David Silva has signed a new five-year contract at Manchester City committing the Spanish international to the club until 2017, The Daily Mail reports.
The deal is reportedly incentive based, with Silva receiving a basic salary of £120,000 a week, but could earn a similar amount to the top earners at the club, such as: Carlos Tevez and Yaya Toure by performing consistently.
Silva is into his third season at City since arriving from Valencia in 2010 and has seen off the likes of Adam Johnson to become a mainstay at left midfield for Manchester City.
He said: “I’ve been here for two years now and I feel very happy here at the club, in the city and with all the people.
“So now I’m delighted to be extending my contract and being here really does feel just like home for me.”
The 26-year-old has won the FA Cup and the Premier League in his first two seasons at City and attracted interest from Real Madrid, who were keen to know if any contract talks broke down.
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But a move back to Spain now appears to be dead in the water and Silva highlighted the impact of the fans in determining his decision to stay at City.
“The fans have always given me their support since I arrived here, and recently they’ve been wanting me to sign, so hopefully this goes someway to thanking them for the affection they’ve shown towards me, something which also helped me decide to put pen to paper”, he claimed.
Silly season is well underway following the official opening of the summer windowÂearlier this month, withÂtransfer rumours are flying in and outÂwithÂincredible velocity here at Football Fancast.So quickly, in fact, that we’re struggling to keep track of them all. You probably are too, and thusÂwe thought it would be a good idea to start compiling all the rumours involving the Premier League’s top clubs into one place, trimmed down into easily digestible chunks via a classic Three In, Three Out format.This is Football Fancast’s second edition regarding Manchester United – check out last week’s here – amid a window in which the Old Trafford outfit are expected to match their rather monolithic £150million spend from last summer.That saw the Red Devils smash the record for a single Premier League transfer fee on £59.7million man Angel Di Maria and the record for overall spend by an English club in a single window.So will we see more of the same this year? Check out this week’s edition to find out!
OUT – ROBIN VAN PERSIE
Football Fancast reported on Manchester United’s intentions to sell Robin van Persie in last week’s edition of Three in, Three Out and as far as we’re aware, the situation hasn’t changed.
Indeed, RVP boasts a more than respectable return of 57 goals in 105 appearances for the Red Devils, firing them to their last Premier League title during the 2012/13 campaign, but now 31 years of age, United are expected to trade him in for a younger model this summer.
Currently, the Old Trafford outfit are struggling to find a buyer. Rumoured suitors Lazio and Galatasaray both ruled themselves out of the race to sign the former Arsenal talisman last week.
Van Persie, however, has been surprisingly honest about his future at Carrington, telling reporters earlier this week that he could leave United to enhance his chances of making it into the Netherlands’ squad for Euro 2016.
“When I signed for United, I knew these kinds of [reports] would appear. Next year is the European Championship. That tournament is going to play a big role in the choice I will make,” the striker is quoted as saying by The Express.
“I have to be in my best form. But most important is the wish of my wife and children. Whatever I do Bouchra, Shaqueel and Dina Layla are the highest of my priorities. They have to be happy.”
IN – CHRISTIAN BENTEKE
Louis van Gaal’s lust for added firepower has reportedly thrust Manchester United towards Christian Benteke, who ended last season with a scintillating run of twelve goals in 13 appearances – including a Premier League hat-trick against QPR.
According to reports from talkSPORT on Monday, the Red Devils have launched an enquiry into the Belgium international’s availability, coinciding with claims from Sky Sports News that he’s rejected the chance to extend his Aston Villa contract past 2017:
Currently, however, Liverpool are proving the most proactive in courting the beastly 6 foot 3 front-man’s signature. According to reports from Mirror Football yesterday evening, they’re preparing a £25million-plus-incentives offer after seeing a prior £22million bid rejected.
The Villains, on the other hand, remain adamant any suitor must activate the 24 year-old’s £32.5million release clause.
