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

It’s really quite amazing that Newcastle can still finish anywhere from 3rd to 6th place in the Premier League, with just one game to go.

And for those Newcastle fans who were really disappointed at losing to Manchester City on Sunday, it can’t be forgotten that last August the club were expecting a mid-table finish, with Kevin Nolan, Jose Enrique and Joey Barton all having left in the summer.

But in fact the players brought in last year and in January  – Ben Arfa, Yohan Cabaye, Demba Ba, Papiss Cisse and Davide Santon in particular, have all been stellar buys for Newcastle, and Pardew’s side have been much better as a result.

The Newcastle manager has already said he would want five top players brought in over the summer, if his side qualified for a European competition next season.

Therefore, it promises to be an exciting time for Newcastle fans in the next few months, as the club tries to improve their squad, so they can mount a challenge on Europe and compete for a top four place next season.

Transfer Targets:

Luuk De Jong – FC Twente – Striker

Pardew went to watch the striker in action a few weeks ago as FC Twente played Dutch champions Ajax and it is believed that he is not the only Premier League manager interested in the striker.

The 21-year-old is already a Holland international and has certainly impressed the Twente hierarchy with manager Steve McClaren and assistant Patrick Kluivert both huge fans of the forward.

“Luuk is an ‘English style’ striker, made for English football. I am just ­desperate to keep him one more year in Holland. But I ­realise that will be difficult,” McClaren is quoted as saying in the Daily Mirror.

Serdar Tasci – Stuttgart – Defender

Not content with fighting for a Champions League position, Newcastle and Tottenham have taken their battle off the field too as they reportedly spar over the German defender Serdar Tasci.

The Stuttgart centre-back has unsurprisingly caught the attention of clubs across Europe with a series of consistent seasons. He would be a suitable partner for captain Coloccini at the heart of the teams defence.

Jacob Butterfield – Barnsley – Midfielder

Newcastle have held a long-term interest in the 21-year-old and they are now ready to push through a deal.

Butterfield was one of the stand-out performers in the Championship before a serious knee injury brought his campaign to a premature end on New Year’s Eve.

His displays had attracted the interest of a host of clubs, but Newcastle are hoping to steal a march on their rivals by tying up a deal quickly as Alan Pardew looks to bolster his squad for next season.

Raul – Schalke 04 – Striker

Newcastle are one of the teams believed to be interested in former Real Madrid legend Raul who is available on a free transfer after running out his contract at Schalke.

The former Spain striker left Madrid two years ago after scoring a phenomenal 323 goals for the Spanish giants in a career that saw him play more than 700 times over 16 seasons.

Since moving to Schalke he has continued to impress scoring 40 goals in 97 appearances and continuing to show his pedigree in Europe where he scored his 77th goal in a European competition.

However, he made the decision not to renew his contract and is now available on a free transfer, news that has reportedly alerted both Newcastle and Fulham.

Douglas Franco Teixeira – FC Twente – Defender

FC Twente centre-back Douglas Franco Teixeira has emerged as the main defensive target for Newcastle United.

Sources in Holland indicated that Newcastle United  have virtually agreed a deal for centre-back Douglas, which should mean that the Brazilian defender moves to Tyneside for around £5 million in the summer.

Mathieu Debuchy – Lille – Defender

26 year-old right back and French International Mathieu Debuchy, has been linked recently with Newcastle, and is very good friends with Yohan Cabaye.

Mathieu made his debt for Lille back in 2003, and has so far played 279 times for his local club, and scored 17 goals. He could offer Danny Simpson some healthy competition next season.

Javi Marquez – Espanyol – Midfielder

Newcastle have been put on red alert after Espanyol midfielder Javi Marquez snubbed a new deal at the club, paving the way for a summer exit.

Newcastle have expressed interest in the 25-year-old in the past. A Premier League switch seemed unlikely after it emerged that Espanyol were ready to break the bank to keep him at his hometown club.

However Marquez, who has missed much of the season through injury, has decided against renewing his deal which expires in June 2013. To avoid losing him for nothing, Espanyol are preparing to cash in on him this summer.

Mohamed Diame – Wigan – Midfielder

Diame, who is out of contract at the DW this summer, has been in and out of the Latics starting XI this season which has probably resulted in his unwillingness to sign a new deal

It’s rumoured Alan Pardrew would be interested in bringing the midfielder to the Sports Direct Arena.

