Ander Herrera either has the staunch support of Manchester United fans, or he is in the doghouse.
The midfielder has had to settle for a bit-part role under manager Jose Mourinho this season.
In total, the Spaniard has made 38 appearances, including 13 starts in the Premier League.
On Saturday in the FA Cup final at Wembley, Herrera was tasked by Mourinho to keep a close eye on Chelsea star Eden Hazard.
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The 28-year-old tried to mark the Belgian out of the game, but he was unsuccessful as the playmaker impressed and even scored the only goal of the game.
Phil Jones made a defensive error by bringing down Hazard in the penalty box during the first half, and the Chelsea star converted to give the Blues’ a 1-0 win.
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A handful of United players came under fire on Twitter after the final whistle, and unfortunately for Herrera, he was one of them.
Some criticised the midfielder’s ability, while others hit out at the role he was given to play.
No two transfer stories better encapsulate Jose Mourinho’s mindset than confirmation Anthony Martial wants to leave Old Trafford this summer and reports alleging Manchester United will launch a £60million bid for Chelsea’s 29-year-old winger Willian.
As one young forward struggles to make his mark under the restrictive Portuguese, he looks to bring in an older alternative whose Premier League career has been founded as much on work-rate and energy as technical quality and output.
This isn’t a condemnation of Willian, who is no doubt a top-level talent, and a move for the Blues winger makes sense for a few key reasons. Firstly, he can solve the most problematic position in Manchester United’s forward line; while there are too many options on the left since the January arrival of Alexis Sanchez, something Martial’s presence directly contributes to, there aren’t really any convincing ones on the right – so swapping the Frenchman for Willian instantly improves the balance of United’s squad.
Secondly and probably more significantly, the South American has already shown he can thrive not only within the framework of Mourinho’s philosophy, but also under the leadership of a gaffer whose man-management style is proving increasingly divisive.
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In many ways though, that only highlights the crux of the issue. All but two of Mourinho’s eight United signings were aged 23 or older when they arrived at the club, all but three were aged 24 or older and three of those were aged 28 or older – the oldest, Zlatan Ibrahimovic was 35.
Willian belongs in the latter category, and more than footballing ability or proven track-records it appears to come down to a question of generational mindsets, something Mourinho’s own comments from March 2017 insinuate. “Today I call them ‘boys’ not ‘men’. Because I think they are brats…” the Old Trafford boss told journalists last year, comparing Frank Lampard’s level of maturity at the age of 23 to those of his current players.
It’s unquestionably true that football has changed since then. It seems to produce less leaders; less players who respond so vehemently to the hairdryer treatment, less players prepared to play through injuries, less players who don’t need adoration of fans and social media followers to inflate their egos, less players who are prepared to win at all costs. Pure individualism has taken over, and almost every high-earning player seems to have their own agendas and personas to protect – many of which don’t easily align with the objectives of their current clubs or managers.
The problem, however, is how time stands still for no man. The world constantly evolves and for Mourinho to continually battle against the consequence of ageing is as fruitless a task as searching for the Fountain of Youth. The generation Mourinho yearns for – Lampard, John Terry and Didier Drogba – are already petering into extinction, and even the one that was incorporated into his second and far less successful Chelsea spell, the likes of Willian, Cesc Fabregas and Nemanja Matic, are reaching the end of their peaks.
So what next for Mourinho when these players encroach upon retirement? Who will he turn to when he wants someone to show the brattish kids how its done?
The other key issue relates to playing style, a delicate subject already in the red half of Manchester. On the blue side, Pep Guardiola has created something special with young players in crucial attacking positions like Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling. At Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp has done something similar with Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino – all aged 26 or under.
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Young players bring fearlessness and energy to team, something United desperately seem to lack under Mourinho, but are developed around fresh tactical and technical advancements.
From the fan’s perspective, they’re always more likely to show us something that we’ve never quite witnessed before; the capabilities of players like Willian and Matic have been well-documented, praised and scrutinised for years. They can’t create that aura of prodigious invincibility in quite the same way.
