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Premier League may not be the best but it's always the most interesting
Even this early there are enough hints to indicate the domestic season will be full of stories to rival the Champions League
The Observer, Saturday 12 October 2013 12.37 BST
Mesut Özil said the Premier League is the strongest league because it is so balanced and so fierce. Photograph: Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images
International football receives a fairly bad press these days. Some of it is fully deserved, although any sporting enterprise willing to put up with the barely fit for purpose Fifa probably gets what it deserves, and some of it is an unavoidable result of the rapid evolution of the rest of the game.
What was once the crème de la crème has turned into something a little more stodgy now the leading performers in the world can be seen on a weekly basis playing for their clubs. A couple of generations back you would have had to wait for World Cups every four years to catch a glimpse of Lionel Messi or Neymar. In 2013, if you have any sort of access to a sports channel, or ever walk into a pub, it is actually quite difficult to avoid them.
It is frequently stated that the Champions League has done most to hijack the glamour and exclusivity that used to belong solely to international football, and it is certainly true that standards are higher at the top end of the Uefa tournament and players have started to regard lining up under lights with the theme music blaring in the background as a sign of arrival more significant and desirable than pulling on the shirt of their country.
Were it not for the fact that it is still a glorified knockout competition one would have little hesitation in describing the Champions League as the best league in the world; there is no doubt it is the home of the most impressive, most seductive football.
The Premier League's claims to be the best in the world, on the other hand, are usually scoffed at. The best players are in Spain, the best teams in Germany, and so on. That may be so, but Mesut Özil has become the latest player to sing the Premier League's praises, describing it as the strongest because it is so balanced and the competition is so fierce. The Arsenal playmaker may just have been being polite, or reassuring himself that he has not taken a downward step from La Liga, though a German with a big reputation in Spain at least ought to know what he is talking about when he makes comparisons between countries.
Özil also mentioned that the league table, with Arsenal level on points with Liverpool at the top, is just a snapshot after a mere seven games, and that is undeniable. As snapshots go, however, it contains a wealth of interesting detail. No one imagined that Arsenal would go so well after their opening-day humbling by Aston Villa, or that Liverpool would settle down so quickly. Two teams who did not change their manager in summer are above all the clubs who did, although in terms of changing manager the most notable rise has been that of Southampton under Mauricio Pochettino. Avoiding relegation and stabilising the club last season was just a preliminary. The Saints currently occupy a Champions League spot and looked exceptionally good in winning at Anfield.
When the domestic programme returns, Southampton find themselves at Manchester United. That fixture would hardly have stood out at the start of the season, though few would have anticipated that Southampton would go to Old Trafford higher in the table than their hosts, with supporters feeling that players such as Adam Lallana and Luke Shaw should have been recognised by England. Rickie Lambert's elevation made a good story, but there is a solid core of England talent behind him and behind Southampton's success.
While David Moyes has a solid core of English talent at his disposal, he has not had the easiest of starts at United and was in danger of being humiliated by the bottom club last week before he was rescued by the get-out-of-jail card that was Adnan Januzaj. To say the 18-year-old looks a player would be an understatement. Moyes said the time was right and so it proved. He faces the trickier problem now, given that Januzaj has yet to commit to a contract extension, of managing expectation while giving the player enough games to progress. It is ironic, as Moyes is now being credited with being bold enough to put his trust in youth, that Everton supporters were just starting to grumble that he had been holding Ross Barkley back and it took a change of manager to give an obvious talent a run in the first team.
Allardyce would not have been a universally popular choice, but at least it would have been an honest one. For better or worse, he sums up what English football is all about. As distinct from Premier League football, which is all about imported talent, foreign influences and massive amounts of mis-spent money. The two worlds collide at Upton Park next Saturday, when Manchester City are West Ham's visitors. That fixture alone embodies what is unique about the English league. It is not so much a tilted playing field as an uneven surface with potholes and booby-traps. But every week you get a story.
Singing about Yaya: Newcastle students stop traffic for 10 MINUTES with City chant
By DAVID KENT PUBLISHED: 18:00 GMT, 16 October 2013 | UPDATED: 19:17 GMT, 16 October 2013
Drivers in Newcastle were left bemused as students stopped traffic for 10 minutes to sing about Yaya Toure. On a night out after England qualified for the World Cup, plenty of youngsters spilled on to the streets at 3am to sing Manchester City's famous chant about Yaya and his brother Kolo.It left taxi drivers furiously beeping their horns as tens of drinkers enjoyed themselves.
Chanting: A huge group of Newcastle students stopped traffic as they sang about Yaya Toure in the street
Toure himself tweeted the video and said: 'Thank you for the dedication from Newcastle lol! It will take me to get to the kolo dance yaya.'City fan Joe Friar, 20, told the Manchester Evening News: 'One of my flatmates is a Chelsea fan and he loves the Yaya/Kolo Toure chant and the actions after seeing me do it.
'We came out of a club and he started doing it in the middle of the road for some reason. 'I'd had a few so I joined in, being a Blue, and then loads of other people who were coming out of clubs started doing it as well and it seemed to catch on. It's pretty easy to pick up. 'It ended up going on for about 10 minutes - it was bizarre.'
Famous: Manchester City sing about Yaya Toure and it caught on in the middle of Newcastle
Pleased: Yaya tweeted the video to his followers
Toure Brothers: The pair played together at Man City before Kolo switched to Liverpool during the summer
Away: Toure has been with the Ivory Coast in the last week
Liverpool whistleblower case kicks off with allegations of swearing at stars, ticket touting and players' chief 'robbing the club blind'
By CHRIS WHEELER PUBLISHED: 14:13 GMT, 16 October 2013 | UPDATED: 18:14 GMT, 16 October 2013
A former Liverpool chauffeur claims he was told to fly to Ibiza with a visa for Andy Carroll so the England striker could join the pre-season tour to America. Dave Sloan confirmed at an employment tribunal on Wednesday that he had been carpeted by club bosses over allegations that he swore at Carroll, but insisted the player had ‘laughed off’ the incident that is said to have taken place last year.Sloan, who was responsible for driving senior Liverpool figures like owner John Henry and ex-managing director Christian Purslow as well as players, claims that he was constructively dismissed after he tried to blow the whistle on illegal practices at Anfield.
Claim: Former Liverpool chauffeur Dave Sloan (below) claims he fly to Ibiza with Andy Carroll (above) to get a visa
Having his say: Dave Sloan arrives for his employment tribunal on Wednesday
Liverpool deny the allegations, one of which was that player liaison chief Ray Haughan made money out of selling tickets on the black market.Sloan’s duties included going to the cashpoint for Haughan and players as well as putting petrol in the cars of company executives.He claims that Haughan’s bank balance increased by £40,000 which fuelled his suspicions after the allegations of ticket touting emerged in alleged discussions with security staff.‘I had suspicions that ticket touting was going on,’ Sloan told the tribunal in Liverpool. ‘I was worried about the repercussions but there were fans not getting tickets and someone inside the club making money out of it and that was wrong.
'Ray Haughan asked me to go to the cashpoint and I noticed a different amount of money. I went to see Peter Shaw (executive) to discuss what I had heard from Frank Firth (security - about black market tickets), what I'd seen in the bank account and my suspicions.'Sloan also claims that thousands of pounds of players’ money went unaccounted for, although he did not suggest that this money went into Haughan’s account.He added: ‘Ray Haughan used to look after players’ money. We’re talking thousands of pounds. Players would put it on the table and he’d put it in a drawer. There was no bookkeeping or accounts.’Liverpool claim that Sloan only decided to blow the whistle because he felt aggrieved over Haughan’s treatment of him and the fact that driving work had been contracted to other companies.
