Why Alan Pardew Should Be Sacked

Rewind back to the summer of 2012 when the magpies defied all expectations and finished 5th, fans were going into that transfer window full of expectations. The lure of Europa League and a team full of young ambitious players gave Newcastle the perfect platform to kick on and buy some players who could take the team to the next level. However, the club found themselves fighting for their Premier League status until the 37th game of the season when they beat an already relegated QPR side. 

Here we try and argue why Alan Pardew should be fired as manager:


Injuries/ loss of form to squad
In my opinion, Alan Pardew has probably the most talented Newcastle squad seen since they qualified for the Champions League back in 2003. A team full of technical, international class players including Yohan Cabaye, Hatem Ben Arfa, Tim Krul and Papiss Cisse could all play for most Premier League sides. Pardew used this excuse too readily during the season, constantly pointing to the fact Newcastle had players missing. The manager needed to do more in terms of motivation in order to bring out the best in the players he had to work with, instead of complaining of the ones he didn’t have available.

Questionable Tactics
Pardew’s choice of long ball tactics, his apparent refusal to play players in their correct positions and consistently picking his “favourite” players have all come under scrutiny this season. He seemed to have cracked a perfect formula for a free-flowing magpies side towards the end of the 2011/12 season, fielding a fluid 4-3-3 with playmaker Yohan Cabaye supplying service to the skilful front three of Demba Ba, Papiss Cisse and Hatem Ben Arfa. However Ba became disillusioned with playing wide left of the front trio and demanded to play centrally, forcing Cisse out of his number nine position. Pardew, instead of refusing to give into Ba’s demands, reverted the team’s formation to a rigid 4-4-2 with Ba partnering Cisse upfront. It quickly became apparent they couldn’t play together and Newcastle’s style of the play suffered. Surprisingly, figures revealed Newcastle attempted the most long balls in the whole of the Premier League, beating Stoke City by over 300 balls. With flair players such as Hatem Ben Arfa, Yoan Gouffran and Yohan Cabaye this direct style clearly does not fit in the players Alan Pardew has at his disposal. Demba Ba even took a swipe at Pardew for his tactics just before he left for Chelsea in January, saying the team’s new style of play had “damaged our league position”.


Dodgy team selections
Pardew has also angered fans by playing his “favourite” players, which seem to be Jonas Gutierrez and Cheick Tiote. It’s not a secret both of these players have struggled for form all season, however Gutierrez still made 34 appearances in the league, with a return of just one goal. Being a winger it is his duty to score and provide opportunities for teammates, and his lack of product in the final third should have been a justifiable reason to drop him. Defensive midfielder Tiote’s rash tackling cost Newcastle a win in the Tyne-Wear derby against Sunderland, getting himself sent off with the score at 1-0. Tiote’s disciplinary record is poor to say the least, averaging a yellow card once every two games. Many fans believe he has turned into a liability and a rest from the first team could have possibly helped Tiote reign in his aggressive streak.

Unimaginative set pieces
Corner kicks last season were nothing short of woeful, with Newcastle going over a whopping 300 corners since scoring from one. Pardew has blamed the lack of height in his team, even though his tactics focus on playing a number of long balls. The predictability of the corner taking is something which seriously needs addressing in pre-season. Free kicks inside the opposition half have also been poor bar a few goals from midfielder Yohan Cabaye.

Embarrassing comments in the media
 A number of quotes from Pardew have landed him in trouble this season, none more so than claiming after the Stoke City match back in March that his side’s safety was “assured”, before back tracking on those comments after the 6-0 home drubbing against Liverpool. He also criticised Arsenal in 2006 for not fielding an English player, claiming they were “losing the soul of British football”. Pardew currently has 8 french players in his team whilst selling a number of British based players in the process. In addition, Pardew even had the audacity to suggest Mike Ashley had “underachieved as an owner of a football club”.

History repeating itself?
Pardew’s managerial record has an unwanted similarity – his second season in charge ends up with him getting the sack. He took over Charlton in 2006 in the Premier League when they were virtually relegated, and was assigned the task of trying to get the club out of the Championship at the first attempt. However he didn’t last long during his second season and left Charlton after a 5-2 defeat at home to Sheffield United. Pardew moved onto West Ham where he got them promoted to the Premier League and to the FA cup final, but was again dismissed just a little over 2 years in charge. Southampton was a similar story, discovering early success in the form of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy but ultimately lost his job the year after. So what does Pardew seem to do wrong in his second season? Various fans from each respective club believe his tactics get “found out” by opposition teams, therefore allowing them to predict easier how his team is going to play. Others suggest Pardew’s teams play too defensively if they take a 1-0 lead in a match, instead of looking for a second the kill the game off.

