EPL Flops: Eric Djemba-Djemba (Manchester United , Aston Villa And Cameroon).

When Manchester United legend was getting to the end of his career at 36 years , then United manager Sir Alex Ferguson splashed £3.5m in 2005 on an unknown Cameroonian and Nantes defensive midfielder Eric Djemba -Djemba as a successor to the Irishman.

Born in Doula on May 4th 1981, Djemba-Djemba was imperious in midfield at Nantes partnering impressively with Mathieu Berson before his move to Old Trafford. Having played from 2001 to 2003 for Nantes and racking up 42 league appearances for the French club the tough tackler was destined for greatness in the EPL considering how Ferguson had changed the fortunes of the likes of Keane, David Beckham, Paul Scholes to name but a few .

At United , the Cameroonian flopped big time lasting only 18 months making only 20 league appearances for United before he was shipped to Aston Villa for £1.5m where he fared worse moving to Burnley on loan in 2007 playing 15 league games and moving to  Qatar in the summer of 2007. In Villa he again failed to convince then coach Martin O'Neil with Gavin McCain and Steven Davis retaining their starting berth in the team although he fared better in the national team playing the 2002 World Cup and winning the Africa Cup of Nations the same year.

As if that wasn't enough, the midfielder was declared bankrupt before his move to Scottish side St.Mirren with reports that he lived an extravagant lifestyle spending so much to the extent he had 10 4×4 cars as well as having more than 30 different bank accounts while he earned around £15,000 a week wages in Old Trafford.

EPL Cult Hero; Nolberto Solano - Newcastle United, Aston Villa And Peru.

Norberto Albino Solano Todco is a former Newcastle United and Aston Villa cult hero who was born on 12 December 1974 in Lalloa , Peru.

Solano was one of the finest wingers of his generation in the EPL having played with distinction for  nine years in the league. Having played for the likes of Deportivo Municipal and Boca Juniors, the Peruvian moved to Newcastle as an unknown attacker in 1998 for £2.5m. He immediately made an impact securing the right wing of attack going on to play 172 league games across two spells scoring 29 goals most of them screamers  for the Toon Army . Blessed with a clever touch , an accurate shooting /passing and ball control coupled with his dribbling ability , the Peruvian was a delight to watch as he dazzled fans with  his skills  and mesmerized runs as well as his dead ball precision.

With him in the side, Newcastle played in 2002-2003 UEFA Champions League  as well as reaching the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup the following season. This was not all as he also played in the 1999 FA Cup loss against treble winning Manchester United. Despite been a handful for most defenders, Solano was traded to Aston Villa where he again became a fan favourite for £1.5m in 2004 with James Milner going the opposite direction . The attacker did not take time to settle scoring eight goals for Villa that season; winning the Club's Player of the Year award as well as being the club's top scorer in his debut season before rejoining Newcastle for £1.5m having passed on the opportunity of moving to Merseyside Liverpool.

Solano played only two seasons in the North East before pushing a move to West Ham citing a desire to be closer to his family who had moved to London at the time in 2007. Although he went downhill from then on, he still managed to play 23 league games for the Hammers scoring four goals before moving to Greek side AE Larissa the next season going on to play for the likes of Leicester City, Hull City (English Tier 2 league ) and finally Hartlepool United bringing an end to am illustrious career.

In total he won 95 caps for the Peruvian national team scoring 20 goals spanning from 1994-2009.

At present the Peruvian has coached the likes of Northern Irish side Newcastle Benfield as well as Universitat in his homeland Peru although he was linked with League One side Gillingham not long ago.

Tactical Dissection: Real Madrid Vs Borussia Dortmund (UEFA Champions League 2017/2018).

When Borussia Dortmund appointed Dutchman Peter Bosz as Thomas Tuchel's successor it felt like the right move considering his achievements in Ajax and his early season form in Dortmund (won first seven games ) but fast forward to Wednesday night against Real Madrid and it is clear Bosz appears to lack the tactical knowledge required to upset the European heavyweights.

In a group that had the likes of Tottenham, Real Madrid and Apoel Nicossa  one would had thought that BVB would have performed better than their two points from six games finishing on the same point with the Cypriot side and unable to beat them in two games.

Against Real In the final game, BVB must be commended from coming from two goals down to level up but all that counts for nothing after Bosz was awfully exposed after his bizzar substitutions. Starting with a 3-4-3 on paper which was 5-4-1 when without the ball, BVB had the tools to hurt Madrid with quick and direct players in Emerick Aubameyang, Purisic and Shinji Kagawa. With Madrid pushing forward on the flanks most often , center-backs Sergio Ramos and Rafeal Varane were often exposed. Although starting Marc Bartra as a right wing back was shocking , the former Barcelona defender was not disappointing, often staying back to force Christiano Ronaldo to the middle and acting as a fifth defender for his side .

