Manchester United and England star Tom Cleverley may have not featured on the sports pages recently due to his ankle injury, but gossip pages are rife with his new relationship with The Only Way is Essex hotty Georgina Dorsett. The 22 year old is said to be in a relationship with the TOWIE star after a string of dates, and Dorsett has helped Cleverley lift his spirits after an injury ridden year.
Cleverley even went on an end of season holiday with mates to Marbella in Spain, the holiday destination made famous by The Only Way is Essex. We wonder if Cleverley had been following Dorsett’s lead with the ‘no carbs before marbs’ diet!
United fans will be looking forward to seeing their midfielder back in action come August, and no doubt new WAG Dorsett is eagerly waiting to check out her new boyfriend in action from the VIP seats at Old Trafford.
Georgina Dorsett may be famous for her role in the ITV reality show, but announced she would never date any of the guys on the show. Presumably Cleverley, five years her senior, is more her type. Our gallery looks at our 27 year old WAG of the week in action.
Click on Miss Dorsett to see her in all her glory
[divider]
[divider]
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Sergio Batista has been sacked as coach of Argentina’s national football team, it was announced on Monday.Batista took over the reins at the South American powerhouse from legendary player Diego Maradona 12 months ago – initially in a caretaker position, before being handed the role proper.
The Argentine Football Association’s executive committee met on Monday, and made the decision to move on the 48-year-old former Argentina international.
The move comes swiftly following Argentina’s failure to fire at their hosting of the Copa America, registering just one victory and bowing out in the quarter-finals, despite holding aces such as Lionel Messi, Carlos Tevez and Gonzalo Higuain.
Lasting in the job just under one year (he was hired on July 27, 2010, and fired on July 25), Batista most memorably steered Argentina to a 4-1 win over World Cup holders Spain and also to a 1-0 win over Brazil.
His luck ran out at the recent Copa, which Uruguay won for the 15th time in their history, when pressure on his star-studded side saw Messi struggle to enforce his influence, and resulted in Tevez missing the decisive penalty in the shootout against the eventual champions.
2010 has been a sensational year for Tottenham Hotspur, qualifying for the Champions League and participating in Europe’s premier competition for the first time since 1961/62. It has ended with them still being in the competition, winning their group after six thrilling games (8 if you include the qualifiers against Young Boys) including two pulsating ties against the European Champions. Added to this their exploits in Europe have so far not adversely affected their domestic form as they go into 2011 within touching distance of the Champions League place and, albeit it quite an ambitious and over strenuous touch, of the Premier League leaders. So here we give homage to the players who in particular have brought about this fantastic year. And give late Christmas presents to those selected to be part of the FootballFanCast.com Tottenham Hotspur Awards.
Player of 2010
I’m giving it to Luka Modric. I know the obvious choice is Gareth Bale, who by all accounts has had an exceptional year. But I just prefer watching Modric on the ball and think he really keeps the team ticking and always seems to know exactly what he’s doing with the ball at feet. He first thought and move is instinctively to go forward, he nearly always retains possession and looks composed, effortless and a class above. His contributions in the recent 10 men victories against Aston Villa and Newcastle United were phenomenal. The pass out to Hutton on the right for the opener against Villa scythed their defence apart and against Newcastle he rampaged up the pitch on the counter to unleash Bale to finish and secure the points. Added to this in the last ten minutes of the first half against Villa he led the master class of keep ball. Throughout the year he has been central to Tottenham’s attacking impetus and is also far less of a pushover than many originally expected in the centre of midfield.
Most Improved of 2010
This is the award Gareth Bale is taking home. Again I know it might be a bit controversial as the bulk of his improving was accomplished in the first three or so months of the year and indeed it was clear he had the talent all along. But to go from at the start of the year having not won a single Premier League match and being second choice left back, to at the end being possibly the most desired British talent in football and scoring a hat-trick in the San Siro is a remarkable turnaround. I say most of his improvement was done in the first few months as for me his standout performances of the year were in April against Arsenal and Chelsea where he instigated two vital victories on Tottenham’s journey to finishing fourth. He started the new season in equally scintillating form, catching a lot of media and public attention, and is the club’s joint top scorer for the season. Honourable mentions must also go to Younes Kaboul and Jermaine Jenas, who I’ve never really liked but has really impressed recently with a fantastic work rate.