OUT – Angel Di Maria
Despite arriving at Manchester United only last summer for a record-shattering £59.7million fee and finishing his first Premier League campaign with a by-no-means-unacceptable return of three goals and ten assists in 28 appearances, Angel Di Maria’s future at Old Trafford remains surprisingly ambiguous.
Louis van Gaal demoted the Argentina international to the bench for the latter portion of last season, which appears to have triggered interest from Barcelona, Bayern Munich and PSG – who tried to sign him last summer until Financial Fair Play regulations stood in the way. Even four-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi has got involved, according to The Telegraph.
Di Maria, however, has vowed to stay on at Old Trafford despite links to Europe’s biggest clubs. As quoted by The Daily Mail, he told reporters earlier this week; “I came with an intention and end up on the bench. It’s hard to say how I feel there.
“I started well with goals and assists. I was having a good time, until I was out. It’s a little hard to explain why I do not play.
“No [I will not leave] because I’m not thinking like that. In Madrid there were times when I was whistled around the stadium but faced it and then it turned around. I like to deal with things.”
And the chances of a move away have been further reduced by news that Di Maria’s transfer from Real Madrid last summer included a clause that will only allow him to return to the Spanish top flight for £85.6million.
IN – Morgan Schneiderlin
On Wednesday, in-demand Southampton midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin made the audacious claim that he could leave the St. Mary’s outfit before pre-season training starts again next week.
The tabloids remain fairly unanimous on the three clubs reportedly in for the France international – who averaged the second-most tackles per match, 3.7, of any Premier League player last season – namely Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester United.
But a lack of Champions League football has allegedly ruled Spurs out of the equation, whilst Arsene Wenger is reluctant to spend big on a holding player (Schneiderlin is reportedly valued at £24million by the Saints) following the meteoric emergence of Francis Coquelin at the end of last season.
That leaves the Red Devils as the only club left in the frame – leading Mirror Football to claim the 25 year-old will almost certainly be turning up at Old Trafford next week.
It coincides with quotes from Germany regarding another United target, Bastian Schweinsteiger. Mannschaft icon Franz Beckenbauer has advised the World Cup-winning midfielder to stay on at the Allianz Arena for a few more years before moving to the MLS.
OUT – DAVID DE GEA
It’s another transfer rumour Football Fancast reported on last week and it’s cropped up yet again – largely due to the fact David De Gea’s long awaited move to Real Madrid already seems to have passed the point of no return.
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Last week game news that Los Blancos had ramped up their interest in the PFA Player of the Year nominee due to Keylor Navas picking up a rather nasty Achilles injury at the Copa America which could see him sidelined for the next six months, whilst EuroSport claimed the 24 year-old is determined to ensure the seemingly immovable Iker Casillas will be booted out of the Bernabeu as soon as he signs on the dotted line.
Further updates on the lengthy transfer saga arrived this morning. According to The Daily Mail, United are demanding £35million for De Gea, which would make him the most expensive goalkeeper of all time, smashing Gigi Buffon’s current record of £33million.
Real Madrid, however, intend to open bidding at just £13million – knowing that the Spain international won’t be extending his United contract past the end of next season, when he’ll be available on a free transfer.
IN – SERGIO RAMOS
It’s probably the biggest story of the week in both the Premier League and La Liga – the bizarre series of circumstances which have lead Manchester United to bid £35million for Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos.
It follows claims from Barcelona presidential candidate Jordi Majo last week, who alleges he was offered the decade-serving Blanco and 2010 World Cup winner as an ‘electoral asset’ in his campaign to become the top dog at the Nou Camp. The presidential election is on July 18th.
Those allegations, which appear to be true, have cast serious doubts over the 29 year-old’s future at the Bernabeu, whilst leading to revelations of his disillusionment over a current net salary of £4million per year.
He’d certainly address United’s need for an experienced centre-half with quality on the ball. But amid reports from ESPN claiming Real Madrid intend to block any bid for the Spain international, skeptics will wonder whether United are simply putting pressure on the La Liga outfit to get a better deal for David De Gea.
