By Alex Henshaw
Depending on which is your preferred source of transfer deadline day hyperbole, today's wires are hot with the news that Liverpool have made a substantial bid for Newcastle striker Andy Carroll of between £25m - £30m. The Magpies are believed to have immediately rejected the bid.
The 20 year old's stock is high after netting 11 times in just 19 starts for The Toon this season. However, it is the Gateshead born forward's eye catching displays of old fashioned physicality touched with real technical ability that have set pulses racing in the boardrooms of the league's bigger teams.
Harry Redknapp's Spurs are known admirers, and where there is available quality Manchester City have always hovered. However, with Fernando Torres's seemingly imminent departure from Liverpool, Kenny Dalglish has not delayed in attempting to replace El Nino with Carroll, and pair him with the newly arrived Luis Suarez.
The issue is whether Carroll, after just half a season of top-tier football, is worth the money.
His inexperience is also coupled with a questionable temprament which has seen allegations of booze-fuelled nightclub fracas and an assualt on his ex-girlfriend. The latter saw Carroll released on bail under the condition that he lived under ersatz house arrest at Newcastle captain Kevin Nolan's residence.
Charges were eventually dropped and any concerns seem to have been disregarded by Kenny Dalglish if today's bid is to be believed.
Ultimately, we have to ask: Is he worth the fuss?
Monday 31 January 2011
Sunday 30 January 2011
The Daily Discussion - Robbie Keane the Man to Save West Ham?
By Alex Henshaw
Wolves, Coventry City, Internazionale, Leeds Utd., Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Celtic, West Ham. The name Robbie Keane is now synonymous with ‘Journeyman’.
News has just broken that the Dubliner, who has scored a prolific 45 goals in 104 games for the Republic of Ireland, has joined West Ham on loan for the rest of the season. The Hammers are hoping that Keane, alongside new signings Wayne Bridge, Gary O’Neil and Demba Ba, will help stave off a potentially ruinous relegation from the Premier League.
From a prodigiously talented 17 year old debutant for Wolves to a potential Boleyn Ground saviour, the 30 year old has been subject to a cumulative total circa £75m in transfer fees.
So can Avram Grant and theWest Ham faithful expect the kind of form form Rafa Benitez placed £24m worth of faith in and will Keane be the talisman that he has for so long promised but not quite delivered?
Wolves, Coventry City, Internazionale, Leeds Utd., Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Celtic, West Ham. The name Robbie Keane is now synonymous with ‘Journeyman’.
News has just broken that the Dubliner, who has scored a prolific 45 goals in 104 games for the Republic of Ireland, has joined West Ham on loan for the rest of the season. The Hammers are hoping that Keane, alongside new signings Wayne Bridge, Gary O’Neil and Demba Ba, will help stave off a potentially ruinous relegation from the Premier League.
From a prodigiously talented 17 year old debutant for Wolves to a potential Boleyn Ground saviour, the 30 year old has been subject to a cumulative total circa £75m in transfer fees.
So can Avram Grant and theWest Ham faithful expect the kind of form form Rafa Benitez placed £24m worth of faith in and will Keane be the talisman that he has for so long promised but not quite delivered?
Friday 28 January 2011
The Daily Discussion - Torres Mas Que £50m?
By Simon Warner
Ok. Now let’s imagine you are Kenny Dalglish for one moment. You are sat in your office dithering over Maxi Rodrigueuz’s latest failed contribution when in pops big John W Henry. He closes the door so you know he means business. £50m is on the table for El Nino and you can sense your new owner is considering it. You immediately reject the idea out of sight but as JWH departs the room you become pensive. You really could improve the rest of your side with such vast funds now available. And just how valuable is Fernando these days?
Ok. Now let’s imagine you are Kenny Dalglish for one moment. You are sat in your office dithering over Maxi Rodrigueuz’s latest failed contribution when in pops big John W Henry. He closes the door so you know he means business. £50m is on the table for El Nino and you can sense your new owner is considering it. You immediately reject the idea out of sight but as JWH departs the room you become pensive. You really could improve the rest of your side with such vast funds now available. And just how valuable is Fernando these days?
Torres is still injury prone.
Torres is still not the same player he was despite having started almost every Premier league game this season.
Torres has really only turned up for a handful of games this season.
Torres has spent the remainder of the season embroiled in running arguments with referees and run of the mill defenders.
You are also conscious of the backlash from the Anfield faithful that awaits if the transaction was completed. Although you are also aware that your stock is still high around these parts and the owners will absorb the majority, if not all, of the heat on this one.
