Olivier Giroud has insisted that he is not an ideal replacement for Robin van Persie at Arsenal, but will try his best to score goals for the north London club.
The France international moved to the Emirates Stadium from Montpellier this summer, whilst former captain Van Persie switched to Premier League rivals Manchester United.
Despite bearing the goalscoring brunt left by the Netherlands international, Giroud has stated that his playing style is not similar.
“I am not here to replace Van Persie or to make people forget him,” he told The Sun.
“I am here to bring something different. I don’t have the pretension of saying I will replace him because I have every respect for him as he had an enormous season last year.
“I wish him good luck for the future but I need to bring what I can bring without being pretentious to say I am here to replace him. That would be very bad.
“I feel ready. Absolutely ready to assume the responsibility and make people say ‘yes, we have Olivier’. That’s how it is. If I didn’t think that I would never get my chance. If you sign for a big club it’s to replace another striker who leaves or you come and sit on the bench and wait for some game-time or wait until a striker is less efficient, needs a breather or is injured.
“Unfortunately that’s how it is football. Now I have a chance as Robin left. So I will get more time to play and I need to assume the responsibility. In fact, I must.
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“Because that is my chance and I have to take it. The ball is in my court and the show must go on,” he expressed.
As reported by The Scottish Sun, Rangers midfielder Carlos Pena has been sacked by loan club Cruz Azul for ‘alcohol abuse’ after being caught urinating in a fountain in his team’s hotel.
The Mexican was signed by former Rangers boss Pedro Caixinha for the second time this season in January after a difficult six months at Ibrox but his loan deal has been terminated, leaving his future at Rangers unclear.
His contract at the Light Blues doesn’t expire until 2020, meaning the player is on his way back to Rangers, with The Scottish Sun reporting that Cruz Azul had clauses in the agreement to terminate his spell at the club if he misbehaved.
Supporters aren’t exactly relishing his return with many hoping this incident gives Rangers grounds to get rid of him too.
Can he turn things around and return to the Gers first team or is his time at Ibrox up?
Well, well, well… Liverpool’s summer looks to be kicking into gear, with the Liverpool Echo claiming that both James Milner and Danny Ings are ready to make ‘free transfers’ to Anfield.
Okay, neither will be ‘free’ as the former is set to packet a significant signing on fee and the latter will command a compensation fee due to his age, but both are encouraging potential additions for the club after a tough campaign.
However, Liverpool cannot afford to rest on the two, with more bodies needed to add goals, bolster defensive ranks and help to replace Steven Gerrard. So, with all of that in mind, here are FIVE more options for the Kop outfit…
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Nathaniel Clyne
We’ll kick off with one that looks as if it could be well on the way happening. An initial £10m offer has been knocked by the Saints, however, reports claim that £15m may be enough to lure the right-back from the South Coast to the North West, which would be a massive boost for the Reds. Although the trio to swap St Mary’s Stadium for Anfield last summer – Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert and Dejan Lovren – failed to truly shine, the recent England international may be a perfect addition for the Reds, with Glen Johnson on his way out.
Arguably, the best right-sided defender in the Premier League, the ex-Crystal Palace man could add the attacking intent the Merseysiders will be losing, with his energy and attacking desire, potentially, enough to push Rodgers back towards a 4-4-2 diamond.
Mateo Kovacic
With Steven Gerrard now out of the Anfield exit door, Liverpool are in need of a midfield re-shuffle. Directly replacing the 35-year-old is a near impossible task, so Rodgers may look to two stars to fill the gaping void, with Milner and Kovacic options. The Croatian is by no means an orthodox holding player, but his rage of passing and composure leave him suited to a ‘quarter-back’ role, which Rodgers deployed Gerrard in as the club very nearly claimed a first ever Premier League title just over 12 months ago.
Reports have claimed that Liverpool have been in Italy to thrash out terms with Inter Milan, but a deal is likely to be some way off.
Mauro Icardi
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Although Christian Benteke is the darling of the tabloids at the moment, the big Belgian doesn’t seem like an ideal fit in a Rodgers team, with the Northern Irishman known to favour fluid movement and positional flexibility. Benteke, although a good scorer of goals and a real presence is not really in that mould, but a player like Icardi is. The Argentine was one of very few impressive performers for Inter Milan over the 2014/15 season, netting 22 Serie A goals despite the Rossoneri’s midtable finish.
