Simone Zaza: The West Ham flop flourishing for Los Che.

After failing to impress during his loan spell with West Ham United last season, Simone Zaza is on fire. A blistering start to the season for new club Valencia, the Italian swept up La Liga’s Player of the Month award for September – beating Lionel Messi to the honour.

The former Juventus man was a laughing stock before even arriving in London, after his penalty miss during Euro 2016 went viral. During his time at the London Stadium, Zaza only managed eight appearances, scoring a total of nil-pwa goals – then to cap it off his loan spell was cancelled in January after a torrid time in England.

But everything now seems to have changed for the frontman; seven goals in his first eight games for Valencia, Zaza has led Los Murciélagos to second in the table – behind only Barcelona. From an individual standpoint, Zaza also sits second in the scoring charts – behind Lionel Messi and his tally of 11.

A physically excellent frontman, Zaza is blessed with plenty of the gifts needed to succeed in England: strength, speed and an eye for goal. Something was missing at West Ham that has clicked in Spain since his arrival.

Since his loan was cancelled at West Ham, Simone Zaza has stated his failures were down to an inability to adjust to life in England.

Quickly I didn’t feel great in many ways. Environment, culture, nutrition, training.

I do not blame anyone. 99% of it was my fault, I was not able to adapt.

– Simeone Zaza

Effortless, however, would be the word to describe how he was settled in at Valencia. Left out in the cold by both parent club Juventus and temporary home West Ham, Zaza’s first choice was Valencia.

Valencia was always the team I wanted most. Everyone told me it was a wonderful place. And it’s true. It is similar to Italy. And then to be by the sea and the sun, makes me happy, I do not need anything else.

These words from the Italian show how much surrounding himself with a comfortable environment means to him. The hustle and bustle of London never suited Zaza, and it showed on the pitch. Penning a €16million deal for Zaza showed the confidence Valencia had in the man. After failing drastically in England, it was a huge risk for Los Che.

Confidence is essential for any striker to succeed, a confidence Zaza has suddenly got in abundance. Being positioned as the main attacking outlet for Valencia, their No.9 knows the side rely on him for goals. With strike partner Rodrigo preferring to drop into an almost No.10 role, and wide men such as Goncalo Guedes providing supply from out wide, the supply line is there for the striker.

Familiarity with your team-mates allows for an almost telekinetic communication to be formed. And that is what is happening for Zaza; Rodrigo, Zaza and Guedes have all been almost ever present this campaign so far, as has been skipper Dani Perejo. Pulling the strings from the heart of midfield, the Spaniard has a range of passing that can compete with any in Spain.

The thinking from manager Marcelino is one of attacking intent, with the focus being to get floods of players into attacking positions as much as possible. Attacking full-backs on either side constantly overlapping, balls are being fired low into the box as often as possible.

For a No.9 like Zaza, this is ideal and his movement and quick thinking allows this system to flourish. Sitting between the two centre-backs and gambling on any ball played into the danger zone, this attacking thinking is made for Zaza. Zaza has scored seven goals in either league games this campaign – only one of which was scored from outside of the box.

Simone Zaza is surrounded by attacking quality at Valencia, he knows any ball played into him will be one of quality. The options are always surrounding the man on the ball, with a minimum of three options on at all times. Whether it’s a period of sustained pressure, or a lung busting counter attack – the options are plenty for Valencia and Zaza right now.

The way Marcelino lines up is to go and take the game to any opponent, at no point do they slow down. This mindset breeds confidence into your attacking outlets, and Zaza is the perfect example. The Italian front man not only benefits from Marcelino’s confidence in his ability, but the man himself demonstrates huge confidence in the ability of his team mates. As he arrives in the perfect position at the perfect time, knowing the ball played to him will be perfect. Five out of Zaza’s seven league goals so far this season have came from first time finishes or headers.

Zaza’s team around him make up a foundation that was lacking during his time at West Ham. The London club had a horrible start to last season, moving into a new stadium, and with the manager seemingly not knowing his best team. The side was in turmoil, and this had a negative effect on the players.

The Valencia fans know all too well about a club in turmoil. After years in the wilderness, Los Che are on a path to return to the glory days of Rafa Benitez’s time in charge at the Mestalla. Harmony between all parts of the club, from the players to the board room. Boss Marcelino has been given control over all things football related, and it is translating onto success on the pitch.

This form of harmony within a club would do wonders for any player, and Zaza is at the forefront of that. With the machine behind him and his team-mates, the Italian is rolling and shows no sign of slowing down.

Timothy Weah: Born into Greatness.

Being the son of a Ballon d’Or winner brings its own pressures to any young footballer. Timothy Weah, son of former AC Milan striker George Weah, is dealing with those pressures immaculately during the early stages of his career. The teenager is currently signed to French giants Paris Saint-Germain, representing their Under-19s. Also starring for the US at youth level, scoring a hat-trick in their 5-0 victory over Paraguay in the 2017 FIFA Under-17 World Cup.

Timothy is the youngest of George Weah’s children, and the second to break into professional football. Older brother George Weah Jr had his career tarnished with injuries before turning 20, slimming his chances of following in his father’s footsteps. Showing signs of quality early on in his development, the 17-year-old Timothy was a hot property regardless of his famous father. After growing up in New York, Timothy signed for the New York Red Bull’s youth system at 13. Just 12 months later some of the top dogs of European football were sniffing around the young attacker, and after a trial with Chelsea, he signed an apprentice contract with PSG.

Impressing for the Under-17s right from the off, scoring a hat-trick during the early stage of his time with the youth team. He went on to score five during an Al Kass cup fixture, drawing the attention of the board; and in July 2017, Weah signed his first professional contract.

Despite the temptation to follow his father in representing Liberia at international level – Weah was called up to the US youth system in early 2017. Featuring in the CONCACAF U17 Championships. During his six appearances in the competition, Weah registered two goals and two assists, thriving on the international stage. Displaying incredible confidence when on the ball, Timothy appeared incredibly comfortable during his first outings for the US. And as previously mentioned, Weah is currently participating in the U17 FIFA World Cup.

His hat-trick against Paraguay showed glimpses of his father’s striker instinct – a trait he seems to have inherited. Comfortable on either side, Weah cut in from the left and curled a beautifully placed shot into the top right corner with his right foot.

Timothy said in an interview after the game, also discussing his desire to impress PSG boss Unai Emery. Weah appeared optimistic but acknowledged that the road ahead is long. Commenting on PSG’s plethora of attacking power, and a desire to emulate them one day.

“When I am ready, and when the coach (Unai Emery) sees that I’m ready, hopefully, I will be given a call-up to the first team.

Often asked about how he feels, dealing with the pressure of being the son of George Weah. Timothy insists it is only ever positive.

“I Just use it as an advantage. My Father was a great player – and it’s up to me to be the best that I can be.”

“I’m still going to try and be one of the best players to play the game. Following in my father’s footsteps is not a big deal to me.”

Drawing striking resembles to his father whenever he takes to the pitch however, Weah’s class and composure on the ball fill the other players around him with confidence. A quickness that will make him the favourite in any foot race on the pitch, Timothy posses many of the traits of the perfect modern day attacker. Named by the Guardian in its annual list of top footballing prospects, it’s easy to see why going off of his development this year alone.

Armed with a strong personality and even stronger work ethic, Weah has earned high praise from US U17 head coach John Hackworth. Stating how impressed he was with Weah’s work rate, drawing more comparisons to his legendary father. Hackworth also noted how Timothy has a strong desire to use every possible opportunity to improve. It appears both physically and mentally Tim Weah has all of the tools to achieve whatever he sets out to achieve.

Fast, strong and technically sound, Weah has the opportunity to make huge strides in the footballing world. And using the U17 FIFA World Cup as a springboard, his development trajectory indicates it won’t be long before he’s warming up alongside Neymar in the PSG first team. With a bloodline of a legend, and the future of a nation on his back. The youngest Weah has the world at his feet.

