According to France Football, Huddersfield Town are interested in taking Monaco’s Terence Kongolo on loan for the remainder of the season.
The 23-year-old joined the French champions from Feyenoord in the summer transfer window. However, he has only played five games for the Ligue 1 outfit since his move.
What’s the story?
Having made 138 appearances for Dutch side Feyenoord, over a period of six seasons, Terence Kongolo opted to seek pastures new as he joined Monaco in the summer of 2017. However, a move to the champions of Ligue 1 has failed to develop as anticipated and now a loan move is being considered to resurrect the Dutchman’s season.
Fellow Ligue 1 team, Bordeaux have allegedly made contact regarding Kongolo’s availability but it is thought Huddersfield are also monitoring the defender’s situation.
Would it be a good move?
The beauty of loan moves is that they’re typically low-risk, high-reward. Huddersfield have made the best start out of the newly-promoted teams in the league this season but they have conceded a staggering total of 32 goals in 20 games. Their need for defensive reinforcement is apparent, and Kongolo could provide a timely solution to David Wagner’s side.
During his time at Feyenoord, the Dutchman established his status as one of the Eredivisie’s talented defenders, and at the age of 23, the centre-half’s potential is substantial.
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Kongolo – valued at £9m by transfermarkt.com – is highly regarded for his propensity to win aerial battles, in addition to his valuable capacity to retain possession. There’s no denying that Kongolo is endowed with great technical ability. Furthermore, he is recognised for his unwavering concentration. Without question, the acquisition of Terence Kongolo would be an excellent coup for Huddersfield.
Continual speculation about the future of Gareth Bale seems to be a feature of any transfer window for Tottenham Hotspur. It is perhaps unsurprising that a man of his quality has so many potential suitors, but is it time that the Premier League club provided some kind of confirmation on the stars future?
Reports from Spanish paper Marca this week went so far as to suggest that the Welsh winger had already agreed a deal in principle to sign for Real Madrid. Regardless of whether these stories are credible, they cannot help but aid in unsettling both player and squad. Clearly Spurs need to take a decisive stance and end the saga.
Gareth Bale enjoyed a brilliant season last year, capped off by winning both the Football Writers and PFA player of the season awards. His 26 goals under new man Andre Villas-Boas are a testament to the partnership the two of them have struck up so rapidly. He has received global acclaim for his performances last season, which have seen him become Tottenham’s most prized asset. Reports place his value at anything between £50-£100m, making him potentially a world record purchase.
It seems bizarre that a club, who are in an apparent partnership with Spurs, seem so eager to publicly tap up the Welshman. Florentino Perez announced to Marca that:
‘Bale was born to play for Real Madrid’
This was followed by further comments made by club ambassador, Zinedine Zidane, who put further pressure on the Welshman:
‘If Gareth feels now is the time to move then he has to have a private discussion with his club and express that he wants to leave.’
It is hardly surprising that the papers are full of continued rumours about Bale, when those in power at Madrid are all too happy to pass comment about a player contracted to another club.
Spurs have gone some way to dispel fears that their star man may leave. Andre Villas-Boas has reiterated the stance that Bale will remain a Spurs player next year. Speaking on Spurs’ pre season tour to Asia he made the following comments:
‘He’s a player that we are willing to continue to have, he’s a Tottenham player, he’s one of the most fantastic players in the world and we are counting on him for the future.’
Unfortunately Spurs fans know all to well that the decision on Bale’s future more than likely rests at the feet of club chairman, Daniel Levy. If Levy were to make a public hands off warning to other clubs regarding Bale I am sure much of the speculation regarding Bale would end for the time being. Similarly if the player genuinely wants to stay at Spurs why not sign a new contract or make public his desire to continue in North London? As it stands the situation not only adversely affects Bale’s immediate future but that of the club in general.
What I find most concerning is the fact that in Daniel Levy, Spurs posses possibly the shrewdest of Chairmen in the country. A man unlikely to take tapping up lightly (as was the case with the Berbatov saga) it seems extraordinary that he is all too happy to allow Real Madrid to get away with it. In regards to the Modric saga, Levy came out ahead of the 2011/2012 season to state that the player would not be for the sale at any price, and further to that he spent the season as a Spurs player.
