What's Next for Southampton?

Instinctively, of course, one would be inclined to believe Southampton are ready to take a steep nose dive toward relegation.  Gareth Bale, Theo Walcott, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are the household premier league names known to have jumped ship from the South, but this summer has been an all-out firesale, with the hot retail spot being located at St. Mary’s Stadium.  With the departures of Dejan Lovren to Liver(hampton)pool and Calum Chambers to Arsenal, there is even more of a gaping chasm in the Southampton first team, joining Adam Lallana, Luke Shaw, Rickie Lambert, and manager Maurico Pochettino who is chasing glory at Tottenham these days.  Enter Ronald Koeman.

Ronald Koeman is a relative unknown to premier league viewers, but his pedigree stretches far beyond the English game.  Koeman is the only man in history to have played and managed for Ajax, PSV, and Feyenoord.  Koeman was instrumental in the rise of both Rafael Van Der Vaart and Wesley Sneijder at Ajax, and recently has overseen the miniature revolution of Dutch internationals at Feyenoord.  His playing career as a defender was outstanding as well, making 192 appearances for Barcelona, while serving impressive stints at the finest Dutch teams in the league.  In his day, Koeman was as unique as players come, earning the title of the highest scoring defender in the world.  Koeman’s attacking prowess would be unprecedented in modern football (to give you an idea, David Luiz is a poor-man’s Ronald Koeman).  

Koeman is more than capable of taking the skeleton squad of last years giant success, and people must keep in mind that there is still a long way to go in the transfer window.  Southampton’s profits have been more than exceptional from their transfer dealings, and the loss of Mauricio Pochettino has been softened by the arrival of Koeman.  At 25 million, 16 million, and 20 million, Lallana, Chambers, and Lovren were likely sold above market value.  As Arsene Wenger points out however, the market for English players is very inflated right now, and signing one is a gamble in itself.  There are still players out there who may surprise you, and certain players Southampton could bring in that we’ve never heard of.  One thing, however, remains constant at Southampton, and that’s the strength of its famed academy.  

James Ward-Prowse is one player I believe will surprise a lot of folks this season.  Ward-Prowse, a 19-year old Saints academy product, scored the goal of the tournament against Brazil in the 2014 Toulon tournament, an event prior to the World Cup that showcases international stars of the future.  Jack Stephens is another youngster who can make an impact at his club this year, as are Sam Gallagher, Sam McQueen, and Harrison Reed (all teenage Southampton products).  There are several established internationals already on the Saints’ payroll in Victor Wanyama, Maya Yoshida, Gaston Ramirez, and recently-signed Artur Boruc.  Koeman’s first signing of the summer went largely unnoticed, as Serbain international attacking midfielder Dusan Tadic joined from FC Twente.  Tadic was integral to Serbia’s World Cup bid, and has been a full international since 2011.   

Furthermore, players like Jose Fonte, Jack Cork and Nathaniel Clyne, all outstanding performers last season in my opinion, are still around and will only continue to improve.  Cork is poised on the ball in central midfield, while Nathaniel Clyne (first choice over Chambers last season) has blistering pace and can change the game with it.  One thing people underestimate about Southampton is their depth which is unfortunately taking a backseat to the hype surrounding players joining new clubs.  Thus, at this point holding onto Jay Rodriguez and Morgan Schneiderlin would be luxuries for the club.  In the unlikely case that both stay, Southampton will have two fine examples for their understudies to continue to grow under.  

Southampton have always been a phenomenal club when it comes to turning out young stars, and what people seem to not be giving them any credit for is continuing to do that in the future.  Given that they’re a premier league team and not a championship side as they were when the aforementioned departing players were coming up through the squad, I expect Southampton to continue and produce outstanding young talent.  While the likes of Lallana, Shaw, and Chambers will duel it out at bigger clubs for playing time, Southampton’s newest crop of rising stars will be given leeway to see the field regularly and perhaps earn themselves a chance to compete at a title-contending club in the years to come. 

Window Work Left for Top Premier League Clubs

Arsenal 

So far, Arsenal have replaced Bacary Sagna with the man keeping him out of the France side in Mathieu Debuchy, and added Alexis Sanchez from Barcelona.  Joel Campbell has returned from his loan spell in Greece, while Thomas Eisfeld may be leading a miniature exodus from the club amongst its lesser-known fringe players.  With Thomas Vermaelen reportedly on his way out, Arsenal will need a center back in addition to their defensive midfield issues I wrote about two days ago.  

An option I feel the gunners should pursue is the Netherlands’ Stefan De Vrij.  Manchester United are reportedly chasing him, while most premier league teams will regret not showing an interest in him.  I felt Arsenal blew their chance to bring in a young defender with massive potential who can contribute immediately in Mathias Ginter.  Another option is Matija Nastasic, who is allegedly on his way out of the Etihad with the imminent arrival of Mangala.  Nastasic would be a coup, and is an option Arsene Wenger should definitely pursue.  I spoke earlier about Arsenal’s defensive midfield options, and stand by William Carvalho as my favorite defensive midfielder on the market.  