Rosseneri Recapture: How can AC Milan reclaim their throne?

Seven European cups, 18 Scuddetos, five Coppa Italias, AC Milan are one of the biggest club sides in the world, a dominating powerhouse of football – with some of the biggest names in the game having pulled on the famous red and black stripes.

During this current decade, however, it has been a very different Milan side taking to the pitch at the San Siro. No league title since 2011, and no Champions League qualification since 2013. The state of AC Milan was at its lowest since the match-fixing scandal of 2006, but things appeared to take a turn for the better.

Chinese investors purchased 99.93% of AC Milan – €520million – as well as the refurbishment of financial debt, totalling €220million. And from here, Milan kicked on, and over the course of the 2017 summer transfer window they spent £175 million on new players; spending more money then any other Italian side and the total was only topped across Europe by Paris Saint-Germain.

Italian centre-back Leonardo Bonucci, highly sort after full-back Ricardo Rodriguez and a forward with the world at his feet in Andre Silva; Milan had strengthened massively. Manager Vincento Montella had a huge selection of new players to improve his side throughout and potentially push for the title. After two wins from their first two games, however, Milan fell 4-1 to Lazio and since then it’s been nothing short of underwhelming from big spending AC Milan. Just 12 points from their first seven games places Milan in seventh position – nine points from the top.

After the huge investment, Milan have failed to capture the imagination of their fans. How has it gone so wrong? And what can be done to bring the famous red half of Milan back to providence?

Milan’s £175 million went on 11 new players this summer, with the majority expecting first-team football. This immediately presented a problem for Montella as he now faced the task of fitting the new additions into his system in a very short space of time.

This may be one of the nicer problems for a manager to have, but that doesn’t change the fact that it can take time for players to adapt to a new team, and a new league entirely for a number of the signings. Spurs proved that in 2013 when they spent the world-record fee they received for Gareth Bale on seven new players, only two of which are still at the club after the other five failed to settle in at White Hart Lane.

The Italian way of defending is long gone for AC Milan, who have registered just two clean sheets from their first seven league games – conceding ten goals in this time. This comes after assembling an almost entirely new defence in the summer.

So far in this campaign Milan have deployed a three centre-back system, with Fabio Borini and Ricardo Rodriguez acting as wing backs. Neither Borini or Rodriguez are natural wing-backs, with lung-busting pace who can get up and down the flanks. A very solid full-back Rodriguez proved to be during his time in Germany; but rarely an attacking one. Borini on the other hand – a striker by trade, often used as a wide midfielder, being played as a wing-back is just asking for trouble – an example of where the man in charge has got his tactics completely wrong.

Transitioning from defence into attack, and once again Milan’s huge investments failing to pay off. Hakan Çalhanoğlu signed for £20million, seen by many as a bargain for a midfielder with bags of potential. Playing mainly as one of three central midfielders, the Turk is not having the impact on the game you would expect to see.

Ahead of Çalhanoğlu is Portuguese forward Andre Silva; after picking up a knock at the start of the season, manager Montella has been hesitant to play the young striker, causing the Milan fans to question the decision-making. When Silva has played, however – despite being prolific in Europe and on the international stage – in his first two league outings, he has struggled to get into the game. Managing only three shots across the two games and failing to score.

Wide man Suso has been Milan’s shining light so far – with two goals and two assists. The Spaniard, however, found himself out of the team for Milan’s 2-0 home defeat to Roma, in place of another of the new signings. A very questionable decision by the manager, and one that has cost his side. Much like the decision to deploy two non-wing-backs as wing-backs, Vincenzo Montella has a lot to answer for.

Despite spending huge amounts of money in the summer, Milan look no better now then they did 12 months ago. This time last year Milan sat third in the table – just two points behind leaders Juventus.

Milan had conceded 11 league goals at the close of October, last season, but coming into October this time, they’ve already let in 10 goals; the defence may have improved on paper, but not in practice. They have the players, they have the financial backing but there is still something missing. The answer could be, not the personnel coming in, but one man in particular going out.

Vincenzo Montella has his tactics all wrong this season, right from the very first game. Particularity defensively, the insistence on playing the new signings appears to have cost Milan. Before a relationship was built between defenders – Bonucci, Rodriguez, Musacchio and Borini were all thrown in; and have been almost ever present since – a rotating fifth defender comes in and Milan look a mess at the back against the bigger sides, with Roma, Lazio and Sampdoria all finding it far too easy to infiltrate Milan’s back line.

So Montella’s tactics have cost his side, a change has to be made if Milan are to take advantage of the situation they find themselves in. All the money in the world and a squad full of talent, who can be trusted to handle it? A Milan legend.

Carlo Ancelotti.

The Italian is the only manager in history to win three UEFA Champions Leagues – two of which were during his previous stint at the San Siro. Recently fired by Bayern Munich, the rumours are already flying. Ancelotti to Milan, one of the most successful managers in Milan’s history, coming in to lead the side to glory.

The Italian giants have already reportedly made contact with Ancelotti, and both the man himself and Vincent Montella have commented on the potential return. Montella joked in a press conference that the three-time European champion could be his No.2 at Milan; while Carlo mentioned a job share.

No official comment has been made from either party, with the board appearing to have Montella’s full backing. But as the pressure continues to grow on the man in charge, it could be a case of no smoke without fire.

A lot needs to be done to save Milan’s season already, but there are very few managers in world football with a track record like Ancelotti’s. A new manager is often what a side needs to find their form. History tells us major shift in surroundings often allows players to find an extra gear. With a man like Carlo Ancelotti at the helm for any club, success is almost a given. Taking back over at the club where he achieved his greatest successes as a manager, it is almost too good to be true.

Arsenal's 'Invincibles' - Why they weren't as great as you remember.

During the 20 seasons of Premier League awards back in 2012, Arsenal’s famous 2003/2004 side, more commonly known as the ‘Invincibles’, were voted as the best Premier League side in history.

It’s easy to see why, with top scorer Thierry Henry at the peak of his powers, Sol Campbell bossing proceedings from the back, and the pairing of Patrick Vieira and Gilberto Silva dominating midfield, the spine of the team was unparalleled. Frenchman Robert Pires and maverick Freddie Ljungberg tormenting full backs across the country, no one could stop the Gunners.

This is how they are remembered by the vast masses, but not quite how they should be remembered.

Arsenal ended their 2003/2004 campaign with 90 points, which is no doubt a very impressive points haul for the season. Just 12 months later, however, Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea side finished their title-winning season with 95 points – five more than the Gunners.

So, if just 12 months after Wenger’s side finished with 90 points, Chelsea racked up more points then Arsenal, over the same amount of games, playing a lot of the same sides, Arsenal’s ‘Invincibles’ side were not as good as the champions that followed them.

In fact, Arsenal’s total of 90 points during their famous season is only the sixth-highest points total in Premier League history. With Chelsea ending the league season with more the 90 points on three separate occasions, and Manchester United doing it twice.

Now, moving away from points and onto goals, to be precise, how few goals Arsenal scored during the season. During the 2003/2004 season the North London club had, at their disposal, one of the greatest striking partnerships in the league’s history: Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp.

Henry finished the season as Golden Boot winner with 30 league goals, and with the Frenchman leading the line Arsenal ended the campaign with 73 goals which, when put into context, is incredibly low for a title-winning side. In fact, in the 13 seasons that have followed the ‘Invincibles’, only on four occasions have the champions failed to score less then 73 league goals, and only twice in the last decade.

With such attacking power how did Arsenal only manage 73 goals?

Wenger and his side played out the end of the season to avoid defeat. Now, throughout most of the season, Arsenal went out to play and they went out to win. But it was later on in the season where this point comes into play.

