Tottenham Hotspur have had a number of injuries to contend with over the course of the season so far.
Victor Wanyama has been a long-term absentee with a knee injury, while Toby Alderweireld is not expected to return to action until February due to a hamstring problem.
With the fixtures coming thick and fast now that the Premier League has entered the festive period, having fit squad is essential in order to cope with the demand.
Today, Tottenham posted their weekly injury update on Twitter ahead of Saturday’s trip to face Burnley at Turf Moor.
As expected, Alderweireld remains on the sidelines, while Wanyama, who has been taking part in elements of training, has been ruled out of the game.
The good news is that Davinson Sanchez is back in the fray after serving a suspension.
Tottenham fans have been giving their thoughts on social media.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side will look to bounce back against sixth-placed Burnley following last weekend’s 4-1 defeat to league leaders Manchester City.
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Wigan came from behind twice to snatch a late win over West Brom at the Hawthorns to boost their Premier League survival hopes.
Steve Clarke post-match…”We have conceded three goals and we have to look at that. Two of the goals came from crosses and normally our defending from crosses is very good. We played an attacking line-up, I chose to go with that so I have to be the one that carries the can for this.”
Roberto Martinez post-match…”We showed our character and never accepted defeat. To come back twice from behind at a place as difficult as this is huge. To score three goals in open play here is very pleasing and I don’t think anyone else has done that this season.”
Good day for…Callum McManaman: Amidst all the controversy that surrounds McManaman he is developing into a fine footballer. Another match winning display saw him steal a priceless victory for Wigan and then clear off the line at the death to preserve the scoreline and boost his sides chances of survival.
Bad day for…Paul Scharner: Just an awful day all round for the Wigan defender. Sacrificed possession in the lead-up to West Brom’s open goal and gave away the free kick that led to their second.
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One of the summers longest transfer saga’s continues to drag on, with Andy Carroll’s future remaining unresolved. Liverpool’s record signing does not seem to fit into the’tika-taka philosophy’ Brendan Rodgers is trying to impose at Anfield, and it is regarded as the worst kept secret in football that Liverpool would be willing to offload their number 9 if the right offer were to come their way.
Newcastle and West Ham have both been linked with the 23-year-old, and whilst a return to Newcastle is believed to be Carroll’s only wanted alternative, West Ham could be a move that would suit both parties very well.
There are no surprises regarding the way Sam Allardyce likes his teams to play. They are tough, physical, and a threat from set pieces. The sort of situations Andy Carroll thrives on.
Their opening day performance against Aston Villa was a classic example of this, as Allardyce’s team pinged long balls towards the physical presence of Carlton Cole up front all afternoon, causing Villa plenty of problems. West Ham came away with a 1-0 victory, but perhaps on another day could of been awarded a couple of penalties as Cole went down under ariel challenges in the box.
The performance looked tailor-made for Andy Carroll, who showed during his time at Newcastle and towards the back end of last season that he can be almost unplayable given the correct service. You feel he could thrive at Upton Park where he would be playing regular first team football, and have the team built towards playing to his strengths.
Carroll would have the bonus of being reunited with his former teammate and close friend Kevin Nolan. The pair formed an excellent partnership at Newcastle during the first half of the 2010/2011 season, with Carroll bagging 11 goals. The 3-1 victory over Liverpool in December 2010 saw Carroll assist Nolan for the opening goal before getting on the scoresheet himself, a performance that must of been taken into account as Liverpool made their £35million bid.
Perhaps most crucial of all would be the Sam Allardyce factor. Allardyce has a history of reviving players who’s careers have hit a stumbling block, the likes of Kevin Davis, Jay-Jay Okocha and Ivan Campo spring to mind. His man management skills are second to none, so much so he even managed to get a couple of decent seasons out of El Hadji-Diouf during his time at Bolton.
With West Ham the only team to make a concrete offer, you wonder how the remaining ten days of the transfer window will pan out. Carroll showed tremendous promise towards the end of last season and during the Euro’s, but yet found himself on the bench for the opening day of the season. Rodgers didn’t even turn to Carroll with Liverpool trailing 2-0 and in desperate need of a goal, instead opting for Joe Cole.
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The vast majority of Liverpool fans want to see Carroll given another season to prove himself, but accept it is unlikely to be the case with Rodgers in charge.
If West Ham were to come back with another bid before the transfer window slams shut and Liverpool should accept, Carroll should seriously consider a switch to East London. It may prove to be a match made in heaven.
James Milner has always been regarded as a reliable and hard-working footballer, and this season in particular, he has thrived for Liverpool.
Last season, the midfielder, who signed for the Reds from Manchester City in 2015, was forced out of position.
