Tuesday 24 April 2012

The (Alternative) Team of the Year

So, it's that time of the year again, when the legions of football experts compile their team of the season and the rest of us all complain and disagree. Whilst I'm sure there's plenty of debate to be had about the merits of this year's PFA Team of the Season, there's little point in me adding to the grumbles of discontent. Rather, I've decided to tip my hat to the unsung heroes of this Premier League campaign, the type of player who slips under the radar despite their overall consistency. Here goes...




Ali-Al Habsi, David De Gea, Shay Given, Tim Krul, John Ruddy...there are plenty of goalkeepers currently plying their trade in the Premier League who produce consistently for their club without getting the recognition they deserve, but none more so than Wayne Hennessey. The 25-year old has had to contend with the 'protection' of one of the worst back fours in the country and has yet managed to endure an overall good seasons. He's had plenty of saves to make (Wolves are the most attacked club in the Premier League) and despite being involved in many a heavy defeat, very few Wolves supporters would lay any of the blame at the Welshmen's feet. Cruelly sidelined with a knee injury for the next 6 months, it looks as if Hennessey will have to work his way back up to the top flight with Wolves as he'd have surely attracted suiters this summer had he managed to stay fit.



Kyle Walker has received almost universal praise for his displays at right back this season, and rightly so, but he's not the only young English player deserving of praise for his efforts this season. Danny Simpson has become a mainstay of a remarkably successful Newcastle United team, starting all of their Premier League fixtures this term. After being discared (perhaps rather rashly) by Manchester United, he has proved himself to be a more than competent top-flight defender, and were it not for the performances of Walker and Micah Richards this season, as well as the continued popularity of Glen Johnson amongst England coaches, he'd surely be in contention for Euro 2012.



  

Some would argue that the inclusion of Jonny Evans in an alternative Team of the Season is contradictory, given the praise he has received for his performances in the latter half of the season. But I imagine that many who read this post will still chuckle at the inclusion of a player who is still derided by many. When Manchester United crushed Wolves 5-0 at Molineux (a game I attended) many casual or opposing fans reacted with incredulity at the fact that Evans managed to score past us, it being deemed hilarious that a player deemed so bad after his poor start to the campaign managed to bag a goal against us. But this is an incredibly short-sighted view...Evans is maturing into a calm, composed and deceptively strong defender who could yet become a permanent fixture in United's back four, considering that the legs of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic are continuing to creak.





Most would agree that Ashley Williams has enjoyed a fine debut campaign in the Premier League, yet he has garnered little praise from the press. The 27 year old Welshman has played in all but one of Swansea's Premier League fixtures this season, a campaign in which they have impressed particularly at home, where they have conceded only 14 goals (the joint second best in the division). Having caught the Swans several times on the box, it became apparent to me that Williams sees an awful lot of the ball, such is his team's tendency to recycle possession around the park. This means he is often a key component when starting attacking moves, making him a key player at both ends of the field. If he could add more goals to his repertoire (only 2 this term) then he would arguably be a much more coveted player. Still, there's no doubt that Williams is a class act.




John Arne Riise has always struck me as being a 'fashionable' player, by which I mean people seem to rate him without actually having any idea of whether he's any good or not. I've always presumed this is because he possesses that most fashionable of skills...a decent shot. However, since he returned to the Premier League with Fulham he has shown himself to be a more than competent defender, starting all but 3 of their league fixtures, whilst also providing 3 assists. He appears to have bedded in well to a Fulham side that has in my opinion become more expansive under the tutelage of Martin Jol, evidenced by the fact they have scored a considerable 34 goals at home. Riise's unpredictable play down the left, where he can both overlap and shoot effectively, has played a big part in this change of style.





