Former Brazil international Juliano Belletti has agreed terms with Fluminense in his homeland after being released by Chelsea at the end of last season.
The 34-year-old is set to sign a two-year deal with the Rio de Janeiro-based club if he passes a medical later this week.
Belletti moved to Stamford Bridge from Barcelona three years ago and went on to score five goals in 94 appearances for the west London outfit.
He started his career at Cruzeiro before moving on to Sao Paulo, Atletico Mineiro and then Villarreal.
Belletti spent one season with the Yellow Submarine before joining Barca in the summer of 2004 and went on to feature in 91 matches for the Catalan giants.
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He was one of three players to be released by Chelsea at the end of last season. Michael Ballack has already joined Bayer Leverkusen while Joe Cole is still without a club.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Blackburn Rovers boss Sam Allardyce says that he cannot understand why there has been no interest in veteran striker Jason Roberts.
The 32-year-old will be allowed to leave Ewood Park if a suitable offer is forthcoming, but Allardyce is still waiting for serious interest in the experienced frontman.
He told reporters:"We both came to an agreement that a parting of the ways was the best way forward and I am very surprised that we haven't had the phone ringing.
"He has a very good track record in the Premier League and there are not many of his type about.
"When everyone is talking about finding a striker here is a frontman with vast experience and goalscoring ability yet no-one is picking the phone up.
"I am staggered about that one, but from our point of view we feel it is better if he moves on and we look elsewhere when he has gone.
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"But I wouldn't envisage anyone not coming in and bidding for him before the end of the transfer window, because there are not many players of his experience become available at this time of the year.
"He is a homegrown player as well and that is another factor coming into the equation now."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
In light of Charles N’Zogbia’s apparent refusal to train at Wigan in a bid to get a desired move to Sunderland, we thought it fitting to hail those players who have gone out their way to engineer moves away from their clubs. See who makes our list and let us know if their are any glaring omissions.
Pascal Chimbonda A shrewd signing by Paul Jewell during his time at Wigan, the French full-back came to England for a bargain £500k in the summer of 2005 and was an instant hit with the Wigan fans. The Premier League seemed to suit Chimbonda and he was soon gaining admirers across the league, and as a result, Wigan offered him a new four-year contract just 6 months after signing him. All seemed OK until 45 minutes after Wigan’s 4-2 defeat to Arsenal on the last game of the season, when Chimbonda handed his transfer request in at the pitch. It’s safe to say it didn’t go down too well with Jewell who was happy to let him see the remainder of his contract out in the reserves. Luckily for Chimbonda, Spurs matched the £4.5m asking price and the Frenchman got his desired move.
Dimitar Berbatov Two successful seasons at Tottenham were enough for Berbatov to decide that he wanted to move onto bigger things and greener pastures up the M6 and at Old Trafford. The Bulgarian striker made sure everyone was fully aware of his desired move as he missed the opening two games of Spurs’ 08/09 season against Sunderland and Chelsea. As soon as there was any speculation about Sir Alex Ferguson’s interest, Berbatov became ‘unsettled’ with his time a Spurs. In the last few hours of the transfer deadline, Berbatov managed to secure his move to Man Utd and has been a shadow of that player at Spurs ever since.
Nicolas Anelka Young, quick and with lethal finishing to boot, Nicolas Anelka was a sensation during his time at Arsenal. Managing to replace Ian Wright was some achievement at Highbury: having helped his side do the double during the 97/98 season, Anelka went on to score a hatful of goals and win the PFA Young Player of the Year the following season. But all was not rosy in Nico’s garden as he demanded a bigger salary and better performances from his team in the Champions League. Real Madrid were obviously interested in Anelka’s talent and the man himself managed to earn his now infamous title ‘Le Sulk’ as he lost any enthusiasm for the Arsenal cause. Still, the £22.5m profit Wenger made on Anelka was used to purchase one Thierry Henry…
Pierre Van Hooijdonk Or to give him his full name: Petrus Ferdinandus Johannes Van Hooijdonk. His time at Celtic started so well, and 57 goals in 68 games was an impressive return for the club, but an argument with the club’s president meant he had to make do with a place on the bench for the rest of his time at the club – not a good way of getting into the national team as the then coach Guus Hiddink reminded him. Van Hooijdonk managed to eventually secure a move to Nottingham Forest after a contract dispute where he claimed:
“£7,000 a week may be good for the homeless, but not for an international striker.”
Nice. He managed to go on strike at Forest too.
