Why Arsenal had take the gamble on hiring Mikel Arteta

Following Sunday's 3-0 defeat to Man City, Arsenal sit in 10th place in the Premier League, with just a solitary win in their last 12 games in all competitions. With a mere 22 points from the opening 17 games, the club have endured their worst start to a league campaign since the 1994/95 season, in which they ended the season in 12th place. Arsenal is a club on a downward spiral, spineless, directionless and leaderless on and off the pitch and are in danger of slipping further and further into mediocrity if this next managerial appointment doesn't work out.

The Pep Guardiola understudy became a 
clear favourite for the vacancy following
meetings with club officials after City's 3-0
win on Sunday.

When Arsenal were clearly looking to favour a cheaper alternative to the likes of Everton-bound Ancelotti and Allegri, Mikel Arteta had become the clear and obvious choice for the Arsenal job mainly due to his familiarity of the club after his five year spell at the Gunners at the end of his playing career. Arteta described his ideal managerial style back in an interview in 2014 in which he stated 'I want the football to be expressive, entertaining. I cannot have a concept of football where everything is based on the opposition. We have to dictate the game, we have to be the ones taking the initiative, and we have to entertain the people coming to watch us.' Having worked under Pep Guardiola, one of the best possession based, attacking coaches in world football, he'd have witnessed first hand some methods which he could use in order to integrate his philosophy into this squad and give them a clear identity which they've been lacking since Wenger left.

The former Arsenal Captain won back to
back FA Cups during his five year tenure
at the North London Club

His knowledge of not only the club, but also the Premier League made him the ideal candidate for the role. His familiarity with the people at the club helps the transitional phase massively, watching his welcoming video already showed how excited staff members were to have him back at the club. I expect to see him and Per Mertesacker working together a lot, especially on starting to tighten up the defence. It was vital for Arsenal to get someone in who knows this league, with a tough two weeks ahead with a trip to Everton and home games against Chelsea and Man United the standout matches and with there being such an importance on getting results early, the club couldn't afford to risk bringing in someone from abroad who was going to need to learn the language and culture of the club, country and league as well as having to bring their philosophy into the squad.

Mikel Arteta's work with Raheem Sterling has transformed
him into one of the leagues' most lethal finishers

During his time at Manchester City, Arteta has been highly credited as being the cause of Raheem's Sterling improvement. Before the 2017/18 season, the winger had never scored more than 11 goals in a season or even reach double figures in the league, however, under the mentorship of Arteta, in the last two and a half seasons, his goal tally has been as followed: 2017-18 - 18 league goals (23 all comps), 2018-19 - 17 league goals (25 all comps), 2019-20 - 9 league goals (18 all comps). Even Pep Guardiola praised the effect that the former midfielder had on the Englishman's improvement in the final third stating 'Mikel Arteta is working many, many hours and days after training specifically about the last action on the pitch - that control in the last moment to make the right movement in the final three or four metres.' With a misfiring Pepe, young players like Martinelli, Nelson, Saka, Smith-Rowe and even Willock and Guendouzi in midfield, if Arteta can replicate his one on one work with Sterling with this group of young players, the future's bright for Arsenal. 

Arteta being congratulated after masterminding City's
2nd goal vs Arsenal last season

Last season at the Emirates Stadium, City looked short of ideas whilst leading 1-0 and Arsenal had all the momentum and it seemed like an equaliser was imminent. However, Arteta had a moment of tactical genius and showed how well he can read the game and spot a weakness to exploit in his opponents. He noticed how when Arsenal were dropping back, they left so much space on the edge of the box which City were failing to utilise as they were just whipping crosses straight to Leno. Having noticed this, he instructed Mendy to cut the ball back into the space which led to a Bernardo Silva goal which saw City regain a foothold in the game before seeing a 2-0 victory out. His forward thinking, decisiveness and willing to adapt his tactics to take a risk to regain control of a game is something which Arsenal have lacked for the past few years. Too often the Gunners have sat back and been tactically naive which has cost them massively home and away, especially this season. Immediately in his welcoming video, you can see his desire to address the current problems, as he speaks with the analysis team about using camera and drones, showing that he already has things he wants to fix and work on and clearly admitting that their is issues with this squad as opposed to papering over cracks. 

The Spaniard has joined the club on a deal until 2023 and
promises to be ruthless and get the Gunners competing
once again

There will be arguments made by fans and pundits alike that a lack of experience will hold Arteta back however, his character and personality and knowledge of the club and league outweighs the fact that this is his first managerial job for me. Arsenal have already gone down the experience route with Emery, who had managed 719 games and won 10 trophies in his career before joining Arsenal, yet he failed to manage egos and show the tactical nouse to succeed at the club for a prolonged period. Arsenal need the freshness and the brutality that Mikel Arteta is promising to bring as players have held too much power under the previous manager and even towards the end of Wenger's reign. From his opening interview Arsenal fans have a reason to be positive that once again they will have a team that plays for the badge on the shirt instead of the name on the back. He said 'I don't want them hiding. I want my players to take responsibility for their jobs and I want people who deliver passion and energy into the football club. Anyone who doesn't buy into this, or that has a negative effect or whatever, is not good enough for this environment or this culture.' It's about time Arsenal had a manager who is willing to be ruthless and not adhere to the demands of the big stars and instead focus on the bigger picture, the success of the football club. He may be a young manager, but similarly to Solskjaer at Man United and Lampard at Chelsea, these young managers are coming with a ruthlessness and are demanding respect and have no time for these players with massive ego's which is a welcome change for not only Arsenal but for football as a whole. 

Overall, Mikel Arteta has every chance to have success at Arsenal, it isn't going to happen overnight and this season will likely continue to be one riddled with inconsistency, however, if he's backed in January and more importantly in the summer and is backed if he wants to get rid of any players who have a bad attitude, then there's no doubt that Arteta can come in and get Arsenal competing again over time. Fans have to back him through whatever highs and lows come with the uncoachable defence he has to deal with for the rest of this season, however at the very least, he'll be able to at least give the club an identity again which fans have been crying out for in recent months and then he can be judged next season when hopefully he's been completely backed to rebuild a squad that's lacking a defensive spine right now. 

England vs Croatia Preview

Wednesday 11th July - England vs Croatia

Harry Kane is uncontested as the top scorer in the
World Cup so far with 6 goals (averaging one every
61 minutes).

Tonight, one of England or Croatia will book themselves a place in the World Cup Final. They'll both have watched with eager eyes to see France book their place in Sunday's Final. England are in their first semi-final since Italia 90, where penalty heartbreak occurred against West Germany, Whereas Croatia are only in their second Semi-Final ever, ironically, this is the first time they've got out of Group Stages since 1998 and they've reached the same stage as back then. 

Their routes to the Semi-Finals

The midfield duo of Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic
have been instrumental in Croatia's magnificent
run to only their World Cup Semi-Final.