Manager Jurgen Klopp opted to play the 32-year-old as a left-back ahead of Alberto Moreno.
Without any complaints, Milner took on the role and did a solid job before reverting back to midfield for the 2017-18 campaign.
This season, the former England international has started 25 appearances in all competitions, including 16 starts in the Premier League.
While Milner may not have been a regular starter, he has been crucial in the club reaching the Champions League final, which will take place in Kiev against Real Madrid on May 26.
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In total, the midfielder, who has become a hit on social media since joining Twitter, has created 11 assists and scored one goal.
The 32-year-old will enter the final year of his contract this summer, and Liverpool fans have been discussing Milner’s future on Reddit.
Comment from discussion Friendly reminder that James Milner hasn’t renewed his contract yet :(.Comment from discussion Friendly reminder that James Milner hasn’t renewed his contract yet :(.Comment from discussion Friendly reminder that James Milner hasn’t renewed his contract yet :(.Comment from discussion Friendly reminder that James Milner hasn’t renewed his contract yet :(.Comment from discussion Friendly reminder that James Milner hasn’t renewed his contract yet :(.Comment from discussion Friendly reminder that James Milner hasn’t renewed his contract yet :(.Comment from discussion Friendly reminder that James Milner hasn’t renewed his contract yet :(.Comment from discussion Friendly reminder that James Milner hasn’t renewed his contract yet :(.Comment from discussion Friendly reminder that James Milner hasn’t renewed his contract yet :(.
Life must be so frustrating as a Tottenham Hotspur fan, just a couple of seasons ago with Gareth Bale leading the attack the Lilywhites looked a club that were going places and were capable of competing with Europe’s elite teams.
Then Real Madrid came calling and the Welsh superstar moved to the Bernabeu for a world-record £86m in 2013. Replacing the player would prove no easy task, and the London club spent over £100m bringing in the likes of Christian Eriksen, Nacer Chadli, Erik Lamela, Paulinho and Roberto Soldado to fill the void left by Bale.
Erik Lamela was the most anticipated signing of that now infamous summer, with the player possessing a similar style to Welshman. The Argentinian had been vital for Roma scoring 21 goals in 67 games before Andre Villas-Boas came calling.
Lamela joined Spurs in a club record deal worth around £30m with big things expected, however, his impressive performances in Italy just haven’t transferred over to the Premier League and Lamela has struggled to make the desired impact at White Hart Lane – he made only nine league appearances in his first season with the club, and has struggled with numerous injuries throughout his two seasons while failing to impress any of his three bosses so far when fit.
Last season the player featured a lot more regularly, but still has failed to show the promise that attracted Spurs. Lamela made 41 appearances in all competitions scoring only five goals, which, for an attacking midfielder who always wants the ball, is not good enough.
The only real impressive moment of his Tottenham career was THAT rabona goal in the Europa League… and even that was against opposition of debatable quality. There was more than a hint of good fortune about that goal, too, and if the player was to try the same move again he would probably score one out of every 25 attempts.
Astonishingly there are teams actually queuing up to end the player’s London misery, with a return to Italy with either Juventus or one of the Milan clubs being mooted.
Clearly they see something in the player that the majority of us are missing.
Juventus are the most surprising team to show interest. A world class midfield with the likes of Paul Pogba, Arturo Vidal and Claudio Marchisio should not have a player like Lamela anywhere near it.
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There has even been talk of a potential swap deal with Inter Milan playmaker Xherdan Shaqiri and should this move develop Spurs need to do all they can to secure the Swiss International. Shaqiri is twice the player Lamela is and would be the closest the club have come to actually replacing Gareth Bale.
The club have built up a squad full of distinctly average players and manager Mauricio Pochettino should jump at the chance to get rid of one of his more expensive flops.
Roberto Soldado opened the scoring at the Anoeta on Sunday night as Valencia eventually fell 4-2 to Real Sociedad. The Spanish striker has provided the scoring inspiration for the club since arriving from Getafe in 2010, steadily establishing himself as one of the leading forwards in Spanish football. With Tottenham said to watching the 27-year-old ahead of a possible transfer this summer, you feel this would be an ideal move for both parties, as well as Valencia.
The trouble for Valencia this season, and specifically with that loss against Sociedad, is that they are no longer a Champions League team. The sacking of Unai Emery last summer – a move which they felt necessary as a way to make up ground on Barcelona and Real Madrid – has backfired spectacularly. Ernesto Valverde has done a very good job of picking up the pieces of Mauricio Pellegrino’s short tenure with the club, but injuries and inconsistencies will result in the team falling just shy of a Champions League spot.