Robbie Savage Although a favourite amongst the fans at Birmingham, Robbie Savage was desperate to leave the club to play under Mark Hughes at Blackburn. Savage had played under Hughes with the Wales team and now he had moved to the Lancashire club, he was eager to continue their relationship. So much so, that he spoon fed Birmingham boss Steve Bruce lies about having personal problems, and needing to spend more time with his family despite Blackburn being further from his home than Birmingham was (all while holding an onion in his pocket to bring on his tears). He even spoke to a friend of his who worked at Sky, asking him to film him when he went into the training ground on the squad’s day off so it looked as though he had been banished to train on his own. The extreme lengths eventually worked and Savage got his move.
Continued on Page TWO
Tyrone Mears Another Paul Jewell escape act, this time with a bit more cloak and dagger. Derby’s Tyrone Mears had heard that Marseille were interested in taking him on loan, and the club made an offer, only for it to be rejected by Derby as ‘laughable’. This however didn’t stop Mears from meeting with officials from the French club. After one particular training session, Mears escaped through a bathroom window and crawled beneath Jewell’s office window so as not to be seen leaving the ground, so he could go to the meeting. Jewell was incensed as Mears got his move abroad. There were only seven appearances in all at Marseille for Mears before he was sold to Burnley a year later.
Darren Bent It was always on the cards that Darren Bent would be leaving Spurs last summer, but the striker made sure everyone knew where his desired destination was with his twitter account.
“Stop f*****g around, Levy. Do I wanna go Hull NO. Do I wanna go Stoke NO. Do I wanna go Sunderland YES”.
Frustrated during his time at White Hart Lane, particularly when Harry Redknapp brought back old boys Jermaine Defoe and Robbie Keane, not to mention with comparisons with Redknapp’s wife, Bent got his wish and moved to Wearside.
Robinho Unhappy with potentially being a makeweight in the deal that could have taken Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid, the Brazilian forward made it clear that he was ready to move on if that was how the club felt about him. As Real Madrid kicked off the start of the 08/09 season against Deportivo La Coruna, Robinho called his own press conference to reiterate his desire to leave and organise a move away from Real. He claimed he wanted to go to Chelsea, but when Chelsea posted a picture of him holding their shirt it angered Real bosses and they sold him to Manchester City instead.
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Joleon Lescott From average Championship defender to England international during his time at Goodison Park, Joleon Lescott had enhanced his reputation enough for millionaires Manchester City to come knocking. David Moyes was adamant that Lescott was contracted to the club and going nowhere, but Lescott had other ideas. After Man City’s £14m bid was rejected, with Everton holding out for £30m, Lescott had four separate meetings with Moyes stating his desire to head to Eastlands. Eventually the player was ‘forced to go public’ with his request. His last appearance for the club was the 6-1 humilation against Arsenal before he made his move for £24m.
Cristiano Ronaldo After going one summer without his move to boyhood team Real Madrid, the Portugese forwards was not prepared for the same to happen again. Despite being paid a basic salary of £120k a week, Ronaldo claimed that he was a ‘modern day slave’ and that Man Utd were keeping him against his will. Two years of expressing his love for Real Madrid eventually earned him the world record transfer that only his ego could have hoped for.
Who have we missed? Let us know who else forced their way out of a club.
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It is now customary for Everton to make a slow start to a Premier League season. The Toffees are renowned for taking more points in the latter half of league campaigns. David Moyes’ side have two points from four games but a dramatic draw against Manchester United on Saturday may be the antidote they were after. The Scot acknowledged their lacklustre start but said before the match that, “we have a team capable of being in the top four.” It is a sentiment echoed by many but is it still achievable for a team who finished eighth last season? Slow starts aside, it may be their forward line which is precluding that place in Europe’s premier club competition. Everton scored three on Saturday but had to field an emergency striking partnership of Tim Cahill and Marouane Fellaini.
Scoring goals may not seem a problem after that performance but it is not a scenario fans would wish to see persist. Everton have many of the attributes required to challenge at the highest level. They lost just twice in the last 24 games of the previous season, demonstrating the experience of their defence. Their midfield boasts the versatility of the imposing Fellaini and the creative nous of Cahill, Steven Pienaar and Mikel Arteta. Everton are blessed with a loyal, passionate fan base which can produce an intimidating atmosphere at Goodison Park and have a tactically adept manager who is there for a long haul. The forward line is the only area which requires consideration.
