All posts by h79snht.top

It’s that time of year again when many football-supporting Brits raise a glass to the treats that Santa Claus has left them on their Sky and BT subscription packages.Good ol’ Saint Nick has been generous to supporters this year, with the two broadcasting giants gifting lucky fans 25 Premier League matches throughout the festive period. But Santa has most definitely givenÂlumps of coal to those footballers playing in them and will be responsible for some very tired legs.The likes of Liverpool and Manchester United will find themselves playing six games in 22 days, and suchÂintensity is not just reserved to the ‘big guns’. Stoke City and Bournemouth will have to cope with six games in 24 days.Excluding the 29th December – what we can label a rare winter day offÂfor today’s Premier League stars – there is at least one game every day from 26th December to 4th January.For the sake of the players we tune in to watch, the Premier League needsÂa winter break.

Calls for change

When he was Swansea manager, Brendan Rodgers voiced his annoyance at four games in 12 days, saying that “The people who put fixtures together do not have a clue about physical conditioning.â€

Sir Alex Ferguson said a winter break “is not just to give the players a rest. It is to get rid of all the little injuries they carry. It would also freshen everyone up mentally, including my staff because they could do with that break as wellâ€.

Meanwhile, former Chelsea and England footballer Graeme Le Saux recently tweeted similar concerns:

But, TV companies pay the money and this time of year is massive in terms of them for bums on seats in front of screens.

Herein is the problem for disgruntled clubs, managers, and players.

2016 saw the most lucrative television deal the Premier League has ever seen, with the 20 clubs sharing a colossal £10.4 billion. The conflict of interest between the business and football sides of footballÂclubs has led to a catch-22 situation where the realÂwinners areÂTV bosses.

International consequences

Following England’s shock loss to Iceland at EURO 2016, Eggert Magnusson, former President of the Icelandic FA, spoke of the impact never-ending playing is having on footballers.

“Maybe it is also time for a winter break in England. The players are very tired at the end of a very hard season and the top players have been playing in the Champions League.” he said. “It’s tough. There is no break in English football. There is no break over Christmas, which is normally the case in Spanish, Italian and German football. This is one of the things the FA and Premier League have to take a hard look at.”

So whilst we overindulge in the vast amounts of festive football thrown at us by television companies, we should take a minute to think about its long term effect on the athletes we enjoy tuning in to watch play.

Former Wigan and West Brom footballer Paul Scharner once said he thinks 80% – 85% of Premier League players support a winter break, but money dictates otherwise.

He may well be on to something.

This article was submitted via our Write For Us feature. Think you can do better? Submit your own article by clicking here, and give yourself the chance of winning monthly cash prizes…

[ad_pod id=’domino-survey’ align=’center’]

[ad_pod id=’playwire’ align=’center’]

Arsenal will look to pick up their second win a week at the Emirates Stadium when they host Crystal Palace on New Year’s Day.

The Gunners bounced back from disappointing defeats against Everton and Manchester City – where they took the lead but lost 2-1 in both – by beating West Bromwich Albion in another tight and tense encounter on Boxing Day thanks to Olivier Giroud’s late header.

On Sunday, they come up against new Eagles manager Sam Allardyce, who has been tasked with taking Palace back to basics in order to move them away from the relegation zone.

The former England manager began his reign with a 1-1 draw against Watford at Vicarage Road on Monday, and he certainly has the attacking players to give the north London outfit a real problem in his second match in charge.

Here are three ways that Arsenal can prevent an upset at home to Crystal Palace…

Be clinical

If Arsenal are to avoid any chance of an upset against Crystal Palace, they must be clinical with their finishing.

After taking the lead away against Everton and Manchester City, the Gunners had more chances to extend their advantage but after failing to take those opportunities, they were punished.

Against West Brom on Monday, it took a late Olivier Giroud to finally make the breakthrough and Arsene Wenger won’t want a repeat of that tense affair on New Year’s Day.

Stop the supply to Benteke

With Sam Allardyce taking over at Crystal Palace and the likes of Wilfried Zaha, Andros Townsend and Christian Benteke at his disposal, the Eagles will go back to basics as they look to pull away from the relegation zone.