It's been a real test of determination, togetherness and character for England on their route to the Semi-Finals. The group stage started with what could have been another typical England result in the World Cup, until Harry Kane headed home in stoppage time to defeat Tunisia 2-1. The belief in this team set in for me when we put Panama to the sword and hammered them 6-1, the first time I've ever seen an England team be ruthless and clinical on the big stage. Losing the battle of the B teams didn't really have too much of an effect on us. Sure it would have been nice to beat Belgium, but it handed us a more favourable route which we've well and truly taken advantage of. Colombia in the Round of 16 was the biggest mental test of this squad. Conceding in the last minute to send the game to extra time, we look frazzled for long periods of Extra-Time but I can finally say, WE WON A PENALTY SHOOTOUT!!! That was such a vital victory for the mental state of the squad, that worry of not being able to win a penalty shootout is well and truly gone now, there is no longer anything to fear. Up against a defensive Sweden side in the Quarter-Finals, we were well organised, patient in our build up play and yet again took advantage of set-pieces as Maguire headed us ahead before Alli bagged the second to make it a relatively comfortable scoreline, however, we've been saved continuously by Jordan Pickford in the knockout stages.

Croatia looked unstoppable in the group stages as with relative ease, they managed to pick up 9/9 points. They started the tournament with a bang, outclassing Nigeria before their most impressive game of the tournament so far when they put Argentina to the sword, hammering them in every department, keeping Messi quiet and comfortably winning 3-0. They finished the group with a 2-1 victory over Iceland to secure the number one spot in the group. However, the knockout stages have really tested this team and shown some clear weaknesses defensively. Gifting cheap goals against both Denmark and Russia, drawing 1-1 and 2-2 respectively, before managing to get past both courtesy of penalties, where Subasic has proved to have been a hero for them.

How will both sides approach the game?

On the England side of things, I'm expecting the same line-up. Even with Sterling's lack of contribution with the ball at his feet, he's made the right runs to stretch the defence and been a constant distraction for the opposition's defence, if he could actually score or pick up an assist, that would be brilliant, but it's clear to see why Southgate persists with him as his work rate suits the system. The pressing from Sterling, Lingard and Kane in particular will prove to be vital again in making their lesser quality players have to rush passes therefore forcing them into mistakes. This game is a huge test of Alli and Lingard's discipline, it is vital that they recognise, that when one of them is higher up the pitch pressing the back line, the other needs to slot in alongside Henderson, who will no doubt need help with both Modric and Rakitic, if he's left isolated against those two, then he'll be chasing shadows all game. The wing-backs have been crucial all tournament for us, their link up play with the midfielders has been quality, they've got to be more disciplined with their runs tonight though, every time they commit to one, they've got to make it count. Trippier has been our best player throughout this tournament, his set pieces and crosses have been pinpoint on numerous occasions, and there's no doubt for me, he'll be the a main focal point of the attack tonight. Onto set pieces, we know it's what we've spent the most time working on throughout this World Cup and it's paid off, with them contributing to 8 of our 11 goals. Whilst we maintain a threat with them, we can't afford to be lazy defensively with them, got to make sure everyone marks their man and we don't make the mistake Russia did and not put a man on the post. Finally, there's a big emphasis on Harry Kane tonight playing like he did against Sweden, if he chases loose balls down the channels, holds the ball up allowing the runs in behind from Lingard, Sterling and Alli. He's shown great maturity in his performances so far, my one doubt with Kane was if he could be more than just a clinical finisher, especially in games when you come up against teams that park the bus but during this competition, he's shown massive improvement in his overall game. We've got to hold possession today, work the ball around them and make them chase us as much as possible, they're going to be tired after back to back penalty shootouts, so keep making them work hard pressing us and cracks will eventually start to show, and that's when we need to strike and be ruthless in getting a second goal too.

From the Croatian perspective, I expect to see them to sit back and soak up the pressure like they did against Argentina. They don't have the most quality in their team, however, this tournament has shown more than any other that individual win you nothing. They're going to be well drilled, disciplined and aim to bait us into throwing plenty of players forward in order to hit us on the break, especially if it's still level going into the second half. Attacking wise, it's evident that they're going to opt to get the little magician that is Luka Modric on the ball as much as possible because they know they can trust him to spot the runs of the likes of Perisic and Rakitic who can then deliver it into Mandzukic or go for goal themselves, because it's well known that their three most creative players all have a worldie in them. I expect their biggest threat is going to come from set pieces, as poorly as they've defended them at times in this tournament, they've looked quite threatening, especially with Modric and Rakitic delivering quality balls into the middle for Vida, Lovren and Mandzukic to attack.

Key Battles

Kane vs Lovren - This should be one of the biggest factors in the game tonight, last season Kane hammered Lovren who had a nightmare at Wembley when he made mistakes which enabled the lethal striker to bag a brace before he was subbed off after 30 minutes due to a dreadful performance. Then in February, he made a mistake gifting Kane a penalty so it's the striker who clearly has an advantage in the mental battle over the two. It's vital that Kane gets in Lovren's head straight away, draw a foul, take him on, anything to make him nervous about playing him again.

Maguire vs Mandzukic - Harry Maguire has become the nation's new hero throughout this World Cup, brilliant on social media, been a rock at the back and contributed with the opener against Sweden. He's showed his class and composure so far as part of the back three. This will be his biggest test yet against the big Croatian striker. Be fascinating to see these two up against each other on set pieces at either end. This is the ideal test for Maguire to prepare him for facing off against Giroud in the final.

Sterling vs Himself - Raheem Sterling has been the scapegoat throughout this World Cup in the England side, most of it is deserved because he doesn't do enough with the ball at his feet, which is frustrating when you see the season he had for Man City. He makes the right runs, he opens up space for teammates, he just needs a goal. As soon as he gets one, we'll see him at his best, it's just he can't have another game where he's not creating anything because you can't carry a passenger at this stage of the World Cup. If he loses the ball, he's got to keep his head up and stay composed, he's got the ability, just lacks the belief in himself for England.

England Predicted line-up: Jordan Pickford, Harry Maguire, John Stones, Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, Ashley Young, Jordan Henderson, Dele Alli, Jesse Lingard, Raheem Sterling, Harry Kane.

Croatia Predicted line-up: Danijel Subasic, Sime Vrsaljko, Dejan Lovren, Domagoj Vida, Ivan Stranic, Marcelo Brozovic, Luka Modric, Ivan Perisic, Ivan Rakitic, Ante Rebic, Mario Mandzukic.

Score Prediction - England 3-0 Croatia - Southgate has got me believing well and truly, there's a real togetherness in this side and I think it'll shine through tonight. There will be some nerves but if we can get that early goal, it'll be a fairly comfortable game for us. Sure there will be times when we're under pressure but as long as we stay compact, communicate and trust each other, we have every chance of seeing this game out comfortably. Wouldn't be surprised to see Trippier set up Kane with one of his crosses and then I can see us capitalising on a couple of set-pieces. The lads are already going to come home as hero's they've reignited everyone's passion in the national team, the challenge for them now is for them to come home as legends, as World Cup winners and I see no reason why they can't do that.

IT'S COMING HOME!!!!

France vs Belgium Preview

 Tuesday 10th July - France vs Belgium

Griezmann and Mbappe have proven to be a lethal
partnership throughout the tournament, both finding the 
back of the net on three occasions

The World Cup Semi-Finals kick off tonight with the 1998 winners France taking on a Belgium side who are aiming to reach their first ever World Cup Final. Their previous best performance was reaching this stage back in 1986 in which Diego Maradona bagged a brace to send them to the 3rd/4th playoff match in which they were defeated by France 4-2 (the last time these two sides faced each other at a World Cup).