The former Manchester United striker, Louis Saha was the club’s top scorer last season with 13 league goals. He has featured this season but is now out for three weeks with a calf and knee complaint. The 32-year old revealed he has used leeches in an attempt to ease his chronic knee pains which have afflicted him throughout his career. Saha has undoubtedly impressed at Everton, scoring a late brace to flatten West Ham at Upton Park and netting the fastest goal in a cup final at Wembley during his first season. He was more prolific last season and one particular highlight was his two goals against Chelsea despite missing a penalty during that home win.
The dilemma concerning Saha is whether he will be available often enough to cement his goal-scoring form. Serious injury has been endemic at Goodison in recent years and has affected the performance of Nigerian striker Yakubu. The 27-year old was the subject of intense transfer speculation this summer but remains at the club, hoping to recapture the form which saw him score more than 20 league goals in the 2007/08 campaign. A ruptured Achilles halted his progress in late 2008 and he has not managed to reach the same dizzying heights since. He made a substitute appearance on Saturday but his manager said, “The Yak is fit but certainly couldn’t complete a game at the moment.” Moyes still harbours great belief in his ability and has challenged him to return to peak physical condition.
Everton acted promptly to secure the signing of free agent Jermaine Beckford this summer after the forward’s contract expired at Leeds United. He had been exceptional for the sleeping giants in League One, regularly scoring over 20 goals a season, hitting 31 last year. He sparkled too in their FA Cup run, scoring the winner at Old Trafford and a last gasp equaliser at White Hart Lane. He scored a penalty for his new club in their League Cup victory over Huddersfield Town but has yet to adapt to the PL. This is understandable for the player who described his summer move as a “big test.” But his pace which was on show against Aston Villa will be an asset to the club.
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However Moyes, who has grown tired of playing catch-up early in the season, may find his striking dilemma too time consuming. Elsewhere James Vaughan has joined Crystal Palace on loan while Victor Anichebe still has to win over the fans after refusing to play in their FA Cup replay against Liverpool. Moyes acted cunningly in the transfer market, swooping for Magaye Gueye from Strasbourg and Joao Silva from the Portuguese second tier. Both could prove to be ingenious buys but for now their ambitions rest on restoring the Yak to his striking potential.
The Football Association will consider Newcastle United's call for action to be taken against Manchester City midfielder Nigel de Jong.
The Magpies wrote a 'strongly-worded letter' calling for action after de Jong's tackle left Hatem Ben Arfa with a broken leg following Sunday's 2-1 defeat at Eastlands.
Referee Martin Atkinson took no action against the combative Netherlands international at the time and Newcastle want the FA to take retrospective action.
"We will consider the contents of the letter," confirmed an FA spokesperson.
Ben Arfa is facing months on the sidelines after suffering fractures to his left tibia and fibula and the Magpies have called for strong action.
A club statement read:"Newcastle United FC have written a strongly-worded letter to the FA in relation to the tackle by Manchester City's Nigel de Jong on Hatem Ben Arfa in Sunday's Premier League fixture, which resulted in Ben Arfa sustaining a broken tibia and fibula of his left leg.
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"The club has asked the FA for the appropriate action to be taken against de Jong for the tackle which in the club's opinion was unnecessary and used excessive force.
"Newcastle United will also be writing to the appropriate body regarding the performance of the match officials, specifically the referee, in relation to a number of incidents during the game including the tackle on Ben Arfa."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
The Premier League has seen its fair share of horror tackles recently with Karl Henry at the centre of attention for a number of violent challenges.
In light of Henry’s efforts, we’ve decided to compile our top 10 lists of horror challenges and it doesn’t make for pretty viewing.
10. Francesco Totti on Carsten Ramelow
Totti may be one of the most gifted players of his generation but he is also a bit of a menace as shown by this disgraceful stamp on Bayer Leverkusen’s Carsten Ramelow. Totti decided that it would be a good idea to introduce his studs to Ramelow’s side after he evaded the German’s initial challenge. Incredibly, Totti was only yellow carded for this wonton act of violence.
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9. Ben Thatcher on Pedro Mendes
Manchester City defender Ben Thatcher practically committed GBH on Portmouth’s Pedro Mendes when the two teams met in November 2006.
Thatcher knocked Mendes out cold with a vicious leading elbow which connected with Mendes’ face. The Portuguese midfielder was rendered unconscious immediately but Thatcher proceeded to argue with the Portsmouth players about the severity of his challenge.