Claim: Ray Haughan is accused of making money out of selling tickets on the black market
It was put to him in a meeting with club bosses that he had sworn at Carroll three times on the Ibiza trip, was smoking outside the team bus and caused disruption at the club’s headquarters in Chapel Street.‘I was told not to approach the player Andy Carroll because I’d upset him,’ said Sloan. ‘But I did approach him and he knew nothing about it. He actually laughed it off.’The tribunal rejected an application by Liverpool to keep Haughan’s identity a secret.Lydia Edgar, representing the club, said: 'Because you were nervous (about the whistle blowing) you attached greater significance to things that were happening before October 2012 anyway. The vast majority occurred before you raised your concerns in October. These things continued but you were more anxious.'
'Not at all,' said Sloan.'Ray Haughan was being funny with me, more abrupt, ignoring me as if I didn't exist.'Outside contractors were being used more and more. Most days I was sat at Melwood doing nothing twiddling my thumbs then told to go home only to be called back 15 minutes later to do things like adjust a wall clock.'I was sat there while contracts were being handed out. I was left doing menial tasks when there was work that could have been given to me.'
It came to a head at a Christmas party for Melwood staff, hosted by manager Brendan Rodgers on December 16 when Sloan admits telling managing director Ian Ayre and other executives that Haughan was 'robbing the club blind'.Sloan confirmed that words were exchanged but denies witness statements saying he was under the influence of alcohol and became 'aggressive and intimidating' and 'tried to lunge at guests violently with his fists clenched'. He claims he is the victim of a club conspiracy.In his statement, Ayre says he was 'approached by DS who had clearly had a few drinks'. He adds: 'DS approached me one-to-one and told me that I didn't show him respect or give the time of day.
Told: Ian Ayre (left) was approached by Dave Sloan at a Christmas party regarding Haughan's alleged activity
'He kept going on about the lack of respect and I told him to get over it.'He went ballistic, gesticulating and getting in my face, getting angrier and angrier. He started to lash out and security guards saw fit to physically restrain and remove him.'As I was leaving at 1am he approached me again and offered to shake my hand. He had another go at me and was heated and aggressive. The security guards had to remove him again.'Ayre wrote an email to staff about the incident at 1.20am and Sloan was suspended at a meeting later that morning.
Special report: The real history of Adnan Januzaj, Europe's most wanted teenager
By MATT LAWTON IN BRUSSELS and NICK FAGGE IN ISTOG, KOSAVO PUBLISHED: 22:00 GMT, 16 October 2013 | UPDATED: 22:09 GMT, 16 October 2013
The debate that rages over which country Adnan Januzaj should represent appears to be rather more civilised in England than it is elsewhere. Last week on Albanian television they discussed the most sought-after teenager in European football on a programme entitled Hero or Traitor, the view being that he would be the latter if he turned his back on his family’s heritage to represent anyone else.On the face of it the 18-year-old who shot to prominence with two brilliant goals in only his third appearance for Manchester United would seem to be spoilt for choice. His direct style and willingness to dribble past defenders as if it was the most natural thing in the world has everyone purring. The reality, however, is very different and those who have encountered Januzaj on his journey are saddened by the pressure being placed on his gifted young shoulders.
Boy wonder: Adnan Januzaj, pictured during a tournament at the Athenee Royal De Jette school
Way back when: Januzaj (circled) with RWDM Brussels FC U11s - his club before Anderlecht
So, just how do you say Januzaj?
There have been plenty of attempts at pronouncing his surname, with the family surprised at some of the different variations.
But Manchester United officials, and the youngster himself, have confirmed the correct way to say his last name is ‘Yan-uh-zai’.
Born in Brussels, Januzaj is the son of Kosovar-Albanian parents who fled the Balkan crisis to escape the poverty and persecution suffered by other members of their family. Today their story can be told for the first time.But it is a story that means Januzaj could play for Belgium, Albania, Kosovo, Turkey or England, and to date Januzaj has not revealed his preference and nor has his protective father, Abedin. Januzaj’s agent, Dirk de Vriese, says no family members will be speaking until a lucrative new contract with United has been agreed, although Europe’s other top clubs are circling if that does not materialise. But there is clearly more to it than that.It is thought that, were they a FIFA-affiliated team and therefore able to participate in competitive international football, Kosovo would be first choice. As it is, England are understood to be the favoured alternative.
Family ties: A cousin of Adnan, Idriz Januzaj, 11, pictured near the block of flats he lives in, in the town of Istog, Kosovo
Home comforts: Adnan's uncle, Shemsedin Januzaj, lives in this block of flats in the town of Istog
A sign of the times: Just outside Istog lies the hamlet of Januzaj
Fond memories: Adnan's uncle, Shemsedin Januzaj, and his son Idriz
The FA certainly believe that to be the case and they are seeking to establish if the possession of a British passport could lead to the five-year FIFA residency rule being bypassed.But even that, with the image of highly-paid lawyers going into battle in a bid to land the prize asset, feels like exploitation given the picture that is painted of a quiet, dedicated young man and his humble family.From his old teachers to his earliest coaches, nobody has a bad word to say about this boy or his father. Even Anderlecht, the Brussels football club that lost him at 16 to United because in Belgium it is prohibited to place players of that age under contract, wish him only the best.
‘We are not happy at all that a player we lost for €300,000, a fee that was set by FIFA, is now worth 20 million,’ Anderlecht spokesman David Steegen told Sportsmail.‘He was born in Brussels, educated here at our club; he’s one of ours and it makes us angry what has happened. But we are happy for Adnan. He is a good boy.’In Belgium there have been unsubstantiated reports of United paying an additional €200,000 to the Januzaj family and providing them with a home in a gated apartment block in one of the smarter parts of Manchester where he lives with his mum and dad. Steegen does, however, acknowledge that Anderlecht did to RWDM Brussels FC what United would do to them four years later. RWDM was local to the Januzaj family home in the middle-class Brussels suburb of Koekelberg - a place dominated by the stunning Basilica - and Abedin would take Adnan to training after leaving the Chevrolet-Opel dealership where he worked as an accountant.
‘We could see very early that Adnan was a fantastic player,’ said Jean-Paul Pira, who runs the 14 youth teams at RWDM. ‘He was not a big player – very slightly built – but his technique was out of the ordinary. In one game for the under 10s I remember him scoring 16 or 17 goals in a 22-0 win.’Pira also remembers Adnan’s father. ‘He was always very calm and supportive, but he never told him how well he had played; only that he could do better.’RWDM received not a penny from Anderlecht. ‘Zero!’ said Pira. But again, there are only feelings of generosity towards Januzaj. ‘One of his old team-mates – Eloy Suarez – brought in these photographs for you,’ Pira then explained. ‘Everyone here is very proud.’
Memories: Jean-Paul Pira, the head co-ordinator at RWDM Brussels FC, recalls Januzaj's ability
Fond memories: Abdel Jaichi, Januzaj's old school sports teacher described him as 'timid' and 'unselfish'
Bright future: Januzaj, pictured in a Roma kit three years ago, looked destined for the top in his school days
Teenage kicks: Januzaj (pictured back left) with team-mates from his school
Which countries could he play for?
KOSOVO: Through dad Abedin, who was born in Kosovo. But Kosovo are not recognised by FIFA.
BELGIUM: Through birth. He was born in Brussels and lived there until moving to Manchester.
ALBANIA: Through heritage. His parents are ethnically Albanian.
TURKEY: Through family. His grandparents are Turkish.
