All posts by h79snht.top

How much of a ‘mutual agreement’ it was for Nemanja Vidic to leave Manchester United at the end of the season, we may never know. But for Vidic he may not feel he’s really leaving Manchester United. The club that the Serb joined is very different to it’s current incarnation and it’s understandable that sticking around for a rebuilding process, which at 32, he will never get to experience the fruits of his labour, would be unattractive.

One thing that is certain, however, is that Vidic will be playing for Inter Milan next season. In light of this fact, David Moyes feels it would be best for the Premier League champions to start getting used to life without their captain and will attempt to phase the defender out as the campaign comes to a close. The wisdom of Moyes looking so far to the future must be seriously questioned given the precarious nature of the present that he finds himself in.

The strongest argument for continuing to play Vidic is a simple one: he remains Man United’s best centre back. And while the situation is of course more nuanced then this, there is no other single factor that should be given as big a weighting. David Moyes can ill afford more poor results in what has been a tragic opening salvo at Old Trafford. The best way to avoid this  is to play your best team. It’s hard to see why it should be more complicated than this.

And yet it is. But even looking at the complexities of the situation only yields further arguments against phasing Vidic out. For one thing, it is wrong to assume that just because United will not qualify for the Champions League this season, means that the remaining games no longer matter. Results matter – always. Alex Ferguson had built a club that knew this and to forget it so quickly would be a disastrous. Mentalities are hard-built, but easily broken, and the idea that it might be okay to lose a couple of more games this campaign if it benefits future development is a very dangerous one to give players.

Along with this internal psychological factor, there is the external factor of how Manchester United are perceived. What happens between now and the end of the season will likely have a huge bearing on who the club can attract in the summer. Memories are short in football and only appear to be getting shorter as the pace of news-cycle increases. Stutter to the end of the campaign and United will go into the summer in much the same negative news spiral that they currently find themselves. Put together a strong finish to the season and it would go along way to changing the current image of the club. The fact that Vidic is leaving only emphasises that United’s ability to attract players this summer may be more important than ever.

Practically speaking, it’s even harder to see the benefits of leaving Vidic out of the team. The reasoning appears to be that it enables the team to work on a defensive partnership that are going to have to deal with the hole left by the Serb’s absence next season. However, if we assume that United are going to buy a replacement for Vidic in the summer – and if all the talk of ‘war chests’ is to believed, this would seem to be a fairly safe assumption to make – then it becomes very difficult the see the logic of leaving the captain out.

Some may find it laughable that Moyes is even thinking so much about next season when it’s far from certain he will even make it to the end of this one. However, even with next season in mind, it seems that the Scot would be better to continue to play Vidic then phase him out.

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While Moyes may have been guilty of not changing enough during the summer, it seems like he’s trying to change too much, too quickly now. But then again, maybe this decision was not one that he had any control over. Even if the decision to leave was Vidic’s, David Moyes may be better advised to try and get the most out of his veteran centre back rather than let him fade away.

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This weekend sees Everton host title-chasing favourites Manchester City, as the Toffees also look to keep their slim chances of Champions League football alive for one more game. But it’s a harrowing thought for many Everton fans that any points they take off City would hand the impetus back to Liverpool in the title race.

On paper, it’s both Everton and Manchester City’s toughest remaining fixture. And recent history suggests it isn’t a game that City prosper in either. Everton have won eight of the last 10 Premier League meetings with City at Goodison Park, losing just once.

While Everton still have a mathematical possibility of gaining the final Champions League spot, they’ll be looking to go all out. Roberto Martinez has built a team that has looked rejuvenated. The relentlessness of their recent good form suggests they are in no mood to let up. With a number of players still possibly looking to impress upon their national coaches in times for the World Cup, the Everton players aren’t likely to roll over for the sake of local rivalry.

Leon Osman has allayed the fears that they may be tempted to take their foot off the gas:

“We’re professionals and it’s what we do. It’s a big game at Goodison and we want to enjoy it and win it. A lot of clubs will be watching this game very closely but we’ve got to put all that out of our minds and do what we always do and go into the game to win.”

