Arsenal striker Robin van Persie has said he wants to put his injury problems behind him and become a world-class talent next season.
The Netherlands striker missed much of the campaign with an ankle injury, but he is confident he can lead the Gunners to glory by playing a major role.
Speaking to L’Equipe, he said:“When I came back from my long injury back in the spring, Arsene Wenger told me that people will soon be talking about me in the same breath as they speak about Messi.
“I’m sure that would already be the case if I was not injured so often.
“I can feel that the manager has faith in me, but I must remain lucid. I am clearly not in the same league as Leo. Moreover, I am injured too often.
“I’m dreaming about a season with 30 goals and 20 assists. Wenger knows that I can do it, but my body will have to hold on.
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“My final objective is to be in the same class as Messi, Ronaldo and Rooney, but Leo above all because he is a giant.”
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Every manager brings something different out of every player. Some managers like Wenger and Ferguson pride themselves on getting the best out of their players whilst others such as Redknapp expect their squad to prove themselves or face being dropped. Players are signed for their clubs in a frenzy of praise from manager and fans with press releases, blog posts and YouTube compilations spreading at an exponential rate the moment a player signing is announced, but it doesn’t always work out. Look at Diego Forlan. A laughing stock in the Premier League but then he gets shipped of to Villarreal and starts banging in the goals like nobody’s business. I remember one year he scored a hat trick on the last day of the season to win the golden boot for Europe joint with Thierry Henry. Not bad for a striker who supposedly didn’t know where the goal was. And he’s not the only one. Every season there is wasted talent in the league, players not being played or not benefiting from their manager’s tactics. So who are the top ten wasted talents in the premier league this season?
Click on Stephen Ireland to unveil the top 10
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Compiled by Hamish Mackay
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Lionel Messi’s goal glut continued as Barcelona opened up a 10-point lead in La Liga with a 1-0 win at Valencia on Wednesday.Messi, who has scored 42 times at club level across all competitions this season, tucked a 77th-minute goal past Valencia goalkeeper Vincente Guaita to leave Real Madrid trailing by 10 points on the Spanish table.Valencia, meanwhile, fall 20 points clear of the league leaders in third place after seeing their 11-game unbeaten run brought to an end.Barca’s win, their 23rd straight unbeaten result in La Liga, was Pep Guardiola’s first at the Mestalla as manager.Messi was uncharacteristically wasteful in front of goal, failing to convert three gilt-edged chances, each from within eight yards, and spraying another over the crossbar.Roberto Soldado and Pablo Hernandez both shot wide for Valencia before Messi finally found his range, tapping wide of the Guaita after Adriano ran down the left and cut inside for the Argentine marksman.Elswhere, Villarreal kept in the hunt for the top three with a 1-0 home win over strugglers Hercules.Italian striker Giuseppe Rossi did the damage for the hosts, beating the offside trap with a terrific run down the middle and side-footing past Hercules custodian Calatayud in the 22nd minute.Atletico Bilbao’s freefall continued with a fourth straight loss, this time on the road to Real Zaragoza.Llorente put the visitors ahead in the 18th minute before second-half strikes to Jiri Jarosik (51) and Ikechukwu Uche (56) saw Bilbao plummet to sixth on the table, two points clear of fifth-placed Espanyol.Atletico Madrid moved within three points of the Europa League places with a 1-1 draw at Getafe thanks to Elias’ 82nd-minute equaliser, while Levante drew 1-1 at Real Sociedad and Osasuna fought out a goal-less draw with Deportivo.
Roy Hodgson will reportedly be handed an initial £15 million transfer kitty to spend during the summer window after becoming the new boss at Liverpool today, and it appears the Englishman has already drawn up a list of players he wants to bring in.
With the likelihood of Javier Mascherano leaving for Barcelona for approximately £25 million and Yossi Benayoun’s proposed £6 million deal to Chelsea looking increasingly more likely to go through, Hodgson would conjure up and add to his current transfer fees in order to spend it on the quartet he has targeted this summer.
Rafael van der Vaart, Gilberto Silva, Brede Hangeland and Danny Murphy are high on the Englishman’s wish-list. However, are these four players the idealistic quartet to reignite Liverpool football club for the upcoming season?