From a managerial perspective too though, Mourinho’s approach seems counter-intuitive. The greatest advantage of working with young players, as the likes of Guardiola and even Louis van Gaal will attest, is how they haven’t already developed bad habits and how they don’t have prior experience to make comparisons that would question a manager’s wisdom. They tend to follow instructions blindly, even if inexperience can get the better of them at times.
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That’s generally how betters ways of tactical thinking and playing are developed, by using young and adaptable players – Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham side are a fantastic example. But Mourinho seems so strangely resistant to that approach; he only wants players who will work around his tried and trusted formula, professionals who will get the job done.
But just like before in regards to generational mindsets, eventually those kinds of players will run out and those tactical ideas will lack modern relevance, and that’s why it feels as if Mourinho’s time at the top of the game is coming close to its inevitable end. Football moves on, and the members of the old guard who can’t evolve with it get left behind.
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There are already signs success is drying up for Mourinho. When he first emerged on the managerial scene he was an irresistible, dynamic force that won 14 trophies, including two Champions League titles, in the space of eight years. In contrast, the last eight years have produced just six, the most prestigious being a single Premier League and single La Liga title.
As much as Mourinho continues to doubt the credentials and mindsets of emerging young talents, it’s not the kids who aren’t alright – it’s him.
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Swansea City forward Danny Graham has rubbished reports linking him with a January move away from the Liberty Stadium.
Graham has been overshadowed by summer arrival Michu this season and has found himself on the bench in recent weeks.
The North-East born striker was a revelation last season for the impressive Swans as he netted 14 times to become their top goalscorer under Brendan Rodgers.
Just three goals so far this term though has cast doubt over his long term stay in South Wales and clubs such as Aston Villa and Sunderland have been linked with a possible January move for the 27-year-old.
Like many players at the Liberty Stadium, Graham has adapted well to Premier League life after his £3.5million move from Watford 18 months ago but new boss Michael Laudrup doesn’t see him as a key player.
Despite dropping down the pecking order, Graham sees no reason to walk away from Swansea in the new year.
“I don’t see a reason to leave,” Graham told SkySports.
“I don’t know where these rumours come from. I can’t say enough times on Twitter about them.
“It was Wolves yesterday apparently, then there was Cardiff, Norwich, Sunderland, Reading, Aston Villa – I have been linked with everyone.
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“But the gaffer hasn’t said he doesn’t want me here so I don’t see a reason to be looking elsewhere.
“Don’t get me wrong, I don’t like sitting on the bench and just picking up money, I want to be playing.
“But the gaffer hasn’t said he doesn’t want me and that is probably the only time I will go – if the gaffer says we have accepted a bid.”
Alan Pardew has blasted the agents who distracted his stars during the transfer window following a disappointing 1-1 draw at home to Aston Villa.
Newcastle managed to keep the key members of their squad that finished fifth last term, but not without vast speculation in the process. Cheick Tiote, Yohan Cabaye, Papiss Cisse and Demba Ba were all linked with summer moves but remained on Tyneside.
Pardew stated to The Daily Mail, “I have some sympathy with the players because if people or agents, and not necessarily their own agent, a different agent call them and offer them double money, it’s going to affect you.
“It’s not just us, its other clubs. There are some terrible people and agents in and around the game who do things like that, ring a player up and promise him the earth.”
One of Newcastle’s stars did save the day, France international Hatem ben Arfa blasting a rocket on his supposedly weaker right foot into the top corner, leaving Brad Guzan helpless, for the Toon Army’s equaliser.
Pardew added, “Hatem is a wonderfully gifted footballer. I didn’t actually realise it was his right foot until I watched the replay because I didn’t expect him to have that power.”
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Having drawn at Old Trafford in the Champions League last week, Pep Guardiola’s Bayern Munich slumped to a shock defeat in the Bavarian derby at minnows Augsburg. Despite having already wrapped up the title, the 1-0 loss marked a surprising end to the Germans’ staggering 53 match unbeaten run in the Bundesliga.
Although many will point to Bayern’s much-changed XI and their publicly stated focus on the return European fixture, other football fans were quick to cite the real reason behind the defeat.
