The Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has left Anfield after talks with the club’s American owners.

Dalglish had traveled to the US to meet with the Liverpool owners, where he presented his end-of-season review, outlined his plans for next season and answered questions from John Henry and Tom Werner about the missed targets this season.

The owners were left deeply unsatisfied with Liverpool’s eighth-place finish in the Premier League despite the Carling Cup win and FA Cup final appearances. Liverpool’s shocking home form and the inability of new (and expensive) signings to fire under Dalglish also added to the pressure.

With Liverpool’s owners signing significant sponsorship deals on the back of their takeover and investment into the playing squad, the minimum expectation was for Liverpool to return to the Champions League (which, while only offering 10 to 20 percent increase in revenues, has great knock-on effects in terms of other sponsorships).

Liverpool have already dismissed part of the club hierarchy they felt was responsible for Liverpool’s on field and off field troubles. Damien Comolli (director of football and responsible for negotiating transfers and contracts), Liverpool’s head of sports science, Dr Peter Brukner, and head of communications, Ian Cotton, have all been dismissed in recent months.

Liverpool end the season without a manager and with no transfer strategy in place, which will surely hinder the club’s progress as rival teams have already begun the process to sign targeted players. In addition there has been no decision on whether to rebuild Anfield or proceed with a new stadium on Stanley Park since FSG replaced Tom Hicks and George Gillett as owners in October 2010 – although the move also hinged on on-field success that Dalglish and Liverpool have failed to deliver.

Who will manage Liverpool next? Will Rafael Benitez make a return? Will Liverpool move for one of Rodgers, Lambert or Martinez (or even Di Matteo)? Whatever FSG decide, they need to make a decision quickly – Liverpool may not finish behind Everton and Newcastle again next season but even catching up to the top five would have represented a significant challenge for a stable management team.

Now, it seems unlikely.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Despite the 2011-12 season just drawing to a close and Euro 2012 and the Olympics on the horizon, a raft of leading European teams are planning their warm up games for next term. With an increase in popularity in the game across in North America, it has been the trend for pre-season friendlies to be played in the United States and Canada, and this summer it will be no different. Despite the fact that Barcelona and Manchester United will not be heading stateside in the build up to 2012-13, plenty of other European giants are.

Chelsea

American chairman Bruce Buck will have had a say in deciding to take the Blues back across to North America this pre-season, and the Stamford Bridge club will play four games in USA in July. Starting on the west coast in a game against the Seattle Sounders, Chelsea will also play big-spending Ligue 1 outfit Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan and the MLS All-Stars team.

• 18th July – Chelsea vs Seattle Sounders, CenturyLink Field, Seattle
• 22nd July – Chelsea vs Paris Saint-Germain, Yankee Stadium, New York
• 25th July – Chelsea vs MLS All-Stars, PPL PArk, Chester
• 28th July – Chelsea vs AC Milan, Sun Life Stadium, Miami

Aston Villa

Again with an American chairman at the helm, Villa will play three games in the United States in a whirlwind trip stateside in July. Games against Philadelphia Union, Chicago Fire and Portland Timbers should test Alex McLeish’s men.

• July 18th – Aston Villa vs Philadelphia Union, PPL Park, Chester
• July 21st – Aston Villa vs Chicago Fire, Toyota Park, Chicago
• July 24th – Aston Villa vs Portland Timbers, Jeld-Wen Field, Portland

Tottenham

Spurs are set to go face-to-face with former striker Robbie Keane, David Beckham and former Arsenal forward Thierry Henry this summer. With Brad Friedel in the travelling contingent, the north London club will hope to use the trip to stoke up some additional support from fans stateside.

• July 24th – Tottenham vs LA Galaxy, The Home Depot Center, Carson
• July 28th – Tottenham vs Liverpool, M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore
• July 31st – Tottenham vs New York Red Bulls, Red Bull Arena, Harrison

Liverpool

The Fenway Sports Group take their Anfield side across for a pre-season tour of Canada and United States this summer, with a glamour friendly against fellow American-owned side Roma one of the highlights.

• July 21st – Liverpool vs Toronto, Rogers Centre, Toronto
• July 25th – Liverpool vs Roma, Fenway Park, Boston
• July 28th – Liverpool vs Tottenham, M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore

Real Madrid

The newly-crowned La Liga champions will cross the Atlantic to test themselves in pre-season, and try to increase their popularity with American fans with Barcelona not travelling stateside this year.

• August 3rd – Real Madrid vs LA Galaxy, The Home Depot Center, Carson
• August 5th – Real Madrid vs Juventus, Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
• August 8th – Real Madrid vs AC Milan, Yankee Stadium, New York

Juventus

The rejuvenated Turin giants are always a big draw for American crowds, and will once more return to the United States this summer. Their full plans are yet to be revealed, but the following friendlies have been confirmed.