Chelsea

Chelsea are the closest of any title contender to having a finished product going into the season.  As I said earlier, Chelsea have addressed almost all of their needs between the January window and this window.  Felipe Luis adds another dimension as a true left-sided fullback (right-footed Cesar Azpilicueta played most of the season at left back), and allows the incumbent Spaniard to move over to the right, or deputize on the left.  Branislav Ivanovic is getting up their in years, and having Azpilicueta as a utility defender or late-game substitute will be clutch.  Kurt Zouma could challenge for a starting role, and Fabregas’ reputation speaks for itself.   

Chelsea’s midfield is vast, with the likes of Ramires, Matic, Fabregas, Mikel, and Marco Van Ginkel.  However, with Mikel reportedly on his way out, Chelsea could use another physical midfielder in his place who can play for Matic.  Sami Khedira was reportedly drawing interest from Jose Mourinho; his signing would vault this club to even greater heights.  Today, the club brought back Chelsea legend Didier Drogba, adding to a striking corps that includes Andre Schurlle, Diego Costa, and Fernando Torres.  If Torres also leaves, Jose Mourinho will surely look to add another striker as well.  All in all, Chelsea don’t especially need help anywhere else, but should they sell anyone else, a replacement will be in order.  

Manchester City

Manchester City are in a similar situation to Chelsea in that they already have a plethora of world-class footballers at their disposal.  With strikers Aguero, Dzeko, Jovetic, and Negredo, surely Manuel Pellegrini won’t bring in another forward, but stranger things have happened.  Defense is where Pellegrini needs to strengthen his squad.  With Aleksander Kolorav approaching 30 and Gael Clichy being seemingly unable to perform, a young left back would do City some good.  In central defense, Eliaquim Mangala is rumored to be on his way, which should bode well for an aging back line (Nastasic would probably be sold in this case).  

Yaya Toure, who was arguably the best midfielder in England last season, isn’t getting any younger, and although Fernandinho just arrived a year ago, both midfielders aren’t exactly ripe with youth.  Ross Barkley would be an ideal target for City, as he is developing more all-around skills at Everton and continues to improve.  Fernando was a good signing, but he is not the big-name player who is likely to step in when Toure is finished at the Etihad.  Pellegrini made signing a backup keeper a priority, and signed a formidable one in Willy Caballero from Malaga.  

Manchester United

Where to begin?  Manchester United’s 7-0 demolition of the LA Galaxy showed lots of promise for the Red Devils, but the LA Galaxy won’t be in the premier league title race.  As a friend pointed out to me this morning, Daley Blind would actually be an excellent signing for Manchester United, who have been rumored to be tracking him (Barcelona have stepped up their pursuit as well).  His versatility to play defensive midfielder and left back made him one of Van Gaal’s favorites in Brazil.  Besides blind, United have been linked with Arturo Vidal on what seems like 20 different occasions.  Realistically, United don’t have a shot at landing Vidal, who will surely want to play Champions League football in the prime of his career, and is already at a top, top club.  

Manchester United’s striking options are vast with Rooney, Van Persie, Welbeck, and Chicharito (who may leave), but their defensive issues are a worry.  Anyone who’s watched United over the past few years will agree that a back three of Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, and Jonny Evans will only get them so far.  A top-class center back should be at the top of Van Gaals shopping list, with players like Mats Hummels, Vermaelen, and De Vrij (obviously, he’s one of my favorites).  One very intriguing player who would flourish in Van Gaal’s system is Columbia’s Juan Cuadrado.  Cuadrado would be a perfect fit for the outside right position that Antonio Valencia occupied on Wednesday.  Signing him should also be a priority for United, with Angel Di Maria supposedly being dangled around Europe by Real Madrid.  

Liverpool 

Liverpool have been the busiest club in the transfer market since the departure of Luis Suarez, and are determined to eventually absorb the entirety of Southampton FC.  This is brilliant from Brendan Rodgers to raid the Saints for young talent; the club has produced players like Theo Walcott, Gareth Bale, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.  Dejan Lovren is the latest former Saint to become a Red, with Rickie Lambert and Adam Lallana already having joined the Merseyside club.  With Steven Gerrard at 34, Glen Johnson becoming more and more unreliable (Brazil was a perfect example of that), Liverpool need youth in certain positions for the future.  

Their squad is set up to succeed next season, with Xherdan Shaquiri rumored to be on his way.  Emre Can was an excellent signing, and could very well be a midfield box-to-box tank and eventually take up the irreplaceable Steven Gerrard’s mantle.  Callum Chambers, who is rumored to have undergone a medical at Arsenal, would be a great signing for Liverpool, who could use more competition at right back for Johnson.  Then again, Jon Flanagan probably has that spot nailed down, but when Johnson is gone, they’ll need another right back.  Defensively, they have four first team center backs, but Jose Enrique is not the long-term answer at left-back.  Flanagan is likely to make one of the fullback positions his, meaning Liverpool will probably want to bring in a left back as well.  Benedikt Howedes could be an useful utility man for Liverpool, as he was for Germany in Brazil.  

Tottenham

It’s friday, folks, and time for the weekend, not time to talk about Spurs.  