Gilberto Silva
With odds on Mascherano departing this summer, Gilberto Silva would prove to be a ready-made replacement for the Argentine midfielder. The Brazilian anchor-man has valuable Premier League experience from his time at Arsenal and even though at the age of 33, the defensive midfielder can still produce the goods as he has proven in the Greek league for Panathinaikos and in South Africa so far. The Greek club are in financial crisis and have made him available which is a good sign for Hodgson. Gilberto has become sluggish in his movement due to time taking its obvious toll, but technically and for what he is paid to do, the Brazilian is still very much capable of doing his job. Some Kop fans may feel Hodgson should target a more youthful holding midfielder, but surely an experienced one, who has played in the English league before is a better option?
Ideal Rating: 7/10 – Very experienced footballer who has Premier League experience, although his age and lack of pace does look a problem, especially in the fast and competitive English game.
Brede Hangeland
Brede Hangeland would be another good signing should Hodgson pull it off. The tall centre-back has a good relationship with the Englishman and bought the Norwegian to the Premier League in 2008. Hangeland is an experienced defender in both international and club level, and at the prime age (for a defender) of 29, would fit well into the Liverpool squad. His aerial ability is second to none due to his height, yet his positional marking and movement is suspect at times. Liverpool already have Jamie Carragher, Martin Skrtel, Daniel Agger and Sotirios Kyrgiakos on the books, so more than likely, Hangeland would be spending more time on the bench rather than on the pitch. He is an ideal target for Liverpool, but surely just for cover in the back-line, right?
Ideal Rating: 6/10 – Good tall defender, although there are better options at the club and possibly elsewhere.
Click here to continue to page 2
Danny Murphy
Kop fans may feel a bit puzzled as to why their new boss has targeted Danny Murphy, purely for the fact that he will not be a starter and because of his age. The 33-year-old creative midfielder has played under Roy Hodgson and has also had a 7 year spell at Liverpool from 1997 to 2004.
The Fulham man has been impressive for the London club, especially last season where he helped the side reach a Europa League final. Murphy has great passing and technical attributes but due to his age and deterioration of pace, he has subsequently dropped deeper than he has done in the past. With Liverpool’s formation currently at a 4-2-3-1 (not too sure what Hodgson will set-up this season), it looks as if Murphy would not get into the starting eleven. Lucas Leiva and Alberto Aquilani would be in front of Murphy in the pecking order. However with that being said, if Hodgson can acquire the midfielder for experience and squad depth then why not.
Ideal Rating: 7/10 – There are better alternatives out there, although Liverpool do lack Premier League experience in the midfield, which certainly Danny Murphy could offer to them should he sign for them this summer.
Rafael van der Vaart
With Yossi Benayoun possibly on his way to Chelsea this summer for £6 million, Rafael van der Vaart would be an ideal replacement for the Israeli international. The Dutchman is very versatile and can play on the wings as well as just behind the striker. Van der Vaart’s creativity and technical ability is second to none, yet somehow the attacking midfielder struggles to get games at Real Madrid. The 27-year-old is currently in South Africa with the Netherlands squad and has impressed enormously so far when he has featured for his country. The Dutch star would certainly get into the current Liverpool squad for the skills that he possesses, and his versatility would absolutely make a great addition to the group. Jose Mourinho would not stand in the player’s way if he wants to head out of the Bernabeu this summer, which again works in Hodgson’s favour. The only thing that could cause a problem in acquiring his signature would be that Liverpool do not seize Champion’s League football for the approaching season, which ultimately may see the Dutchman look for a club that does offers this. Nonetheless Roy Hodgson has definitely targeted a superb player, which Liverpool fans will be encouraged by…the new Kop boss may just pull it off, who knows.
Ideal Rating: 9/10 – A very talented and versatile player who is at peak age for a footballer. If Liverpool can target more players like this, then they will be fine this season coming.
All of the players on Roy Hodgson’s wish-list should encourage the clubs fans, even if some of the players have had their better days. The sign of a manager wanting to buy players is always a good sign, but, like many believe, Liverpool’s failure to qualify for the Champions league has hurt them dearly. The club can still attract players, but certainly not the best because of their letdown last season. Everybody knows that Roy Hodgson has a big summer ahead of him, but early signs suggest that he has the right intentions in mind.
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Click on image below to see the Argentinean babes at the World Cup
Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas has insisted that his squad are focussed on the Premier League season ahead and are not distracted by the ongoing transfer saga surrounding Luka Modric.
The Croatia international wants to leave White Hart Lane and has been linked with a move to Real Madrid all summer long, with the two clubs negotiating a transfer.
