Whatever happened to Gareth Barry?

Whatever happened to Gareth Barry?

It's amazing how quickly a players stock can rise and fall in modern football. 

Gareth Barry has been a capable servant for Manchester City since he signed for the club for £12m in 2009, but it seems that's he's being frozen out by new manager Manuel Pellagrini. 

Barry made 34 appearances in the league for the club in their title winning season of 2011/12 and added 41 more in all competitions last season, so it's not as though he hasn't been playing regularly in recent years, but it seems that his time at the club may be nearing an end.

At the moment, it seems that Everton is his most likely destination, with the move being discussed by sources as varied as the Daily Mail (1) and the Liverpool Echo (2) among others, but time is running out if a deal is to be done. The London trio of Arsenal, West Ham and Tottenham have also been rumoured to be interested, as well as former club Aston Villa, Cardiff and Stoke. (3)

It's rumoured that wage demands are at the route of the problem with his current club. It was reported (4) that Barry was offered a new, short-term deal to extend his stay at City, but he may have refused due to more competition for a first team place in the squad.

With the World Cup coming up next year, Gareth Barry needs game time if he wants to play himself into contention for Roy Hodgson's England squad and at 32, this may end up being his last tournament, so if he does make a move, he needs to ensure that it's the right decision.

Barry still has a lot to offer and at 32, has at least a few years left at the top of his game. It's common knowledge that pace was never important to his playing, style; he even admits this himself.

In an interview with The Telegraph (5) in 2011, Barry said:

“That’s one thing that’s been aimed at me since I was 17, a lack of pace. But I'm no slower now,” Barry said. “That one incident people recall, from the Germany game, was on the highest stage at the World Cup, so it will be remembered. But I'm comfortable with it. My game’s no different."

His stock may be low at City, but his versatility and experience would be useful to most teams in the EPL and he seems to have a variety of clubs waiting in the wings to give him the game time he so craves. It seems likely he will move before the window shuts and he was absent from City's squad yet again for their league game today.

All Barry has to do, is make the right move.

Chelsea v Bayern: The Aftermath

Chelsea v Bayern: The Aftermath

Chelsea v Bayern, or Guardiola v Mourinho. 

No matter the scale of the competition, there could only be one winner as the Champions League finalists of 2012 faced off once again. Both teams prepared for the game differently, with Munich resting key players for the encounter, whilst Chelsea opted for no recognised striker in their tie against Man Utd.

It was Chelsea's turn to suffer the despair of a penalty shootout defeat, albeit on a much smaller stage, as Bayern got revenge for their Champions League defeat. Guardiola also got one over on his old nemesis, but the way Chelsea played bodes well for their future this season.

Chelsea played with attack and verve in the first half and Mourinho was fully vindicated with the selection of Fernando Torres in attack, as he scored a fantastic effort to take the lead in the first ten minutes.

The decision to send off Ramires in the latter stages of the game was probably the right call and the younger members of the squad did well not to buckle under the pressure. They had a few great chances to secure the win in extra-time. in fact, they were only one kick away from the trophy, but Javier Martinez managed to score at the death to send the game to penalties.

Lukaku's effort in the shootout was tame at best and maybe the occasion got to him, but this is an experience he will want to learn from and never replicate again, plus Chelsea have the experience of Samuel Eto'o waiting in the wings should they need a different penalty taker and he has taken many over the years.

Petr Cech was at fault for the first goal and skewed an attempted clearance horribly wide soon after, but he managed to regain his composure and made a number of great saves to keep Chelsea in the game, which shows his great mental fortitude.

Mourinho was typically incensed about losing and the result means that he's only won three times in sixteen attempts against Guardiola, which isn't a record he would like to extend any further, although he may get a chance to rectify this if the Champions League throws up ties like it has in recent years and it would likely be a great encounter.

Aside from the disappointment for Chelsea fans in the manner of their loss, the situation with Juan Mata continues to trundle on, as he sits on the bench despite being one of the EPL's best midfielders last year. 

With the transfer window closing in less than two days, Mata doesn't have long to move and there hasn't been any definite movement for him from any other clubs, so he may be playing for Chelsea come January. No matter what, he deserves game time and if he has to leave to achieve that, that's just the way football is sometimes.