Premier League Coaches: American Equivalents

Arsene Wenger: Bill Belichick

Both men have a notorious knack for spotting young talent.  Arsene Wenger’s frugality in the transfer market with youthful players proves this, as he specializes in getting the most out of his players, and in some cases selling them for enormous profits (Anelka, Veiera, Henry, Fabregas, Van Persie, etc.).  Belichick, known for stockpiling draft picks in the later rounds, has a similar eye for productivity where others may not see it.  Like Wenger, the Patriots boss has a unique relationship with the media, keeping the club dealings very private and sarcastically toying with the emotions of story-hungry journalists.  They even have similar fashion tastes: Belichick prefers a sweatshirt with the sleeves cut off, while Arsene is well-known for his ongoing battle with the occasional malfunctioning zippered-jacket.

Alan Pardew: John Tortorella 

This would fall under the category as a ‘fiery’ manager, but that’s probably an understatement.  Pardew is one of the most oft and heavily fined managers in all of sports, as is Tortorella, who currently coaches the Vancouver Canucks.  Pardew has had several feuds with Arsene Wenger, even prompting the studious Frenchman to have a shove at him following an Arsenal loss to West Ham.  Only a few months ago, Tortorella was banned 15 games by the NHL for supposedly marching into the Calgary Flames locker room and physically confronting opposing coach Bob Hartley.  Torts had to be restrained by several coaches and players; given these two mercurial personalities, Manchester City’s owners should cut off a chunk of their transfer budget to see these guys duke it out at Cowboys stadium in front of 120,000 people.  Sadly, however, Tortorella was fired by Vancouver after just one season.  Apparently his Happy Gilmore at the Waterbury Open-like antics didn't sit too well with management...

Sam Allardyce: Bruce Bochy

Bay Area sports fans who follow the premier league should see my reasoning in this.  Not only do each of these men have a head and body size that would drive the equipment manager to madness (in the event that West Ham ever had to provide a hat to their manager...), but they both enjoyed long careers in the leagues they currently coach in.  Big Sam made over 400 appearances in the premier league, and was born to be a leader.  Bochy played a decade in the major league and now has two World Championships to his name since joining the San Francisco Giants in 2007.  I wouldn’t expect Allardyce to replicate his American clone’s success in the premiership however.  

Jose Mourinho: Phil Jackson

The parallels between these two are unbelievable.  Not only do they have similar levels of success in different regions of their continent, but they share similar coaching philosophies and even take note of each other.  In 2011, Jackson credited Mourinho with instilling a similar flow and organization to the way his team plays, and goes as far as to compare his triangle offense to play on the football pitch.  Mourinho has stated that Phil Jackson, among others, is possibly his biggest influence on the managerial position; who better to model your style off of then the zen master himself?  The biggest similarity between these two however, is that nearly every one of their players universally loves them.  Here’s a good source for further reading... http://blog.lakers.com/lakers/2011/03/16/the-art-of-coaching/ 

Honorable Mention- David Moyes: Art Shell

These two don’t quite make the list, since both of them are out of a head-coaching job at the moment, and for good reason.  In an abysmal first season with United, David Moyes looked like he had aged a decade after less than a year in charge, while Art Shell roamed the sidelines of Oakland with the same blank stare (http://www.sfgate.com/blogs/images/sfgate/chroncast/2006/08/23/ArtShell250x276.JPG) premier league fans are so familiar with seeing on the face of Moyes.  The facial expression is what made me draw this comparison, for both men were too often spotted with a look that said ‘I haven’t a clue what is going on in this game.’  Shell, typical of Raiders coaches over the past decade (sorry folks, Denver fan here), was fired after just one season in 2006, a season that saw Oakland’s worst record since 1963 (2-14).  Similarly, Moyes didn’t even make it through his first season, and set several records at United; 1st home loss to West Brom since 1978, 1st home loss to Newcastle since 1972, 1st league loss to Stoke since 1984, and you get the point.  

Honorable Mention- Miguel Herrera: No One

No one is like Miguel Herrera; as I've mentioned before, he was the highlight of the World Cup for me, and Mexican fans should have reason to smile going forward.  Never in my life have I seen one man exert so much energy and joy without setting foot on the field, and probably channelled more happiness in one goal celebration than the English fans have in the last two World Cups put together.  Herrera in his playing days had no regard for rules at times, and was essentially a bull in a china shop in his quest for victory.  I hope Herrera is still around by Russia in 2018, or maybe a premier league club will pick him up and immediately gain a fan in myself.  

The Importance of Backup Goalkeepers

The goalkeeper position is probably the least-contested starting spot in Europe.  Not that the #2 and #3 keepers aren’t pushing the first-choice guy as hard as they can, it’s just clubs usually know exactly who their best keeper is, thus allowing leeway for the occasional abysmal error.  Iker Casillas, albeit his form was far from convincing in the World Cup, proved why he is one of the best keepers of all time.  He has made 156 appearances for Spain in goal since 2000, and in almost every case has been the man for the job for Spain, even with the likes of Victor Valdes, Pepe Reina, and more recently David De Gea nipping at his heels.  

David De Gea didn’t start his Manchester United career well, seeing his spot given by Alex Ferguson to Anders Lindegaard after only a few weeks.  Two years later, De Gea has joined the ranks of Courtois as one of the premier keepers in the world.  Much of this can be attributed to the pressure Lindegaard put on De Gea in his first two seasons with United.  De Gea was probably the best keeper in the premier league last season, and United’s record could have been much worse without him. 