The silence over Bale is a bit of an oddity personally. Couple that with Spurs’ sudden ability to bid for players in the region of £20m and you arrive at the sickening possibility that there may be something to the stories. If Levy could sell Bale to a club outside of England for a world record fee would this represent good business for the club? Whilst he is the best player in decades for the club, he is unlikely to ever command more of a value than he does now. Further to that, the figures being touted would go a long way to fund either a new stadium or new player recruitment. Is Levy about to take a pragmatic decision here much to the displeasure of Spurs fans?
Personally I have faith that whatever decision is taken it will be for the betterment of the club in general. Levy is a pragmatist and rarely gets tied up in the same emotions that fans do. However, the current situation represents something of a PR disaster, as the club have begun to appear weak on the world footballing stage. Surely a decision one way or another would allow Spurs to move on as a club, rather than be constantly subjected to a perpetual cycle of rumour regarding the winger.
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Levy is far from being an idiot, and for that reason I can only assume a lot is going on behind the scenes that the press can only dream of knowing. A summer of indecision can only be harmful for Spurs.
Isn’t it about time Levy made a decision on Bale one way or the other?
It’s no cliché that football owners, particularly the extremely wealthy ones, are playing their own real life version of that popular computer game. For the most part, these aren’t football people; they’re not locals who understand the traditions of their club, instead they’re dropped in and believe that their interfering—because that’s what is it—is a better avenue for success over experienced and well-learned football managers.
People say football was much more black and white back in the day, while a grey area has been uncovered in the modern game. It’s certainly understandable, the money that’s arrived into the game has morphed it into some kind of monster, with anybody with a fair bit of cash wanting to play God in his own little world. There’s definitely an understandable element in the way owners play a role in team affairs, it’s their money and they need to protect their investment as best as they can. Irony. There’s a good level of irony in all that.
The one that springs to mind first and foremost is Chelsea and Roman Abramovich. I’m sure Abramovich is not too disappointed in what his team has achieved over the best part of the last decade, but what else could have been won if he had just stayed out of the spotlight and in the background, where he apparently likes to be when any opportunity for comment arises.
The point about owners not being locals or familiar with a club’s history has been more than hammered home in recent years. A foreign owner comes in and attempts to transform the history of a club and it’s traditions on the pitch over night. At some stage, even with all the money in the world, people have to understand that sports doesn’t work like that.
What would Barcelona be if there were impersonations (or impostors) of them scattered all over Europe? What would the real home of football be if every second nation tried to emulate the success and history of Brazil? Buying talented technical footballers is no bad thing, in fact the game has been moving in that direction for a number of years now. But why can’t Abramovich attempt to try and establish and build on Chelsea’s own history, instead of forcing something that isn’t there.
Shelling out enormous contracts for Pep Guardiola won’t turn this group of Chelsea players into Barcelona, no matter how talented they are. The current Barcelona team have reached these heights because of the good work put in place by Johan Cruyff decades ago, with all of the players educated in exactly the same manner. In contrast, Chelsea have thrown together a group of talented footballers from all over the world and demanded something exactly the same.
It’s worth pointing out at this stage that it’s not the football managers nor the fans who seem to live in this bizarre world where heritage and particular styles of football can be bought. The owners are buying players that don’t necessarily meet the requirements or needs of the manager, while there are individuals such as Directors of Football who are put in place who constantly clash with the ideas of the coaching staff.
It’s continental, yes, but it’s also very American to have a group of boardroom members who are united in the drive to move their club or franchise forward. Barcelona’s coaching staff and Presidents are former players and Catalans, all of whom understand what’s needed to continue to make the club a success. NFL teams, for example, hand out important roles to key figures from the franchise’s past. It’s not a throwaway role or something just for PR, but former players are in place to help with sporting operations and for their understanding of the team’s history.
Newcastle were relegated because of a desire for this continental way of thinking, among other things. Dennis Wise did little good for the club, but there is a real question as to what merit brought him to the club in the first place. They’re now reaping the success of a good manager who is left to do things as he sees fit. It’s not Alan Pardew’s club, but while he’s manager it should be seen that way.