            Their routes to the Semi-Finals

Romelu Lukaku celebrates after Belgium book their
place in a World Cup Semi-Final for the second time
in their history

France didn't look the most convincing in the group stages, battling to 2-1 win against a resilient Australian side and in their second game of the tournament, a tap in for Mbappe in the 34th minute proved to be enough to see off Peru. A 0-0 draw with Denmark sparked worries about this French side, but those worries have quickly disappeared in the knockout stages as they put Argentina to the sword in a    4-3 win. That game was where we saw the true devastation that their attack can do to a defence. Spearheaded by the front three of Griezmann, Giroud, Mbappe, they have the perfect balance of pace and power and it shows. With Giroud's unselfishness, and prowess in holding the ball up, he understands his supportive role perfectly, bringing both his strike partners into play and creating space for them to burst into by bullying defenders. Mbappe showed his incredible and finishing ability in that game, but in the quarter-finals it was Griezmann who stole the show, putting in a pinpoint delivery for Varane to head home before being given the the biggest gift he'll receive in his career as Muslera squandered his shot as France saw off Uruguay comfortably winning 2-0 to reach this stage.

Belgium on the other hand have looked mighty throughout this tournament. Winning 3-0 over Panama to kick off the tournament and following that up with a 5-2 demolition job over Tunisia, they'd already cemented themselves as a threat in this World Cup. They saw off England in the battle of the B teams, courtesy of a wonder strike from Januzaj. What they've shown in the knockout stages is resilience and togetherness, nothing highlights this more than their Round of 16 tie vs Japan. They found themselves 2-0 down with 52 minutes played. Two headers in the space of five minutes from Vertonghen and Fellaini saw Belgium back in it, before with less than 20 seconds left to spare, the quickest counter attack you'll ever see saw Chadli break Japanese hearts. They took the counter attacking style into their quarter final vs Brazil and it worked to perfection, a lucky own goal puts them 1-0 ahead before Lukaku tees up De Bruyne who fires home to double the advantage. They held onto a 2-1 win which has seen confidence reach an all time high for Belgium's golden generation.

How will both sides approach the game?

From the French perspective, I expect to see them try to have the majority of possession and try to maintain on the front foot throughout the game. They're going to have a fine balance between attack and defence with Pogba, Griezmann, Mbappe, Giroud having freedom to attack, with both full backs being given full license to bomb up the wing and attack their opposite number. Having Kante and the returning Matuidi sat covering provides the perfect that has made this team one for everyone to fear. They're both completely unselfish and willing to do the dirty work in order to get the result. At the back, they've looked suspect at times, but, there's a real belief in this team with how they play. They're going to try exploit long balls in behind, trying to catch out the Belgium back three with the pace of Mbappe and to be fair to Pogba, he's performed very well in this World Cup in this playmaker role and I expect him to be a key component in the outcome of this match. What's scary about them, is they don't only have to play long balls exploiting pace, but this squad possesses the technical ability to keep the ball on the deck and work round a team, with Griezmann, Mbappe and Pogba all possessing incredible ball control and they have the perfect striker to link up with in Giroud, who will sit on the back line and hold up play or do one of those cute little flicks around the corner to catch the defence off. Aerially this team is strong, with both centre halfs and Giroud providing dominance in this regard. The quality of set piece deliveries from Griezmann will be paramount.

On the Belgian front, I expect to see them play in a similar counter attacking style that they adopted in the Brazil game. They can soak up the pressure because with the experience they have in the spine of this team. They have plenty of aerial presence and some of the strongest players you could hope for so dealing with set pieces shouldn't be too big of an issue for them, in fact set pieces should be this side's biggest asset in this game. The fluidity of Hazard, De Bruyne and Lukaku on the counter is a joy to watch. Lukaku's movement is second to none and even though he hasn't found the back of the net since the Tunisia game, he's been a constant thorn in the side for defences. With France's full backs likely to bomb forward, he's got to be clever to escape from the clutches of Kante and Matuidi and exploit the space out wide, dragging someone out of position in order to create space for De Bruyne and Hazard, who will have task of doing the same role when needed. They're going to have be a bit more direct than their opposition, especially if both Fellaini and Witsel start, because technically, they don't have anywhere near the ability of De Bruyne or Hazard. Belgium are going to miss Meunier, who has been absolutely quality in that RWB role throughout this tournament. I expect to see Chadli used in this role whereas Carrasco will find himself back out in the LWB role, which Martinez has opted to use him at wing back in prior matches, rather than a tactical change to four at the back being implemented. That does put more of an emphasis on Fellaini/Witsel dropping back when Carrasco bombs forward.

Key Battles

Kante vs Hazard - The battle of the Chelsea teammates is probably the most key match-up in this semi-final. If Kante can nullify the effect of his club counterpart then it will massively decrease the Belgian threat in the final third and will force them to go long to Lukaku, which should play into Varane and Umtiti's hands.

Lukaku vs Hernandez & Pavard - Lukaku will be constantly trying to exploit the space that either full-back leaves or constantly look to pick a fight with these two, due to him being equally as quick and stronger than both of them. Both French full-backs have to pick their moments to bomb forward, and if France take a 1-0 lead, they have to be disciplined enough to stay compact at the back and not make any stupid mistakes.

Lloris vs Courtois - This game will likely come down to which keeper makes a mistake, both could have spells where they're constantly under pressure with set pieces or needing to pull off a double save. Both have had superb tournaments, and although neither keeper had the greatest season club wise, they've both made quality saves in this tournament. They're both going to have to be on the top of the game, because there are plenty of players on the pitch who could just hit an unsuspecting shot from 30 yards towards the top corners, and mentally, both should be prepared for this one to go all the way to penalties.

France predicted line-up: Hugo Lloris, Lucas Hernandez, Raphael Varane, Samuel Umtiti, Benjamin Pavard, Ngolo Kante, Blaise Matuidi, Paul Pogba, Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe, Olivier Giroud.

Belgium predicted line-up: Thibaut Courtois, Jan Vertonghen, Vincent Kompany, Toby Alderwiereld, Nacer Chadli, Axel Witsel, Marouane Fellaini, Yannick Carrasco, Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku.

Score Prediction: France 2-1 Belgium (AET) - France's quality will shine through. Their attacking prowess will pay off with Griezmann and Mbappe getting on the scoresheet, and defensively they'll hold on just about to break Belgian hearts yet again. Really wouldn't be surprised to see this go to penalties though, should be a thrilling end to end game with chances galore.

The England vs Croatia preview will be released at 18:30 tomorrow. Thanks for reading!

Premier League 2017/18 Forecast

Champions - Manchester City

For me, Guardiola's side are by far the favourites this season. With their strength in depth, particularly in attack, they're going to be a force to be reckoned with for any defence in the Premier League. I wouldn't be surprised to see them break the record most league goals scored in a season, especially with the creativity of Silva/De Bruyne and Toure, behind a front three of Gabriel Jesus, Aguero and Sane/Sterling. They'll still be vulnerable to counter-attacks so the odd dodgy result will no doubt pull them closer to the chasing pack, however, with their firepower, not winning the league this year would be a failure.

