Chelsea winning the Champions League will see the other English Champions League qualifiers lose a few million pounds each from UEFA’s pot of TV money going to the Premier League.

While this is a small part of the overall Champions League revenue split (explained in detail here for 2010/2011), it represents a loss nevertheless.

As part of the financial benefits of participating in the Champions League, each league’s clubs get a a share of UEFA’s TV money profits depending on their UEFA coefficient rankings. The Premier League were due £30m from the market pool pot, which would have been split according to the teams’ league standings.

Normally, as domestic champions Manchester City would get 40% of Uefa’s “market pool” pot of TV money totalling around £12m, the second-placed Manchester United 30% (£9m), the third-placed Arsenal 20% (£6m) and the fourth-placed club 10% (£3m).

Instead, with Chelsea winning the Champions League and qualifying as winners, they are now ‘tied’ with City in terms of TV revenue share. As such, City and Chelsea will each receive 30% (£9m), United 25% (£7.5m) and Arsenal 15% (£4.5m.). Uefa have said the figures would be confirmed by its executive meeting in July.

To put these numbers into perspective – each team gets a basic fee – £3.5m in 2010/2011 – for qualifying for the group stages each season, and the profits from qualifying for the knockout rounds and progressing further in the Champions League can mean a £20m difference.

The actual reduction in earnings will be loose change for the three Premier League clubs. Far more importantly, Chelsea’s bumper Champions League earnings will paper over the loss of earnings from finishing 6th in the league and continued Champions League participation will mean that they have another £20m-£25m to expect as a minimum next season.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Arsenal’s new 2012/2013 home kit is now available for ordering on the Soccerlens Store.

Inspired by Arsenal’s history of innovation, the new men’s Arsenal Home Shirt 2012/13 features an updated look highlighted by blue and white hoops – first introduced by revolutionary Gunners manager Herbert Chapman in the 1930s.

A visionary in kit design, Chapman’s influence is showcased with a navy piping to the neck and additional stripes to the sleeves – a concept first used to improve peripheral vision on the pitch.

As worn by the likes of Robin van Persie and new signing Lukas Podolski, the ultra-light Arsenal Home Shirt 2012/13 is crafted with Nike’s elite Dri-Fit and recycled polyester fabric – offering players and fans supreme comfort on a match day.

Features:

• Ribbed crew neck with navy piping
• Short sleeves with ribbed red, navy and white hoops
• Sponsor print to centre chest
• Arsenal crest embroidered to left chest
• Nike Swoosh logo embroidered to right chest
• ‘AFC’ print to rear neck
• Dri-Fit fabric keeps you cool and dry
• Recycled Polyester design offers lightweight comfort

Arsenal 12/13 Home Kit Photos:

Image 1 of 6

Arsenal’s new 2012/2013 home kit is now available for ordering on the Soccerlens Store.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Depending upon the outcome of Copa del Rey Final on May 25^th against Athletic Bilbao, FC Barcelona can finish the 2011/2012 campaign on a (relative) high.

Winning the domestic Cup competition is nothing to sniff at but it pales to the accomplishments achieved in previous seasons. FC Barcelona finished the season with 91 points; in most cases this total haul would’ve clinched the title in every other league across Europe. However, Real Madrid unseated FC Barcelona at the summit of the Spanish league with a whopping 100 points.

So is it time to panic? Abandon total football?

Not really. However, it is time to make a few adjustments and fine-tune the squad once more. The key adjective here being “fine-tune”.

Unless Sandro Rosell wants to emulate AC Milan’s “model” and hang onto to ageing Champions until they’re approaching retirement he’d be well advised to sell and buy some players.

Whereas the club’s decision to announce their transfer budget ahead of the 2011 transfer window paid rich dividends (signing Cesc Fabregas & Alexis Sanchez below their market value), this year they seem to take a different route. How much money is or isn’t available to Tito Vilanova is pretty much a mystery at this point. However, one is inclined to believe that his transfer kitty is significantly smaller than Guardiola’s in his heyday. Nevertheless, a smaller Barcelona transfer kitty probably still dwarfs that of every other major club bar a few chosen ones (Manchester City, Chelsea FC, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich).

For the purpose of this article let’s assume FC Barcelona has a war chest of 50,000,000 Euro (the transfer budged for 2011). In this massively inflated market it’s probably just enough to open negotiations for Santos Neymar. Bar any significant drop in oil prices it’s not likely that the exorbitant evaluations of top talent will decline anytime soon.

Barcelona were lucky enough that both Cesc Fabregas and Alexis Sanchez have made it known that the only wanted to join the Blaugrana which gave the club some leverage for negotiations. This year it’s pretty much open season on anybody. In order to stay competitive in the transfer market FC Barcelona has to sell.

Let’s take a look at some players who are most likely sold this summer.

