After drawing with Huddersfield on Wednesday night, Chelsea need a win on the final day of the season to maintain any hope of qualifying for the Champions League – and even then, they’ll need Liverpool to lose against Brighton at home.
While the all-important FA Cup final may linger in the background, Antonio Conte doesn’t really have much of a choice but to field his strongest starting XI this weekend, simply because of the incredible financial incentives Europe’s top competition offers.
That inevitably means starting Eden Hazard when Chelsea face Newcastle United on Sunday, which leaves the Blues boss facing a key decision over which attacking midfielder to drop from his midweek starting lineup.
64-cap Spaniard Pedro bore the brunt of criticism from fans after Wednesday’s underwhelming performance, but Willian didn’t exactly bring his best form either and conceded possession for Laurent Depoitre’s goal.
So, Chelsea fans, which player would you axe from the starting XI to make room for Hazard, who Transfermarkt value at £90million? Let us know by voting below…
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Although Arsenal have sat back over the weeks following the end of the season and let rivals such as Liverpool and Manchester United make the early signings, the Gunners seem to be making up for lost time now. Reports on Monday revealed that a deal for Chelsea’s Petr Cech is all but done, and with fans still coming down from the euphoria of developments, another name has been thrown into the transfer mix… Dortmund’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
The pacey Gabon international is known by supporters – particularly those who play FIFA or Football Manager – for his eye for goal and extravagant skills, and although the Gunners are well-stocked in the final third we at FFC Towers think this is a deal Arsene Wenger should really be exploring…. And here are FIVE reasons why.
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Pace!
If there one thing, albeit a bit cliché, defenders don’t like. It’s pace. Although this old adage is a bit over-used and bears the hallmarks of lazy pundits on Match of the Day, there is some bulk to it. No matter how good a centre-back, or full-back, is, if they’re chasing a loose ball against a significantly quicker opponent, there’s only going to be one winner.
Aubameyang has long been talked of as one of the quickest players in the Bundesliga – he was also lauded for the same trait during his spell in Ligue 1 – and with Arsenal a side set up to hit on the counter-attack, it would appear that the Gabon international would be well-suited.
Able to play across a front three
Although he spent the majority of last season as Dortmund’s centre-forward – perhaps partly due to Robert Lewandowski’s exit and the form, or lack of, shown by Ciro Immobile – Aubameyang has played most of his career as a wide forward. His pace lends him well to the position, and although his delivery can be a bit hit and miss, he is useful in an inside forward role – akin to that Theo Walcott and Alexis Sanchez have been deployed in.
Wenger is known to favour a 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 set-up, and the wide forward roles as well as ‘up top’ would be boosted by the addition of Aubameyang.
Statement of intent
With Cech almost in as a real marquee buy, Arsenal would be sending a massive signal to their rivals by snapping up one of the Bundesliga’s top talents. Although not in the very highest calibre of player on the market, Aubameyang is highly thought of among football fans and pundits alike, while his silky skills have even led to the moniker the ‘African Neymar’.
Rivals also want him…
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The Bild report revealing Arsenal’s interest also suggests Chelsea and Manchester City are teams in the running, while Liverpool have also been aligned with the rapid attacker. Although not the wisest foundation for transfer business, snapping up a player to keep him from rivals has its benefits, as was shown by the addition of Alexis Sanchez last summer – Liverpool were also keen.
A character
Modern football can be a bit bland. Players are so media trained that stock answers tumble out of their mouths when quizzed after the game, while some are afraid to be a little ‘out there’ for fear of the social media backlash and ribbing from fans.
‘Auba’ is a little different though, and you get the impression that he plays the game with a smile on his face. Take his recent celebration with team-mate Marco Reus, in which the duo donned Batman and Robin masks. Excellent!
Only long-term injury can build a player up to be something he’s not. Cheers broke out as Nicklas Bendtner took to the pitch against Aston Villa in January 2010, the return of a natural striker and the final dismissal of Andrey Arshavin as the team’s centre-forward.
The cheers and applause weren’t quite as vociferous as they were following the Dane’s winning leap to head Arsenal ahead in the North London Derby in 2007 – probably the player’s finest moment in an Arsenal shirt – but the fans were giving him a platform and, by default via injury to others, so too was the manager.
