Barcelona ready to dominate again

A 3-1 away win at PSG was the biggest indicator yet that Barcelona are once again ready to be Europe's elite team. Barca proved too strong for PSG and have all but guaranteed themselves a semi-final place and put themselves as favourites for the Champions League amongst bookies.

It was not so long ago Luis Enrique’s side lost at the Parc De Princes to PSG 3-2 in the group stages this season but a few months on and things have changed. Enrique looks to have gelled his side together very well and they are peaking just at the right time.

The PSG result was not the only sign that Barcelona were to be considered a real threat, their 2-1 win in El Clasico was of stark contrast to the performance that saw them lose 3-1 in the Santiago Bernabeu in October.

The way they brushed Manchester City aside in the round of 16 was yet another sign that this Barcelona team is ruthless and ready to challenge for top honours, keep in mind they made PSG, the side who knocked out Premier League runaway leaders Chelsea, look very poor.

While Guardiola continues to struggle to get his Bayern side to the remarkable level his former Barca side were at, the current Catalan side is beginning to believe they can once again reach that level. Of course at this moment in time they are nowhere near that level of dominance but indications are there that they can get there.

In Guardiola’s best seasons he played with a front three of Eto’o, Henry and Messi. This was the best strikeforce in Europe and Luis Enrique looks to have recreated a similarly prolific force. Neymar and Suarez who were both on the scoresheet against PSG now accompany Messi and are at this moment the most feared attack in Europe.

Naturally expectations were high for Enrique this season as they are every season with Barcelona but after taking over from Tato Martino who finished trophiless last season the fans want instant success and Enrique looks set to deliver it.

Barcelona currently lead La Liga which they last won under Tito Vilanova in the 2012/13 season and are strong favourites to win the Copa Del Rey with main rivals Real and Atletico out of the equation.

Champions League glory is top of most wish lists and on current form they look best placed to do it, 2010/11 was the last season Barcelona were crowned champions of Europe, far too long ago for a club of their stature and they will be looking to eradicate that this season.

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Yaya Toure represents everything wrong with City

A 4-2 battering at the hands of United in the Manchester derby has really highlighted the problems in this ageing Manchester City team. No player epitomizes those problems any more than thirty-one-year-old central midfielder Yaya Toure who was a shadow of his former self.

A fast start by City was undone by some poor defending and a bit of luck regarding the offside flag for United but nonetheless after thirty minutes they found themselves a goal down. The response to going behind was embarrassing from a City point of view, they showed no character and the disinterest shown by the likes of Yaya Toure was simply unacceptable.

Toure continued what has been a poor season for him today with another disappointing performance in which his effort was minimum. Thus far in the Premier League Toure has 8 goals and a single assist, last season he finished with 20 goals and 9 assists. What a difference that is.

The second goal for United was a clear indicator that Yaya Toure just wasn't interested in the derby, after losing the ball in United’s half City’s players, notably Toure, laboured back after the ball and left plenty of space for United which they exploited. Toure has been a poster boy this season for overpaid players who go a hide when things get tough.

It is always a problem with teams trying to find the drive to go again after winning the season before, that ambition is hard to replicate as City have shown. It’s not only City, few teams can keep up such a high level of performance, Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United were the most recent example of a team who continually strive to be the best, they however had a few rare breeds in Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes et al who knew nothing but how to win.

The blame doesn’t rest solely with Toure for this poor season, other players such as Vincent Kompany have been well below par this season, even fan favourite Zabaleta has failed to recapture his once great form.

City now really do need a big summer revamp and fortunately for them they are not short of money to do that. One of the biggest changes may well be the manager with it looking increasingly unlikely Pellegrini will keep his job especially given the ruthlessness of the City owners. The main thing needed in this side is youth and maybe to say goodbye to the likes of Yaya Toure would benefit both the player and the club.

How will Gerrard be remembered?

It really has been head in hands for Gerrard in the last year.

Mike Tyson was one of the very best boxers of his generation holding the record for the youngest fighter to win WBA, WBC and IBF titles but when most people think of him that's not what comes to mind, instead his career as a boxer is memorable because he bit Evander Holyfield’s ear off, a much darker moment in his career. Steven Gerrard hasn't gone as far as biting anyones ear off but after so many bad moments in his last year and a half as a Liverpool player, is that what most people are going to remember him for?