Likely to be sold:

Seydou Keita, 32 (8,000,000 Euro)*

Ibrahim Afellay, 26 (10,000,000 Euro)*

Isaac Cuenca, 21 (3,000,000 Euro)* or Cristian Tello, 20 (5,000,000 Euro)*

Should be sold:

David Villa, 30 (35,000,000 Euro)*

Could be sold:

Pedro, 24 (28,000,000 Euro)*

The Breakdown:

Seydou Keita should be sold. The Malian, 32, has never been a regular under Pep Guardiola and will most likely not become one for Tito Vilanova either. The 8,000,000 Euro evaluation represent the high-end of what Barcelona can expect from any sale. The benchmark is Ricardo Carvalho’s transfer from Chelsea to Real Madrid for 8,000,000 Euro. However, Carvalho was a starter in the Blues set-up and one of the best defenders in the EPL. Hence the more realistic fee the Blaugrana can expect is somewhere in the neighborhood of 6,000,000 Euro.

Verdict: Any proposed sale of Ibrahim Afellay would certainly take place after the 2012 European Championships. At present his market value is set at 10,000,000 Euro. A fine performance in the tournament could potentially double his value.

Verdict: Barcelona is not short on wide options (Pedro, Cuenca. Tello, Alexis) so they would probably entertain any offer of 15,000,000 Euro and more.

As mentioned earlier, Barcelona has a lot of wide options. Therefore it would only make sense to sell either Cuenca or Tello. Jeffren was sold to Sporting Lisbon in the previous season and there’s nothing to suggest that it won’t happen again.

Verdict: Liverpool are credited with an interested in Cuenca. 6 – 7,000,000 Euro (for either) seem reasonable since Barcelona sold Oriol Romeu, who had virtually no first team experience, to Chelsea for approximately 5,000,000 Euro.

As fine a player David Villa is, he is just not what Barcelona need (at least the incarnation where Lionel Messi plays centrally). If the plan is to keep him on the left-wing it would be wiser to sell him. Alexis Sanchez wasn’t acquired to warm the bench and Pedro is showing signs that he’s returning to form.

Furthermore, in Cuenca and Tello Barcelona have ready-made back-up players. At 30 years of age his transfer value will drop in subsequent seasons. Though he is rated at 35,000,000 Euro a more realistic fee would be 20 – 24,000,000 Euro.

The most expensive 30 year old was Andriy Shevchenko (AC Milan to Chelsea for 46,000,000 Euro). Nevertheless he was Serie A’s best player and a Ballon d’Or winner. Both Thierry Henry and Ruud Van Nistelrooy transferred to Barcelona and Real Madrid at the age of 30 (Henry turned 30 in the 2007 calendar year) for 24,000,000 Euro.

But that would be the high-end for David Villa. After all, El Guaje turns 31 in December. Sell him and remove his annual wages of 7,500,000 Euro would free up additional funds.

If someone would match Pedro’s evaluation of 28,000,000 Euro it’s probably for the better to sell him. Another inconsistent season and his market value could be less than half. He’s a good player but there’s nothing to suggest that Cuenca or Tello can’t match him. Any offer upwards of 20,000,000 Euro should be seriously considered.

As far acquisitions are concerned there are two positions that need to be addressed – left-back and central defense, perhaps another striker (one that actually plays as a striker).

Center-back:

According to various press reports Barcelona have made AC Milan’s Thiago Silva (rated: 32,000,000 Euro)* their primary transfer target. If these reports are to be believed Barcelona are convinced they can do a deal for about 25,000,000 Euro.

It’s not going to happen folks. Not for 25,000,000 Euro. Adriano Gallani is a lot of things, for instance he looks like Uncle Fester, but he’s arguably the best negotiator in all of football. Along with Ibrahimovic (who he shrewdly bought from Barcelona for just 24,000,000 Euro), Silva is Milan’s most valuable asset. Galliani has already been tasked with rebuilding AC Milan on a shoestring budget and it’s not likely that he’ll sell a world-class defender below market value.

Alternative: Mats Hummels, 23 (20,000,000 Euro)*

Coming off of a second successive German championship the Borussia Dortmund defender wouldn’t come cheap but propose a viable alternative to the Brazilian. A full German International, technically sound, superb sense positioning and, most importantly, he can pass a ball. Perhaps Bundesliga’s best central-defender he is already bordering on world-class, if he isn’t already. Though Dortmund have announced that they aren’t entertaining any sales, save for the inevitable departure of Shinji Kagawa, stranger things have happened.

Verdict: A bid of 25 – 30,000,000 Euro would almost certainly test their resolve. Nevertheless, Mats Hummels doesn’t seem to appear on Barcelona’s radar.

Left-back:

Jordi Alba, 23 (10,000,000 Euro)*

At this point it’s almost a forgone conclusion that Alba either extends his contract with Valancia or rejoins Barcelona. The press suggests that Barcelona is preparing an offer to the tune of 12 – 15,000,000 Euro.

Verdict: Will most likely happen. With one year left on his Valencia contract can’t expect to fetch more than 15,000,000 Euro especially once he makes his desire known to return to Barcelona. In 2010 Mesut Özil transferred under similar circumstances and fee from Werder Bremen to Real Madrid.