Gylfi Sigurdsson – Swansea – Midfielder

Newcastle United are attempting to hijack Swansea City’s move for Hoffenheim midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson.

Sportsmail understands that Newcastle manager Alan Pardew was so impressed with Swansea’s loan star during United’s 2-0 win in south Wales last month that he has since made a number of enquiries to his German employers.

However, Swansea’s Brendan Rodgers reiterated his desire to sign the 22-year-old on a permanent basis, but a deal, which is likely to be valued in the region of £8million in light of his impact since arriving in January, would smash the £3.5m club record they set in signing Danny Graham last summer.

Adam Maher – AZ Alkmaar – Midfielder

Alan Pardew has sent his scouts to watch AZ Alkmaar’s exciting young midfielder Adam Maher as he prepares for the potential departure of star man Cheick Tiote.

Tiote has been heavily linked with a move away from St James’ Park after a second fine season in the Premier League. Pardew is hoping to secure a deal for the 18-year-old Dutch midfielder Maher to ensure the Ivorian is adequately replaced.

Maher, who is not 19 until July, has been a regular at AZ for over a year.

Jan Vertonghen – Ajax – Defender

Newcastle’s chief scout, Graham Carr, has been monitoring Vertonghen for at least two years and Pardew, the manager, has also been to see the 24 year-old play on a number of occasions.

However, their interest appeared to have ended as a deal for FC Twente centre-back Douglas has virtually been agreed.

Erik Pieters – PSV Eindhoven – Defender

Holland left-back Erik Pieters would be interested in joining Newcastle this summer.

The 23-year-old PSV Eindhoven defender has been linked with a summer switch to Tyneside and although it is understood there has been no formal approach as yet, the idea is already interesting Pieters.

He was a target for Newcastle last season after the departure of Jose Enrique, but delays in the deal led to the Magpies signing Davide Santon instead.

However, Pieters’ ability to play centre-half as well as left-back has meant the club kept their interest alive.

Also See:

• More Newcastle United 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

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

The Manchester derby on Monday was widely dubbed the biggest game of the season but this clash now carries a similar level of importance.

Not only is it vital for City to cement their recently gained advantage by claiming three points from the toughest of their two remaining fixtures, the game is huge for the Magpies too. Alan Pardew’s side are edging closer to a Champions League spot after an emphatic win over fellow hopefuls Chelsea.

Any points at all against the new leaders would see top-level European football almost come within their grasp, while also impacting massively on the title race.

Newcastle United Preview

Newcastle have defied the odds to be sitting in fourth spot in May and full credit must go to Pardew for his achievements, chief among which, is arguably the £10 million January capture of Papiss Cisse. The Senegalese marksmanhas now bagged an unprecedented 13 goals for the north east club since his arrival, including two stunning strikes against Chelsea last time out.

Despite playing on Wednesday Newcastle are likely to keep largely the same team, although full-back Danny Simpson could return if he can shake off an ankle injury. Pardew clearly knows his best system and best 11 and will surely stick to it against the leaders. Newcastle have an exceptional home record this season and have won their last four in a row at the Sports Direct Arena.

Manchester City Preview

Roberto Mancini will have a difficult task in focusing the minds of his players for the trip to Newcastle after putting so much into the derby game. On Sunday, City have the advantage of playing first and therefore the opportunity to go three points clear before Manchester United kick off later in the afternoon. Mancini has this week claimed that the trip to Newcastle will be tougher than the derby game.

While the boss attempts to mentally prepare his side for the game, neutrals will surely look on with bewilderment as Carlos Tevez looks set to start another match. The Argentine has been instrumental in the recent change in fortunes for the blue half of Manchester, despite Mancini claiming earlier in the season that he would never feature again.

Newcastle v Man City Prediction

There is so much at stake for both clubs going into the game. City will start as narrow favourites but will no doubt feel an element of nerves in the Tyneside atmosphere. Don’t be surprised if Newcastle and Cisse upset the applecart and claim a precious point.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

For me, Newcastle’s number nine has been the best transfer for not just this season, but the past few years.

Yesterday evening, Cisse produced two goals of the highest quality to keep Newcastle United firmly in contention for a place in the Premier League’s top four with victory at Chelsea. These 2 goals took his tally to 13 in 12 games; a remarkable scoring record as far as any player is concerned. .

Cisse joined the Magpies, for £10 million from Freiburg, during the January transfer window but had to wait to make his debut as he was playing with Ba for Senegal in the Africa Cup of Nations. Since his first appearance, Cisse has been an influential player for Pardew’s team.