And that’s the importance of this campaign. There was never any real belief that Valencia could become a third in a genuine, title-challenging top three in Spain; the way they sold David Villa, David Silva and Juan Mata simply won’t allow for it, and now Soldado may be the next big name out the door. The club’s finances are in a state where the loss of income from the Champions League will force them into sales of key names, while there will certainly be a sense of frustration on the part of players like Soldado that this team are not going anywhere.
Going into this summer, Tottenham are unlikely to be among those fighting for the signatures of the game’s leading strikers. The club do, however, have a base with which to continue building while still attracting very good players. Due to the fee likely to be involved, the club’s need and the player’s quality, Soldado looks to be one of the best names to address Tottenham’s issue in attack.
It needs to be said that Valencia are a team who can play very good football, even if they didn’t always do so under Emery. This season, Ever Banega has been pushed further up field by Valverde and has combined well with Soldado. The striker’s movement, intelligence and pace has always allowed him to stand apart as one of the better Spanish forwards in La Liga. His scoring record also speaks for itself, with 23 goals in all competitions so far this season. Remember, this is a Valencia side who struggled for much of the early part of the campaign, while players like Banega and Sergio Canales were not always available.
This summer would represent the perfect time for Tottenham to make their move. Not only is Valencia struggling on the financial front, but the player will be well aware of the approaching World Cup. With Fernando Torres failing to rediscover his form of the past and Ruben Castro, Aritz Aduriz and David Villa the wrong side of 30, Soldado may be one of the names in Vicente Del Bosque’s squad, provided he continues in the same form.
For Tottenham, this is a striker who would fit seamlessly into their current setup. He is a natural in front of goal, taking up the duties as primary goal scorer for Valencia ahead of Jonas and Nelson Valdez, while the service from the wings at Spurs is something the Spanish striker will be able to exploit on a regular basis. Soldado is also far more than just a one-dimensional poacher, showing his range of class regularly with outstanding efforts in front of goal.
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Soldado, who is comfortably in his prime, is experienced at the highest level of the game with three Champions League campaigns with Valencia under his belt. More so than most of the names linked with Tottenham in the recent past, Soldado would represent excellent value for money, even for a fee approaching £20 million.
A few weeks ago, the top-four race looked to be a foregone conclusion, with Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool expected to join Manchester United and champions Manchester City in the top echelons of the Premier League.
However, a resurgence from Chelsea means that the chase will go down to the final day of the season.
Antonio Conte’s side have won their last four top-flight matches, the most recent of which was a 1-0 victory over Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.
Olivier Giroud scored the only goal of what turned out to be a comfortable contest against the Champions League finalists.
The Blues have two more games left to play – against Huddersfield and Newcastle United – and they need to win both to have a chance of moving from fifth to fourth.
As it stands, Chelsea sit two points adrift of Tottenham and three behind third-placed Liverpool, who have just one match left on their league calendar.
If Jurgen Klopp’s men beat Brighton on the final day of the campaign, then they are pretty much guaranteed a Champions League spot due to their superior goal difference over Chelsea (+15).
Like the Blues, Tottenham have two games to play – against Newcastle United and Leicester City – but their top-four hopes took a hit following Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to West Bromwich Albion.
Mauricio Pochettino’s men realistically need four points from their remaining fixtures barring a goal fest from Chelsea.
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It is also worth noting that all three could end up playing Champions League football next season if Liverpool finish outside of the top four but end up beating Real Madrid in the final.
With all the facts laid bare, which club are likely to come last in the race?
We’ll wager that many Liverpool fans have no idea who Horst Hrubesch is, but he may have dropped the biggest piece of news of the club’s summer. ‘What has he said?’ we hear you cry, well the Germany U-21 manager has revealed that Emre Can is viewed as the successor to Steven Gerrard on Merseyside:
“I’ve just been to Liverpool, there we were told that Emre will soon assume Gerrard’s role in midfield.” He said.
“Emre definitely has leadership qualities.”
A pretty big development, especially as reports have claimed that players such as Mateo Kovacic and Geoffrey Kondogbia are being ‘lined up to replace Gerrard’, who is heading off to California in search of sun and soccer – in which order, we’ll let you decide. It may be a gamble to see the 21-year-old being handed the responsibility of filling the boots of one of the club’s most iconic players of all time, but there are many reasons to suggest that it’s a wise decision… and here are FIVE.
