It was no surprise when Harry Kane was named the Young Player of the Year, after being hailed as one of the most exciting players of the Premier League this season.
He earned his first England call up and scored just seconds after coming on against Lithuania. It has been a dream season for Harry Kane, but is he losing his touch?
This season’s wonderkind deserves acclaim. Yet in his last six appearances, he has scored just once. He found the back of the net at St James’ Park, when his side won 3-1. Considering how much Newcastle are struggling right now, they could very easily end up in the relegation scrap in these last few weeks – is this really an achievement?
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In Tottenham Hostpur’s last game, they played Manchester City. Spurs could not get anything from the game, as City took all three points. Surely, for the bright spark of this season, Harry Kane should have gotten a result for his side then? Instead, he picked up a yellow card. He also watched Sergio Aguero push himself further towards lifting the golden boot.
Picking up yellow cards against the big six sides this season has evidently been a problem for the 21-year-old. He has collected yellow cards against Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool. It is evident that Kane struggles against the big sides as well. He spent ninety minutes at Old Trafford in Chris Smalling’s back pocket, and his performance was sub par in the Capital One Cup final.
Kane does play well against the smaller sides, but does that really make a great player? He scored his first Premier League hat-trick against Leicester as they were written off at the bottom of the league. He has also registered goals against the likes of Queen’s Park Rangers, West Brom and Crystal Palace.
The youngster was on course to lift the golden boot at the end of the season, but Sergio Aguero has stopped him in his tracks. Can he catch Aguero and snatch the title back? In their remaining fixtures, Spurs will face Stoke, Hull and Everton. With that in mind, it could go down to the wire for the golden boot.
He has had a good season, but Harry Kane is not a Premier League great – yet. He is not a prolific goalscorer, but he is not too far off it. The striker needs to be at his best in the big games against the big sides – this is how he can prove he is a true great.
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Only in England could winning a trophy be seen as failure if it means sacrificing the Champions League. Premier League title and the European Cup itself aside, we’re in this near-nonsensical age of football where qualifying for Europe is seen as something more than it actually is; something maybe along the lines of a good enough substitute for an actual piece of silverware.
The buck doesn’t stop with Arsene Wenger, though. I’m sure he’s trying to placate the fervour created by another company, who do not need to be named. The flashing lights, the Hollywood anthem and the biggest and very best of the world’s sponsors. Let’s be honest, no one with a clear head on their shoulders would want to trade a trophy for something that brings more excitement than substance.
I maintain that Andre Villas-Boas is doing an excellent job with what he has. So there’s talk that Spurs have become a one-man team behind Gareth Bale and that the wheels will come off once he leaves for good. Well I’m sure Villas-Boas and Daniel Levy are smart enough to address that issue when it arises, but for now winning is winning, and they’re not exactly doing it ugly either.
Why do fans care about Champions League football? Teams like Barcelona, Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid go into it for the long haul and with the expectation of emerging victorious come the end of the campaign. Most others are just in it for the money.
And here’ the thing: football fans are placing far too much worth into the financial background of clubs, citing the need for UEFA’s top competition to help them move forward. I’m not going to take anything away from how important that Champions League revenue is for many clubs, but the end product of sports is winning, and no one really looks back or cares who qualified for a bucket load of cash. After all, shouldn’t the Champions League be a little more true to its name? A whole continent’s worth of clubs who believe they should be playing in a competition in which they really have no right.
Spurs are in the best position at the moment from the perspective of English football – more so than Chelsea and even Newcastle. Sure, the effects may be similar if Newcastle win the Europa League, but having Chelsea pick up that trophy won’t do a whole lot for its image in this country. Chelsea are a Champions League regular, where winning a trophy like the Europa League will only be seen as something forgettable for them.
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Tottenham’s potential winning of the Europa League will offer it the reputation as something of a boost for those making the permanent switch from edge of mid-table to top of the ranks. You only need to look at the rising reputation of clubs like Atletico Madrid and Shakhtar on the continent. Tottenham have plenty of people talking about how they can challenge for the title in two years; well it’s steps like this that allow for something significant in moving forward. And for whatever Tottenham might think of themselves now, they’re not an established top Premier League team.