Runners-Up - Chelsea

The current holders will push City all the way, however I can't see them retaining the title next season. The adaptation period of Morata and Bakayoko is why I think they'll just miss out, even if Morata adapts quickly, they won't hit their peak until Bakayoko is fully fit. Fabregas will likely sit in the hole with Kante, but as the Community Shield showed, playing the Spaniard in that role leaves them more exposed defensively. They're exposed to a potential defensive crisis with the sale of Ake and the loaning of Zouma to Stoke City. I believe that more teams will have their number this year and be able to counter their 3 at the back system which was so effective last campaign. What I think is key for their success this year will be adaptation, it's something Conte wouldn't have really had to worry about at Juventus, however, now teams have seen others nullify the effect of their system, it'll be interesting to see how quickly he comes up with a Plan B when they hit a rough patch of form. With that said, in Europe I think it'll be a different story as I can see them impressing and at least reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League.

3rd - Arsenal

I still don't think we're strong enough to fight for the title yet, however I do believe that Arsenal will have a much better final position this year. Lacazette will compliment how we like to play and I'd go as far as saying, he's the best fit for our style of play that we've had since Henry. Great movement, plenty of pace and a powerhouse, he should quickly adapt to the pace of the Premier League and more importantly, bring the best out of Mesut Ozil. There is no excuse for the German to have games where he goes missing next year, especially now that defenders no longer have to only worry about the movement of Sanchez, but now Lacazette adds another piece to the puzzle. Kolasinac may prove to be the signing of the summer, a pacey powerful full-back who looks head and shoulders above the likes of Gibbs and Monreal going forward. I think he'll contribute a lot to the team, not only in assists, but, with goals to due to his aerial presence. If we can get Lemar then that should be the pneultimate bit of business for me, I believe we're also a centre-back away from being a title contender. You could argue that we need another CM also to sit alongside Xhaka, however I think any of Elneny/Coquelin/Ramsey compliment his style of play perfectly. I think November and February will ultimately decide the outcome of our season, taking 7 or 8 out of 12 and 6 out of 9 at least respectively will see us stay within touching distance of the two above us. (Fixtures obviously subject to change) The Europa League run shouldn't have much of an affect on league form, the group stage should be easily negotiated with a 2nd team but then again knowing our luck, Bayern or Barca will end up finishing 3rd in their group and drawing us in the Round of 32. If that doesn't happen, then we have to have aspirations to win it. I think we're one of the strongest sides in their and not winning it would be a real disappointment. Finally you have to question the mentality, too many times we've fallen away at crucial parts of the season and the excuses have rolled out, whether that will change now that we're playing 3 at the back, who knows with Arsenal nowadays. What we do know, is that success is needed and if not success then real signs of progression at least to help repair the fanbase after the disarray it's been in with the Wenger In vs Wenger Out. He's signed the two year deal now so that's done, it's time to be positive and hope things have changed, if one result goes bad I hope people don't jump back into the arguments, however, what we do know is that by staying in charge, Wenger has put himself in the position of being under the most pressure to succeed during his tenure at the club.

4th - Liverpool

From 3rd to 7th in this prediction, I think you could make a case for any team trading places with each other, but none more so than Liverpool. Having at trio of Coutinho, Salah and Mane behind Firmino will no doubt worry many teams, however I don't think they've invested brilliantly. Salah is a risk, sure he's been good in pre-season, however, he did that at Chelsea and then was poor for the season for the most part. Sturridge is part-time footballer, part-time hospital patient so they can't rely on him for many goals. I think there is a lot of pressure on Firmino again to get the goals but if he gets injured, that's where I worry. They've got Solanke and Woodburn but it would take something special for either of them to get 10+ goals in the season. I still think they are a mess defensively, they should have gone all out for Danny Rose in my opinion instead of Robertson. Set-pieces will still catch them out so I can see them having the same problem as last year where they drop too many points against the lesser teams in the league. On the bright side, at least we get to see Champions League football at Anfield again, well as long as they can get past Hoffenheim.

5th - Manchester United

I've seen a few pundits put Man United in their top 2 this year, but I personally can't see them getting close to that. For all the money they spend, what do they actually have to show for it? Pogba proved his price tag to be unjustified, Lukaku is inconsistent, Lindelof will likely be as dodgy as Daley Blind and they're still wasting the talent of Rashford and Martial by sticking them out wide. Letting Rooney go was the right decision, however if their fans think Lukaku will win them as many points as Ibrahimovic did last year, then they're in for a reality check. Two things prevent the Belgian from being up there with the likes of Aguero, Suarez, Kane, Higuain, etc. The first is his overall contribution to the team. When he's marked out of the game, unlike the world's elite he tries to overplay and just lose the ball time and time again. He lacks the football brain to know when to drop deep and bring others into the game and when to go for goal. Secondly, despite his goalscoring totals being fairly good, what people forget to notice is that he's prone to go on those 5/6 game spells where he doesn't score, usually after a game where he manages to score in excess of 3 goals. This inconsistency will narrowly prevent United from getting in the top four this campaign, in a season where the slimmest margins will have the biggest effects.

6th - Tottenham

Spurs are about to enter a very difficult transitional period as they adjust to being on a tight budget due to building a new stadium, which will see them drop just outside the top four. I would have put them lower, but with keeping the likes of Eriksen, Dembele, Alli and Kane, I can see them having enough to still be in and around those above them. For me, the Wembley factor is massive, there is no hostility of playing an away game there like at White Hart Lane. They struggled their in Europe last year and I can see that being their achilles heel this season.

7th - Everton

Ronald Koeman is building a quality squad at Everton. A midfield trio of Klaassen, Davies and Gueye will no doubt be too much for any side outside the top six to handle. The only reason I put them 7th is due to a lack of firepower, if they'd have got Iheanacho or Chicarito up top then I'd say they'd be on the outskirts of the top four. They've got a great mix of youth and experience and I think the future is bright there, however it's a year too soon to put them in the top four. A good run in the Europa League is the best fans should hope for.

8th - Southampton

I really like this squad and with a young manager in Pellegrino in charge, I think they'll play great football and score plenty of goals, but if they lose Van Dijk, I can't see them challenging those above them. I can see Ward-Prowse, like Tom Davies from Everton, having a great campaign. Keeping Charlie Austin and Shane Long fit is crucial to their success, but even an inconsistent season from those would still see Southampton finish as best of the rest.

9th - Leicester City

Craig Shakespeare had a perfect start to management last year, leading the 2015/16 Champions out of their rut. Iheanacho and Vardy are going to be solid up front and could no doubt strike up a phenomenal partnership. Ndidi proved to be a solid replacement for Kante once he adapted to the league and with his midfield partner Drinkwater back on form, you can see chances galore being created. Defensively, they are extremely vulnerable, which is why I think they'll not manage to escape from the midfield group.

10th - Crystal Palace

I really like the appointment of De Boer and think he'll work wonders with this squad. The pace of Zaha, Bolasie and Townsend and the creativity of Cabaye in midfield could match any team on their day. However, consistency is something these players, especially Benteke, do not possess. They will have days where they beat the top teams but days where the lose to the bottom sides. Mid-table for them.