Able to play in all three roles across the front line, with pace, trickery and a prolific edge, Icardi appears an ideal replacement for Luis Suarez, who is still missed on Merseyside.
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Yevhen Konoplyanka
The infamous target of the botched January 2014 transfer, Konoplyanka is once again a target for the Reds, according to reports. The 25-year-old is set to leave Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk on a free transfer in the coming weeks, making him a tempting option on Merseyside. With Raheem Sterling’s future unclear, a direct wide replacement could be a wise option for the club, and ‘Kono’ could certainly slot in on the right or left flank.
Inigo Martinez
Rodgers’ shoring up his defence this season should not go without praise, with, despite a poor start and an worrying shipping of nine goals against Crystal Palace and Stoke in the last two games of the campaign, the Reds’ goals against tally has two fewer goals included than when they ran close to claiming the Premier League title. However, a new centre-back is sure to be on ‘B-Rod’s’ radar, with Mamadou Sakho seemingly unable to stay match fit and Dejan Lovren a one-man error zone.
The standout name to be aligned with Anfield is Real Sociedad’s Martinez, who looks as if he could be a good fit under Rodgers. Neat on the ball and able to step forward and play passes into midfield, the one-cap Spain international could be a wise addition, even if ex-Everton and Man United manager David Moyes is in charge of Sociedad – he’ll put up a fight to frustrate Liverpool!
Brendan Rodgers is close to finishing his first season in charge of Liverpool, in his long term bid to bring success back to Anfield. With a 6th place finish above neighbours Everton still a slim possibility, the Reds will need to keep pushing to have any hope of finishing higher than 7th place in the Premier League. Despite being led in attack by Luis Suarez, who has got 22 league goals this season, Liverpool’s English contingent have shown a massive improvement under the Northern Irishman’s reign.
Captain fantastic Steven Gerrard has once again been a key figure at the club, playing every single minute of Liverpool’s 33 league games so far, without showing a sign of fatigue. Fast approaching his 33rd birthday, Gerrard has scored nine goals this season, as well as assisting nine for his team mates to score too, and has arguably had his best campaign in the last three years. His Scouse team mate Jamie Carragher has also raised his game this season. Despite many thinking the soon to retire defender was too slow, the Liverpool legend has featured in over half of the Reds’ Premier League matches this season. In a sudden burst of form that has led to fans calling for the centre-back to delay his retirement, Carragher looks set to bow out on a high note.
Staying in defence, Glen Johnson has enjoyed a strong season with the club once more, despite at times having to play at left-back instead of his preferred position on the right hand side. Missing just two league games all season, the former Chelsea defender has been a key part to Rodgers’ defensive set up this year. Along with Johnson, midfielder Jordan Henderson has dramatically improved this season under the management of Brendan Rodgers. Henderson struggled in his first year at the club last year, but since being brought in to replace the unpopular Joe Allen midway through the campaign, the 22-year-old has started to show fans why Liverpool paid £16million for his potential.
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Stewart Downing is another 2011 signing that has enjoyed a sudden change of fortunes at the club. A further player who was highly criticised in his first season at Anfield, Downing has noticeably improved as this league campaign has progressed for Brendan Rodgers. Despite fierce competition for his place, Downing has reacted strongly to the threat of being sold by the club. Fighting for Stewart Downing’s place in the team has been Raheem Sterling, who has burst onto the Premier League stage with speed and trickery. Set to miss the rest of the season due to injury and fatigue, Sterling could play a major part for Rodgers next season.
Finally, new signing Daniel Sturridge is only four months into his Liverpool career, yet already has four Premier League goals in a red shirt. Scoring three in his first three games in all competitions, Sturridge has given signs to fans that he could be a great addition to the team, after a tough time at Chelsea. With Liverpool youngsters Jonjo Shelvey, Martin Kelly and Jack Robinson all tasting first team action this season as well, Liverpool’s English talent can be happy with their progress this season. Mixed with the foreign flair of Coutinho and Suarez, and the strong defence of Daniel Agger and Lucas, The Reds could be in a great position to push for a top five place next season and a place in one of the European competitions.