Fantasy Football: Gareth Bale, 23 (35,000,000 Euro)*

To make it short – he’s too expensive. EPL-based players are unreasonably more expensive than their continental counterparts. Andy Carroll, Shaun Wright-Phillps, James Milner etc.

Verdict: Not gonna happen

Striker:

Barcelona were found out – opposing teams have figured out how to stop the Blaugrana. However, only a couple of them have the necessary players to execute that particular game plan.

While Barcelona’s usual game plan will work almost against every La Liga team and most European sides, it will most likely not be effective against the likes of Chelsea or Madrid who sit deep and attack on the counter. And there’s the emerging giant Manchester City who could virtually field 10 world-class defenders. A frightening thought.

David Villa is a world-class striker; at least he used to be. But he is absolutely wasted on the left-wing. The feeling, however, is that his situation will not change anytime soon. Maybe it’s because he doesn’t have the imposing striker physique that Pep has mistaken him for a winger. Who knows? Barcelona need an out-and-out striker. Ever seen a Barcelona corner? Nothing fruitful ever happens following a corner. Never. Hence a couple of (potential) recruits.

Fernando Llorente, 27 (25,000,000 Euro)*

He’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic minus the outstanding technique and ego. But he more than compensates that with an exceptional work-rate. At any rate, he has quite exceptional technique for a tall guy.

Verdict: 30 – 35,000,000 Euro and not a penny less. Llorente would walk into most sides. On second thought, there isn’t any side that wouldn’t make him their focal point. If Barcelona still have money in the bank after acquiring their primary targets this one is a realistic possibility.

Robin Van Persie, 28 (45,000,000 Euro)*

Europe’s most wanted. The market value credited above is NOT what Arsenal are stand to make should they cash in on their captain – it’s merely a reflection of his outstanding season. Barcelona are said to be interested in the flying Dutchman but apparently he’s asking for a wage package north of 200,000 Euro/week, which would make the highest earner alongside Lionel Messi. Arsenal are reportedly offering 120,000 GBP/week (roughly 150,000 Euro). And then there are the usual suspects of Manchester City, Real Madrid and Italian Champions Juventus Turin.

Verdict: Robin Van Persie could become the first player who commands a 30,000,000 Euro transfer fee in the last year of his contract. The previous high was Samir Nasri’s 27,500,000 Euro from Arsenal to Manchester City. 45,000,000 Euro seem out of the question but 30,000,000 Euro is a distinct possibility if City decide to blow the competition out of the water. Though FC Barcelona have been financially irresponsible in the past it’s unlikely that they will engage in bidding war for a player that only has one year left on his contract.

Overall analysis:

Assuming Barcelona have a basic transfer budget of 50,000,000 Euro and raise cash through the sales of players such as Seydou Keita, Ibrahim Afellay, Isaac Cuenca or Cristian Tello, David Villa and Pedro, they could potentially look 110,000,000 Euro to reinvest in the squad. Unless Barcelona wants to add a striker to their ranks there’s no reason to sell David Villa or Pedro. In that case 50,000,000 Euro should be sufficient enough to buy a world-class center-back and a left-back. A complete overhaul isn’t needed but addressing the left-back and center-back position is essential in mounting another title challenge.

*transfer values courtesy of www.transfermarkt.de

You can always disagree and argue with me on Twitter @JubeiKibagame.

Also See:

• More Barcelona News.
• More Transfer Rumours.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Here’s a look at the top transfer stories circulating in the Premier League today, with guest appearances from Carlos Tevez (will he stay or go), Leighton Baines (can he match the flying Frenchman) and Didier Drogba.

Manchester City

Manchester United’s so-called Noisy Neighbours are determined to build on their expected title triumph by completing their transfer business early in the close season.

And that means bringing in the world-class names who will ensure domestic and European success becomes a regular occurrence at Eastlands.

City want to go on a £100 million summer spending spree but know they have to start balancing the books so they comply with UEFA’s new Financial Fair Play rules, which come into force in the 2013-14 season.

Mancini is therefore intending to stage a clear-out to partly fund his summer shopping.

As many as eight first-team squad members could be jettisoned as Mancini tries to make his squad even more formidable, so they not only stay ahead of United and the rest of the Premier League but also challenge Barcelona and Real Madrid in the Champions League.

Emmanuel Adebayor, Wayne Bridge and Roque Santa Cruz, all of whom are currently out on loan, will also be offloaded.

Nigel De Jong, Edin Dzeko, Kolo Toure, Stefan Savic and Adam Johnson are set to make way for new faces.

Furthermore, City are open-minded about the prospect of Carlos Tevez staying at the club, but are willing to sell if anyone meets their £25m valuation.

Also See: Manchester City’s Summer 2012 Transfer Targets.

Manchester United

Manchester United will step up their efforts to sign Leighton Baines with a £10million offer.

Sir Alex Ferguson has been given the go-ahead from United owners the Glazers to proceed with a move for the Everton and England left-back.

Ferguson sees Baines as the ideal successor to Patrice Evra, who turns 31 next Monday and has looked unconvincing this season.