Daniel Levy wants Tottenham to adopt this continental style, and that’s fine. But who is accountable when the results aren’t always the best? The Tottenham chairman plays a big role in the transfer activity of the club, but we’re seeing the effects of a set of players brought in that don’t fit with the manager’s system. Did Andre Villas-Boas really need or even want Hugo Lloris? Maybe a double-edged sword, because who doesn’t want a player like Lloris in the team? But it’s created a headache for the manager at a time when he has enough on his plate. It wasn’t a bad move, but it smacks of Daniel Levy’s desire for the player rather than the need from the team. How much effort was spent with Lyon? How much could have been shifted onto targets that were needed? Importantly, what are the long-term effects on the pitch? There are other factors weighing in towards Tottenham’s slow start, of course, but how much communication is there between chairman and manager?
Here’s my problem with Liverpool and why I feel for Brendan Rodgers: he didn’t want to have an interview with the Anfield club just in case he didn’t get the job; where would that have left him in the mind’s of Swansea fans? But now that he has the job, after he’s presented his set of ideas for taking the club forward—and the club really need taking forward—and especially after he’s been entrusted by the owners at Liverpool, he now has a “technical committee” overseeing his work. Excuse me, but what exactly is a technical committee? More importantly, why does Rodgers need one? If he was good enough to be hired by the club then why is he not good enough to take full charge of the first-team?
I get it, maybe the American owners needed to have their hand held through all of this. Lets not forget the rumour that John Henry is looking to sell the Boston Red Sox. It’s their investment, fair enough, but it’s another example of non-locals who are doing too much when it’s not necessary. Rodgers is a football man who knows the game well. I wouldn’t be surprised if he decided to walk at some point in the near future following all this. It’s even more worrying considering my previous reference to the running of American sports clubs.
We’ve seen the problems created at Manchester City this summer with Roberto Mancini not fully backed in the transfer market. Are those all his preferred targets that were brought in? I find it difficult to believe. They missed out on Daniele De Rossi and Robin van Persie, but who’s head rolls first when the league title isn’t captured again this season?
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Everton’s financial problems are well-known, but you really get the sense that David Moyes is running the show at Goodison Park. Would the club have come this far if the owner insisted on interfering with the day-to-day football operations?
If owners want to carry out business in this way whereby they have a large say in day-to-day football operations that’s fine, but English clubs in particular need to move out of this grey area, and it’s imperative that owners have consistent dialogue with the manager to understand what is needed and, importantly, what is not.
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According to reports in The Mirror, Tottenham Hotspur are ready to offload a number of their fringe players, including midfielder Victor Wanyama, who is rated at £27m by Transfermarkt, this summer in order to fund a £100m-plus move for Lazio duo Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Ciro Immobile, and Liverpool must make sure they are watching developments closely.
What’s the word, then?
Well, The Mirror says that Mauricio Pochettino is ready to cash in on Toby Alderweireld, Danny Rose, Moussa Sissoko, Mousa Dembele and Wanyama this summer, with four of those five players struggling to be regulars in the starting XI in recent months.
The Kenya international has often found himself on the substitutes’ bench with Dembele and Eric Dier preferred in the middle of the park, but it appears that even though the Belgium international could go, they won’t look to keep Wanyama if they receive a respectable offer for his services.
Meanwhile, Jurgen Klopp may well be looking to fine tune his Reds team this summer to ensure they can challenge Manchester City and the like for the Premier League title next term.
How has Wanyama done this season?
Despite being a regular in the 2016/17 campaign as Spurs finished in second position in the top flight, the 26-year-old has found first-team minutes hard to come by this around.
While he began the season in the starting XI, he suffered an injury in August that kept him out of action until 2018, with Dembele and Dier forming a strong partnership in the middle of the park in his absence.
Still, the Kenya international has certainly had his impressive moments, including scoring a stunning goal in his side’s 2-2 draw at Anfield earlier this year.
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Should Liverpool sign him?
They certainly should do, and he could be the final piece of their team jigsaw.
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Having strengthened in central defence with the addition of Virgil van Dijk during the January transfer window, one of the positions left that the Merseyside outfit need to strengthen in is the defensive midfield role, and a player that can sit in front of the back and protect them when is needed.
Captain Jordan Henderson is doing that duty right now and while he is impressing Reds fans on Twitter with his displays, but you can’t help but feel that Wanyama would be more suited to the role.