Mendes required oxygen on the pitch while also suffering a seizure on his way to hospital. For his challenge, Thatcher received a 6 week fine and 6 game ban from Manchester City as well as a separate 8 game ban from the FA.
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8. Benjamin Massing on Claudio Caniggia
There are many ways to stop a swift counter attack and Cameroon defender Benjamin Massing took the most cynical option.
In Cameroon’s opening match of the 1990 World Cup against Argentina, Massing put the brakes on Argentina’s counter attack by scything down Claudio Caniggia with a tackle that can only be described as agricultural.
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7. Martin Taylor on Eduardo
Arsenal are no stranger to horror tackles and Eduardo was on the receiving end of arguably the most notorious one when Birmingham defender Martin Taylor snapped Eduardo’s leg like a twig with his over the ball challenge. Taylor’s tackle left the Arsenal man with a broken left fibula and a dislocated ankle and kept him out of action for almost a year.
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6. Nuno Claro on Georgian Paun
Goalkeepers aren’t known for their tackling skills and this is probably why. CFR Cluj goalie Nuno Claro decides that he is going to come and try and clear a long-ball aimed for Astra striker Georgian Paun. Paun gets to the ball first and knocks it over the onrushing Claro.
Clauro is beaten all ends up by Paun’s skill so he chose to get on back on the striker by landing a vicious kick to Paun’s chest.
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Continued on Page TWO
5. Axel Witsel on Marcin Wasilewski
Witsel was originally banned for nearly three months for this shocking tackle on Anderlecht’s Polish defender Marcin Wasilewski. Witsel went straight over the top of the ball and stamped on Wasilewski’s outstretched leg. The tackle snapped Wasilewski’s leg in two, leaving the defender out of action for thirteen months.
Witsel received numerous death threats from Anderlecht fans who were incensed at the recklessness of his challenge.
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4. Nigel de Jong on Xabi Alonso
Manchester City midfielder Nigel de Jong must have been taking lessons from Nuno Claro on how to do a karate kick as he executed it to perfection on Xabi Alonso in this summer’s World Cup final. As Alonso went to head the ball, de Jong aimed a shot at Alonso’s chest that even Mr. Miyagi would have been proud of.
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3. Julien Rodriguez on Edson
While Nigel de Jong and Nuno Claro’s kicks may have been bad, they have nothing on our next challenge by Monaco midfielder Julien Rodriguez on Ajaccio’s Edson. In what I can only hope was an accident, Rodriguez catches Edson flush in the face with a brutal kick.
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2. Roy Keane on Alf-Inge Haaland
Manchester United hard man Roy Keane isn’t one to forget a grudge. Keane injured his ACL in a match against Leeds while trying to tackle Haaland. While Keane was injured, Haaland claimed that Keane was making the most of his injury to avoid further punishment from the referee. Keane was given a yellow card and was stretchered off the field.
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Fast forward three years later to 2001 when Haaland’s new club Manchester City came to Old Trafford. Keane waited until the last 5 minutes of the game before unleashing a horrendous knee high challenge that left Haaland prostrate on the ground.
Keane was instantly red carded and handed a three match ban but further punishment was to follow. In his autobiography, Keane admitted that he had intended to hurt Haaland and that the injury was premeditated. He said:
“I’d waited long enough. I f***ing hit him hard. The ball was there (I think). Take that you c***. And don’t ever stand over me sneering about fake injuries”.
Keane was charged by the FA for bringing the game into disrepute and was banned for a further 5 games while also handing him a £150,000 fine.
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1. Harald Schumacher on Patrick Battiston
At number one spot is West Germany goalkeeper Harald Schumacher whose horrific challenge on Patrick Battiston left the defender unconscious and in a coma.
Battiston came on in the second half the 1982 World Cup semi-final and found himself through on goal from a ball by Michel Platini. Schumacher ran out of his goal to meet Battiston as he was just about to shoot. Just as he was shooting, Schumacher jumped in the air and twisted his body towards Battiston. As he was turning, Schumacher collided with Battiston’s face.
Battiston fell to the ground unconscious with damaged vertebrae and teeth knocked out. Michel Platini said afterwards that he thought Battiston was dead as “he had no pulse and looked pale”.
In the end, Schumacher wasn’t even given a yellow card as the referee didn’t deem the challenge a foul.
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Any other horror challenges you feel should have made the list?
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With Andy Carroll causing somewhat of a stir, a bulking 6ft tall stir at that, within the Premiership and being a number 9, the images of previous famous number nines come flooding back. He is a traditional ‘big man’ up-front, leading the line and putting his body on it for Newcastle United’s cause. In tribute to the manner in which Carroll plays is a list of the top traditional physical centre forwards who would plough through defenders in a quasi-juggernaut fashion.