This past season leaves us with several examples as to why the backup goalkeeper position is one of the more undervalued roster spots in football.  Wojciech Szczesny was an example of a player having a Casillas-like grip on the #1 keeper role.  Lukasz Fabianski was designated by Arsene Wenger as the FA Cup keeper from day 1, and in those limited appearances Fabianski more than made a case for his inclusion in the first team.  His heroics in the FA Cup semifinal will not be forgotten by Arsenal fans and viewers alike, and it was a touch of class for Wenger to stick with him in the final.  However, Szczesny was excellent for the entirety of the season, and never gave Wenger a real reason to replace him.  

Now that Fabianski’s contract has expired and he moved onto Swansea (a fantastic pickup that allowed the sale of Michel Vorm), Arsenal have replaced him with a more than capable World Cup performer in David Ospina.  Ospina made several saves for Columbia in their impressive campaign, has been a consistent presence in goal for Nice in Ligue 1 for several years, and will surely heap pressure on Szczesny to have an even better season this year.  

Pepe Reina spent the entirety of last season serving as the first choice goalkeeper for Napoli, and according to his agent is returning to spend the season with Liverpool.  This is a smart, discrete bit of business from Brendan Rodgers not to sell him while he can.  Having Reina challenging Simon Mignolet will boost the quality at the position regardless, and selling Reina at this point wouldn’t be worth it to lose a more than capable deputy if the #1 at Anfield slips up or loses fitness.  

Similarly, Chelsea are welcoming back a goalkeeper from loan.  Thibault Courtois returns to Stamford Bridge as arguably the best keeper in the world over the last two years.  Courtois anchored an Athletico Madrid team that won La Liga last year, and featured for Belgium in the World Cup.  Petr Cech has been Chelsea’s most loyal foreign servant for the last decade, but will be pushed to the max by Courtois, who is determined to prove himself.  It’s my belief that Cech will have the starting role by default, but he of all people will realize Courtois is waiting in the wings for any major slip up.  Jose Mourinho will make it clear to both his keepers that if they are on the field and endure a catastrophic run of form, they will be swiftly replaced.  

Since Fabianski signed for Swansea, Michel Vorm was included in a deal with Tottenham that brought Gylfi Sigurdsson to Wales.  Vorm, the third and least talked-about keeper for the Netherlands, was brought on as a substitute in the third-place match against Brazil.  Although he was only on for a few moments, Louis Van Gaal made sure he saw the field.  Van Gaal, not known as the most sentimental guy, surely used one of just three substitutions on Vorm as a tribute to the hard work and effort this lad put in to make the team as the third keeper.  Vorm joins 43 year old Brad Friedel as backup to Hugo Lloris who, like the others I’ve talked about, will be under more pressure to perform at a world-class level in order to stay on the pitch.

Finally, Manuel Pellegrini atoned for his failure to field a decent backup keeper last season by signing Willy Caballero for 6 million pounds from Malaga.  Besides the fact that Pellegrini managed Caballero at Malaga, he is a great signing for City.  Last term, when Joe Hart went through a Rob Green circa 6/12/10 run of form, Costel Pantilimon was employed in his place.  Pantilimon was far from convincing in his midseason cameo for the blues, and probably made Joe Hart look himself in the mirror and say “you lost your spot to this guy.”  By signing Caballero, Hart’s leash is much shorter than last season while he faces genuine competition for the starting role.  

World Cup Players Who Should be in the Premier League

I tried as hard as possible to watch every World Cup game.  In the end, I failed, but I still saw a great deal of quality players I had never heard of.  There were certain players I felt contributed to their teams’ success off the score sheet; digging the trenches, making tackles, running off the ball, and staying tactically disciplined.  I always try and be as aware as possible when watching these international games.  Noticing every movement on the pitch is near impossible, but I took note of several lower profile players who quietly put together an excellent campaign in Brazil.  These are players I believe would be great additions to any premier league team.  

Daley Blind, 24, Netherlands

As I wrote a couple days ago, I was very impressed with Daley Blind and his quality up and down the left side.  Blind, a student of total football at Ajax, has been a first-team player since age 18, something the Dutch take great pride in.  The son of future Netherlands boss Danny Blind made his impact felt in Brazil, and was named Dutch Footballer of the Year in the Eredivsie last season (keep in mind Blind played left back at the World Cup, and defensive midfielder during the club season).  Blind has drawn interest from Barcelona, and more recently Manchester United (which makes no sense considering what they spent on Luke Shaw), and surely has an even brighter future for both club and country.  

Carlos Sanchez, 28, Columbia

Out of all the talent Columbia boasted at the World Cup this summer, Carlos Sanchez may be the most overlooked.  Sanchez’s age doesn’t give him much value, but that’s exactly the point.  He was bought for less than four million euros just a year ago, and his first season with Elche, the team was promoted to La Liga,   Sanchez was close to signing with West Ham in 2012, but elected to ply his trade in Spain instead.  In my opinion, he was the most disciplined player for Columbia, constantly staying back while the likes of fullbacks Armero and Zuniga surged forward.  In the premier league, it is a luxury to have under-appreciated hard-men like Gareth Barry, Mathieu Flamini, Cheik Tiote, Gary Medel (recently to Inter), and Claudio Yacob.  Any English club would be wise to bring him into their side.  