United had hoped to land their man for as little as £6m, given Everton’s precarious financial position.

But with Baines under contract for three more years and interest in him from other clubs, they will have to do better than that.

Ferguson is keen to complete as much of his summer transfer business as possible quickly, as he’s done in previous seasons.

That could see a bid for Baines lodged as early as next week, with the United boss aware the England international is in demand.

Also See: Manchester United’s Summer 2012 Transfer Targets.

Arsenal

Robin van Persie has shunned interest from Juventus, despite the Italian giants declaring their desire to sign him.

Mirror Football revealed on April 23 that Juve had made overtures towards Van Persie’s representatives, and were willing to pay £25million for the Arsenal captain.

However, it is believed the Dutchman is not interested, with Spain his most likely destination - if he goes. It’s felt it would take a huge offer from either Barcelona or Real Madrid to tempt away a player the Gunners remain confident of keeping.

The Gunners boss, Arsene Wenger, has already signed Cologne’s Germany striker Lukas Podolski, and Rennes’ France midfielder Yann M’Vila is also due for talks.

Swansea’s Michel Vorm is also on Arsenal’s radar to provide competition for first-choice keeper Wojciech Szczesny.

Also See: Arsenal’s Summer 2012 Transfer Targets.

Chelsea

Chelsea are set to defy the wishes of the fans by letting Didier Drogba leave the club this month.

Ivory Coast goal ace Drogba struck the third FA Cup Final winner of his career last Saturday against Liverpool, and will lead the line for Roberto Di Matteo’s men in the Champions League Final next Saturday.

But that May 19 clash with Bayern Munich will be Drogba’s last game in a Chelsea shirt unless there is a massive change of heart by the powers that be in SW6.

The 34-year-old’s demands for a new two-year deal have fallen on deaf ears, as the Stamford Bridge hierarchy are determined to build the team around fellow forward Fernando Torres.

Also See: Chelsea’s Summer 2012 Transfer Targets.

More:

• More Transfer Rumours.
• Team-by-team Premier League Summer 2012 Transfer Previews.
• League by League transfers.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

It seems the competition for third place in the Premier League is now going to be decided on the final day of the season. Here I take a look at each team’s final fixture and their chances of finishing ahead of their rivals.

Arsenal

Arsene Wenger takes his Arsenal side to West Brom knowing that three points will guarantee third spot and a Champions League place.

The Gunners have struggled to find form in the last month, considering the last 3 games have produced just two points.

It’ll be an emotional match considering the fact its Albion’s manager, Roy Hodgson, last game in charge before he joins England ahead of the Euro’s.

Wenger will be boosted by the return to fitness of Theo Walcott. The Arsenal winger’s hamstring injury has coincided with Arsenal’s collapse in form.

Personally, I can’t see Arsenal losing this game, I’d expect them to finish in the 3rd place spot.

Tottenham

Tottenham sit in 4^th place, one point behind Arsenal. Harry Redknapp’s side battled back from 1-0 down with 10 men against Aston Villa.

Spurs encountered a period of very poor form coinciding with the resignation of Capello from the England set-up. The speculation linking Harry Redknapp with the national job appeared to have de-railed the squads challenge for Champions League football. Lack of squad rotation and poor tactics have also been blamed, but this is another issue.

However, the Tottenham boss will hope his side has recovered just at the right time. Spurs host Fulham this coming Sunday in a vital game for the London club. Redknapp is anxious to guarantee making the Champions League as Chelsea could take the fourth English qualification spot if they win this month’s final.

Newcastle

Newcastle have already exceeded all expectations this season as Alan Pardew’s side currently sit 2 points behind third place Arsenal. They missed their chance to go ahead of Arsenal on the weekend, after losing to 2-0 to leaders Manchester City.

This Sunday, the Toon need a few results to go their way in order to guarantee a third place finish. Firstly Pardew’s team need 3 points against Everton. They then need to hope that Spurs do not win and that Arsenal lose to West Brom.

Regardless, they are already guaranteed a place in the Europa League, having had their best season since 2003.

Although i’d love to see Newcastle in the Champions League next season, their fate has been taken from their own hands. It’s going to take a lot for both Tottenham and Arsenal to lose on the weekend. Unfortunately they may face missing out on the elite competition altogether.

Chelsea

After a big 4-1 loss to Liverpool, Chelsea now find themselves out of contention for a top four finish. Di Matteo’s men will now finish in 6th place, this cannot be changed in the last game of the season.

Since AVB departed, the Blues performance in both domestic and continental competitions has improved dramatically. However, Chelsea now rely on success in this seasons Champions League final to stand any chance of competing in the cup next term.

The recent FA Cup win, plus the 6th place league finish has already secured a place in the Europa cup. Unfortunately, the clubs fans and owner, Roman Abramovich, will no doubt be unhappy, if their side fail to qualify for the Elite European competition.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Every year, Soccerlens brings comprehensive football transfer news and detailed transfer lists of the major football leagues in Europe.

This year’s new feature is a detailed preview of the Premier League’s 2012 summer transfer window, looking at the reported transfer targets for each team.