Alan Shearer
Where else to start but with Carroll’s predecessor and all round legend on Tyneside. Shearer was a physical player, but coupled with this he had a fierce strike and unrivalled goal scoring ability that led to him score a record 260 Premiership goals. His name thus tops the all-time goal scoring table for the league, with the closest being 73 goals away in the form of Andy Cole. He rose to become a cult figure in the North East who was feared by even the most resilient defenders of the day.
Les Ferdinand
With 149 Premiership goals to his name, Ferdinand finds himself fifth in the top goal scorer’s chart. In being 5ft 11in, Ferdinand wasn’t exactly a tall target man, but his ability to rise above defenders with his leap and then seemingly suspend himself in animation was a special sight that compensated for his height. Ferdinand’s style was one that relied heavily on a physical presence but paid dividends in effectiveness, as with the majority of his fellow listed figures.
Mark Hughes
The itinerant striker played for seven clubs in all, with Barcelona and Bayern Munich included, his major successes where won at home though. A player of great bravery and neglect for his own preservation in his conquest for a striker’s Holy Grail: goals. Rather than being prolific Hughes would put quality over quantity by scoring some spectacular goals and in only being 5 ft 10 inches would get his fair share of headed goals.
Continued on Page TWO
Dion Dublin
111 Premiership goals and eleventh in the top goal scorer’s chart Dublin was a towering physique of a man who laid emphasis on grinding down his opponents into submission and taking advantage when sufficiently worn out. After having an unsuccessful spell at Manchester United, Dublin had a point to prove and did so competently at Coventry City by scoring 62 goals in 145 appearances. A central defender at first, he moved to affirm himself as a striker who would always play in the physical manner he did having this past experience.
William ‘Dixie’ Dean
The first football player to wear what was to become one of the most illustrious numbers a striker could wear, the number 9. This pre-war figure was one of the most renowned figures in his time for his goal scoring exploits; he managed to score 60 league goals in one season, a record that still stand to this day and, I can safely say, will never be beaten. The strength of the man was exemplified by his extraordinary rehabilitation from a motorcycling accident that fractured his skull and jaw, with the doctors unsure whether he’d play again.
Duncan Ferguson
The petulant and infamous jail visitor Ferguson was not a man to be crossed, with his reputation preceding him and causing defenders to avert their eyes when in his 6ft 4in presence. In his robust and disparaging mental state, Ferguson would amass nine red cards which restricted his playing time along with his susceptibility to injuries. Whether his temperament was a releasing of frustrations or not, you would rather watch him than play against him.
John Fashanu
A former Wimbledon player and central member of the ‘Crazy Gang’ side who won the FA Cup, he was an uncompromising striker who would declare his intentions from the outset. Said to perform a fear inducing warm-up in full view of everyone, he would oil his body and act out a karate routine. Famous for a clash with Gary Mabbutt, that left the latter with a fractured skull and eye socket, which reinforced his aggressive nature on the pitch.
Continued on Page THREE
Andy Gray
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The now battering ram of a football commentator and presenter, much like marmite, love him or hate him, his playing days were to define him as a goal scorer. Using his heavy frame, physical prowess and under-rated ability on the ball, Gray would score a total of 178 goals in 493 games, with the majority of them coming in his early career playing for Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Malcolm Macdonald
He was the quintessential number 9 on Tyneside who was to reign supreme in the goals for Newcastle by finishing top goal scorer for five consecutive seasons. ‘Supermac’ as he was affectionately termed, was plucked from Luton Town after having scored 49 goals in 88 games and he didn’t disappoint; on his home debut he scored a hat-trick against Liverpool to claim a 3-2 victory. He still holds the record for scoring the most goals from a single player in an England shirt; this was against Cyprus of whom he put five goals past.
Peter Withe
The man looked more of a lumberjack than a professional football player, sporting a grizzly beard and arms that could wrestle a bear into submission. Woe betides the defender that had to grapple against his 6ft 3in frame that would crash into you when challenging for the ball. He scored, arguably, the most important goal of Aston Villa’s history, which saw them triumph over Bayern Munich to lift the European Cup.
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Aston Villa midfielder Barry Bannan has thanked manager Gerard Houllier for turning around his fortunes in recent times.