Most Disappointing player of 2010
Robbie Keane takes it as has been unable to recapture his previous form that he showed for Tottenham since rejoining from Liverpool. He is now definitely the club’s fourth choice striker and will in all likelihood be shipped out in January. As his fall has come about so quickly it must be seen as a severe mistake to bring him back in the first place and as the highest paid player as well. Less than honourable mentions go to Giovani Dos Santos, who I was impressed with at the World Cup and genuinely thought could start to have an impact at the club. How wrong I was, his brief outings for the team have been distinctly unremarkable. Also Tottenham are still awaiting David Bentley to live up to a £16million transfer fee.
Most important signing of 2010
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
I couldn’t ignore the contribution made by Rafael van der Vaart just because he has only been at the club for four months. In those four months he has been a revelation. And this award I think is not just specific to Tottenham or even the Premier League, globally his signing has been the best bit of football business of 2010.
Well what a season it has been, despite being close to the drop zone for the majority of it, surely finishing above Palace counts as a successful season right?
This was always going to be a transition season with the loss of Steve Morison to the high flying Canaries of Norwich City, but after surviving it the Lions should be looking to push up the table, and hopefully KJ has seen where improvement is needed.
A position that is in dire need of help is left back. The left backs this season have been average to say the least, we need someone who is more focused about playing than designing (Jordan Stewart) whereas LB Tony Craig is a powerhouse of commitment at but his abilities let him down. And Scott Barron? Less said about Jedward the better. What KJ should be looking for is a strong LB who’s not afraid to bomb forward, as with the partnership of Smith and Henry on the right.
If Stevenage do not go up I would be aiming for Scott Laird, a player who has got better and better throughout the divisions, and anyone who saw his goal against Sheffield United will see he certainly has one eye on the goal. Despite the left back position I think we have a defense more then capable of competing.
Another position that needs improving is left midfield. The Lions have had really only one option, the enigma that is Hameur Bouazza. He said he could get into the team with his eyes closed, well for the majority of the season he has surely been playing like it, and upset the Den’s faithful at you’re peril, the sooner he’s gone the better. A player I would like to see come in is Gary Mcsheffery, a proven quality at this level, plus he could be available on the cheap due to Coventry’s deepening financial worry and relegation. Whatever player comes in will have to do what Bouazza didn’t, actually put in effort, or you’ll be out very, very, quickly.
The Lions may have a sturdy defense, but having an unconfident goalkeeper shakes the solid foundations of a good team. This is what happens with David Forde. A line of horrible mistakes cost his place in the team, KJ called on the unlikely hero of 40-year-old Maik Taylor from Leeds. Many Lion’s fans thought he would be little more then a sub warming the bench, but impressive display after impressive display started to make him a fans favorite. Plus saving two penalties in two games to earn six vital points will always help. With him being released from Leeds United theirs three words for you KJ, sign.him.up.
With loanees moving on and certain circumstances affecting players (Henderson) one or two more strikers will need to be added. One player that has to come back is Harry Kane. He came here as a boy and left as a man, a strong, confident footballer with an eye for goal, with 9 goals in a half season, he should be back to further his development surely? One striker who I’d love to see at the den is Luke Freeman from Stevenage. Despite only moving to Stevenage permanently in January from Arsenal, he has coped better then expected, a young player who is only going to get better, and hopefully another KJ diamond in the rough into a gem.
With hopefully players coming in, some of the deadwood that’ll be left in the squad can leave. Some have left already with Ryan Allsop and Jordan Stewart being shown the door, with less then 10 games between them this was not a surprise.
One player that can leave is Darren Ward, despite being a firm part of the Millwall squad of the years, he is now 33 and lost the pace he had. He would be a vital part of the team in the lower leagues but not in the Championship, another player to leave should be Chris Hackett, who has been on loan most of the season and is simply not good enough.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
The final part of the leaving part should be John Marquis, but this one should be a loan. Despite a strong start of the season he’s performance dwindled and dwindled, plus a Twitter rant after defeat to Crystal Palace didn’t exactly endear himself. But I believe that he has the potential to be a good player, a club such as Leyton Orient or Brentford would be a good fit if he is willing to learn.