It’s the need to do away with “Champions League or nothing.” Again, only in this country is a reputable cup competition seen as something of a nuisance, especially to those who are good enough to win it. UEFA need to play their hand in this too. For whatever they may what to say about it, Thursdays just do not feel like a football night. They’ve got time; change it to a Tuesday and Wednesday in weeks where the Champions League isn’t played. And on top of that, the winner should go into the following year’s Champions League group stage.
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Tottenham want bragging rights and something clear cut to give them a footing in the argument against Arsenal. All of that is fine; it’s sports. But it has to be said that even sections of Arsenal support and the club are kidding themselves to a degree if they believe qualifying for Europe for how many years is an achievement worth parading around. As mentioned, no one cares if you qualified for Europe in the 2010/11 season. Almost everyone will look back to that year as the final where Barcelona once again put on a clinic against England’s best.
Tottenham would be doing a lot for themselves to go ahead and win the Europa League, as well as enhancing its brand in this country. One thing’s for sure in the battle for supremacy with Arsenal; I’m sure many at the Emirates would love to see a trophy added to the inner walls of the stadium. There is no glamour to be lost from a cup that has been lifted by some of Europe’s grandest clubs.
As reported by The Sun, Celtic winger Patrick Roberts has refused to be drawn on the prospect of staying at the Hoops next season after his current loan deal was ruined by an unfortunate injury.
What’s the story?
Roberts’ return to Celtic Park last summer after an initial 18-month loan spell at the club was a much hyped bit of business from the Hoops, but it’s fair to say the move didn’t quite work out like everyone had hoped.
Initially struggling to replace an impressive James Forrest, Roberts’ season was disrupted by a lengthy injury which kept him out for months.
Still returning to full match fitness, the player is now focused on delivering success in the tail-end of the season and won’t be drawn on his future, whether it be at Celtic, Manchester City, or elsewhere.
As quoted by The Sun, Roberts said of his future:
We’ll see. I’m just focused on finishing the last few games of the season on a high, like I did last season, and get the trophies we’re aiming for.
Then I’ll go on holiday and we’ll see where it takes me from there, start the season fresh again and hopefully be injury-free.
Should the Hoops make another play to bring him to Glasgow on a permanent basis?
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Is he worth pursuing further?
Despite limited playing time at the Hoops this season, Roberts has shown flashes of the brilliance that made him such a hit with supporters in the first place and it would hard to judge his loan spell given his injury problems.
His goal against Anderlecht in the UEFA Champions League was a highlight of Celtic’s season and with five assists dotted around other fixtures, it’s clear he’s still a creative and dangerous talent.
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After months of absence he only returned to the starting eleven last week and was clearly not at his peak vs Hamilton, despite creating the Hoops’ vital opening goal. He also won the penalty for Celtic’s fourth goal against Rangers on Sunday.
The reality is that Celtic might not even see the best of him between now and the end of the season given there’s not many matches for him to get back into the swing of things.
It’d be a shame if the relationship between club and player came to an end like that and if there’s any possibility of bringing him back to Celtic Park next season then it’s something that Brendan Rodgers should undoubtedly pursue.
Even the most ardent Juan Mata fan would struggle to suggest that the current campaign, his first full season with Manchester United, was always destined for success.
Now though, things seem to be falling into place for the former Chelsea man. The little midfielder could still be heralded as a key figure in a triumphant return to the Champions League for the Old Trafford side. It has taken a while to come to fruition, but Mata now looks central to United’s ambitions.
Despite struggling to nail down a spot in Louis Van Gaal’s first team and battling to become accustomed to the “philosophy” to which the Dutch coach is so committed, Mata has regularly proved to be the difference when United have gained three points instead of one. The playmaker bagged decisive goals in home victories over Stoke and Palace.
Mata the match-winner was at it again with the stakes sky high at Anfield. His two goals capped a stunning performance and dispatched his side’s biggest rivals. Aside from the heroics, other aspects of his recent form have reminded Premier League fans why he can be considered one of the divisions’ finest attacking midfielders.
Most strange about the last two United victories is that the 26-year-old has regained his mojo from an unlikely source.
Stationed on the right of three attacking midfielders, he has reaped great benefit from the deployment of Marouane Fellaini in the central position. While the big Belgian has drawn in and then bullied the opposition, Mata has found joy in the space this has created.