The choice of a player who has 22 caps for England may throw many of you, but hear me out. Walcott is an under-valued player...if I can refer to another anecdote from a recent experience at Molineux, then you might understand my point a little more clearly. During Arsenal's (relatively) routine 0-3 defeat of Wolves, the home support constantly abused Walcott, suggesting that if he was good enough to play for his country, then so were they. I found myself baffled by this; firstly, because Walcott is an England international, and I have never understood the logic of abusing a player that has been asked to represent your country. Secondly, I have always rated Walcott...he is a modern, dynamic winger who is more often than not a real handful for defenders. What he lacks in his decision-making, he often makes up for in goals or assists, evidenced by his tally of 8 goals and 8 assists this season. Indeed, when presented with his PFA Player of the Year award, Robin Van Persie thanked the efforts of his team mates, particularly Walcott, for creating so many goal-scoring chances for him. If he's good enough for a guy that's scored 27 goals this season, he's good enough for me.





Admittedly, the choice of Marouane Fellaini is not purely down to this season's performances alone, but that doesn't detract from the fact that the Belgian midfielder deserves more recognition than he receives. Since Everton signed him for £15 million, an eyebrow-raising fee at the time, he has become a key component of their midfield. This season he has only managed to make 27 league appearances, but played in all 6 of their FA Cup games, a competition in which they reached the semi-finals. Were it not for the doubts about his overall fitness, I think he would attract far more interest from clubs around Europe. Indeed, I have often thought him to be the type of midfield enforcer that Manchester United have missed since the retirement of Roy Keane and the sad decline of Darren Fletcher. Nonetheless, his goal at Old Trafford on Sunday showed how key a player he is for the Toffees, as it inspired a comeback from two goals down, demonstrating that this is a player that deserves more recognition than he receives.




When compiling this team, I told myself that I would try not to include more than one player from the same club. However, the cases of Alex Song and Theo Walcott are ones I believe to be similiar in that they are both criminally under-valued. Song has taken time to establish himself in Arsenal's midfield, gathering interest for his hairstyles more than he has his football. However, over the past couple of seasons there is no doubt that he has become one of the most improved players in the league, so much so that I believe him to be deserving of a place on the Player of the Year shortlist. This season alone has provided 9 assists, and has been involved in all but four of Arsenal's league fixtures. His range of passing is very impressive, evidenced by the gorgeous lobs he layed on for Robin Van Persie when the Dutchman scored remarkable volleys against Everton and Blackburn. His physical stature also means that he is more than capable of dominating most midfield duels, something which he has done frequently this year. Were Arsenal to further invest in the centre of the field, they would surely be capable of challenging for greater honours than they have over the past few seasons. Regardless, there is no doubt that Song has now established himself as being, along with Van Persie and Vermaelen, one of their most important players.




It is almost astounding (but sadly not surprising) that the PFA managed to conspire to ignore both Victor Moses and Scott Sinclair when compiling their Young Player of the Year shortlist. The inclusion of Sergio Aguero and Gareth Bale, both established players, suggests that whoever was responsible for the selection of the final six had very little idea about the level of young talent currently plying their trade in this country. Indeed, the choice between Sinclair (scorer of 8 goals this year) and Moses (scorer of 4) was a difficult one. The decision to plump for the Wigan starlet was based on age (he is, at 21, two years younger than Sinclair) and the fact that his employers are mired in a relegation dog-fight, which means that his recent performance,  and indeed those from now until the end of the season, are of paramount importance. Moses is a thoroughly exciting talent, a player that is capable of creating something out of nothing due to his combination of power and pace. He is also something of an entertainer, his drag-back past Bacary Sagna in Wigan's 1-2 defeat of Arsenal being evidence of his taste for flair. If his club do manage to beat the drop, it is paramount to their chances of future success that they manage to tie him down to a new deal. Don't be surprised if he has plenty of high-profile suitors this summer though.




Considering that at one point this season, Marc Antoine-Fortune was plying his trade at now relegated Doncaster Rovers and that he may not even be a West Bromwich Albion player next season, his story is more than a little impressive. After a relatively in-auspicious second spell at the club, Fortune was loaned to Donny by manager Roy Hodgson, presumably with a view to a permanent move away from the club. However, after an injury crisis forced Hodgson's hand, Fortune was back at the club and in the starting eleven to face Stoke City. The French forward put in a virtuoso performance, leading the line with aplomb and guding his side to a rare win over the Potters. He repeated his heroics in their 1-5 mauling of Black Country rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers, and was a key component in a run of form that has seen them steer themselves away from relegation trouble and into the top half. A true unsung hero.




