Archive for the ‘Opinion’ Category

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This may come as a surprise to all the devotees of Manchester United and José Mourinho, but, as we sit here at WSA Towers in our suite of luxury offices, (long-term lease only), we have reached the conclusion that Gareth Bale is not on the manager’s wish-list.

You remember the wish-list? That was the test Mourinho set for Dithering Ed back in March and, even with five months revision time, Ed only managed to score 75%. He bought Romelu Lukaku, Victor Lindelof and Nemanja Matić. The one he missed, as everybody knows, was Ivan Perišić of Inter Milan and the story goes that it was because he wouldn’t go the extra four or five million that would have pushed the deal over the line. (more…)

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On the back of his undoubted success at Porto, José Mourinho was appointed by Chelsea owner Román Abramóvich to take the team to the next level which, in their case at that time, was to win the Premier League.

This is where the Mourinho success story really begins. In his first season with Chelsea he won the Premier League and League Cup spending £81.2 million in the process. The following year he retained the Premier League and won the FA and the League Cups whilst spending a paltry £58.4 million. He then had a barren year but still managed to spend £63 million and this was followed by a further £17.2 million the season he left. (more…)

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Guest Author: Ojo Olayiwola of Football Weeks

Manchester United started the season on a high note but have since gone into a decline as they have only managed to gather four points from their last four league games and need to knuckle down to revive their title race.

However, with the return of their key players from injury and the pressure of upcoming fixtures not as fierce as the previous ones, the Red Devils have reason to be optimistic.

The story is different with the Magpies, whose trip to Old Trafford marks the beginning of their run into their biggest challenges of the season with fixtures against Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City coming immediately afterwards. (more…)

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Never say never. There is a chance that José Mourinho actually does want to manage PSG at some stage of his career, just not yet, it would only make sense if United were to sack him.

What would he achieve? A Champion’s League title in another country? Probably, but is that really the kind of achievement he wants on his CV? Winning trophies at a club who will forever be accused of doing so because of their wealth rather than any managerial ability.

No, Mourinho is far better off at United for the time being. Yes, he has money to spend but, in the Premier League unlike in Ligue 1, that is no guarantee that he will win the title. (more…)

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As promised yesterday, here is the continuation and conclusion of our look at the central defenders who feature the most for the top six Premier League clubs.

We haven’t looked at all the different permutations which are available at the big clubs where they will usually have four centre backs competing for the two places in the team, we have just looked at the two who have started the most games this season for whatever reason.

It should also be remembered that many good centre-backs nowadays can play in more than one position which greatly enhances their value to the team and gives them a better chance of playing. (more…)

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Following on from articles we wrote back in October in which we compared the strikers, then the goalkeepers and then the midfield pairings at the Premier League’s top six, we now take a look at the central defenders.

These partnerships are crucial to their team having a successful, (or otherwise), season and large amounts of money are now being spent on a position which was, in the past, second only to goalkeeper in unpopularity when children were organising a game of football. (more…)

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As the majority of football fans prepare to enter a time of mini-hibernation due to yet another international injury window, we look at the number of players that the top clubs have had to release for this “break”.

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Arsenal

The Gunners have eight players involved in senior internationals during this break and they are:

 

sui  Granit Xhaka – Switzerland 
fra  Olivier Giroud, Laurent Koscielny and Alexandre Lacazette – France 
wal  Aaron Ramsey – Wales 
nga  Alex Iwobi – Nigeria 
ger  Mesut Özil – Germany 
egy  Mohamed Elneny – Egypt  (more…)

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According to some press reports, José Mourinho will leave Manchester United in the summer. He will take his travelling roadshow to Paris where he will challenge for the Champion’s League.

It’s as simple as that.

The problem is that the reasons given for his wanting to leave United are that he can’t compete with Manchester City and doesn’t get enough backing from the board. That simply is not true.

So, if that is the case José, then au revoir et bonne chance. (more…)

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With two more meaningless friendlies on the horizon for a very average England team, the Premier League has, once again and for the third time already this season, ground to a shuddering halt.

These two games are against Germany and Brazil and withdrawals through injury mean that England go into the games with an even greater paucity of talent than usual.

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Mauricio Pochettino has decided that Harry Kane, Harry Winks and Dele Alli are not fit enough to even travel with the squad, never mind take part in the games. He has, as a token gesture, left Kieran Trippier who he thinks could benefit from the game time. (more…)

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Manchester United fans are a fickle bunch. The club sit second in the Premier League. They need one more point to ensure qualification to the knockout stage of the Champion’s League, having won EVERY game they have played, they are in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup and last season they picked up two major trophies.

At ANY other club, with the possible exception of Real Madrid, this would be seen as success. José Mourinho would be hailed the conquering hero and there would be talk of a statue being erected outside the ground. (more…)