To be honest, you’d never expect anything other than what Osman has said. Any deep-lying wish for Liverpool to miss out on the Premier League trophy is never going to be aired publicly.

With Tottenham still breathing down their necks, Everton’s players will still have as much to worry about beneath them as they have above. A loss to City would give Tottenham the chance to level with them on points, putting more pressure on the final game against Hull. For all the suggestions that fifth and sixth will be no different, for a club with finances as limited as Everton, every little helps.

If they remain hopeful for the future, finances will be the key. Any chance they have of progressing into the Champions League – as Roberto Martinez promised – could hinge on small details. An extra million here or there could have an immeasurable impact in time.

Martinez has worked wonders so far, and he’ll see the match against City as another chance to show how far his Everton side have come this season. There’s a very real prospect of them breaking the 70-point barrier for the first time in Premier League history, and they won’t be looking to secure this on the last day.

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The title race has had so many twists this season, with each contending side having made seemingly fatal slip-ups along the road. It’s Everton’s turn to have a say, and it could be the biggest of all. Martinez’s side have yet to just take it easy. They’re a professional and skilful outfit, so don’t expect them to let up for the sake of rivalry.

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You would be excused for thinking that, despite their enormous history, Manchester United will likely spend another year out of the Premier League title race next season.

After all, the Red Devils finished in a shocking seventh place last season and the Old Trafford outfit is still getting over the shock. Likewise, following the departures of Ryan Giggs, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra, Manchester United is a club caught in transition.

But we at Football Fancast have high hopes for the Red Devils next season, believing the lack of pressure currently upon them could see them stage a surprise coup for the English title.

With that in mind, here’s FIVE reasons United should still be considered serious title contenders.

[ffc-gallery]CLICK ON LOUIS VAN GAAL TO REVEAL

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LOUIS VAN GAAL

Many doubted David Moyes’ credentials as Manchester United manager but the same can’t be said for Louis van Gaal.

The Dutchman has worked at Ajax, Barcelona and Bayern Munich, winning La Liga, Bundesliga, Eredivisie and Champions League titles in the process, and is more than acclimatised to life at a major club.

Furthermore, comparisons with Sir Alex Ferguson are hard to ignore. Like Fergie, Louis van Gaal is nothing short of completely crazy:

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And his two leading philosophical pillars – a belief in youth and attacking football – suit Manchester United perfectly.

WAYNE ROONEY AND ROBIN VAN PERSIE

Liverpool’s Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez were undoubtedly the Premier League’s top striking partnership last season, amassing an incredible 52 goals and 17 assists between them.

But now the Uruguayan flesh-chomper has departed for Barcelona, it’s time for Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney to emerge as the most prolific partnership in the English top flight once again.

Manchester United’s pre-season tour suggests the Red Devils will adopt a 3-5-2 system next season, which will allow both Rooney and RVP to be on the pitch at the same time, whilst assisted by Juan Mata at No.10:

The last time the England and Dutch internationals teamed up for a whole season – without it being disrupted by RVP’s regular injuries – they amassed a collective 38 goals and 19 assists, firing the Red Devils to their 13th Premier League title.

And if the Netherlands’ impressive World Cup campaign is anything to go by, van Gaal will undoubtedly get the best out of his Oranje compatriot. Van Persie netted four times at Brazil 2014, including this now-legendary header:

Here’s some highlights of the United forwards combining to great effect during the 2012/13 campaign:

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THEY’VE ACTUALLY BOUGHT A MIDFIELDER

As viewable below, with the exception of Michael Carrick, Manchester United were absolutely woeful in the middle of the park last season:

Which makes you wonder whether the retirement of Paul Scholes was actually the prevailing factor behind United’s woes last term, rather than Sir Alex Ferguson stepping down.

But believe it or not, the Red Devils have actually sought to rectify their most intrinsic flaw this summer, having overlooked it for several seasons and failed to truly address it with the signing of Marouane Fellaini twelve months ago, with the acquisition of Athletic Bilbao’s Ander Herrera.