In a fair world, Yakubu Aiyegbeni would be a much more respected centre forward than he is. A consistent goal-scorer at Premier League level, he has never really been given the opportunity to shine on a bigger stage. Indeed, this time last season it looked like his time as a top-flight player was drawing to a close. Farmed out on loan to struggling Leicester City, his goals steered the club away from a perilous position and towards the top half of the Championship table. How the Foxes wish they could have held on to the Nigerian. Instead, he moved to Blackburn Rovers and has since been on a one-man mission to fire the club to safety, scoring an impressive 16 goals in 27 games, almost half of their overall tally for the season. Still only 29, you have to believe (or perhaps hope) that one or two more established clubs are preparing to parachute Yakubu out of Ewood Park should Rovers find themselves relegated at the end of the season.


So there it is, folks. An attempt at a tip of the hat to the players that won't be making the end of season teams of the year. Feel free to harass me on Twitter (@benrasmin) if I've missed anyone out!










Wednesday 18 April 2012

Everybody's New Favourite Team



First of all, congratulations to Wigan Athletic for their victory over Arsenal on Monday night. They played with the sort of determination and enthusiasm that supporters of some of their relegation rivals (namely Blackburn and Wolves) can only dream of. More importantly, they have put together a run of form that should ensure their safety for yet another season. Why, though, are we surprised by this?

Whilst watching the game on Sky Sports 1, I couldn't help but be annoyed by some of the patronising comments made by the coverage team, in particular the usually likeable Niall Quinn. He spoke of the game as if it were a cup tie, and his co-commentator (whose name evaded me) remarked consistently that it was a game that Wigan supporters 'would never forget'. Whilst this is probably true, these remarks seemed to bear no acknowledgment of the fact that Wigan had enjoyed similarily impressive victories over Liverpool and Manchester United recently. Was there victory over Arsenal any more astounding than those triumphs? Probably not.

I am not criticising the commentary on Monday night specifically, more so the English media as a whole. They cannot help but continually patronise clubs like Wigan, despite the fact that this is there seventh consecutive season in the top flight. I wonder if Sunderland, for example, would have been treated in a similar vein had they secured three points at the Emirates Stadium on Monday night? The answer is of course no, because Sunderland are a much more fashionable club than Wigan, probably because of the considerable cost of their current squad, the size of their stadium and other such paraphernalia. And that is what is wrong with the current coverage of English football...this continued undermining of clubs who operate on a shoe-string budget, or who don't (or rather, can't) regularly fill their stadium.

This is, admittedly, a delicate matter, but one that struck me as needing adressing after the fallout from Monday's result. I guarantee that when you tune in to Gillette Soccer Saturday or Match of the Day (both fine shows I might add) on Saturday, then the talk will be of how Wigan have 'defied the odds' over the past few weeks, and how remarkable a job Roberto Martinez has done there. All true. But just a matter of weeks ago, the same shows will have been speculating about the future of Martinez when Wigan were mired at the foot of the table. This is not a slight on those involved with either show, or any such programme, but it does demonstrate an innate sloppiness within the coverage of the beautiful game. The same argument can be applied to tabloid newspapers...though I would argue that they are more guilty of zealous over-reaction than (most) television shows.

As my profile will tell you, I am an aspiring sports journalist, and what I am trying to say by means of this post is that there are things that can be changed about the way football is covered. For example, my interpretation of Monday's night game is simply as follows...Wigan beat Arsenal because they were the better side. Martinez tactically out-manouevred his counterpart, Arsene Wenger, who subsequently reacted badly to his side's defeat. The result, in itself, is not that much of a shock, considering that Arsenal lost recently to QPR, a side currently undergoing their first season back in the top flight (was that result treated to such fervour???). These are basic, accurate points that I think are worth more than nonsensical talk such as 'Oh, didn't Wigan play well?' or 'Since when were Wigan this good?', just some of the ridiculous comments I read on Twitter after the game.

