Manchester City are sitting on a valuable commodity in Shay Given. Arsenal are in desperate need of a quality goalkeeper. Manchester United have Edwin Van der Sar as first choice, but he is almost certainly in his last year as a player as he turned 40 yesterday. Both clubs can afford to pay for Given’s services, the only stumbling block is whether they can convince the Eastlands hierarchy to sell to their rivals.

Arsenal are one of the best run clubs in the league; this is partly down to their transfer policy in predominantly younger players, but it is a policy that should be ignored in their pursuit of a goalkeeper that could transform their team. Manchester United have debts as a result of the Glazers’ interests, but we should not be naïve in thinking that they cannot afford to make such a purchase.

In my opinion, Arsenal’s need for a new keeper is far greater than United’s. Van der Sar may be old, but he is still top draw, and is up to the challenge of the season ahead. As well as this, Tomasz Kuszczak is decent, not great, but a suitable back-up. He is a better goalkeeper than anything Arsenal can come up with at the moment, but he is not good enough to be Man Utd’s long-term successor to the Dutchman’s position.

For Arsenal, the situation is becoming more and more of a problem. The quality of the football being played at The Emirates becomes irrelevant if there is no confidence in the ability of their keeper. There are new defenders in their back four, and they need someone with experience, authority and exceptional communication to ease them into the Premier League.

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Given is 34, and so no blossoming talent, but would have at least three years at his peak, if not more. David James, Brad Friedel and Van der Sar himself are examples of how long goalkeepers can continue to play at the upper echelons, as long as they have the fitness and commitment; both qualities that Given possesses. The age he is would also mean that the transfer fee wouldn’t have to be exorbitant, if that was an issue in the first place.

This is all somewhat irrelevant however. Most know that the likes of Almunia, Fabianski and Kuszczak are not good enough to play for their respective clubs, that is not the issue. Somehow, the clubs in need will have to convince City to part with their reserve. They already have the best goalkeeping talent this country has produced in a very long time (a bit superlative I know, but he could genuinely be England’s goalkeeper for the next ten years), and so preventing Given from playing smacks a bit of unadulterated greed. What may change the situation is the man himself.

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Given has already claimed he is prepared to leave, and he is fully entitled to. At this stage in his career, he cannot afford to give away six months or a year to the substitutes bench. If he dug his heels in and reverted to (for want of a far better word/term) ‘player power’, telling his employers of his desire to leave, his wishes would probably be granted. Given is worth any amount of money Arsenal are willing to pay, and they should do all they possibly can to convince City to agree to do business. He has the potential to be integral to any team he plays for, Wenger should make Arsenal that team.

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Despite amassing transfer fees in excess of £75m moving between seven different clubs, Republic of Ireland international Robbie Keane finally found his ‘spiritual home’ at White Hart Lane and Tottenham in 2002.

After brief spells at Wolves, Coventry, Inter Milan and Leeds, hotshot Keane moved to North London from Yorkshire for £7m eight years ago and immediately made an impression with some electric performances in his debut season with Spurs. He went onto be named the club’s Player of the Year on three occasions and also became the first Tottenham player to score double figures over six consecutive seasons in the Premier League. In his first spell at the club the Irishman netted an impressive 107 times in 254 appearances, with 23 in 54 in 2007-08.

His performances attracted interest from Liverpool who promptly paid over £20m for the striker, who was tipped to form a lethal partnership with Spanish star Fernando Torres at Anfield. Yet after six months, seven goals and a failure to convince coach Rafael Benitez of his credentials, Keane’s move was dubbed a complete disaster and he returned to Tottenham with his tail firmly tucked between his legs.

Ireland’s greatest ever-goal failed to recapture his form on his return to Tottenham and was loaned out to Celtic for the second-half of last season. After being linked with a move to Aston Villa and Newcastle over the summer, Keane has made just one league start this season. Reports have also surfaced of a furious dressing room bust-up with manager Harry Redknapp after the striker missed a glorious chance to equalise with minutes remaining in a defeat to West Ham last month. Keane is badly struggling with confidence and has admitted he currently finds international football a release from his frustrations at club level:

“When you are not playing games, it’s very difficult,” said Keane. “I love playing football and find it hard when I’m not playing, but you have to get your head down and work hard in training, which I always do.

“I keep myself fit. You only get sharpness through playing games, and I have not played a lot lately, but the one thing is that I am fresh.

“When you are not involved at club level, it is a release to come over here and play games, so it’s something you look forward to.”