Steven Gerrard is arguably the greatest ever Liverpool player, he has achieved so much throughout his career but his high profile mistakes recently may tarnish his lasting legacy. The reality is people remember the last thing you do, for example Zidane, one of the worlds finest ever footballers but because of a rash headbutt he is remembered as the man who cost his country the World Cup because of a moment of madness and Gerrard could be heading down this route.

Effectively in the past year Gerrard lost Liverpool the league title with that famous slip, he ended England’s World Cup hopes with his mistimed header leading to Suarez’s goal for Uruguay and his stamp on Sunday leading to a defeat at the hands of Manchester United may well have cost them a place in the top4 and next years Champions League, a goal they looked like achieving before Sundays defeat. It really has been a horrible year for the 34-year-old, maybe even a career defining one.

You sense with Gerrard that he is almost trying too hard to end his career on a massive high and that it is leading to these catastrophic blunders, at 1-0 down on Sunday Gerrard was introduced and he no doubt thought this could one of his big moments, it was probably the last time he will ever face his fiercest rivals and he wanted to make it special. Instead he was so fired up for the game that he couldn't control his emotions and ultimately saw red after 38 seconds for his stamp, an unforgivable offence.

Gerrard’s career to this point has been full of moments of magic, take the goal against Olympiakos for example or the Champions League final in Istanbul but his chances of ending it on a high are slipping away with a potential FA cup final the only real opportunity for one more fairytale for Gerrard as a Liverpool player.

In the eyes of Liverpool fans he will always be a legend and rightfully so, he is one of the best midfielders ever to grace the Premier League and deserves credit. However with such high profile mistakes the rest of the country and even world may well remember Gerrard as the man who cost Liverpool the League title.

Juventus: Champions League dark horses

A 5-1 aggregate win over Borussia Dortmund sent Italian giants Juventus into the hat for Friday’s quarter final draw, a stage they last reached in the 2012/13 season. On this occasion a 2-1 win in Turin and a hugely impressive 3-0 win away to Dortmund, one of Europe’s most intimidating stadiums, saw them progress and must make other teams wary of the quality they possess.

Last season Massimiliano Allegri’s side were unable to progress past the group stages in another poor European season, somewhat taking away from their third domestic title in a row. Reaching the quarter-final is already a respectable return for the last remaining Serie A side in the competition but after such a great win they are sure to be confident of going even further. The draw will be huge in their hopes of progressing, getting the likes of Porto or Monaco would give Juve every chance of making it to the Champions League semi-finals.

Whether or not the draw is kind to them, Allegri’s side will be confident they have enough quality to compete against the likes of Barcelona and Bayern Munich. The Juventus squad is full of big names, Carlos Tevez being one of those. The former Manchester City man scored 3 goals in the two legs against Dortmund and was arguably their best player, Tevez is not the only star, former Madrid man Morata scored one in each leg for Juve while they also have Paul Pogba, Marchisio, Vidal and Chiellini in their ranks.

Domestically Juventus are set for their fourth consecutive league title, currently 14 points ahead of 2nd placed Roma, after 27 games the Serie A title looks all but secure giving them a good chance to concentrate on Europe and their progression in the Champions League. They have often been accused of being unable to replicate their league form in Europe but this season they look to have their best opportunity in a long time.

Having reached the quarter-final stage in 2013, 2006 and 2005, this could be the season they progress past this stage for the first time since 2003 when they made it to the final only to lose to fierce rivals AC Milan. Allegri’s side are not considered one of the main contenders for this years competition but with a bit of luck they could beat any team on their day and possibly go all the way.

photo credit: JUVE via photopin (license)
photo credit: Martino spiega l'escusione di Tevez dall'Argentina via photopin (license)

Man City dragged into top 4 battle

Retaining the Premier League title has been the aim for Manchester City since the season began but after Saturday’s loss to Burnley at Turf Moor the Premier League crown looks out of reach and they are now very much embroiled in the top4 battle.

City currently occupy 2nd place on 58 points, 6 behind Chelsea who have a game in hand, realistically the gap will probably be 9 points, maybe just too much of a gap to claw back especially in City’s current form. Behind City both Arsenal and United have managed to creep up on their rivals, Arsenal sit just one point behind the Champions and City’s fierce rivals lie another point back in 4th place. Liverpool, should they beat Swansea, will be a further two points back from United, just four away from the 2nd place they claimed last season.