In Conclusion
All the stats from last season only point to one possible outcome – Alan Pardew should lose his job. Only two away wins all season plus humiliating home defeats to Liverpool and bitter rivals Sunderland, not many people could argue if Pardew was removed from his post. However, owner Mike Ashley has made it clear he likes to employ people he knows personally. It would not be unfair to suggest Pardew did not get the job on the basis of his CV, as it was revealed that he often goes to casinos with Ashley, highlighting the nature of their friendship. Another one of Ashley’s buddies Joe Kinnear was controversially appointed as director of football last week, which could see him take over as manager if Pardew has a poor start to the season. The majority of fans would like to see a new man in charge, but with Kinnear now looking as the most likely replacement, who is probably more unpopular than Pardew, sticking with the manager seems the only viable option.


Written By: Matt Lawson
                     (@MattLenLawson)

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Fredy Guarin - Scout Report

At the time of writing, Tottenham have just been linked with Inter Milan's Fredy Guarin and as he isn't too well known by many, I've decided to put together another scout report for fans to find out a bit more about him.

Guarin is a Colombian midfielder currently plying his trade over in Italy for Inter Milan, however he started off at Colombian side Envigado. After enjoying loan spells at Boca Juniors and Saint  Etienne, he joined French club Saint Etienne permanently in 2007. He forced his way into the team and before long was moving again, this time to Portuguese side FC Porto. He stayed at Porto for 4 years, becoming an especially prominent figure in his final season there. After making 63 league appearances for Porto he went on loan to Inter Milan before joining permanently in May 2012. Since joining Inter he's impressed many and has been a regular in the squad ever since. 


So onto his style of play: The 26-year-old normally plays in centre midfield, however he can also operate out wide too. Guarin is an excellent ball winner and is tenacious in the tackle. He wears his heart on his sleeve and plays with passion but also has a tendency to roll around after being fouled to get an opponent booked, something no one likes. Despite this he is an impressive midfield force who's both comfortable on the ball and intelligent too. Guarin carries a powerful shot and can finish well. Although central midfielders are not normally known for pace, Guarin is pretty quick and can go past people, a particularly valuable asset when he finds himself in a wide position. 

To round off, although Guarin hasn't been too heavily linked with Spurs yet, it is rumoured there is interest, however don't expect a deal just yet as we all know there are only few rumours that actually come to fruition. It has been reported that Inter rejected an initial bid from Spurs and are waiting for an offer of £21m. If Guarin does go to Spurs then I think he will be a very solid addition to their squad. Reports are suggesting that they're looking to replace Scott Parker and perhaps he is the man they've got their eye on to do that. I certainly think he would add a lot to their team, however I'm not sure he'd be a game changer and you'd see an instant effect. A good signing but not someone to get over excited about. I think Spurs fans would much rather keep a certain Gareth Bale at the expense of him and many other transfer targets!

If the scout report wasn't enough for you then have a look at some footage of the Colombian in action, here's a video:

If you enjoyed this scout report then please do leave a comment, I'd love some feedback!

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it!

La Liga Team of the Season - 2012/2013

As an enormous La Liga enthusiast, I (@TheTacticsRoom on Twitter) have thoroughly enjoyed the league season. Some of the world’s finest players ply their trade in Spain, and this is my selection of the players who have impressed me the most over the course of the year.

Thibaut Courtois – The young Belgian on loan from Chelsea has had a phenomenal season. Atletico Madrid conceded the lowest amount of goals in La Liga by some margin (31 in total, 9 less than the 2nd best defence), and some world class performances have seen Courtois cement his position as the best young goalkeeper in the world. With 20 clean sheets and the Ricardo Zamora Trophy (an award given to the keeper with the best minutes per goal conceded) to his name, his fantastic season fully justifies his place in this team.

Jordi Alba – Originally a wide midfielder whilst at Valencia, Jordi Alba’s game has adapted in recent times and this has led to him being deployed in a full back role. Impressive performances for Los Ches earned him a place in the Spain squad for Euro 2012, as well as a move to Barcelona – and the marauding left back has had a fine season. Filipe Luis was another consideration for this position, but Alba just edged it in the end for me.