Transfer previews currently available:

• Arsenal
• Chelsea
• Everton
• Fulham
• Liverpool
• Manchester City
• Manchester United
• Newcastle United
• Tottenham

As the 2011/2012 season rolls to an end and the newcomers to next year’s Premier League season are decided, we will also start updating the Premier League transfers page with confirmed ins and outs for all 20 Premier League teams.

You can follow Soccerlens on Twitter to be notified of future updates as we add more transfer news and previews.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

A look at this weekend’s Premier League matches as Manchester fights for the league title and London teams play for their Champions League futures.

Arsenal v Norwich

The chase for third place remains in Arsenal’s hands, but with Tottenham and Newcastle in close pursuit there is no room for error. Arsene Wenger’s team, without a win in three games, have laboured since Mikel Arteta’s injury removed the metronome which keeps everything ticking, and the responsibility to drag them over the line rests with a tired Robin van Persie. With Norwich having relaxed since securing a second season in the EPL, this is a good opportunity for the Gunners to grab a much needed victory.

Norwich have conceded 11 goals in their last three matches, including hat-tricks for Carlos Tevez and Luis Suarez. Van Persie will be hoping the Canaries defence continues to be accommodating. The Gunners are fortunate to close out the season with two imminently winnable games against teams without anything tangible to play for, but the spoiler factor should never be underestimated.

Prediction: Arsenal win

Newcastle v Man City

The sums are simple for Manchester City now: win their last two games and the title is all but guaranteed. It is a difficult assignment though, as Newcastle confirmed with their midweek victory at Chelsea. Of all the important games being played this weekend, this one might have the widest-reaching effects. Newcastle will need to pick up the points if they hope to lay claim to a Champions League place.

Manchester City did what they needed to do against their crosstown rivals on Monday, but with United facing a slightly less daunting end of the season schedule they’ll be able to take nothing for granted. On top of this, these are two very good teams that are generally quite enjoyable to watch. Both have incredible attacking talent with the likes of Papiss Cisse, Sergio Aguero, Demba Ba and Carlos Tevez. This is arguably the weekend’s biggest game, in any league.

Prediction: Draw

Aston Villa v Tottenham

This is a huge match for both clubs. An Aston Villa win in this match would all but guarantee their Premier League survival. However, Tottenham are well in the race for the Champions League places, Redknapp will be anxious to take third from their London rivals Arsenal, just in case Chelsea are successful in the Champions League final. Tottenham travel to Villa Park after back-to-back victories, while Mcleish’s side have failed to take 3 points from a Premier League game since November. Scott Parker’s return to fitness is a huge boost for Tottenham, having recovered from an ankle injury. He is expected to return to the starting line up in this fixture.

Prediction: Tottenham win

Bolton v West Brom

Roy Hodgson’s West Brom now have very little left to play for this season. However, this can’t be said for their opponents, Bolton. It’s been a very emotional season for Owen Coyle’s team, both on and off the pitch. For quite some time now, Bolton fans have been clinging to their side’s games in hand to give them hope for another season in the Premier League. The Wanderers caught up to the rest of the league in terms of games played on Wednesday, but faced a heavy 4-1 defeat to Tottenham. Bolton are even on points with 17^th place QPR, but they’ve got a serious mountain to climb in terms of goal difference. Hodgson’s appointment as the new England boss may prove a blessing in disguise for Bolton. A distracted West Brom side could prove ideal opposition.

Prediction: Bolton win

Fulham v Sunderland

Both Fulham and Sunderland will be looking for the three points that would virtually guarantee a top-10 finish but the form of these teams could not be more different. The hosts have taken 13 points from their last six Premier League games, including a first ever win at Anfield in midweek. By contrast, Martin O’Neill’s side have not had a victory since 24 March and are playing very much like a side with one eye on their summer holidays.

Prediction: Fulham win

QPR v Stoke

QPR’s fortunes took a turn for the worst last season as they suffered a 6-1 loss to London rivals Chelsea. However, luckily for Mark Hughes’ side, other results at the bottom of the table ensured they sit one place above the relegation zone with just two games left. With a very tough last game against current leaders Manchester City, QPR really need 3 points from this home match to achieve survival, beating a tired Stoke on Sunday could be sufficient to keep them up.

Prediction: QPR win

Wolves v Everton

These teams will be playing for different types of pride this weekend. Everton can open up a six-point gap over local rivals Liverpool, while Wolves – who are already relegated – can secure their first win under Terry Connor’s leadership. Connor will make a late decision on whether Matt Jarvis (groin) and Kevin Foley (hamstring) are fit to play. Moyes is hopeful Leighton Baines will return for the final game of 2011-12 but he will sit out this weekend’s match, along with Victor Anichebe, while Jack Rodwell is out until next season.

Prediction: Everton win

Manchester United v Swansea

United’s hope this season now heavily rely with Newcastle and QPR. A Newcastle victory against the current league leaders would put United back into the driving seat assuming Ferguson’s team can take 3 points from this fixture. Failing that, United need a huge number of goals in their remaining two games if they hope to win the title. Expect a high scoring match, as the hosts attempt to close the goal difference gap with City. Although Swansea have had an excellent season, their form has faded of late, with just a single victory for Brendan Rodger’s side.