ENGLAND: Through residence, if he lives in England for the next five years.
Abdel Jaichi is proud too, and as Januzaj’s sports teacher at the Athenee Royal De Jette school in Koekelberg for four years he should be. He taught Januzaj from 12 until he moved to Manchester at 16 and remembers ‘a timid boy who set an example to the other students with his work ethic’.‘Adnan was by far the most talented player at the school but he was very unselfish,’ said Jaichi. ‘He would dribble past opponents but always try to give the opportunity to score to a team-mate. And there was never a problem with his studies.’Sir Alex Ferguson has spoken of Januzaj as ‘a beautifully balanced player’, while a youth team coach at Anderlecht - Yannick Ferrera – has compared him to Johan Cruyff.
It is also noted that he shares his birthday with Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar: February 5.Many identify Januzaj’s father as his biggest influence, including a former Anderlecht youth team-mate. Michael Heylen, who is now at Courtrai, said: ‘Januzaj is the greatest talent I’ve ever played with. He was so fast over the first few yards that all opponents were taken by surprise.‘But if Adnan played a bad match, his father let him know about it. At times he could be very tough and sometimes Adnan had tears in his eyes. But I had an idea that his dad knew what he was doing. He taught his son to take the knocks and that was good for his development.’
No distractions: Januzaj has no tattoos, no flash cars and no sponsorship deals
Different ball game: Januzaj with ex-United player Quinton Fortune at the Oklahoma City Thunder v Philadelphia 76ers NBA game in Manchester
Anderlecht credit Abedin with the fact that his son is so grounded. There are no tattoos, no flash cars. He does not even have any sponsorship deals, with Abedin so confident his son will fulfil his considerable potential he thinks it more prudent to wait.But to understand Abedin Januzaj you have to know his story and the struggle the Januzaj family faced during Kosovo’s violent past.While Abedin fled Kosovo, other members of this close-knit family took up arms in the country’s war of independence against the Serbs as the former Yugoslavia disintegrated. But the bond between them remains strong, with relatives speaking fondly this week of the teenage football star who frequently visits the bustling provincial town of Istog, nestled beneath the mountains that separate Kosovo from Serbia and Montenegro.
Every summer the fluent Albanian-speaking youngster spends several weeks at the family home, a tidy farm surrounded by fields of maize, in a hamlet named after the Januzaj family. In these times of peace Januzaj can play football with his uncles and cousins. But those relatives recall the struggle against the oppression of communism and anti-Albanian racism in war-torn Kosovo.The eldest of six children, Abedin was expected to provide for the family after his father Idriz, a textile factory worker, became ill with cancer. But faced with the prospect of being forced to join the Serb-dominated Yugoslav Army to fight in Bosnia, Abedin fled to Belgium in 1992.
Uncle's war: Shemsedin Januzaj and his wife Lavi (back left) during their time fighting with the KLA
By then Abedin’s uncle, Januj, had already been jailed for 15 years for taking part in a protest demanding Albanian rights in the part of Yugoslavia that is now Kosovo. Later his younger brother, Shemsedin, would join Januj in the Kosovo Liberation Army, independence fighters backed by the allies.Speaking to Sportsmail, Shemsedin said: ‘From the 1980s until today we have struggled as a family. We were persecuted by the Serbian system. I was a fighter with the KLA and so was my wife. We fought together in the same brigade. One of my best friends was killed – he stepped on a landmine.‘I was 18 when I joined the KLA. I fought between January 1998 and June 1999.
I couldn’t put up with the repression, the rape of women and the violence any more. It was the time to die fighting for our nation. I was not frightened because I knew what we were doing was right.‘There are still a lot of people missing – we don’t know what happened to them during the war.’On April 1, 1999 Serb forces attacked Istog, killing civilians, torching houses and destroying the 18th century mosque. As Istog mayor Muhamet Rexhaj said, the whole town was burnt down. ‘All 300 houses,’ he said, though the Januzaj’s house survived as it was on the outskirts.‘Some 17 people were murdered, including two disabled people. Five members of one family were burned alive. The rest of the population fled.’Mayor Rexhaj spoke of how ‘the Januzaj family were persecuted by the Serbs’.
Pastoral pleasures: A herd of sheep are walked past the Januzaj family home in Januzaj
Shemsedin, an unemployed former rescue worker who struggles to provide for his wife and two children, tells of how Abedin fled not only to escape the oppression of the Serbs but ‘to provide for the family’ by sending money home. ‘My father died two years later so Abedin was the head of the family after that,’ he said.Abedin’s wife and Adnan’s mother, Ganimete Sadikaj, was also the victim of repression. Born into one of the wealthiest families in Istog, the Sadikajs were considered a threat by the Serb-dominated Yugoslav regime after World War Two. They were forced to leave Kosovo and deported to Turkey under a plan to suppress Albanian nationalism.The family would later move to Belgium where Adnan’s grandfather, Alija, set up a business. A former neighbour, Arif Haskaj, said: ‘The Sadikaj family had a lot of land and a farm. They were among the richest people in the village. But they had to escape to Turkey because the Serbian authorities took away their land and their property during the communist times, after World War Two.’In Brussels the family became part of the city’s Albanian community and it was there that Abedin and Ganimete met.
Star man: Januzaj (circled) as part of the RWDM Brussels FC U11 side
In Istog the locals tell of how the Sadikaj family paid for the renovation of that 18th century mosque, while many will visit the tea shop that is owned by the Januzaj family. Visar Januzaj, Adnan’s cousin, works as a waiter there.‘Adnan often comes to the cafe,’ he said. ‘I have played football with him plenty of times and he’s really good.’Even a colonel in the Kosovan Police says he has played with the rising star of Manchester United. ‘He was 14 at the time and we didn’t know who he was,’ he recalled. ‘When he came on we could not work out why he was so good – how he could do everything with the ball.’
From the streets of Kosovo: Children play football in a road in Istog
Strike two: Januzaj scores his second against Sunderland
The Januzaj family were angered by that debate on Albanian television. Even so, on Tuesday Adnan offered greetings to fellow Muslims on the Islamic holy day of Eid ul Adha. As villagers in Istog were slaughtering sheep in their back gardens as part of the Muslim festival, he wrote on his Facebook page: ‘Eid Mubarak to all Muslim fans.’His bond with his family’s past is also strong, and at the Kosovan FA they have not yet resigned themselves to losing him to England. ‘We cannot stop them playing for another team,’ said a spokesman. ‘But we have a lot of support within FIFA, so it’s a case of when rather than if we receive full recognition. Then hopefully boys like Adnan will want to play for Kosovo.’
Pictures by Graham Chadwick and Lucy Ray. Additional reporting by Andrew Magee
Poyet still yet to meet EIGHT of his squad with Swansea clash just two days away
By COLIN YOUNG PUBLISHED: 21:00 GMT, 16 October 2013 | UPDATED: 23:03 GMT, 16 October 2013
Sunderland manager Gus Poyet gave the nine players returning from international duty the day off yesterday but admitted they face 'a nightmare' when they meet up for the first time at their Academy of Light training ground today. Although captain John O’Shea did meet the new boss before joining up with the Republic of Ireland squad at the weekend, eight other players will come face-to-face with Poyet for the first time. And Paolo Di Canio’s successor, whose more relaxed style is already making an impression, knows he now has two days to work with his new squad before their first game at Swansea City on Saturday.