Spurs currently have a glittering array of attacking talent which simply cannot be accommodated in the same starting XI. Even with the absence of first-team regular Jermain Defoe, Keane has found playing time limited. Former Hammer Redknapp has preferred the strike partnership of Roman Pavlyuchenko and England international Peter Crouch on the majority of occasions, while a five-man midfield with new signing Rafael van der Vaart playing as a second striker has also been experimented with.

With the Dutch maestro from Madrid signing with just hours remaining on transfer deadline day, there was simply not enough time to offload an attacker to balance the books. It now seems however that the man who could make way this winter is Keane, who has had a spectacular fall from grace after being dropped as the club’s captain shortly after his return to White Hart Lane.

At 30, Keane will not want the later stages of his career warming the bench or have his chances limited to substitute appearances. It is now likely the former Coventry star will make an exit this January unless he is given more first-team chances. The club will have a hectic fixture list to contend with given their involvement in the Champions League and Keane may yet be given his chance. A club insider revealed however that Keane no longer knows where his lies following his dressing room bust-up with his manager, he revealed:

“It was pretty heated in the dressing room, but it’s part and parcel of the game.

“Robbie’s the sort of player who will always stick up for himself, but he’s not sure where his future is.”

There is no room for sentiment in football and despite the forward’s previously undisputed scoring record at White Hart Lane, his performances since returning to the club have been distinctly average. It may be time for Keane to move on once more before his stock amongst Spurs increasingly doubtful fans falls even further.

Do you think it is time for Keane to move on? Comment below-

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Top Ten- One Club Men

The Football Association have confirmed that Newcastle United midfielder Joey Barton has been charged with violent conduct over his clash with Blackburn Rovers' Morten Gamst Pedersen on Wednesday evening.

The 28-year-old later gestured that he had only slapped the Norwegian, but that is unlikely to wash, with TV pictures giving a perfect view of Barton's indiscretion during the 2-1 defeat at St James' Park.

An FA statement confirmed: Newcastle United midfielder Joey Barton has been charged with violent conduct by The FA, following an incident in his side's fixture with Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday 10 November.

"Barton has until 6pm on Friday 12 November to reply to the charge and under The FA's fast-track regulations may admit the charge and accept a standard three-match suspension."

Barton had earlier been slammed by Pedersen's Rovers team-mate Jason Roberts, who said:"Morten's turned round to apologise if you watch the footage to say sorry about that foul.

"We've all seen the footage, we all saw what happened, so it will be interesting to see what happens from now going on.

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"Morten is a lovely lad and he's never going to say anything to be controversial or make any wild statements, but you could see he was disappointed by what happened."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Article courtesy of Twisted Blood at ‘The Busby Way’

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There has been much talk about United’s unbeaten run. Since the 1-2 defeat by Chelsea last April (and he was miles offside), United have gone 25 games unbeaten across the end of last season and the beginning of this. In his piece yesterday, Yashi made the point that an unbeaten record may affect a team’s willingness to go for the win, as well as that a loss and a win is better that two draws (since three-for-a win came in in 1981/82).  Here’s a little further expansion on that point, looking at the last five years of the Premier League.

Recent history tells us that draws can seriously damage your health. In each of United’s last three title-winning seasons, the team finishing second actually lost two fewer games than United, but let too many points dribble away in stalemates. In 2008/09, Liverpool only lost twice all season, but drew 11; that’s 22 points dropped in games they didn’t lose. United lost 4, but only drew 6, and took the league by 4 points. Similarly, Chelsea amassed 10 draws in 2007/08 and 11 in 2006/07, despite losing only 3 games each season.

(In fact, in 2007/08, United lost the most games of any of the teams in the top four, with 5 defeats. Chelsea and Arsenal only lost 3, while Liverpool lost four. Yet United only drew 6 – compared to 10, 11 and 13 respectively — and that’s what made the difference.)

Obviously, in any individual game, a draw is better than a loss. But a lack of draws across a spread of games is a sign of a side trying to win, taking chances, going for the throat. At the top of the table that means win most, lose a few. That’s the United way. It goes without saying that most teams in the Premier League (including, hilariously, City) are happy with a draw against United, and when the opposition is happy, you shouldn’t be.

It needs to be remembered, of course, that this is a side awaiting the return of its most potent attacker, who’s been off in America doing star jumps: United will be hoping that Wayne Rooney‘s return can turn those draws into wins. And our title rivals have been obligingly dropping points in his absence. But one final statistical point: over the last five seasons, since Mourinho’s second title, no team has won the league having drawn more than 6 games. So far this season, it’s Manchester United: W 6, D 7.

