There are few moments that carry as much pressure as having every eye on the stadium on you as you step forward to take a penalty. The goal is just 12 yards away from the penalty spot, but because you’re expected to score, the pressure on the striker’s shoulders is immense. For some players the pressure is just too great, while others have managed to deal with it expertly, with former Newcastle striker and all-time Premiership top scorer Alan Shearer one of many penalty specialists alongside Matt Le Tissier who had an incredible record from the spot for Southampton.
While there have been many penalty experts over the years, it takes something that little bit special to try a cheeky penalty in the heat of the moment, knowing that if you miss you’ll be on the end of a rant from the manager and thousands of fans. It’s these players that get their moment in the spotlight here, as we have a look the TOP 10 most audacious penalties.
Click on the image below to see the TOP 10
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Premier League managers are always keen to secure new arrivals in their squad, regularly entering the transfer market for the next big thing. With home-grown status becoming more and more craved, due to new squad quota rulings, the prices of English talent has inflated drastically.
Foreign imports have always been much craved in the Premier League, yet the passion and commitment of British stars has always formed the backbone of the set-up.
Due to their increasing price tags, many English players have have struggled with the burden of high hopes weighing heavily on their shoulders. The media often pounce on failure, with a desire to find stories to fill column inches, ramping up the pressure on players still adjusting to new surroundings.
This list looks at 15 victims of the inflated fees associated with English talent.
Click on the Liverpool duo below to see 15 victims of inflated fees
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What are your thoughts? Let @Alex_Hams know on Twitter
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As more premier league clubs continue to look to buy young foreign talent – does it show the flaws in the home grown ruling?
With Tottenham having signed Ivory Coast under-17 international Souleymane Coulibaly and Chelsea reportedly making an offer for Belgian 18 year old Romelu Lukaku on Wednesday, the question of young, home-grown talent is yet again raising its spotty, bum-fluff-covered head.
The introduction of the 25 man squad last season was meant to safeguard against such an occurrence. Each squad could only have 17 non-home grown players selected, and to be a home-grown player you had to have been registered to an English club for 3 years before your 21st birthday. Got it?
That all sounds well and proper, but the devil is, as ever, in the detail. Let’s take Arsenal’s squad from last season. Arsene Wenger selected a squad consisting of 7 ‘home-grown’ players. Who were these 7? Gael Clichy, Johan Djourou, Denilson, Nicklas Bendtner, Cesc Fabregas, Vito Mannone and Alex Song. If the intention of the ruling was to safeguard the development of British talent, it would appear that it has failed miserably, as the chances of any of this 7 showing up for a home nations match are approximately non-existent (although in the case of Bendtner, maybe that’s for the best).
But what of Theo Walcott and Jack Wilshere? Surely they make it into the category of home-grown? They sure do, but due to the fact that they were under 21 at the time of registration they were able to sneak into the under 21 squad. This is where the ruling gets even more ridiculous, because each club is allowed an infinite pool of players under the age of 21 to draw from, and so Walcott and Wilshere didn’t need to be registered in the first team squad, allowing room for extra non-home-grown players in the team.
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Unfortunately for Arsenal, what worked last season is not going to be doable this year. Theo Walcott and Kieran Gibbs are now all above the cut-off age, meaning they have to be added to the main squad. That is assuming Arsene Wenger plans on keeping them all.
This is where it becomes a much greater issue. Due to players that would have ordinarily been part of the youth or reserve set-ups hitting the cut off age, the likes of Tom Cruise, Jay Simpson and Mark Randall have all been released as Wenger’s squad simply can’t accommodate them. More worrying for the Gunners is the fact that over the next two summer the situation becomes even worse, with Wojciech Szczesny, Gavin Hoyte, Craig Eastmond, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, Henri Lansbury, Rhys Murphy, Sanchez Watt, Gilles Sunu, Francis Coquelin, Aaron Ramsey, and Kyle Bartley all set to make the step-up, in age, to the first team squad.
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If young British players are constantly being kicked out of the top clubs at the age of 21 then the game in the UK is going to take a serious battering, something that the home-grown players rule was meant to end.
Angry about the lack of progress following this ruling? Shout at your screen, or let me know on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/_tomclose
Roberto Mancini has blasted his side's profligacy in front of goal, saying they need to start converting their chances.