Allardyce will likely ask his wingers to fire in crosses to the tall and physical Benteke, and Arsenal defenders Laurent Koscielny and Gabriel will have to be at their strongest to prevent the Belgian winning any headers in the penalty area.

Stop Cabaye pulling the strings

The French midfielder had struggled to get a regular run in Crystal Palace’s first team under Alan Pardew, but Cabaye returned to the starting XI against Watford for Sam Allardyce’s first match in charge and marked it with a goal.

The France international likes to pull the strings in the middle of the park but if Arsenal can stop him supplying the Eagles’ wingers, they may just nullify the threat from their London neighbours.

Matches between Manchester United and Liverpool tend to have an aggressive edge to them due to the intense rivalry, and Sunday’s game proved just that as managers Jose Mourinho and Jurgen Klopp clashed on the touchline.

The pair squared up to one another in the closing stages of the game following an incident involving Ander Herrera and Roberto Firmino.

The United midfielder visibly tugged the shirt of his opponent during a tussle for the ball, and Firmino retaliated by pushing him to the floor.

This sparked a war of words between Mourinho and Klopp, who needed to be separated by the fourth official.

After the game, Mourinho claimed that his opposite number accused him of trying to get Firmino sent off. He told reporters:

[ad_pod id=’now-tv’ align=’centre’]

“He thought I was trying to get his player sent off. I wasn’t. There was no problem at all.

“I think the game was correct. The players gave everything but in an emotional and professional way. There was aggression but it was good, so I think it was great publicity for the Premier League all around the world.”

Liverpool took the lead just before the half-hour mark when James Milner slotted from the penalty spot after Paul Pogba handled the ball in the box.

The Merseyside outfit tried to weather the storm in the second half, but eventually conceded when Zlatan Ibrahimovic netted his 19th goal of the season with seven minutes of normal time remaining on the clock.

The shared point means that Liverpool sit seven points adrift of Premier League leaders Chelsea, while United are a further five points behind.

Fans had their say on the touchline spat between the two managers, with varying views.

[ad_pod id=’playwire’ align=’center’]

Manchester City are willing to spend a staggering £100m to sign Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi, according to The Sun.

What’s the story?

Following a disappointing few days for City manager Pep Guardiola, rumours have emerged that he could be targeting his former player and five-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi.

Widely regarded as one of the best footballers in the modern game, the Argentina international’s long-term future at the Camp Nou is uncertain due to the player yet to agree fresh terms with the Spanish giants.

Now, The Sun has claimed that officials from both Barca and City met last month to discuss a potential deal, with the two-time Premier League champions insisting that they would pay a world-record £100m to sign Messi.

[ad_pod id=’now-tv’ align=’centre’]

No formal bid has been tabled, but the British newspaper reports that City feel encouraged by the talks due to Barcelona’s willingness to sit down with them.

It is believed that Messi would be handed a salary worth a whopping £800,000 per week.

Could this transfer actually happen?

This is not the first time that Messi has been linked with a big-money move to the Premier League, and it is unlikely to be the last.

The 29-year-old’s relationship with Guardiola makes him an obvious link to the Etihad Stadium, but whether he would uproot from the Catalan city to play under the Spaniard again remains to be seen.

Guardiola coached Messi during his four-year spell in charge of Barcelona, and the pair won 14 trophies in that time, including three La Liga titles and two Champions League trophies.

The timing of this transfer rumour is rather suspect considering that the prolific forward is in the middle of contract talks with Barcelona.

Messi’s current deal expires at the end of next season, and club president Josep Maria Bartomeu recently tried to calm speculation by telling Esport3 that their star player wants to stay.

Only a few clubs in the world could afford Messi, and City are one of them, but more often than not, rumours such as this are used as bargaining tools for a better contract.

[ad_pod id=’playwire’ align=’center’]

Sadio Mane will probably return to Merseyside this week and ask his team-mates what the hell happened, as Liverpool have fallen apart in his absence.

A shock defeat at home against Swansea City last week was followed by an exit at the hands of Southampton and Wolves in the League Cup and FA Cup respectively, effectively leaving Liverpool with another season without a trophy.