• July 28th – Juventus vs DC United, RFK Stadium, Washington
• August 5th – Juventus vs Real Madrid, Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas

AC Milan

It will be a summer of rebuilding for AC Milan, as old heads Alessandro Nesta, Gennaro Gattuso, Filippo Inzagi and Clarence Seedorf will leave the club, and American fans will be keen to see any new signings. Again, Milan’s plans are still to be set in stone, but the following are confirmed.

• 28th July – AC Milan vs Chelsea, Sun Life Stadium, Miami
• Two games in Philadelphia – information yet to be released

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

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

Domestically, Liverpool have had a strange season. Their league form has been nothing short of terrible, however, their performances in the cups have been extremely impressive.

Next season Dalglish (providing he remains in charge) will no doubt look to improve the core of the Liverpool team, allowing them to challenge for a top four position.

Liverpool’s Transfer Targets

Seydou Keita – Midfielder – Barcelona

Liverpool are keen on Barcelona’s Seydou Keita. The £2m-rated midfielder, 32, who appeared for Mali in the African Nations Cup, has been frozen out at the Nou Camp. However, the 32-year-old could be about to snub the Anfield side and agree to a switch to AC Milan.

Rasmus Elm – Midfielder – AZ Alkmaar

Liverpool are preparing a summer move for AZ Alkmaar’s 24-year-old Swede Rasmus Elm, after reportedly sending their top scout to watch him in action for the Dutch side. According to the Sun, the two involved sides have agreed a £8m fee.

Luuk De Jong – Striker – FC Twente

Liverpool are chasing £12m-rated striker Luuk de Jong, who has scored 30 goals for FC Twente this season. But the Anfield club face competition for the 21-year-old’s signature from 15 other clubs. The Anfield club will have to find at least £12.5m if they are serious about signing the Dutch international striker

Younes Belhanda – Attacking Midfielder/ Winger – Montpellier

Liverpool have joined Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain in the race for Montpellier winger Younes Belhanda, 22. According to the Metro.

Olivier Giroud – Striker – Montpellier

The Reds have also joined the list of clubs showing interest in Montpellier striker Olivier Giroud, 25, with manager Kenny Dalglish attending the French club’s win at Toulouse on Friday. Arsene Wenger is also believed to be keen on signing him for the Gunners.

Clint Dempsey – Attacking Midfielder – Fulham

Liverpool are keeping tabs on Fulham forward Clint Dempsey. The American has had a stunning season at Craven Cottage, scoring 22 goals in all competitions. Liverpool lead a host of clubs desperate to snap-up the 29-year-old, including, you guessed it, Arsenal.

Gaston Ramirez – Attacking Midfielder – Bologna

Liverpool have lodged a £16m bid for Bologna’s 21-year-old midfielder Gaston Ramirez, according to reports in Italy.

Pablo Armero – Defender – Udinese

Liverpool are considering a move for Udinese star Pablo Armero. The 25-year-old is valued at around £5.5million and can play left midfield or left-back.

Fernando Llorente – Striker – Athletic Bilbao

Liverpool are continuing their hunt for firepower – with Spain striker Fernando Llorente a possible target. Kop boss Kenny Dalglish continues to monitor several options as Andy Carroll struggles to settle.

Llorente – who has seven goals in 20 games for Spain and is likely to feature at Euro 2012 – is a long term target of both Tottenham and Liverpool. But both clubs will not be able to compete with the £200,000-a-week salary that other top clubs in Europe are prepared to offer the 27-year-old.

Roberto Soldado – Striker – Valencia

Strikers are expected to top Dalglish’s shopping list this summer. Liverpool’s anemic attack has left King Kenny scratching his head. Valencia’s Roberto Soldado is a prolific striker in La Liga having netted 27 times across all competitions for Spain’s third-place team. The Metro have suggested Liverpool may consider a move for the striker.

Luc Castaignos – Striker – Inter Milan

Liverpool are understood to be interested in Inter Milan striker Luc Castaignos – a transfer target for Merseyside rivals Everton – on a loan deal.

Nolito – Striker/ Winger – Benfica

Liverpool are also considering a move for 25-year-old Benfica midfielder Nolito, previously with Barcelona. Reports in Portugal say Benfica would consider offers in the region of £15m.

Moussa Dembele – Striker – Fulham

Liverpool are keeping close tabs on Fulham forward Moussa Dembele with a view to a summer transfer, as they look to bolster their goal-shy front line.

Nigel De Jong – Defensive Midfielder – Manchester City

Liverpool are considering a move for Manchester City’s tough-tackling Netherlands international Nigel de Jong.

.

Also See:

• More Liverpool 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

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

Today’s FA cup final will provide four big names with the chance to turn a poor season around by bringing success to their respective clubs.