Where the Goals have come from?

On 5 February, Cisse made his debut for Newcastle in the 2–1 league win against Aston Villa at St James’ Park. He replaced the injured Leon Best in the 14th minute before scoring the winning goal in the 71st minute.

On 25 February, he scored in the 6th minute in a 2–2 home draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

On 25 March, he scored two first-half goals in Newcastle’s 3–1 league victory against West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns, but he was denied a hat-trick early in the second half by a save by West Brom goalkeeper Ben Foster. His brace against West Brom made him the quickest player since Les Ferdinand to hit the five-goal mark for Newcastle.

Papiss scored his sixth and seventh goals, scoring a brace against Liverpool in a 2–0 home win.

He scored a third consecutive brace at Liberty Stadium in a 2–0 away win against Swansea City on 6 April, bringing his tally to 9 goals in 8 games. This made him Newcastle United’s most prolific goals per game scorer of all time.

On 9 April, he scored his 10th goal in 9 games for Newcastle against Bolton Wanderers in a 2–0 home win.

On 21 April, Cissé scored his 11th goal in 10 games during a 3-0 win against Stoke City.

His twelfth came in his twelfth game for Newcastle, against Chelsea, in the nineteenth minute and he went on to score again in the game, beating Chelsea’s Petr Cech in the fourth minute of extra time with an extremely impressive long range goal. As the ball hit the back of the net, Newcastle manager Alan Pardew’s voice was picked up by the microphones, screaming ‘what an absolute monster!’

Conclusively, it’s obvious to see that Cisse has made an instant impact since arriving at the Sports Direct Arena. His goals have been vital for Newcastle as they continue to push for Europe. Perhaps, if he had moved to England at the start of the season, the Senegalese striker would’ve given Robin Van Persie fierce competition for league top scorer and PFA Player of the season. Unfortunately this is not the case. However, Newcastle fans can look forward to repeat performances next season, assuming they can keep hold of him during the summer months. We could well be witnessing the rise of an unstoppable strike force in Ba and Cisse. Newcastle’s new number 9 could have a very successful career in the Premier League with Newcastle if he’s willing to commit to the club for the long term. I can definitely imagine him playing Champions League football in Tyneside. Who knows, one day, he may even be compared to Alan Shearer, as a Newcastle Legend.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

With as tight a race for Champions League qualification as in the recent memory, Chelsea, Newcastle and Tottenham all have three games left to play to ensure a top-four finish. The Blues have the FA Cup final on Saturday and their Champions League finale clash with Bayern Munich coming up, but are the form side of the three. The Tyneside outfit have put an excellent string of results together of late, however were comprehensively beaten 4-0 last time out by Wigan. Spurs have had an end-of-season wobble, and are not looking like the side that were challenging for the title three months ago. The race is set to go down to the wire.

Chelsea’s resurgence under Roberto Di Matteo has saved their season, as the Italian interim boss has led the side through a winning run, with only one defeat in 16 games in charge. With the final of the Champions League to play on May 19th, the Blues have a second chance to compete in Europe’s top tournament next term even if they do not finish in the top four, and potentially end one of their rivals’ dreams.

Currently in sixth and a point behind the other two contenders, the west London outfit host Newcastle at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday. Chelsea won the reverse fixture 3-0 earlier in the season, and will look to build on a 6-1 victory over QPR from their last fixture. Fernando Torres scored a hat-trick in the rout to back up his strike against Barcelona from the game before, whilst Daniel Sturridge also got back on the scoresheet. Roman Abramovich will demand inclusion in the Champions League next term, and Di Matteo will need to ensure this to stand a chance of keeping his job on a permanent basis.

Newcastle’s heroics this season are well-documented and the praise afforded to Alan Pardew’s men fully deserved, but the Tyneside team are now starting to realise that they deserve their position amongst the country’s best. The likes of Yohan Cabaye, Demba Ba, Hatem Ben Arfa and Cheik Tiote have played out of their skin this campaign to delight the Sports Direct Arena crowd, whilst Papiss Cisse’s 11 goals in 11 games for the club have given the Toon faithful a new hero.

The game against Chelsea holds extra importance for the Geordies due to their tricky end of season fixture list; Pardew’s men still have Manchester City and Everton to play. A draw would be a good result for Newcastle to keep them above Chelsea, but a defeat has the ability to end their Champions League ambitions.