Since 2006, Liverpool have only managed to win the League Cup once, in 2012, and that stands as their only trophy in a decade. There was hope that things could change this season but, after a horrendous week, everything has changed.

Now, Liverpool face a stern test in the final few months of the season to land a Champions League spot and it certainly won’t be easy; with Manchester City and Manchester United hot on their heels.

Fortunately, Mane’s Senegal were knocked-out of the African Cup of Nations on penalties last night, with Mane missing the deciding penalty, and fans are thrilled to see him returning to the club.

[ad_pod id=’Shoot-Xmas-Survey’ align=’left’]

Galatasaray winger Bruma is keen on a summer transfer to Manchester United, the Turkish side’s sporting director told Turkish-Football.com

What’s the word?

Talented 22-year-old Portuguese U21 international Bruma seems keen to join up with compatriot Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford, as he seeks a future transfer to Manchester United to bolster his career trajectory.

Bruma has impressed in the Super Lig this season by netting seven goals and securing five assists in 18 appearances, which has attracted interest from across Europe- and it’s clear the youngster’s future lies away from Turkish football.

The pacy winger is reportedly desperate to join Manchester United or another top-side in the future, like Real Madrid or Barcelona, and he’ll jump at the chance if he got that opportunity.

What was said?

Speaking to Turkish-Football.com, Galatasaray’s sporting director Levent Nazifoglu said:

“He has said he wants to play for Barcelona and Real Madrid. Bruma aims to play for Manchester United but if he wants to, he must change certain things,”

What needs to change?

A diamond in the rough, Bruma needs to improve in certain areas- with Nazifoglu’s comments coming after new Galatasaray boss Igor Tudor dropped the winger for his first game in charge, following a dispute with Bruma in the pair’s first training session together.

Jose Mourinho is unlikely to put up with that sort of behaviour so the player needs to smoothen down the rough edges of his game, especially if he’s to secure a move to Old Trafford and play ahead of the likes of Anthony Martial and Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

[ad_pod id=’Shoot-Xmas-Survey’ align=’left’]

Watford boss Walter Mazzarri is keen to sign Tom Cleverley on a permanent deal this summer and the Everton man has provided a boost by confirming he’s keen to remain at Vicarage Road, The Sun reports.

What’s the word?

After leaving Everton for Watford on-loan during the January transfer window, Tom Cleverley has enjoyed a rise in form and playing opportunities- and it could see the former Manchester United man join on a permanent basis.

The Toffees are happy to approve a sale this summer, if the price is right, and Watford boss Walter Mazzarri is keen to make a permanent deal happen- whilst Cleverley himself wants to remain at Vicarage Road.

Mazzarri has reportedly informed club chiefs to make a permanent deal happen and Watford’s chances of landing his services for the long-term have been boosted by Cleverley’s own comments on his future.

What was said?

Quoted by The Sun, Cleverley has said:

“I’m really enjoying my football. I needed games and I’m playing where I want to be which is in centre midfield. It’s provided me with the opportunities. Hopefully I can stay but we’ll have to see.”

[ad_pod id=’playwire’ align=’center’]

Arsenal face an unenviable task this evening as they host Bayern Munich in the return leg of their Champions League double-header with the score at 5-1 to the Germans.

That night at the Allianz Arena may go down as one of the pivotal moments in Arsene Wenger’s Gunners career given the extent to which the pressure has ramped up on him since, with turning it around at the Emirates Stadium highly unlikely.

Granted, Bayern boss Carlo Ancelotti has a history of losing big Champions League leads with his AC Milan side having been beaten 4-0 after extra time in 2003/04 by Deportivo La Coruna after winning the first leg 4-1, while Liverpool’s Istanbul heroics came vs. the Rossoneri in 2004/05.

However, things feel different now with the mood in the Arsenal camp so toxic and the gulf in quality between the two teams pretty large, which got us thinking: which Gunners players would actually get into the Bayern team? Well the results from our poll yesterday are in, and here are the top THREE…

3) Santi Cazorla

In at number three we have Cazorla. The Spaniard is currently out injured, but his qualities have not been forgotten, and it cannot be a coincidence that the Gunners’ form has slipped with him out of the picture.