I must point out that there are some fantastic football pundits and writers currently working in the game, some of which who are involved in the programmes I previously namechecked. But they are good at what they do because they avoid the cliched 'David v Goliath' plot outline that we are so used to (and bored of). When talking of Norwich or Swansea this season, they have discussed how they have adjusted so well to the top flight, not how much of a shock it is that they have. If Newcastle is the assigned topic, they will point to statistics that show just how savvy they have been in the transfer market, not merely point out that Papiss Demba Cisse is a good finisher (most genuine followers of the game will have known this before he arrived). When discussing the struggles of Blackburn and Wolves, they will note that their failures are not purely down to the fact that they controversially changed manager, but more to do with the shortcomings of their squad. These are the finer points to the game's talking points, and ones which should be observed more dilligently than they are.

So, for the record, Wigan have always tried to play good football under their current manager (and they have often succeeded) and their 2-1 victory is no more a shock than other such side's victories over Arsenal were. Please, let's acknowledge, not patronize. 

Monday 16 April 2012

Big Eck's Big Gamble



On 17 June 2011, Alex McLeish will have been Aston Villa manager for 12 months. Usually, such anniversaries are celebrated by manager and supporter alike. However, it's almost certain that next to none of the claret and blue faithful will be raising a glass to toast their current gaffer, and I'm not entirely sure whether Big Eck himself will be opening a glass of the good stuff to mark the occasion. This has surely been the most difficult period in the Scotsman's coaching career, as he had to constantly fan the flames both on and off the pitch. It's unlikely that he would have expected any different, though, considering the controversial nature of his switch from St Andrews, home of rivals Birmingham City, to Villa Park. But does McLeish deserve the antagonism from the clubs supporters that he has received throughout this Premier League campaign? The answer, in my opinion, is not as clear cut as most Villa fans would tell you it is.

Whilst it takes a man of considerable gall to make the move across the Second City, McLeish is not the most brazen of characters. Rather, he has always struck me as a quiet, methodical figure and I have heard no reports to the contrary from those that have met him. In fact, a friend of mine who has just finished a week's placement with BBC WM informed that he was told by one of the chief sports reporters there that McLeish is one of the nicest gaffers currently working in the Midlands. Now, nice guys don't always come first, granted, but this does suggest that the Villa manager is not the sort of disrespectful character that he has been portrayed as by large sections of Birmingham City supporters. Take into account the reality of McLeish's situation last summer and suddenly his move to Villa does not seem as outrageous as it did when the news first broke.

The Birmingham hierachy, we are led to believe, made it clear that in no uncertain terms the club had to be promoted at the first attempt or McLeish would find himself out of work. Considering the club later underwent a fire-sale of the squad assembled by Big Eck over four years in the job and were also preparing to undergo a season in which they would be competing in four competitions, the ultimatum delivered by the powers that be was a particularly daunting one, and is further proof of the credit deserving of McLeish's replacement, Chris Hughton, for managing such a task. However, Hughton was a manager out of work and in need of a job, whereas McLeish was a coach who was offered a better job (if only marginally) in a higher division, so comparisons between the two are somewhat short-sighted.

The mandate at Villa Park wasn't entirely dissimilar to the one being left behind at St Andrews, but the deciding factor (presumably) was the offer of Premier League football and assurances that, providing there were no disasters, there was no threat of dismissal at the end of the season. To McLeish's credit, there have been few disasters in his first year in charge. Yes, it has been turbulent, but when you inherit a squad that sold it's two best players and released ten others during the summer, struggles of some sort are to be expected. Villa, though not safe yet, are likely to secure another season of Premier League football, despite having to navigate the final throes of the season with a considerable injuries to an already threadbare squad.