Tottenham’s capitulation over the last two months has seen the north Londoners slip from having a comfortable and dominant grip on third, to risk slipping all the way down to sixth. The White Hart Lane outfit have been adversely impacted by the speculation over Harry Redknapp’s future, but with Roy Hodgson having being appointed England manager the club’s fans will hope the side can refocus.

Spurs travel to take on Bolton at the Reebok Stadium on Wednesday, and will face a side struggling in the bottom three and desperate for points themselves. With Fabrice Muamba also expected at the game despite his health concerns, the Trotters will be motivated to get a result for their ill midfielder. However, should Spurs get a valuable three points they would open the gap between themselves and at least one of their two rivals, and move to within a point of third-placed Arsenal with Aston Villa and Fulham to play.

Teams’ fortunes are decided at the business end of the season, and Chelsea, Newcastle and Tottenham are only separated by a point in a tight and tense final battle. The London sides seem to have an advantage in the race, but the side to eventually finish fourth will become a bit clearer after the midweek fixtures.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Four of the Premier League’s most talented strikers go head to head when Chelsea plays Newcastle on Wednesday night.  The game will be pivotal to both side’s chances of achieving a top four finish.

Chelsea’s league woes have largely been due to the failure of Didier Drogba and Fernando Torres to provide them with regular goals this season. Despite Drogba’s impressive shooting accuracy (64.3%), they have only scored six league goals between them since the start of 2012. However, Torres’ hat-trick against Stoke on Sunday will surely have restored the Spaniard’s confidence.

Newcastle’s recent surge has been due primarily to the January signing of Papiss Cissé from SC Freiburg. Cissé has scored eleven goals in eleven games at an impressive goal to shot ratio of 34.4%.  This means he averages a goal every 77 minutes – the second best in the league. This has enabled Newcastle to contend for Champions League football next season despite the fact that Cissé’s compatriot, Demba Ba, has struggled for goals in 2012.

Chelsea and Newcastle strikers in 2012

Minutes per Goal in 2011/12 League Season

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

There are many, especially those who don’t have very much of an interest in sport, who think that top athletes are overpaid to do nothing more than ‘play a game’. However, there are many like Lionel Messi, Tom Brady, Derrick Rose, and others who are the best or among the best in their respective sports that look like they at least somewhat deserve the high salaries that they receive.

On the other hand, there are others who, well, don’t.

In some cases, the talent is there, but the production isn’t whether due to injury, lack of effort or confidence, or personal distractions, or other reasons, and in others, the talent may not be what it was or seemed to be at one time.

Here’s a look at ten footballers who top the list of well-paid disappointments. Not long ago, this list would have included Fernando Torres, but it’s hard to criticize the man after the week he had, and the likes of Diego, who’s been a vital part of Atletico Madrid’s run to the Europa League final, and Wesley Sneijder, whose form has picked up under new Inter manager Andrea Stramaccioni, also get a pass.

David Bentley, Tottenham

At one point, it looked like David Bentley was set for a big future with club and country. Unfortunately, his career has tailed off dramatically since his move to White Hart Lane.

Two excellent seasons at Blackburn Rovers saw Tottenham splash out £17m for the former Arsenal prospect in the summer of 2008. Has he repaid the investment? Not even close. An argument could be made that he’s never really been Harry Redknapp’s cup of tea, but he also hasn’t been fantastic, minus a few flashes.

After an unimpressive loan spell at Birmingham City in the second half of last season, he went on loan to Championship side West Ham early this season. However, that stint would last only two starts and three substitute appearances before he was ruled out for several months due to knee surgery.

At 27, there’s still some time to get his career back on the right path and maybe even get back into the England picture, but the last few years don’t offer much encouragement for the future.

Wayne Bridge, Sunderland

Bridge was one of the first new faces of the Roman Abramovich era at Chelsea and was a regular starter early on. But for much of the last several seasons, he’s rarely been a regular starter, first at Chelsea, then at Manchester City, where he moved for £10m in January 2009.

After a loan stint at West Ham in the second half of last season, it seemed a given that he’d leave City last summer. However, he remained there, making only a solitary Carling Cup appearance before a January loan move to Sunderland. The perfect move, right? Not quite. Instead of establishing himself as a regular for the Black Cats, he’s made only three starts in almost three months.

He’s still carved out a respectable career, which includes 36 caps for England, and he’s set for life if he’s managed his money well. Still, one can’t help but look at his career and wonder if it‘s been what it could or should be.