A master at exploiting these gaps, he passed and moved his way to success against Liverpool, whose midfield were nowhere near him and whose left wing-back Alberto Moreno looked hapless in trying to track him.
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Despite the failure of the David Moyes era, here now are his two major signings combining effectively in attack.
Even more ironic is that Fellaini has come good in the very role players like Mata crave; the number 10 position.
The towering midfielder is by far the least luxurious choice to operate as the fulcrum of the Red Devils’ attack, but recently he has become the most effective at operating behind the striker. A side effect of this is Mata moving to what Van Gaal describes as a false right winger.
Whatever the role, he has adapted to it and also continues to develop a good understanding with fellow Spaniard Ander Herrera operating further back in the midfield.
The ex-Valencia schemer’s improvement could also have been aided by the lack of scrutiny he has been subjected to.
His price tag, £37million, was emphatically overshadowed by that of Angel Di Maria, whose flagging form has stolen the headlines, along with the struggles of another high-profile arrival, Radamel Falcao.
The diminutive Mata has never really been under the same pressure to perform as his team mates. In part this could be due to his “nice guy” status in the eyes of the Old Trafford faithful. The midfielder has now cemented a place in their hearts, by scoring against Liverpool both home and away.
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It would be foolish though to dismiss his current success or focus on a few high profile fixtures. The reason being that the Spaniard has the stats to merit his praise and indicate he could be integral to his side’s push for European qualification.
What stands out is his goals-to-games ratio, which is better than one in three for United and almost as good for Spain.
He also contributes heavily with assists and regularly attains a pass completion of over 90 per cent.
If Van Gaal has finally found a system in which he can prosper, he has all the qualities to haul a side who have looked sluggish in their race for the Champions League across the finish line.
Football may not be a game renowned for its long memory, but even by the Premier League’s standard, the change in fortunes that Scott Parker has suffered in little over 12 months at Tottenham Hotspur feels incredible.
As we headed into the final straight of last season, the former-Charlton Athletic man was already well on course to pick up both the supporters’ player of the year at White Hart Lane, as well as a starting berth for his country at the European Championships.
Yet fast forward to the March of 2013 and it seems hard to believe quite how altered Parker’s standing within first team affairs feels this season. Because where as he last season he represented something of a priceless commodity, this time around, he feels more of a clunking component in a stuttering machine.
Of course, it’s easy to overplay what many have perceived to be a season of regression for Parker in the white half of North London.
A near on four month absence with an Achilles issue has cast an overwhelming shadow over the midfielder’s season and where as ideally he would have been eased back into first-team proceedings, the season ending knee injury to Sandro hyper accelerated his return to the fore.
Indeed, the 32-year-old had amassed only an hour of Premier League football before his season was effectively jump started at QPR in January and the lack of options in the Spurs engine room ensured that Parker had to find his form the hard way.
Yet with only eight league games remaining this season, Parker heads into the final straight with his influence upon Andre Villas-Boas’ side a real talking point within the home crowd.
Superficially, when looking beyond Spurs’ recent hiccup of form, it feels difficult to justify a lot of the negativity that has surrounded Parker’s performances. Out of the 20 games he’s featured in for the Lilywhites this season, the England man has only played on the loosing side four times, with three of those losses coming in the last three games. Certainly, if he has been struggling to replicate the form of last term, it’s hardly had a detrimental effect upon the results.
But while Tottenham have hardly been floundering with Scott Parker in the side, they’ve not often felt like they’ve flourished in his presence, either.
It would be cruel to proportion the weight of Spurs’ often-jagged performances in recent months solely on Parker’s shoulders, although you can’t help but feel that he serves to represent a motif of the side’s collective inability to sustain any real rhythm to their play.
Should Spurs claw their way to Champions League qualification this season, supporters aren’t likely to worry too much about how they got there; just as long as they do. But despite going on a 12 game unbeaten run, while Villas-Boas’ side played some great football in patches, it was hardly a sustained free-flowing exhibition of attacking football.
In the games against Norwich City, Newcastle United and especially the two legs against Lyon in the Europa League to name but a few, Spurs managed to avoid defeat, but they certainly didn’t make life easy for themselves. The result has ultimately always been ground out, but at times Villas-Boas’ side have rarely managed to hit the high gears for more than a 10 or 15-minute spell.