And if last season’s form is anything to go by, the Spaniard’s energetic playmaking is exactly what the Old Trafford side have been desperately searching for over the last few years:

He also nonchalantly produced this defence-splitting pass during United’s pre-season friendly against LA Galaxy:

Furthermore, Louis van Gaal isn’t stopping there. If recent speculation is to be believed, Juventus star Arturo Vidal is also on his way to Old Trafford:

A NEW SYSTEM

Manchester United looked horrendously outdated in a philosophical sense under David Moyes, but that looks set to be rectified with Louis van Gaal importing his 3-5-2 system that earned Oranje such plaudits at the World Cup.

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As previously stated, the Red Devils have lined up in a 3-5-2 for all of their pre-season friendlies, and this team, barring the absence of Robin van Persie, could well constitute their strongest starting XI next season:

Admittedly, as much the formation could give United a unique tactical advantage over their opponents, it could also become their intrinsic curse. The last major Premier League side to attempt 3-5-2 was Manchester City and it flopped spectacularly.

But LvG knows the system, how best to implement it and the type of players required well, having been luxury to a test run with the Netherlands at the World Cup.

Perhaps most importantly of all however, it gives the Old Trafford side a clear sense of identity and direction – something they tellingly lacked under Moyes.

NO CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Manchester United fans were incredibly disappointed to witness their club miss out on Champions League qualification last season but it could well prove to be a blessing in disguise.

As Liverpool proved last season, focusing your attentions solely on the league whilst divisional rivals are battling on several fronts at the same time can be a huge advantage.

Free of the shackles of European football, Liverpool staged an almighty coup for the Premier League title, finally finishing just one point short to eventual winners Manchester City.

United will be privy to that benefit next season, also having considerably longer rest time between fixtures.

It could however see them struggle to capture their priority targets this summer:

Barclays has today launched a new television advert to mark the start of the 2014/15 Barclays Premier League season. The 60 second advert, called ‘picking ourselves up’, airs for the first time this weekend (16 August) on UK TV and digital channels.

Ex-Tottenham Hotspur captain and England international Ledley King paid a surprise visit to the filming shoot along with the Barclays Premier League Trophy to help inspire the school children taking part.

The film aims to shine a light on grassroots football and highlight those, both young and old, who capture the excitement of the Barclays Premier League and champion the true spirit of the game. A group of two young London teams feature in the advert on the eve of the new season with anticipation building following last season’s thrilling finale.

The advert marks the next stage of Barclays ‘thank you’ campaign which, through a series of initiatives, recognises and rewards club legends, community heroes, ex-players and fans who go above and beyond in their love for the game.

Ledley King said: “Seeing kids who are passionate about the game and want to learn and develop is fantastic. We want to see people play the game with a smile on their face and it’s up to the players at the top of the game to be role models for all those youngsters who aspire to be just like them”.

David Wheldon, Managing Director of Brand, Reputation, Citizenship and Marketing at Barclays, said: “Our mission is to champion the true spirit of the game and the start of this new season, always a time of great optimism, is the perfect opportunity to do this.

“From the commitment of grassroots coaches, to the unwavering support of fans around the world, and the integrity of players who play the game in the right way, we want to say thank you to those who embody the spirit of the game week in week out”.

The advert was filmed at Wormwood Scrubs in London, the site of one of the first Barclays Spaces for Sports facilities which this year celebrates its 10th year anniversary.

Throughout the 2014/15 season Barclays will be rewarding fans who join the conversation via the Barclays Football Facebook Page or Barclays Footy Twitter Page with exclusive ticket and merchandise giveaways.

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Starting on Tuesday 19th August, Barclays’ Ticket Tuesday promotion will give fans the chance to win tickets to their favourite team every Tuesday of the 2014/15 Barclays Premier League season. Barclays will once again also be giving away more than 8,000 tickets to local communities in partnership with Barclays Premier League clubs.

For more information on the campaign visit www.facebook.com/barclaysfootball.

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Even though he claimed to have answered his critics with a Merseyside derby goal, there are still more questions than answers being raised by the ageing Liverpool captain’s performances on a weekly basis. As a legend of the game and a true Reds hero, it’s becoming a little sad to see the 34-year-old being given the run-around by the likes of Stewart Downing, with his once fearsome pace and power now dwindling.