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Can anyone really claim that any of Arsene Wenger’s signings have been treated poorly while they’ve been at the club? Many have advocated the line that Wenger had ruined Arshavin by playing him on the wing, while doing much the same for Bendtner by offering him the same treatment. It should say a lot about the Danish striker that his best moment for Arsenal came against Tottenham. After that, it’s a little difficult to string together a decent highlight reel of his efforts. There was that one strike against Blackburn in October 2009, but Arsenal were already 5-2 up before Bendtner rifled in the sixth.
The frustrating and lazy side of the player has been highlighted on many occasions. Despite it being over two years since Bendtner wore an Arsenal shirt in a competitive game, you can still quite easily envisage him lightly jogging, gum in mouth, to close down an opposition defender, of whom he really had no real intention of putting under any great threat. That’s where Wenger does come into this. The Frenchman will rarely, if ever, shout onto the pitch from the touchline. Coincidently, one instance did see the manager abandon his calm exterior when Bendtner himself surrendered possession with a childish back heel while Arsenal were holding onto a lead with only a few minutes remaining.
Bendtner could have been another one of Wenger’s success stories. Ok, he was unlikely to ever become a player in the class of Thierry Henry or Cesc Fabregas, of even Robin van Persie. But it was all there to set up another one of Wenger’s ‘masterstrokes’ in the market, having picked up the Dane as a teenager for £220,000. He earned his stripes in English football with the loan spell at Birmingham, helping the club to win promotion to the Premier League. Though Bendtner didn’t look to be typical Wenger signing – he possesses none of the technical qualities of the three aforementioned former captains – he was a youngster with potential; a necessary balance to help add a rougher edge to Arsenal’s attractive play.
The player, however, never wanted it. Like so many others in recent years, Arsenal is probably the best he’s going to get in his career. Ok, he’s spent a loan spell at Juventus, but absolutely nothing came of it. At Arsenal, Bendtner was given opportunities to play, even if they were on the right side of the attack. The frustration is understandable, but hard work would have been rewarded. He could have been a hero at Arsenal regardless of the poor showings of the past had he taken his opportunity in the Camp Nou and sent Arsenal through in the Champions League. His lack of intelligence, however, came to the fore, bringing the ball closer to Javier Mascherano rather than keeping the Argentine at a distance and getting his shot off.
Bendtner isn’t a lost cause, though. He’s often performed well for his country which forced the question as to whether there is a future for him at Arsenal. At 25, that ship has sailed. We’ve seen nothing in the way of consistency to say that this is a player who is good enough to lead the line for a club of Arsenal’s stature. Until now he wouldn’t accept that. There was confidence often spilling over into arrogance, as if Arsenal should feel privileged to have him in the squad.
The Dane will take a step down in football, below his lofty expectations. Napoli won’t come calling, neither will Atletico Madrid. A Champions League club, for now, may be out of reach. The flipside of the argument of his age is that there is still plenty of time to properly blossom into a leading forward for a top club. Borussia Monchengladbach have been touted: a good club that will offer the seemingly nomadic striker a home. For once, Bendtner should feel privileged that his career at the top of European football isn’t over well before it’s truly begun.
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Was Nicklas Bendtner treated badly at Arsenal or is his career the effects of a poor attitude?
Adam Johnson is on the verge of leaving Manchester City, with Liverpool emerging as the favourites to sign the England international, according to reports by The Independent.
Johnson has become frustrated with the lack of first-team opportunities at the Etihad, making just 10 league starts for City last season and seemingly not fitting into Roberto Mancini’s style of play- preferring to use David Silva on the left instead.
Liverpool may be the ideal destination for Johnson, as Brendan Rodgers seeks an alternative to Stewart Downing, who endured a torrid campaign last season.
Johnson has proved himself to be one of the League’s best wingers, offering great deliveries that the likes of Andy Carroll would thrive upon- if he stays at Anfield.
He said: “I’m the kind of player that needs to be playing regularly,” he said. “Any player does, really, no matter what age they are. I need to play week-in week-out. You can’t just go into one game after not having played for five, and be expected to perform.”