Mourinho's young side came up a little short in this 'Champions League dress rehearsal' and they will have to go that extra mile if they want to add to the trophy cabinet, but they seem to be moving in the right direction. In Lukaku's case, sometimes you can learn more from your failures than your triumphs.

As for Mourinho, he must be disappointed at coming so close to dispelling some of the mystery that surrounds the enigma that is Josep 'Pep' Guardiola. 
  

Willian: The facts

Willian: The facts

Chelsea swooped in to complete the signing of highly-rated Brazilian Willian at the expense of Tottenham, who had gone as far as completing a medical for the attacking midfielder before losing out to their local rivals. Willian arrived in London with much expected of him, but what do we actually know about the £30m superstar?

Well for a start, his full name is Willian Borges da Silva and he has signed a five-year contract with the Blues, but he was close to signing for both Tottenham and Liverpool just this year. Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers spoke very highly of Willian, saying:

“It’s disappointing because this was a player who would have been perfect for us. We expect to be the best we can possibly be, but that means getting the best players" (1) which shows the difference Rodgers believes Willian would have made for his team this season.

He started his career at Brazilian club Corinthians, playing for the first team in the 2006/07 season and caught the attention of quite a few scouts during his time there, but really established himself on the world stage during his time at Shaktar Donetsk where he won numerous titles including the league, the Ukrainian cup and the Super League in 2010-11, as well as winning a domestic double in the next season. He should fit in well with the Chelsea squad as they do seem to have a strong winning mentality, even more so under the leadership of Jose Mourinho.

Willian earned his big money move, but some were surprised at the destination, as he joined Anzhi Makhachkala instead of one of the many top European clubs that coveted the midfielder at the time, with Arsenal (2) amongst others reportedly interested in the Brazilian in 2011.

The well documented 'financial restructuring' taking place at Anzhi this season meant that the whole club were up for sale, including their star midfielder, which left the door open for Chelsea to steal a march on Tottenham by wrapping up the deal last week. The former Anzhi manager Rene Meulensteen was another to praise Willian, saying; 

"He's very versatile, he can play in different positions, he's a very creative player and an excellent professional with a very good personality. He can beat a player, he can score a goal. I thought he was an absolute delight to work with." (3)

So it seems despite the controversy surrounding the circumstances of his transfer, he isn't a very controversial character and he seems eager to impress at Chelsea. In an interview with the Chelsea website after his signing, he said;

"I've always been following Chelsea and every time I came to London I would try to see a Chelsea game and see how the team was doing because it's been my dream to come to play here." (4) although players do tend to talk up any affinity they hold with new clubs and he may have said the same thing had he signed for Spurs.

He joins a packed Chelsea midfield and may find it harder to get playing time than his ex-Anzhi teammate Samuel Eto, who is joined the club last night, most probably ending their pursuit of Wayne Rooney. Willian has Juan Mata, Eden Hazard and Andre Schurrle to compete with to play on the left and Chelsea have even more strength further up the pitch in attacking midfield positions, so they may have to let somebody go to accommodate their new signing.

 Big things are expected of Willian and if he's given the chance, he could make the difference as the Blues battle for multiple titles during the season, but he'll have to work hard to become one of Mourinho's 'untouchables' and he faces stiff competition from the current squad.

The best football banter tweets: 23/08/2013

The best football banter tweets: August 2013

One of the best things about Twitter is the collection of jokes and banter available to football fans, so without further ado, let's kick off: the best football banter tweets (Aug 13.)

8. BBC Sporf: The change in Arsenal FC

7. NUFC Banter: Newcastle United: Top of the League

6. Soccer Guy: Dwayne Rooney

5. Footy Humour: Ferguson and Chelsea

4. John NOT Terry: Thrifty Wenger

3. Aniel: Fantasy footy team names

2. John NOT Terry: Arsenals transfer targets

1. BBC Sporf : Neville v Carragher

So that's the list, if you found the tweets funny you may want to give the person a follow. Also, you can follow me if you wish, @jamoashmore. 

Arsenal Transfer Troubles: 2013-14

Arsenal Transfer Troubles: 2013-14

The transfer window is an important time for any club, but with the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson and changes at the top for Man City and Chelsea, it seemed Arsenal were in a good position to solidify their place in the top four and start challenging for the title once more.