11th - West Ham United

Signing Javier Hernandez may prove to be one of the best signings of the summer as he should strike up a solid partnership with Andy Carroll. They can rely on Lanzini and Antonio to create chances for them from just behind. I think they'll still concede plenty of goals, but there is no way that they'll start as poorly as they did last year. Getting Joe Hart on loan is a very good piece of business as he'll be determing to prove to the country that he is a top keeper, his passion and infectious and will no doubt keep their leaky defence more structured.

12th - Watford

Marco Silva almost worked miracles with Hull City last year so now that he's had a transfer window and possesses a better squad, I can see him getting the best out of these players. I can't wait to see Deeney and Andre Gray play together, I think we'll see deja-vu of the Ighalo/Deeney partnership of two years ago. Will Hughes has finally been given the opportunity to play in the Premier League and will go above and beyond everyone's expectations at the club, bagging plenty of assists for the deadly strike force in front of him. Defensively, they are a few players away from bridging the gap to those around them but with the money spent already, funds for more players will be limited.

13th - Bournemouth

Eddie Howe's side will be boosted by the signing of reliable goalscorer Jermain Defoe, but the most important part he will play for Bournemouth, is his mentoring of Josh King. He can teach the young forward so much about being a top striker, I believe this partnership will see them comfortably survive. The problem with this side, is that they never have a plan B, they play 4-4-2 all the time and expect it to work every game. They score plenty and play entertaining football, however, they're lack of adaptation sees them concede way too many.

14th - West Bromwich Albion

A Tony Pulis side, need I say anymore? Solid at the back, a force from set pieces, you can never count them out. Relegation isn't a worry but a lack of goals is. They've got some exciting youth prospects coming through that could prove to be the entertainment which these fans have been waiting for.

15th - Stoke City

Too many draws will hinder this squad yet again. They've strengthened with loan signing of Zouma, however, losing Arnautovic and Walters is going to put a massive dent in their goalscoring effort. Maybe Berahino and Crouch could form a solid partnership but I still don't see them doing anything special against most teams and may even finish a few places lower.

16th - Swansea City

Don't rate this side high enough defensively for them to push on and challenge for a mid-table finish. Attacking wise they are a solid side. With players like Abraham who will likely be wasted out wide, Sigurdsson and Llorente, I think they can score plenty, but equally, they'll concede plenty. If they lose Sigurdsson, then they'll be right in the relegation fight, however if they keep him, they should be just about fine as home form will carry them through.

17th - Newcastle United

Like Swansea, home form will carry them to survival. The Geordie faithful will carry them to survival just like they have done in the past. I think that their recruitment has been awful and that will see them exposed for what they are nowadays, an average side. They have to have a big summer next year if they're not going to sign any big money proven players in this window otherwise they'll lose Rafa. Basically, plenty of True Geordie rant videos will be inbound next year.

18th - Huddersfield Town

Wagner's side play with freedom, with creative players all over the shop. They have the potential to upset, but ultimately will drop as their successful style of play from last year in which they press the opposing team high, will see them left exposed against the top opposition and they'll be on the wrong end of high goalscoring games this year. Entertaining but ultimately not strong enough to survive.

19th - Burnley

I just can't see where the goals are going to come from following the departure of Andre Gray. Sure Vokes will get 5-10, but that's nowhere near enough to see them survive. Walters is hard working and will no doubt create problems for teams but he's not exactly a clinical finisher either. They do have one of the best keepers in the league in Heaton, but even if they manage the clean sheet, they'll pick up plenty of 0-0's. They won't have their home form of last year and that will prove to be crucial in their demise.

20th - Brighton

Not a lot to say about Brighton, they're an average side who play average football and will just about avoid breaking the record for the least amount of points in Premier League history.

Champions League Round of 16 Preview - Part One

With the Champions League returning this week. with the first leg of the Round of 16 ties, I give my thoughts on who I think will progress to the Quarter Finals. Part One includes this weeks' match-ups, consisting of the current holders, aswell as, the Spanish, German, French and Portuguese reigning domestic champions.


Benfica vs Borussia Dortmund - Tuesday 14th February & Wednesday 8th March

Average is the best word to sum up Benfica's group stage performance, and, they will have to be at their best if they're going to overcome strong opposition as they face Borussia Dortmund. Both have have won this competition, the Portuguese sides' coming way in the past however, when it was formerly known as the European Cup, with their last final appearance being in the 1989/90 season, and their last win coming back in the 1961/62 season. Their opposition have had more recent success, winning in 1996/97, and more recently, suffering defeat in the 2012/13 final. Based on domestic success you'd have to favour Benfica, as they find themselves with a great chance to win their fourth successive Primeira Liga title, as they sit top, with just 2 losses in their 21 league outings. Whereas, Dortmund have suffered from inconsistency in the Bundesliga as they find themselves in 4th place, only managing to win 45% of their league games this year. Based on this competition however, it's roles reversed, with the German side looking almost unstoppable as they managed to finish above last year's winners Real Madrid. Their 21 goals in the group stage was the highest of any team in the competition, so you have to fear for Benfica's defence. The Portuguese side only managed second place behind Napoli, in a group which many expected to win. Their lacklustre record of W2/D2/L2, was in no doubt down to the fact that they made so many defensive errors, which saw them concede 10 goals, the joint most of any side that has progressed to this stage. It's vital Benfica are well organised and solid at the back during these two legs if they hope to make it to the Quarter-Finals for the second year in a row. They will no doubt be relying on Mitroglou's hold up play to be the catalyst for their counter-attacks as his job will be to bring the wide men into the game. Dortmund's game plan will no doubt be to relentlessly attack their opposition's shaky back-line, using the pace of Aubameyang, Dembele and Reus to their advantage. Benfica will have to take a lead into the 2nd leg if their to have any chance of progression, and, with them only losing once at home this season and Dortmund conceding in each of their last 9 league away games, they will have great confidence in taking a good advantage to the hostile and boisterous Westfalenstadion. Overall, I think that the pace of Dortmund's attack will be too much for Benfica's defence and they'll be the ones to progress to the Quarter-Finals on their return to the Champions League.

Key Players

Benfica - Andre Horta (CM) 
              Kostas Mitroglou (ST)
              Jonas (ST)

Borussia Dortmund - Mario Gotze (CM/CAM)
                                  Marco Reus (LW)
                                  Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (ST)


Paris Saint Germain vs FC Barcelona - Tuesday 14th February & Wednesday 8th March