A fourth-minute Carlos Tevez strike was the only goal in a 1-0 success against Bolton Wanderers at Eastlands on Saturday. However, after missing a hatful of chances against the Trotters, they were left hanging on at the end of the game, particularly after Aleksandar Kolarov had been sent off.
The win has consolidated City's position in fourth place as they pulled away from fifth-placed Spurs following the London side's 1-1 draw against Birmingham. However, this shouldn't hide the fact that despite playing some stylish football, they made heavy work of dismissing Bolton.
Speaking after the game, Mancini said:"Sometimes we were too selfish. We shot when it was better to pass – we must improve this situation.
"When we have a chance, we must score. If I had played I would have scored two or three goals."
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City face West Ham United at Upton Park next week and Mancini will hope they will display a greater ruthlessness against the relegation-threatened Hammers.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is already planning for next season after religuishing his title to neighbours Manchester City on Sunday.
It was plain to see that Man United’s squad was not their best ever this season. And with Man City going from strength to strength and will certainly add to their already impressive squad this summer.
Many pundits have stated that Man United must add to their squad if they wish to halt Man City’s Premier League domination and one of the areas most believe United have struggled with this season is the lack of creativity in central midfield.
Well it seems Ferguson agrees and has already set his sights on Borussia Dortmund’s 23-year-old Japanese midfielder Shinji Kagawa.
Kagawa has rejected a new deal at Dortmund meaning he will be out of contract next summer but he is expected to complete a move before then.
Kagawa has been in tremendous form for Dortmund this season as they secured a league and cup double, weighing in with 17 goals and 13 assists.
The 5ft 7ins star is another in a long list of new ‘little men’ who are lighting up football in this new era. Kagawa is primarily a central midfield player but can also play on the wings which makes him an attractive propersition for Sir Alex.
He would certainly add creativity to United’s midfield and bearing in mind they lost the title on goal difference this season I’m sure Ferguson will want to see more goals from his team next year to avoid a repeat.
Kagawa has already admitted meeting with Ferguson, stating:
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“It was good to meet and actually talk to him. He had some nice things to say to me. Several clubs contacted me but I can not say which is the best.
“I want to choose the club where I can challenge. It would be good to play in the Premier League.”
It seems it will be a busy summer at Old Trafford with many comings and goings as United look to regain their title next year, halt Man City’s progress and hold off challenges from Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham who will all be aiming to win the league next year.
With two of the unsung heroes of modern football, Wes Brown and John O’Shea finally leaving Manchester United this week after 14 years and 13 years respectively at the club, it got me thinking about other players who have never really received the recognition they deserved for their careers.
Some obvious choices for the list would have been the likes of Park Ji Sung, Alexander Song, Darren Fletcher and Scott Parker but they have made the headlines this season after their fine performances on the pitch so they were not included.
The players I have selected have made a huge impact in football whatever level that maybe but have gone relatively unnoticed in comparison to the huge stars of the game. It is time to give them the praise they deserve……here are my ten unsung heroes of the modern game.
Click on Kevin Davies to unveil the first part of the unsung heroes of modern football
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A 3-3 draw in Holland on Tuesday meant that Spurs clinched top spot in Champions League Group A, job done. The game at Twente wasn’t pretty and it may be been riddled with bizarre goings on and refereeing decisions, but it at least it was good to watch – I think that, without using hyperbole, it’s now fair to brand Spurs ‘the entertainers of the Champions League’.
This week at FFC Spurs fans have taken a look into the future with the repercussions of their new stadium, a look into the past with their worst ever XI and a look at the now with the impending departure of Robbie Keane.
We’ve also got the best Spurs blogs from around the web.
Finances dictate that Spurs need to sort this problem and quick
Tottenham exit will prove to be the best deal all round
The top TEN Tottenham tattoos…well sort of
French signing could be just tonic that Tottenham need?
Tottenham’s Januray transfer nightmares
The Tottenham team from HELL
Which club represents the best move for Tottenham outcast?
Sad to see him leave Spurs, but is it the likely outcome?
The Top TEN derby day whippings
The TEN real surprises from the Premier League this season
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Click here to see the Best TOTTENHAM BLOGS around the Web this week
Taxi for the Haters – Dear Mr Levy
Twente-Twente vision – Who Framed Ruel Fox?