Despite the fact that Modric is yet to finalise his move to the Santiago Bernabeu, Villas-Boas has stated that his contingent are not going to be adversely effected by the situation.
“No, this is not a distraction. We set out a plan for the player and we have stuck to it,” Villas-Boas is quoted as saying in The Telegraph.
“The player is training individually and he doesn’t disrupt our environment. I think we will have a conclusion in the next couple of weeks.
“We expect him here to train. He is still a Tottenham player but from what the chairman has told me talks are ongoing, they stalled a little bit two weeks ago, but they have picked up recently,” he concluded.
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It looks like Roman Pavlyuchenko’s days at White Hart Lane are numbered, with just two substitute appearances to his name this season in the league it seems his patience has finally run out.
The Russian hitman has scored 20 goals in 75 league appearances at Tottenham, but that has failed to impress Harry Redknapp who is always on the lookout for more firepower up front as he clearly feels Pavlyuchenko is not good enough to fire Spurs back to Champions League.
With Robbie Keane and Peter Crouch departing from North London this summer, the 29-year-old striker must have felt he was in with a chance of staking a claim for a starting place, but Emmanuel Adebayor has arrived on loan and seems to be Redknapp’s first choice ahead of Jermain Defoe and Pavlyuchenko.
With his contract running out in the summer, it’s unlikely he will accept a new one even if it is offered, so surely a January transfer is imminent and a return to his native Russia will be a preferred move for the striker who is hoping to feature in Euro 2012 for his country.
Redknapp has never criticised Pavlyuchenko’s work rate or attitude, which speaks a lot for the dedication of a player that is used to sitting on the bench. Some Europa League appearances and goals this season have even drawn praise from the manager but is this just to keep the Russian happy as once again he was an unused sub in the Premier League last weekend?
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It is fair to say that Pavlyuchenko has not been given a fair chance at Spurs even with the lack of form strikers at times, and it is surely understandable that a player of his age wants first team football to enhance his international career. Whether Tottenham decide to sell him in January or just release him in the summer, the relationship between the two parties is becoming a sour one and it may become a very unwanted distraction for Redknapp in the coming weeks.
The former Spartak Moscow player’s agent has constantly voiced his concerns at the lack of first team football for his client and now Pavlyuchenko has added to that.
Pavlyuchenko told Russian newspaper Sport Express: “I don’t believe I can fight my way into the Tottenham starting line-up. Players can feel what the manager thinks about them, and I know that the manager doesn’t count on me these days.
“I don’t want to be the team’s fourth striker. I want to play in the big games in the Premier League, the Europa League, which I am playing in, doesn’t interest anyone here.
“I don’t know whether Redknapp is telling the truth when he says he doesn’t want to lose me. I guess he is not telling the truth, Redknapp says I’m not playing because my pre-season wasn’t good. I can’t understand that.
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“Something must change. I must play in order not to miss Euro 2012, and there is a danger of missing such an important tournament, you don’t get into the national squad on past achievements. I will be 30 in December, and it could be my last big tournament.”
So, would you be sad to see the back of Pav?
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Juventus sporting director Giuseppe Marotta has confirmed the Italian club will aim to sign Alberto Aquilani permanently from Liverpool.The on-loan central midfielder has expressed his desire to stay at the Stadio Olimpico, and Marotta confirmed the club would look to use the clause to sign the 26-year-old to remain in Torino beyond his season-long stint.”Well, let’s say that Aquilani is doing very well and we’re very satisfied. He should not be worried, since having him on loan doesn’t mean that we’re only evaluating him, but believing in him,” Marotta said. “His skills are known since he has been in Roma and the Italy youth teams and therefore we’ll discuss with Liverpool the option of a permanent move.”In another positive sign for Bianconeri fans, Marotta confirmed the club is aiming to extend the career of veteran Alessandro Del Piero.”There is always this chance. Del Piero is a great professional player who has given much to Juventus,” he said. “We’re trying to find an economic balance. It’s only a matter of time, which is needed to find an agreement, but we’re optimistic that we can achieve a positive result.”Marotta said the injury concerns of Luca Toni (knee) and Alessandro Matri (ribs) have affected the club’s consistency on the pitch since the return to league duties after the Italian winter break.”Well, they’re both great players, which we were missing mainly because of the injuries we have had in recent months. Therefore we have found a certain identity and consistency from a tactical point of view again,” he said.
West Ham United have confirmed the capture of Germany midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger on a three-year contract.