Diego Godin – Like any fantastic defence, Atletico’s impressive record is a combination of efforts between the goalkeeper and the backline. All four of their regular defenders had fine seasons, but only the Uruguayan finds a place inside this team alongside Courtois. Diego Godin is an important player in how he brings the ball forward from defence and carries it into midfield, but his defensive capabilities have been his key asset this year. Completely justifies this spot.


Inigo Martinez – Spain’s finest young emerging centre back, Inigo Martnez has been a key member of Real Sociedad’s Champions League qualifying side. Composed on the ball, very technically gifted and a fantastic reader of the game, he is also capable of scoring a goal or two (4 this year in fact, a fantastic return from a centre half). It’s no surprise that he’s being linked with a move to the Bernabeu or the Nou Camp from San Sebastian after such an impressive season - this 22 year old has a huge future ahead of him.


Carlos Martinez – Inigo’s namesake & Real Sociedad team mate Carlos is another member of Philippe Montanier’s side who has impressed this season. A right back who is comfortable at both ends of the pitch, Martinez has 4 assists to his name this year. His concentration and reading of the game are a huge part of his contribution at the other end of the pitch however, helping La Real to secure the 4th best defensive record in the league.


Benat Etxebarria – Real Betis finished 7th in La Liga this year, and the leader of their orchestra is this man – Benat. A very creative and economic passer of the ball, he has been vital for their success, impressing many people in the finest season of his career so far. His performances were rewarded with a place in Spain’s preliminary squad for the Confederations Cup – and though he ultimately didn’t make the cut, in a country with such a fine selection of midfielders he has stood out. It was a very successful campaign in all for the 26 year old regista.


Asier Illaramendi – Another member of Real Sociedad’s team, Asier Illaramendi has been one of my stand-out performers in La Liga this year. His links with La Real and exquisite range of passing has unsurprisingly drawn comparisons with Xabi Alonso for his style of play, but he also provides a greater willingness to defend, press and tackle – excelling in the volante role and dictating the flow of the team. The plaudits and recognition are slowly starting to come in for Illaramendi following this season, and he made an absolutely vital contribution to their excellent year.



Cristiano Ronaldo – Jose Mourinho may have described his final year in charge of Real Madrid as ‘the worst of his career’, but the Portuguese winger has had a phenomenal season once again. Mourinho’s use of him (and Di Maria) as a very direct inside forward has been rewarded highly time and time again, demonstrated by his total of 34 goals in La Liga. Ever dependable as usual, his inclusion is of no surprise.





Mesut Ozil – The next member of this team is, in my opinion, the best trequartista in modern football. The German attacking midfielder, Mesut Ozil, is quite possibly my favourite player to watch in the world right now – and this season he has once again exemplified his talents on a huge stage. He has been a key member of the team this season, scoring 9 goals and providing 14 assists (the 2nd highest in La Liga), and is often the key in linking up Real Madrid’s fluid attacking play. Like his Real team mate Ronaldo, he deserves this place.

Carlos Vela – The fourth and final Real Sociedad player in this team (which really emphasises how good they have been) is Carlos Vela. A relatively quiet spell at Arsenal saw him sold to La Real in the summer of 2012 (after a previous loan spell) and regular appearances have really helped the Mexican develop as a player. He’s played predominantly off the right wing this year, coming inside onto the splendid left foot he possesses. His 14 goals show off his finishing abilities, with 9 assists to compliment his scoring record – a fantastic return from him.


Lionel Messi – What can be said about this man which hasn’t already been said before? He scored a stunning total of 46 goals (including a run of 21 consecutive games in which he scored) in 32 league games, breaking all kinds of records along the way – in a year that was disrupted by injuries as well! It was impossible to leave the Argentinian out of this team, especially after playing such a key role in Barcelona reclaiming the title from Real Madrid. My player of the season.

Subs:

Willy Caballero – Malaga finished La Liga in 6th place and had the 5th best defensive record in Spain, many thanks to their goalkeeper Willy Caballero. Also played a big role in their excellent Champions League run, where they arguably deserved to qualify for the semi-finals. He put in some fine performances.

Martin Demichelis –The veteran Argentinian centre back is another Malaga player who’s impressed this year. His lack of pace and mobility occasionally leaves him exposed, but a world class reading of the game and positioning makes up for this. Almost eclipsed Diego Godin for a place in the starting XI.

Andres Iniesta – One of the finest midfielders of this generation, Andres Iniesta provided the highest amount of assists (16) in La Liga and was hugely important for Barcelona’s title win. As we’ve come to expect from the magician, it was another remarkable season as always for him
.
Isco – A player who reminds me of Andres Iniesta with his gliding style and immense dribbling, this kid is one of the biggest prospects in world football. He has really stepped up to the world stage this season, running midfields and impressing in European competition. Greatness awaits.