Prediction: Manchester United win

Blackburn v Wigan

This is, undeniably, the last chance for Blackburn to save themselves from the drop. The Monday night shift has not generally proved popular with clubs or supporters this season, but neither Blackburn nor Wigan will be complaining this week. By kick-off at Ewood Park they will know the fortunes of Bolton, QPR and Aston Villa, and Wigan could need only a point to ensure they stay up. Whatever their rivals muster, Rovers – who are away at Chelsea on the final day – realistically must win this one, and hope that Wigan return to their meek early-season form rather than continue their recent heroics.

Prediction: Wigan win

Liverpool v Chelsea

Liverpool-Chelsea, twice in the space of three days. There’s no doubt the importance of this match is negligible compared to Saturday’s FA Cup Final. Liverpool have already secured a European place through their Carling Cup victory earlier in the season and of late their league form has been extremely poor, now they only have their own pride to play for. Chelsea, on the other hand, are still chasing Champions League football next season. If they fail to beat Bayern Munich in May’s final, then they have to ensure a fourth place league finish to ensure playing in the elite continental competition next season. Clearly, Di Matteo’s side still need as many league points as possible.

Prediction: Chelsea win

Feel free to visit my independent blog for similar articles http://chrisslinnell.wordpress.com/

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Arsenal have had a strong end to the season, but have heavily relied on Van Persie’s goals. In summer I fully expect Arsene Wenger to make some key signings to replace the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri who they’ve dearly missed.

Lukas Podolski

Wenger has already secured the signing of Lukas Podolski from Cologne for an undisclosed fee.

Arsene Wenger: “He is a top-class player, a very good finisher and a proven performer at club and international level. He is a very strong player and will provide us with good attacking options.”

The Bundesliga outfit Cologne have officially announced that German striker Lukas Podolski will be joining Arsenal for the 2012/13 season. The announcement of Podolski signing for Arsenal comes just days after another German club, Werder Bremen, broke the news of Marko Marin moving to Arsenal’s London neighbours Chelsea.

Neither Gervinho nor Park Chu-Young have set the stage on fire, meaning that skipper Robin Van Persie has had to labour on his own upfront at the Emirates this season. It looks like he’ll be partnering the Dutch striker up front next season.

Olivier Giroud – Striker (Montpellier)

Arsenal are believed to be chasing Montpellier and France striker Olivier Giroud, 25, who has also caught the eye of Aston Villa, Liverpool and Newcastle United.

Jan Vertonghen – Defender (Ajax)

Arsene Wenger has set his sights on making Ajax midfielder Jan Vertonghen Arsenal’s next signing after unveiling Cologne striker Lukas Podolski. However, they are facing competition from Tottenham Hotspur.

Yann M’Vila – Central Midfielder (Rennes)

Arsenal are reported to be in “advanced negotiations” with French club Rennes over the signature of midfielder Yann M’Vila. It is thought the 21-year-old French international, who has been capped 18 times by his country, could cost around £22m.

However, having recently been arrested for assault on a 17 year old, it looks very unlikely that Arsenal will make a move for the Frenchman.

Clint Dempsey – Attacking Midfielder (Fulham)

Fulham goal ace Clint Dempsey, 29, has refused to rule out a move away from Craven Cottage this summer despite having another year left on his contract. Arsenal are interested.

Eden Hazard – Attacking Midfielder (Lille)

Arsenal are ready to take on Tottenham, Manchester City and United in the race to lure the highly sought-after Eden Hazard away from French club Lille this summer.

Daniel Sturridge – Striker (Chelsea)

Chelsea are targeting Arsenal and England winger Theo Walcott and could be willing to swap him for Stamford Bridge striker Daniel Sturridge. This deal seems very unlikely to me.

Stephane Sessegnon – Attacking Midfielder (Sunderland)

Wenger is also set to go head to head with Paris Saint-Germain over the signing of Sunderland striker Stephane Sessegnon.

Klaas Jan Huntelaar – Striker (Schalke)

Schalke striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar has put off talks over a new deal until after Euro 2012, alerting Arsenal to the Dutch striker’s possible availability.

Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa – Defender (Montpellier)

Arsene Wenger is keeping tabs on versatile French defender Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa – the captain of Ligue 1 table-toppers Montpellier.

The 22-year-old France Under-21 international is a capable of playing anywhere across the back line or as a defensive midfielder, and Arsenal boss Wenger is looking to bolster his defensive options, according to the Daily Mirror.

Bas Dost – Striker (SC Heerenveen)

The Gunners have joined the long list of clubs interested in the services of SC Heerenveen striker Bas Dost, 22, who rejected a move to Aston Villa because he will only move to a “big club”. The 22-year-old who has scored 28 goals in just 31 appearances for Heerenveen, he’s currently the top scorer in the Dutch League.