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Central midfield is actually his position…
Upon his arrival last summer Can was hailed as a powerful, promising and industrious central midfielder. The opening months of his Anfield career were filled with brief cameos – a deflected goal in the home loss to Chelsea was a highlight – but he really came to the fore as part of Brendan Rodgers’ back-three set-up brought in at Christmas to turn things around. Although playing as a defender, Can was still as much a midfielder as an enforcer, with his role designed around carrying the ball forward and building attacks from deep – something that later led to time at right-back.
It’s been pretty clear all along that his ultimate destination will be in the engine room of the Reds’ team, but with Gerrard having been present it would have been a political hot potato to push in a relatively unproven youngster ahead of ‘Mr Liverpool’ in the final months of his Merseyside career.
Looking at Can’s numbers from his Bayer Leverkusen 2013/14 campaign (in which he was often used in his favoured position) his contributions are not dissimilar to those of Gerrard last term, with his defensive work superior. While goals and chance creation are lower from the German, he wins more of his duels, is more effective when tackling and his greater mobility is evident through a vast gulf in the number of intercepts per-game.
Physicality
Despite being just 21, Can has the build and stature of a man at his absolute physical prime. The German stands at just over 6ft. and matches his height with broad shoulders and a solid frame. Although the stereotype of English football being more about brute than brains is a little lazy, there’s no denying that Premier League football demands more physicality than some other divisions, and the former Bayern Munich trainee seems suited.
Further to that an ‘apprenticeship’ as a centre-back playing against tough strikers such as Romelu Lukaku and Christian Benteke will only serve to heighten his awareness of the battles that take place.
Can score goals…
https://vine.co/v/eiz27M7LW9J/embed/simple
Although not a prolific scorer of goals, the midfielder can (excuse the pun) put the ball in the back of the net when he breaks into the final third. The above strike came last night for German’s U-21 side against Serbia in the European Championships, and illustrated his power, technique and hunger.
He netted once last term in the league for Liverpool and three times during his breakthrough at Bayer Leverkusen, so he does have form, especially for a defensive-minded player.
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Won’t cost a penny
One for FSG’s moneymen, unlike other options out there, Can will not cost a penny. With James Milner also in and Jordan Henderson now a proven Premier League player, the Reds have a solid midfield base to work with, with additions only needed to further supplement the ranks – although with Lucas Leiva, Philippe Coutinho, Joe Allen and Adam Lallana all able to play centrally, there may be little need.
Keeping funds free could allow the club to chase more pressing concerns, such as the need for a top-class striker, a potential Raheem Sterling replacement and an authoritative centre-back.
Long-term answer
At 21, Can is very much at the start of his career. The Germany U-21 international has at the very least another 10-13 years of top level action ahead of him, and although it would be naïve to suggest that he’ll be a Red forever, Liverpool can realistically expect him to be around for the long-term. A more experienced player could be signed, but age brings no guarantees.
Fulham are set to grant Sascha Riether’s wish to stay put at the club when his loan deal comes to an end this summer.
The 30-year-old full-back, who has been capped twice by Germany, has enjoyed a successful season with the Cottagers since joining from FC Koln last summer and has played in 32 games for the Londoners.
And, after Riether recently revealed that he is hoping to stay with the club and will hold talks in the next couple of weeks, boss Martin Jol has also confirmed that he will look to do a deal with the player who is contracted to Koln until summer 2014.
He said: “With Sascha Riether, we’ve got an option on him, so it’s an easy one. I’m very keen to keep him – we’ve got an option, as I said, so if we want to keep him, we will keep him. And we want to keep him.”
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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger announced on Friday that he would be leaving the club in the summer after 22 years in charge of the north London outfit, and the search will now begin for the iconic Frenchman’s successor.
It was expected in many circles that the 68-year-old would go at the end of what has been a largely disappointing season, with the Gunners once again set to miss out on Champions League qualification in the Premier League – where they have failed to pick up a single point on the road so far in 2018.
They can still qualify for the Europe’s elite club competition by winning the Europa League however, and Wenger will be determined to see off La Liga giants Atletico Madrid in a two-legged semi-final tie in order to get through to the final.
There will be many names linked with coming in to succeed Wenger in the coming days and months, and Arsenal certainly have a big decision to make given that the new man will need to follow in the footsteps of a legend – even if things haven’t always been positive in recent years.
Former players Mikel Arteta and Patrick Vieira may well be in contention, while the fans chose Juventus’ Massimo Allegri as their preferred option on Twitter earlier this month.
Chelsea boss Antonio Conte may also be in the frame with his future at Stamford Bridge looking to be in severe doubt.
While the Italian could be a contender to replace Wenger, Arsenal could also easily find themselves fighting with their London neighbours to appoint a certain individual this summer.
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So, Arsenal fans, who would you like to see replace Wenger next term? Let us know by voting below…