Piti – Rayo Vallecano are the team operating on the lowest budget in La Liga, and a 9th place finish by Paco Jemez’s side represented a huge achievement. As captain of this team and the leading scorer with 18 goals (drawn 6th highest in the league), it would have been extremely harsh leave the 32 year old Piti out of this XI.

Ruben Castro – Drawn with Piti as the 6th highest scorer in La Liga, Ruben Castro is Real Betis’ second player in this team. The Verdiblancos’ star striker was very important in their 7th place finish, a very good season for Pepe Mel and his players.

Falcao – The third striker on the bench is arguably the finest natural centre forward in the world right now. His 28 goal return was hugely important in a fantastic season for Atletico Madrid, helping them to 3rd and a Copa Del Rey title. Unfortunately he has played his last game for Atletico and it is a big shame that he’s leaving La Liga, but an impressive season nonetheless for the Colombian.

So - it’s been yet another fine season in La Liga, and we’ve been rewarded with some top class displays from some of the world’s greatest players – and the above 11 players (18 including subs) have been the ones who have impressed me the most over the course of the year.

Thanks for reading this article, I hope you enjoyed it. If you want to read some more of my opinions then please follow me on Twitter. My username is, as previously stated, @TheTacticsRoom. https://twitter.com/TheTacticsRoom

Henrikh Mkhitaryan - Scout Report

After lengthy speculation over a move to Liverpool, Mkhitaryan has decided to join Champions League and Bundesliga runners-up, Borussia Dortmund, so here's a quick scout report on their newest signing.

At 24, Mkhitaryan is currently contracted to Shakhtar Donetsk but he began at Armenian side, Pyunik FC, making his debut there at the age of just 17. In his last season at the club he notched 11 goals in 10 games. This record caught the eye of Ukranian side Metalurh Donetsk at the end of the 2009 season. It was quite a successful move for him as he scored 14 goals in his first season and this tally included a debut strike. His next club would be Ukranian giants Shakhtar Donestk who he joined in 2010 for around 5.7m euros. This season he managed the top scorers award in the league and has attracted interest from a number of clubs around Europe.


So onto his style of play. He likes to be played as a central player and prefers to be just behind the striker, or in an attacking midfield position. His movement is extremely impressive as he times his runs perfectly and creates space for his team mates. Pat Nevin has been quoted as saying he has a similar ability to Frank Lampard in that he arrives at the right place at the right time frequently and this is definitely one of his main assets, indicating he is a very intelligent player. Mkhitaryan also possesses an excellent long range shot and strikes the ball with incredible power. At the same time he is also a clinical finisher and his deft touches in front of goal are good too. He is a very composed finisher and even in tight situations finds the corners and calmly sticks the ball in there. At times he does like to drop deep, however this is an excellent quality of his as he holds onto the ball brilliantly before releasing to a team mate. 

To round off, Mkhitaryan looks a great signing for Dortmund. At 24 he still has time to improve and is already showing mental maturity indicating he could go even further. In my opinion, I think he'll be a big hit at Dortmund and could possibly remind fans of Shinji Kagawa as his goals from midfield are in abundance. 

Don't forget to follow me on twitter https://twitter.com/Latest_Footy
@Latest_Footy

If you liked the report then leave a comment, I'd love to hear from you. If you have any views then leave a comment too.

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it!

Premier League Review 2012/2013 (Part 2)

Whilst it may not have been as exciting as last year, I'm sure you'll all agree that this season has still been extremely entertaining. Although there wasn't a huge amount of final day drama, there were some big scores throughout the season, one which won't be remembered for good defending! In this article I'll be going through the next 5 teams in the league with the following ones coming in the next instalments. I've also managed to get a few comments from a fan of the respective clubs to see what they thought.

Liverpool
If you were to sum up Liverpool's season in one word then in my opinion it should definitely be 'inconsistent'. At times, Liverpool have looked extremely impressive and brushed teams aside with ease such as Swansea and Fulham. However, for as many times as they've been able to do that, they've also succumbed to a really disappointing result against a lesser team, putting in a very mediocre performance. 

Rodgers was left short-changed at the start of the season when he put all his eggs in one basket to sign Fulham's Clint Dempsey and the American snubbed him for Spurs. This left him with a lack of attacking options and when Borini sustained an injury, the only striker they had was Suarez. The situation was made most evident when they travelled to Upton Park and because Luis Suarez was suspended, had to play Jonjo Shelvey up front due to having no recognised strikers available!