Read more excellent Man United blogs at ‘The Busby Way’ website

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Whatever the motivation for Patrice Evra taunting Arsenal last week, it seems to have done the trick. As the big game between Manchester United and Arsenal drew nearer, there were no shots being fired. There was an uneasy battle for the centre ground, too much respect being shown for one another. Patrice Evra has annoyed Arsene Wenger. Was that the intention or did Evra truly mean what he said?

The comments that Patrice Evra made were highly provocative and only on Monday night will we know if they have done nothing but spur Arsenal onto victory. Patrice Evra has previous for winding up other players and managers, has Wenger made his first error by rising to them?

The Frenchman told Canal Plus, the TV station: “For me Arsenal is a football training centre. You watch the match, you enjoy it, but are you going to win a title afterwards? That’s what people remember. It has been five years since they won anything and for a big club like Arsenal that is a crisis.

Whether Patrice Evra’s intention was to disrespect Arsenal his comments have clearly hit a nerve. The game at Old Trafford will go a long way to decide where the title will end up this season, and Arsenal have a great opportunity. Failure to win at Old Trafford would dent their confidence no doubt – Evra is merely putting the pressure onto them.

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Arsenal fans and players do not like to be reminded that they haven’t won a title for five seasons. It is not a record that anyone likes, nor wants to be reminded of. However, if this Arsenal team does not win the league this season – will they have missed a glorious opportunity to put this record to bed. Is Partice Evra so wide of the mark when suggesting that if this Arsenal team does not win anything they will not be remembered.

Arsene Wenger has clearly been irritated by the comments and has publicly hit back at Evra.

“I don’t place any importance on what Evra said. He takes responsibility for what he says. I think that when you want to be a big player you have always got to respect your opponent and not say remarks that are below the belt and disrespectful and possibly based more on fear than self-confidence.”

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They are harsh words, not only with regard to the team but also towards the club, which I will treat with a little disdain. In sport everyone must respect their opponent.”

Arsene Wenger should have stayed away from the comments, however his reply was dignified. The Arsenal manager will not need to use these comments as motivation – the players already know how important the game is. However, the comments made by Patrice Evra may make Arsenal doubt themselves. The only reason for this could come in the form of pressure. Can Arsenal handle the pressure – we will find out this evening.

Patrice Evra’s comments give the game another edge – the first flashpoint. Did Evra’s comments hit a nerve with Wenger? Personally, I feel they have, but that is not  necessarily a negative. Wenger is passionate about Arsenal and is willing to defend his club against doubters. Wenger is very similar to Sir Alex Ferguson – and it is good to see the new found respect between the two. Arsene Wenger mustn’t take his eye off the prize by trading insults with Patrice Evra – if he has lost focus, Manchester United will win. Tonight’s game at Old Trafford should be a classic. The gloves are off.

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Roy Hodgson’s time at Liverpool has been a disaster for one reason or another. He looks a manager out of his depth, devoid of tactical knowledge and Liverpool are a club lacking an inspirational leader. Liverpool’s new owners, NESV have accepted that it will take time to rebuild Liverpool, and the vast majority of fans agree that this is a fair assessment. However, will Liverpool continue to take steps backwards, rather than forwards, if they continue with Roy Hodgson at the helm?

The problem with Roy Hodgson is there is one excuse after another. If he isn’t blaming Rafa Benitez for the failings of the club he is blaming players’ fitness or the lack of funds that he was given in the summer. Now, he may be right on all of these points but he has continued to roll off excuse after excuse. If you are managing a team like Liverpool and you have taken 22 points from 17 games, languishing only six points off the drop zone at Christmas, you have to take responsibility for that. Hodgson is seemingly incapable of doing this.

In terms of transfers, Liverpool need to invest this January. They need to add some extra quality to their first team as well as buying younger players for the future. It is looking increasingly likely that they will lose Glen Johnson this January. If last summer is anything to go buy, Liverpool fans can’t get too excited about this transfer window. Last summer Roy Hodgson purchased Paul Konchesky and Christian Poulsen – for Liverpool? They would be decent signings for Fulham but not acceptable for a club like Liverpool. Does Roy Hodgson really have the foresight in the transfer market to achieve the results that the new owners expect? When you waste nearly £9m, it scares you when Tottenham were able to sign William Gallas for free and Rafael van der Vaart for £8m. Even more worrying for Liverpool fans is Hodgson’s hint that he may not even buy in January.

“Clubs have virtually been destroyed by people making bad decisions. It’s not because the owners haven’t given money or supported the manager. It’s just that they have brought in the wrong people.”