Gerrard has been written off a few times in the past and has always come back, but there’s no doubting that Brendan Rodgers will have to address the problem with his holding midfielder soon or risk the season getting away from his side before Christmas. There is no need to bomb ‘Stevie G’ out yet, but here are five options chiefs at Anfield may want to consider to solve the issue…

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CLICK ON GERRARD TO REVEAL FIVE REPLACEMENTS FOR THE LIVERPOOL CAPTAIN

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Sami Khedira

With his contract ticking towards its expiry at the end of the season, the Real Madrid man is set to be a bargain basement option for January. Khedira is after a big contract at the age of 27, but with a fee of, potentially, less than £10m for a World Cup winner being mooted, surely this one makes sense for Brendan Rodgers.

Through he career with Real and Stuttgart, the German star has shown excellent passing skills and a combative edge, as well as a willingness to get forward and support his team-mates. He could slot in straight away to allow Gerrard to get forward with a little more regularity and free him up from the physical strains of protecting his backline.

Christoph Kramer

If Liverpool cannot get Khedira, why not get the man backed to replace him at international level? When the Real Madrid man missed the World Cup Final through injury, 23-year-old Kramer stepped in to fill the void. For a player with minimal international experience he performed admirably in the biggest game football has to offer, suggesting that he will develop into a top class player.

Kramer is one of Borussia Monchengladbach’s key men, but reports have suggested that offers of around £20m for the enforcer may be accepted. The likes of Arsenal and Chelsea have also been linked with him.

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Kevin Strootman

This move would be a double whammy for the Reds if they could pull it off, with Strootman one of the best holding midfielders around and a long-term target for bitter rivals Manchester United. Speculation suggests that the Dutch ace is ready to leave Roma when he returns from a long-term knee injury, which may render the Italians’ desire to keep him useless.

United are very, very keen, but if Liverpool can get their top four push back on track and qualify for the knockout phase of the Champions League they could outpunch their foes to lure the 24-year-old to Anfield.

Strootman’s stats in Serie A were mightily impressive last season, but much depends on his recovery.

Emre Can

Liverpool may not have to look too far for Gerrard’s replacement, with newbie Can a possible option. The German U-21 star arrived at Anfield over the summer with a burgeoning reputation, but he impact on Merseyside has been limited so far thanks to a niggling injury picked up while away with his country – which the 20-year-old is due to return from next month.

//www.youtube.com/embed/j3oCTipK6b0

Powerful, athletic and composed on the ball, Can really impressed for Bayer Leverkusen last season before Liverpool triggered his £9.75m release clause. Reports have suggested that he is seen as a natural successor to Gerrard in the holding midfield role, with his mobility making him a, potentially, better option for the hectic winter months.

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Marek Hamsik

Should Emre Can succeed Gerrard in a holding midfield role, then Hamsik could be brought in from Napoli to replace the driving intent the skipper used to bring. Liverpool are reportedly in contact with the Slovakian’s entourage ahead of a potential January swoop after being alerted to the Naples side’s openness to doing business.

Hamsik has been one of Serie A’s top performers for some time, with his stats above illustrating just what an impact he has had on Napoli’s rise to the upper end of the division.

Jordan Rossiter

If Liverpool can hold on for another year or so with Gerrard in the first-team, then young Rossiter could be ready to step up. Reds heroes such as Robbie Fowler have already dubbed the 17-year-old as the new version of the current skipper, with his driving style of play and fierce determination reminiscent of ‘Stevie G’s’ when he broke into the XI.

Rossiter matches this with composure on the ball with both his passing and finishing (as shown above in his debut goal in the Capital One Cup against Middlesbrough), making him a potential long-term option alongside Jordan Henderson. It may be a bit early for the teenager now, but the future looks bright for him.8

The Premier League was once filled with potent goalscorers, but in the last few years they’ve become a continually rarer breed. Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City still have enough finance to attract the world’s front-man elite, but Liverpool, Spurs and Arsenal haven’t been quite so fortunate.