Chelsea’s two attackers have had a less that average season, Torres has managed 6 goals in 30 Premier League appearances, whilst Drogba has scored just 5 in 23.Compared to previous years, this is an extremely poor success rate. Both Players average just below 300 minutes per goal.

Suarez and Carroll have been just as poor considering their season tallies. Carroll has only manager 4 goals in 33 Premier League appearances; Suarez has scored 11 in 29. Carroll averages 471 per goal whilst Suarez averages 216.

For Chelsea, Didier Drogba spent a few months on the fringes of the team but he has been instrumental in their recent revival, and their former Reds star Fernando Torres is back among the goals after looking like he would never score again.

Liverpool’s £35m striker Andy Carroll has also faced a lot of stick for his failure to find the net regularly, while his team-mate Luis Suarez has had other issues after he was banned for eight matches for racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra in October.

At times, it has been a campaign that they will all have wanted to forget, but I think one of them will score the goal that will win the game, and the cup.

Didier Drogba

Drogba has the greatest past experience at Wembley. He has played seven times at the stadium – in three FA Cup semi-finals, two FA Cup finals, and a league cup – and he has seven goals. Against Barcelona we saw his importance to Chelsea. When Chelsea were struggling for possession, he provided an outlet for his team mates, his strength and finishing ability allows him to compete against any defender in the World.

His ability to defend is also very impressive. He often contributes when the opposition team have set pieces. He comes back for every free-kick and corner. This was also seen against Barcelona, as he won the ball deep inside his own half a number of times.

Fernando Torres

Everybody knows the quality that the Spaniard possesses. But under the pressure of a £50 million transfer cost, he has struggled to prove himself the Chelsea fans this season.

His recent form has certainly improved. Having scored a late equaliser at the Nou Camp against Barca to secure Chelsea’s place in the Champions League final, under a week later he netted an impressive hat-trick against struggling QPR.

It’s highly likely that Torres won’t being in the starting line-up for Di Matteo’s side. However, circumstances would suggest the Chelsea front-man will have a big part to play at some point, especially considering the match is against his previous team.

Andy Carroll

Carroll, who moved to Anfield on the same day Torres left for Stamford Bridge in January 2011, is another striker who is struggling to score goals.

He too moved for a large transfer fee (£30 million) and has failed to live up to this costly price. However, he has scored important goals for the club, for example, his late winner against Everton in the FA Cup semi-final. Without Carroll, Liverpool may not have reached this stage of the competition.

It would be great for the ex-Newcastle man if he could provide the goals in today’s final. It would certainly help his case with the clubs fans and would be a huge confidence boost going into next season.

Luis Suarez

Controversy has surrounded Suarez since he racially abused Evra in October, and then refused to shake his hand when he returned from his ban in February. So it is much more positive that we are back to talking about his actual performances again. However, I still think Suarez is still from the top of his game right now.

In his last match, Suarez scored a stunning hat-trick against high-flyers Norwich. Until this game, he had also been struggling to hit the back of the net.

Suarez is a brilliant footballer; he has proven this at both club and international level. He brings other players into the game, he leads the line well, and runs in behind the defence. He will be a very dangerous in the final, the Chelsea defenders will have to be very wary of the threat the Uruguayan poses.

Conclusion

The Final is going to am extremely close match, however, I believe Chelsea will emerge victorious. I’ve been a huge fan of Di Matteo since he has taken control of the previously downtrodden side. His achievements have been remarkable having turned a very poor season into something potentially amazing for the London club.

Obviously Chelsea do have something bigger to look forward to after the FA Cup final, namely the Champions League final in Munich on 19 May. But I can’t see them disregarding this competition because of it.

However, for Liverpool, this is the climax to their season and they will be desperate to stop people talking about their poor league form. They have had an awful year as far as I’m concerned and they’ve been very lucky to have even 1 trophy to show for it.

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

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Ahead of this weekend’s FA Cup final between Chelsea and Liverpool, Castrol EDGE performance data compares some of the teams’ key players.

On Saturday, two of the Premier League’s top goalkeepers will be going head to head, with very little between them this season in terms of performance.

Liverpool’s Spanish glovesman, Pepe Reina, slightly edges things, posting a 69% saves to shots rate and registering 12 clean sheets so far, compared to Petr Cech’s 68% save rate and his haul of 10 clean sheets. However, interestingly, in the overall rankings in the top division for saves to shots rates, Reina only ranks in 10^th place while Cech is 13^th.

Petr Cech & José Reina – Premier League 2011/12

Two of England’s midfield stalwarts will also go toe to toe in the centre of the pitch on Saturday, with both Chelsea’ Frank Lampard and Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard also hoping to impress new England manager Roy Hodgson on this high-profile occasion.

Blues’ star Lampard has played significantly more games this season than Gerrard. However, even in terms of minutes per goal as well as shooting accuracy and conversion rates, the former West Ham man comes out on top, netting an impressive 11 goals this season, more than any other central midfielder in the Premier League.