New man: Sunderland boss Gus Poyet is still yet to meet eight of his players because of the international break
Introduction: John O'Shea (right) is the only Sunderland player to have joined up with his country and met Poyet
Poyet said: 'I have spoken to a few of the guys who have been away on international duty. It’s not nice for the players to be away when a new manager comes in. 'They will think "there’s a new manager who has come in, I haven’t been around, so I am going to be out of the team". It’s nothing to do with that, nothing like that. 'I want them all to be relaxed about me being here when they come back to training. I want them to just get themselves back here normal and fit.
Return: Emanuele Giaccherini will be Poyet for the first time at Sunderland's training ground on Thursday
'The Thursday and Friday before the Swansea game will be unbelievable for them. The amount of information they are going to get is incredible. It will be a nightmare for the players coming back.
'They will all be together for the first time. I need them all in to convince them to be ready. It is going to be very demanding for them over those days, mentally, not physically as much.
'We need them all to know what has been happening over the last eight days and to be prepared for the Swansea game.'
Premier League clubs to introduce reciprocal price deals for away fans
A number of Premier League clubs are introducing reciprocal deals to reduce the price of tickets for away fans.
Newcastle United have agreed deals with West Bromwich Albion and Swansea City, while the Welsh club have a further agreement in place with Hull City.
Magpies finance director John Irving said: "We believe the right way to encourage people to attend is to look at charging reasonable prices."
Premier League clubs were each given £200,000 to subsidise travelling fans.
Swansea fans will pay a reduced price of £20 for adults and £5 for concessions at Hull and Newcastle, with the same prices in place for the return fixtures at the Liberty Stadium.
Travelling supporters from Newcastle and West Brom will both pay £15 for adults and £5 for concessions when their teams face each other.
Swansea vice-chairman Leigh Dineen hopes more agreements can be made.
"I'm glad to see that things have slowly started to gather pace," he said.
"We are in constant dialogue with other clubs in the Premier League and hope to announce additional reciprocal deals over the course of the campaign.
"We are determined to help keep the costs down for travelling supporters; not just for our own loyal fans, but those supporters of other clubs around the country as well."
Away attendances have declined by 10% over the past five seasons and the Football Supporters' Federation has said the cost of tickets is a major concern.
A 2013 BBC study of the costs of football found the average prices of the most expensive season ticket and highest and lowest match-day prices in the Premier League had fallen by up to 5.3%.
Will Arsenal maintain their lead in the table?
Can Southamption pull off a shock at Old Trafford?
How will Andros Townsend (ex QPR ) perform for Spurs now that he is in the media spotlight?
Can Gus Poyet save Sunderland from relegation?
Van Persie clashes with Moyes over Manchester United training methods
Oct 19, 2013 7:18:00 AM
The Dutchman believes he has become more susceptible to injury because of the training implemented by Sir Alex Ferguson's replacement, which Wayne Rooney admitted is "so hard"
By Wayne Veysey | UK Correspondent
Robin van Persie is at odds with David Moyes over the new Manchester United manager's training methods.
The Dutch striker has told close friends that he is "disgruntled" at the greater emphasis on running and endurance in sessions under Moyes' coaching staff compared to the Sir Alex Ferguson regime.
It is understood that Van Persie believes he is being overtrained, which is making him more susceptible to injury. The player has also expressed his frustration that Rene Meulensteen, the former United first-team coach and his fellow Dutchman, was not retained by Moyes this summer when he succeeded Ferguson.
Sources have said that Van Persie and Moyes exchanged heated words in the build-up to the Manchester derby after the 30-year-old suffered a groin injury in training, which kept him out of the 4-1 defeat at the Etihad Stadium.
It ended a remarkable run of 90 consecutive Premier League appearances at both Arsenal and United for the once injury-plagued Dutchman, which stretched back to March 2011.
Van Persie is believed to have blamed the training methods for the injury, while Moyes later hinted that the player and the staff did not see eye-to-eye over how serious it was.
"I don't think his injury is that bad," Moyes said in the aftermath of the Manchester derby. "We felt he was going to make it but he just felt something in his groin.
"He'd actually done some training in the last couple of days but he just felt it when he made any sharp movements and didn't want to aggravate it so we took that decision."
Van Persie subsequently missed United's Capital One Cup win over Liverpool and was only a substitute in the 2-1 league defeat to West Brom that followed.
The 30-year-old has started the last four matches for club and country but he came off at half-time during Netherlands' 2-0 win over Turkey in midweek.
The Dutchman is understood to hold strong views on match preparation and rehabilitation, believing heavy-duty sessions do not suit his explosive style of play, body shape and the advanced stage of his career.
In contrast, Van Persie's strike partner, Wayne Rooney, has spoken of how Moyes' methods have reaped their rewards in terms of his own personal fitness.
"It's a bit different in terms of David Moyes and his staff coming in," explained Rooney during the recent international break. "The training is different, there's a different style, a different way of thinking about how he wants us to play. Honestly, the training has been so hard. We've done a lot more running. Long running, quicker running, sharper running.
"I feel that's really benefited me. I feel as fit as I ever have done. I had a couple of injuries pre-season but I feel great and in good shape. It's a mixture of things, but I am happy and I am enjoying my football."
Premier League Previews: game-by-game guide to the weekend's action
By Sport Magazine | Thursday, October 17, 2013
Premier League Previews: game-by-game guide to the weekend's action
Newcastle United v Liverpool; Saturday October 19; St James’ Park; 12.45pm
It’s the clash of the headline-makers at St James’, as the two sides that have dominated the back pages more than most bid to recreate the classic encounters that you’ve probably had to rewatch hundreds of times this week already.
Forget Stan Collymore and Robbie Fowler – there are two new men carving their name into Liverpool folklore, and it’s the SaS outfit that Newcastle have to find a way to silence if they’re going to take three points here.Daniel Sturridge now has six goals in seven games, while his faithful sidekick Gnasher has returned from his ban to great effect, chipping in with three in two games to ignite a deadly partnership.Their movement and fluidity has been outstanding to watch. With Victor Moses enjoying a new lease of life out wide, and Steven Gerrard having seemingly developed an understanding with Jordan Henderson and Lucas, it’s hard to know how to stop this Liverpool side.
For Newcastle, the game against Everton a few weeks ago sums up their season so far, as they went from the shambolic to the sublime in the space of 90 minutes. Loic Remy is their man to watch after five goals in three games, but the truth is we don’t know what to expect from Alan Pardew’s side. A 4-3 defeat, topped off with a last-minute winner that leaves the Magpies’ manager slumped over the hoardings? You never know.
Chelsea v Cardiff City; Saturday October 19; Stamford Bridge; 3pm
We have no idea what to make of the shambles at Cardiff right now, but don’t expect Chelsea to show sympathy. Jose Mourinho’s men are slowly starting to equal the sum of their expensive parts, as the impressive introduction of Willian and Juan Mata’s reintroduction have seen them net six in their past three. The Bluebirds’ sole away win so far came in west London, against Fulham. Then again, the Blues haven’t lost at home.
Everton v Hull City; Saturday October 19; Goodison Park; 3pm
Everton hit five past Hull the last time these sides met at Goodison Park, in 2010, but Steve Bruce’s outfit come into this game unbeaten in four. Everton’s unbeaten start to the season was ended by Man City before the international break, but Romelu Lukaku continued his scoring run with a brace for Belgium. Stopping him – along with Ross Barkley and the returning Steven Pienaar (off the bench, presumably) – is a big ask.
Manchester United v Southampton; Saturday October 19; Old Trafford; 3pm
Next week marks 17 years since Man Utd’s 6-3 defeat to the Saints. We don’t expect the same outcome here, but defeat at home to West Brom and escaping from a goal down to Sunderland are not what the doctor ordered after that derby defeat. There is good news for United: Marouane Fellaini is ready to return, and Robin Van Persie– who hasn’t scored for United since the opening day – hit a hat-trick for Holland last week.