Indeed, all three have struggled for firepower up top this season; Emmanuel Adebayor’s two goals in eight appearances is the most of any striker on Tottenham’s roster, Arsenal find themselves dependant on Danny Welbeck, but combined with the injured Olivier Giroud, the Gunners’ forward cast have netted just three times this season, whilst Liverpool front men Rickie Lambert and Mario Balotelli, in the seemingly eternal absence of sidelined Daniel Sturridge, have bagged just one Premier League goal between them.

Readily available, prolific finishers are heading slowly towards extinction in England, but there is one Premier League front-man currently standing out from the rest of the herd – Swansea City’s Wilfried Bony.

Continuing his consistent form into a second top flight campaign and boasting a more than reasonable £19million release clause, how long can the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Spurs continue to overlook the free-scoring Ivorian?

Former Eredivisie strikers are always met with serious doubt in England -thanks to the prior short-lived Premier League careers of Mateja Kezman and Alfonzo Alves -even those who arrive with such incredible statistics as Wilfried Bony, having claimed 37 goals in his final 36 league appearances at Vitesse Arnhem.

But stocky, powerful and aggressively assertive with his 6 foot frame, the Ivory Coast international always felt like a good fit for the Premier League – he certainly wouldn’t shy away from its challenging physicality. The only genuine question marks were over the calibre and consistency of Bony’s finishing, and whether his evident brutishness could be matched with technical quality.

Well, any doubters were silenced in abundance last season as the Swansea star claimed 16 goals to finish as the Premier League’s joint-sixth top scorer.

That’s an identical haul to Manchester City’s Edin Dzeko and Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud – two strikers privy to far greater service in terms of quality and regularity – and one goal more than Romelu Lukaku, the 21 year-old worth a whopping £28million according to Everton. Most tellingly, he found the net against all of the Premier League’s top seven clubs with the exception of Chelsea, scoring twice past Manchester United and Manchester City.

That’s not to suggest the striker is simply an instinctive battering ram of goalscoring prowess – although power and potency are by far Bony’s greatest strengths. His talismanic role in Swansea’s relegation battle last season demonstrated a real appetite for responsibility, whilst four assists, a pass completion rate of 75% and an average of 1.4 fouls drawn per match – a statistic only bettered by  four Premier League strikers, Giroud, Christian Benteke, Marouane Chamakh and Luis Suarez – suggests a rare intelligence and cuteness to the Ivorian’s target man style.

So bring on the difficult second season, the inevitably tougher and less popular follow-up album, where injuries, raised expectations, distracting advances from bigger clubs and the simple matter of opposing defenders discovering intrinsic weaknesses, has seen so many Premier League strikers fall flat before.

Who remembers Arsenal apparently looking at Michu – the Spaniard now on loan at Napoli after scoring just twice in his second Premier league campaign? Or Blackburn’s Roque Santa Cruz? He netted 19 times in his debut Premier League season, but scored just seven goals in the following three years before being loaned out to Real Betis in summer 2011.

Enough of the one-season wonder nostalgia. But if second seasons are the true litmus test of a striker’s durability in the Premier League, Bony is currently passing with flying colours.

He’s bagged four goals in nine appearances this season – remarkably similar to his near-one-in-two strike rate from last term – including a goal against Leicester City last weekend that consisted of a behind-the-leg-flick-on, converted into a one-two by Gylfi Sigurdsson, followed with a cool finish into Kasper Schmeichel’s bottom left corner.

Exceptional stuff from a striker famed more commonly for his physicality than nifty footwork, and marking the first time Bony has scored in three consecutive Premier League outings, one could argue the 25 year-old is already showing improvement from his impressive exploits last season.

That’s not to say Bony is completely void of weaknesses or afflictions. The striker’s conversion rate of 17% last season isn’t as high as one would automatically assume based on his goal tally. Furthermore, as is always the case with recruitment at Liverpool, Arsenal and Spurs, it remains to be seen if the Ivorian can handle the added pressures of a big club – expectations are inevitably higher, the scrutiny is more intense and key players will be called upon to perform at least twice per week.