In the last few seasons, there has been little to celebrate for Arsenal.Even recent FA Cup glory has failed to listen the mood of the supporters, many of whom are keen for a change in management.Arsene Wenger has been in charge for the past two decades and has had a glittering career transforming the North London outfit into a Premier League force.However, the team have not mounted a serious title challenge for years, and this season they are currently eight points behind fourth-placed Chelsea.Not to mention, the Gunners are a mammoth 23 points adrift of leaders Manchester City, who suffered their first league defeat of the season in a 4-3 loss to Liverpool on Sunday.The next few weeks could be crucial with regards to how Arsenal’s season pans out.According toÂThe Guardian, the Gunners’ star player Alexis Sanchez is on the verge of joining Manchester United, which would mean that the club have strengthened a direct rival, much like they did in 2012 by selling Robin van Persie to the Red Devils.Numerous first-team players, including Mesut Ozil, are out of contract in the summer and will be eligible to leave the club for free at the end of the season.On top of that, Arsenal’s winless league run extended to three matches on Sunday when the team were beaten 2-1 by Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.Kevin Campbell, who played for the Gunners between 1988 and 1995, tweeted a very honest view of the team’s current state.
After much speculation over the past few months, Manchester United and Rio Ferdinand finally confirmed yesterday that the former England captain would be leaving Old Trafford after twelve years at the club.
With Nemanja Vidic’s transfer to Inter Milan already agreed, the club are undertaking a changing of the guard in the centre of their defence.
In a statement yesterday, Ferdinand indicated his intentions to continue playing by saying: “I am feeling fit and healthy, ready for a new challenge and looking forward to whatever the future holds for me.”
The £29.1 million defender also implied that it was his decision by declaring: “I have decided the time is right for me to move on”, although it is believed that the club decided against extending his current deal.
Regardless, many United fans took to Twitter to thank Ferdinand for his time at Old Trafford.
However, other United and general football fans were less than forgiving in their comments upon the news.
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Interest in Ferdinand is rumoured to be strong from the Middle East and MLS, whilst a move to another Premier League side hasn’t been ruled out. Wherever he ends up, Ferdinand and Vidic’s departures truly represent the end of an era at Old Trafford.
It’s the end of the English footballing season in May 2005. Arsenal are about to lift their 10th FA Cup with their victory on penalties over Manchester United at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. The Premier League has narrowly eluded them, with last season’s historic Invincibles side, unable to overcome the Oligarch fuelled power of Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea. But things are rosy for Arsene Wenger’s side.
A second placed finish in the Premier League sets them in good stead for another crack at the title next season and their new 60,000 seater Emirates Stadium, is entering its final phases of construction. And to poignantly add a bit of gloss onto proceedings, they’ve just done the double over their North London rivals Tottenham, who finish a relatively standard 9th in the league.
Indeed, Martin Jol’s side showed some fleeting glimpses of quality in the league, none more so than when they buried four past Arsenal in their infamous 4-5 loss at White Hart Lane, but this was still a side with the likes of Noe Pamarot and Noureddine Naybet starting every week. In many respects, they are light-years behind the red side of North London.
Fast forward to the present day and that rosiness that seemed to come as a perennial bonus with every Arsenal season ticket, simply could not be further away. As we enter the final stages of 2012, supporters don’t need to be slapped round the face with the seven-and-a-half year statistic that is there continued trophy drought. Because there is potentially something far more depressingly poignant sitting on the horizon.
It is of course the age-old threat that’s never been fulfilled from their hated rivals up the road in Haringey. Arsenal fans have heard it all before when it’s come to the men from Tottenham Hotspur and their designs on finishing above them in the league. Each time the Gunners have had their backs against the wall, the old cockerel has choked at the vital moments. Be it a final day, lasagna based bottle job, or self-destruction of a 10 point lead, Spurs have continuously failed to outdo their North London rivals.