Four draws from their last six games shows two things: going unbeaten was firmly on the minds of the players, the coaching staff, everyone who was involved with the club – going unbeaten was the priority. It also shows that playing entertaining football and sending the fans home happy was not at the forefront of the thinking for the men in charge.

In fact, in the last six games of the campaign Arsenal, with Thierry Henry leading the line, only managed six goals. That’s an average of one goal-per-game; to put that into context only one side in the ENTIRE division had an average of one goal-per-game that season. That side was Wolverhampton Wanderers and they finished bottom.

Invincible means, too powerful to be defeated or overcome. Despite playing our their league season unbeaten, in all competitions Arsenal found themselves on the losing side in some of their biggest games.

During the course of the campaign, Arsenal actually lost to three Premier League sides. Starting with defeats home and away to Middlesbrough in the Carling Cup semi-finals – Arsenal came into the game with their eyes on the first piece of silverware of the domestic season.

The opportunity was there for Arsenal to send out a message to the other top sides in England; that the Gunners meant business. It was clear that Arsenal were looking past Steve McClaren’s side, and the underdogs walked away 3-1 victors on aggregate.

FA Cup semi final vs Manchester United, another massive game for Arsenal. But unlike in their league fixtures, the game had to have an outright winner. Arsenal really went for broke during this encounter with their old rivals. But without frontman Thierry Henry the red half of North London lacked that cutting edge. That same cutting edge their opponents had in abundance and Paul Scholes scored the only goal of the game to send United to the final.

What was to follow was Arsenal’s biggest game of the season; a Champions League quarter-final against Chelsea. After a 1-1 draw at the Bridge, Arsenal welcomed Chelsea to Highbury – firmly in the driver’s seat with an away goal to their name.

Wenger’s men faced their biggest task of the campaign on the biggest stage, and only days after falling out of the FA Cup to Manchester United the chance was there for Arsenal to really show their class. And a victory against Chelsea would have given them a huge opportunity to capture their first ever European Cup.

On the night, however, everything that had come before in the league meant nothing. Wayne Bridge scored the winner for Chelsea as Arsenal exited their second competition in the space of a week; when push came to shove, Arsenal lacked something.

Arsenal did manage to go the entire league season without suffering defeat, an incredibly accomplishment; this was achieved with some rather dubious methods. Portsmouth travelled to Highbury in September 2003, and took an early lead against the Gunners.

While driving into the box, Robert Pires dived to win a penalty, which Henry slotted away to equalise. In the years that followed the manager himself openly admitted to Pires’ dive, whereas after the game the man involved came out and denied the dive. The French wide man said it was:

“…not the way he played and that he was not a cheat.”

Because they did not lose a game, the Arsenal Invincibles are seen as the greatest Premier League side in history. They went unbeaten, that fact is not debatable – but do the maths for one moment. You could go an entire season unbeaten, and still go down, finishing on 38 points – two off the magic 40-point target sides battling the drop aim for. Football is about winning, not avoiding defeat and the 2003/2004 Arsenal side played to avoid defeat throughout much of the key stages of their season.

Arsenal and Arsene Wenger simply took advantage of what was a poor season in terms of standard of football to achieve what they did. Much like Leicester City in 2016, they won the title without being a truly remarkable team.

It’s unlikely that another side will ever go an entire Premier League season unbeaten. This is not because no side could ever do it, but because the very best sides don’t need to go unbeaten to be seen as the very best.

Crystal Palace - Just how doomed are they?

If you'd have told the average football fan that the first managerial sacking of the season would take place after just four games he'd most likely have laughed in your face. He'd be in hysterics when you then said Roy Hodgson would manage in the Premier League again. And he'd down right call you a liar when you then suggested that after the first 6 games the side at the bottom of the league would have zero points and zero goals. Now imagine the reaction when you tell him all of the pre-mentioned points happened to the same club. Come on in, Crystal Palace.  

  

Crystal Palace. Just how has it gone so wrong so quickly? As the 2016/2017 season drew to a close, The Eagle's finished in a very respectable 14th position. With Benteke firing in the goals, Zaha causing havoc down the flanks, and Sahko looking solid at the back, it appeared that Palace where on the up. Well you asked and you shall receive, May 23rd 2017, Big Sam quits. The former England manager (very briefly yes, but still former England manager) had taken over at Selhurst Park and, despite some early turmoil, got his side playing the 'Big Sam way' in time for the Palace faithful to be able to watch another season of Premier League football this time around. The reason for Allardyce's departure appeared to be his desire to retire from management, stating he 'has no ambition to take another managerial position'. This was HUGE for Palace as Sam Allardyce's tactics had been what kept them up, and it had taken time to drill those tactics into the side. Now it was back to square one, and who was the man for the job?  

  

Frank De Boer. The legendary Dutch centre back was tasked with carrying on from where Big Sam had left off. And what did he do? The exact opposite. Now, modern day football is much more tuned to the style of football De Boer wanted to play, a style similar to that of the Ajax side he was a part of for a decade. The Ajax side that managed to win five league titles, two domestic cups, and one Champions League title as well as one UEFA Cup. An Ajax side with the likes of Patrick Kluivert, Jari Litmanen, Frank Rjjkaard, Edgar Davids and Marc Overmars just to name a handful. One of the great sides in European history, playing one of the most attractive styles of football we've seen, and De Boer tried to translate a similar style to Crystal Palace. It doesn't take a genius to see how poor of a decision this was from De Boer, but when you look back at his former managerial roles you have to wonder, why did the club hire him in the first place? When Steve Parish sat down with the board of directors, and ironed out the deal to appoint Frank De Boer, did anyone in the room ask "Why are we hiring him?" A club that had clung onto Premier League survival with a manager famed for keeping poor teams up with an ugly, long ball and hard tackling style of play, wanted to hire a man who had only ever managed sides who, for one, were HUGE sides in their domestic leagues, and two, played fast paced, slick, attacking football. If this HAD been asked maybe Parry would have responded with "Yes but look at his success at Ajax!" Which would be a fair argument, De Boer did win four league titles in his first four years at Ajax... but then failed to win the Eredivisie in either of his final two seasons before leaving for Inter Milan. What happened at Inter you ask? I'm glad you brought it up! After spending big in the summer, the new manager was fired after just 88 days in charge. So, this was the man Palace we're hiring, not the legendary Dutch defender, not the all-conquering Ajax manager, but a man who's track record over the last three years could rival any as the worst in management. In all fairness to De Boer however, after a slow start, and by slow start I mean four defeats from four with ZERO goals, his side did appear to be slowly but surely, adapting to his style of play. But just like that, it appeared Steve Parish did some research into his new manager, and showed the Dutchman the door in record time. 4 games, 4 defeats, no goals, and now no manager. How could it possibly go worse?  

  

Roy Hodgson. That's how!  

  

Crystal Palace had managed to appoint their second former England manager in less than one calendar year. Take that however you like but the appointment of the 70 year old made him the oldest appointment in Premier League history. I'd pay to be a fly on the wall of any Palace fan for the moment they discovered the man who failed to manage England to a victory over Iceland, was now the captain of their rapidly sinking ship. In fairness to Roy, when in charge of 'smaller' sides he famously does quite well. He lead Fulham to a Europa League final, and over achieved with West Brom. But you have to ask yourself, is there ANY appointment in football history which has drawn less enthusiasm then this? Actually yes. When Hodgson was given the England job over Harry Redknapp! (But we won't go into that.) So, what has Roy done since being given the job? Has he registered Palace's first points of the season? No, two defeats, including a 5-0 hammering by Manchester City. Well surely they've scored a league goal by now? Again no, that makes it 6 games without a goal for Crystal Palace. And as if things couldn't get any worse, their top goalscorer and record signing from last season Christan Benteke is said to be out for up to 6 weeks with injury. This news means that, going into an extremely tough away trip to Manchester United, Palace have ZERO fit strikers. THIS is the chance for Roy to prove he isn't past it! This is the chance for him to earn the trust of the Palace fans! Solve this crisis, get some goals on the board, and prove the doubters wrong. Wait... he's after Carlton Cole to replace Benteke? FREE AGENT Carlton Cole? The man who hasn't scored a single goal for his last three clubs? Not a bright upstart from the academy, not a youngster on the fridges of the side, Carlton Cole. What was that I said about unenthusiastic?  