That’s what I think should be done in the summer to push the Lions up the table, good luck KJ it’s all down too you.
Theo Walcott is gunning for a berth in the Arsenal forward line next season after five years on the wing at the north London club.Walcott, 22, joined English Premier League side Arsenal from Southampton in January 2006.
He has made 114 appearances in all competitions for Arsenal, the majority of them coming in a wide role.
Now set to embark on his fifth full season in the Arsenal first team, the England international has his sights set on a centre-forward spot.
“I was signed as a striker – I want to play up front. I think I have done my trade out on the wing,” Walcott said.
“I think a lot of people forget I’m not a winger. I see myself as a striker, but if I get played up front it will take me a few games to get used to playing there again because I haven’t played there for about five years.”
“I think I have done a fairly good job on the wing for Arsenal. For this team I will play anywhere, but hopefully the fans will start seeing me up front a bit more.”
Walcott could be set to follow the path of former team-mate Thierry Henry, who made the transition from an unproductive wide role at Juventus to starring as a striker for Arsenal.
“I’ve been practicing my finishing after training,” Walcott said.
“This season, 15-20 is my target.”
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
“I know I’m not going to play every single game. I always work at a high intensity so I’m not going to be able to do every single game.”
“The boss will know that as well. Hopefully I will be given a bit more of a free role as well. I’m intrigued to see what happens.”
Arsenal finished fourth in the English Premier League last season, losing in the Carling Cup final to Birmingham City and bowing out of the Champions League and FA Cup to Barcelona and Manchester United respectively.
After last weekend’s goal-fest the Premier League faces the freezing temperatures once more.
Chelsea will be desperate to end the slump which has see them knocked off of their perch on top of the Premier League, and a game against struggling Everton could provide the perfect platform. Arsenal, who still remain in the mix, welcome Fulham.
The bottom two, Wolves and West Ham, both experienced wins last weekend, but both face tricky away ties this time around at Blackburn and Sunderland respectively.
Gerard Houllier returns to Anfield on Monday night with his struggling Aston Villa side to play a Liverpool side whose performances have improved dramatically of late. Manchester City will be hoping they can close the gap on third place, but they will face a tough game against this season’s surprise package Bolton who are unbeaten in five.
Congratulations if your fantasy team profited from the flurry of goals last week, but if it didn’t it’s even more important that you get it right this time around.
Click on image below to see my fantasy picks for this round of 11Kicks Fantasy Football (4-4-2 formation)
[divider]
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Holy Crap – its live fantasy football!
Become part of the West Brom v Newcastle match on Sunday and play Picklive for FREE Watch and bet live – spices up any game!
There has been a lot of question marks over the credentials of Andy Thorn and whether he is the right man to take Coventry as a club forward. At the age of 45 he is a man that does lack managerial experience but he is not lacking in football experience.
He had a relatively good career as a football player in which he began playing centre half for the ‘crazy gang’ alongside the likes of Dennis Wise and Lawrie Sanchez. He experienced two FA cup finals, the first with Wimbledon in which he came out a winner and the second with Crystal Palace which unfortunately for him he came out a loser.
Despite this he was probably best remembered as a player for his time at Crystal Palace. He made an immediate impact on his debut helping the Eagles who hadn’t won away from home all season to an away win at old Trafford. He was described as tough, unrelenting and a fearsome opponent with the ability to subdue even the nation’s best strikers and after taking over the captaincy he won the Player of the Year award in 1993.
Unfortunately though a troublesome knee injury kept him out for a long period and he then returned to his first club Wimbledon. The knee injury kept coming back and after two more moves to different clubs he eventually retired at the age of 31.
He didn’t leave the football world altogether though and ended up being at Everton as a scout. In 2006/2007 he moved to Coventry and became our chief scout. He held this post for three seasons and was instrumental in the signings of players such as Scott Dann, Danny Fox, Keiran Westwood, Lukas Jutkiewicz and Richard Keogh to name a few. He clearly has an eye for talent and he was doing a great job.
In the 2010-2011 season Aidy Boothroyd was sacked as Coventry City manager and to the surprise of many people Andy Thorn was appointed as caretaker boss. He led the team to safety and was rewarded with the permanent job as Coventry City manager and the initial response from fans was good as our general play had improved and the passion had been brought back into the players.