So King Kenny, over to you….
Let’s assume you already have targets lined up that are achievable within the remaining few days of the transfer window (a big ask I know). Who would you bring in and can they strenghten the team?
Let’s also assume the bid is from Chelsea
Saturday 8 January 2011
Who is responsible for Hodgson's exit? Ask Goldie Lookin' Chain...
By Alex Henshaw
You won’t be surprised to learn that novelty music (Flight of the Conchords, Tenacious D etc.) is not my first love in life. Which is why I was equally surprised when the first thing to pop into my head when reflecting on today’s sacking of Roy Hodgson by Liverpool FC was the Goldie Lookin’ Chain hit ‘Drugs don’t kill people, Rappers do’. The sound premise behind this crude yet cannily observed number is that a weapon firing and killing isn’t a cause in itself: someone needs to pull the trigger. For GLC’s parody, the answer is warring hip hop artists. In Hodgson's case, the answer as to who is ultimately responsible for his P45 is less clear. I will assess the immediate potential culprits: Hodgson himself and the Liverpool players he managed.
You won’t be surprised to learn that novelty music (Flight of the Conchords, Tenacious D etc.) is not my first love in life. Which is why I was equally surprised when the first thing to pop into my head when reflecting on today’s sacking of Roy Hodgson by Liverpool FC was the Goldie Lookin’ Chain hit ‘Drugs don’t kill people, Rappers do’. The sound premise behind this crude yet cannily observed number is that a weapon firing and killing isn’t a cause in itself: someone needs to pull the trigger. For GLC’s parody, the answer is warring hip hop artists. In Hodgson's case, the answer as to who is ultimately responsible for his P45 is less clear. I will assess the immediate potential culprits: Hodgson himself and the Liverpool players he managed.
Wednesday 5 January 2011
Kaka - The Return
By Sam Lee
Most of us will have made a new year's resolution. Whether it be personal, like getting in shape or finding love, or professional, like re-energising your career or earning a promotion, most of us will make a promising start the year but our efforts will soon tail off as we fall back into old, bad habits.
It is difficult for most of us to achieve one of those goals, let alone all of them, but that is exactly the task that faces one man as he strives to make 2011 a year to remember. But even if he manages all of the above, he will only be delivering what is expected: the base rate.
Monday 3 January 2011
Carroll - "I'm Ready for Sunderland".
Andy Carroll could be in line for a return to the Newcastle United lineup as early as the Tyne-Wear derby on January 16th. According to the player.
Talking after his side's 1-0 away win at Wigan this afternoon, Alan Pardew revealed that Carroll has played up his chances of being fit for the tie despite Newcastle medical staff being unable to assess the seriousness of the thigh injury currently keeping him sidelined. Initial reports suggested that Carroll's rehabilitation would lead to a 4 week absence from the team.
Carroll has been a revelation so far this season bagging 113 points and soaring to £6.5m in value going into Gameweek 21. For the 52% of managers who have selected him, Carroll has also proved reliable in yielding points consistently for a player still firmly in in the 'bargain' bracket.
Managers in search of a differential take note: 23,000 managers purged the rangy hitman from their teams leading into Gameweek 21; a number which is only set to increase until the prognosis is revealed. However, if Carroll were to return for Gameweek 23, the rewards for those brave enough to back the player could be substantial.
Talking after his side's 1-0 away win at Wigan this afternoon, Alan Pardew revealed that Carroll has played up his chances of being fit for the tie despite Newcastle medical staff being unable to assess the seriousness of the thigh injury currently keeping him sidelined. Initial reports suggested that Carroll's rehabilitation would lead to a 4 week absence from the team.
“He will definitely miss West Ham and I think he’ll definitely miss Stevenage (next Saturday), but talking to the boy, he thinks he is ready for Sunderland already.”Discerning Fantasy managers will no doubt be approaching such claims with caution. However, with the wildcard enabling Gameweek 22 approaching, Carroll would have either been an automatic retainer or high on shopping lists of those wanting a shake-up.
Carroll has been a revelation so far this season bagging 113 points and soaring to £6.5m in value going into Gameweek 21. For the 52% of managers who have selected him, Carroll has also proved reliable in yielding points consistently for a player still firmly in in the 'bargain' bracket.
Managers in search of a differential take note: 23,000 managers purged the rangy hitman from their teams leading into Gameweek 21; a number which is only set to increase until the prognosis is revealed. However, if Carroll were to return for Gameweek 23, the rewards for those brave enough to back the player could be substantial.
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