  Do you know what this reminds me off? Cast your mind back to 2008, Derby County, mid way through their first season back in the top flight of English football. They were rock bottom of the league and looked destined for relegation, and what did they do? They signed Robbie Savage and gave him the captain's armband. The rest is history as Derby ended with a historically low 11 points, which included just one win. Could Palace be on for a similar season? The signs are all there.  

The Future of Football - Paulo Dybala vs Marco Asensio.

For the last 10 years the top table of world football has been dominated by two men. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Never before have we seen the title of world player of the year been so predictable as to who will be competing come January. But what will happen when these two icons of the world game take a step back? What will happen when the Argentine forward Messi steps back into a deeper laying number 10 role, allowing for someone else to steal all the headlines? What will happen when the goals dry up for Cristiano? When the lung busting runs and climbing headers become a rarity and not just another Sunday for the Portuguese national captain. Well here are two names you will have heard before, Paulo Dybala and Marco Asensio. Dybala being compared to his fellow Argentine international Lionel Messi, and Asension to his fellow galactico Cristiano Ronaldo. The next big rivalry in world football is ready and waiting, lets take a closer look.

So first of all, with Paulo Dybala. The Juventus number 10 has openly stated on several occasions that be has no interest in becoming the 'Next Lionel Messi' that he would rather be the 'First Paulo Dybala' and that is a highly commendable attitude from the 23 year old. Many young players have taken the praise heaped upon then and ran themselves into a wall with it, the names Mario Balotelli and Ricardo Quaresma instantly come to mind, however Dybala seems to be handling it perfectly, getting his head down and playing football. Despite Paulo's insistence NOT to be compared to Messi, it is clear to see where to comparisons have been drawn from. Dybala is one of the most naturally talented players in world football today, his ability on the ball and technique very closely resembles that of a young Lionel Messi. The speed at which Dybala can dribble with the ball is a defenders worst nightmare, and to cap it all off his average of a goal every other game in his Juve career so far demonstrates the eye for goal the forward possess. The attributes have earned Dybala the nickname 'La Joya' translated from Spanish meaning ' the jewel'. During his first professional season at the age of 17, Dybala went on to break four long standing Argentine football records. Firstly, scoring his first goal for boyhood club Instituto, making him the youngest goal scorer in the leagues history, he followed this up scoring in 6 consecutive league games, beating the previous record by 2. And to cap off the season, he became the first player to score two hat-tricks in the league, as well as the first to compete in 38 consecutive league matches in the country. So a young Argentine footballer breaking records left right and centre. Do you see where I'm going with this?

Only one year later Dybala was on his way to Europe, to Italian side Palmero where he continued to grow and shine. In his third season in Italy we saw the first examples of the player Dybala has grown into today, scoring 13 league goals and providing 10 assists, making his one of the most influential players in the league that season. Much like his time with Instituo, this breakthrough season saw the youngster moving on to bigger things, namely a £32 million move to Juventus, where he was given the famous 21 jersey. Playing as Juve's main attacking threat Dybala ended his first season as the clubs top scorer, registering 23 goals. Only Italian great Roberto Bagio held a greater goals/games ratio in his debut season, as the Argentinian fired his new club to the Scudetto. The success just kept coming for Dybala, in his second season with Juventus he knocked in another 19 goals, even more impressive when you consider he was now playing the position of a second striker behind new signing Higuain. As well as winning his second Italian league title, Dybala helped the Old Lady to the Champions League final against Real Madrid, where they came up short. That brings us to the current campaign, and what else do I need to say other then 10 league goals in 6 games, and two hat- tricks already. The pressure was heavily on the Italian champions this time around after their failure in the Champions League final and Dybala has taken that pressure and dealt with it with match winning performances. ON the day of writing this the news is filled with a rumoured £155 million offer being weighed up by Manchester United for the Argentinian star. Whether these rumours are factual or not is yet to be seen, but how little surprise this news has earned from the footballing world shows just how big a deal the man is. I don't think I'm being over dramatic when I say I can see Dybala being named the worlds best player sooner rather then later, his talent is just undeniable and if he continues this season the way he has began it I think it could be even sooner then we could ever have imagined. I am however going to end this with another cheap comparison to Lionel Messi. Paulo was sent off in his FIRST EVER start for Argentina. As I'm sure you're aware Messi saw red in his first ever game for his country, another cheap comparison as I said but it takes great strength to come back from such a knock down and to go on and flourish. Lio has undoubtedly gone way above all expectations, and after the start to his career has been so fruitful, I think it's safe to say we can expect the same from Juventus' new number 10.

Now onto a newer sensation, the Spanish midfielder who is being treated as the answer to the question, what will Real Madrid do without Cristiano Ronaldo? Marco Asensio. Now unlike Dybala, we don't have a handful of seasons at the highest level to go off of, with Asensio we simply have ability. In Asensio's first 37 league games in the top flight of Spanish football the midfielder only managed 4 league goals, which is by no means an impressive feat. But by just looking at the stats you're missing the point with this player. While still at youth level, both Barcelona and Real Madrid wanted to get their hands on Asensio, but the Spaniard spent his first professional season with Mallorca. As the season drew to a close Asensio truly found his form, scoring all 4 of  the league goals he managed in his first season within the same month, ending the campaign as the hottest property in Spanish football. And in November of 2014 Real Madrid got their man, before loaning him back to his boyhood club for the remainder of the season. During this same time frame Madrid's newest signing was representing Spain at under 18's level, scoring 8 goals in 12 games, showing just how big of a talent he could be! Before the end of the 2014-2015 season Asensio was called up to the under 21 squad, continuing to shine, and currently Marco has 8 goals in 17 games at that level. In the following summer Asensio was loaned to Espanyol, Catalan rivals of Barcelona, where he continued to improve, ending the campaign with 12 assists as the Real Madrid man looked to bet set for a number 10 role. At this point however the Spanish midfielder was growing frustrated by his career with Real Madrid, almost two years after signing he was yet to make his professional debut and rumours of a move away from the Spanish capital saw the managers hand forced and Asensio was in the side, which could turn out to be the best decision Zidane has made in his time in charge of Los Blancos.

The brightest star in Spanish football couldn't have started his Real Madrid career any better, scoring on his competitive debut for the club. A quite brilliant 25 yard strike against Sevilla in the Spanish super cup, a game that went all the way to penalties. And just 12 days later Asensio made his first league start for the club, and again found himself on the score sheet. After his fast starts however Asensio's appearances were limited to substitute appearances, which again drew frustration from the midfielder, reports came from the Madrid camp that Marco's representatives had informed management that if they did not intend to play Asensio then he would be forced to play his football elsewhere. The Champions League however is where the teenager was able to really show his class, scoring four goals during Real Madrid's campaign, including the fourth in the final, securing Madrid's 12th European Cup. As the 2017/2018 season got under way the indication was that whenever Cristiano Ronaldo did not play, Asensio would slot into his position out wide, with Ronaldo growing older and his game time appearing to be on the decline, this new role was seen as a great opportunity for the midfidler, a new role for the Spaniard but one he settled into almost instantly. During the Spanish super cup first leg against Barcelona, Asensio fired in a bullet of a strike from the wide left position, and just four days later he did it again. In the second leg, in the first game of the season in the Bernabeau, a quite remarkable strike cutting in from the right this time left Barcelona's Ter Stagen stranded as Asensio filled in for the suspended Ronaldo. Also in the summer just gone, whilst representing the Spanish under 21's Asensio scoring a hat-trick on match day one, leading his side to the final where they were eventually beaten by Germany, but another showing on the world stage for the youngster who's stock has been growing and growing. It's really been since the 2017 Champions League final where the world has stood back and realised just how much potential this man has. Good on both feet, technically brilliant, able to produce that one bit of magic to change the game. With an eye for goal and a role playing as the Madrista's number 7's understudy, Asensio really is learning from the best.