Younes Belhanda – Attacking Midfielder (Montpellier)

Arsene Wenger has also expressed his interest in taking Montpellier’s £15m-rated Moroccan midfielder Younes Belhanda, 22, to the Emirates

Robert Lewandowski- Striker (Borussia Dortmund)

Polish striker Robert Lewandowski, 23, is also being tracked by Arsenal. Lewandowski has scored 20 goals and helped Borussia Dortmund to retain their Bundesliga title.

Nick Powell – Striker (Crewe)

Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea are set for a £1.5m tussle over 18-year-old Crewe midfielder Nick Powell, who has been described as having the potential to be the best ever graduate from the famed Alex academy

Javi Martinez – Attacking Midfielder (Athletic Bilbao)

Arsenal have taken significant steps towards a summer move for Athletic Bilbao’s Javi Martinez, 23, but face a £32m fight with Manchester Untied and Barcelona to land the versatile Spanish international.

Christian Eriksen – Attacking Midfielder (Ajax)

Christian Eriksen burst upon the world stage in the 2010-11 season as sensationally as Jack Wilshere. His connection with Ajax and Dutch football in general means, if signed, he will come to Arsenal well-schooled in Wenger’s preferred style of football.

Forget Eden Hazard, who will cost a fortune. Eriksen will cost less for similar value.

Shinji Kagawa – Midfielder (Borussia Dortmund)

Kagawa was Dortmund’s star in 2010-11 season before being eclipsed by Götze. Although most would consider the latter more skillful, Kagawa isn’t far behind. He is solid in possession, and his vision and reading of the game is very good. He wouldn’t be a bad signing for Arsenal.

Arsene Wenger is said to have turned his sights on Kagawa after it became clear Götze wouldn’t be coming to Arsenal.

Demba Ba 

Demba Ba has a nose for goal despite being overshadowed by countryman Papiss Cissé in recent weeks. His introduction to the Premier League has been remarkable.

He would be a very good signing for Arsenal, who in January were said  to be interested in signing him in the coming summer.

Junior Hoilett

Arsenal are said to have their sight firmly trained on Hoilett, who could bring his salvific touch to the Emirates.

Honestly, I don’t think Arsenal should sign Hoilett, but again, rumors are rumors.

Matias Suarez

Matías Suárez was all the rage in January with reports claiming he had come to an agreement with Arsenal for a move in the summer. He could well be a player that Arsenal look to make a move on in  the next month or so.

Also See:

• More Arsenal News.
• More Transfer Rumours.
• Team-by-team Premier League Summer 2012 Transfer Previews.

You can follow The author, Chris Linnell, on Twitter or his blog.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

For a professional footballer there is nothing worse than being injured, but with the physical nature of the sport, injuries are always going to happen. Despite the modern day footballer honing his body to become a complete athlete, knocks, niggles and ailments can take their toll.

With important fixtures piling up thick and fast at this time of the year, managers pray that their star players stay fit, and will try just about anything to speed up the player’s rehabilitation if they get injured. Here are a number of alternative medical treatments from the world of football.

Horse Placenta

A growing phenomenon in sporting medical circles is the use of horse placenta to treat muscle tears. Robin van Persie is probably the most high-profile case of a player undergoing the treatment, but Frank Lampard and Glen Johnson are thought to have tried the strange method also.

Serbian woman Marian Kovacevic is said to charge €3,000 per session, but her methods have come under scrutiny from the authorities. Despite this, Van Persie is said to have benefited from Kovacevic rubbing the placenta into his damaged muscles, and has heralded her as ‘a miracle’ in the past.

Faith Healing

Glenn Hoddle and his faith healer Eileen Drury are the most well-known case of this eccentric treatment. The former Tottenham midfielder claims that Drury helped him recover from injury during his playing career, and duly hired her as a consultant for the England team during his management at the 1998 World Cup.

The nation’s players did not take the unorthodox methods as seriously as their manager however, with Ray Parlour famously asking for ‘a short back and sides’ when lying on Drury’s treatment table.

Goat’s Blood

Bayern Munich medic Dr. Hans Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt is said to deploy treatments slightly off the beaten track, and prescribed goat’s blood to St Johnstone attacker Peter MacDonald when he approached the German doctor for help.

The striker explained:

“The specialist said my hamstring was too tight and I had goats’ blood injections. That’s the best for loosening it off.”

Dental Treatments

Both Florent Malouda and Robin van Persie have claimed to be more injury-free after having teeth removed, as dental issues and muscle injuries have been linked by some osteopaths. The Chelsea winger accredits the removal of wisdom teeth for an upturn in fitness and form in his early days at Stamford Bridge.

Viagra

In South America altitude can be an issue for certain teams and players, with Bolivian team Blooming giving their players Viagra before games at large distances above sea level. The sex drug is believed to help combat altitude issues due to increased blood flow, and some teams competing in the Copa Libertadores use the drug also.

The Dick van Toorn experience

Many Dutch players have defied medical opinion by recovering from muscle tears in a fraction of the expected rehabilitation time due to Feyenoord physio Dick van Toorn. The likes of Rafael van der Vaart, Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben are current clients of the elderly medical man.