The impressive defensive records of both Southampton and Tottenham when he has been playing regularly in recent years prove how influential he can be at the back.
The Hammers are in striking disarray again and desperately need one, if not two, new strikers before the transfer window closes.
They are down to the bare bones with just Modibo Maiga and Diafra Sakho as the main striking options, with Mauro Zarate more of a number 10 than a central focal point for the attack.
The ‘significant’ knee and ankle injuries Enner Valencia sustained against Astra Giurgiu last Thursday look as though they will rule the Ecuadorian forward out until October, which has further emphasised the Hammers’ need for a new front man.
Slaven Bilic need strikers, so here are five possible targets the East Londoners should be considering…
Raul Jimenez
It has been suggested by the Telegraph that West Ham are eyeing up a loan move, with a view to a permanent deal, for Mexican forward Raul Jimenez, depending on a work permit hearing later this week.
The striker had an unsuccessful season at Atletico Madrid last year, scoring just one goal in 27 games, but the former América striker had a good record in Mexico, scoring regularly, and he has scored eight times for Mexico already.
Charlie Austin
The Hammers have been linked with the QPR forward all summer and a move across London could well be on the cards for Austin as rumours suggest the striker would prefer to stay in London, rather than move to Newcastle – the other strongly linked club.
We all know how successful Austin was for the R’s last season, scoring eighteen times for the relegated Londoners showing he already has Premier League pedigree.
However, the rumoured £15m price tag on the forward is a stumbling block as the Hammers don’t rate Austin as highly as that fee, so the Hoops will have to drop the price if a deal is to be done.
Javier Hernandez
The Hammers are rumoured to be ready to make a move for the Man Utd forward, who is out of favour at Old Trafford after he was loaned out last season to Real Madrid.
There is strong interest in the Mexican forward from London rivals Spurs, so the East Londoners are going to have to move fast to secure the striker’s services.
Hernandez would be an ideal signing as he would add some real finishing know-how to the West Ham attack, and for £9m a deal for the striker is certainly a possibility.
Dimitar Berbatov
Football – Arsenal v AS Monaco – UEFA Champions League Second Round First Leg – Emirates Stadium, London, England – 25/2/15Dimitar Berbatov celebrates after scoring the second goal for MonacoAction Images via Reuters / John SibleyLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
A bit of a left field target for the Hammers, but the Bulgarian striker is still a classy performer, even at the ripe old age of 34.
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He could certainly still do a job in the Premier League but, even though the former Spurs man is still a talented performer, he couldn’t be considered as the one single striker to solve West Ham’s striking dilemmas.
However, with the Bulgarian out of contract after finishing his time at Monaco, he is attainable and could well be signed as a decent back-up option for the Hammers.
Loic Remy
The Chelsea forward has looked like he is set to stay at Stamford Bridge this season, but a move for the Frenchman could still be on the cards for the Upton Park based club, especially after the striker’s uninspiring performance in the Community Shield on Sunday, which may persuade Jose Mourinho to move the striker on.
Chelsea will need to sign another forward before they will be letting Remy leave however, but if they do the Hammers could resurrect a deal for the striker.
Arsenal are looking to sign England defender Micah Richards, according to the Mirror.
The Manchester City right-back has been linked with a move out of the club, despite having two years left on his contract.
But Richards, who only played 7 Premier League matches last season, is considering handing in a transfer request, after learning that Roma and Inter Milan are interested in his services. The right-back’s chances of getting into the first team are limited by the fact he is fighting for a place with club captain Pablo Zabaleta.
Arsenal are monitoring Richard’s situation, and could line him up as a replacement for Bacary Sagna. The Frenchman has been heavily linked with a move to France, with Monaco and PSG reportedly interested.
The 25-year-old is valued at £12million by Inter Milan, but he could be offered a chance to stay in the Premier League by Arsene Wenger.
Richards could be just one of many big names moving to the Emirates this summer, after Wenger was given a £70million transfer kitty to spend this summer. The right-back would fit Arsenal’s style of attacking fullbacks.
City are keen to offer Richards a new contract, but the 25-year-old is believed to be considering his options first.
Would Richards do well at Arsenal? Should he leave City?