Despite a slightly disappointing season where they finished below rivals Everton, the future looks very bright for the Reds. In Rodgers they have an intelligent and considerate manager who has built a very solid base for the future. He bought in Sturridge and Coutinho in January, both being young and exciting players, especially Coutinho. If Rodgers has a bit of money to spend to replace Carra and possible offload Downing then I think Liverpool can challenge for the top 4 next season. 

I got in touch with Liverpool page @LFCFansCorner on twitter to see what they thought about Liverpool's season: 

"This season has had some highs and lows. At the start of the season we were poor, but we've been improving every game. Since the arrivals of Sturridge and Coutinho we've played so much better. We haven't been revolving around Suarez too much, meaning everyone's playing to their best ability. Rodgers' philosophy is starting to plan out. This season hasn't been a failure, but it was disappointing, not getting Europe and Everton finishing above us is painful, but anyone can see the improvement."

Manchester City

It was a difficult season for City as they feebly defended their Premier League title. Manchester United were better than them in every way this season and I'm sure the fans will be disappointed their team didn't put up more of a fight. Mancini didn't add too much to his squad and they seemed to lack fight. Whereas when Manchester United went behind they came back and grabbed at least a draw, city tamely surrendered very differently to this, like away to Southampton.

Aguero had a few injuries and they missed him, however I think it was more of a case of their top players not performing to the levels they're capable of. Joe Hart had his worse season for a while and made numerous mistakes. Kompany wasn't as efficient as usual and also let the odd mistake into his game. Also, Toure and Silva were nowhere near last season and whilst they did pull out a few good performances, they couldn't hit the levels of performance they achieved in the title-winning season. City simply missed their big players.

This poor title challenge was met with an embarrassing defeat in the FA Cup final to soon to be relegated Wigan, a defeat that summed up their season really. With Mancini gone, it looks like Manuel Pellegrini will be the man to take over. City need to spend in the Summer and it looks like they will after so far being linked with more top players than you could think of!

I got in touch on twitter with City fan @DisguisedPass to see what he thought about City's season:

"Another season where the phrase 'typical City' returned. It was a season in which City failed to retain their Premier League title, coupled with the Fa Cup final loss to Wigan. If you had said 10 years ago, City would have finished 2nd and got to an Fa Cup final, I think I may have bit your hand off. But in the manner that we lost that game and how we defended our title, it can only be viewed as a disappointment.

Some of our players were not consistent enough and there was only really Zabaleta who I would say had a fantastic season. We were too predictable in our play and didn't strengthen with good signings.

 I for one didn't wish for Mancini to go, but he has and we must move on. Hopefully we bring in some quality signings and can go on to have a successful season, which would of course entail on winning back that Premier League title."

Manchester United
The season ended in triumph for United and rightly so in my opinion, they were easily the best team in the league in my opinion. Whilst their defence wasn't exactly brilliant, they came roaring back after conceding and nearly always got a result. Coupled with their inherent ability to hold on to a lead, even when not playing well, they ran out winners with a few games to spare. 

The only disappointment would be that they didn't pick up any other silverware. After tumbling out the Champions League to Real Madrid and being knocked out the League and FA Cups by Chelsea, they left the competitions empty-handed.

The end of the season was met with some sadness as it saw the retirement of 2 United legends in Paul Scholes and Sir Alex Ferguson. This meant a new manager was to be appointed and he came in the form of David Moyes. Next season will be an interesting one for spectators to see if Moyes can carry on the glory years. 

I got in touch on twitter with Manchester United fan @Ronandinho_ to see what he thought about United's season:

"Manchester United 2012-2013. Where do I start? With the 93rd minute title winning Aguero goal still stuck in United fans heads, this seasons number one priority was to recapture the Premier League title, which would be their 13th. United added Shinji Kagawa to the Squad last summer, a move that had United fans licking their lips. But this was overshadowed when on the 15th August 2012 the club confirmed the arrival of Robin van Persie. A move that shook the Premier League, especially fans of both United and Arsenal. 

United led the Premier League for the majority of the Season, but the gap really began to stretch around November - December time. City began to lose games and drop silly points, whilst United kept on grinding out title winning 1/2-0's. United looked uncatchable, but the horrors of last season still remained in the majority of the fans' minds. They refused to say it was won until it was mathematically won.  