Rodgers could be set to add more British talent to the squad in the summer too. The Daily Mirror have reported that the Reds are interested in signing Manchester City wing-back Micah Richards. But is there any need for Richards? With Johnson and Enrique doing well for the team this season, and with young English talents Martin Kelly, Jack Robinson and John Flanagan all progressing in the youth academy, there seems little room for Richards to fit in. But with Johnson’s ability to play left-back, Rodgers may see Richards as a good player to compete with the English wing-back and Enrique for a starting place, with Johnson able to cover for the Spanish left-back if needed. Although it would seriously hinder the progress of the youth cover for the Reds, at just 24-years-old, Richards has plenty of time and potential to grow.
But is there need for English talent greater than that? The argument for is to bring the club right back to its roots, such as when Rodgers restored the traditional ‘This is Anfield’ sign in his first week at the club. With the mind frame of Liverpool’s successful history, with the young, British talent that can keep progressing, Rodgers may find fame and success.
However, some fans will demand a mixture of British and foreign players. Talented forwards such as Coutinho and Suarez have a flair that is rarely seen in English players, and although attacking midfielder Gareth Bale is only five goals short of Suarez in the Premier League this season, the highest ranked British striker is Rickie Lambert with 14 goals. An impressive total, but eight short of the Uruguayan’s. And there aren’t many supporters who would rather swap Lucas for an English defensive midfielder. The Brazilian is extremely popular in The Kop, due to his work rate and willingness to tackle players instead of attacking. And after Liverpool lost Xabi Alonso due to Benitez’s desire to sign Gareth Barry, the Anfield faithful will be defiant in keeping Lucas.
It’s great to see so much home-grown talent on offer at a competitive club like Liverpool. Especially compared to clubs like Arsenal, who only have five British players in their main Premier League squad that aren’t on loan, or Chelsea who only have seven players in theirs.
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But with the Premier League being one of the top leagues in the world, clubs battling with Liverpool are going to look across the globe for the best talent available. The Reds have a fantastic amount of home grown talent, but should only add to that with players that are needed. If a Spaniard can do a better job than an Englishman, then bring the Spaniard in.
Richards could be a great signing for the Reds, but that doesn’t mean Rodgers should only sign players from the British Isles. Liverpool should keep what they have, but bring in the best players available for the needed position, not just because they’re flying the flag for homegrown talent.
Jesse Lingard has put in some huge performances for Manchester United this season, particularly during periods in which Jose Mourinho’s most high-profile signings, Paul Pogba and Alexis Sanchez, have struggled to find their best form.
But the United duo have enjoyed a revival over the last few weeks and through no huge fault of his own, the England international has become a bit of a casualty.
Seemingly more comfortable in central roles, Lingard’s impact has been limited since moving to the right wing to accommodate Pogba and Sanchez – and upon starting there last time out against Tottenham, he was tellingly subbed off after 83 minutes having struggled to have any noteworthy effect on the 2-1 FA Cup semi-final win.
With that in mind, we asked United fans earlier this week whether Lingard should be dropped for Sunday’s Premier League clash with Arsenal, and our poll has revealed that supporters are largely divided over his role in the team.
While 54% want the 25-year-old to keep his place against the Gunners, a significant minority of 46% think Lingard should be dropped. Who would you bring into the side to replace Lingard, United fans? Let us know by commenting below…
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Joao Miranda has once again cropped up in the Manchester United rumour mill, with the big Brazilian admitting that he’s a little tempted by the prospect of heading to Old Trafford.
A centre-back is very much on Louis van Gaal’s radar, with, despite the £150m spend of last summer, the Red Devils not yet a side moulded to his way of playing.
The links with fresh talent have been plentiful, with many stars in England and across the continent matching up to the skills and characteristics the iconic Dutchman has shown through the years that he craves.
And here are FIVE who could make the Theatre of Dreams the Theatre of Louis…
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Memphis Depay
A player to have worked under Van Gaal in the Netherlands side in the run up to and during the World Cup, Depay is well versed in what the United boss wants from his players.
Although he played a fringe role, the 20-year-old netted two goals in Brazil, and his contribution of 19 Eredivisie efforts this term has further shown that he’s a lethal final third player.
PSV Eindhoven manager Phillip Cocu has already confessed that the Red Devils target could be sold this summer… so LVG could get his man.
Kevin Strootman
Knee injuries have wrecked Strootman’s last two seasons, but the Dutchman is still on Van Gaal’s radar.