The midfielder who joined City from Middlesbrough in 2010, has a number of options if he decides to leave, with Sunderland and Tottenham keen on agreeing a deal.
Sunderland Owner, Ellis Short has agreed to finance the £10 million needed and is ready to meet Johnson’s wage demands, but Spurs may have the edge over the Black Cats as the attraction of European football may be too good to resist.
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City manager, Roberto Mancini is keen for Johnson to stay at the club, hinting that he could be a good option from the bench, but would not stand in the player’s way to find regular match time.
He said: “If he wants to, he has to leave – but if that happens I will be so sorry because Adam is a good guy. He is a different player to the other strikers and wingers, and maybe he could be important for us.”
As reported by The Daily Mirror, West Ham United are interested in signing West Bromwich Albion defender Craig Dawson this summer.
What’s the story?
After a disappointing season in the English Premier League, fans of the Irons are hoping the club can get significant business done when the transfer window opens and build a team capable of competing towards the top end of the table.
One player on their radar is West Brom defender Craig Dawson, who has been key to their recent improvement.
That’s according to The Mirror, who say that West Ham are joined by the likes of Wolves and Burnley in pursuit of his signature this summer.
Rated at £5.4m by Transfermarkt, is he the kind of signing that can improve the Hammers defence next season?
Should they make a move for him?
Given he has featured heavily in the defence of the worst team in the league this season, being linked with Dawson isn’t the most inspiring transfer rumour for long-suffering supporters of the hammers.
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While it’s true that the versatile defender, able to play both on the right side and centrally, has been far from the Baggies’ worst performer this season, surely West Ham can do better than scouring the squads of relegation candidates for first team players?
The club haven’t used their resources especially well in recent transfer windows and while Dawson could be prove to be a reliable talent, West Brom have conceded less goals than West Ham this season after all, they should perhaps be more ambitious and imaginative with their potential transfer targets this summer, or risk facing ire from fans.
Despite an inconsistent campaign, Manchester United have achieved their primary objective for the season having qualified for the Champions League, securing their place in the top four last weekend after Liverpool failed to beat Crystal Palace.
One man that has been instrumental to their success again this term is their Spanish star David de Gea who continues to show why he is considered one of the world’s best goalkeepers with a number of heroic displays for the Red Devils.
A string of outstanding, eye catching saves have arguably proved decisive for the club in their quest for a top-four place, and rightly earned him a spot in the PFA Team of the Year as well as nomination for the main award.
Unfortunately for United it appears his performances have come at a cost with the club expected to lose their current number one to Real Madrid this summer, and it’s widely expected that this weekend’s trip to Hull could be his last game in England.
The former Atletico man looks set to return to Madrid as the Spanish giants set about bringing in a long term replacement for Iker Casillas, and despite United’s best efforts it’s hard to see them keeping hold of him in the transfer window.
And while the fans are looking for reassurances that they aren’t about to lose another of their star players to arguably the world’s biggest club, comments from manager Louis van Gaal this week have only furthered speculation of a summer exit, with all signs pointing towards De Gea being sold prior to next season.
When questioned about a move to Real Madrid, the Dutchman spoke like a man who is well aware that his goalkeeper is likely to move and his quotes feel as though he is resigned to this fact.
Van Gaal spoke of the obvious Spanish link in place, with De Gea having the chance to return to his homeland and the City where he made a name for himself at Real’s arch rivals Atletico Madrid.
The chance to move back home with his family, and maybe most importantly his girlfriend will surely play a pivotal role in his decision, and the outcome looks pretty inevitable. Can you really blame him?
Van Gaal also described the difficulty De Gea would have deciding between two great clubs, hardly a mark of someone who sounds confident that United can keep hold of him.
The 24-year-old’s failure to sign a new contract at Old Trafford has the warning signs ringing loud and clear, and although he may well undecided, it’s surely just a matter of time before he calls it a day at United.
And having said the club have already lined up a list of potential replacements to cater for his loss, Van Gaal knows it too.
The fact he has plans in place shows how unlikely it is that De Gea remains at the club past this summer, and wants to be able to announce a replacement as soon as possible to soften the blow.