And perhaps few have tended to look quite as laboured as Parker has done within the side, when things haven’t necessarily been free-flowing.
Some will point to the fact that the usual barometer for a good Parker performance last season was when you barely heard his name mentioned at all, as he mopped up loose ends and went about his business both quietly and efficiently. This season however, while he’s still performed that role well, the remit for his midfield play has encompassed a slightly larger scope under Villas-Boas.
The anchor midfield pairing in the Villas-Boas system requires an awful lot more dynamism and interchangeability than the relatively singular role Parker was asked to play alongside Luka Modric last term.
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Where as last season, the England man was given the sole task of sitting and sweeping up, this time around, he’s had to offer a presence in the final third for the first time in his Spurs career. When Mousa Dembele sits, Parker has to move forward and consequently, he’s often looked painfully exposed when approaching the edge of the penalty area.
So is Scott Parker really a fading force or more an unfortunate victim of accelerated change? Whichever way you look at it, the role he’s being asked to play by Villas-Boas hasn’t made it easy for him to stand out in this team.
Yet on the other side of the coin, while he has tended to look like an awkward component in the Tottenham machine, the core attributes of his game have still remained a priceless asset in the newly found steel the side have developed in recent games. Calls from some supporters to drop Parker’s industry for the technical excellence of young Tom Carroll aren’t without gravitas, but as we’ve seen so often throughout the 32-year-old’s career, subtracting his skillset from your side often tends to do more harm than good.
Having had both Sandro and Scott Parker plying their trade in this Andre Villas-Boas system, there can be simply no arguments that the Brazilian remains the better fit and perhaps the overall better player. But with Sandro out the picture following injury, regardless of his limitations in the Portuguese’s system, Parker has done an admirable job within the starting XI. A long term option he may not be, but over the next eight league games, he still has a massive part to play.
Everton fans are once again calling for Nikola Vlasic to return to the team, after Yannick Bolasie and Theo Walcott failed to impress against Manchester City.
It’s no secret Everton’s summer transfer window was a bit of a disaster, as the very same signings that were meant to burst the “big six” bubble effectively only burst Ronald Koeman’s managerial career.
Nikola Vlasic is one of the multiple summer additions that hasn’t really got a fair chance, so could yet prove to be a bargain for the Toffees.
Fans like what little they have seen of Vlasic so far, with the young winger grabbing two goals and an assist in three Europa League starts. He has only managed five Premier League starts though, and none since January.
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Yannick Bolasie has not been at his best since returning from a knee injury, and despite scoring a wonderful goal against Manchester City fans were annoyed by his first half miss and post game comments.
Theo Walcott made a bright start to life at Goodison after his January move, but like Bolasie has lacked that killer instinct in recent games.
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The Toffees welcome arch-rivals Liverpool this weekend, and fans are hopeful Vlasic will get his chance.
Some of the best Twitter reactions can be found below…
Liverpool’s crucial 2-0 victory away to Southampton in the Premier League on Sunday means the top four race promises to be tighter than it has ever been. Just four points separate Arsenal in third and Tottenham in seventh – the Saints and the Reds are in fifth and sixth place respectively – which may see us continue to guess the makeup of the top four right up until the final day of the season.
But what does the result mean to the two sides involved? Here’s three things we learned from Sunday’s game:
1. Newfound defensive solidity could ensure Liverpool’s season ends with success
“A solid defence” is not how you would have described Liverpool’s backline at the start of the campaign, with a steady stream of sloppy goals being conceded leading to the Reds’ early struggles. However, since switching to three at the back, Brendan Rodgers seems to have finally found a system which allows his side to excel in both attack and defence. Sunday’s clean sheet was Liverpool’s fifth in a row away from home in the Premier League, a feat they hadn’t previously managed in thirty years. Maintain this solidity at the back and the Reds are surely strong contenders to finish in the top four.
2. Reds not reliant on Sturridge
Although it wasn’t the most impressive of performances from Liverpool, they did manage to win, and did so largely without the help of Daniel Sturridge who began the game on the bench. While he did fade a little as the game wore on, Philippe Coutinho’s stunner early in the game showed his excellence in attack, whereas Raheem Sterling also managed to get on the scoresheet despite having an off-day of his own. If the Reds can just get Mario Balotelli performing regularly, they’ll suddenly have an abundance of options at their disposal.