With only 9 games to go momentum is key, this time last season City were on a run that ultimately led them to lifting the title, this time however they have no momentum and with the three teams behind them in flying form dropping out of the top 4 really is a possibility. Arsenal, despite their European embarrassment, are on a great domestic run. Since losing to Spurs in early February they have won seven games on the bounce. Manchester United have been inconsistent but their 3-0 win over Spurs on Sunday and the performance that went with it will fill the squad with every confidence they can keep on winning. Liverpool are the form team of 2015 and have gathered massive momentum, since losing to Manchester United in December Brendan Rodgers’ side have gone 12 games unbeaten, a run that has propelled them into this top 4 race.

Champions League commitments could also be a big disadvantage for City, their midweek clash with Barcelona will take a lot out of them and should they make it through to the next round, which does seem unlikely, they could be the only of the four challenging for a Champions League place still in Europe with Arsenal looking like their exit is imminent against Monaco. A loss could be be the best thing for City in terms of their domestic form although it could see the end of Manuel Pellegrini’s spell as manager.

Man City must begin to find their form in the near future or missing out on the top 4 will become more and more of a possibility. It is almost unthinkable that Yaya Toure and Aguero could be absent from next years Champions League but as their Manchester rivals found out last year the top 4 is not a given.

Di Maria/Bale swap ideal for all parties

Recent rumours in the footballing world have been suggesting a sensational swap deal between Real Madrid and Manchester United with Bale and Di Maria trading places. Whether or not there is any truth behind these rumours is not clear, the  idea however would seem to be the perfect option for all involved.

Both Gareth Bale and Angel Di Maria have been enduring poor spells for their respective clubs, Bale hasn't scored in eight games now and the Madrid supporters are beginning to make their disappointment heard. Di Maria has been equally woeful lately for United, his red card on Monday night just summed up the time he has had since joining from Real Madrid last summer.

Di Maria has very much struggled with the physicality of the Premier League, he thrived in the stand off-ish nature of La Liga and cant seem to come to terms with what's required in England. That being said, he started his career in flying form with some man of the match performances but has found the burden of almost carrying Van Gaal’s side too much. Being the star man in the side is something Di Maria doesnt appear comfortable with, at Madrid he was somewhat of an unsung hero, quietly going about his business, the situation is similar in the Argentinian set up where Messi takes the limelight and Di Maria performs consistently without the pressure of being the main man.

Gareth Bale on the other hand would love nothing more than to be the star man at Real Madrid but of course with Ronaldo there it can't happen. For Tottenham Bale was the star, he carried the side and seemed perfectly happy to do so, thriving in the limelight. The likelihood of him ever being the main man at Madrid is slim as Ronaldo looks to have a few more years at the top left in him. Thats why a move back to the Premier League would be perfect for the Welshman, it would be a chance for him to once again be the star of a team.

Statistically it is evident that both players are not having their best seasons. In his 20 league games, Di Maria has scored 3 and assisted 8 goals, compare that to his stats for Madrid last season where he scored 4 and assisted 17 in 27 appearances in La Liga, his Champions League stats were also very impressive getting 3 goals and 5 assists in 9 games. Bale has also failed to hit the heights of his previous seasons scoring just 10 and assisting 5 in his 23 La Liga games thus far. In his swansong season at Spurs the Welsh international managed a total of 21 goals and 4 assists in 34 league games.

To be fair to both players, their stats are far from terrible, the average player would be more than happy with these numbers but neither of these two are average players. The two men have mainly performed in spurts making their stats look a little more appealing but across the whole season they have been inconsistent.

In terms of the possibility of the move happening there doesn't seem to be too many problems. Financially both are worth similar amounts so a straight swap wouldn't be out of the question and both players would be earning similar amounts so wages would not be a big stumbling point. Whether or not the players would be interested is questionable, Di Maria really does not seem to be enjoying life in Manchester and would jump at the chance to get away you would expect. Bale on the other hand may want to prove himself at Madrid and a move to United might represent a backward step especially if they fail to qualify for the Champions League.

Manchester United have been rumoured on many occasions to want to bring Bale back to the Premier League and would see the disposal of Di Maria as a good option at this moment in time. Ancelotti would welcome Di Maria with open arms was he to rejoin him at the Bernabeu, Ancelotti remember never wanted Di Maria to leave in the first place.