Hector Herrera, 24, Mexico

Purchased for eight million euros a little over a year ago by Porto, Herrera cemented himself as one of Mexico’s stars going forward after his World Cup displays.  His tireless performances merited him as arguably Mexico’s best player next to goalkeeper Ochoa; he ran over 12 kilometers in the game against Croatia.  Herrera though, is not just an engine, as he created many fine chances throughout the tournament.  Herrera isn’t considering a move away from Porto at the moment, but has said he hopes to join one of the top leagues in Europe one day.  It helps too that Herrera shares a surname with Mexico coach Miguel Herrera, who, in my opinion, was the definite highlight of the World Cup.  Giving it all you’ve got and leaving it all out on the field must be a Herrera thing...

Giancarlo Gonzalez, 26, Costa Rica

Yep, every premier league team should have this MLS player on their radar, that’s right I said MLS.  I’ve always been a firm believer that in order to become a bigger league, the MLS must make it a regular occurrence to sell players to Europe, and not the other way around.  Gonzalez gives the MLS credibility with his performance in Brazil, as he was arguably one of the finest center backs in the tournament.  Costa Rica only conceded one goal in a group that included England, Uruguay, and Italy (they won the group!), and were the darlings of the tournament in their quarterfinal run.  Gonzalez was a big part of that, and the Columbus Crew will be hard-pressed to hang onto him in the years to come.  

Sofiane Feghouli, 24, Algeria

Feghouli, who currently belongs to Valencia, was a catalyst in helping Algeria reach the last 16.  In fact, they could have gone further with a stroke of luck against Germany, who defeated them in extra time 2-1.  Feghouli draws comparisons to Samir Nasri, but not just because he wears the same number, is of the same stature, and is a French-Algerian.  Feghouli played the tournament rotating between the attacking midfield and the wing, and showed he has the versatility to help a premier league team.  His diagonal runs off the ball drove Algeria’s offense, and his penalty kick against Belgium saw Algeria score their first World Cup goal in 28 years.  

Benedikt Howedes, 26, Germany

Howedes was undoubtedly the most under-appreciated player on the German roster, starting every game for the World Cup champions.  Ironically enough, Spain’s Joan Capdevila was considered the team’s weak link at left back four years ago as well.  Playing out of position on the left side, Howedes looked like a symmetrically left-sided Branislav Ivanovic.  He showed he can play two positions, and has been a first-team player for Shalke since 2007.  His defensive solidarity, while contributing here and there to the attack, was crucial for a German side that only conceded five goals throughout the entire tournament.  It was a shame his free header in the final careened straight back off the post, for he would have been a national hero had it gone in.  At his age, Howedes is still relatively young for a center back, and should be on premier league radars for his consistency and versatility.  

Marcos Rojo, 24, Argentina

Perhaps the most high-profile of these players I have chosen, Rojo didn’t exactly get off on the right foot with fans after doing a rabona in his own penalty area in the opener against Bosnia-Herzegovina.  As the event went on, Rojo showed he’s not about trying tricks, but rather an out and out fullback who can play both sides of the ball.  Rojo was constantly getting forward in the early stages of the tournament, but earned his defensive merit more and more as the opponents got stronger for Argentina.  He contributed to one of the best defenses in the tournament, and showcased his electric left foot when going forward.  Rojo is already on the radar of several premier league teams, and I am very excited at the prospect of seeing him play in England.  

Plenty of Questions for Arsenal

At long last, Arsenal broke their trophy-less drought with an FA cup triumph over Hull City in May.  The next step for the North Londoners is to once again hoist the premier league trophy.  Not since the days of Bergkamp, Henry, Ljungberg, Veiera, and Campbell (among many others) have the Gunners won England’s greatest footballing prize.  That season, the Gunners did not lose a single game, a feat that seems near impossible in the competitively hostile fixture list that is the premier league today.  Ironically enough, the 2013-2014 Gunners were drawing invincibles comparisons last season from some, but those parallels quickly faded, as did Arsenal’s title bid.  

Arsenal are looking to improve on a 4th place finish (something I’m getting tired of saying every summer) and stay in the title race throughout the season, rather than fade at the midway point as they did last year.  A big reason for Arsenal’s demise was the fact that their players spent more days on the sidelines than any other premier league team.  Mesut Ozil, Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Theo Walcott all missed very large chunks of time on the field throughout last season.  At the time when Ramsey, Wilshere, and Ozil went down, Arsenal were top of the table, which is where they had spent most of the season.  

From then on out, it was a second half of treading lead-laced water for the North London club.  It’s imperative that Arsenal stay healthy this term, something Arsene Wenger addressed immediately following the season.  The introduction of Shad Forsythe to Arsenal’s training staff signals a major change in fitness regimens at the Emirates, at least one would hope.  Forsythe, a 40-year-old American who was hired by Jurgen Klinsmann in 2004, recently returned from Brazil where he finished his decade-long term as head trainer for the German national team.  This has to be encouraging for Gunners fans who had to endure so much time without seeing their stars on the field.  