But where as once the notion of Spurs bettering Arsenal in the league was one of near absurdity – indeed, it’s not happened since 1995 – today, the reality is that it’s now become a very distinct possibility.
The rivalry between both Spurs and Arsenal has been given a real shot in the arm in recent years, given the Lilywhites growth in prominence. Where as for much of Arsene Wenger’s reign in North London, Tottenham have resembled little more than plucky underdogs, their recent renaissance under Harry Redknapp has given the fixture more meaning than it every has in recent years.
And it offers an interesting yardstick for the plight of Arsenal over the last few years. The Gunners have continued to taste Champions League football every season. Title challenges have continued to remain on the cards for Arsene Wenger’s men, despite them never quite being able to see it out through the course of the season. But as their quest for a trophy continues, the focus has always been on the fluctuating gap between themselves and the Manchester United’s and Chelsea’s of this world. Never what’s been going on behind them.
Because if – and it remains a massive if – Andre Villas-Boas’ side manage to finish above Arsenal in the league this season, it perhaps represents so much more than a power shift in the merciless exchanges between the two sets of fans.
The two ways of looking it are of course wither Tottenham have progressed way beyond what many would perceive to be their projected means. The other, that Arsenal have in fact regressed, as they’ve reclined onto a similar plateau of ambition to the men from White Hart Lane.
And it’s here in which, depending on your viewpoint, you can gauge the seriousness of what a superior Spurs finish to Arsenal in the league, may represent. Let’s be under no illusions here in that Tottenham have hardly fluked their way into challenging for Champions League qualification. Even since the mediocrity that lingered in the mid nineties. Spurs have continued to invest heavily in their squad, more often than not, to greater extents than Arsenal.
Some may suggest that the club have simply been more wise and intelligent in that spending. That may be so, but has it really just been a bit of common sense and a spot of financial rationality that has seen them bridge the gap?
Clubs shouldn’t spend for the sake of it and Arsene Wenger’s legacy is the biggest testament to that in recent memory. But in that seven-year gap since Arsenal last won a trophy, they have seen the financial gulf between themselves and their North London rivals rise almost beyond measure.
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For the last available accounts, the Gunners’ net income dwarfed Spurs’ by near on £92million. The cash cow that is the Emirates Stadium makes well over double the amount of matchday income that White Hart Lane is capable. While they, as every team does, have debts to structure, Arsenal are in a different financial post code to Tottenham Hotspur.
But while that gulf of fiscal health has increased between the two clubs, the gap of competitiveness has shrunk. And however you wish to frame that, it produces some awkward questions for the hierarchy in the red half of North London.
Tottenham’s upturn in fortunes was perhaps an inevitability. All clubs go through periods of success, regression and dormant stages of mediocrity. But given the off pitch progress Arsenal have made, that gap they once held over there great rivals when they last won a trophy, simply should’t have been shredded to the point it is today. How they go about regaining it, is a question that certainly produces some difficult answers.
Everton fans will be relieved following news that injured Belgium international Kevin Mirallas will be available much sooner than first thought, and could even start when the Toffees take on Fulham at Craven Cottage in the Premier League this weekend.
The creative winger was taken off at half time during the Merseyside derby on Sunday after picking up a knock from a stern tackle by Liverpool’s Luis Suarez. Blues boss David Moyes was concerned that Mirallas could be out for up to a month with ligament damage.
This morning however, it was announced that the Belgian’s injury is not as bad as initially predicted, following a scan by the club’s medical team.
The 25-year-old has been in good form since joining from Olympiacos for £6million in the summer, contributing one assist and one goal to the Toffees’ cause.
Steven Naismith, who scored Everton’s second goal against Liverpool at the weekend, told reporters he was impressed with Mirallas first half performance in the Mersey derby.
“Kevin was our main direct threat in the derby in terms of driving at defenders and it showed with the amount of chances he was creating for himself and others” said the Scottish forward.
“Losing him at half-time in the game was a blow, but Liverpool changed their system in the second half as well and it became a bit scrappy with a lot of fouls – the game kept getting stopped which didn’t help.