Andy Carroll, Liverpool

At some point in the future, Andy Carroll could be worth £35m and high wages.

At present, however, he is not. The promise is certainly there, as shown by his back-to-back late winners against Everton and Blackburn this month. But the investment was too much, too soon for someone who hadn’t quite matured enough as a player or a person. And a return of only eight goals from more than 40 appearances this season wouldn’t quite cut it, even if his price tag was £15-20m smaller.

He turned 23 only in January, so he has time on his side, along with great talent and potential. But right now his paycheck is 75% potential and 25% production, at best.

Stewart Downing, Liverpool

If you were to cast a vote for the worst summer 2011 Premier League transfer, Downing would almost certainly top the list.

Downing is a quality player, but it’d have taken a lot for him to justify the £20m that Liverpool paid Aston Villa for him last summer. And thus far, it’d be a stretch to say he’s paid even a tenth of that investment. With only three league games left, Downing has yet to record a single league goal or assist. Zero, zilch, nada, nil. He has delivered two goals and an assist in Liverpool’s run to the FA Cup Final, but no matter how you shake it, he has been a tremendous, tremendous disappointment.

Edin Dzeko, Manchester City

Over the last few years, City have spent quite lavishly, to say the least. Some of their investments have panned out, and some haven’t.

Thus far, their £27m investment on Dzeko hasn‘t panned out as perhaps expected. After only six goals in 21 appearances last season after joining from VfL Wolfsburg in January 2011, he had a torrid start to this season, matching that total in his first three matches. But he hasn’t been able to keep it up, scoring only three goals in his last 19 league appearances after notching 10 in his first nine. Dzeko is no doubt a fine striker, but the presence of Sergio Aguero, Mario Balotelli, and Carlos Tevez certainly don‘t give one much margin for error, and there’s a high chance he leaves the club in the summer.

Andre-Pierre Gignac, Marseille

Where, oh where, to start with Monsieur Gignac? His long-term weight issues? The disrespectfulness to his manager that earned him a few days with the reserves earlier this season? Or his lack of goals?

To be frank, Andre-Pierre Gignac has had all of one great season, the 2008/09 campaign in which he scored 24 league goals for Toulouse. So it could be said that the £13m Marseille paid for him in the summer of 2010 was a bit much, especially when you consider PSG were able to land Kevin Gameiro this past summer for just a little more than £9m.

Gignac was a Marseille supporter since childhood, so this was supposed to be a dream move. But to this point, he‘s been a colossal nightmare. Last season, he netted 12 goals in all competitions, but he never found any consistent form. This season, he’s been downright atrocious. In more than 20 appearances – most of which have been from the bench – he’s scored only once, in a Coupe de la Ligue win over Lens in October.

Along with a failed last-minute move to Fulham in the summer, Gignac reportedly turned down a January move to Everton, saying he’d only leave Marseille for a club like Manchester United. However, he needs to do far better to have a chance at such a club. If he doesn’t step it up soon, he’ll end up low on salary and high on regret.

Yoann Gourcuff, Lyon

When Lyon forked out £18m for Gourcuff in August 2010, they were likely expecting more seasons like the two impressive campaigns he had for Bordeaux. To date, he’s fallen well short.

Last season, Gourcuff scored only four goals and notched five assists in 36 appearances for Lyon. This season, injuries prevented him from debuting until October, and an adductor injury in February against APOEL sidelined him until recently. When he has been on the pitch, he hasn’t delivered, producing only one goal and one assists in all competitions.

With all of the high fees that Lyon have received for star players over the last several years, their finances won’t be hurting if they have to take a sizable hit on Gourcuff. Still, Jean-Michel Aulas will be hoping that the former AC Milan starlet can at least somewhat show why he commanded such a high fee two summers ago.

Stephen Ireland, Aston Villa

Three seasons ago, Stephen Ireland looked like one of the English Premier League’s rising stars, as he was in stellar play-making form for Manchester City.

But City’s lavish spending, a dip in form, and the arrival of Roberto Mancini the next season brought his ascension to a screeching halt. He moved to Aston Villa as part of City’s move for James Milner in the summer of 2010, but he was dropped a few months into the season, and then-manager Gerard Houllier publicly called him out for a lack of all-around effort.

Ireland moved to Newcastle United on loan in January 2011, but he didn’t debut until mid-April and made only two sub appearances before a season-ending ankle injury. He’s returned to the Villa fold this season under Alex McLeish and has shone in spots, but he’s also had his bad moments, like telling McLeish to ‘fuck off’ during a February defeat at Newcastle.