Another question mark is Jack Wilshere and his fitness.  Wilshere has seemed to develop an allergy to staying fit for long amounts of time, and his identity as the golden boy of the Arsenal academy is fading fast.  Wilshere, the great talent left behind from the Fabregas era, was pegged to be the next superstar at the Emirates.  He has failed to do so, and Gunners fans are going impatient.  The same question remains with Wilshere going into preseason; can he stay fit?  When he’s fit, he changes the game, but that’s not enough.  Even when he was fit last season, he would be hard pressed to either complete 90 minutes and/or be effective for the same 90.  Wilshere must perform this year or his future at the club may not be as crystal clear.  

The next question facing Arsene Wenger in the transfer market is the task of adding a defensive midfielder.  Chelsea and Manchester City have gone out and signed atypical defensive midfielders in the last year in Nemanja Matic and Fernandinho.  Arsenal currently have Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini as their defensive mids, and neither has youth on his side.  William Carvalho appears to be the latest option for Arsenal, who have seen their interest in Sami Khedira wane while Morgan Schneiderlin has voiced his desire to move to Tottenham.  Lars Bender seems bound by a stubborn Leverkusen club who has already sold Emre Can to Liverpool this summer.  

Thus, Carvalho looks like the most logical choice given the Gunners’ financial firepower these days.  Sporting Lisbon seem desperate for cash right now, and although Carvalho didn’t feature as much in Brazil as he probably should have, his potential to be in the mold of a Patrick Veiera still remains.  Furthermore, his representatives have been pushing for a big money move (no surprises there) to the Emirates.  At 22, he still has time to develop under Wenger, and bringing him now would buy time for Arteta and Flamini to be phased out of the club in years to come.  I’ve had the argument with a friend of mine several times that Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey could form a deep-lying box-to-box partnership, but the physical presence of Carvalho would make my quibble obsolete.  At the right price, Carvalho would be a terrific signing.

Finally, the age old (or at least two year-old) question remains about Arsenal’s attacking options.  When the Gunners purchased Alexis Sanchez, it was thought that he would feature on the wing almost exclusively.  Wenger, however, has assured people Alexis can feature in every attacking position.  While at Barcelona and also for Chile, Alexis plays out on the right, occasionally flipping positions to the left.  I think we will see him play not only on the wings, but through the middle as well.  Additionally, he has an excellent fitness record and will take pressure off of every Arsenal forward or winger to play as many games as last season.  It’s my belief that the arrival of Sanchez will spark Olivier Giroud to a breakout season that will shed the title of ‘flop’ or ‘under-performer.’  However, even with Alexis’ versatility, I disagree with Wenger’s notion that Arsenal don’t need another striker.  

Herrera the Real Deal

Manchester United began it’s preseason tour of the United States on Wednesday night with a 7-0 destruction of the MLS’ LA Galaxy.  Wayne Rooney, Reece James, and Ashley Young had two goals apiece, while Danny Welbeck opened the scoring with a well placed low strike from a Juan Mata layoff on 13 minutes.  However, the real star of the night was new United signing Ander Herrera.  

Herrera, placed in a midfield alongside captain Darren Fletcher and compatriot Juan Mata, served as a consistent link from box to box, and was at the center of almost every United attacking move.  Herrera, the 24 year old Spaniard purchased from Athletico Bilbao early in the transfer window, proved he was worth the hefty price tag United paid for him, and gave every United fan a chance to be optimistic about next season.  Herrera also had to raise eyebrows in Spain’s direction, seeing as how they could have used a player like Herrera in Brazil.  

Sure, this game was against an MLS side, but Herrera’s prowess on the ball and movement off the ball cannot be ignored.  Time after time, Herrera would receive the ball in the midfield and cooly assess his options.  Off the ball, Herrera constantly looked for space to create chances for his teammates to run at the Galaxy defense.  I was particularly impressed by Herrera’s composure on the ball, never panicking and always taking care of possession.  Herrera didn’t score any of the goals, but that’s not his nature.  He showed his true skill set on this perfect night in Los Angeles, creating chances and staying cool with the ball at his feet.  

His man of the match award was well-deserved, especially since he was one of just two United players to go the distance, the other being Fletcher.  Louis Van Gaal had to be pleased with what he saw, but what manager wouldn’t be ecstatic with this kind of start to preseason?  United’s other signing, Luke Shaw, featured on the left flank, and seemed to fit in well with his new squad.  Shaw and Antonio Valencia, who was positioned on the opposite flank, were given a license to push forward, with Van Gaal’s 5-3-2 changing into a 3-4-1-2 when they pushed forward.  

The 7-0 thrashing of the Galaxy is a breath of fresh air from the 1-0 defeat in Thailand David Moyes guided United through.  Another positive note compared to last year is that United have actually signed people at this point; Moyes made a last-ditch effort to strengthen his squad by dishing out a hefty fee for Marouane Fellaini, who was hardly worth a fraction of what they paid for him.  United fans have to be on cloud nine following that performance, while premier league fans such as myself are just as happy to see english football starting up again.  

Liverpool's Strength in Youngsters

Since Brendan Rodgers took over at Anfield, Liverpool have seen a drastic change in productivity from their most promising young first-team players.  In the Dalgish years, Andy Carroll, Jordan Henderson, Stewart Downing, and Charlie Adam were bought for a mind blowing 85 million pounds.  Only Henderson has developed as advertised, and only since Rodgers’ arrival.