The midfielder, who plays for Roma, was very much LVG’s go to guy in the Oranje team in the build-up to the World Cup, with his feisty playing style and presence in the middle of the pitch key attributes.
The midfielder himself would offer a different option to the likes of Michael Carrick and Daley Blind, which could be vital in mixing domestic and European action.
Roberto Firmino
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Brazilian, full of flair and able to find the back of the net, Firmino could offer LVG the attacking spark his side have somewhat missed.
Able to drift in from a wide role of occupy the ‘No. 10’ position, the South American is dangerous, with a record of 22 goals since the start of the 2013/14 campaign under his belt.
He has been linked with United, too, with an offer of around £20m thought to be enough.
Edinson Cavani
Cavani has been linked with a move to Old Trafford to replace Robin van Persie this summer, and he seems to be suited to an LVG style of play.
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‘El Matador’ offers a nice blend of pace and physicality, which would give United a greater threat in the final third, with RVP and Radamel Falcao having been a little one dimensional this term.
He won’t come cheap, but Champions League football looks to be heading back to the Theatre of Dreams, so cash may be in place.
Nathaniel Clyne
Right-back is clearly becoming an issue for United, with Antonio Valencia and Rafael obviously not perfect fits for Van Gaal’s way of playing, with the duo not up to the job defensively.
Clyne, although solid going forward, is actually adept in his own third, and it’s no coincidence that he’s a part of the Premier League’s best rearguard – 22 goals conceded all season. A nice balance, then.
Not since 2001, during Glenn Hoddles time in charge, have Southampton won four straight Premier League games. In fact such a feat was considered unthinkable when they entered the top-flight arena guided by the steady hand of former manager Nigel Adkins. And while the club was largely chastised in the wake of his surprise dismissal it ultimately proved a shrewd decision. After a shaky start in the formative days of his tenure the Saints have hit stride under Mauricio Pochettino’s guidance. The Argentine has won rave reviews for the brand of football employed at St Mary’s with summer signing Jay Rodriguez, who has three goals in as many games, just one player benefitting from the changes instilled since his arrival. Pochettino now stands just one victory away from securing top-flight football for another year and will urge his side to make home advantage count.
The same can be said for West Ham who are locked on 37 points and sit a place behind Southampton in the table with a game in hand. The Hammers have enjoyed a positive run of late with victories over Stoke and West Brom, a defeat at Chelsea sandwiched in between, followed by an encouraging goalless draw at Liverpool last Sunday. That seven-point haul has pushed them closer to survival and eased any lingering relegation worries although manager Sam Allardyce still refuses to enter contract discussions until his side reach the 40-point safety net. And it’s difficult to blame Allardyce for leaving nothing to chance, given West Ham’s inconsistency this season. Not since March 2011 have they recorded back-to-back Premier League wins and have departed the South Coast empty handed on nine of their last 10 visits.
Team News
Luke Shaw, Jason Puncheon and Jay Rodriguez are all doubts for Southampton after coming down with a virus during the week. Other than that Mauricio Pochettino has a fully fit squad to choose from.
Andy Carroll is back for West Ham after he was ineligible for the game against parent club Liverpool. Midfield duo Joe Cole (hamstring) and Mark Noble (shoulder) are out as are defenders Winston Reid (hip) and George McCartney (knee).
What the managers said…
“I do not think it is something far-fetched if both Rickie and Jay are playing for England, as they have done really well recently. I think Jay has developed a lot in a football sense and I think he has great potential. He has a lot more to develop and has not reached his peak. He has more to give. To be able to play in the national side, you need more than just two months of playing well. If he is able to do that, than he is able to play internationally, for sure.” Mauricio Pochettino backs Rickie Lambert and Jay Rodriguez to earn England call-ups (Daily Mirror)
“We may (have to) sneak the points total up maybe one or two more, but I certainly think 40 now is definitely going to be good enough. Wigan have put a run together, Southampton have put a run together, Aston Villa have done it. I thought probably 38 but if you’re going to be absolutely (sure), we’re going to still go to the golden 40 aren’t we.” Sam Allardyce is confident West Ham will hit the magic 40-point mark (Sky Sports)
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Pre-Match Statistic: West Ham have lost each of the 10 away games in which they’ve fallen behind – the only Premier League team to do so.