Right here what we have is, I feel, the next generation of Balon D'or winners. Much Like Ronaldo was making headlines before Messi, I feel like it could only be a matter of time before Dybala is seen as an elite level, top five in the world footballer. But as soon as that happens, expect Asensio to show that he belongs at that top table, and just like that a battle is on to be the worlds best. Now of course these aren't the two only names who could replace Messi and Ronaldo at the top, the likes of Neymar, Garath Bale, Eden Hazard, Kylian Mbappe and many many others all have a claim to the throne. But right here, like I said, I feel is the next generation. Much like we've seen two men dominate the top table of football for the last decade, I expect these two to do it for the next. Paulo Dybala and Marco Asensio. Watch this space.

Mane's red card - Right or Wrong?

The tens of thousands of fans inside the Etihad Stadium last Saturday was witnessed to perhaps the biggest talking point of the Premier League season so far. In a game where two of the early front runners, Manchester City and Liverpool, faced off and the home side ran away convincing 5-0 victors, for one referee's decision to be across the back pages the following day, you know it had to be a big one. Okay, for those of you who have been living under a rock since last Saturday, here is what happened. Sadio Mane had only the day before been named the Premier League's Player of the Month, and looked to continue from where he left off before the international break. 1-0 down, but with the game certainly still in the balance, a long ball from the back was played over the Senegalese winger for him to chase. As Mane charged towards the ball, City's newest keeper Ederson came flying off his line to challenge the Liverpool forward, a complete 50/50. The Brazilian goal keeper won the race, with a strong clearing header, however he was met, a fraction of a second later, by the boot of Sadio Mane. Mane had jumped up to try and knock the ball around Ederson, knowing if he won the ball he was in for a guaranteed goal, but instead the full force of the attacker went flying into the face of Manchester City's shot stopper. Jon Moss instantly blew up, and without a second though, brandished a straight red to a bewildered Sadio Mane who instead of protesting his innocence, simply crouched down and looked on in disbelief. Gary Neville on commentary was adamant that the referee had got it wrong. where as Jamie Carragher voted it was the correct decision. So lets break it down.  

Okay just look at that picture for a moment and try and explain to me how it ISN'T a red card, I'll wait... 

Yes it is very true that ANY foul, in fact any tackle, can be made to look a lot worse then it is with the right angle, the right shot. In real time Mane's tackle looked a lot more inconspicuous than the picture indicates, but and as much as this pains me to say from a Liverpool fans point of view, it's impossible to miss why the referee gave the red card. Mane's foot is a whole 6ft in the air, and as soon as his standing foot also leaves the floor he is out of control. When both feet leave the floor in a more traditional tackle there is no argument, it's a straight red. The incident was simply an example of serious foul play, one of the seven offences that warrant a red card under the laws of the game. Do you want me to quote from the rule book? Of course you do! Law 12, under fouls and misconduct. 'A player is guilty of serious foul play if he uses excessive force or brutality against an opponent when challenging for a ball while it is in play. A tackle that endangers the safety of an opponent must be sanctioned as serious foul play. The second half of that statement is what has landed Mane a three match suspension. Whether intentional or not, at the height Mane's foot was when challenging Ederson, he is putting the opposition goal keeper in serious danger. And as the Brazilian spent the remainder of the day in a near by medical facility, I'm sure he'd be inclined to agree. Sadio Mane, while chasing down the ball and jumping for the touch, you'd imagine has an idea of Ederson's presence, and even though he couldn't back out of the challenge once he had left the ground, the didn't have to go in for it in the first place. Later in the game Jordan Herderson found himself in a very similar position, charging towards the substitute goal keeper Claudio Brave who had committed to coming and getting the ball. The Liverpool captain saw the danger early, and (perhaps with Mane's red card on his mind) proceeded to run around the goal keeper, preventing any sort of collision. Yes the Englishman was not up to speed the likes of Mane which had reached, but he showed that a bit of pre thinking could have been done to avoid the situation entirely. 

In the immediate moments following the red card I was CONVINCED that is wasn't a red, a foul yes, a yellow, yes, but not a sending off. Why? It's just as simple as my previous argument. Intent. 

Okay now look at this picture, it was taken milliseconds before the previous picture, look at Mane's eyes. Notice the concentration that is 100% on the flight of the ball, notice how all that could possibly be going through the attackers head at this time is 'if I get a touch, I score'. Coming from a man who has played the sport all his life, when in the situation Mane was in, you experience 'tunnel vision' all you're thinking about is what is directly in front of you, in this case, the ball. Notice how Ederson has already thrown himself into the challenge, head first, endangering himself, with Mane flying towards him. Now, cards on the table, giving a red card for this challenge is 100% justified, but it comes back to the age old debate. Have the men who write the rules ever played the sport? On BBC's Match Of The Day, Alan Shearer, Ian Wright and Gary Lineker all said that they would have made the same challenge if they where in Mane's boots. The reason for this is, as a striker, all you're thinking about is the next goal, and in this situation the next goal was potentially seconds away. From the point of view of three of the best front men England has ever produced, it was a 50/50 challenge that had to be made. Now in a 50/50 challenge, both men know what they're getting themselves into. They both also know, once they've committed to the challenge if either one of them was to pull out, they would certainly be coming out of it on the wrong end. If Mane was to drop his foot, the 6ft1 200 pound frame of Ederson would have came flying through him, causing potentially serious injury. Potentially also, Ederson's forward momentum could lead to the two men colliding heads, leading to potential concussions for both men, Mane could not back out. 

This scenario was one Ederson has been in several times already in his short Manchester City career, so much so that on Twitter, journalist Nooruddean Choudry predicted the goal keeper's injury a month before the game against Liverpool. Stating how he is quick to launch himself into the ball head first against an onrushing attacker. Simply put Ederson's action were reckless, and 30 yards off his line, he has to be treated the same way as an outfield player. And despite what you may think, this sort of challenge takes place week in week out, on the half way line, or the edge of the box, and rarely if ever is the red card awarded as a punishment. The very next day after Mane was given his marching orders, Matt Richie was shown a yellow card for a high footed lunge towards Swansea's Alfie Mawson. Like Mane, Richie had the run on the ball which brings in the argument of excessive force and endangering the opponent, and like Mane, Richie had eyes only for the ball, no intent to hurt the man. The only difference is that Mawson avoided the complete contact, Ederson did not. If the rules of the sport state that a challenge that endangers an opponent should be met with a red card, then the outcome of the challenge is a mute point. Ederson's injury, as horrible as it was, should not mean Mane deserves a red and Richie does not. Now if Richie had been sent off, and every high footed foul ever had been punished with a red card then this argument would be a lot less fruitful, but you simply can't make a decision as big as the Mane sending off, if all of your peers, the other Premier League referee's, aren't reading from the same play book. 