As good as the deal may seem for everyone involved the chances of a swap deal of this magnitude actually happening are quite slim. Instead it seems Di Maria and Bale will have to soldier on in their quests to regain their once great form.

Messi and Barcelona turning the tide in Spain

Only two months ago Cristiano Ronaldo was receiving a well deserved Ballon d’Or award for his exploits in 2014 beating his closest competition Lionel Messi to the crown after what was in Messi’s books an average season. Five days later a Ronaldo double helped Madrid to a 3-0 win over Getafe putting them one point clear at the top of La Liga with a game in hand over their Catalan rivals.

Barcelona themselves were in flying form that weekend seeing off Deportivo La Coruna 4-0 with Messi bagging a hat-trick in his quest to regain the best player in the world tag from his Portuguese rival. After these 19 games however, Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid were leading the charge for the title and Barcelona were struggling to find consistent form under Luis Enrique.

Fast forward to March and the La Liga picture is looking very different. Barcelona are now the form side in the league and after Madrid’s 1-0 defeat to Bilbao at the weekend, the Catalans lead the way by a point at the summit. While Madrid slipped up Barcelona were in flying form putting 6 past Rayo to overtake Madrid in the title race.

Madrid’s defeat was just another poor result in a series of poor results for the Champions League winners, in their last 8 games they have won just 5 drawing 2 and losing 1. In the same period Barcelona have won 7 losing just the one and are now the team to beat in the title race.

Not only did Barcelona overtake Real in the table but a hat trick on Sunday saw Lionel Messi once again jump above Ronaldo in the all time La Liga hat-trick standings. Messi now has 24, one ahead of the Real Madrid man who has not been enjoying himself as of late with the goals drying up. 2 goals in his last 6 represents a massive dip in form for Ronaldo, far from the heights he was hitting last year in the lead up to him being crowned the best in the world.

Messi meanwhile has been in fantastic form as of late, in his last 6 games he has scored in 5, recorded 2 hat-tricks and racked up a tally of 9 goals. It has led to people asking should he just be awarded the Ballon d’Or for this year right now? He is looking back to his best at the moment and is the driving force behind the recent Barca surge.

His form has been excellent but Messi has not been short of help with the much criticised Luis Suarez in particular on top of his game at the moment. Suarez has scored 5 in his last 6 shutting up the many critics who said he wasn't chipping in with enough goals. Similarly, Cristiano Ronaldo’s poor form is not the sole reason for Madrid’s dip, another former Premier League man, Gareth Bale, has been very poor recently and hasn't scored in 8 games now.

After what had looked like such a promising beginning to 2015, Real Madrid and Ronaldo have begun to stutter and Barcelona and Messi have taken full advantage. The season is still young and you can expect many more swings to the pendulum but with Messi and Suarez in this kind of form its going to take something special to knock them off that top spot.

Nightmare week for Manuel Pellegrini

In a week that could have seen Manchester City prove themselves in Europe with a big performance at home against Barcelona and where they could have closed the gap at the top of the Premier League to just 2 points with Chelsea not playing, nothing has gone right for Manuel Pellegrini and his side. Instead City find themselves on the brink of another early Champions League exit after losing 2-1 to a Suarez inspired Barcelona and still sit 5 points off the summit of the Premier League having played a game more after Liverpool recorded a 2-1 home win over the defending champions.

City fans had come into the week with such promise,Yaya Toure was back from the African Cup of Nations in great form, Aguero was finding his feet on his return from injury, Chelsea had just dropped points at home against Burnley, the gap was down to 5 points and City knew with Chelsea not playing in the Premier League that it would be huge physiologically to cut the gap to just 2 points with a win over Liverpool. First and foremost the whole of Manchester City had their eyes firmly set on Barcelona, having ended the group with great wins over Roma and Bayern Munich there was a sense Pellegrini’s side had turned a corner in Europe and they were all set for revenge against the side who knocked them out at the same stage last year.

The reality is however, a week that promised so much may well have ended any hope Manchester City had for silverware this season and it could possibly be a defining week in the future of Manuel Pellegrini. Chelsea look to have won by some miracle the Capital One Cup and the Premier League on the same day as should Chelsea win their game in hand they will move 8 points clear at the top, a lead a Jose Mourinho side does not relinquish. Their high hopes in the Champions League though still alive are hanging by a thread, going to the Nou Camp already losing 2-1 is a huge task, one that in all likelihood this Manchester City side are not capable of achieving. With the Premier League all but out of their grasp and their Champions League exit imminent you feel, City’s season is in danger of fading out with a whimper.