The reigning Ligue 1 champions take on the reigning La Liga champions in what promises to be not only one of the best match-ups of the Round of 16, but of the whole competition. The French side are still searching for their first win in this competition, their best attempt coming back in 1994/95 where they lost in the semi-final. Their opponent however, are five times winners of the Champions League, with four of these five being won in the last 11 seasons, and, their most recent win coming in the 2014/15 campaign. Based on recent domestic success, these two sides are almost inseparable, as they both sit in second place in their respective leagues, scoring 2 or more goals per game and both conceding only 18 in their 20+ league appearances. PSG are chasing their 5th successive league title this year while Barcelona are after their 4th title in the same period. Based on their performance in this year's Champions League, you have to slightly favour the Spanish side, whom many still consider to be the best team in the world. An almost perfect group stage record five wins and just the solitary loss saw them top what could have proved to be a tricky group for most. They were one of two sides to hit 20+ goals in the Group Stage, and, having only conceded 4 goals in the competition so far, they look like a force to be reckoned with yet again. Their French opposition were unbeaten in the previous stage, however, too many draws saw them finish second to Arsenal. With 13 goals scored and only 7 conceded though, you can see the talent that this side clearly possesses. In the most recent meetings between these two European heavyweights, Barcelona have come out on top in 3 of the 4 games, scoring double the amount of goals which PSG has managed (10-5). The current French champions will take confidence from the fact that they have beat the Spanish giants at the Parc Des Princes before, 3-1 back in September 2014, and, I'm sure this will be drilled into them as a motivation tactic in the pre-match team talk. For them to knock Barcelona out, I feel they need to do what too many teams fail to do, cut the supply line to Messi, Suarez and Neymar. To do this, it takes high pressing from every player to not only cut the passing lanes, but to also put emphasis on giving the midfield trio no time on the ball, forcing them to resort to playing long, which Thiago Silva and Marquinhos should deal with comfortably. They will also need their full-backs and wingers to put in a shift in both departments, whilst it's vital for Cavani to be clinical, unlike his showing against Arsenal, where he missed 4 or 5 clear cut chances. Barcelona will just play their usual slick passing, free-flowing football and as long as they don't overplay in the final third, it's obvious their going to create numerous chances. Overall, I think this will be the closest meetings between these two sides, but, Barcelona will come out on top, with MSN and the creativity of Rakitic and Iniesta proving to be too much for the PSG defence to deal with.

Key Players

Paris Saint Germain - Marco Verrati (CM/CDM)
                                  Angel Di Maria (CAM)
                                  Edison Cavani (ST)

FC Barcelona - Ivan Rakitic (CM/CAM)
                        Lionel Messi (RW)
                        Luis Suarez (ST)


Real Madrid vs Napoli - Wednesday 15th February & Tuesday 7th March














Napoli fans, players and staff will feel very unlucky, especially after topping their group, to be drawn against the most successful side in this competitions history, as they face Real Madrid. Napoli are still relatively new to the Champions League, as this is only their 6th campaign, and their 4th appearance at this stage. The only time they've ever made it past the Round of 16 was back in 1976/77, where they suffered defeat at the hands of Anderlecht in the semi-final. Their opponents are a polar opposite, as the Spanish giants have won this competition a record 11 times, and are the current holders, after beating Atletico Madrid on penalties in last year's final. Based on domestic form this year, Real Madrid would be slight favourites over their Italian opposition, as they top La Liga, suffering just a solitary league defeat this season, scoring 2.7 goals per game whilst conceding only 0.9 goals per game. Napoli are enjoying a good season in the Serie A, as they currently occupy 3rd place, 9 points off leaders Juventus. They're in a good spell of form, having picked up 16/18 points in recent weeks and have really cemented themselves as one of the top teams in Italy in recent seasons. Surprisingly, when you compare their record in the Group Stage, it's Real Madrid who did the better of the two sides, as they were unbeaten in their group, but, drawing 3 games saw them finish second. Napoli did well to win their group, bolstering a record of W3/D2/L1 whilst scoring 11 and conceding 8, a respectable effort. Last season, the Spaniards knocked out another Italian side, Roma at this stage, whereas Napoli's European adventure was ended in the Europa League by Spanish side Villareal and I'm sure many wouldn't write off history repeating itself this year. If Napoli are going to beat Real Madrid, I feel that their task is the same as PSG's, cut the passing lanes, and press the midfield in order to stop the supply into Benzemaand Ronaldo. However, the problem with forcing Zidane's side into playing the long ball is that unlike Barcelona's, Madrid's attackers are superb in the air, making beating them near impossible, as so many teams have found out this season already. They are vulnerable defensively though, as proven by the 10 goals they conceded in the Group Stage, so if Napoli keep it low scoring at the Bernabeu, there's no doubt they'll find plenty of chances in the return leg. Overall, if Real Madrid all firing on all cylinders, I can't see Napoli getting much joy from this match-up. The quality which the Los Blancos possess is far superior to their Italian opposition and I expect them to make a statement.

Key Players

Real Madrid - Luka Modric (CM)
                     Cristiano Ronaldo (ST/LW)
                     Karim Benzema (ST)

Napoli - Marek Hamsik (MF)
             Lorenzo Insigne (ST)
             Jose Callejon (RW/ST)


Bayern Munich vs Arsenal - Wednesday 15th February & Tuesday 7th March














To round up part one, we have the first of the three remaining English sides, Arsenal, who face another difficult Round of 16 tie as they match-up against the reigning Bundesliga champions. I think all Arsenal fans had the same feeling when Bayern Munich finished second in their group that we'd end up drawing them again, however to win this competition, you have to beat these calibre of teams and the momentum we'd get off this victory could propel us into a great patch of form. The German side have won this competition an incredible 5 times in their history, their latest being the 2-1 win against Borussia Dortmund back in the 2012/13 campaign. Whereas, the English side have never felt the joy of winning the Champions League/European Cup, with their closest moment to success coming in 2005/06, where they suffered a heartbreaking defeat to Barcelona in the final (the less said about that, the better). Comparing the domestic form of these two teams, Bayern are the clear favourites. They've only lost once in the league this year, in which they're 7 points ahead of second place, and on a 9 game unbeaten run, as they aim to win their 5th successive Bundesliga title. It looks like it'll be another year without a Premier League title for us Gunners after inconsistency since the start of December, a run which seen our league losses go from just one, up to five. In the Champions League however, Arsenal showed much better form, managing to avoid a stupid defeat like the Zagreb game in recent years, despite a nervy moment at Ludogorets which they managed to overcome, which was vital in them finally topping their group. Bayern didn't have a bad showing in their group by any means, but failed to show up a big games against Atletico Madrid and even looked awful at the back when they lost to FC Rostov, something they can't afford to do in this tie. It looks like this is will be an even tie on paper, as both have conceded a goal per game, and scored over two per game. The Gunners have exited at this stage for six successive years, with Bayern being their conquerors for two of these. Wenger's side have never knocked Bayern out in the knockout stage of this competition, failing 4 times (2000/01, 2004/05, 2012/13 and 2013/14). While the history all points to a Bayern win, I'm actually confident this will be the year that we end the Round of 16 curse. Giving ourselves everything to do in the second leg has been our downfall in recent years, however, playing in the hostile atmosphere, should get the players into the right frame of mind to want to cause the upset. To overcome the curse and beat Bayern, Wenger has to pick a team with pace, Gibbs/Bellerin at full-back, Ox in centre-mid, and a front four of Walcott/Ozil/Sanchez/Welbeck, would be ideal, with Perez in for Ozil or Walcott being a decent move aswell. Welbeck has to start up front as he'll offer more strength than Sanchez up against Boateng, whilst still offering the pace to run in behind, and the hold up play to bring the wide men into the game. I can't put enough emphasis on how important scoring in the first leg is, that away goal is everything, even if we can't win, getting away goals in a score draw or losing 2-1/3-2 isn't the worst result in the world, and, we'll give us every chance back at the Emirates, where I hope the fans finally create an atmosphere, the players need it in a game of this magnitude. However, play like we did against Watford and Chelsea and we'll get hammered. This game will require every player to turn up, one goes missing and you get caught out in games like this. Bayern need to come out and bully Arsenal if their going to win, it's what Chelsea did so effectively. Overall, the outcome of the first leg will determine the outcome of this match-up, Arsenal win, score draw or suffer a one-goal marginal defeat in which they score and they'll come out on top, Bayern win by 2 clear goals or keep a clean sheet and it's over, as I can see them scoring at the Emirates.