Stoke City v West Bromwich Albion; Saturday October 19; Britannia Stadium; 3pm
Hand on heart, how many of you can recall the feeble 0-0 draw these two played out in March? Well, it’s a new season. And, after a slow start, the Baggies have found their shooting boots, with seven goals in four unbeaten games. Latest Premier League whizzkid Saido Berahino is their danger man. His form, along with the class of Morgan Amalfitano, means the Baggies should continue that run here. Cue another 0-0, then.
Swansea City v Sunderland; Saturday October 19; Liberty Stadium; 3pm
After an erratic-at-best Paolo Di Canio cameo, Gus Poyet has arrived to save the side sinking fastest. There were, though, signs of improvement for Sunderland last time out, when Man United had to battle hard to take all three points. Swansea have suffered back-to-back defeats to form sides Arsenal and Southampton, while managing to look like world-beaters in Europe. They always carry a threat with new Spain debutant Michu, however.
Arsenal v Norwich City; Saturday October 19; Emirates Stadium; 3pm
Lord knows what they’ve been smoking at the Emirates (any ideas, Jack?), but Arsenal are now unbeaten in 11. Norwich, meanwhile, showed some promise against Chelsea before succumbing to two late blows, but they look a team low on confidence and even lower on creating scoring chances. International breaks have been known to turn form books upside down – and that’s about the best news we can give the Canaries.
West Ham United v Manchester City; Saturday October 19; Upton Park; 5.30pm
Tough one to call, this, especially after West Ham’s 3-0 win at Tottenham. A sparkling goal from Ravel Morrison inspired that result, but the Hammers have still failed to score in four out of seven (the worst record in the league). The Citizens, though, have yet to win on the road this season – at Aston Villa, Stoke and Cardiff – and are missing captain Vincent Kompany through injury. West Ham to win, then. Or City to break their duck. Or a draw.
Aston Villa v Tottenham Hotspur; Sunday October 20; Villa Park; 4pm
After that embarrassing 3-0 drubbing by West Ham at the Lane, Tottenham will be relieved to be back on their travels – especially at Villa Park, a ground they haven’t lost at since 2008 and where they won 4-0 in the League Cup a few weeks ago. Jermain Defoe bagged twice that night, which will encourage Robert Soldado – the Spaniard has yet to score a Spurs goal from open play. The form of Andros Townsend will surely help his cause.
Crystal Palace v Fulham; Monday October 21; Selhurst Park; 8pm
That play-off final victory is starting to seem a long time ago for Palace, who have just three points from seven games. Fulham, though, lie 17th and represent Palace’s first serious ‘should win’ since Sunderland left Selhurst Park with nothing. Both sides have struggled for goals – Darren Bent and Dwight Gayle lead the respective teams’ charts with two apiece. Fulham have not won away since the opening day, against Sunderland.
Can David Moyes vary his team's point of attack? Will Ben Arfa find the space in behind Liverpool's wing-backs to feed the in-form Loic Remy? How will Cardiff react to this week's bizarre boardroom antics? There are many questions ahead of this weekend's Premier League action and here are a few of them.....
Will Moyes need Januzaj's energy to drive a tired-looking team?
In previous years this match would have been seen as a nailed-on home banker, an absolute certainty for inclusion in a coupon and one that you were so sure of the result that you need not even have checked the full-time score to know who had won.
But this season is different; heading into this Saturday's meeting at Old Trafford Manchester United sit in ninth position with three wins, three defeats and a draw from their seven outings. And were it not for an 18-year-old kid who most people had previously only a cursory knowledge of rescuing their last game against bottom-of-the-table Sunderland, then United would have headed into the international break in joint-15th spot and with the pressure on David Moyes approaching fever pitch.
However, Adnan Januzaj's double overturned the half-time deficit at Sunderland and in so doing he re-injected belief into fans of the Old Trafford club, yet the simple fact that they needed the intervention of a kid making his first ever Premier League start should temper any supporters now believing the season can end with them retaining their title and making an impact on the Champions League.
Above all else, United have looked a tired team this season, a side in urgent need of fresh faces and re-invigoration, one which has quietly grown a little old and a little stale together but whose decline was disguised superbly last year by the genius of Sir Alex Ferguson and the brilliance of Robin Van Persie.
Now that Ferguson has gone suddenly the team looks sluggish, the defence is creaking loudly, the wings (pre-Januzaj at least) and attacking play in general appears blunted while the team, famed for its' late rallying, has limply gone down to defeat on three occasions with barely a murmur of disagreement.
Facing them on Saturday is the surprise package of the campaign so far, a Southampton side who sit in the fourth Champions League place, just two points off the top spot and having conceded a miserly two goals in their seven games.
Defensively the Saints have been excellent with Mauricio Pochettino, a disciple of Marcelo Bielsa, believing that the forwards are the first line of defence, the team should win the ball back as high up the pitch as possible and his players pressing the opposition as a group. The tactics worked to a tee in their 1-0 win at Anfield last month and United's passing will need to be crisp, sharp and varied to play their way around Southampton's swarm pressing.
A big problem for United under Moyes has been a lack of variety in attack and an over-reliance on crossing from the full-backs as the chosen method of creating chances. In the absence of the underused Shinji Kagawa, the out-of-form Antonio Valencia and the out-of-his-depth Ashley Young, Patrice Evra has been responsible for creating the most chances this season for United – having previously never been more than ninth-highest for the club – while the team has jumped from having the 12th most crosses per season for the last two campaigns to now having the fifth highest this time around.
Such a predictable, basic method of attack could well be meat and drink to a Southampton defence who have hardly put a foot wrong this season and it could well be that United once again need the directness and guile of Januzaj to unlock the opposition defence.
Van Persie, perhaps frustrated at a lack of support and proper service, has looked off the pace of late and needs a big performance to kick-start his season, just as his match-winning hat-trick at St. Mary's did for his Old Trafford career 12 months ago.
Should United throw in another pedestrian performance against the Saints then it could be another worrying afternoon in the post-Fergie era.
Man Utd vs Southampton is Saturday's live game on Setanta Sports 1, kick-off at 3pm.
Will Pardew pick Ben Arfa to attack Liverpool's vulnerable areas?
With only one defeat so far and sitting joint-top of the league table, this has been a highly satisfying first portion of the season for Liverpool.
Add into the mix the goalscoring form of top scorer Daniel Sturridge, the re-assimilation into the side after suspension of Luis Suarez and the blossoming partnership between the two forwards and the Merseysiders' quest for a return to Champions League football looks like being well on track.
To accommodate the returning Suarez, Brendan Rodgers introduced a 3-5-2 formation so the team can still attempt to control the game through three central midfielders while allowing Suarez and Sturridge to both play in advanced central roles.
As pointed out in this column after the Sunderland match, the formation does have obvious weaknesses, namely space in behind the two wing-backs which can be exploited by quick long angled balls in behind when they are in advanced positions.
Both Sunderland and Crystal Palace have looked to take advantage of this and but for a little more quality in the wide areas and in front of goal they both would have made more of an argument of their contests with Liverpool.
Hoping to take advantage of this in the early Saturday morning kick-off will be Newcastle United, a team who have been a byword for inconsistency so far this term. The Magpies have been so lacking in consistency and their level of performance so uncertain that they have even been inconsistent within matches – see their first half versus second half displays in their 3-2 reverses with Hull and Everton.