Manager Manuel Pellegrini is one man who will be trying to make sure this is not the case and that his players will fight for the title and their place in the Champions League valiantly, in the same period he may also be fighting to save his job. Regardless of his Premier League win last campaign, the Manchester City owners expect results and right now the Chilean is not delivering. They have shown in the past they have no mercy with the sacking of Roberto Mancini, the man who won the first ever Premier League title for the blue side of Manchester but that was quickly forgotten about once results began to turn. It is hard to see Pellegrini’s side salvaging anything from this season at the moment and his faith may already be sealed.

The performance of the side as of late has been particularly unimpressive, the return of Yaya Toure seemed to have rejuvenated the side but today against Liverpool he was average at best and often looked disinterested. There appears to be a real mystery as to what Pellegrini’s game plan is, instead of a team they resemble a collection of players not really gelling as a team. Despite possessing the talent of David Silva, Toure and Aguero, City do not threaten half as much as they should recording only one shot on target against Liverpool, which may well be down to the way the manager has set up. Defensively they are also beginning to look ragged with captain Vincent Kompany looking increasingly out of his depth and way off the standard we have come to expect from the big Belgian.

Jamie Carragher pointed out after the Liverpool game the tactical naivety of Manchester City and Pellegrini for not putting a player in between the line of defence and midfield, the position in which Phil Coutinho and Adam Lallana thrived all game. Poor performances against big opposition has been a problem this season, looking back at the Arsenal game at home and even their recent European clash with Barcelona. This tactical naivety has effectively ruined Manchester City’s season and may well have ended Manuel Pellegrini’s spell as manager.

Liverpool the form side in top4 race

Brendan Rodgers’ sides 2-1 victory against defending champions Manchester City pushed the Merseysiders into 5th place, the highest they’ve been since October and they now lie just 2 points away from Manchester United who are 4th and with all the momentum Liverpool now look the team to beat in the race for Champions League places.

Fantastic strikes by Jordan Henderson and Philippe Coutinho were enough for Liverpool to see off the challenge of Manuel Pellegrini's side and take all three points at Anfield in similar style to the fixture last year. Many expected a tired Liverpool to show up after their poor European performance on Thursday and the quick turnaround but Brendan Rodgers’ side were fantastic from start to finish heaping the pressure on their top4 rivals.

The win means Liverpool have not lost a game since December when they were considerably outdone at Old Trafford by 3 goals to nil but since then they have been unstoppable. A change in style from Rodgers has sured up the defence and completely rejuvinated his sides season, something he as a manager deserves a lot of credit for. From the last available 30 points Liverpool have picked up 26 and are the form team in the Premier League.Their last three games have been victories against Southampton, Spurs and now Man City, massive statements of the standard the team is playing at.

Before Liverpool had taken to the field on Sunday, Man United had already won their game beating Sunderland at home 2-0 to keep themselves in the top4, United have been inconsistent as of late and Van Gaal’s side will be very worried about Liverpool lurking up behind them especially with a trip to Anfield still to come in the near future. Van Gaal’s minimum expectation is to gain a top4 place and the pressure may begin to tell if the aim begins to fall from his reach.

Arsenal took to the field after Liverpool as they played host to the blue Merseysiders Everton on the back of one of their worst ever Champions League defeats in their history, a 3-1 home loss against French side Monaco. The Gunners responded in style however seeing off Everton with relative ease by 2 goals to nil and concealing their place in 3rd, momentarily at least.

Spurs did not play due to their Capital One Cup final while other Chamions League challengers Southampton were beaten. At the moment it looks like a three way battle for the final two Champions League spots with Spurs maybe making it a four way battle if they can keep up with the pace.It looks to be in Liverpool’s hands and should they keep up their current run of form you would expect them to secure a 3rd place finish and maybe even catch Man City in 2nd.

Arsenal and Manchester United are both struggling for consistency and look set to battle against each other for that fourth and final Champions League spot.