 It was all set up for United to win it on home soil the following day. United were quick out of the blocks and scored early with that's right; Robin van Persie who followed up with 2 more to complete a title winning hat trick. United lifted number twenty and thoughts quickly switched to number twenty one. That was of course, until the 8th May, when the whole of football was shaken, Sir Alex Ferguson was retiring at the end of the Season, ending his 27 year reign at the club on a high. 

In summary; Comebacks, Drama, Robin van Persie, Revenge, Twenty, Champions, Sir Alex. "

Newcastle
A very disappointing season for Newcastle, it was incredible to see such a turn around from a side who challenged for the top 4 last year. I don't think anyone predicted such a difference from last campaign. One of the frustrations from the fans was the lack of investment in the Summer as they failed to bring in any big signings. Their biggest move was for Ajax's Vurnon Anita for £6.7m who didn't really have much of an impact.

It was like watching a different team and in my opinion it was a demise similar to that of Manchester City's as it was in part down to their star players from the season before not performing to their full capacity, with the exception of Cabaye in my opinion. 

November was when they really began to disappoint as they picked up 1 point from a possible 15 in fixtures that weren't overly difficult. Having overseen this, Pardew bought in heavily in the January window in what will be known as a French revolution due to the number of French players purchased. After the window, things looked slightly better in February as they managed to beat Chelsea and Southampton. This success was short lived and they returned to their poor form, slipping up to Swansea and Wigan before suffering an embarrassing derby defeat to Sunderland and a thumping at home to Liverpool. 

Next season, something has got to be looked at, whatever problems they had need to be sorted and improvements need to be made. However, the players now they can perform from the impressive season they had so I think they could easily get in the top 10 if they rediscover that form.

I got in touch on twitter with Newcastle fan @SacredNumber10 to see what he thought about Newcastle's season:

"As a Newcastle fan, I am disappointed with season we just had. Finishing 5th and then 16th in the space of a season is a disgrace. Some poor performances this season including Wigan and Sunderland have shown that it hasn't been our best performances. Also, some players haven't been up to standard such as Cisse and Gutierrez in my opinion. Injuries have been a key factor also having 1400+ injuries."

Norwich
Despite a nice 11th placed finish, Norwich's season wasn't as smooth as it seems. Towards the end of the campaign they became embroiled in the annual relegation battle. They began the season with a new manager in Chris Hughton after Paul Lambert left for Villa Park and things looked fairly good, in my opinion, they'd brought in a solid replacement. They couldn't have started the season much worse after being on the end of a 5-0 thumping from Fulham on the opening day.


They had to wait until October to get their first win in the league and even that came in a surprising manner after they defeated Arsenal at Carrow Road. An excellent result, made more impressive by the fact it followed two thumpings from Liverpool and Chelsea. They quietly ticked along, picking up a result here and there before claiming their next scalp in United. 

As the season began to come to a close and the battle to stay up became tighter, Norwich began to find themselves amongst the pack of teams who were dangerously peering over the edge into the relegation zone, constantly looking over their shoulder rather than looking up the table. So a rather average season for Norwich who will be happy they stayed relatively clear of relegation and didn't suffer from second season syndrome, but on the other hand will be disappointed they couldn't make much progress on last season. Despite finishing a place higher than last time out, I'm sure the Canaries will be wanting more from their team next year.

I got in touch on twitter with Norwich fan @NCFCRumours1902 to see what he thought about Norwich's season:

"Overall, this season was a season of highs and lows. Starting short of strikers with our pre-season "inform" striker James Vaughan on loan. Things didn't get any better as we slumped to a 5-0 defeat, first game of the season against Fulham. Things then failed to get any better again as we took just 3 points from our next 6 matches. But then we hit form, going 11 games unbeaten in the premier league with Man Utd and Arsenal being the stand out wins in that period. But again. From the start of January - the end of March we only picked up 13 points despite signing Luciano Becchio and Kei Kamara on loan. (Although we did failed to sign Gary Hooper on numerous occasions). 

With these Results we were stuck right in the middle of a relegation dogfight, as the other bottom teams started to pick up points. This left us with 2 games left and needing 3 points to guarantee PL football. West brom (home) and Man City (away). Luckily, we performed brilliantly and beat west brom 4-0, leaving us safe and comfortable with a game to go. Again, we came put on top show away at Man City beating them 3-2 with a great solo goal by Johnny Howson helping us finish 11th. 