You could argue that I'm picking at hairs which in all fairness I am. I agree that in the rules of the sport Mane was RIGHTLY given a red card, I just think that it's sad how the sport has developed into one where players should restrain from giving their all as they're running the risk of being given their marching orders. Mane was only ever going for the ball, you see it on every pitch, Premier League or Sunday League, every day of the week. This one isolated incident has been over examined (sorry about that) and it has brought up the same points that always come up when a red card causes controversy. On one side you have the black and white rules of the sport, what is and isn't allowed between the white lines. And on the other, we have interpretation, what a lot of people would say this sport is built on. The cherished 'bar room debate' is built on interpretation, four days after the red card was given I sat in a pub with my dad and uncle, debating the red card. On a table across the room, they were doing the same thing. In a world where some referee's are more inclined to give a red card then other for an almost identical incident, we are bound to continue to have incidents like the one you're reading about today. We also have to take a step back and see what football is becoming, more and more it is becoming a non contact sport. Maybe that is a bit extreme, but the 'no slide tackling' rule you're given in the primary school play grounds is seeping it's way into the professional game. A simple shoulder barge is now considered a foul and a yellow card, jumping for a header along side a goal keeper is a foul, basic body contact and the play is stopped. It may seem like I'm trying to argue a case against Mane's red card but I'm not, I understand that under the rules of the game it WAS a red card. What I am arguing against is the culture that football in this country is becoming, the hard tackling ways of the 1970's and 80's is long gone, and has been replaced with... well, exactly what i'm writing about today!

I may have gone off on a huge tangent about the state of modern football, but it's an argument that needs to be said! But overall should Mane have been sent off? Yes, under the laws of football it was the right call for Jon Moss to make. Now every other referee in the world just has to follow the same rules and we're golden. 

The calm before the storm - The day before deadline day.

August 31st is a strange day for football, the summer transfer deadline day! Over 100 days for clubs to do their business and over the years so many have left it right until the last minute to bring in the players they want for the upcoming season. This summer has been one of, if not the most, crazy transfer periods in football history. We have already seen the first two £100 million + players this summer, and could very possibly have a third and a fourth by 11pm tomorrow. So many clubs spending way over the odds for players in a market so overran with TV money, that no clubs REALLY need to sell. Some of Europe's giants have floundered, not willing to put their hand into their pockets, while others have spent fortunes. So much can happen between now and the window closing, and I am going to go into what could be making the back pages when August becomes September.

Coutinho to Barcelona - Okay, so lets start with the big one, the longest running story of the summer so far! I have written an entire article on the Coutinho saga already, so in summary. Barcelona want Coutinho, Liverpool don't want to sell Coutinho, Coutinho hands in and sees his transfer request rejected, Coutinho has a 'back injury' (back injuries are notoriously used when a player wants out of his contract as it's close to impossible to tell if the player involved is lying) and hasn't played or trained for Liverpool while the saga has gone on. However what has changed in the past 48 hours is that, Coutinho has been training for Brazil, and has been cleared fully fit by the national teams doctors. This all but proves his injury was entirely fabricated by either Coutinho or his representatives. Also this week it was reported that the Brazilian has asked NOT to be in the Champions League squad for Liverpool, this is because if he was to play for Liverpool in the competition and then sign for Barcelona in January, he would be cup tied and unable to play for the Catalan club in said competition. With all of this going on, Barcelona's final offer of £148 million is still on the table, and within the last hour Coutinho has reportedly sent a message to Klopp saying if he is not allowed to join Barcelona, there is no going back. Stating that things will never go back to normal, from both a performance and relationship stand point. It is being reported that Liverpool and FSG are close to caving to Coutinho's demands and representatives of the club are on their way to Barcelona to finalise the deal. If the deal is completed the Brazilian will become the second most expensive player of all time, over taking Barcelona's newest signing Dembele from Dortmund for a reported total of £138 million. For the first time in weeks this deal looks like it is going to happen, but where does that leave Liverpool? Well...

Liverpool (Van Dijk, Lemar and Oxlade-Chamberlain) - ... I right now can say with confidence, Liverpool don't really need Coutinho. Now before I am attacked by thousands of Coutinho fans, of which I am one, I am not saying it wouldn't be a huge loss for the reds to lose their number 10. From a technical standpoint he is in a class of one, and throughout the summer I have been firmly behind Klopp's stance to insist he stays. But not only have Liverpool looked sublime going forward early in the season, knocking in 14 goals in 5 games so far. The huge injection of funds could lead to the few deals currently in the pipeline being pushed over the line. At the time of writing this Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is scheduled for a medical with the club, transfer fee and contract negotiations have both been finalised and the deal is all but done. Naby Keita FINALLY completed his move to Liverpool earlier this week, however will not join the club until the summer of 2018 but this is still a massive step going forward for the club. The question marks are around two players who could both break Liverpool's transfer record, Thomas Lemar and Virgil Van Dijk. Starting with the French wide man Lemar, this deal looks certain to be completed if Coutinho does leave. Liverpool have offered a reported £60 million so far and Monaco have demanded £70 million, that extra 10 million will feel like pocket change to FSG should Barcelona get their man. The French international is one of the brightest young stars in football today and has been linked with a move to Arsenal all summer, however over the last couple of days it appears his has his eyes on a move to Anfield. He will offer a very similar ' it factor '  to Liverpool's side that will be lost with Coutinho, and should the move be over the line by 11pm tomorrow it could be huge for Jurgen Klopp and his side. Reports are also coming from France that, despite an offer not yet being agreed, Monaco has given Lemar permission to undertake his Liverpool medial TONIGHT.

And then of course, we get to the only saga more messy then Coutinho to Barcelona this summer... Virgil Van Dijk. The player was on his way to Liverpool months ago, however Southampton reported Liverpool for tapping up and the deal was dead in the water. However over the last two days it appears Liverpool are making one final swing at it. No offer has been made official yet but it is suggested that a £75 million offer will be made, and there is massively contrasting reports going around suggesting how likely the deal is to be completed. Now I am fairly confident a bid will be placed tomorrow, the problem lays with how committed Southampton are to sticking to their guns to 'sell to anyone apart from Liverpool'. If Van Dijk was to sign I feel like Liverpool could place a claim for the best transfer window out of any Premier League side. It will be a case of better late then never, but the Dutch centre back is exactly what Klopp needs in the heart of his defence, and the Southampton captain is improving every day. Without a transfer Van Dijk will be left, it appears, to rot in the reserves for the remainder of the season and maybe beyond and with no other buyers coming in as of yet, Liverpool seem to be back in the drivers seat. It could all of course be a case of wishful thinking on the part of the reporters, Southampton have given off no indication what so ever that they will sell Van Dijk, and until an offer if officially made there is no confirmation that Liverpool are even going in for him. However I can see this deal in particular being VERY active over the next 24 hours.

Alexis to Manchester City - Alexis Sanchez played his first game back for Arsenal at the weekend in a 4-0 defeat to Liverpool. A picture really can tell a thousand words. It has been clear all summer the Chilean has no intention of staying at Arsenal, and he has been linked with many clubs in the process. However only one has came in for the man, and that club is Manchester City. On Monday, City came in with a £50 million offer, which was instantly shot down by Arsenal. It has been clear since day one that Arsenal do not want to sell, and Wenger would rather Alexis ran down his contract then left for money this window. So £50 million, in today's market, does seem a little low for a player of Sanchez's ability. It is however being reported that Arsenal would be willing to consider a money plus player offer, with Raheem Sterling being used to account for the rest. City favour a straight money deal (of course they are the richest club in the world) but it has been reported that Sterling would be open to the idea, as the signing of Sanchez would see him fall down the pecking order at the Etihad, this despite his impressive start to the season. Manchester City are reportedly coming back in with an improved offer, whether or not that will include Sterling is another matter. I feel like this is a move that has been dragged out so much longer then it should have been, Manchester City have made their approach so late they risk not getting their man at all. And Arsenal have held onto him, expecting their number 7 to still be the same player he was for them last season, but against Liverpool he looked like a shadow of his former self, he simply doesn't care. For the sake of the player, both clubs involved, and the fans who want to see a world class footballer play some world class football, I do hope and expect this deal to be finalised by the deadline.