Massive few days for Spurs

Tottenham take on Fiorentina in Florence tonight in the second leg of their Europa League last 32 tie with the scores level at 1-1 from the opening leg at White Hart Lane last Thursday. The game takes place just 72 hours before their huge Capital One Cup final at Wembley against fierce rivals Chelsea. It is no exaggeration to say that these two games could define Spurs’ season, especially if they lose.

The task in Italy is far from straightforward, Fiorentina are a good side as they showed getting the 1-1 draw in London but if Spurs play to their best they can and should overcome the Italian side. Getting through to the next round is vital for Pochettino with the FA cup gone they want to have some cup to fight for as the season draws to an end although should they beat Chelsea on Sunday they will at least have some silverware for the season.

Lifting the cup on Sunday would be a huge achievement for Pochettino and his players considering the difference in preparation both them and Chelsea will have for the game. Chelsea have had the week off and will no doubt have been solely focusing on the final whereas due to the Europa League tie Spurs will only arrive back in England on Friday and tiredness could well be a problem, also their preparation in training this week will have been divided between Fiorentina and Chelsea so they more than likely will not be as well set up as Mourinho’s Chelsea.

A win tonight would slightly ease the pressure on the squad when they take to the Wembley pitch on Sunday afternoon, knowing they still have a chance of lifting a trophy would be some consolation were they not to win. Losing tonight would however be a disaster,it would mean defeat against Chelsea would see them end a season without a trophy yet again.

If you were to ask every Spurs fan which game they would rather win it would probably be the Chelsea one, beating one of their biggest rivals in a cup final would be fantastic for the supporters. The 5-3 win at White Hart Lane is fresh in the memory and how they would love to recreate that this weekend. The players won't be thinking of that just yet however and they will be hoping they can come through this three day period with a place in the last 16 of the Europa League and with a medal in their pockets.

Standard of Premier League in question

In light of recent results in the Champions League questions are beginning to be raised as to whether the Premier League is vastly overrated and if English sides are drifting further and further away from Europe’s elite.

Arsenal’s 3-1 home defeat to Monaco was up there with the most embarrassing Arsenal performances ever in Europe in a game they were overwhelming favourites going into. Arsenal were outplayed by a Monaco side that is not exactly setting the world alight domestically and were missing some key players on the night. The 3-1 victory was much deserved and was it not for a moment of magic from Oxlade Chamberlain, Arsenal would have come away from the match with nothing.

Similarly only 24 hours earlier Manchester City lost out to Barcelona in the Etihad by 2 goals to 1 as they once again showed their inability to perform in the Champions League. City were second best for the whole night and after going down to ten men they were lucky to only concede two, an uncharacteristic miss from the spot by Lionel Messi and his failure to convert the rebound give City a glimmer of hope going into the second leg but with Liverpool being the only English side to ever win at the Nou Camp the odds are stacked against them.

Both sides had gone into their respective games with such high hopes, Arsenal appeared to get the ideal draw but capitulated on the night while City saw the Barca tie as a chance to redeem themselves and show they could be a force in Europe but they once again disappointed. League leaders Chelsea also disappointed in their tie a week prior getting a lucky 1-1 draw in Paris after being second best throughout.

Liverpool had already been a major disappointment in the group stages failing to qualify from the easiest group they could've asked for. The recent television deals see the Premier League generating record amounts of money but in terms of quality it doesn't seem to translate. Its fair to say that none of the top English teams at the moment are in the same bracket as Barcelona, Real Madrid or Bayern Munich.

The likes of The Emirates and The Etihad are not stadiums that clubs across Europe fear visiting these days. Arsenal have become a soft touch when it comes to the knockout phases losing out in the round of 16 on the last four occasions. Man City who have only made it to the Round of 16 once losing out last year to the same opponents Barcelona just can't seem to get it right in Europe.

Chelsea continue to be the only real challengers for the Champions League amongst the Premier League sides but still have to adopt a defensive approach when it comes to playing the big guns as they are aware they can't go toe to toe with them on the attacking front. English sides failing to perform in Europe has been a growing trend in recent years and based on the performances we have witnessed in the last week the trend is set to continue.

Balotelli is not “back”

Back to what? Every time an out of form striker comes back with a goal or a good performance all the calls come about them being back to their best. Look at Fernando Torres, how many times was he “back” to his best at Chelsea and he never lived up to it. Mario Balotelli is a different kettle of fish, going back to his old self is the last thing he needs to do if he is going to stay in this Liverpool side. Sure in his old form at Milan and City at times saw him score some goals but he also displayed laziness and a lack of commitment to his side. Last nights performance may not be a case of him getting back to where he was but more so beginning as he means to go on.