At the biggest clubs in the world, there is expectation. The question is, have Liverpool fans and the press been too harsh on Roy Hodgson? He only arrived in July and to be totally fair he has had very very little money (whatever money he has had, he has wasted) to shape a squad in his vision. He hasn’t had the chance to work with Damien Comolli on transfer targets. This is a fair argument, but to be given time you need to have shown somewhere that you deserve it. Has Hodgson done anything that says he is the man to turn Liverpool around? A very impressive win against Chelsea, and that is it. It is time for John W. Henry and Tom Werner to seriously consider Roy Hodgson’s position. They were incredibly awkward in the recent fans phone-in when asked about Hodgson’s future. They would make themselves very popular with Liverpool fans if they were to fire Roy Hodgson sooner rather than later.

Liverpool are in a transitional phase, but that does not mean they have to be where they are in the table. It is becoming too easy for Roy Hodgson to make excuse after excuse and not take responsibility for his own shortcomings. He sounds like a product of Tom Hicks and George Gillet at the moment. Roy Hodgson is out of his depth at Liverpool in terms of the transfer market and on the pitch. Do Liverpool fans really think that if NESV gave Hodgson a vast amount of money he would be able to attract top names? When a club needs to rebuild, it needs to get rid of deadwood. Sadly, Roy Hodgson is part of this deadwood and he will take Liverpool backwards before any progress is made.

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As we come to the end of the year and look back over the past 12 months, some Premier League players have really stood out from the crowd. There have been fantastic saves by goalkeepers in between the sticks, committed defenders giving everything for their team’s cause, midfielders who have run games with ease and strikers who have put the ball in the back of the net for fun. Picking a Premier League Player of the Year for 2010 is no easy task, and there are certainly plenty of candidates to choose from, but who do you think deserves to win this accolade? These players are regulars in fantasy football teams up and down the country, so here are the nominees for the FootballFanCast.com Player of the Year for 2010…

Click on the image below to see the nominees

Mercurial QPR playmaker Adel Taarabt has talked up his chances of a move this summer to the likes of Manchester United, and while his dazzling displays have delighted fans of the Championship, is he good enough to truly cut it in the top flight?

It’s fair to say that Taarabt was given a bum deal by former club Tottenham. He was a victim of the club’s chopping and changing of their management over a 3 year period and subsequently his development was stunted and his route into the first-team blocked. He always looked lively when called upon and although it would be harsh to call it a failed audition, it’s clear that he feels he has unfinished business with the Premier League.

The Moroccan has been a pivotal figure in QPR’s ascent to the top of the Championship so far this term and it’s entirely likely that he’ll be plying his trade in the Premier League next season with QPR anyway.

Current manager Neil Warnock has consistently waxed lyrical about Taarabt’s talents throughout the campaign, although he has treaded a fine line, going on record several times discussing the player’s deficiencies.

Taarabt has considerable talent, and on ability alone, he probably is good enough to grace the hallowed turf at Old Trafford, it’s in his consistency that the 21 year-old can look to improve upon. He has the ability to win a game on his own in the Championship, and he can even have an off day at the office and still set up a couple of goals – the gulf in class truly is that large.

The quotes attributed to Taarabt are: “Nothing is official yet. I had discussions about my transfer after my performance against Coventry. I’m ready to go to Manchester United. We’ll see later in the season, as I’m hoping to reach the promotion target with my current club QPR. I like England, So I am not against the idea of continuing my career at United.”

What is pleasing about these comments though, is that Taarabt at least concedes that his immediate future lies with QPR. Neil Warnock has been crucial to his development over the last 12 months or so – without his faith and the fact that Warnock has accommodated a formation and style of play to get the best of Taarabt, the playmaker wouldn’t be being linked with the likes of Manchester United now.

The proposed move does have to be taken with a pinch of salt though, for Taarabt is the one doing all the talking and we’ve heard little from Man Utd’s side. There is also the issue over where he would fit in into the current Man Utd set-up. Taarabt is given a free role at QPR and a platform to perform – he wouldn’t get such luxuries at Old Trafford.

The only doubts to be cast against Taarabt at present are not with concerns to his footballing ability, just that his discipline and temperament can at times be called into question. He displays an arrogance and immaturity that will only hold him back over time. It’s worth remembering that he’s still only 21 years of age, and of course, this will only get better with time as he matures on and off the pitch.

The best thing for his future development at the moment would be to stay put at Loftus Road. There is nothing more important to a player at this pivotal stage in his career than playing regularly, week in week out. If he continues to improve on the few deficiencies that are currently present in his game, then the sky really could be the limit with him. His confidence is, at the moment, his biggest asset.