Creatively, the Blues’ dynamo has also been the more impressive of the two, with five assists to his name this season compared to Gerrard’s two.

Whichever of these two players has the better of things in midfield on Saturday could be key to the destination of the FA Cup trophy.

Frank Lampard & Steven Gerrard – Premier League 2011/12

Fernando Torres seems to have finally rediscovered his shooting boots for Chelsea, netting the vital goal against Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final second-leg game at the Nou Camp and then following that up with a hat-trick against QPR in the league.

Despite the Spaniard’s poor start to the season, he still compares favourably to Liverpool’s struggling striker, Andy Carroll. The former Newcastle star’s rate of a goal every 471 minutes is significantly inferior to Torres’ figure of a goal every 299 minutes.

Torres has also provided far more assists than his fellow big-money buy at Liverpool, setting up four goals compared to Carroll’s haul of just one. However, the Liverpool does come out on top against Torres in terms of his rate of chances created.

Fernando Torres & Andy Carroll – Premier League 2011/12

While Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish has found himself under a lot of pressure this season due to a worryingly large number of disappointing results, Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo has made the most of his chance in the hot seat at Stamford Bridge. The Italian has been particularly successful in cup competitions since taking over in a caretaker role, winning seven of his eight cup games, drawing the other.

Roberto Di Matteo – Cup Competitions – 2011/12

 Also see: 2012 FA Cup Final: Chelsea v Liverpool Talking Points

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Chelsea have quite a lot to look forward to in May. The thing undoubtedly at the top of their list is their 2012 Champions League final showdown with Bayern Munich, but they’re also pushing for a fourth-place Premier League finish (although that may be out of their hands now after losing to two splendid goals by Cisse on Wendesday night. And before that monumental match in Munich, the Blues have another cup final to contend with, as are set to take on Liverpool in the 2012 FA Cup Final this Saturday.

Liverpool likely can’t wait for their Premier League campaign to end, as it has been severely disappointing. But if they can add the FA Cup to the Carling Cup trophy they collected in February, the season can’t be looked at as a total failure.

So which one of these sides will be celebrating at Wembley next weekend? Here are a few reasons why each side should feel confident:

Chelsea

1. Juan Mata: In his first season in England, the Spanish sensation has been a star performer. To date, he’s had a hand in almost 30 Chelsea goals in all competitions. In the FA Cup, he’s either scored or assisted on at least one goal in five of Chelsea’s six ties. If he replicates his stat line from the semi against Tottenham – with a less controversial goal this time- Kenny Dalglish will see up close just what he missed out on last summer.

2. Fernando Torres: Perhaps his tie-clinching goal against Barcelona will spark a strong finish to the season. Perhaps it won’t. But El Nino has had made several notable contributions in the Champions League and FA Cup as both a scorer and a provider, scoring five goals and assisting on eight more. He’s far from a guarantee to start the final, but whether he plays 10 minutes or 90, he could be Chelsea’s match-winner.

3. Sky-high confidence: Good form and positive results in big games help breed confidence. While Chelsea haven’t been stellar every match under Roberto Di Matteo, they’re producing far more under him than they were under Andre Villas-Boas. What does that mean for the future? Who knows (perhaps Roman Abramovich does), but in the present, the Blues are clearly high on belief. And belief, as they showed against Barcelona, can take you a long, long way.

Liverpool

1. Recent success against Chelsea: Chelsea have the edge in quality, but Liverpool have the recent head-to-head edge. Liverpool have won the last four meetings between the two sides, including a league win and a Carling Cup quarterfinal win, both at Stamford Bridge, this season. Chelsea are in better form than at the time of those two November defeats, but that won’t dent Liverpool’s confidence in being able to down the Blues yet again.

2. Misfiring stars have stepped up in the Cup: Andy Carroll has only four goals in more than 30 Premier League appearances this season, but he’s scored three in five in the FA Cup, including a dramatic late semifinal winner against Everton. Stewart Downing has yet to record a goal or assist in the league, but he’s scored twice and notched an assist in the FA Cup. Luis Suarez‘s league tally is underwhelming, but he’s scored in each of his three FA Cup appearances. Suarez must show up against Chelsea, but a contribution from one or both of the other two could be equally important.

3. Steven Gerrard: Injuries have hampered Gerrard the last couple of seasons, and Father Time also isn‘t on his side. But he should be fit for Wembley, and his presence alone in such a big game is a plus for Liverpool. But while his memorable moments aren’t as frequent as they once were, he can still produce them from time to time. His performance in a classic 2006 final against West Ham will always be remembered, but this one could well be too.

Chelsea v Liverpool: Who’s your pick for winning the 2012 FA Cup final?

From Soccerlens.com - Football News