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Tuesday night’s penalty shootout win over Plymouth Argyle was unquestionably full of more negatives than positives for Eddie Howe and the fans.
Ten changes from Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Huddersfield – by all accounts a poor display in its own right – meant a chance for the second string players to put themselves into contention for a first team starting spot.
Charlie Austin was the only man to feature from the weekend, and it’s a good job he did or we could have been looking at an embarrassing second round exit at home to League Two opposition.
With practically no service throughout the hour he spent on the field, he stuck away the one chance he was presented with, and that represents encouraging signs for the rest of the season. He now has four in five games this year, on the back of a prolific pre-season, and you have to feel that his goals are the key to any chances we have of challenging the top six.
Eddie Howe must have been disappointed with the performances of the majority of players on the pitch on Tuesday. The two full backs, Danny Lafferty and Luke O’Neill looked ponderous on the ball and slightly off the pace.
I was looking forward to seeing Brian Stock in the midfield before the game, but he too was a disappointment and barely featured in a game which you would expect a player of his experience to have dominated. Alex MacDonald showed promise with his constant movement up front, but too often he squandered possession. I can’t help but feel he was too anxious to please; firstly because he is trying to break into the side and secondly because he was up against his old teammates from last season. Whatever the reason, it was a frustrating evening for him and he admitted as such on Twitter after the game.
The one player who did the most to make a strong case for inclusion in the first team was Marvin Bartley. He chased and harried in midfield and never let up, and the one quality ball into the box to produce the goal for Austin came from his boot.
Young Steven Hewitt also looked fairly assured; even if it may not come off all of the time you can see that he is making the right decisions and trying to do the right thing, and the fans will always appreciate that.
Ben Mee did what was required of him at centre half, and the manager and the fans know that he can play at Championship level after last season. Michael Duff, partnering him at the back, gave the ball away too often and I would be surprised if his one year contract is renewed next summer.
Brian Jensen had a quiet game before saving three out of five in the penalty shootout – unfortunately he didn’t save the penalty in normal time or we might all have been spared another half an hour – to again show what he can do when given a chance in the side.
But overall, there were worrying signs for the fans. The first eleven looks decent and should compete comfortably enough this year but based on Tuesday night’s showing, the second string are not up to the same standards by comparison. Kieran Trippier and Joseph Mills will not be worried by Lafferty or O’Neill, and neither will Dean Marney or Chris McCann by Stock.
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I appreciate that these players have seen little competitive action, that they have played very little football together and obviously that the game going into extra time in just the second week of the season will not have helped matters. But in reality we were up against a decidedly ordinary opposition, and the players on show should really have had enough to run out comfortable winners by two or three goals.
The disjointed nature of the performance will have worried Howe. Should we suffer any serious injuries, it seems to me that these players would struggle to make much of an impact on the Championship. I hope that I am wrong and that it was just an early season blip for a rusty group of players. But if the finances allow, I would like to see the manager bring in a couple of new faces before the window shuts to improve the depth of our squad.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has given an update on the fitness of four first-team players following this afternoon’s goalless draw with Stoke City.The Reds had a frustrating day at Anfield as they were unable to break the deadlock, which is unheard of nowadays given the scintillating form of the club’s attacking force.Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino left their shooting boots at home, but their course for a top-four finish remains on target as they need three points from their final two matches of the Premier League campaign.Next Wednesday is the most important fixture for the Reds, though, as they prepare to build on their 5-2 advantage in the semi-finals of the Champions League against Roma.Liverpool have a few injury niggles heading to the Stadio Olimpico after Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jordan Henderson suffered knocks against Stoke.Sadio Mane was left out due to a thigh problem, while Joe Gomez, who received plenty of criticism from fans following today’s game, also picked up a problem.
Liverpool fans have been posting their reaction to the updates on social media.