The 20-year-old has become a regular starter for Villa in the past few weeks and also made his Scotland debut against the Faroe Islands on Tuesday, having been unable to make an impact under previous Villa boss Martin O'Neill.
Bannan told the Daily Record:"Martin had size issues with me and he kept bringing them up in conversation over the many meetings we had when he was at Villa.
"I'd been at the club since I was 14. My parents had left Lanarkshire and moved to the Midlands to look after me while I tried to become a success. But Martin left me disheartened when what I really needed was his trust.
"The only thing that kept me going during that period of rejection was when I said to myself, 'someday somebody will show confidence in you'.
"I knew I couldn't afford to be totally disheartened, because then my confidence levels would have dropped and my game would have gone to pieces along with them.
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"Gerard likes a passing game for Villa, so now I've gone from the stage where I was on loan to Blackpool and playing every now and then, to the point where I've been first pick for Villa for the last three matches in the Premier League.
"All of that's been based on what the manager saw of me in training each day. I'm grateful to say he's taken to me and I've experienced a total change of fortune since Gerard arrived at the club."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Birmingham City manager Alex McLeish has admitted he is delighted with the effort of loan striker Matt Derbyshire as he tries to force his way into the first-team.
The Blues boss swooped to sign the 24-year-old former Blackburn hitman on a season-long loan deal from Olympiakos in the summer.
However, Derbyshire has struggled for first-team football with no Premier League starts so far and just three run-outs in the early rounds of the Carling Cup.
Despite his struggles, McLeish has been pleased with the attitude of the player as he tries to impress his way into the starting XI.
He told the Birmingham Mail:"Matt is looking sharper and he was enthusiastic when he was on (against Villa in the Carling Cup quarter-final victory last week). Matt is very, very keen to make an impact at the club.
"It's not easy for guys when they don't make an instant impact.
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"He's certainly not one for shying out of that."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
After a brief period which spanned from late November to early December, it seems that Arsenal’s golden boy, Jack Wilshere, has returned to the form in which he started the season.
At merely 19 years of age, the manner in which he plays the game with such efficiency and simplicity is quite astounding. It’s becoming abundantly clear, as the weeks progress, that he has fully cemented a place in the highly competitive scene of the Arsenal midfield.
It was thought after the first game of the season, away at Anfield, that Wilshere was out of his depth. He had been overrun by more senior players, such as Steven Gerrard, and his timid performance was encapsulated by poorly losing possession, which in turn led to Liverpool’s goal. However, since then, Wilshere’s season took a turn for the better, and he really stamped his authority on the subsequent matches in which he was trusted to play.
Arsene Wenger had a choice to make after the Liverpool game, and he made the correct one. He stuck with Wilshere, when a manager of lesser courage would have made the easier decision to drop him, and side with a more experienced option. Wenger trusted him in the first home game against Blackpool, and he was arguably the man of the match that day. From that game onwards, with the occasional blip here and there, Wilshere has proven his worth to the team. There has been no bias shown to him because of his roots – he is simply Arsenal’s most valuable option in that position.
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However, the one worry that Arsenal staff and fans will have is that the youngster may well get burnt out. Wilshere has played more minutes than the vast majority of the remainder of the squad, and for someone so young, in his first year in a very physical league, there will come a point in the season where he will need to take some time off. Given the importance of the latter half of the campaign though, it seems unlikely that Wilshere’s resting period will materialise to any great extent. The workload shall have to be taken off him by such players as Abou Diaby, Denilson, Aaron Ramsey or even Tomas Rosicky.
Jack Wilshere is a remarkable talent, and his level of play this season has been extraordinary. However, this cannot go on forever. There will come a point where he tires, and there will be a necessity for him to be replaced in some games which Arsenal shall be expected to win easily. Of course, the problem being, that those matches deemed easier to win have been the very same matches in which Arsenal have dropped points.
Therefore, there may be a couple of minor storms brewing in the distance. How will Jack Wilshere be replaced, if of course this does ensue? Will he sustain an injury or become burnt out? Perhaps neither will happen, but it does seem likely if one is to look at the history of young players in the Premier League.
Wayne Rooney’s early seasons at Manchester United were perfect examples of a dip in performance as the season reaches its climax. Regardless of the potential problems ahead, there is no doubt that Wilshere is proving to be one of the biggest positives Arsenal have had this season, and whilst he is in form, there is nothing to do except appreciate him.
Written By Anthony Bayliss
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This article was first published on Gunnersphere.com – you can follow Alistair Bayliss on Twitter HERE
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