“Looking back, there was some great play from us too – switching sides and with Kevin being a massive threat creating chances.”
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Steven Pienaar will also be available for selection after serving a one-match suspension, meaning the Everton midfield will be at full force against Fulham with the exception of Darron Gibson who is currently sidelined with a thigh injury.
Liverpool have been far from successful domestically since the beginning of the Premier League era, and perhaps some of their signings are the reason for this.
With seven managers having tried their hand at managing Liverpool since the Premier League began in 1992, it’s about time we looked back at some of the dismal signings that these managers have made.
The Reds have been the butt of many jokes in recent years, so one more laugh won’t hurt will it?
[ffc-gallery]CLICK ON BRENDAN RODGERS TO REVEAL ALL!
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Alberto Aquilani
Aquilani arrived from Roma in 2009 on a 5-year deal for a fee of £17m. Benitez brought him in as a replacement to Xabi Alonso who had joined Real Madrid. The Italian international was not a regular at his boyhood club and he made just over 100 league appearances during his seven years with the club.
Alberto struggled to get going at Anfield and the Liverpool board struggled to get rid of him. After loan spells at Juventus and AC Milan, Liverpool were finally able to flog him off to Fiorentina. His entire career to date has been spent in his home country of Italy with exception of the three years at Anfield – albeit only one season actually spent in England.
Money spent – £17,000,000 Money received – £0 Total loss – £17,000,000
League Appearances – 18 – League Goals – 1 –
Cup Appearances – 8 – Cup Goals – 1 –
Fernando Morientes
Almost 200 appearances for Real Madrid sounds impressive, but over an 8-year period it’s not quite regular selection. Morientes made the move away from The Bernabeu in 2005 as he joined The Reds. His first season in the Premier League saw him make just 13 league appearances and scoring just 3 goals. That form didn’t improve into this second season at Anfield and that was to be his final season with the club. He was sent back to Spain to play for Valencia where he re-found his scoring touch in his first season.
Money spent – £7,300,000 Money received – £3,000,000 Total loss – £4,300,000
League Appearances – 41 – League Goals – 8 –
Cup Appearances – 29 – Cup Goals – 4 –
Stewart Downing
The England international was signed for Liverpool by Kenny Dalglish, who was ready to throw as much money around as possible during his short spell with the club. Downing had a successful period with Aston Villa before being brought to Anfield for a very large fee. Downing may have just been surpassing his peak years as a winger yet Liverpool were willing to pay double what Aston Villa did 2 years earlier.
The price tag was far greater than Downing’s ability and it dominated him. As you would expect Downing was used a lot as Liverpool weren’t willing to put that amount of cash on the bench. However he never really got going and in his first season the winger didn’t contribute a single goal or assist. The price tag triggered Downing to become somewhat of an internet sensation and he couldn’t shake that abuse off.
Money spent – £20,000,000 Money received – £5,000,000 Total loss – £15,000,000
League Appearances – 65 – League Goals – 3 –
Cup Appearances – 26 – Cup Goals – 4 –
Robbie Keane
After playing for 10 different professional clubs it’s no secret that Robbie Keane gets around, but the striker never really got around the Anfield pitch enough to justify his price tag. Following a very successful 6 year spell with Tottenham, Keane signed on to dotted line to bring him up north to Merseyside.
It was a four-year deal that barely even made it to half of one year. Keane returned to Tottenham for another large fee in the very next transfer window after struggling to get started with Liverpool. Although Liverpool managed to recoup a lot of the transfer fee, they still lost a considerable amount in the space of just 6 months. One of the stranger transfers in Liverpool’s history.
Money spent – £19,000,000 Money received – £12,000,000 (potential to rise up to £16m) Total loss – £3,000,000 – £7,000,000.