With Xabi Alonso departing at the end of the season, the former Villarreal and Malaga man could be a replacement for him, with his move into a deeper midfield role having allowed him to show the sort of passing qualities his compatriot has.

2) Laurent Koscielny

Even with Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng as centre-backs at Bayern Munich, fans think Koscielny would have a chance at the Allianz Arena. This faith is not entirely misplaced either, with the Frenchman having been excellent in recent seasons at the Emirates Stadium, and there’s an argument that in a team with less defensive responsibility he would look even better.

1) Alexis Sanchez

In at number one we have Sanchez, which means that Mesut Ozil hasn’t even made the top three! The Chilean is reportedly desperate to leave the Gunners this summer, and with Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben not getting any younger, there’s enough there to suggest that this move is somewhat realistic, given that the Bavarians will be able to satisfy the ex-Barcelona man’s trophy desires and pay him a healthy wage.

CLICK THROUGH FOR THE FULL RESULTS

Results

Significant turmoil is not something they are all that used to at the Emirates Stadium. Turmoil for Arsenal is usually loosely defined by a bit of a mid-season wobble, a cup elimination and an eventual upturn in form. Fan protests, players seemingly disenchanted with the club and genuine embarrassment are not what Arsenal has been about.

For once, though, Arsenal are in a position of genuine trouble. Their manager is subject to protest from the fans and there are murmurings that their two best players are unwilling to re-sign with the club. That hurts, for sure, but it is a sign of where Arsenal are at as a club at the moment.

Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez are not performing at their best and seemingly not happy about their contractual situations, with their deals set to expire at the end of next season.

Mirror Football have claimed both could leave in the summer and if they do, Arsenal need to find replacements quickly. Here are three suggestions…

Thomas Lemar

The 21-year-old Monaco winger has shone this season. Thomas Lemar is equally comfortable on either flank and has become one of the most important players for Europe’s highest scorers with his lightening pace and jinking dribbling.

Lemar has already proven himself to be a very well-rounded option on the wing, too. With accurate long range shooting, a smart weighting of pass and the physique to retain possession in the toughest of situations, he has a complete armoury of skills.

Ready-made for Premier League football some may even suggest, Monaco will not let him go without a substantial fee but that is the sort of investment Arsenal need to make to continue competing.

Timo Werner

Another young star falls into second on this list.

Timo Werner is the goal scoring force that has carried RB Leipzig to their unlikely title push in the Bundesliga. Having netted 14 goals in just 21 league starts, the German forward has proven himself as a calm, lethal finisher.

His pace is his biggest asset at the moment, paired with shrewd movement that would feed off of quality through balls from players like Santi Cazorla. While Werner is not the finished product just yet and Leipzig would be reluctant to sell, he is the sort of the player Arsenal could invest in for the long-term.

Dries Mertens

Moved into a centre forward role after the sale of Gonzalo Higuain, Dries Mertens has been exceptional this season. Scoring 19 Serie A goals in 18 starts, the Belgian has formed a fearsome attacking triumvirate with Lorenzo Insigne and Jose Callejon.

Combining his natural burst of acceleration with swift short passing, the guile of Marek Hamsik and ruthless finishing, Mertens has become one of the best players in Europe. With his 30th birthday nearing, he would be the most un-Arsenal of signings, but perhaps the sort of addition they would need after losing Sanchez.

Everton are edging closer towards building a new stadium after striking a deal to secure a site at Bramley Moore Dock.

The Toffees confirmed the development on their official website, stating that their ambition to construct a waterfront stadium is becoming a possibility.

The Premier League club have teamed up with Peel to acquire land that will form part of a £5bn Liverpool Waters scheme, which still requires planning consent.

It is still very early days, but the wheels are in motion for a new ground, which will see the club vacate Goodison Park.

The club have confirmed that it will cost around £300m to build the structure and that it will be completely funded by themselves.

Everton, who have been based at Goodison since 1892, are attempting to break into the elite bracket of the top flight, and building a new stadium is sure to help.

After the announcement was made, fans tweeted their views, with many excited about the move.

[ad_pod id=’playwire’ align=’center’]