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3. Southampton need to get Pelle firing again
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Liverpool may not be dependent on Daniel Sturridge, but the same cannot be said of Southampton’s main man up front. Graziano Pelle was once again poor as the Saints’ principal attacking threat, and barely threatened the Reds defence all game. The Italian has now failed to score in nine Premier League games, and his purple patch at the beginning of the season must now seem like a distant memory for Southampton fans. Saints boss Ronald Koeman needs to rejuvenate his striker, otherwise one can’t see where they will get the goals needed to finish in the top four.
Are we trying to become the first team to be knocked out the league to concentrate on the cup?
Yes we are in poor form but a 5-1 home defeat to the team bottom of the Championship? Be ashamed Millwall. This now makes it one win in ten league games. We’ve gone from play-off contenders, to only six points off the drop zone.
In the first half we dominated the game and had plenty of chances, the first goal came from poor defending, and so did the second. But at 2-1 down at half time I was still confident that we’d get something from the game, oh how wrong I was…
We collapsed. Plain and simple.
We were terrible, to be fair lets not take credit away from Peterborough, they looked dangerous every time they went forward. Well done to any others that sat through the full 90 minutes as it was painful. Summed up at the end by Jimmy Abdou at full time, captain for the game, didn’t stop running, collapsed in the centre circle and then looked to the crowd as to say “how did that happen?”
I’m happy John Berylson was there for the game. Maybe he’ll have seen tonight why we don’t get massive crowds.
The whole night was a write-off. Afobe on the wing, why? Surely Woolford should play? Karleigh Osborne is a decent player but Shittu is surely missed. But what got me was some fans’ comments after the game.
Jackett out! Really?
Why would people want Jackett out? Yes he’s made some mistakes this season, but name me a manager who hasn’t. He got us here and he should be given a chance to fix it if anything is wrong. Plus, someone tell me who would you bring in?
In KJ we trust…just.
Plus some players should be out of the firing line – Some of the comments I’ve seen from after the game are ridiculous.
“Jimmy Abdou is just a headless chicken” – he’s a defensive midfielder, if he wasn’t running about after the ball I’d be worried!
“Keogh is uninterested” – The bloke has problems off the field for god sake, if you had problems surely it would effect your work?
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“Smith should be sent back to Spurs” – Are people serious? Stop the world I want to get off.
We do not become a bad team overnight but something needs to change and quick… I never thought I’d say this around November time but we need to make sure we keep ourselves safe for another season.
100% of fans would’ve taken the position we are in at the start of the season, and yes we were punching above our weight at times this season but look on the bright side? One game from Wembley of course…
Leeds fans are once again impressed by Ronaldo Vieira, as the young midfielder made his return to action in the 2-1 win against Bolton.
Paul Heckingbottom finally got the win he so desperately needed on Friday, as his side overcame Bolton thanks to goals from Caleb Ekuban and Pablo Hernandez.
Fans were particularly impressed by Ronaldo Vieira, as the young midfielder played for the first time since the 3-0 loss to Middlesbrough last month.
Vieira is still raw, and Heckingbottom says the pressure from his tremendous breakthrough season has hampered his form this season.
“He burst onto the scene and he’s got tremendous attributes and big potential but he’s got to learn about himself and about the game, about what’s required,” the manager said.
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“That’s our job but sometimes when young players burst in like that, the pressure put on them is not necessary. It can be tough to handle when you’re already playing at a big club in a tough league, as a young person.”
The 19 year-old’s form has certainly dipped this season, but there is a feeling amongst fans that he is the best long-term option in midfield, especially given the poor form of the likes Eunan O’Kane and Kalvin Phillips.
Vieira was everywhere on Friday against Bolton, making four tackles, four clearances and one block, while also managing four successful long balls, which was the most of any outfield player.
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While it’s hard to disagree with the manager’s comments that the youngster needs time and patience, fans want to see more of Vieira, who has already made over 50 league appearances for the club.
Some of the best Twitter reactions can be found below…
With the January transfer window closed, Louis van Gaal now has six months to decide who does and who doesn’t have a long term future in his Manchester United squad, before it reopens in July.