As well as this, a promising crop of academy graduates have been eased into the first-team squad, with some looking as if they could play a big part in the club's future. It is my belief that with a considerable degree of investment from their elusive owner, Randy Lerner, Villa could well be a side capable of finishing in the top half of the table again next season. McLeish was allowed to invest in his two years as a Premier League manager at Birmingham, and in the first of those campaigns he guided them to an unlikely top half finish. If he hadn't have been so unlucky with injuries in the following campaign (and, admittedly, been a bit more adventurous tactically) it is unlikely that the club would have been relegated. This to me suggests that the future at Villa is not as bleak as their attendance figures would suggest, that is presuming that Lerner remains as committed as he was in the early stages of his chairmanship.

Friday 13 April 2012

Why Moyes Should Stay Put



Everton are a club seemingly in limbo...each season, they appear to stand in between European qualification and mid-table mediocrity. The reasons for this are because, if you believe what you read, they are desperately short of money. Their chairman Bill Kenwright has had the club up for sale for several years now, but no (suitable) offer has been forthcoming. Why? Nobody, other than presumably Kenwright, knows. But this eternal stalemate has raised very serious questions about the future of the club's outstanding manager, David Moyes.

Moyes has received almost universial credit for the job he has done at Everton, where he persistently squeezes blood out of a stone year after year, ensuring the Toffees consistently finish in the top ten, despite having one of the thinnest squads in the division. He does this through shrewd acquisitions in the transfer market and tactical acuteness (34 goals conceded this season). Naturally, it is fair to presume that his work at Goodison Park over the past 10 years will have caught the eye of one or two Premier League chairmen. There has been speculation that Moyes is of some interest to Tottenham Hotspur and possibly even Chelsea, two clubs that can offer far greater financial windfall than he will be afforded at his current club.

However, to presume that a lack of money is a sufficient reason for Moyes turning his back on a club where he has built his reputation is short-sighted, especially considering that Everton, as previously stated, are a club in limbo. They are not down and out, they sit 7th in the Premier League table (above their wealthier neighbours) and will this Saturday partake in an FA Cup semi-final, 3 years after they took on Chelsea in the final. If they were teetering on the brink of relegation, then perhaps there would be more reason to believe that Moyes was in need of a move elsewhere. But they aren't, rather, they're doing this season what they do everywhere...over-performing. It's plausible to believe that this will be the case next season, and the season after that.

As you will have noted in my previous posts, I am a big believer in hindsight. It is a trait rarely applied to football, mainly because of the omnipresence of money in the game and, of course, the irrational nature of football supporters (myself included). Take the 'Blue Army' protests at Everton this season, for example. The aim of this movement is to force Bill Kenwright to relinquish control of the club, presumably to the highest bidder. Considering it was not long ago that George Gillet and Tom Hicks were almost single-handingly destroying Liverpool, a club situated the other side of Stanley Park, you'd think the blue half of the Mersey would have more sense. The transfer of ownership of a Premier League club is a delicate matter, one that, more often that not, ends in disaster. Just take a trip to Fratton Park for proof.

Kenwright seems to be committed to selling the club to somebody who fits his ideal of an Everton owner...someone who has the club's long-term interest at heart, and not somebody who is determined to make a quick buck off the back of irrational promises and high-profile signings. He should be applauded for that, not lambasted. I would wager that one of the main reasons Moyes has stayed put as long as he has is due to the relationship he has with his chairman, though of course I may be wrong. But let us indulge in some fantasy football for just a second...

What if Everton were bought out, by a wealthy investor who is determined to implement a long-term strategy, a la Manchester City, to make them a dominate Premier League force? What if the new board retain the previous owner's devout trust in Moyes, and give him the transfer kitty he has desired for so long? What if the manager is then able to add top-class international players to play alongside the ones he already has? Suddenly, things don't look so bleak...Everton would be the force they have threatened to be for so long.

Obviously, this is pure guesswork...the club may not be sold for some time, and Moyes may well choose to end his tenure this summer. But there is certainly a convincing argument for him to stay, just a little while longer. After all, nobody knows what the future may bring...