Perhaps he knew as early as January that he was set to lose one of his key players, and thus made a point of signing Victor Valdes as a potential successor to the young Spaniard. It certainly makes sense.
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Despite his recent injury problems, Valdes surely wouldn’t have signed if he thought he was to be a long term number two and wasn’t guaranteed first-team football at some point.
And would the club really have brought him in were they confident of tying down De Gea to a new long-term contract? Again it’s unlikely.
It will be a huge loss to both United and the Premier League if and when the goalkeeper makes the switch to the Bernabeau. But after his displays over recent seasons and his key role in ensuring the Reds will be playing in Europe once again, nobody will begrudge him a move back to Spain, and with the opportunity to play for Real Madrid nobody would blame him for doing just that.
I absolutely despise the term ‘refreshing’ when used in a discussion about football. Honestly, what does it really mean? That you’re too snobbish to accept what the modern game is all about? Or is it that you used one instance to try and convince everyone (and yourself) that you were always the most forward-thinking of football observers? It doesn’t really matter, Manchester United’s decision to appoint David Moyes as their next manager is something you can quite comfortably class as ‘refreshing.’
It’s that United didn’t take the obvious route and opt for any of the bigger names on this summer’s merry-go-round. Although, it could be argued that Moyes always was the obvious choice, with his background and approach to the game incredibly similar to that of Alex Ferguson. And that’s why I don’t see a problem at all. It’s an old-school appointment and one that might have been seen as the norm 20 years ago. Regardless of Moyes’ lack of experience and successes on the silverware front, this is a fantastic decision for the club with a long-term plan in place.
The thing about this one is that I’ve seen people suggest Moyes will struggle to attract big names from the continent this summer because of his lack of European experience. The immediate comparisons drawn up were that of Jose Mourinho and Jurgen Klopp, almost as if to suggest the Portuguese and German didn’t start somewhere themselves. Both of those managers didn’t magically find themselves at the pinnacle of the European game overnight. There is and should always be far more to football than just experience in Europe’s top club competition.
But why wouldn’t some of the best players in Europe want to work with Moyes? How about the fact that he is one of the best managers in England? I’m not really interested in the finer details of Everton at the moment, but there is a reason why he is one of the longest serving managers in the Premier League. Whether Everton had reached a glass ceiling in English football is another discussion, but this move up in the game for Moyes was rapidly approaching and this is proving to be the perfect time for things to fall into place for all parties.
There’s far too much sensationalism in England about football clubs crumbling under one managerial decision which is deemed to be wrong. How many times have Chelsea got it wrong, and yet they’re in another cup final. It’s always been about the safe option in this country, that primarily being what people know best. Yeah sure, let’s always have clubs splash out on the big-name striker from Italy instead of the shrewd move for the unknown in Eastern Europe. People will be quick to criticise and question because they’re afraid of the uncertain future.
David Moyes and his new six-year contract is an incredibly good choice for Manchester United. What needs to be established first is that Moyes isn’t Ferguson MKII. Despite being cut from the same cloth, Moyes is his own man and will do things his way. That may not come immediately, as even with his retirement Alex Ferguson will remain on board and allow for an easy transition. That also doesn’t mean or guarantee trophies will continue to rain down on Old Trafford. If United wanted that they would have appointed Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese is a natural winner and almost guarantees trophies every year. He’s also unbelievably short term. Manchester United have too much about them to just address the next couple of seasons rather than thinking about five, 10 and 15 years into the future. Moyes’ success at developing youngsters is also a nod to that.
As recently as March it was strongly argued that Moyes’ best move was abroad if he decided not to extend at Everton. The Bundesliga had a number of interesting projects and Malaga also came to the fore recently. That was due to the right move in England not being available at the time, not because he wasn’t good enough for a title-challenging club in the Premier League.
What I find fantastic about this appointment by United is that they were brave. They were brave and said no, thank you when Mourinho gave them that look signalling the green light for an advance. They were brave when the modern game demands success so quickly that at other clubs Moyes would likely get nowhere near to his sixth year on the contract. Moreover, it sets Manchester United up once again as the trend setters. The biggest club in England have told everyone else that it’s absolutely ok to go against the norm and do what you think is right, rather than cave in to outside pressure.