Indeed, it’s been a season of transition at Old Trafford despite the Red Devils’ respectable standing of third in the Premier League table, with £150million worth of new players arriving alongside a new manager, a new philosophy and several new formations.
Resultantly however, there’s now plenty of deadwood piling around Old Trafford that appears to be surplus to requirements.
So, with that in mind, here’s FIVE players the 13-time Premier League champions should throw on the scrapheap come the summer.
ASHLEY YOUNG
The sheer presence of Ashley Young at Old Trafford is more than enough justification for Louis van Gaal to spend fortunes on another wide-man this summer, because the former Aston Villa star is way below Manchester United standard.
To give credit where it’s due, the one-time England man produced some impressive performances as an emergency wing-back earlier in the season, but that’s more a homage to van Gaal’s bizarre selection antics than Young’s ability as a footballer.
He’s scored just two Premier League goals in the last two-and-a-half terms at Carrington, hasn’t represented the Three Lions since 2013 and is widely considered as one of the most prolific, cynical and dramatic divers in English football.
Now 29 years of age with just a single season remaining on his contract, Young’s United tenure has surely run its course.
JUAN MATA
Juan Mata’s top-class quality remains undoubted, and the Spaniard’s return of eleven goals and seven assists in 35 Premier League appearances since moving to Manchester United last January is certainly nothing to be sniffed at.
But the former Chelsea star’s inclusion in United’s starting Xi tends to cause more problems than it solves, not least resulting in Wayne Rooney moving deeper into central midfield to accomodate for Mata’s preferred role of No.10.
The top heavy nature of the Red Devils’ squad is no secret and swapping the 26 year-old for a more defensive midfielder this summer, such as Sami Khedira or Kevin Strootman, would certainly balance it out somewhat.
Then again, United would likely make a significant loss on their original £37million investment if they sold Mata just 18 months later, and for that reason alone his Red Devils career could span past the summer.
NICK POWELL
Nick Powell was tipped for great things when Manchester United signed him from Crewe Alexandra back in summer 2012 but he’s since gone on to make just two league appearances for his parent club, spending the majority of his time struggling to convince amid loan spells with Wigan and Leicester City.
With the Latics for example, the midfielder-come-striker found just seven goals in 32 Championship appearances, whilst the Foxes called upon him on just three occasions this season before cancelling the England U21’s loan stay six months early.
Powell’s still just 20 years old and has plenty of football ahead of him, but after failing to imprint upon Sir Alex Ferguson’s, David Moyes’ or Louis van Gaal’s first team plans, his development might progress quicker at another club.
Even if Powell isn’t parted with on a permanent basis this summer, he desperately needs a loan move to a top flight club that will guarantee him regular football.
CHRIS SMALLING
Regardless of his Man of the Match display against Burnley, Manchester United should be aiming a little higher than hap-hazard defender Chris Smalling.
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There’s no doubting the 25 year-old’s credentials off the ball, particularly when it comes to the defensive basics of headers, interceptions, tackles and clearances, but he’s a real liability in possession and struggles to cope with the pressure in important matches – his red card against Manchester City earlier this term being a classic example.
Although Smalling is a decent enough member of the squad, Manchester United should be making room for more coveted defensive arrivals this summer, such as Marquinhos or Mats Hummels, who would truly lift the quality of the Red Devils’ starting Xi.
ROBIN VAN PERSIE
A controversial suggestion perhaps, considering Robin van Persie is Manchester United’s leading goalscorer in the league this season with ten goals from 23 appearances, bringing his total across all competitions for the Red Devils to an impressive 57 in 97.
But the Dutch assassin requires an incredibly unique kind of service to get the best out of him – particularly, pin-point accurate long passes from deep positions – which seems impossible for the Red Devils to produce in every game.
Likewise, the 31 year-old offers no physical presence at all in the lone front-man role, rendering the Red Devils worryingly undynamic going forward this season, and his long-term injury problems are well known.
It wouldn’t constitute the worst situation imaginable if RVP stayed on at Old Trafford past the summer. But inevitably declining as a top-class striker and set to enter the final year of his contract come July, United have certainly reached a crossroad regarding the former Arsenal star’s future.