However, Alan Pardew's side are coming into this off the back of an important win at Cardiff last time out and with Loic Remy in fine goalscoring form the Toon will be confident of getting a result.
Key to the game will be whether the re-integrated Yohan Cabaye and his central midfield cohorts Cheick Tiote and Moussa Sissoko can wrestle control of the middle away from Rodger's three central midfielders to choke the supply to Suarez and Sturridge.
Also, it will be instructive as to Pardew's ambitions for the game as to whether Hatem Ben Arfa starts. The France international was dropped for the win over Cardiff after two poor displays against Hull and Everton but could thrive in the spaces behind Jordan Henderson and Jose Enrique.
Should the former Marseilles winger find his best form then he could supply enough quality delivery for Remy to cause an upset at St. James' Park.
Newcastle vs Liverpool is live on BT Sport1 on Saturday morning, kick-off at 12.45
Hughton's under pressure; is he brave enough to change his ways at the Emirates?
Table-toppers Arsenal head into their home clash with Norwich City full of confidence after a run of five wins and a draw from their six league games since the opening day defeat to Aston Villa. Although, their stunning run of nine straight victories in the Premier League and Europe came to an end last time out at the Hawthorns, Arsene Wenger will have taken solace from the manner of his side's second-half comeback to earn a point against West Brom.
The Baggies had torn Manchester United apart the previous week in winning at Old Trafford and they threatened to do the same to Arsenal at times before Claudio Yacob gave them the lead approaching half-time.
While former-Gunner Nicolas Anelka had two chances to double Albion's lead, Arsenal gradually took control of the game in the second-half with Jack Wilshere equalising and Olivier Giroud almost snatching a winner late on.
The fact that Wenger was able to replace the Player of the Month Aaron Ramsey with a player in the form and of the quality of Tomas Rosicky speaks well of the Gunners' squad; the fact the Frenchman was only able to bring on Nicklas Bendtner for Giroud late on, less so.
Norwich go to the Emirates in the bottom three on alphabetical order and with some sections of the fans questioning Chris Hughton's ability to lead them up the table. Having finished an impressive 11th last season – although this lofty position owed much to a couple of late wins and in reality flattered them for their season's work – Hughton invested heavily in the summer on attacking options in an attempt to correct the side's lack of goals.
However, record signing Ricky Van Wolfswinkel has only had one shot on target since his opening day goal, £5m man Gary Hooper has barely featured since returning from injury, fellow new-boy Johan Elmander has been benched after a couple of underwhelming displays while previous creative hub Wes Hoolahan has been marginalised altogether.
What is grating with the Canaries faithful is not that the squad doesn't have goals in it, just that the conservative Hughton currently appears unable to decide how to best utilise his attacking options.
While Norwich fans were happy with their side's efforts last time out when only two late goals prevented them gaining a deserved draw with Chelsea, to get them fully back on board Hughton will have to quickly begin to marry points to performances and to get this he'll need to be braver and bolder up front. Away to the league leaders is hardly the place where he's going to start throwing a little more caution to the wind though surely?
Everton will cope without their missing Irishman, can Hull?
A first defeat last time out at Manchester City, a long-term injury to the recently-returned Darron Gibson and a fixture list which sees them play Spurs, Arsenal, Manchester United and their deadly rivals Liverpool in their next eight games and suddenly things are looking a little less rosy for manager Roberto Martinez. However, the Spaniard has shown enough in his time at the Goodison Park helm to suggest that he will take all this in his stride and come out the far side of it still smiling.
Another boss who can be delighted with his start to the season is Hull City's Steve Bruce. With the Tigers in eight position and having shown enough thus far to suggest that they could steer clear of a relegation battle, Bruce can be pleased with how his summer signings such as Tom Huddlestone have bedded in immediately and with the solid shape and organisation his team have displayed in their seven Premier League outings.
However, with Robbie Brady missing for another few weeks Hull will be deprived of perhaps their most creative player. This showed in their last fixture against Aston Villa when the Tigers struggled to create any chances worthy of the name and Bruce will be worried should his side remain as blunt in Brady's absence.
Everton will be able to cope with their Ireland international but whether Hull can we may discover more about on Saturday.
Can Townsend reproduce his England form to provide Spurs a different threat?
When Christian Benteke limped off in the 28th minute of Aston Villa's game with Norwich City, Villa fans must have been worried their team was set for their third straight league defeat of the season.
However, Benteke's replacement Libor Kozak scored just two minutes after his entrance and Villa held on comfortably for a vital three points. Even still, when the diagnosis of Benteke's injury afterwards indicated that he would be missing for a few weeks Paul Lambert must have worried how his team would fare in their talisman's absence and that he would be returning after injury to a team facing another season battling the drop.
Not a bit of it. Since the big Belgian got injured, along with securing that three points at Carrow Road, Villa have beaten title favourites Manchester City 3-2 at Villa Park while they earned a gritty 0-0 draw away to Hull, although it was a game which must rank amongst the dullest ever seen this side of the Ireland vs Liechenstein 0-0 of 1995.
Still, Lambert was understandably pleased to learn that Benteke made the bench for Belgium on Tuesday so he should be able to unleash him against Spurs on Sunday.
Andre Villas-Boas' side come into this game after that hugely disappointing 3-0 defeat by West Ham, a match which highlighted his team's lack of goals and also their general predictability.
With Aaron Lennon injured, Gareth Bale departed and Erik Lamela settling into life in the Premier League, Spurs' only real width was being provided by youth graduate Andros Townsend, a player with some potential but whose confidence and delivery seemed somewhat lacking in his appearances for the first team so far. Then Roy Hodgson picks Townsend for England, the winger has a goalscoring man-of-the-match debut against Montenegro before sparkling, and almost scoring again, in the next match against Poland.
Should the winger come back to his club with that level of confidence and that level of performance then the worries that Spurs can be smothered in the central areas and their threat subsequently negated will be eased.
£26m man Roberto Soldado is yet to fully shine for his new team - only scoring two penalties in the league so far - but a large part of this is down to the lack of real service he has received.
Benteke was strongly linked with a move to White Hart Lane before somewhat surprisingly withdrawing his transfer request and there are many in the Spurs faithful who wished the big Belgian had joined their club.
However, should Townsend continue his England form at club level then Soldado may finally get the service he needs and opposing defences will have a whole new challenge to worry about.
Will a complacent City go the way of Spurs at Upton Park?
Arguably the performance of the season so far was West Ham's perfectly-executed smash-and-grab 3-0 win over Spurs at White Hart Lane. Predictably, Sam Allardyce claimed the credit afterwards for his tactical plan but on this occasion it is difficult to feel that he is once again stealing his players' limelight; his plan to guide Spurs' players into the central areas, smother them with his narrow 4-6-0 formation and then hit them on lightning quick breaks worked a dream.
The main reason why it was such a surprising result was that the Hammers went into the game off the back of a wretched run of form which saw them fall into the bottom three after picking up just two points in the five games since their opening day win over Cardiff.
Chief among problems for Allardyce in that run has been their lack of a goal threat with the Hammers only scoring twice in that time and with little accurate update as to when club record signing Andy Carroll – a man hardly renowned for his goalscoring prowess anyway – would return from injury.
While Ricardo Vaz Te was among the scorers against Spurs, the fact that Allardyce has brought Carlton Cole back to the club on a three-month deal having released him in the summer before initially deciding against re-signing him last month as he was overweight and unfit, shows the desperation about West Ham's lack of striking options.
Ravel Morrison stole all the headlines from that win against their London neighbours with his stunning solo effort showcasing the former Manchester United youngster's skill, balance, pace and impudence. The 20-year-old followed this up with a similar goal for the England under-21 side this week and if Allardyce can keep him on the straight and narrow then the Hammers will have some player on their hands.