Comment from discussion Jurgen Klopp says Trent Alexander-Arnold suffered a dead leg v Stoke, Joe Gomez twisted his ankle early on and Jordan Henderson turned his ankle. Hopes all 3 ok for Roma though. Sadio Mane will be fit for Weds..Comment from discussion Jurgen Klopp says Trent Alexander-Arnold suffered a dead leg v Stoke, Joe Gomez twisted his ankle early on and Jordan Henderson turned his ankle. Hopes all 3 ok for Roma though. Sadio Mane will be fit for Weds..Comment from discussion Jurgen Klopp says Trent Alexander-Arnold suffered a dead leg v Stoke, Joe Gomez twisted his ankle early on and Jordan Henderson turned his ankle. Hopes all 3 ok for Roma though. Sadio Mane will be fit for Weds..Comment from discussion Jurgen Klopp says Trent Alexander-Arnold suffered a dead leg v Stoke, Joe Gomez twisted his ankle early on and Jordan Henderson turned his ankle. Hopes all 3 ok for Roma though. Sadio Mane will be fit for Weds..Comment from discussion Jurgen Klopp says Trent Alexander-Arnold suffered a dead leg v Stoke, Joe Gomez twisted his ankle early on and Jordan Henderson turned his ankle. Hopes all 3 ok for Roma though. Sadio Mane will be fit for Weds..Comment from discussion Jurgen Klopp says Trent Alexander-Arnold suffered a dead leg v Stoke, Joe Gomez twisted his ankle early on and Jordan Henderson turned his ankle. Hopes all 3 ok for Roma though. Sadio Mane will be fit for Weds..Comment from discussion Jurgen Klopp says Trent Alexander-Arnold suffered a dead leg v Stoke, Joe Gomez twisted his ankle early on and Jordan Henderson turned his ankle. Hopes all 3 ok for Roma though. Sadio Mane will be fit for Weds..Comment from discussion Jurgen Klopp says Trent Alexander-Arnold suffered a dead leg v Stoke, Joe Gomez twisted his ankle early on and Jordan Henderson turned his ankle. Hopes all 3 ok for Roma though. Sadio Mane will be fit for Weds..Comment from discussion Jurgen Klopp says Trent Alexander-Arnold suffered a dead leg v Stoke, Joe Gomez twisted his ankle early on and Jordan Henderson turned his ankle. Hopes all 3 ok for Roma though. Sadio Mane will be fit for Weds..
While Arsenal’s record-breaking 12th FA Cup win against Aston Villa may only have happened just over a week ago, the Gunners will doubtless be preparing for the new season already, with the minds of Arsene Wenger and co firmly on the task ahead rather than the glories of the past.
After a highly successful campaign in which they lifted a piece of silverware for the second season in succession and were close to ending up as Premier League runners-up, there are signs that the north London club are re-emerging as a genuine top flight superpower, capable of making a credible challenge for the Premier League crown.
Here are five reasons why the Gunners can be serious title contenders next season…
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Silverware becomes a familiarity, rather than a distant memory
Prior to their FA Cup victory last season, it had been nine years since Arsenal had lifted a trophy.
That one came against Manchester United in 2005 in the same competition, and the drought that followed was evidence, according to many (including a significant number of Gunners fans) that Wenger had lost it, that the club would be unable to seriously compete for the top honours while the Frenchman was still in charge.
The win against Hull City at Wembley in May of last year broke the duck, and by retaining the famous cup against Aston Villa this time around, Wenger has shown that the ‘perennial loser’ jibes were without any foundation whatsoever.
The Frenchman remains a supreme tactician and manager, and the feeling of lifting a trophy two seasons in a row will have given his players the confidence and belief that they do have what it takes to deliver in the biggest games.
Arsenal players now know that they belong to a squad full of winners and champions; this mentality can help them aim for higher glories next season.
Wenger is finally splashing the cash – and successfully
Like it or not, money rules football.
To become successful, you need to spend big. As admirable as Wenger’s anti-extravangance approach was for many seasons as he put all his faith into developing the club’s young, homegrown players, it didn’t bring the club any success.
While the long-serving manager probably still feels like splashing the cash is a bit of a cop-out, that seeing a team transform from plucky youngsters to legendary winners is football at its purest, he is unlikely to have been preoccupied with scrutinising his principles when watching Alexis Sanchez lift the FA Cup at Wembley.
Wenger has belatedly realised that the spending of money – and lots of it – is the only realistic way of winning silverware, yet it is one thing to blindly bring in expensive imports, another thing entirely to make sure they are a success and fit in the team’s system.