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League Appearances – 19 – League Goals – 5 –
Cup Appearances – 9 – Cup Goals – 2 –
Andy Carroll
One of the most famous disaster transfers. Carroll had scored 17 goals for Newcastle in the Championship as the Magpies gained promotion, only to be followed up with another 11 goals in the Premier League. The then 22-year-old 6’4″ striker seemed to be one of the brightest young talents in the country. That was enough for Dalglish to fork out another fortune.
Like Downing the price tag seemed inappropriately high, and Carroll couldn’t live up to it. He was a full England international by the time he made the move to Anfield so that didn’t help his price. He was given just one full season with Liverpool and after Rodgers arrived he was loaned out to West Ham, where he eventually moved on a permanent deal for a cut price. Another big money loss from Kenny Dalglish.
Money spent – £30,000,000 Money received – £15,000,000 Total loss – £15,000,000
Hearts confirmed on Thursday afternoon that they have completed the loan signing of former Rangers star Steven Naismith from English Championship side Norwich City.
The Scotland international will join Craig Levein’s outfit until the end of the season and will provide a major boost to the squad at Tynecastle.
Rated at £3.6m by Transfermarkt, signing Naismith could be seen as a coup for the Jam Tarts, especially given reports that Rangers themselves were his preferred destination.
Rangers fans though aren’t fussed he’s made the move to Edinburgh instead of Glasgow, believing that if Graeme Murty truly wanted him at Ibrox then he would be at the club right now.
Naismith enjoyed a successful spell at Rangers, winning trophies before leaving the club amidst financial meltdown in 2012. That exit left a bitter taste with supporters and many are happy he won’t be returning.
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Fans took to Twitter this week to share their thoughts on his arrival at Hearts…
Summary: Liverpool scored six without reply to inflict Newcastle’s worst defeat at St James’ Park since 1925 and plunge them deeper into relegation trouble.
The Magpies were challenging for a top-four position at this stage of last season but have struggled to hit the same heights in the current campaign and hit a new low as Brendan Rodgers’ men ran riot on Tyneside.
Just a fortnight after being humbled by fierce rivals Sunderland in the Tyne-Wear derby Alan Pardew’s men needed to muster a reaction but found themselves behind after three minutes as an unchallenged Daniel Agger sprung the offside trap to head Stewart Downing’s lofted cross past Rob Elliot.
It got worse just past the quarter hour as Phillipe Coutinho released Daniel Sturridge and he slid a pass through a fractured Newcastle defence to former Black Cats midfielder Jordan Henderson to tap in to an empty net.
James Perch then headed wide Massadio Haidara’s left wing cross from close range in home sides only real opening of the half before Pardew introduced Yoan Gouffran and Hatem Ben Arfa at half time.
The change didn’t have the desired effect as Ben Arfa was dispossessed by Coutinho on the half way line and the Reds winger played in Sturridge to blast the ball beyond an overexposed Elliot. before grabbing his second and Liverpool’s fourth on the hour after Steven Gerrard and Henderson set him up to finish.
Substitute Fabio Borini capped his comeback from injury by poking the ball into the net just 60 seconds after coming on with Newcastle were then reduced to 10-man after Mathieu Debuchy was handed a second yellow for fouling Coutinho. Henderson completed the rout from the resulting free kick to leave Pardew and his players staring into the abyss.
Alan Pardew post-match…”They were very good and we were very bad. There is nothing we can do about it, we can’t turn back the clock. We have to put it right and the only way to do that is 10.30am at training on Monday morning and everyone sticking together.”
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Brendan Rodgers post-match…”As a manager you take great pride in watching your team play like that. Our concentration and focus as well as our quality was outstanding and you have to give credit to the players for that.”
Good day for…Daniel Sturridge: The Liverpool frontman proved there is life without Luis Suarez, for the next 10 games at least. A ruthless strikers performance gleaned two goals and an assist for Sturridge, who proved a constant threat to the home side and should have left Tyneside carrying a match ball or two.
Bad day for…Newcastle United: You only have to glance at the scoreline to discern what a catastrophic afternoon it was for the Magpies. Hapless at the back, creativless in midfield and a chronic lack of potency in the final third contributed to their worst home defeat since 1925 and leaves Alan Pardew sweating over his employment status.