However, Tottenham stole a march on their rivals by signing an influx of quality players as they await a seemingly done deal for Gareth Bale to go to Madrid in a reported £100m move, whilst Man City announced themselves by signing players like Fernandinho, Navas and Negredo, showing faith and strong backing to new manager Manuel Pellegrini.

Man Utd were the champions last season and despite little movement in the transfer market, it could be argued that David Moyes inherited a good first XI, with the Rooney situation and a new centre-mid the most pressing of his concerns, rather than an overhaul of the team.

Lastly Chelsea, who are currently top of the league, whose most impressive signing has been the return of Jose Mourinho, are tipped to win the league by many bookmakers after a poor showing in the league last year.

So, finally onto the subject of Arsenal. Some people seem to have forgotten the resurgence of form the Gunners had in the latter part of last season as they battled with Tottenham for the coveted Champions League spot. Having emerged triumphant, it seemed that Arsene would finally be able to get the monkey off his back, appease the fans with some quality signings and quash any rumours of an exit for the EPL's longest serving manager.

Even with the emergence of Theo Walcott as the striker he always thought he could be, plus an improved showing by Oliver Giroud in recent months, Arsenal have been desperate to sign a world-class centre forward but they have been rebuffed at every turn. Their unsuccessful pursuit of Luis Suarez in particular wasted valuable time as they let other targets move out of their reach.

Arsenal reportedly but in a bid for Gonzalo Higuain (who ended up at Napoli) and tried to sign Stevan Jovetic, who eventually signed for Man City in a reported £22m deal as well as rumours they were interested in Wayne Rooney, but Chelsea seems to be the most likely destination if any for the England forward.

Late last night, it was reported that Arsenal are going to bid £40m for the services of Karim Benzema, who would fit the world-class striker role that the Gunners so desperately need. Arsenal have had no trouble identifying their targets during this window, so they should move quickly to ensure that they finally get their man.   

Even with their strong showing in the 3-0 win against Fenerbache in the Champions League qualifier, the 3-1 loss to Aston Villa in the opening game of the league season put Arsenal under unnecessary pressure from the media and portions of the fans who must be afraid of another dismal season from the club with the highest ticket prices in the league.

At least Arsenal have all but qualified for the Champions League proper (as they always do) and it will help in their quest to reinforce the team with quality signings. The transfer window is still open and they will probably sign a few players by the end, but there is a chance they may rue the players they missed earlier along the way.

There's no loyalty in football (and it shouldn't be expected)

There's no loyalty in football (and it shouldn't be expected)

As the Wayne Rooney, Luis Suarez  and Gareth Bale transfer stories continue to pick up pace, English football has taken a real battering in terms of the loyalty of their top stars.

The Telegraph has reported that Rooney wants to leave for Chelsea, The Metro have said Suarez is "desperate to leave" Liverpool and Bale has a chance to move to one of the biggest clubs in the world if Madrid put in a concrete bid.

It's said that United and Liverpool are unwilling to sell to their close rivals so if Rooney and Suarez do move, they could leave the country altogether, weakening the league as a whole.

If you scan through the comments sections on many football websites, you'll find many fans questioning the motives of Rooney and Suarez especially.

These fans feel that the faith and support shown over the years (especially during controversial spells by both Rooney and Suarez) should be paid back in kind and that they should reject any advances from interested clubs.

To some extent I can understand where Rooney is coming from. Despite his immense pay packet, the England star is supposedly in the prime of his career and needs to play regularly to temper his fluctuating fitness.

With RVP ready to lead the line, Rooney will receive no assurances about his place in the first XI and the press leapt upon comments made by United manager David Moyes saying Rooney was back-up for Robin Van Persie.

Rooney is also being criticised because of earlier statements in which he questioned the direction of the club and the playing personnel, but now wants to leave after seeing his position usurped by the skilful Dutchman.

However, Rooney is a 'paid employee' of Man Utd and despite his enormous pay packet, he shouldn't be forced to see out his contract if he doesn't want to. He's served the club over the years and come up with the goods on many occasions. 

He owes the fans nothing and should be allowed to leave, there's no point in keeping a player that doesn't want to wear the shirt and better players than Rooney have come and gone whilst United have relentlessly won titles and crushed the opposition.

The fact that Rooney has ended up in court with Moyes in the past adds more poison into the mix and it's hard to see him playing at United once the transfer window closes.