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A relatively green manager at the top of the English and European game will only learn to be a success at a club with a fine winning tradition.
According to a report in The Times analysing what has gone wrong at Southampton this season, a number of their first-team players are said to have lost confidence in defender Wesley Hoedt following repeated errors at the back.
The Dutchman was signed from Lazio in a £15m deal last summer, and the south coast outfit would probably have been hoping that he could be a long-term replacement for either Virgil van Dijk when he eventually left St Mary’s, or finally a successor for Jose Fonte following his departure in January 2017.
However, the 24-year-old has struggled at the back and has far too often been culpable for the goals they have conceded – including Chelsea’s second in the semi-finals of the FA Cup at Wembley last Sunday when he lost the man he should have been marking, Alvaro Morata, while he was criticised by his own fans on Twitter following the 3-0 defeat to West Ham United last month.
The Netherlands international has often looked less than mobile and the fact that The Times says that his teammates have basically said they don’t feel comfortable when he is on the pitch is hardly good when they are battling against the drop.
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Southampton play host to Bournemouth in what is a must-win fixture at St Mary’s on Saturday, and it will be interesting to see whether Hoedt is named in the line-up after this revelation.
By next summer, a considerable amount of Manchester United’s current squad will be out of contract. Contract negotiations have reportedly begun for certain players, but who should Louis Van Gaal keep in his side? And more importantly, who should he get rid of?
David De Gea’s current contract runs out in summer 2016, and he should be top of the list for a new, long term deal. He has been the backbone of his squad this season and the only player to play every minute thus far. The signing of Victor Valdes has not hindered De Gea in the slightest, he is still the first choice. Having improved greatly since joining in 2011, it is essential that De Gea stays at Manchester United, especially if they are playing in Europe next season.
As Jonny Evans nears the end of his contract, it is time to call it a day on his Manchester United career. He is a weak link at the back, and is all too fond of the back pass to the ‘keeper. Despite all his years at Old Trafford, he still does not look entirely confident with the ball. If there is any truth in Louis Van Gaal looking to strengthen the back line, Evans will surely be a surplus.
Both Chris Smalling and Phil Jones will reach the end of their contract by next summer. If it came down to choosing just one, it would have to be Chris Smalling. Smalling learned his lesson after the sending off against Manchester City, and has been solid, particularly in the last few weeks. Both played exceptionally well against Spurs, but Jones has not had the same impact as Smalling.
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During this season, Ashley Young has looked like a new player. He should be rewarded with a new contract at Old Trafford. Louis Van Gaal is currently getting the best out of him, and it would not make sense to get rid of one of the stronger players from the last year.
Robin Van Persie’s current contract is drawing to a close, and it would be a surprise to see him sign anything other than an extension. RVP will be 32 in the summer, and has not exactly put in his best shift under the former Netherlands manager. It is clear Van Gaal has a lot of respect for Van Persie, and did play him throughout the season, despite his under performing. LVG will not let Van Persie go too easily.
Javier Hernandez is still technically a Manchester United player, but he won’t be for much longer. His contract also expires in summer 2016, but he was already considered an extra body that wasn’t needed for this season. Rumour has it, Chicharito could be used as part of a deal to bring Nathaniel Clyne to Old Trafford.
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A season that started with hope and a genuine belief that we would grab an automatic promotion place, finished with the the team limping over the line and only securing their safety with one game to go. It’s fair to say that nobody will be sad to see the back of that season.
On the last day, Blackpool managed to come away with a point in a somewhat poetic 90 minutes that mirrored the entire season. The Seasiders dominated the first half, with some nice football in spells, before a total capitulation just before half time. This was followed by a bit of nothingness before the players had to dig in, steady the ship and show some resilience to see the game out.
As well as providing some great entertainment (a rare treat under Paul Ince so far) the match also served as a demonstration to prove some idiots wrong. By idiots, I of course mean anyone with a slightly different opinion to me…
Anybody who said that we should be getting rid of Matt Phillips was surely shown to be wrong. Again he proved more effective than Ince, and the fans who suggested we sell him for pennies in January must have felt a little foolish as he lashed the ball into the net.