Key Players 

Bayern Munich - Manuel Neuer (GK)
                          Jerome Boateng (CB)
                          Robert Lewandowski (ST)

Arsenal - Everyone - We won't win this game unless every single player is fulfilling their potential and no-one goes missing. (*cough* Mesut Ozil *cough*) Cech needs to make up for his errors at Chelsea if he starts, I'd rather Ospina play at this point though, especially with how he performed at PSG. Bellerin/Gibbs have to show no fear in getting forward, but good discipline in knowing when to stay back. Koscielny/Mustafi have to be solid at the back and bully Lewandowski, can't allow him to turn in dangerous areas. Coquelin/Ox have to be solid in midfield and show great fight and desire in winning 50/50 tackles, aswell as moving the ball quickly, a speedy transition from defence to attack is vital. Walcott/Sanchez have to be disciplined in getting back and helping out defensively, whilst being creative and clinical in the final third, well-timed runs in behind the Bayern back-line to support Welbeck and give options to Ozil, Ox and the full-backs will be key. Ozil has to control the game, can't afford to go missing like usual, he's got to be composed in the final third, willing to track back and make a tackle aswell as being willing to make runs into the box in order to give another option. Welbeck has to be strong in challenges against Boateng and Hummels, make his first challenge count, he needs to work hard and chase every loose ball, make runs in behind and out wide in order to create space for the trio behind him and most importantly, he has to be clinical, make Bayern count for giving a chance.

Part Two will be posted next week, including:

• The other two English hopefuls
• The Premier League and Serie A Champions
• And last year's runners-up 

Premier League Transfer Window Round-Up - Part 2/2

Manchester United

Loan Recalls : 1
Departures : 3
Players Loaned Out : 2
Total Spent : £0
Total Sold : £46.2million
Net Profit : £46.2million

Having not suffered defeat in the Premier League since October 23rd, it's no surprise to see that Jose Mourinho decided not to make any signings last month. He did recall 20 year old goalkeeper Joel Pereira from Belenses and gave him his debut in the FA Cup, when he came on in the 80th minute. He's likely going to find his chances limited, but Mourinho must see something in him, in order to have brought him back from Belenses. He'll likely be an understudy to De Gea for the rest of the season and become United's cup keeper next year. Two players left Manchester United for a fee of £20million or more, Memphis Depay and Morgan Schneiderlin. The prior becoming the latest number 7 to have proved to be a flop as United have still failed to find a player who offered what Ronaldo did on a consistent basis. Him and Schneiderlin both had the odd good showing, but, found first team football in short supply under the new manager, so it's no surprise to see them both leave, and, I'm sure United will be happy with the money they made off their sales. The other departure was youngster Sean Goss who performed well for the U-23's but felt it was the right time to leave, with QPR offering the first team football he desires. The duo that were loaned out are both in desperate need of first team football so there's not much to say on that topic. Overall, I think this summer will be a very busy window for Manchester United, both with new arrivals and departures. It was confirmed Rooney and Young were staying until the end of the season by Mourinho, however if they both leave in the summer, it would free up the wage bill so they could bring in their main target, Antoine Griezmann. Securing Champions League football is likely to be key in signing the Frenchman which is something that will be a big task with how many draws this United side pick up.

Middlesbrough

Signings : 4
Departures : 4
Players Loaned Out : 7
Total Spent : £20million
Total Sold : £13.5million
Net Profit : -£6.5million

It's been an average season so far for Middlesbrough, as they sit 15th in the table. However, they need to end this poor form they find themselves in, as they've failed to win any of their last 5 games (D3, L2). Lack of goals has been their main problem, and, with the signing of Patrick Bamford, I think he could add another avenue to their game. The problem they have is Negredo is so isolated up top on his own, so, playing Bamford up top with him is surely an option worth trying, as, he'll give defenders more to worry about as he has a fair bit of pace and gives Negredo someone to flick the ball onto. He was on loan at Boro two seasons ago and found the net an impressive 19 times, however, after his struggles last year, there are questions over his talent. His return to the club where he looked most comfortable, should see him finally prove himself at the highest level, something this club need if they're to stay up. They also have a decent Plan B is Rudy Gestede. He's incredible in the air and is the perfect player to bring on in the last 15 minutes when they're chasing a game and need to go route one. They've signed a young player with plenty of potential in Mikael Soisalo, hopefully he gets some game time in order to prove himself, however the signing of Guedioura, isn't a great bit of business in my opinion, as he never really impressed at Watford. The only outgoing I think they've messed up on is getting rid of Jordan Rhodes. He's proven to be clinical at every level he's played at, yet he was barely given any game time this year. They've done well to be getting £10million for him in the summer, however, I feel he could have been the answer to their lack of goals.

Southampton

Signings : 1
Players Loaned In : 1
Departures : 1
Total Spent : £17.1million
Total Sold : £8million
Net Profit : -£9.1million

Another transfer window passes, and another big name leaves Southampton, a common occurrence nowadays. However, we'll start with their only permanent signing of the window, Manolo Gabbiadini. The 25 year old winger was signed from Serie A side Napoli, and, how quickly he adjusts to the Premier League will no doubt be paramount to the level of success he has in this country. He's got pace, he's skillful and averages around 5 goals per season. He will no doubt rival current wingers, Nathan Redmond and Dusan Tadic, and with how much Claude Puel rotates the squad, he's guaranteed some first team football. They've loaned in young keeper Mouez Hassen from OGC Nice, who will probably not feature this season, however, if he impresses in training and U-23 matches, then he'll likely be signed on as their number two goalkeeper next year. Unfortunately, they lost experienced centre-back Jose Fonte to West Ham United, however, with the performance he put in against Man City on Wednesday night, it looks like getting £8million was good business. The problem Southampton face is that they are now without Van Dijk for three months, and, having not signed a centre-back, they'll have to rely on youngsters from the academy to fill in if Yoshida or Stephens gets injured.

Stoke City

Signings : 2
Departures : 2
Players Loaned Out : 7
Total Spent : £16.3million
Total Sold : Undisclosed
Net Profit : -£16.3million

It's been another good season for Stoke City, who currently occupy 9th place, despite the injury to first-choice goalkeeper Jack Butland, which has seen him miss the majority of this season. The main bulk of their money spent this window was on Saido Berahino, who finally got his move away from West Brom, for a fee of £12million which could rise to £15million due to clauses. He'll give Stoke what they really have lacked for some time, pace up front. If he's played up top alongside Peter Crouch, then I feel as though Stoke will be a really threatening side, as it will be similar to the Crouch/Defoe partnership, which was effective at Portsmouth. They also signed Lee Grant from Derby County, whose proved to be a cracking signing, pulling off some great saves and helping Stoke pick up 8 points from their last 4 games. The loaning out of Bojan is a decision that I don't agree with, as if they'd kept him they could have had an attacking quadruple of Shaqiri and Arnautovic on the flanks, with Bojan playing just behind Berahino, which could have been incredible. Their success this year will depend on whether they can find a system which suits Berahino so he can get back into the form he showed back in the 2014/15 season.