Replacing Daniel Sturridge in the 74th minute, Balotelli came onto the pitch to a subdued atmosphere with the Anfield crowd no longer excited by the prospect of the big Italian. The twenty minute appearance that followed contained everything that Brendan Rodgers has been looking for in the 24 year old since his arrival. The performance was probably the best we have seen from him since becoming a Liverpool player. From his first involvement he attempted to be a key figure in the game, there was no sign of him shying away from possession, every high ball in the oppositions half he competed for and he even chased every lost cause adding a rabona pass to keep the ball in play at one stage.

His hard work paid off just under ten minutes into his run out when Adam Lallana sent a low ball across the six yard box for Balotelli to tap home, and he duly obliged. The stadium erupted with celebration, everyone but the goalscorer himself were wild in celebration, it was his first Premier League goal for Liverpool but it still didn't warrant a smile from the former Milan man. His contribution was not finished their, as we neared the end of injury time and Spurs passed the ball probingly at the back waiting for their men to get into the box, Balotelli was sprinting towards them trying to close them down, to the disbelief of many spectators Mario Balotelli was putting in a shift for the team so has he finally turned a corner in his career?

The goal itself may be worth the £16 million Liverpool forked out in the summer for Balotelli’s services as it puts them right into the top4 race and gives them huge momentum going forward. Brendan Rodgers is sure to be absolutely delighted with Balotelli who he has excluded from the squad so often as he did not offer the work rate needed in his setup but last night he encapsulated everything that he needs to become a top player at Anfield.

Confidence is massive for a centre forward and the confidence Balotelli should gain from the Spurs game could drive him on to big things in the coming months, not only the goal but the applause he received as he chased down the defenders and goalkeeper must make it seem worthwhile for him to keep on going and perform like that every time he is given a chance by the manager. His finishing quality is not in doubt but seeing him at the edge of the six yard box as we did last night has not been frequent enough and is the main reason for his lack of goals. Anfield was far too used to Balotelli coming deep to get the ball and then proceeding to either lose it or take a wild shot from thirty plus yards out. If he begins to adopt a position closer to goal naturally the goals will come.

Naturally with Spurs being the visitors to Anfield last night thoughts wandered back to the early September fixture in which Liverpool saw off Spurs by 3 goals to nil at White Hart Lane, up front that day for Liverpool was the strike partnership of Daniel Sturridge and Mario Balotelli and the two performed brilliantly together, Balotelli could have had at least 2 goals that day. Unfortunately with Sturridge’s injury woes that partnership never had a chance to flourish but with both men fit and firing at the moment it may be the time to try it out again. It would require a change in formation and as they say you should never change a winning formula but at some stage you would expect and hope Rodgers will try the partnership and who knows maybe they could become one of the best strike partnerships in the Premier League, all Liverpool fans will be hoping so anyway.

photo credit: Balotelli e quei soldi spesi ogni settimana per la cresta via photopin (license)

photo credit: Napoli, Canovi: ''Gli azzurri evitino Balotelli e prendano un regista...'' via photopin (license)

Do Man United have the two biggest flops of the season?

Purchasing players in the transfer market is always a risky business, sometimes it can be great, most of the time players come in and fulfill their expectation and to a certain extent repay their transfer fees, some players however never live up to their expectations and have fans cursing the club for spending money on them. This season we have seen £16 million man Mario Balotelli completely flop at Liverpool and Eliaquim Mangala who cost Manchester City £32 million has also not stepped up to the mark. Manchester United however have arguably brought in the two biggest flops of the 2014/15 Premier League season in Angel Di Maria and Radamel Falcao, both of whom have performed well below the standard they had set at their previous clubs.

Angel Di Maria joined Manchester United after the World Cup for £59.7 million, becoming the most expensive player in British history. Despite the pressure that came with the price tag he settled in quickly to life in Manchester with excellent individual performances against QPR and Leicester, unfortunately for the Argentine this great form did not continue. Di Maria has since hit a tough patch and has yet to even score a goal or register an assist in 2015 leading many to question the former Madrid star.