The fact that we haven’t seen both Ince and Phillips on form at the same time is a crying shame. And with the possibility of losing one, if not both of them in the summer, we can only sit and imagine how unplayable they’d have been. Oh well.
Anyone who said that Sylvestre isn’t good enough for the first team was shown up too. Away to Bolton was another game that he stood out as our most creative player. His vision and composure on the ball are second to none. He is the only player we have capable of spotting and executing a defence-splitting pass. And after almost single-handedly keeping us up with some stunning goals that won us 8 points in the last 6 games, he will now be much-sought after in the summer as we try and tie him down to another contract. If Paul Ince has any sense, he should build the team around him – just as Holloway promised in the summer, but failed to commit to. Having Sylvestre and somebody like Martinez alongside him in the middle of the pitch is something that will excite fans and worry the opposition.
Finally, anyone who ever said that Broadfoot is our best defender should have been questioning their commitment to the brave Scot. The joy of a final game where you’re not on the edge of your seat, biting your nails, is that you can watch players with a calm, non-biased outlook, and when you do that you realise how poor he is. He’s dire on the ball and never seems to be in control of his feet. I applaud him for coming in and creating a solid partnership with MacKenzie, something that was a massive part of keeping us up, but we need better next year. In fact, we have better on the bench. No matter how much people don’t like Eardley, there’s no doubting that he is a better right-back than Broadfoot. And, for me, Cathcart is a better central defender than him too – he just can’t defend corners quite as well…
So that was the end of a long, long season. Thinking back to when Holloway was here seems like ages ago. Was that really this season? And Appleton too? It is strange to think that we have had four different men in charge this term. Expectations have been up and down so many times, and although a football season normally flies by, it’s almost a relief to get this season of turmoil out of the way.
Behind the scenes, work has already started on putting this season behind us. A lot of people said that we needed a clear-out, and that’s just what we got as Blackpool announced their retained list. And I can’t say I’m heartbroken at the appearance of any names on that list.
Of the 13 players who haven’t been offered a new deal, or had their option exercised, I’d suggest that around half a dozen could walk into my living room without being recognised – the legacy of Ian Holloway’s crazy transfer strategy.
The big surprise came as Ian Evatt was allowed to leave, but then again, after spending a large part of the season on the sidelines, it isn’t a decision which will have a huge impact on the first team.
Not a surprise as such, but saying goodbye Tiago Gomes, Gerado Bruna and Elliot Grandin is a decision that shows the kind of player that Ince wants. Or doesn’t want. Gomes in particular was a major part of the side which started the season so well. Even after that, he continued to show his class when the team was struggling. His drive and desire to run was admirable and his quality on the ball was missed when he wasn’t included. He suffered an unfortunate injury, and didn’t feature in the run-in, but he was a decent player who possesses more quality than the likes of Basham who have been kept on.
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Elsewhere, work has already begun on replacing the pitch. Enough has been said about the pitch over the last few months, so it’s just good to get rid of it and hope that next season we will have a surface able to hold up right through the winter, and allow us to play some football. On the other hand, I do wonder whether there will be any football played on it. Paul Ince did a fantastic job of keeping us in this division, but I can’t say I enjoyed any of it. Not just because it’s unnerving watching every team below you pick up points, but because the football we played for the last 2 months was very rarely desirable.
Ince has come out and said that his favourite scoreline is 1-0. Of the many variations of a winning scoreline, that is probably my least favourite. Similarly, finishing a game 0-0 is my least favourite way to draw a match. As I’ve said, Ince did brilliantly to keep us up, and if his chosen style of football was part of the plan, then well done. There was a lack of confidence, we were leaking goals, and we had an unplayable pitch, so it can be forgiven. If that’s how he plans to play next season, however, then there will be some disgruntled fans in the stands.
So, as we head into a long (probably wet) summer of no sport, with a couple of months of shopping and DIY to look forward to, all we can do is get ready for another season of ups and downs. Fixtures are released on Wednesday 19 June. Just over a month to go…