Wenger’s signing of Sanchez – Arsenal’s best player by far last season – was a masterstroke, and if the Frenchman can be equally as effective in this summer’s transfer window, the Gunners could begin to have the makings of a formidable force.
Time is on their side
It’s hard to believe that Jack Wilshere – who seems to have been around for a long time – is only 23-years-old, yet this is only because the midfielder was exposed to first team football at a very young age.
The same can be said of Aaron Ramsey (24), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (21) and Theo Walcott (26), all of whom have been involved with the senior side for a number of seasons now, but whose peaks years are still to come.
Every successful team needs older, experienced players, but by identifying a core group of players and ensuring that they grow up and develop together from their teenage years and into their twenties, Wenger is establishing a continuity and sense of stability which can only be beneficial for the club when these players reach the prime of their careers.
Time is certainly on Arsenal’s side; they just need to make sure their chicks don’t leave the nest.
They have the strength in depth
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Arsene Wenger will almost certainly be active in the summer transfer window, with a new goalkeeper, defensive midfielder and striker believed to be his top priorities.
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Assuming he delivers in all three positions – and there’s no reason why he wouldn’t – then Arsenal’s squad has the look of one that is capable of coping with the gruelling demands of a ten-month marathon season.
As well as a wealth of players in the centre of the park – including the hidden gem that is Francis Coquelin, who proved to be a revelation at the base of the Gunners’ midfield last season – they have impressive backup options in all other areas of the team.
This, coupled with the new recruits they will bring in this summer, stands them in good stead for the new campaign.
Chelsea’s closest challengers?
With Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini clinging onto his job by the skin of his teeth after a dismal second season in charge and Louis van Gaal’s Manchester United still a work in progress, it may very well be the case that Arsenal head into the new season as Chelsea’s closest competitors for the title.
The Blues will rightly be healthy favourites, but the Gunners may relish the challenge of being the team with the best chance of toppling their London rivals.
Last season showed they are able to record crucial victories and credible results against their closest rivals – especially away from home – and if they can begin the campaign in impressive fashion (which they have admittedly failed to do in recent years) then their traditional late-season purple patch could see them remain relevant in the title race right up until the final ball is kicked.
Edin Dzeko’s first half goal guaranteed Manchester City a top-three finish this season after they beat West Brom at the Etihad Stadium.
City warmed up for the FA Cup final with Wigan on Saturday by edging out the Baggies in a competitive game that saw Roberto Mancini’s men ensure they will be competing in the Champions League group stages next term.
This was a far from vintage performance from the recently dethroned Premier League champions, although with eight alterations to his starting lineup, Mancini certainly had one eye on the trip to Wembley.
Despite having nothing left to play for the Baggies started brighter and Romelu Lukaku threatened three times in the opening five minutes without dirtying Joe Hart’s gloves.
Carlos Tevez and Aleksander Kolarov then went close for the home side, before the Argentinian striker rattled the crossbar with a sweet strike from outside the penalty area.
The opening goal came 10 minutes before the break when Tevez nipped down the right flank and floated a delicious ball into the path of Dzeko, who proceeded to send a controlled volley past Boaz Myhill in the West Brom goal.
City went close to doubling their lead when Jack Rodwell had an effort cleared off the line and James Milner drove against the foot of the post before the break.
West Brom came out refreshed after the interval and Markus Rosenberg was inches away from equalising when his free kick rebounded off the bar, before James Morrison had an effort tipped wide by Hart and Shane Long drilled into the side netting as City held on.
Roberto Mancini post-match… “Edin Dzeko has scored important goals this season. I think he can do better. I think he is one of the best in Europe for me but he can do better than this year. With his goal we are in the Champions League and probably in second position.”
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Steve Clarke post-match…” The way the players applied themselves was excellent. We played well and were unlucky not to get something. In the first half we had a spell where we lost our way a little bit, we lost momentum, made a few mistakes and encouraged them into the game.”
Good night for…Edin Dzeko: An impressive showing from the Bosnian in the lone striker role and took his goal with real aplomb. Might have played himself in to a starting role for Saturday’s FA Cup final.
Bad night for…Markus Rosenberg: After a superb showing at weekend against Wigan the Swedish forward retained his place in the Albion side but looked awfully out of his depth at the Etihad Stadium.