Mbappe to PSG - A deal that has flown relatively under the radar with everything else that has been going on, and it is perhaps the most interesting! Teenage Kylian Mbappe fired himself into the limelight in last season's Champions League and the world has't stopped talking about him since. When it became apparent that he wanted out of Monaco, the likes of Manchester United and Real Madrid have been rumoured to be coming in for the Frenchman. However it looks as if he will be staying in France, just moving to the capital and Paris Saint Germain. That's right, PSG are set to spend close to £200 million for the second time this summer, but much like the Neymar signing, the details of the transfer are really quite strange. Mbappe is to sign for a reported £166 million... next summer... after a season long loan at PSG. This is purely to give the French club more time 'balance the books' to ensure they stay within the guidelines of financial fair play. The signing of Neymar would make this impossible if the permanent switch was made this summer, and what is even more strange is Monaco agreeing to this. The current champions of France could get £100 million + for Mbappe from several clubs around the world, but they're willing to not only sell to their main rivals, but in such a way that PSG are likely to avoid reciprocation for violating FFP. Now although the deal is yet to be agreed to by all parties, Monaco have jumped the gun and announced the signing of Stevan Jovetic, and the forward was given Mbappe's number 10 to wear for the season. Mbappe will potentially become one of four players to be signed for north of £100 million this summer, and this is even more incredible when you consider Mbappe is 18 years old. If this deal comes off and Mbappe can help PSG push for the Champions League this season, and he continues to grow then it is great for all parties, what is essential however is that the teenager does not let the huge figures get to his head. It was however reported earlier this month that, when in contact with Real Madrid, Mbappe demanded a wage so high that the Madrid representatives simply responded with 'good luck in Paris'. A wage demand so high that even Real Madrid won't pay it, hopefully this isn't a sign of things to come and we have a new Thiery Henry on our hands and not another Mario Balotelli.

And the rest (Renato, Aurier, Barkley, Drinkwater, Sakho) - I'm just going to run through the 5 Premier League deals that, although won't end up going around the world, could have huge impacts for the future. Renato Sanches, Euro 2016 winner, 2016 Golden Boy winner, £30 million move to Bayern Munich, on loan to Swansea City. Pick the odd one out. Swansea manager Paul Clement worked as Carlo Ancelotti's number two at Bayern before taking the job in Wales, and this incredible deal you can imagine is down to the managers contacts within Bayern Munich. Spurs are FINALLY spending some money, Serge Aurier of PSG has been granted his work permit and with negotiations progressing at a very fast pace, Pochettino could finally have his Kyle Walker replacement. Ross Barkley was told if he did not sign the contract offered to him in May that he would have no future at Everton, yet the club have rejected an offer from Chelsea for the Englishman? A £25 million offer was turned down by the Toffee's, the champions however are ready to come back with an improved offer! This isn't the last you will hear of this. Another English midfielder who could be on his way to Chelsea is Danny Drinkwater. The Leicester man has handed in his transfer request, and a £40 million move is on the table. No official approach has been made by Chelsea, this is all just a rumour at this point, but reportedly both parties are very keen on the deal being completed, and with Chelsea in need of more squad players, Drinkwater could fit that bill. Liverpool and mainly Jurgen Klopp have been trying to push Sakho out of the door for over a year now, however when Liverpool finally received an offer for the French centre back, an offer of £25 million from Crystal Palace, it was rejected. Liverpool are holding out for £30 million for the defender, but Palace are confident they can get the deal done before the deadline. Much like Southampton with Van Dijk, there is really no point Liverpool keeping Sakho for him to rot in the reserves.

No matter how many potential deals you cover in the build up to the final day, there simply is no way to predict deadline day. In a summer where we have seen records broken and history made, it would not be at all surprising to see this years deadline day be the busiest ever.

The Coutinho Saga - Are both Liverpool and Barcelona trying too hard to prove a point?

In the last game of the 2016/2017 Premier League season, an inspired performance by the amply named 'little magician' saw Liverpool secure a place in the top four, and Coutinho's status as a fan favourite was solidified even further. A very impressive season, alongside signing a new 5 year deal to make the Brazilian the highest paid player in the clubs history, Liverpool's number 10 appeared at home at Anfield and set for a long and fruitful future at the club, under the leadership of manager Jurgen Klopp. Then came the summer, and the yearly rumour mill started up again. Instantly 'Coutinho to Barcelona' was published in every news outlet across England and Spain. Liverpool, and particularly Jurgen Klopp were adamant, Coutinho was not for sale at any price. The deal appeared to be dead in the water, and with no official bid made, it looked as if Philipe would be playing his football at Anfield for another year. And then... well let's start from the beginning.

£200 million. That is how much Barcelona received for the sale of Neymar to PSG. Now due to the extraordinary details of the transfer, unlike most big money moves in football, the full amount was paid instantly, not in instalments which seems to be the trend right now. And just like that, Neymar was off. What were the details of the transfer? I'm glad you asked! Due to Spanish transfer laws, a club can not pay out a buyout clause, only the player himself can. So the Qatari owners of PSG paid Neymar a reported £400 million, half of it was to be used to pay his way out of his contract with the Catalan club, the other half to work as a representative during the 2022 World Cup. Neymar then signed a deal with PSG. So effectively Qatar bought Neymar, not PSG. At no point did the £200 million directly go through the French club, meaning they theoretically can't be touched by financial fair play rules. It's both genius and incredibly dodgy but it's Qatar? What more did you really expect? Anyway back to Coutinho. So all of a sudden, Barcelona had a massive Neymar sized hole in their side, and an extra £200 million to play with. Now Barcelona have always been a rich club, but have shied away from spending the real big bucks, the kind of money the likes of their huge rivals Real Madrid spend on their 'galacticos'. The philosophy has always been to grow players from within, to find a replacement in their youth set ups. But this was different. This wasn't the typical, an older player fading out as a young up and comer pushes through the ranks. This was a Balon D'or nominated, world beater, the proclaimed future of the club being taken, and they simply did not and do not have the time for a youngster to grow up to Neymar's level, so they need a replacement now! SO what did they do? Well they needed a replacement. Typically someone good on the ball. Capable of playing wide left but also able to drift inside. Someone the Catalan fans would love, and someone who appeared quiet enough to play under Messi. Also a Brazilian would be a big bonus. Who had Barcelona already contacted this summer? Who had they been interested in for years? I don't know why I'm asking all of these questions, it's been obvious since I wrote the title... It's Coutinho. Now the signing of the Brazilian midfielder had initially been seen as a way to keep Neymar around, with him and Philipe being childhood friends. But since that was first theorised Countiho has grown into a world star, a simply incredible player and a perfect fit for Barca.

Barcelona had to show their intentions, so an official bid was made. £90 million! A bid that, a month earlier, would have been a world record amount. Rejected. Liverpool's owners FSG held their stance, Coutinho was not for sale. At this point we had heard nothing from the player himself. Barcelona come in with a second offer, reported to be around £100 million plus add ons. Rejected! Still no word from Coutinho, it looked as if Liverpool were being true to their word. But then came one of the most confusing days of the summer for Liverpool fans.

10th August 2017 -

10am - FSG gave out an emphatic statement, saying that, under no circumstance will any offer for Coutinho be considered. Shutting the door on ANY possibility of the number 10 signing for Barcelona.

11am - Jurgen Klopp repeats FSG's comment in a press conference. Stating that FSG had been 100% on their stance with the Coutinho rumours.

1:30pm - Coutinho's family hit out at FSG and Klopp. Criticising the club for the way they handle their big players and their wishes to leave, quoting Luis Suarez. This criticism was meant to have came straight from Coutinho's mouth.

2:30pm - Reports leaked to the media that Coutinho had 'emailed' in a transfer request. Almost instantly afterwards more reported suggested that FSG had rejected the request.

3pm - Liverpool Football Club release a statement that they have not received a request of any sort from Coutinho or his party.

5pm - Liverpool confirm they have received a transfer request from Philipe Coutinho, and officially refuse it. Once again stating that he will not be going anywhere.