Sunderland

Signings : 4
Departures : 3
Players Loaned Out : 3
Total Spent : £9million
Total Sold : £14million
Net Profit : £5million

Sunderland find themselves in their usual position of bottom of the league again at this stage, and, a miracle is need to save them this year. The players they've brought in don't really suggest to me that they're going to survive either. Moyes seems to have gone with players he knows, which is smart, but they are also players who don't add much in quality. They spent their money on Everton duo, Oviedo and Gibson. The prior is a good player, but injury has blighted his progression in this country and I feel as though he doesn't have the quality and composure needed to replace Van Aanholt. Gibson is a decent player, but the question surrounding him is, can he control the midfield? I don't think he can in end-to-end games, he's got a great strike so could get a few goals, however I can't see him being a star player for Sunderland. They've also brought Joleon Lescott, can't understand this one. He was one of the worst performers for Villa last year, in a relegation fight, you don't only need quality, you need a squad willing to fight for 90 minutes, a trait which he showed he lacked last year. They got good money for Van Aanholt but I don't get the thinking behind selling him. He's their second top goalscorer this season, the saying 'goals win games' comes into thinking here surely, you don't sell someone who produces them for you and creates plenty of chances. The best thing they did this window is keep Defoe. If he gets good service, then he'll keep scoring, but they haven't brought in anyone which strengthens their weakest area, the defence.

Swansea City

Signings : 4
Departures : 2
Players Loaned Out : 4
Total Spent : £13million
Total Sold : Undisclosed
Net Profit : -£13million

I was worried for Swansea when Paul Clement was appointed as manager, but, so far he's proved himself with 9/15 points picked up in their last 5 games, which has helped get them out of the relegation zone. Not only has good business been done on the pitch, it has also been done off it last month, as they had a rather impressive transfer window. Winger Luciano Narsingh was signed for a fee of £4million from PSV. Technically he's very good and he has so much pace, very similar to Montero, and I think he'll become a favourite at Swansea for how direct he is, but, his decision making definitely needs to be improved. They also brought in Tom Carroll and Martin Olsson. The latter, will offer another attacking outlet, and, if paired on the left flank with Narsingh, could prove to be one of the most threatening wide partnerships in the league. Young midfielder Carroll has been on loan at Swansea before and I feel as though this is the right move for his development, as he'll get plenty of first team football, especially if he replicates the performance he put in against Liverpool. Their final signing was a swap move which saw Jordan Ayew come in from Villa at the expense of Neil Taylor. Ayew was one of the bright sparks in a gloomy season for Aston Villa last year, and, he could prove to be an excellent signing for the club. The best thing Swansea did in this window, similar to Sunderland, was keeping a player. That man is Gylfi Sigurdsson, he takes this Swansea side to the next level with his creativity and quality from dead-ball situations, so keeping him was vital in them staying up this year, which I hope they do.

Tottenham

Departures : 1
Players Loaned Out : 5
Total Spent : £0
Total Sold : £4.5million
Net Profit : £4.5million

Spurs are enjoying another year of progression as they sit in second place, therefore, it's no surprise to see them so inactive in the window. The only sale was Tom Carroll which was the right move for both parties, as he wasn't really better than anyone else they had, and, he had fallen behind Ryan Mason so first team football was going to be limited. All players loaned out need first team football so there's nothing to comment on there. Overall, the question surrounding Spurs after this window, is will they regret not strengthening the squad, as they're a few injuries away from being in a crisis, especially in the striker department.

Watford

Signings : 1
Players Loaned In : 2
Departures : 2
Players Loaned Out : 6
Total Spent : £2.4million
Total Sold : £24million
Net Profit : £21.6million

Watford are a side who have suffered with inconsistency this season, which is reflected in their league placing of 13th. A win against Arsenal last time out shows the potential of this side and with the players they brought in last month, I feel they're moving in the right direction. Their only permanent signing was Mauro Zarate who they signed on the cheap surprisingly. He returns to the Premier League, where he showed at West Ham United that not only is he technically gifted, but also shows great composure in front of goal. Watford are lacking goals this year, with Ighalo and Deeney not producing at the rate they were last season, however, I can see Deeney and Zarate linking up well together, as Zarate is a willing runner and will chase every flick on and loose ball. The two players they've brought in on loan are, Tom Cleverly and M'baye Niang. I'm really excited to see Niang play in the Premier League, he's pacey, powerful and could prove to be a nightmare for defences in the remainder of this season. I can see Cleverly sitting in nicely alongside Capoue, and, after falling out of favour at Everton, he's got to prove himself at Watford to make Koeman change his mind or secure a move elsewhere. They couldn't turn down the £20million offer for Ighalo from Chinese side Changchun Yatai, especially with the form he was in this year, and, selling Guedioura was a good move as he didn't offer that much going forward and was useless defensively.

West Brom

Signings : 1
Players Loaned In : 1
Departures : 2
Players Loaned Out : 5
Total Spent : £10million
Total Sold : £12million
Net Profit : £2million

With West Brom enjoying a great season so far, as they currently occupy 8th position, it's unsurprising to see them have little activity in the transfer market last month. Their only permanent signing being the acquisition of Jake Livermore, who will slot in well alongside Darren Fletcher. He's a powerful runner, isn't afraid to have a go from long distance and has an excellent passing range, however, he needs to show more consistency, which is what I'm sure Tony Pulis will be demanding. This could be the club where he finally shows his potential, if not, his stay here definitely won't be a long one. They've also brought in Marc Wilson on loan. Pulis knows him well and clearly feels that he's a reliable player to have as a back-up in case of injuries in either midfield or defence. They finally got rid of Saido Berahino last month, but, what annoyed the fans, is that they could have got double what they did, if they had cashed in on him a couple of years ago. I would've liked to see them bring in a striker in the window in case Rondon hits a spell of poor form or gets injured, but saying that, with the position they find themselves in, they can afford to wait until the summer to strengthen the squad further.

West Ham United

Signings : 2
Departures : 3
Players Loaned Out : 6
Total Spent : £18.2million
Total Sold : £25million
Net Profit : £6.8million

West Ham have had a disappointing 2016/17 season so far, as they currently occupy 11th place, which is a massive step back from this stage last year where they were in the top six in the league. However, the main topic surrounding them last month was not to do with their performances, it was instead to do with one man, Dimitri Payet. Firstly though, I'll talk about their signings, Robert Snodgrass and Jose Fonte. The prior has been in cracking form for Hull City this season, and has ironically been better than Payet throughout this year. His deliveries from set-pieces are incredible, and, he's also shown his quality at scoring from free-kicks this year. Fonte is a solid centre-back, but got off to the worst possible start on Wednesday night, as he put in a dire performance against Manchester City. However, he is solid in the air, possesses great strength and is a good leader, so could end up being a favourite at West Ham. Onto Payet, who spent all of last month pushing for a move out of West Ham, he even stopped talking to his teammates. The way he handled the situation was disgraceful. He was great last year, but, now that the team are finding it harder to win, he wanted to leave. It shows a lack of fight and they are better off without a player like that, so they did the right thing in selling him to Marseille. Their side is definitely too strong to go down but this season has definitely proved that moving stadium wasn't smart, as the opposition no longer faces the hostile atmosphere that was present at Upton Park.