Suarez is a different case altogether. The racism case damaged the reputation of Liverpool, the squad and ruined a lot of the hard work done by the Kick It Out campaign to tackle racism in the game.

It also factored into the demise of Kenny Dalglish, who had been a legendary Kop manager beforehand, but left his reputation tarnished by the end due to his misguided backing of Suarez even when it became apparent he was in the wrong.

Suarez then proceeded to bite Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic, but received backing from Liverpool supporters who wanted to protect their star striker from the universal condemnation he was receiving.

 Despite the support, love, affection, devotion and loyalty shown to Suarez by the fans, he still wants to leave with Arsenal willing to smash their transfer record to sign the controversial striker.

It's a shame for the fans who have backed Suarez relentlessly, only to have it thrown back in their faces. But isn't it to be expected? 

Players like John Terry and Steven Gerrard, true one-club men, are a dying breed. We shouldn't expect loyalty from footballers, because greed is a part of human nature and we're all susceptible.

Managers leave, players leave and owners leave, but many clubs have stood for over 100 years and show no signs of stopping any time soon, (unless they end up liquidated.) Teams with such a renowned history such as Liverpool and United should collect the pay checks and laugh all the way to the bank.

Never mind the reported £81m or £100m fee being touted for Gareth Bale. Chelsea made £47m from winning the champions league in 2012 so selling Bale to Madrid would be like winning the financial Champions League, twice over.

For the fans, the moral of the story seems to be; don't buy a replica shirt, because he'll probably be at your rivals in two years.

Lukaku: The next big thing at Chelsea

Lukaku: The next big thing at Chelsea

Romelu Lukaku arrived at Chelsea in the summer of 2011 touted as 'the next Didier Drogba', but the Belgian striker may finally step out of the shadow of the club legend this season.

The comparisons between Drogba and Lukaku are easy to make, when Lukaku arrived at Chelsea he was more than happy to discuss the similarities in their play and called it "an honour" to be compared to the "world-class striker". (1)

Lukaku took a loan move to Steve Clarke's' West Brom side in 2012 to get much needed first-team football and he proceeded set the Premiership alight with his strength, pace and goals for the team. He finished the campaign with an impressive return of 17 goals from 35 league games, all at the tender age of 19.

Chelsea have recently been strongly linked with Man Utd striker Wayne Rooney, but Lukaku has scored more goals than Rooney did at 19, despite the fact that he played for a side expected to contest strongly for the league. (They eventually finished second, trailing Chelsea by 8 points.)

Rooney scored 16 times in 36 league appearances in the 2005-06 season and that was in his second full term at United, after he had time to bed into the squad and acclimatise himself in the previous year.

Rooney undoubtedly has flashes of true brilliance and quality, but comparing the two players reminded me of how good Rooney was in his youth and how much his 'hunger' to prove himself drove him on to multiple trophies and titles.

Lukaku is hungry, you can see it from the way plays and he undoubtedly wants to announce himself on the world stage this season. Compared to the jaded Rooney of recent years, I know who I would prefer to lead the line in Chelsea colours.

As impressive as the Rooney signing may be, Sir Alex Ferguson seemed to suggest that Rooney's "hunger" was more literal in recent times, that the player was suffering from "weight and fitness issues" as well as "doubts about the players approach to his work" (2) which are more concerns that should be addressed regarding Chelsea's "number one transfer target".

There are yet more reasons why Chelsea should give Lukaku an extended run in the team at the expense of a more established name. Fernando Torres managed to net 22 goals last season, but many came at the expense of "lesser teams" and he toiled for extended periods, much to the despair of Chelsea fans.

Replacing Torres with another jaded, big money striker may not be the right thing to do and Lukaku has his best years ahead of him, instead of the prestige of past glories that more established forwards would bring to the table.

Lukaku leads the line well and is a great focal point for the Chelsea attack. In September 2012, he said that he was "tired of the comparisons with Drogba" (3) and that he was ready to "carve out his own reputation in football". 

He definitely laid down strong foundations last year at West Brom and Chelsea manager Mourinho started Lukaku in the pre-season friendly against Inter Milan today ahead of Demba Ba and Torres, so he's been given the chance that he so obviously deserves.

Lukaku doesn't have to be the next Drogba. The way he's playing, he could be even better.