One Sunderland fan optimisitcally argued that it was the effect of another “high-profile” individual in the sport.
Having recently made the headlines for the wrong reasons in England, Ji Dong-Won has netted once since joining Augsburg permanently in January.
However, Bayern weren’t the only surprise sporting victims from the weekend. Football fans noted the influence of the “Moyes Effect” on the grandest stage of them all.
Having previously defeated WWE Legends such as Triple H and Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania, surely it can’t be a coincidence that the Undertaker’s incredible streak ended during Moyes’ first full season in charge at Manchester United? In the aftermath of the Deadman’s shock defeat, to Brock Lesnar of all people, many took to Twitter to express their disbelief.
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On a more serious footballing note, United fans will hope that Augsburg’s victory will have deflated Bayern’s aura of invincibility for their clash at the Allianz tonight. By the same token, the Undertaker may be praying for Sir Alex Ferguson’s return sooner rather than later.
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On the 28th July 2011, Sergio Aguero flew into Manchester and signed a five year deal with Premier League giants Manchester City. On his debut for the club, against Swansea City, the Argentinian scored twice and created an assist.
By the end of the season, the 24-year-old had scored 30 goals for the Citizens. This tale is not a unique occurrence. Many a time in the English game has a foreign player arrived and thrilled the fans with net-busting strikes or breathtaking skill.
While rumours of some players arriving in the Premier League from around the world are met with scepticism, these 20 players are the stars who could really make an impact on our shores. Most have seen reported interest from Premier League clubs, others probably wouldn’t ply their trade in England.
However, the one thing that all of these players have in common is their potential ability to light up the Premier League with their respective talents. Twenty players, born in 14 different countries, playing in 10 different leagues across the globe. Have a look for yourself and see if you would want any of these foreign stars at your club.
Click on Klaas-Jan Huntelaar to unveil the 20
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Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has stated that key duo Fabricio Coloccini and Cheik Tiote have returned to fitness.
The Argentine centre-half picked up an injury on international duty, whilst the African battler has been out of action due to a calf strain picked up against Tottenham on the opening day of the season.
Pardew has revealed that the pair will be included in the match squad for the Magpies Capital One Cup match against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Wednesday night.
“Tiote gets a grip of a game and gives you a platform to play,” The Guardian have Pardew as saying. “
“You can start to dominate with somebody like Cheik. He puts other teams on the back foot. He’s one of our most important players. We need to get him back as quickly as we can and he’ll feature on Wednesday.
“Coloccini will get some minutes too. He gives us an assurance we’ve missed,” the coach concluded.
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England manager Roy Hodgson has decided to get rid of any standby list for future squads after he received nothing but criticism for his secondary selections prior to Euro 2012.
Hodgson was snubbed by the likes of Micah Richards and Michael Carrick who were offered the chance to sit around and wait for their place in the Euros squad and it seems Hodgson is happy to keep that sort of information to himself.
“I won’t have a standby list,” Hodgson told the Guardian, “I have made that mistake once in the past. The future standby list will be in my head. I will know who I want to bring in if anyone goes out.”
After receiving much criticism for selecting Liverpool’s Martin Kelly ahead of Rio Ferdinand on the standby and subsequent first team list, it is understandable that Hodgson will now keep this information secret as he selects his first World Cup qualifying squad this Thursday.
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Arsenal are keeping tabs on Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha, and will make a move for him should Theo Walcott continue to spurn a new contract according to The Daily Mail.
Walcott is currently in the last year of his contract with the north London club, and has refused to extend his current deal, despite being offered £75,000-per-week.
It is believed that the England international wants to play in attack rather than as a winger, and wants assurances from Arsene Wenger before prolonging his stay at the Emirates Stadium.
However, Zaha has impressed for the Championship club, and the Gunners sent scouts to watch the star score twice for Palace against Burnley at the weekend in a 4-3 win.
The starlet is rated at around £12 million and is being followed by a host of top teams after impressing.
Arsenal have a track record of taking young players from the lower leagues, and Wenger feels that Zaha would offer a strong alternative to Walcott.