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His willingness to try something different on the pitch is what sets him apart from the rest of the league. But should he let his arrogance, as some would perceive it, get in the way of his development, then he could move to a bigger club too soon, which for me, would be tantamount to career suicide at the minute. With over-confidence can come a degree of complacency and he has to stamp out any threat that this could have on his focus.

He’s got plenty of time to move to the likes of Utd or even Barcelona, a club Warnock concedes on ability alone that he is good enough to play for, in the future – for the time being QPR has been good for him, and a show of faith similar to that which Warnock placed in him would go a long way for the foreseeable future.

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Barcelona have acknowledged there are no plans to lure Arsenal talisman Cesc Fabregas back to the Camp Nou in the next transfer window.

Fabregas was heavily linked with a move to Barca in last July’s window, with the Spaniard fuelling speculation by admitting it would be a dream come true to play for the club of his youth.

For their part, the La Liga club were understandably keen to woo Fabregas back to Spain, but their efforts were stonewalled by Arsenal.

Despite claims from more than one Spain international that Fabregas was unhappy at the Emirates, the 23-year-old respected the English Premier League club’s decision not to entertain a transfer and has continued to lead the Gunners by example.

Now, with the Catalan club set to visit Arsenal in a tantalising Champions League clash next Wednesday, Barca director of football Raul Sanllehi has admitted their hopes of snaring Fabregas have been dashed for the time being.

“Cesc is a great Catalan player. He played for us as a kid and he will be welcome back at Barcelona for the Champions League match,” Sanllehi said.

“Right now, everything is dead regarding a transfer.”

All-conquering Barca have been in irresistible form this season, but Sanllehi knows Pep Guardiola’s men can not take anything for granted against the dangerous Gunners.

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“Arsenal are one of the main challengers for the Champions League,” he said.

“We acknowledge how difficult it is going to be.”

In his column for the Liverpool Echo, John Aldridge stated that the Reds currently have the best youth team the club has ever had. He mentioned that there was as many as 14 youngsters who had the potential to make it the first team:

“I say with some confidence that this is the best youth team Liverpool have ever had, There’s so much promise among the players that fans are excited to see them in the first team when the time is right. Usually, you can identify just one or two who might make the grade from the second strings. Now, there’s up to 14 who could easily appear for the senior side at some stage. Hopefully, in the next few years, the lads in their late teens will be getting some action and it sets up some exciting times for Liverpool.”

I have attempted to identify the 14 players below. He maybe talking about some players in lower age groups but I have selected the best players from the reserves and under 18s (omitting players such as Danny Wilson, Dani Pacheco and Jonjo Shelvey who could be said to be more estbalished first team squad members already) to make up my list. Some of them maybe guesses but I feel the majority are correct.

1. Suso – A talented, tricky Spanish midfielder with a great future ahead of him if he continues to progress at the rate he is going. Has been given the number 30 shirt by Kenny Dalglish.

2. Conor Coady – Selected on the bench for the Europa League encounter last Thursday, the holding midfielder/centre-back captains Liverpool U18s and led England’s U17s to the European Championships last summer.

3. Andre Wisdom – The centre back scored an own goal and a goal at the right end during the U17 European Championship final last year, and has moved up to reserve team football this campaign

4. John Flanagan – The full back is highly thought of at Melwood and was one of the five youngsters who made the trip to Prague last week.

5. Jack Robinson – Became Liverpool’s youngest ever player at 16 years and 250 days when he came on against Hull in the last match of the 2009/10 season. The left back is an excellent crosser of the ball and was also in Prague on Thursday.

6. Tom Ince – Paul Ince’s son had an impressive loan spell at his Dad’s club Notts County last month, but his contract is up in the summer, and it will be interesting to see whether he is still a Liverpool player come next season.

7. Raheem Sterling – Enough has been said about this lad already. Needless to say that he is a very exciting prospect.

8. Daniel Ayala – Out on loan at Derby County, the Spanish defender’s qualities are well known.

9. Nathan Eccleston – Out on loan at Charlton Athletic, and performing well for the Addicks so far.

10. Toni Silva – An exciting Portuguese left winger with a lot of trickery and pace.

11. Michael Ngoo – A tall powerful striker with great pace but lacking a killer instinct in the air as yet.

12. Krisztian Adorjan – The Hungarian striker/attacking midfielder is quite prolific at Under 18 level and could be one to look out for.

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13. Kristjan Gauti Emilsson – The Icelandic midfielder has a knack of scoring vital goals from midfield, and was chased by a host of top European clubs before his arrival at Liverpool in January last year.

14. Jamie Stephens – A talented goalkeeper bought from Swindon last April.

Read more of David’s articles at his excellent Live4Liverpool site

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