Radamel Falcao has been similarly unimpressive since his summer arrival to Manchester United. Falcao came in for a hefty loan fee of £6 million, but with United also paying his wages in full it is believed the one year loan deal is costing the club a total of £16 million. Along with a big fee, the Colombian also brought a big reputation to Manchester from his days as a player at Porto, Atletico Madrid and his parent club Monaco. The 29 year old was just back from a serious knee injury that saw him miss the World Cup when he joined Man United and was naturally slow to acclimatise to the Premier League. He has made many substitute appearances this season but is yet to really nail down a starting place in the team, his miss on Sunday against West Ham was an indication of the lack of confidence the striker has.

Both the South American players have seen huge drops in their stats at Manchester United compared to their previous form. Di Maria had a great season for Real Madrid in 2013/14 winning the Champions League but also hitting great heights with his individual stats. In all competitions last season the Argentine scored 11 goals and had 22 assists, put that up against the 4 goals and 6 assists he has at United this campaign in league and cup.

Even after missing a chunk of the season through injury, for Monaco Falcao scored 11 goals in nineteen appearances in all competitions, a lot better than his United stats with only 4 goals in fifteen league games for the Red Devils. For the amount being paid for his services Louis Van Gaal is sure to expect more from his player.

The race for the top4 is now really starting to get competitive and if Man United are to seal one of those Champions League places they will need the likes of Di Maria and Falcao to up their performances. With Di Maria it could be a case of low confidence, similar to Ozil at Arsenal after starting strong he has dropped off in his performance. Di Maria just needs the right guidance and support and he can turn his luck around, Falcao on the other hand may never reach the heights he once has. After such a serious injury he might be unable to get back to the level he was used to especially at the age of 29. At the rate he is going it looks very unlikely Van Gaal and United will be taking up the option of purchasing him on a permanent basis.

stats courtesy of espnfc.com
photo credit: Falcao Sempre Più Lontano Dal Manchester United: E La Juve Torna in Gioco via photopin (license)

3 talking points from this weekends Premier League action

Are Chelsea too far ahead to be caught

A 2-1 win at Villa Park, a ground that has in the past proven to be a bogey place for Mourinho’s Chelsea sides was enough for the league leaders to move seven points clear of Manchester City who needed a last minute goal from James Milner to only snatch a draw against Hull City at the Etihad.

With Manchester City struggling to hit the net and undoubtedly low on confidence it will be a massive task for them if they're to turn things around. Chelsea don't drop many points and with fourteen games to go it looks unlikely that they will slip up enough to let Manchester City back into the race.

Only a week ago a Manchester City win against Chelsea would have brought the gap to two points but after drawing that game and their very poor draw against Hull the gap is seven. It has been a massive week in the title race and possibly even a defining one.

The top4 race is really hotting up

After some more big results this weekend it is looking like a five way battle for the 3rd and 4th places in this season's Premier League. Southampton are still refusing to to do as predicted and fall away, a late goal from Mane was enough for them to see off QPR and cement their place in 3rd, with twenty four games gone they now must be considered genuine contenders for the coveted Champions League places.

A Harry Kane inspired Spurs came from a goal down to beat North London rivals Arsenal. The win was a clear statement from Pochettino and his side that they are intent on getting back into the Champions League and few would write them off with Harry Kane in the form of his life.

Liverpool and Manchester United were only able to draw their respective games but Manchester United are still sitting in 4th while Liverpool are in 7th and look to be facing an uphill battle if they are to bridge the five point gap to United.

Relegation looking very likely for these sides.

After both losing again this weekend, Leicester and manager-less QPR look almost destined for the drop. A 1-0 home defeat to Crystal Palace sees Leicester stay bottom on just seventeen points and with conflicting reports on the future of manager Nigel Pearson, Leicester look to have run out of ideas and its hard to see them turning their wretched form around especially with their next four games being against Arsenal, Everton, Chelsea and Manchester City.

QPR were also subject to a 1-0 home defeat at the weekend when Southampton came to visit Loftus Road, it took a last minute goal to beat them, a goal that is sure to hurt the players. In 19th place on nineteen points, QPR are still only two points off safety but with the departure of manager Harry Redknapp and their terrible form they currently look like never winning a match. The next few games are important and unless they gain some points against Hull and Sunderland who they play in the next week they could find themselves in serious trouble.