The opposition on Saturday at Upton Park are Manchester City, a side yet to find a consistent level of performance under the new regime.
Manuel Pellegrini's men have only garnered a single point from their three away league matches thus far and with their away-days having been at bottom-half merchants Aston Villa, Stoke City and Cardiff City, it is clear that the Chilean has yet to find the right line-up and the right tactics if their league challenge isn't to flounder on their travels.
With a midweek Champions League trip to Moscow ahead - one which is absolutely key to the Citizens' chances of progressing to the knockout stages after the shellacking they received from Bayern Munich in the last round of matches - Pellegrini may be tempted to once again shuffle his pack.
City are similar to Spurs in that most of their play goes through the central areas, although they do have a bit more variation and also now have a dyed-in-the-wool wideman in Jesus Navas in their squad, so Allardyce, although this time in front of a passionate home crowd, may be tempted to apply similar tactics to those which frustrated Spurs.
Should he do so and should Pellegrini rest a few of his front-line players ahead of the Moscow trip then City's quest for a first away Premier League victory may continue after Saturday evening.
How will Cardiff's boardroom turmoil affect them at Stamford Bridge?
Cardiff City's return to the top flight has gone well, with the Bluebirds – now playing in red of course – sitting in 14th spot and having famously claimed the scalp of Manchester City on a memorable afternoon in Cardiff.
There was disappointment last time out as they went down at home to Newcastle and with their next six fixtures including games against Manchester United, Arsenal, the derby with Swansea and this Saturday's trip to Chelsea, Cardiff could well find themselves in the relegation zone when the first window on the advent calendar is opened.
The last thing they needed heading in to this tough run of fixtures was unnecessary upheaval behind the scenes but that is exactly what controversial owner Vincent Tan provided them with this week. Many Cardiff fans have mixed feelings about their Malaysian owner; on the one hand he has overseen their long-awaited return to football's top table but on the other he ditched a century of tradition by changing their kit from blue to red. Any Arsenal, Liverpool or Manchester United fans dismissing the fuss should just imagine the anger they would feel if their new-ish owners made a similar decision.
Still, without wishing to seem ungrateful most have given him the benefit of the doubt but Tan has dug deep into their reserves of goodwill this week by removing the head of recruitment, and a key ally of manager Malky Mackay, Iain Moody, replacing him, at least on a temporary basis with Alisher Apsalyamov, a 23-year-old friend of Tan's son with zero background in the game and who is believed to have been painting fences at the club only a few months ago. Strange indeed.
Tan moved to placate Mackay with promises of overall transfer approval but damage may have been done to their relationship with this unexpected decision and with Cardiff likely to be battling to avoid the drop this season, that decision and any knock-on effects it creates could prove decisive in the final analysis.
Facing them this weekend is a Chelsea side who have yet to settle under Jose Mourinho but who are comfortably nestled in the top four, just two points off the summit and with surely a lot more to come once their abundance of attacking riches – a 25-goal a season striker aside – take shape in Mourinho's starting XI.
With Eden Hazard and Willian striking late to beat Norwich last time out and Andre Schurrle showing in international action for Germany just why the Blues shelled out £20m for him in the summer, the Chelsea attacking machine could be ready to click into gear.
If they do so and if the mood in the Cardiff camp is unsettled after the week's behind-the-scenes manoeuverings then it could be a dispiriting afternoon for the team from Wales.
Arsene Wenger has confirmed the winger will miss the Gunners' key clashes with Borussia Dortmund and Chelsea as he continues his recovery from surgery
Theo Walcott is set to miss Arsenal's next three fixtures after a setback in his recovery from abdominal surgery.
The winger recently underwent a minor operation that ruled him out of England's final two World Cup qualifiers, but manager Arsene Wenger has revealed that the problem flared up again in training.
"He had a setback. He had to stop, to jog again, I don't think we will see him against Dortmund, nor Crystal Palace nor Chelsea," he said.
"He is at least two weeks away now."
Arsenal have continued their blistering start to the season in Walcott's absence, while Tottenham's Andros Townsend impressed on the right flank as England booked their place at next summer's World Cup.
By Liam Twomey36
Oct 21, 2013 9:42:00 AM
The former Red Devils star and current England coach believes his old club have failed to replicate the fast midfield play which made them so formidable under Sir Alex Ferguson
Manchester United are struggling because their midfield play is too slow, according to former Red Devils star and current England coach Gary Neville.
David Moyes has presided over United's worst ever start to a Premier League season, having won just three of his first eight matches and lost to Liverpool, Manchester City and West Brom.
And Neville believes the problems stem from his former club being unable to replicate the fast, decisive midfield play which made them so formidable under Sir Alex Ferguson.
“There is still a sense that David Moyes is finding out about his players and his own way in the job,” Neville told reporters. “The key for me is that the speed of their game through the midfield is not quick enough.
“United have always been about those relentless waves of attacks, sustained for good periods without counter which would eventually overwhelm the opposition. Because this isn’t happening opponents have time to rest and recover between attacks.
“And it means teams are perhaps playing a few more attacking players against United and going into games with a bit more confidence than usual. Southampton certainly showed that in the first 20 minutes of the game.
“I have no doubt that David Moyes will be an excellent United manager. But for now he is having to endure some painful results.”
United saw high-profile bids for midfield targets Thiago Alcantara and Cesc Fabregas fail last summer, though Marouane Fellaini was eventually secured from Everton on deadline day.
The 24-year-old insists the Blues already bear the mark of the Special One again, having lost just once in the Premier League since his return
Jose Mourinho has already reinstilled his trademark team spirit at Chelsea, according to Ryan Bertrand.
The Blues have only been beaten once in the Premier League since Mourinho's return to Stamford Bridge, and lie second in the table having won five of their first eight matches.
And Bertrand, who deputised for the injured Ashley Cole at left-back during Saturday's 4-1 win over Cardiff, insists this impressive record is no coincidence.
“The old Mourinho spirit is back, definitely,” he told reporters. “When he was here before, what filtered through to the youth levels was that we never thought about losing.
“We were Chelsea and we knew we were going to win, no matter how pretty or ugly we needed to be.
“That’s something that has been reinstilled in us now, in the training, the preparation, the attention to detail, which give you the *confidence to go out and do what you have got to do.
“And it’s good to see that passion from the manager, too. It inspires the team.
“If you looked around [against Cardiff], he had the whole squad behind him, the fans came into it, and it was good support.”
Flares at football 'a real worry' for police after linesman hit
Police say the rising number of flares being taken into football grounds by supporters is "a real worry".
Assistant referee David Bryan was hit by a flare during Sunday's match between Aston Villa and Tottenham.
The head of football policing for the Association of Chief Police Officers, Andy Holt, said he was "anxious" to crack down on the problem.
He told BBC Radio 5 live: "It is not appropriate to let off smoke flares or fireworks inside a stadium."
The Football Association has launched an investigation into the incident at Villa Park.
Two men aged 25 and 47 were arrested over the matter by West Midlands police and have been released on bail pending further enquiries.
Deputy chief constable Holt said: "Last year, we saw an increase in the use of flares and pyrotechnic devices by nearly 140% compared to the previous season.
"Arrests for the possession of a firework or a flare were up more than 150%, so it is certainly something we are seeing becoming more prevalent in today's game and it's a real worry for us.
"It is prevalent abroad and I would argue they have a greater problem than we do in this country. But I'm anxious that we don't head the same way and it does not become embedded in the culture of English football.