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An impetus on youth is undoubtedly England’s most visible hallmark for Brazil 2014.
FA Chief Greg Dyke has created an entire commission specifically to answer the tough questions surrounding home-grown English talents, even suggesting a reconfiguration of the lower leagues and the introduction of ‘B Teams’, and Roy Hodgson has reflected that concern in his squad selection for the tournament, favouring a new breed of young Englishmen over the well-established old guard.
That progressive policy was typified but by no means exclusive to the selection of Luke Shaw over Ashley Cole. Likewise, the England manager overlooked Michael Carrick and Gareth Barry in favour of Jack Wilshere and Jordan Henderson, and also refused the opportunity to offer John Terry his international swansong.
I still believe that if Hodgon’s life were at stake, Terry and Cole would have both been selected in his World Cup squad. The former was unanimously viewed as the Premier League’s most in-form English defender last season and the latter proved his utility at top level has far from expired with particularly impressive showings against Liverpool and Atletico Madrid in late April.
One could argue, and quite rightly, that an un-dynamic Italy side, limited in its natural pace and penetration going forward, would have been ideal opponents for the Chelsea veterans.
At the same time, taking just five players over the age of 30 to brazil, and only four with 50 or more caps for England, was a huge risk on Hodgson’s part. The likes of Raheem Sterling, Adam Lallana, Ross Barkley, Luke Shaw and Jordan Henderson have all been in proficient domestic form this season, but boasting just 32 appearances for England between them, there was no guarantee that they’d be able to transition their performances to international level.
But the Raheem Sterling’s display against the Azzurri was evidence enough that Hodgson had made the right decision in investing his faith in the Three Lions’ youngest stars at the expense of the old guard.
Many will argue that such praise has come too soon – after all, England’s World Cup fate is now out of our hands after losing to Uruguay Thursday evening. Going out in the group stages would be a huge disappointment, one that could potentially cost Roy Hodgson his job.
But during that 90 minutes against Italy, the Liverpool forward demonstrated everything England have lacked going forward for well over a decade – pace, trickery, intent, but most importantly, confidence and ambition.
England, first and foremost, are and will forever be a direct side. That’s simply the nature of the Premier League; a combination of our country’s philosophical traditions and the division’s entrenched desire to remain the most exciting, complete top flight in world football.
But whilst that trend never translated properly into the former generation – the 40 yard-passes of Steven Gerrard, the target man styles of Andy Carroll and Emile Heskey, the set piece specialities of David Beckham – Sterling gave English directness a whole new meaning against Italy.
For the first time since Joe Cole, in the 19 year-old, England finally have a player prepared to take on opposing defenders, to dare them to commit and entice them into making a mistake. Sterling executed four successful dribbles against the Italians last Saturday, half of the rest of the England team combined and twice as much as our next-best dribbler.
It is not merely a question of the type of player, as I admit, a winger will always be expected to carry the ball more than his team-mates. Rather it is a belief that in taking on defenders one will be successful rather than detrimental to the team. And it’s not just shown in Sterling; Ross Barkley came on to complete two successful dribbles in under half an hour, and that uncharacteristic fluency and confidence in taking on opponents is replicated in Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Adam Lallana too.
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In a nutshell, they the Three Lions relevance – for more than the last ten years, we’ve appeared distinctly outdated in comparison to European and South American opposition, as if they have somehow evolved further athletically, tactically and technically along the beautiful game’s philosophical spectrum. But Sterling, Barkley, Lallana and company aren’t footballing relics or throwbacks to the game’s past, as one could accuse Steven Gerrard, John Terry, Ashley Cole and Michael Carrick, or even Wayne Rooney, of being.
They are the modern footballer – lightweight, penetrating, skilful and daring – they are everything England have continually suffered without for as long as I can remember. Without our young players, England would be like a World Cup time capsule, echoing an era that the rest of the world has long-moved on from.
Hodgson was right to favour youth over established talent, and regardless of how England finish the tournament – our exit now looks incredibly likely baring a mathematical miracle – he should be rewarded rather than punished for taking a gamble that will undoubtedly have a positive effect on our national game for the many years to come.