loan spells at Derby and West Brom – he’s still at the Hawthorns – have afforded the versatile defender game time, which he could use to get back to Merseyside and make an impact. Able to play at right-back or centre-back, Wisdom is adept on the ball considering his size and physicality, and could be of use when/if Glen Johnson leaves this summer.

It is normal for a player who has spent their entire career playing in the Premier League to want to stay there for as long as possible, but when Frank Lampard left Chelsea after 13 successful years he really should have chosen a different league to continue his football.

At the very least he should have joined a small, struggling club like Rio Ferdinand did but under no circumstances do you move to a rival.

Lampard had some free time between leaving Chelsea and the start of America’s MLS season. The midfielder had a contract to join up with New York City FC whose parent-club just so happened to be the Blues top four rivals Manchester City so Lampard secured a deal to play for the Northern club and has been doing so for the past nine months.

When he joined City they were the current Premier League holders and were hopeful of retaining their title but Lampard’s old team Chelsea quickly ran away with that honour, meaning that the 36-year-old has returned to English football for nothing.

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City have failed to progress in all four of the tournaments they were playing in, not even making a mark in the Cup competitions. Their form in the Champions League was particularly disappointing, as it was for all of the English teams, so Lampard risked his Chelsea legacy for a fruitless season.

It must have been very strange for Chelsea fans who have loved Lampard for so long to see him in City’s lighter blue shirt and scoring against them.

Just imagine if the Sky Blues had retained their title with Chelsea a close second.

Footballers should of course be allowed to play for whichever team they choose but when you become part of a clubs history like Lampard did, then loyalty has to play a role. Just look at Steven Gerrard. Liverpool failed to renew his contract and yet he doesn’t hold it against them and has sworn to never play for another Premier League side. That is what supporters want from their heroes.

And it’s not just Chelsea supporters Lampard has upset by playing for City this season. Lampard was supposed to stay with the Sky Blues for just six months, which would have made him available for New York City FC’s start of the MLS season, but the midfielder’s impressive displays back in Manchester led City to extend his contract.

Understandably many of his new supporters had brought season tickets expecting to see a world-class player but have been blown out by him instead. Not the best way to endear fans as it happens.

The Premier League is one of, if not the, best league in the world and I understand that being offered the chance to play in it for another year was just too good for Lampard to turn down. But the bigger picture is that he has upset many people and messed with his legacy.

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Lampard wasn’t at Chelsea for as long as Gerrard was at Liverpool but Blues supporters treated him just as well. But now I can’t see Chelsea supporters in five or ten years holding Lampard up in quite the same regard as Stevie G will be held up on Merseyside.

And Frank only has himself to blame for that.

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