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That being said, Bony’s ability to balance out the Europa League with the Premier League last season, making eleven appearances and scoring five goals in the former tournament to bring his campaign total to 25 to 48, gives some evidence that physically, the Swansea assassin is capable of making around 50 outings across all competitions per season.

Likewise, it’s often forgotten that he’ still just 25 years of age. The relative pace Bony possesses is an influence on his game, but more instrumental than intrinsic, barring serious injury, he could still be luxury to another five to eight years at top level.

Every transfer comes with a risk and there’s a common feeling that the Swansea striker is due a dry patch. But as he continues to enjoy free-scoring form, the £19million-rated front-man becomes more and more a risk worth taking. If Arsenal, Liverpool or Spurs don’t take the punt by next summer, a foreign suitor undoubtedly will.

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The Championship is the most exciting League in the world through the fantastic attendances, emerging players and being a rare League that is truly unpredictable and competitive.

Forget the Premier League, La Liga or any others, the beauty of the Championship is that it is so fiendishly difficult to predict. Most other Leagues pride themselves on the fact that teams expected to struggle can occasionally take points off the sides of which more is expected, but the Championship goes much further than this. In the Championship, teams expected to struggle can massively outperform expectations and even gain promotion to the promised land of the Premier League. Fantastic recent examples of this concern both Blackpool and Burnley, with the former starting last season as fifth favourites for relegation.

Joey Barton, who has played in the Premier League, Ligue 1 and the Championship commented that England’s second tier is comfortably the most competitive out of the three of them. Regardless of your opinion on Barton, this statement appears hard to disagree with and statistics support it. The gap in terms of points acquired per game between the top and bottom of the Championship is on average 15% closer than in the Premier League. This is reflected by eight of the last 20 teams who gained automatic promotion losing 10 League games or more in the process – Hull lost 15, gained just 79 points and yet still finished second. This happens because the gap in quality between the top and bottom of the division is minimal, affected by teams being relegated despite gaining more than a point a game – Peterborough United went down with 51 points in a recent season.

The Championship is a rare division where the top teams will regularly lose games as, unlike the Premier League, no teams have a clear financial monopoly over the division, meaning talent cannot be hoovered up by select elite clubs. Moreover, the division is normally so tight that heading into the final game of the season almost every team still has something to play for, whether this be retaining the play-offs, automatic promotion or avoiding relegation. This inherent unpredictability is key to the Championship’s excitement, assisted by the League having six new teams each season – most top divisions only gain two or three. The excitement of the division is reflected by its superb attendances, it is comfortably the best followed second division in the world. And for total attendances, the League is consistently in the top five highest in Europe, reflecting it being an exciting product.

The Championship is also engaging because of the huge rewards available to clubs, the dangling carrot of the Premier League and £90 million in prize money guaranteed, including parachute payments if relegated. Thus promotion from the Championship will fundamentally change a club more than say winning the Premier League, as though of course Chelsea or Manchester City would love to do so, they already have plenty of cash. Promotion for Championship clubs can finally allow them to consider much-needed expansions of stadiums and facilities, in addition to acquiring personnel that might help them stay up. Meanwhile at the other end relegation to League One can spell the beginning of a spell in the doldrums for sides with huge support and respected histories – Leeds United took five years to return to the second tier.

Whilst the Championship might not provide the world’s best quality of football, it contains many excellent players who are chasing the promised land of the Premier League.  Combine that with superb attendances, a tiny gap between top and bottom creating a truly competitive and unpredictable structure, and the huge rewards on offer and it definitely is the most exciting League in the world.

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Manchester United are ‘sure’ to make a summer move for £75m rated Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba, who spent some of his early career at Old Trafford, according to Italian football expert Tancredi Palmeri.

The France international left the Red Devils as a youngster in search of first-team football after finding his route into Sir Alex Ferguson’s XI blocked.

He has since gone on to thrive with Juve, who swooped to sign him from United, winning back-to-back Serie A titles while cementing his spot as one of Europe’s very best central midfielders.