When Arsene Wenger’s men successfully lifted their second consecutive FA Cup at the terraces of Wembley last Saturday, it was certainly a significant scene for the many present Arsenal fans.
No longer can the Gunners be labelled the Premier League’s biggest underachievers in the silverware department, for as the last two seasons have clearly displayed, the North Londoners are now well and truly back on track when it comes to winning domestic accolades.
2014/15 could therefore easily be seen as an impressive campaign for Arsenal. New signing Alexis Sanchez made an instant impact in front of goal this term, Wenger’s side have once again qualified for the Champions League in traditional style – and in landing their second FA Cup trophy in only two years – it seems that the Emirates faithful have had a great deal to cheer about recently in comparison to seasons past.
As it remains truly hard to please every fan involved with your club however, Arsenal’s recent triumphs seemingly haven’t been enough to satisfy some sections of the Gunners fan-base ahead of the 2015/16 campaign.
[ffc-gal cat=”arsenal” no=”5″]
So then – have Arsene Wenger’s side witnessed an undisputed season of success in 2014/15, or has this past campaign simply been another year of ultimate disappointment for Arsenal in the grand scheme of things?
In eventually lifting the FA Cup at the end of the season, Arsenal now find themselves well on their way to proving their many doubters in this country wrong.
The Gunners famously went nine long years without securing a trophy before their recent success in England’s illustrious cup competition, and although the shackles of such a burden initially proved tough to shake off, Arsene Wenger now oversees an improved atmosphere in and around the Emirates as a result of his side’s triumphs.
Arsenal also gave a pretty good account of themselves in the Premier League this year as well. Despite the succession of ill-timed injuries afflicting key members of Wenger’s current squad throughout the season, the Gunners still managed a third place finish – one place ahead of Manchester United after they spent crazy amounts in the summer, and beaten only by the financially boosted likes of Chelsea and Manchester City in first and second.
Both Manuel Pellegrini and Jose Mourinho have massive squads these days thanks to the inflated financial excess going on behind the scenes at each of their respective clubs. Arsenal simply don’t operate in the same ball park when it comes to resources, so to have done as well as they have this term does certainly seem admirable at the very least.
With Champions League football secured for another season at the Emirates, as well as Arsenal becoming the new home of the FA Cup in recent years, the Gunners faithful do have a lot to be proud of looking back on 2014/15. Their squad is growing stronger with every passing transfer window and Arsene Wenger seemingly remains as hungry as ever with future goals on his mind.
Having said that however, such a perspective simply doesn’t account for the fact that Arsenal no longer command their once untouchable status that came all so easily at the club. Because the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City have taken the lead in the title race recently, the Gunners are undeniably slipping behind as it stands, with the Premier League’s smaller clubs no longer approaching their matches against Arsenal with the same fear that they once did.
As troublesome as injuries prove to be in football, it has been an ongoing problem for so long at the Emirates now, it really is hard to see why nothing has been done about it. Signing one marquee name a year certainly bodes well for shirt sells – but does such a tactic address Arsenal’s increasingly shrinking squad size and overall lack of depth? – No.
In crashing out of the Champions League rather embarrassingly to Monaco this season, it has become clear that the Gunners are not as mentally strong as they need to be if they want to continue winning titles. The FA Cup is a great achievement for sure, but in this rapidly globalized era of modern day football competition, the Champions League is ultimately where the real achievements can be found.
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Unless Arsenal start showing some consistent fight for the title throughout the whole season and finally make some real progress in Europe sooner or later, Wenger’s side could regrettably fall by the way-side if they’re not careful.
2014/15 has therefore been a good season for the Gunners, but with no dramatic signs of improvement being made at the Emirates in truth, it has been a campaign largely defined by treading water above all else. 2015/16 could nevertheless turn out to be a promising year for Arsenal with a few certain tweaks this summer.