He has the talent to be a difference-maker in Villa’s push to avoid the drop and delivered a quality performance against Sunderland a week ago. But if they fail to stay up, his high wages make it highly likely that he’ll be on his way out in the summer.

Jermaine Jenas, Tottenham

You never like to kick a man when he’s down, but Jenas has not been what he could be.

Jenas used to be a fairly regular scorer and provider, but since the start of the 2009/10 season, he has all of one goal and notched only a few assists. Spurs loaned him out to Aston Villa at the end of last August, and he didn’t make his debut until November due to thigh and Achilles issues. After two substitute appearances, he made his first Villa start at home to Manchester United in early December… and lasted a little more than an hour before being stretched off with what proved to be a season-ending Achilles rupture.

Worse yet for Villa, they’ve reportedly been stuck paying his wages, which are £45k per week, for the duration of the season. That means that they’ll fork out more than £1m in wages for someone who played less than 120 minutes of football for them. Ouch.

Luca Toni, Al Nasr

For several years, Toni was known as one of Europe’s deadliest strikers, banging in more than 150 goals for Palermo, Fiorentina, and Bayern Munich in a six-season stretch. But as his career winds down, he’s been getting paid a lot to do very little.

Last season, he joined Genoa on a free transfer from Bayern, and he scored only three league goals in 16 appearances before moving to Juventus for free in January 2011. That move didn’t pan out so well, as he scored only twice in 14 league appearances in the second half of last season. This season, he didn’t feature at all for Juve in the first several months of the season, so it wasn’t a surprise to see him depart in January. But he hasn’t been as much of a hit for UAE side Al Nasr thus far as they might have hoped for, with only four goals from his first 10 appearances.

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From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Wigan put on a show on Saturday to all-but-secure their Premier League status for another year, and delighted the DW Stadium and onlookers in the process. A 4-0 win over Champions League qualification hopefuls Newcastle mixed a determined and dogged defensive approach with sublime attacking play, and Roberto Martinez’s men were good value for their comprehensive victory.

With Newcastle undoubtedly the surprise package of the season, and Alan Pardew crafting a team of rough-around-the-edges players into some of the most sought-after stars in the league, the victory is all the more impressive. The first-half showing by the hosts was nothing short of masterful, as Wigan were quite simply too good for their Tyneside opponents.

A Victor Moses brace and goals from Shaun Maloney and Franco Di Santo gave the home side an unassailable lead, and in truth Wigan could have scored more in the first 45. The win sends Wigan up to 16^th place and 37 points, three ahead of the bottom three, and three adrift of the holy grail of 40.

Wigan’s escapology act from last season had the club’s fans on cloud nine, but this season seems to be even more of an achievement. Given the fact that the Latics were bottom of the pile not too long ago, and faced a stern fixture list, Martinez and his team should be proud of their end of season heroics.

Five wins in the last eight games has lifted Wigan above their relegation rivals, with three points against Liverpool at Anfield, at home against Manchester United and at the Emirates against Arsenal, along with yesterday’s triumph, sticking out in the memory. The Latics could already be safe, but one win from their last two games against Blackburn and Wolves, will ensure Martinez’s men stay in the top flight for another year.

The manner of the afore-mentioned victories, and Wigan’s play for the majority of the campaign, is the real standout point. Martinez has urged his troops to consistently get the ball down on the deck and play football, even against their supposedly superior opponents, and this must be admired. When a team goes into a spiral of bad results, like Wigan have this season, there is a temptation to try and get the ball forward in a direct fashion rather than keeping possession, and the Latics have resisted this urge for the majority of the campaign.

The likes of Victor Moses, James McCarthy and Maynor Figueroa have all been excellent, and the cash-strapped side may have a battle on their hands to hold onto their best players. Like Wilson Palacios, Antonio Valencia and Charles N’Zogbia before them, the chance to play for a bigger club could be too good to resist.

Looking forward, there could be a few changes at the DW Stadium this summer, and the club’s fans will hope that Wigan can get off to a better start next term. Despite their heroics in escaping relegation through end-of-season wins over the last couple of years, the team will hope to not leave it so late next term, and secure their Premier League status well before the last five games. A sensible summer in the transfer market and a continuation of Martinez’s positive attitude could well see Wigan as more than relegation escapees in 2012-13.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News