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As a result, Louis van Gaal has been linked with a stunning move to bring Pogba back to the Theatre of Dreams, and has been boosted by claims from the Old Lady that offers of around £75m – which would blow the current British record fee of £59.7m paid for Angel di Maria out of the water – will be accepted.

And in a Q&A session on Twitter, Palmeri suggested that United are ready to make an offer for the 21-year-old:

“I see them surely bidding for Pogba†– in response to a question on the club’s transfer targets.

He also confirmed that Pobga is certain to move this summer and that Manchester City have had a bid rejected:

“Yes. So far highest bid City (rejected)†– in response to whether or not Pogba will leave Juventus.

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Despite Manchester United going into the game with accusations that their squad had yet still to gel and an expectation that Tottenham’s golden boy Harry Kane was sure to run riot through the Red Devils’ questionable defence, the Lilywhites were effectively out of the match before half-time. While it was only one game, was this 3-0 win a turning point for United and an end to Spurs’ top four hopes?

Chelsea have all but sewn up the title but the last three spots are still up for grabs in a season where it appears six clubs will take it to the wire to decide who will play in the Champion’s League. With only eight points between second and seventh, these next 10 weeks are going to be a thrilling end to the 2014-15 season.

So what went so wrong for Tottenham? They started Sunday in sixth, but after their first half defensive nightmare they now sit in seventh with 50 points from 29 games. Just 34 minutes of switching off and allowing United to score an embarrassing three times has meant Southampton leap frog them and their European ambitions lie in tatters.

Last season Spurs finished their campaign in sixth, a massive 10 points shy of the top four. Manager and former player Tim Sherwood was duly sacked in favour of bringing in ex-Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino, and while his job looks secure, Pochettino will be expected to at least finish higher than his predecessor, or the last seven months will have been a disaster. Spurs fans want to be challenging for the title soon, not wasting away in seventh every season.

Spurs have increased their expectations over the last few years and now top four is seen as a reasonable goal. Back in 2010 Spurs finished fourth, earning themselves Champion’s League football the following year but this was in no small part down to the Gareth Bale effect and, since his departure to Real Madrid, the Lilywhites have struggled to replicate that success finishing no higher than fifth.

Spurs never really found a replacement for Bale and although Kane has been on fire this season – scoring 16 League goals, making him England’s third top scorer – when he doesn’t find the net then the north London club have few striking options relying instead on midfielders Nacer Chadli and Christian Eriksen.

£26 million forward Roberto Soldado has been a complete disappointment since his arrival in 2013, scoring only seven League goals in his Tottenham career s0 far. This season he is currently on one.

Fortunately, of the nine remaining Premier League clubs Tottenham must play, five are sitting in the bottom seven and so the likelihood that they will be able to bounce back is quite high, especially considering that Sunday’s victors must play Liverpool next and then the Manchester derby in April.

Of course, no one match can ruin the aspirations of a club in an entire season. A season of failing to take opportunities ruin a season and Spurs have been unable to keep up with the Premier League’s heavyweights. If Pochettino’s men can focus on winning their last remaining fixtures, picking up points especially from the relegation threatened teams, then they should still be in with a chance.

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Manchester United and others will drop points and Spurs need to be ready to capitalise on that.

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West Ham United midfielder Alex Song is holding out for a big-money move to Liverpool or Manchester City in the summer, according to the Mail on Sunday.

The Cameroonian joined the Hammers on loan from Barcelona at the start of the season. Despite excelling for the London club in his early performances, Song’s form has dipped recently, coinciding with his side’s poor showings in which they have won only twice in all competitions since the turn of the new year.

However, this has not deterred the player himself, who is targeting a permanent move to a Premier League club capable of challenging for Champions League qualification.

West Ham are currently contributing to the majority of Song’s £140,000-a-week salary – the rest coming from current employers Barcelona – and this hefty wage may put off potential suitors looking to make a move for the midfielder.

Before joining the Catalan club, Song plied his trade for West Ham’s London rivals Arsenal.

Got any questions? Follow me on Twitter @GruffuddOwen

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

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