"It is no way appropriate to let off either smoke flares or fireworks inside a stadium. Those that argue that it gives a European flavour to the occasion are plain wrong."
Bryan was struck on the back of the neck by a flare thrown from part of the ground where Tottenham supporters were seated. It was thrown moments after Andros Townsend gave Spurs the lead in the first half.
Bryan was able to continue without treatment, although smoke from the flare delayed the restart of the game.
In May, a 15-year-old boy suffered lung damage from a smoke bomb thrown during Villa's game at Wigan.
Linesman David Bryan who was hit by a flare during the Aston Villa v Tottenham Hotspur match.
The flare hit the assistant referee on the back, causing him to stumble forwards
The boy needed hospital treatment, while two women, aged 22 and 24, also required attention for the effects of the device, which was lit during the 2-2 draw.
In August, Policing Minister Damian Green warned that fans who smuggled flares and smoke bombs into games were putting the lives of other supporters at risk.
The government's warning over the devices said they could burn as hot as 1,600 degrees Celsius for as long as an hour.
In February, a 14-year-old boy was killed by a flare thrown by supporters during a South American Libertadores Cup match in Oruro, Bolivia.
Pellegrini set to go head-to-head with Barcelona in bid to bring Malaga's 14-year-old prodigy Brahim to City
By SIMON JONES
PUBLISHED: 21:30 GMT, 21 October 2013 | UPDATED: 22:22 GMT, 21 October 2013
Manchester City are battling Barcelona to sign brilliant Malaga teenager Brahim. The 14-year-old playmaker has already been the subject of two failed bids by Barcelona and was even introduced to Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi as the Spanish champions tried to persuade his family to move. Malaga rejected a £2.5million proposal from Barcelona in 2012 for the boy wonder, whose full name is Brahim Abdelkader Diaz, with agent Pere Guardiola, who represents Liverpool's Luis Suarez, involved in negotiations.
Planning for the future: Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini wants to bring Brahim to England
Rival: Gerardo Martino also wants to work with the 14-year-old at Barcelona
Barca are determined to sign a player they believe could be in their first team by the age of 16 and are lining up a fresh offer but City are prepared to fight them all the way. They have been scouting Brahim for two years and manager Manuel Pellegrini is well aware of the buzz that surrounds the youngster at his former club. He hopes the cordial relationship between City and Malaga can prove decisive in convincing Brahim's family to move to England.
Conveyor belt: Lionel Messi is just one of several outstanding players nurtured by Barcelona
Arsenal, Chelsea & Manchester United keep tabs on Lewandowski
Oct 22, 2013 8:40:00 AM
The prolific Borussia Dortmund striker has been lined up by Bayern Munich but the Premier League trio have not given up hope of landing the Pole on a free next summer
By Wayne Veysey | UK Correspondent
Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United have not given up hope of snatching Robert Lewandowski from under the noses of Bayern Munich in January, Goal understands.
Bayern remain strong favourites to clinch the signing of the striker, who will spearhead the Borussia Dortmund attack against Arsenal in Tuesday’s mouthwatering Champions League clash, on a free transfer at the end of the season.
VIEW FROM GERMANY
By Falko Bloeding
If you want to bet on Robert Lewandowski’s future, place you money on a move to Bayern. The Polish striker had set his heart on a transfer to Munich last summer and absolutely nothing has changed that. What is happening right now, is just a bit of poker for a higher signing fee.
The only thing that could really endanger Lewy following Mario Gotze is if Pep Guardiola indeed put his veto on this spectacular transfer. On the other hand, getting Lewandowski without paying Dortmund and selling Mandzukic for lots of money to Spain or England sound like very nice deal for the reigning Champions League winners. But the Premier League trio are keeping tabs on Lewandowski’s situation ahead of the January window, when he is allowed to enter into official talks and sign a pre-contract with a new club.
Goal has learned that Arsenal, Chelsea and United have all made contact with the Poland international’s representatives to register their interest in capturing the player. Manchester City have also been alerted to Lewandowski’s potential availability but they would need to free up a space in their ranks by selling one of their four strikers, most likely Edin Dzeko.
Arsenal and Chelsea are both in the market for a new striker, while United made no secret of their bid to sign Lewandowski earlier in the year and still retain an interest as Wayne Rooney harbours doubts about extending his Old Trafford contract.
The interest of the English clubs is believed to have been expressed even before Lewandowski's carefully-worded comments about his future in the build-up to Poland’s World Cup qualifier against England last week.
"I will be able to sign a contract with any club in January, but I have never said I will sign a contract with Bayern," said the 25-year-old. "One day, I would like to play in the Premier League. It would be a great experience."
Reports in Germany have suggested that Bayern manager Pep Guardiola is having second thoughts about Lewandowski although the European champions remain in pole position to prise the Pole from the Westfalenstadion.
Dortmund are adamant that, although Lewandowski can commit himself in January, he will not be sold until the end of the season as the second-placed Bundesliga club need him for the entire campaign.
Lewandowski has scored nine goals in 12 games for Dortmund this season, including six in the German league.
Alex Ferguson is concerned that Wayne Rooney's ability could be overshadowed by a lack of fitness and poor attitude.
In his book, Alex Ferguson: My Autobiography, the Scot admitted he had always been hard on the striker to ensure that he maintained his fitness levels.
The 71-year-old revealed that he had used the England international less last season as doubts grew over his capacity to maintain high performance levels.
"Wayne needed to be careful," he wrote. "He has great qualities about him but they can be swallowed up by a lack of fitness. Look at the way (Cristiano) Ronaldo or (Ryan) Giggs look after themselves.
"Wayne needed to grasp the nettle. If he missed a couple of weeks for United, it could take him four or five games to get his sharpness back.
"He would receive no leniency from me. I would hammer him for any drop in condition. It was quite simple – he wouldn't play.
"That's the way I always dealt with fitness issues, regardless of the player involved, and I saw no reason to change in the final years of my career.
"In my final year, when he was left out a few times, and replaced in big games, I felt he was struggling to get by people and had lost some of his old thrust.
"But he was capable of making extraordinary contributions. That pass to (Robin) Van Persie in the win over Aston Villa that secured the title for us was marvellous, as was his overhead kick against Man City.
"Those flashes guaranteed his profile. But as time wore on, I felt he struggled more and more to do it for 90 minutes, and he seemed to tire in games."
Ferguson also revealed that Rooney sometimes struggled to control his anger and it would become particularly evident when he criticised the 27-year-old.
"And he would rage in the dressing room when I picked him out for criticism," he added. "His eyes would burn, as if he wanted to knock my lights out.
"The next day he would be apologetic. When the anger subsided, he knew I was right – because I was always right, as I liked to tease him. He would say: 'Am I playing next week, boss?', 'I don't know,' I would say.
"In my opinion he was not the quickest learner but what he had was a natural instinct to play the game, an intuitive awareness of how football worked. A remarkable raw talent. Plus, natural courage and energy, which is a blessing for any footballer."
The former Manchester United boss also confirmed that the striker had asked to leave the club at the end of last season and revealed details of the discussions he had with the player.
"He (Rooney) came into my office the day after we won the league and asked away," he wrote. "He wasn't happy with being left out for some games and subbed in others. His agent Paul Stretford phoned David Gill with the same message.
"All players are different. Some are happy to stay at the same club their whole careers; others need fresh challenges, as Van Persie felt when he joined us from Arsenal.
"The urge to fight and flourish would not be extinguished in Wayne. I left him to discuss his future with David Moyes, hoping to see many more great performances from him at Old Trafford."
) perform for Spurs now that he is in the media spotlight?