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With the season reaching the closing stages, attention has begun to turn to this summer’s transfer window.
West Ham United’s main priority is to remain in the Premier League as they currently sit two points above the relegation zone.
However, they are also likely to be drawing up transfer plans, and according to The Sun, Newcastle United captain Jamaal Lascelles is on their radar.
The publication claims that the East London outfit are pondering a £15m swoop for the defender, who the newspaper claims could be tempted by a transfer if a decent deal is on offer.
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The Sun also claims that Lascelles’s agent is close to West Ham officials, but in the end, any transfer will be down to fee and wages.
The 24-year-old has been consistently strong for the Magpies this season and has played in 25 top-flight fixtures so far.
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He did, though, miss out on a spot in Gareth Southgate’s latest England squad ahead of the World Cup in Russia this summer.
After news emerged of West Ham’s reported interest in Lascelles, fans of the London club have been tweeting their verdicts.
How Arsenal entered the current season with one less defender than last year is quite frankly beyond me – but there’s no looking back now and at least Arsene Wenger is looking to rectify the situation, with news that he’ll be on the hunt for a new centre-half in January.
Of course, the winter window is never the ideal opportunity to buy so a star-studded addition of the Mats Hummels variety unfortunately seems unlikely.
There are some options out there however, so just in case the Gunners gaffer is short on ideas, here’s FIVE centre-backs the Premier League outfit could realistically sign in the New Year.
MATIJA NASTASIC
//www.youtube.com/embed/LxnfKoOWmWE
Age: 21
Height: 6 foot 2
Positions: Centre-back only
Teams: Partizan Belgrade, Fiorentina, Manchester City, Serbian national team
Honours: Premier League title 2013/14, League Cup 2013/14, Manchester City Young Player of the Year 2012/13
Linked clubs: Arsenal, AC Milan, Schalke
Likely transfer fee: £10million, according to The Express
What’s the dealio daddio?
A forgotten man at the Etihad, Matija Nastasic’s last competitive outing for Manchester City was in the 3-0 Community Shield defeat to Arsenal at the start of the season. A few days later, Manuel Pellegrini coughed up a whopping £32million for France centre-half Eliaquim Mangala.
Nastasic once forged an impressive centre-back partnership with Vincent Kompany however – his reading of the game and quality on the ball particularly standing out for a player so young.
Injuries have peppered the 16-cap Serbian’s City tenure somewhat and he’s rather slight for a Premier League centre-back. Clearly talented however with great pedigree, moving to a club that offers regular football will quickly kick-start Nastasic’s stuttering career.
Aymeric Laporte
//www.youtube.com/embed/vXqN7EieWVs
Age: 20
Height: 6 foot 2
Positions: Centre-Back and Left-Back
Teams: Basconia, Bilbao Athletic, Athletic Bilbao, France U21s
Honours: None
Linked clubs: Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United
Likely transfer fee: £32million release clause
What’s the low-down D’Lo Brown?
Having emerged as arguably La Liga’s most exciting centre-back prospect over the last few seasons, a plethora of Premier League clubs have been monitoring Aymeric Laporte’s progress for some time. This season, he’s averaged the fifth-most interceptions per match of any player in the Spanish top flight, as detailed below:
With 59 La Liga outings under his belt and having started all but one of Bilbao’s league fixtures this season, the French centre-half is already taking on huge responsibility for a player so young.
That, combined with his obvious talent and the limit of silverware with the Basque side, is the source of Premier League interest in Laporte; a quick, intelligent and versatile defender. He’ll cost big bucks but if develops as expected, also offers huge reward.
TYRONE MINGS
//www.youtube.com/embed/wvyRhxU0cxI
Age: 21
Height: 6 foot 3
Positions: Left Back and Centre-Back
Teams: Yate Town, Chippenham Town, Ipswich Town
Honours: Championship Player of the Month for September 2014
Linked clubs: Arsenal, Chelsea, West Ham
Likely transfer fee: £8million, according to the Telegraph and just about everybody
What’s the word, bird?
Arsene Wenger has already admitted his interest in Ipswich prodigy Tyrone Mings so few would bet against Arsenal launching a bid for him in January.