But then came the summer that we would all like to forget. We lost the likes of Westwood, Turner and most notably King and then Thorn was given minimal money to replace them. He didn’t complain though despite the fact he would clearly have been frustrated and just got on with the task in hand which we all then knew was to try and keep us in the Championship.
We could see from the off that this was going to be an extremely difficult task. We were still in the fight come January but then the inevitable happened and we lost Jutkiewicz; our top scorer; and didn’t replace him. Thorn again stuck at it though when other managers would of walked away and I think we have to commend him for that. I don’t know who else would have been brave enough to take on what was clearly a sinking ship. He kept the players motivated and we kept battling away, then finally a bit of luck came our way as we managed to sign both Nimley and Norwood who to my understanding were having all of their wages paid by their parent clubs on either side of Manchester. These two gave us a chance and were brilliant but it wasn’t to be and despite Thorn’s efforts we eventually slumped to relegation to League One.
In the year and a half that Thorn has been in charge he has been getting his coaching badges and after getting his level 2 at the start of last season has now just began his UEFA B license. I think it has been clear that he has been learning his trade as he goes along but one thing he cannot be questioned on is his passion and commitment to the cause.
He seems to have many critics based on a multitude of different factors. At times he has been tactically suspect but personally I think Steve Harrison has to take some of this blame in that he is an experienced coach and should be advising Thorn. I also think he has been harshly criticised in relation to his inability to change things. We have to take into account not only the fact we have a small squad which lacks quality but that when we have had players on the bench who may be able to change things, they have been injured and not really fit enough to play.
In terms of his portrayal of himself he doesn’t sound like the smartest guy but you don’t need to be the smartest guy to be successful in football. We have to keep remembering that he is still learning, as are the majority of the SkyBlues squad. He clearly has the backing of the players who have given him their all and more since he has been in charge and surely that is the important thing.
They believe in his ability and the fact that the two best clubs in England allowed for two of their youngsters to come on loan to us means they must have at least some faith in Thorn’s ability which has to count for something.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Personally I think given the financial situation we are in we should stick with Thorn and I think given a little bit of backing from the owners along with an attempt to keep some of our more important players we can have a real go next year. He along with the young players have had a valuable seasons experience in the championship and both will have learnt from their mistakes and I think we will come back much stronger for it next season
It could be all change in the left back position at Newcastle for next season. Jose Enrique could be on his way out, with Swansea’s Neil Taylor possibly on his way in on a £1 million deal, but the Welshman would need some competition for a starting place. Could that be provided by Wayne Bridge ?
According to the Express, Newcastle and Aston Villa are interested in former England international Wayne Bridge. Bridge is currently contracted to Manchester City following a loan spell to West Ham United in the 2010/11 campaign, but the player isn’t a part of City’s long-term plans and manager Roberto Mancini is keen to trim his squad.
However, City’s asking price of £5m and Bridge’s £90,000 a week wages are thought to be a stumbling block for both and Newcastle and Villa who aren’t prepared the respective fees. In addition to that, Bridge is a player who I think at 30 years of age is well past his peak and has gone downhill rapidly following a certain off the field incident involving his ex-girlfriend and teammate at the time John Terry.
A has-been, or someone who could resurrect his career at Newcastle? I’ll let you decide…
Article courtesy of the Gallowgate Gob at the NEW ‘Nothing But Newcastle’
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Wigan Athletic winger Charles N’Zogbia is determined to leave the DW Stadium in January.
The French star, who has been in superb form this season, was on the verge of moving to Birmingham City in a £9million deal in the summer, only for the transfer to fall apart at the last minute over personal terms.
Liverpool, Juventus and Marseille have all been linked with N’Zogbia, who was quoted in the Daily Star as saying:“Wigan’s just a stepping stone.
“They know very well I’m not a player who is going to stay at the club.
“I give 100 per cent on the pitch, but, if there’s a bigger club that wants me, the manager and the president have always told me the door is open for discussion.
“An offer from Marseille is not something you refuse.”