Van der Vaart explains the methods that Van Toorn adopted to get him back playing two weeks after a hamstring strain, when he was expected to be sidelined for a month and a half:

The Spurs man admitted:

“I go there and after one week, I can run and shoot again. It’s a lot of acupuncture, chiropractic work… and a lot of power training. You have a lot of pain when you have pulled your hamstring, for example, but he is still training, training, training. I always go there for four days and it’s two four-hour sessions per day.”

So there you have it – it’s not all ice baths and the gym when recovering from injury, as footballers look to any and all methods to get them back in action.

Related Posts:
Top 10 Horror Football Injuries
Injury: The Curse Of The Modern Footballer
Can Football Boots Cause Injuries?

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

When players are being taught the basics of the game as youngsters, one of the key messages is to play until the final whistle. If your team goes a couple of goals down more often than not the result will not be in your favour, but sometimes the spectacular can happen.

Following Manchester United’s recovery from three goals down to get a 3-3 draw against Chelsea recently, here are football’s ten greatest comebacks:

Liverpool vs AC Milan

Liverpool fans travelled to Istanbul for the 2005 Champions League final against AC Milan with great expectations. However after seeing their side slip to a 3-0 half time deficit, not even the most ardent Merseyside supporter could have imagined their team’s comeback. Goals from Steven Gerrard, Vladimir Smicer and Xabi Alonso brought the game back level, and The Reds claimed victory in the eventual penalty shoot out.

Tottenham vs Manchester United

Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United side found themselves 3-0 down at the hands of Tottenham in September 2001, with goals from debutant Dean Richards, Christian Ziege and Les Ferdinand giving the White Hart Lane hosts a comfortable lead. However a Spurs capitulation and strikes from Andy Cole, Laurent Blanc, Ruud van Nistlerooy, Juan Sebastian Veron and David Beckham saw United win 5-3.

Tottenham vs Manchester City

Tottenham found themselves three goals to the good once more in February 2004, this time against the Blue side of Manchester. Ledley King, Robbie Keane and Christian Ziege (again) had Spurs in a dominant position, and Joey Barton had been sent off for City. Despite this, the ten-man visitors rallied in the second period and goals from Sylvain Distin, Paul Bosvelt, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Jonathan Macken gave City an unlikely win.

Cheltenham vs Burton Albion

Cheltenham fans won’t forget March 13th 2010 any time soon, as their side came back from losing 5-3 against Burton Albion with five minutes remaining to win 6-5. A Justin Richards strike and two late goals in the dying minutes by Michael Pook saw The Robins record a memorable victory.

Bayer Uerdingen vs Dynamo Dresden

Going back to 1986, Dynamo Dresden had beaten Bayer Uerdingen 2-0 in the first leg of a German cup tie, and were again winning 3-1 at half time in the second leg to give them a seemingly unassailable 5-1 aggregate lead with 45 minutes to play. However Uerdingen hadn’t read the script and scored six unanswered goals in the second half to record a historic 7-5 aggregate win.

Deportivo La Coruna vs AC Milan

After a commanding 4-1 win at the San Siro, Carlo Ancelotti’s AC Milan side looked destined for the 2004 Champions League semi finals. However Deportivo had other ideas, as Walter Pandiani, Juan Carlos Valeron, Alberto Luque and Fran all scored at the Riazor to send the Spaniards into ecstasy in a 4-0 win.

Mancheter United vs Bayern Munich

Forever etched into Manchester United fans’ memories, the 1999 Champions League final must go down as one of the best comebacks of all time. With a 1-0 deficit to overcome and the game in injury time, substitutes Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer both found the net in stoppage time to give the Englishmen a 2-1 victory at the Camp Nou.

Fulham vs Juventus

Fulham’s first ever appearance in the Europa League in 2010 was an eventful one, and they met Italian giants Juventus in the round of 16. After a 3-1 defeat in Turin, both sides had scored at Craven Cottage to given Juve a comfortable 4-2 aggregate advantage. However a Bobby Zamora strike, a brace from Zoltan Gera and an 82nd minute winner from Clint Dempsey gave The Cottagers an unforgettable 5-4 aggregate victory.

Chelsea vs Arsenal

Tore Andre Flo and Dan Petrescu had given Chelsea a 2-0 lead against Arsenal back in 1999, and the Stamford Bridge club looked comfortable amongst their fans chants of ‘we want five’. However Arsene Wenger threw on Nigerian striker Nwankwo Kanu, who duly scored a hat-trick to give the Gunners a 3-2 win in wet and windy conditions.

Metz vs Barcelona

Back in the 1984 European Cup Winners Cup, Spanish giants Barcelona had a 5-2 aggregate lead over French opponents Metz after a 4-2 victory in the away leg and an early goal at the Camp Nou. However, the Stade Municipal outfit scored four goals to record a 5-4 victory over the Catalans, with Zvonko Kurbos grabbing a hat-trick to ensure we are talking about him over 25 years later.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News