With the news of a transfer request being handed in, Barcelona continued their pursuit of Coutinho, which brings us to Friday 18th August, Barcelona approach Liverpool with an offer in the sum of £114 million. Which, of course, was rejected immediately. But this is where it gets strange. Barcelona stated that Liverpool had until 8pm on Sunday 20th August to reconsider and accept the offer, or they would end their pursuit of Coutinho. Now Barcelona know they're offering an amount way over the odds for Coutinho, and you'd imagine in any other summer,  Liverpool would accept. But Liverpool had been and continue to be very stern with their stance, so the ultimatum just indicates that Liverpool have won, when in reality. No one really has won.

Okay so that brings us to today, the 8pm deadline has passed, so Barcelona have reportedly ended their interest in the Brazilian. It's been two weeks since the deal for Neymar to leave was drawn out, and we have just 11 days left in this summer's transfer window, and Barcelona have just wasted 2 weeks chasing a player they were told months ago would not be joining them. Why? Pride. That's why. Barcelona are one of the biggest clubs in the world, but right now, they don't look so good in the eyes of the world. They have, as I previously mentioned, just lost one of their big hitters in Neymar. Also they were humbled, twice in the space of four days, by Real Madrid in the Spanish super cup, as summers go it's been a very poor one! That could be why the Coutinho deal is so big to them, because a genuine star, with bags of potential, coming to Barcelona could help to mask the summer that has been nothing other then a failure so far. Simply put, Barcelona aren't used to being told no. Even though Coutinho has handed in a transfer request, and his representatives have spoken of his desire to play for Barca, the deal is no further along. The idea of 'player power' that has been growing for years usually means that if a player wants a move, he gets that move. But as we've seen this summer with Keita, Van Dijk, (More on them later) and Diego Costa, potentially the power is swinging back in the clubs favour, and contracts are starting to mean something again! Now, as a Liverpool fan, I know just how good Coutinho is, he is world class, but £114 million? No amount of 30 year screamers will make Philipe worth that kind of money! So why are Barcelona offering it? Because their pride won't let them come out. They're being stubborn, almost like a child who loses his toy, they'll kick us a fuss until they get what they want. After being seen to be weak all summer, a monumental deal would be enough to show Barcelona still are a world power house. Barcelona could have gone after Eden Hazard, you'd imagine £80/£90 million would be enough for bring the Belgian to Spain? Even Garath Bale from Real. Yes he'd cost silly money but Madrid are looking to sell the Welshman to raise funds and... Barcelona are offering silly money for Coutinho. But now the deadline has passed they'll probably move on to another target right? Well actually reports are suggesting Barcelona are lining up a 4th bid... with 11 days left in the transfer window, for a player they've been told, over and over and over, will not be joining them for any amount of money. It appears that, in the eyes of anyone, football fan are not, the Catalan giants are trying to prove they're just that, giants. In a year where their main rivals have towered above them, Barcelona are throwing their weight around to prove they're still number one, and that seems to result in offering insane amounts of money for Coutinho. SO why have Liverpool said no? Well...

Pride. Yes I'm saying that both of the sides are coming out as losers because of their pride. Let's go back a couple of months, to when Liverpool looked set to bring in both Keita and Virgil Van Dijk. Now the accusations posed by Southampton towards Liverpool are mainly what stopped the deal for Virgil to join Liverpool, afterwards the Saints have been very clear, holding strong 'We will not sell to Liverpool.' And then we have Keita. Since day one, RB Leipzig said their big midfielder was not for sale. But Liverpool kept going in. £40 million bid, £50 million bid, £60 million bid, all categorically rejected. Leipzig, much like Southampton, stood by their word and would not budge. What Leipzig and Southampton have done to Liverpool is exactly what Liverpool have done to Barcelona, despite all along, the bidding club looked the favourite because of the numbers being thrown around, the selling club saw no need and had no desire to sell. You'd imagine the way clubs have dealt with Liverpool this summer has effected the way they have dealt with Barcelona. Taking the power away from the players and giving it back to the club. So good for Liverpool right? Staying strong and keeping hold of their best player right? The same player who, hasn't been in the squad for the first three games of the season due to an 'injury', an 'injury' barely mentioned by anyone surrounded by Liverpool as it appears simply Coutinho has no desire to play for the club while this all goes on. Either that or Klopp doesn't want to play the want away Brazilian. So the German currently has a £114 million midfielder, sat at home, not playing, not training, all to prove a point? Let's just look at that number again... £114 million! That is a massively over inflated price for Coutinho, if Barca had came in with that offer BEFORE the problems with Keita and Virgil, Liverpool you'd imagine would have snapped Barca's hand off to accept it. In a summer where FSG seem reluctant to spend the money promised, bar the primary targets of Salah, Keita and Van Dijk no one of note has even been considered, and a huge injection of cash could lead to Liverpool reinvesting in their incredibly leaky defence and light weight midfield. Lets face it, with or without Coutinho, Livepool will score goals. Going forward they have the numbers, they have the depth, it's everywhere else where the problem lays. With the potential money for Coutinho, Klopp could have bought in 3 or 4 players to go straight into the bottom two thirds of the side, and to give much needed depth to the squad. An incredibly thin squad being asked to play in four competitions this season. In yesterday's victory against Palace, Klopp named a weakened side to 'rest' certain players ahead of the Champions League qualifier in the coming week. There is NOTHING wrong with that... four months into the season. But the SECOND league game of the season! If that doesn't show how paper thin Liverpool's squad is nothing will. From my point of view, I can see more positives from Coutinho leaving then i can from him staying, well I'd have said that if this had taken place two months ago. But now, with the season started and only 11 days left until the transfer window slams shut, Jurgen Klopp could find himself in the same position as Barcelona if he does sell. Trying to replace your best player with very little time to go. And in a market like this one, where as £114 million would have bought  3 or 4 guaranteed world beaters two months ago, now that isn't a guarantee. Clubs simply have enough money now that they have no need to sell, and if they are to sell their star players, they ask for incredibly high sums. (See almost every Everton signing so far.) So what are we left with? I'd say, right now, Liverpool simply can't sell Coutinho, one because there is no time to replace him, and two because they'd look incredibly weak after holding such a strong stance all summer.

As I've mentioned already there is 11 days left in the transfer window, and Barcelona are still without a replacement for Neymar and are looking the weakest they've looked in years. With a thin squad, and a new manager with an incredible lack for experience who looks way out of his depth. Not to mention ageing top stars and a lack of youngsters to integrate into the team, as well as Real Madrid looking stronger by the day, leaving the Catalonian's in the dust. Then we have Liverpool, who have held onto their star so far, but he is either refusing to play or the manager has no desire to play him. Their squad simply isn't big enough to fight on all fronts this season and the problems from last time out haven't been addressed so far in the window due to lack of investment. When, I say again, they have a £114 million midfielder who hasn't played a single minute of football during the first three games of the season.

Both Barcelona and Liverpool are five time European champions. Both sides are the second most successful side in their domestic leagues history, and both sides have had very busy transfer windows without getting much work done at all. Both the English and the Spanish side have done everything they can to look strong this summer, to look like they won't back down, and somehow, are both worse off then they were before this whole ordeal began. So who has came out the worse?

Well if Liverpool, get Coutinho to play for them again, and he reaches the heights of last season. As well as finally investing in their defence and bring in some depth before the end of the window, I'm sure fans will see this summer as a positive.

And if Barca do now show the intelligence to stop with their pursuit of Coutinho, and instead complete a move for the likes of Hazard, or much more likely the Frenchman Dembele from Dortmund, they will have saved face. If new manager Ernesto Valverde can take the world record sum his club received for Neymar, and spend it on much needed reinforcements for their squad, then Barca could save their season before it really gets bad!

Only time will tell if either of these sides have made a good decision with their actions this summer, but you can't deny it has made for very good viewing! And hopefully good reading.