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
In recent weeks, displays from the majority of the Premier Leagues ‘big sides’ have dropped off, prompting some to ask the question: has the Premier League lost its mojo? The likes of Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham and Liverpool have all suffered a downturn in performance levels, with Newcastle and Manchester City being the only teams that can claim to be in good form.
After witnessing the definition of the ‘bore draw’ between Chelsea and Arsenal, it was clear to see that level of performance being produced was well below what should be expected of such talented squads. Yes, Chelsea had a mentally and physically draining encounter with Barcelona, re-shuffling their squad as a result, and Arsenal were missing a few key men through injury, namely Mikel Arteta, but that does not detract from the dyer spectacle produced.
These sides were not alone, as Liverpool, predictably, dominated a home tie, failed to score and were punished by a comical goal on the break, whilst Manchester United temporarily forgot how to defend and Spurs continued their current slide from title contenders to Europa League qualification spot contenders. Although Manchester City managed victory, their performance was slightly subdued, and obviously nervy, making Newcastle the only truly impressive outfit at the upper end of the table last weekend.
Its understandable to see performances drop off occasionally at this end of the season, with the physical demands of the modern game weighing heavy of players across the division, but there has been a noticeable slump for many of the top clubs for a period of time now. In truth the top level sides have been fairly poor across the majority of the season, struggling to find both form and consistency, which, no disrespect to Newcastle, has allowed outsiders to sneak up the table and disturb the normally established order. Liverpool’s failures in front of goal have seen local rivals Everton ghost ahead, and the likes of Swansea and Fulham come within touching distance of their coat tails.
Tottenham’s woes have been perhaps the most shocking, as the London club have slipped further and further from the top of the table, after an initially promising campaign. The disturbance of Harry Redknapp due to the vacant England management role may be a contributing factor, but the main issue remains a lack of tactical know how on the part of the former Southampton and Portsmouth boss. He has a core of talented and strong players who play every possible league match when fit, and the lack of rotation, coupled with the club’s fast and furious style of play has led to a real issue in terms of fatigue to key squad members, such as Luka Modric and Gareth Bale.
[ad_pod id=’unruly-2′ align=’left’]
Manchester United have proved that they are far from immune, almost forgetting that to secure the title, they must obtain results, rather than relying on their noisy neighbours stuttering. The defeat to Wigan summed up their recent stroll towards the line, with an apparent lack of interest being shown up by the battling Premier League barnacles. As a result the upcoming Manchester derby no longer presents the chance to lift the trophy in their enemy’s back yard, but the scenario of waving the Citizens past, due to their superior goal difference.
As displayed by Tottenham, tiring players is a contributing factor to a drop in displays. It can’t be a coincidence that Arsenal have surged back up the table after many of their star men missed long periods of the early season. Spurs haven’t suffered serious injuries to key men, Aaron Lennon aside, resulting in major players becoming ever present, leading to fatigue.
In the cases of Chelsea and Liverpool, cup success appears to be gaining importance. The Blues now face the possibility of a cup double, after eliminating the Kings of Europe, Barcelona, to claim a spot in the Champions League final, whilst also having the little matter of the FA Cup final to consider, where they will be taking on Liverpool.
The lack of quality this term should not really come as a shock, with star names over the past few seasons heading for sunnier destinations across Europe, swapping their apartments in the rainy England for villas in Spain. Cristiano Ronaldo was quick to leave, arguably, England’s biggest club for Real Madrid, following Xabi Alonso, and encouraging former Arsenal star Cesc Fabregas to return to his homeland. Away from the top sides, clubs across the Premier League now struggle to compete in terms of attracting star names, with many opting to either stay put, or head to other leagues across Europe, whether that be to Spain for footballing reasons, or some areas of Eastern Europe for the vast financial rewards.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Although there has been a noticeable drop from the top-sides in recent months, it shouldn’t be a real surprise as the quality of England’s domestic top-flight slowly reduces. Success around Europe tends to operate in cycles, with Italy becoming the all conquering force during the mid to late 1990’s, before surrendering their crown to England during the mid 2000’s, during which time Liverpool claimed victory and reached another final, while Manchester United and Chelsea turned a Premier League fixture into a European final. Although the Premiership remains one of the elite world leagues, it is no longer the Goliath among Davids.
What are your thoughts? Comment or follow @Alex_Hams on Twitter to have your say