It’s not a coincidence that Rodgers’ arrival at Liverpool was what put the red revolution in motion, refocused the club on developing from within, and put faith in home-grown exciting raw players.  In doing so, Liverpool not only challenged for a Premier League title last season, but are poised up for a promising future even with the departure of Luis Suarez.  Here are a few reasons why.

Raheem Sterling, 19

Purchased by Rafa Benitez in 2010 at age 15, Sterling has developed into one of the finest young midfielders in England.  By age 17, he was in the first team and earning rave reviews from the Liverpool training ground.  Brendan Rodgers’ went as far declaring him the best teenage footballer in Europe, which he very well could be right now.  Sterling’s injection of pace into the Liverpool lineup has fueled progress at the club, while his versatility and knack for scoring important goals had a great deal to do with the title bid last season.  Sterling proved at the World Cup finals that he belongs on the same field as the world’s elite, and the sky is the limit for this electrifying youngster in red.  

Jordan Ibe, 18

Similar, to Sterling, Jordan Ibe made his debut at a very young age (15).  Liverpool purchased Ibe in 2011, and has quickly progressed to the first team through the U-18 ranks.  Like Sterling, Ibe possesses exceptional pace and vision.  So far in preseason, Ibe has assisted three goals in just two appearances, and is living up to the expectations laid on him by the training staff.  Ibe has the potential to even eclipse his compatriot Sterling, and could be one of the most surprising youngsters in the premiership this season.  

Jon Flanagan, 21

It goes without saying that an endorsement from legendary Brazilian fullback Cafu means you’re probably destined for a bright future.  Recently, the former Milan fullback and Selecao captain heaped praise on the all-around game of Jon Flanagan, describing him as an old-fashioned marauding wingback who possesses the determination to shut down an entire flank, and even naming him as his successor.  Flanagan, born and raised to bleed Anfield red, emerged as a jack-of-all-trades attacking defender for Liverpool last season, turning in countless outstanding performances.  At his age, there is more to come from the heir apparent to Cafu.  

Phillippe Coutinho, 22

Coutinho is probably the most established player of the young contingent at Anfield, having been a first team player at both Inter and Liverpool since 2010.  Coutinho’s vision, technical prowess, and creativity rightfully earn him the #10 shirt and the keys to Liverpool’s attacking midfield.  He formed a strong partnership with Gerrard, Henderson and Sterling last season, showing promising signs for the future of Liverpool.  Manchester United proved this season that a Fergie-less (and Moyes-led club for that matter) team cannot challenge for a title without a truly world-class #10.  Chelsea have Oscar, Manchester City have David Silva, United now have Juan Mata, Arsenal have Mesut Ozil, and now Liverpool have their own in Countinho.  

Assessing 5 Premier League Imports

Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal, undisclosed)

Sanchez comes to Arsenal from the Catalan giants Barcelona, whom he joined in 2011.  Sanchez can play every attacking position and possesses great pace and creativity.  Sanchez impressed for Chile in the 2014 World Cup, and convinced Arsene Wenger to dole out a reported 35 million pounds for the winger.  Sanchez is seen by many the solution to Arsenal’s striking options, but it remains to be seen whether or not the Chilean speedster is the answer at the Emirates.  

Lazar Markovic (Liverpool, 20m pounds)

Markovic marks Brendan Rodgers’ fourth signing of the summer.  Markovic possesses great pace and acceleration, and can be deployed on either wing.  He is just 20 years old, but has been capped by the Serbian national team 13 times already.  Markovic was crucial in helping Benfica reach the Europa league final but missed the actual fixture due to suspension.  With champions league football and more fixtures on the horizon for Liverpool, Markovic will undoubtedly be marked for inclusion this year.  

Ander Herrera (Manchester United, 29m pounds)

Herrera has proven himself in La Liga as a true box-to-box midfielder in the making, creating 53 chances and completing 73 tackles in the 2013/2014 season.  His tackling numbers were better than any Spanish player at the World Cup, and it is foreseeable that he could feature heavily in the Euro 2016.  He was crucial in Spains U-19 World Cup victory in 2011, and is reportedly settling in at Old Trafford very well with the new staff.  

Diego Costa (Chelsea, 32m pounds)

This not-so-baby-faced assassin comes to London from Atletico Madrid, where he amassed 27 La Liga goals in 2013/2014.  Costa, who caused quite the stir in Brazil this summer by suiting up with Spain over his home country, will be the talisman striker for Chelsea, who did not boast any dominant center forwards last season.  Costa has a rare combination of size and athleticism, which make him one of the worlds deadliest strikers when he is in form.  

Fernando (Manchester City, 12m pounds)

This signing fits the modus operandi of Manuel Pellegrini, in that he is an established club player who is reliable and experienced.  However, he does not fit the m.o. of Manchester City, who we are accustomed to seeing spend barrels and barrels of oil money each transfer window.  It’s a very good signing however, in that Fernando has so much experience with Porto, having been a first team player since 2007, still at the tender age of 26.  Fernando, ironically, will most likely partner with Fernandinho in midfield, perhaps forming one of the most confusing midfield duos in history.  