Despite some lows we ended up finishing 1 place higher than the previous season! Now the future is looking very bright for us as we have signed Ricky Van Wolfswinkel for £8.5m and Javier Garrido for an undisclosed fee. With us finishing 11th, it means we ended up getting £7.5m for our finish. With the money left over from January and our summer budget we are being linked with various big money moves. This should be a very interesting summer and I'm really looking forward to next season!"

So that rounds up part 2 of the overview, if you liked it then please leave a comment, would love to know what you think. Thanks to everyone who gave their comments for each team, be sure to give them a follow on twitter!

Don't forget to follow us on twitter too! 
@Latest_Footy

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it!






 

Premier League Review 2012/2013 (Part 1)

Whilst it may not have been as exciting as last year, I'm sure you'll all agree that this season has still been extremely entertaining. Although there wasn't a huge amount of final day drama, there were some big scores throughout the season, one which won't be remembered for good defending! In this article I'll go through the first 5 teams in the league with the following ones coming in the next instalments. I've also managed to get a few comments from a fan of the respective clubs to see what they thought.

Arsenal
Arsenal enjoyed a very happy final day and somehow they just managed to sneak into the Champions League yet again. Despite this, I know a number of Arsenal fans who have been underwhelmed by how their season went. Many have been calling for Wenger's head (and I'm not just talking about Piers Morgan!), claiming that he is running out of ideas and Arsenal need a change. 

They didn't enjoy a particularly strong start to the season and it was their excellent end of season form that brought them home in the end with some inconsistency wedged in between. Goals were not a problem however as they managed to hit 5 goals or more 7 times! There were also low points however and they came especially in the form of cup defeats after they were knocked out by Bradford and Blackburn.
So was it a good season for Arsenal? Yes in the sense that they managed to hold on to Champions League football after a poor start and finish above their rivals Spurs. However, is that good enough? Arsenal have found themselves wanting more than just 4th place, they want to challenge for trophies and even the league! If they can keep Cazorla and spend a bit on a top class striker then I'm sure next season will  be exciting for them!

I got in touch on twitter with Arsenal fan @ManToManMarking to see what he thought about Arsenal's season:

"Same ol' same ol' for Arsenal again. A poor season overall but showing how use to contending for fourth we've become that it's become an achievement as such. Arsenal fans all around cheered their hearts out when we got fourth and so did the team. Not much improvement was made last summer but some definitely needs to be this one if we are to contend for the title or even for fourth!"

Aston Villa
It was a strange season for Villa and I'm not sure too many predicted they'd be in the predicament they were at the start of the season. They looked to have a young bright squad that had talent in abundance and had just recruited a new manager in Paul Lambert who'd just masterminded a smooth transition into the Premier League at Norwich. 

So where did it go wrong? Many people have cited the lack of experience in their squad and I think that was largely true, although I think they lacked experience in defence expecially and this was highlighted with some comical defending and ridiculous own goals throughout the season. 

Luckily for Villa Wigan couldn't hit that late season form they always do to save themselves and they had one of the most exciting strikers around to save them. Although the season won't be looked back on with too much fondness by fans, the main thing is that they stayed up and I think they can push on next season, especially if Benteke stays!

I got in touch on twitter with Villa fan @DanRBennett_ to see what he thought about Villa's season: 

"I think it’s fair to say that this season has been exhausting for every single Villa fan. There was a lot of positive feeling around the club when Paul Lambert was appointed Manager in the summer and there was every right for the positivity to be there Lambert’s philosophy of youth over experience caused a lot of fear with the fans though but he stuck to it and in the end it paid off.

 The Christmas period was the most worrying times for Villa fans as we had three successive defeats and they were heavy defeats too.  Our star players of the season were no doubt Benteke and Guzan, with Lowton, Westwood and Weimann standing out. Next season we will be hoping for more consistent performances and less bad luck, so that we don’t have to continue biting what we have left of our fingernails."

Chelsea
It was a bit of rollercoaster season for Chelsea too. They began the campaign in excellent form and look every bit like they might challenge for the title. Then they started to fall away and were prematurely knocked out the Champions League, eventually leading to the sacking of Roberto Di Matteo.

In came Rafa Benitez, possible the least popular manager in history. His arrival was met with mediocre results and this only increased the problems at Stamford Bridge. Rumours were rife that the players were rising against him and he would walk. Incredibly, he put up with it and guided Chelsea to an almost comfortable Champions League finish. This wasn't his only feat as he brought home some silverware.

They finished the season quite strongly after a dip and Rafa ended up doing was he was appointed to, something I'm sure not many Chelsea fans can complain about but something I'm sure many Chelsea fans still will!