The 28-year-old former Aston Villa midfielder will officially join the Hammers on July 1 after his contract with Italian side Lazio was cancelled by mutual consent.
Hitzlsperger, who made 99 appearances during four years with Villa before leaving to join Stuttgart in 2005, is Avram Grant's first signing since becoming the new Upton Park boss earlier in the week.
"We had to move quickly to secure his services when he became available, especially as there was understandably so much interest in him from around Europe and back in Germany," chairman David Sullivan told the club's official website.
"Thomas is a top-quality player who I know the fans will love. He is a whole-hearted midfielder with an eye for a goal who gives everything in every match.
"He is the first of many signings this summer. We are going to sign a mixture of exciting young talent as well as the very best senior pros who can add real strength to the squad like Thomas."
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Hitzlsperger was a regular in the Germany side during qualifying for this summer's World Cup but missed out on his country's final 23-man squad for South Africa.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Everton have jumped to the front of the queue to sign Caen prospect M’Baye Niang, according to the Guardian.
The 17-year-old striker has impressed for the French team and has been linked with a move to a raft of big European clubs.
Arsenal took the teenager on loan earlier this summer, whilst Manchester City, Tottenham and AC Milan are all thought to be keen to sign the attacker.
However, Niang is set to have a trial at the Goodison Park club and will spend a couple of days training with the Merseyside club so David Moyes can run his eye over the potential signing.
Caen are thought to be eager to recoup around £5 million for Niang, and the Toffees will reinvest some of Jack Rodwell’s transfer fee to bring the forward to England should he impress on trial.
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Manchester City have made an excellent start to the season and seem to have stamped their mark as one of the ‘big four’ at the top of the league, but do they have enough arrogance and self belief to take them to the title?
You can assemble a side with all the quality in the world but it counts for little if you don’t have the self belief to take you over the finish line. In the past few seasons it has been this self belief that has set the title winning sides apart from the rest. Manchester United and Chelsea have shown that they have the arrogant edge that sets them apart from their rivals. They feel that they belong at the top, as it is their rightful place and their sides act accordingly to this. To be the best, you have to believe you are the best, and this is something Manchester United in particular have no trouble with.
Take the United side from last season, it wasn’t filled with the most talented individuals of all time, but an iron self belief runs through the side, that sees them come back from the brink game after game, with late second half performances and late goals. Their gutsy self belief more than makes up for their lack of flair. They always have faith in themselves and never lose hope, continuing to give everything until the final whistle. Every player is involved in that and dedicated to the cause, and it has been the difference between them and the other sides around them.
Jose Mourinho brought the same kind of self belief to Chelsea. He assembled a team of winners, with his arrogant streak rubbing off on his players, and they gained much success throughout his term. He turned Chelsea into winners, and his psychological impact on the side was arguably more important than his tactical contribution. Chelsea believed they were the best and this paid off over the course of his reign.
We only have to look at the Arsenal side to see that you can create a side of hugely talented individuals, but it counts for little if they don’t have the required self belief to take them the next step. It is arguably more important than the talented personnel in the side, and sets the good teams apart from the trophy winners. You need that self belief to pull you through over the course of a long season.
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Manchester City will have benefitted from winning the FA Cup last season, as it will give them confidence, and certainly help to instill some of the belief necessary to take the side on to the next level. There is now an expectancy of success at the club, which although brings pressure, also demands higher standards. It is this belief that they are good enough that will take them even further.
There is a question of having potentially too much arrogance, which is always a problem when assembling a side full of world class players. Too much arrogance, could create an expectation that you are going to win without even trying, which could cause problems. Players need to be of a certain mould and you certainly need a bit of an arrogant streak to be the best. It is important that a side fears no one and doesn’t give any other team too much respect.
Manchester City are just in their infancy as a successful title challenging side, but they seem to be gathering all the elements together to achieve success at the club. As well as an array of star names, they are now starting to believe that they have enough class, and as they continue on this path, and the more successful they become, the greater their self belief will be and the harder they will be to knock off the top. As their rivals have done before them, if they believe they are the real deal then they will be, both domestically and in Europe. All the players are aware of the clubs history and they are the ones now tasked with changing it, it is not an easy task, and will require enormous amounts of bottle off the field as well as on it, but it seems like they just might have enough self belief to get there.
Do you think Manchester City have enough self belief to go to the next level? Let me know your thoughts by commenting below or following me on Twitter @LaurenRutter
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