Prediction: Southampton 2-1 West Ham United
Make your bets ahead of the showdown at St Mary’s by clicking on the banner below
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger made a huge announcement on Friday, confirming that he will step down at the end of the season.
The Frenchman has cut a frustrated figure over the last few seasons due to the club’s failings in the Premier League.
The club have not won the English crown since the 2003-04 campaign, and they have not come close in recent years.
In fact, the North London outfit are unlikely to finish inside the top four for a second consecutive season, meaning that they need to win the Europa League in order to qualify for the Champions League.
For so long, the majority of Arsenal fans have been keen for Wenger to walk away from the club following two decades in charge.
Many had hoped that the time would come at the end of last season, but the Frenchman ended up signing a new two-year deal.
Now, Wenger, who won three Premier League titles and seven FA Cups in charge of the Gunners, has decided that his time is up.
Prior to the announcement, fans had been already discussing potential replacements, with plenty keen for Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri to take the hotseat.
Interestingly, former Liverpool manager and current Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers is third-favourite with the bookmakers to succeed Wenger.
Sky Bet and Betfair have shortened odds to 9/2 on the Northern Irishman taking over at the Emirates.
During a two-and-a-half-year spell at Liverpool, Rodgers came close to guiding the Reds to their first Premier League title, but just fell short to Manchester City.
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At Celtic, the 45-year-old has had much more success by winning four trophies, including the Scottish Premiership.
Early indications suggest that Arsenal fans would be very unhappy if Rodgers arrived at the Emirates this summer.
Darren Ferguson left his role as Peterborough last Saturday evening by ‘mutual consent’ following a poor run of form in League One. One win in five leaves the Posh in 15th position but still just four points off a play-off position. In his second spell at the club, Ferguson spent over four years in charge and if the ‘mutual consent’ excuse is a cover up for the Scotsman’s dismissal then surely with the success he has brought to the club he can feel extremely aggrieved by this decision.
Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony described Darren Ferguson as “one of the finest managers in our club’s history” which is something that is hard to disagree with considering how he has turned the club around in his two spells. It is then a mystery as to why the chairman didn’t think Ferguson was good enough to stop the rot and that there are better managers available at this time.
Darren Ferguson first took over as Posh boss in January 2007 initially in a player-manager role. After consolidating in mid-table during his first season, the 2007/08 campaign saw the club promoted from League Two and in his second full season promotion was once again achieved. This meant that in 2009 the club were playing Championship football for the first time since 1994 and for just the second time in their history, before Ferguson left to join Preston North End.
He returned to Peterborough just a year later at the start of 2011 with the Posh back in League One. He led the club to promotion once again in his first season back. Ferguson then managed to keep Peterborough in the Championship for two seasons until relegation in 2013, despite amassing 54 points which is a record for a relegated team at this level.
Last season saw the team end up in sixth place before a narrow defeat to Leyton Orient in the semi-finals. They also won their first trophy in 2014 lifting the Football League Trophy with a 3-1 victory over Chesterfield. For a club that have achieved little in its entire history, Ferguson led them to three promotions and Peterborough’s first ever piece of silverware. His two spells were the most successful in the clubs history and Darren Ferguson will go down as one of the all time great managers in the history of Peterborough United.
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With all that success in a short space of time, it seems like an extremely knee-jerk reaction to get rid of a manager after a couple of months of poor form. Given the tightness of the league, Ferguson could very well have been the man to turn it around but won’t be given that opportunity now. It just proves how hard management is nowadays, especially in the lower leagues and no matter how much success you have had, no manager is ever safe in his job.
Irrespective of where QPR end up next season, Joey Barton is expecting to make his loan move to Marseille a permanent deal.
The controversial midfielder has been on loan at the French club for the entire season and he is loving life in France and says an agreement between the two sides is already in place.
Barton, who was handed a 12-match ban for his actions on the final day of last season at Manchester City, tweeted: “It’s not up to QPR if I stay. [There is an] agreement already in place for me to stay.
“I’m loving life in France. Loving Marseille. They love me.
“I can’t see QPR wanting me on the wage bill in the Championship.
“All I want to do is give everything for this football club [Marseille]. They backed me when nobody else did. For that I will be eternally grateful. This club is now in my blood, its impossible to get it out.”
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