Rafa has just been appointed new Napoli boss leaving a gap for the Special One to take the reigns again, although not confirmed at the time of writing, it looks imminent. Many are touting Chelsea to challenge properly next season if they splash some cash and resign José.

I got in touch on twitter with Chelsea fan @LFDFootball to see what he thought about Chelsea's season: 

"It was a difficult season to watch but come the end of it I was very happy with what we had achieved. Hazard and Oscar adapted to the league brilliantly and with a few additions we can become even stronger next year. Disappointed that Benitez hasn't been given at least a full season and full control of transfers to show what he can really do with this team." 

Everton
It's well known that Everton had a rare good start to the season this campaign and they didn't stop there. One of their best seasons in recent years ended with them finishing above arch rival Liverpool and even being outsiders for the Champions League at one point. 

However, the end of the season wasn't as kind to them and they lost manager David Moyes to Manchester United. Due to their excellent performances this season, a number of players have been linked with a move away from the club, most recently Leighton Baines and Marouane Fellaini. This was twinned recently with the announcement that they would bear a new club badge and sparked outrage from fans, many claiming it was too 'simplistic'.
The campaign was one of progress for Everton and many positives can be drawn from it. Fans hope that Kenwright has seen potential in the squad and will offer the incoming manager a healthy budget, something David Moyes never had. If they can keep on to their star players and appoint a half-decent manager then I'm sure next season they can cement their place as a top 6 team and even seriously challenge for the top 4/5.

I got in touch on twitter with Everton fan @Fo0tballista to see what he thought about Everton's season:

"A traditionally poor starting Everton commenced their 12/13 campaign with unexpected brilliance, defeating the soon to be Premier League champions Manchester United which in part set the tone for much of the early parts of the campaign – despite a few bumps along the way, Everton put in frequently strong and dominant performances. One problem persisted though – an inability to be clinical. Jelavic misfiring, Mirallas often injured, Anichebe very much so an uncertainy resulted in draws and a fundamental failure to kill games off. 

The season promised much, Baines was magnificent, Gibson dictated games, Fellaini often outstanding, Distin and Jagielka sublime and Mirallas magical; despite achieving the second highest points total under Moyes’ leadership, Everton were left empty handed. No European football, embarrassed at the hands of Wigan and Leeds in domestic competitions, and now set to go under major transition. It’s been a strange old year, one that hasn’t really brought much besides a fairly impressive 6^th placed finish; hopefully a spot that can be emulated or eventually improved in seasons to come."


Fulham
Fulham had a rather steady season overall. Although there were a few worries towards the end as they seemed to switch off after hitting 40 points, generally it was a solid season. They started the season well only losing to Manchester United and West Ham. Martin Jol had added sensibly to the squad and had played a masterstroke in signing Dimitar Berbatov as he would go on to score 15 goals. 

Fulham were, however rather inconsistent and unpredictable. Their first away games  of the season sum this up perfectly. First of all they travelled to Old Trafford where they competed brilliantly again Manchester United and were unlucky to be beaten 3-2 in the end. Next they went to Upton Park to face West Ham and were played off the park, they really didn't turn up at all. 

Fulham are a team with an ageing squad, shown by the average age in the team fielded away at Chelsea of 31.55. The youngest team they fielded was at home to Swansea however this wasn't much younger in 28.05. 

Martin Jol has already started his business in the transfer market, bringing in Fernando Amorebiata and Derek Boateng. The former being a very good move in my opinion, shown by the fact he was previously linked with Everton, Arsenal and Chelsea. If Jol can bring in a few more fresh faces, perhaps in defence where they conceded 60 goals last season then I'm sure they can aim for a more comfortable 10th placed finish.

I got in touch on twitter with Fulham Fan @FulhamsFinest to see what he thought about Fulham's season:

"Fulham's season has been a bit of an oddity. The last-minute sale of Moussa Dembele and Clint Dempsey in the summer doomed Martin Jol's bigger plans for building his own squad at Craven Cottage. He was left with no time to secure a replacement, and thus the season was essentially lost before it began. Fans picked up some relatively unrealistic expectations after the squad began on such a high note early on, and thus the final finishing position seemed more disappointing than it should have. Ultimately, the season served as a bridge to Jol's new plans without Dembele, and this summer will shape the Fulham squad for the next few seasons."

So that rounds up part 1 of the overview, if you liked it then please leave a comment, would love to know what you think. Thanks to everyone who gave their comments for each team, be sure to give them a follow on twitter!

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it!