Encouraging World Cup for United Fans

There were a plethora of questions about Louis Van Gaal prior to the 2014 FIFA World Cup, on the fronts of both club and country.  Van Gaal was hailed as a genius by many, but also as a loose cannon with a reputation for extreme measures (these are hilarious, by the way http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/04/23/louis-van-gaal-manchester-united_n_5199576.html).  To be honest, I didn’t know what to expect of Van Gaal either, and being an Arsenal fan I wanted to think his Dutch side would falter in the World Cup, thus leading to more trials and tribulations for the Red Devils...how wrong was I?  Van Gaal showed how effective his methods are throughout the World Cup, and here are a few reasons for United fans to excite over the post-David Moyes era at Old Trafford. 

1. Gutsy Decisions

Van Gaal made several very, very gutsy decisions over the course of these World Cup finals.  It goes without saying the Van Gaal entrusted a great deal of his World Cup hopes to a band of relatively unknowns such as Stefan De Vrij, Daley Blind, Daryl Janmaat, Jasper Cillessen, Georginio Wijnaldum, Jordy Clasie, and Bruno Martins Indi.  However, his decision-making goes much further than that.  The Tim Krul substitution comes to mind; how do you explain to your starting keeper who had just played 120 minutes of scoreless football that he won’t have a hand in deciding the game?  Also, the tactical switch to the 5-3-2 proved to be the most notable formation change in the tournament; one that saw off the defending world champions 5-1.  

2. Louis Knows His Players Best

Obviously bringing on Krul is an example, but bringing off Jonathan De Guzman was just crucial against Spain; on a yellow card at halftime, Van Gaal could tell the midfielder was frustrated, and couldn’t afford to go a man down in a tie game against the world champions.  Another example is the freedom he granted Arjen Robben.  Robben’s touch map for Bayern in the 2013/2014 season shows an exclusive residence for the #11 on the right flank.  He is truly world class as a right winger for the Bavarians, but his full arsenal (see what I did there?) of attacking prowess can be found anywhere across the attack.  With the Netherlands, Robben was given the freedom to roam the pitch, popping up all over the attacking half, and making a case for player of the tournament.  Dirk Kuyt was another player who you wouldn’t have expected to have such an impact given his age.  This was not the case, as Van Gaal knew he could put Kuyt anywhere on the field with the assurance that he would get 110% from the Netherlands’ loyal servant of the past decade.

3. Entrusting the Youth

As mentioned previously, Van Gaal fielded a World Cup squad largely made up of unknown Dutch-league performers.  Not only did he include these unknowns in his squad, but he threw them straight into the fire against La Roja in the opening contest.  Daley Blind was a breakout player at left back, while Daryl Janmaat on the opposite flank earned himself a transfer to the Premier League with Newcastle.  On either side of Ron Vlaar were 22 year olds Bruno Martins Indi and Stefan De Vrij, the latter of whom was arguably the most consistent center back throughout the tournament.  Finally, Memphis Depay proved to be the Netherlands most effective youngster, and became an overnight transfer market sensation with his performances off the bench against Australia and Chile.  It’s also worth noting that Van Gaal gave senior debuts to a 16 year old named Seedorf and an 18 year old named Xavi. 

4. Maximizing Veteran Contribution

The veteran presences of Van Persie, De Jong, Robben, Sneijder, Kuyt, and Huntelaar were all critical to this Dutch side.  I can’t stress enough how inexperienced some of the squad was, and Van Gaal did a masterful job of integrating the old guard with the new.  They complemented each other on the pitch, and I felt Van Gaal milked each veteran for all they could contribute.  Van Persie didn’t have the greatest tournament from start to end, but his opening goal against Spain set the tone for the whole event, and the captains armband is always a burden only the hardest of men can successfully handle at this level.  Arjen Robben was scintillating throughout the duration, while Kuyt showed why he was included at the not-so-nimble age of 34.  Wesley Sneijder, now plying his trade in the Turkish league of all places, showed he can still orchestrate the attack, while an unfit De Jong laid a blueprint for young midfield players in Wijnaldum and De Guzman.

5. Tactical Discipline

Perhaps Van Gaal’s biggest strength is the discipline he instills in his players, both tactically and mentally.  The game against Spain is the best example; Spain looked the stronger team for 30 minutes, and were somewhat rewarded with a soft penalty decision to give them the lead.  The Dutch bided their time, soaked up pressure, and bagged a late goal before halftime which set the table for one of the more memorable halves of the tournament.  Similar to how Germany lured in Brazil in the semifinals and pounced, the Dutch began countering with more ferocity, and never faltered from their game plan.  When trailing against Australia and Mexico, Van Gaal executed perfect substitutions and tactical changes which ultimately led to Dutch victory.  Having Ron Vlaar anchoring the defense may have raised some eyebrows with his supposed lack of pace, but his organization of the defensive unit was outstanding throughout the event.  Even with injuries to De Jong, Martins Indi, and Van Persie, Van Gaal correctly chose to insert players who understood his system and could deputize effectively in their place

It’s easy to say Van Gaal will have limited success following Manchester United’s abysmal season in 2013/2014.  However, his Dutch side’s performance at the World Cup gives United a very real sense of hope for next season and beyond.  Luke Shaw is one of the most coveted fullbacks of all time, and Ander Herrera has the makings to be a box-to-box technician at the highest level.  It’s a long summer, and United have plenty of work left to do in the transfer market, but it’s hard to imagine Van Gaal won’t be able to work his magic on a side that won the Premier League just 14 months ago.