Mick McCarthy once picked up the towering defender for just £20k, and he’s enjoyed a huge breakthrough as the Tractor Boys’ left-back this season with former No.3 Aaron Cresswell moving to West Ham in the summer. Here’s his vitals this season:
Ambitious, agile and effective going forward yet blessed with the powerful, imposing frame of a Premier League centre-half, Mings is the kind of player that could be moulded into anything by the Arsenal’s coaches.
Whether the Gunners need another project at the back right now, however, remains open to debate.
WINSTON REID
Football – West Ham United v Sampdoria – Pre Season Friendly – Upton Park – 14/15 – 9/8/14Winston Reid – West Ham UnitedMandatory Credit: Action Images / Tony O’BrienEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
Age: 26
Height: 6 foot 3
Positions: Centre-back only
Teams: Midtjylland, West Ham, New Zealand national team
Honours: Championship Playoff winner 2011/12, Hammer of the Year 2012/13
Linked clubs: Arsenal, Liverpool, Spurs
Likely transfer fee: £6million according to the Daily Mail, £20million according to Sam Allardyce.
What do you say, hombre?
Certainly not the most talented defender to ever grace the Emirates in technical terms, but Winston Reid is a bona fide master of the nuts and bolts of the trade; when it comes to tackles, interceptions, blocks and headers, he’s your man. At the minute, one could argue that’s exactly what Arsenal need – a bit of a Martin Keown figure.
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The New Zealand skipper has made huge progress since first moving to East London after the 2010 World Cup and is now keen to challenge himself at a higher level – with Hammers owner David Sullivan admitting Reid is yet to sign a new contract over the issue of European football.
With his current deal set to expire in the summer, it’s believed Arsenal, Spurs and Liverpool – and potentially some clubs from abroad – will try to prize him away in January. Sam Allardyce clearly doesn’t want to sell however and the East Londoners’ current league position of fourth could convince the gritty centre-back to stay on at Upton Park.
FABIAN SCHAR
//www.youtube.com/embed/ZpiVFCUXbz0
Age: 23
Height: 6 foot 1
Positions: Centre-back, but could play at full-back in theory
Teams: FC Wil, FC Basel, Switzerland national team
Honours: Two Swiss Super League titles
Linked clubs: Arsenal, Tottenham, Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan
Likely transfer fee: £5million-£10million, according to The Express
Gimme the crack, Jack!
Statistically speaking, Fabian Schar was the best defender in the Champions League last season, as detailed below:
Indeed, the defender’s form at club, European and international level has been continually impressive over the last 18 months. He also chips in with a fair amount of goals, netting nine in his first two seasons at Basel and four in nine for the Swiss national team.
Resultantly, Schar has been tipped as a future star for some time and Europe’s transfer vultures are now circling closer than ever, with his contract set to expire at the end of the season and a new deal looking increasingly unlikely.
The Swiss hotshot boasts an intoxicating front-footed style, similar to Tottenham’s Jan Vertonghen, epitomising the in-vogue mould of the modern day centre-back.
A little slender for the Premier League but unquestionably talented, after a season or so to settle and build up his physicality, Schar could emerge as one of the English top flight’s leading defenders.
Everton defender Sylvain Distin believes referees should do more to stop “wrestling” at set pieces, in the wake of Marouane Fellaini’s head-butt on Stoke defender Ryan Shawcross.
The Toffees’ midfielder apologised after the game for his actions after the game, but may face a retrospective ban as referee Mark Halsey missed the incident.
The Belgian went on to bemoan the lack of protection players receive from officials, a stance that team-mate Distin reiterated:
“It’s wrestling, it was tough. It was difficult to run through, they just catch you all the time and grab you.” He is quoted by The Metro.
“I think the ref could have a better look at it. But that is football and it’s going to happen when you come to a place like Stoke.”
The French defender went on to call upon an incident in which his team conceded a penalty against Manchester City as a prime example of the issue:
“There is just no consistency. That is the problem as a player. Sometimes you get grabbed or blocked and it is not a penalty.
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‘Then you see what happened against City when the ref gave them a penalty, and you think ‘there should be a penalty every week’.
‘There is no consistency so it’s a bit frustrating when it’s not going your way.”