While one cannot compare the attacking twlrhrs of both sides , Bosz showed too much respect to Madrid considering he tried to play for a draw rather than going for the win despite the wave of attacks after their equaliser. With Schuller and Yamelenko on the bench, the Dutchman opted to substitute Nuri Sahin with a similar Julien Weigl who failed to stamp his authority on the game as Madrid played a high line defence often using the wings evidenced by their superior crosses. Having watched Purisic tear apart Madrid's defence with his quick feet and runs (10 attempted take one, five successful), it would have seemed logical that Bartra was withdrawn for Yamelenko on the wings to push Madrid deep , Kagawa shifted to central midfield to pair Dahoud with Schurlle coming in to play on the other flank as his runs and ability to cut and shoot or loft the ball for Aubameyang to finish would have been more logical .

So what did Bosz really do when Madrid continued to press for the winner? The Dutchman brought in Weigl to shore up central midfield which Madrid bypassed most of the time as well as bringing on another centre-back in Toprak which really made no sense. Understandably, the events of the 4-4 Rhine derby might still be haunting the Dutchman after Dortmund lost a 4 goal lead to draw with Schalke yet he has to realise that he didn't need to defend in this particular game as he had nothing to lose (already out of the completion) and had the talents to hurt Madrid.

For now BVD have to concentrate on a lesser Europa League as Bosz hopes to steady they ship considering how poor their form has been this season .

Tactical Dissection: Liverpool Vs Spartak Moscow (UEFA Champions League 2017/2018).

Having the best three frontline in the EPL last season, it was a little bit of surprise when Jurgen Klopp splashed more than £42m on Egyptian Mohammed Salah. Initially speculated as a replacement for Barcelona linked Philippe Coutinho, Liverpool refused to sanction the sale of the Brazilian which was commendable at the time.

This season unlike the likes of Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte who would normally prefer to play two or three attacking players in their starting line-ups (Romelu Lukaku, Marcus Rashford and Henrikh Mkhitaryan for United; Alvaro Morata, Eden Hazard for Chelsea ) , Klopp has often played all four of his attackers with Coutinho moving to midfield and Moh Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino in attack . With top spot at stake in their Champions League group, Klopp started all four in a 4-3-3 formation on paper while in practical terms it was a masterclass of 4-4-1-1 when attacking (Wjinaldum and Emre Can in central midfield flanked  by Mane and Coutinho  , leaving  Firmino  behind Salah which  allowed Coutinho the  freedom to run riot on the flanks ). Although Firmino is good in attack , the Brazilian is better as a supporting striker considering  his tendency to drop deep and get involved in play , freeing Salah to stay high up the pitch making the mesmerising runs to distract defenders. Klopp's game plan was to attack the Russians on the flanks using Mane and Coutinho who can also play central but better when on the wings as it allows him to cut and shoot, curl or lay it for their team mates to finish up. In such system , Salah and Firmino rarely ran back to defend even when without the ball as Liverpool's high line pushed Spartak to sit deep and defend . At the end , the four attackers had a field day as three of them completed 10 successful take-ons (Salah-5, Coutinho -3 and Mane 2) and the game ending 7-0 in their favour as well as their goals on the night (Coutinho-3, Mane -2, Firmino- 1 and Salah -1).

In midfield , Wjinaldum was paired with a more defensive Emre Can to offer defensive stability to the attacking side. Though he is not as attacking as club captain Jordan Henderson, Can's hard tackling and physicality in the middle of the park can't be matched by any Liverpool player . Klopp was not looking for a counter attacking style of game which would have suited Henderson perfectly due to his near perfect long range passing and build up play , rather the German wanted a player who won't stray forward no matter the temptation. Also with Can in the side Alberto Moreno was likely to get a better defensive cover when he pushes forward although that wasn't necessary on the night as Liverpool's game plan wasn't about crossing (just two crosses all night which was  from James  Milner "Moreno's "replacement) but on running behind the Spartak defence,engaging them on one on one situations and shooting on sight evidenced by their 10 shots on target to Spartak's 5.

Finally although he is known as an inverted winger, Moh Salah plays as a false 9 for Liverpool as this allows him the freedom to create space for his team mates and finish off chances due to his finishing prowess. This has made it difficult for opponents to contain the Reds as they rely mainly on their quick and skillful inverted wingers (Mane and Coutinho)
to stretch defenders at the same time running at them and interchanging at will . With a goal difference of +17 ( second placed Sevilla having 0), it will take something special to outwit Klopp's side judging by their form for any team who they are paired against in the knockout.

Liverpool might be leaking goals at the back yet that should not be a problem if the front four continue with their impeccable form .

Is Diego Simeone Falling Short At Atletico Madrid?

Diego Simeone is not only an Atletico Madrid legend, but also the only manager who has managed to break the Barcelona and Real Madrid duopoly after he turned Atletico from a "La Liga Also Ran Side" to European football heavyweights.

El Cholo took over in 2011 after Atletico finished 7th in the previous season but he quickly transformed the side to a high intensity spirited side winning multiple trophies despite having a limited budget, yet all that seems like history considering how his side have plummeted since the highs of the 2015/2016 season where they narrowly lost on penalty to Zinedine Zidane's Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League. In less than six years in the Spanish capital , El Cholo has reached two UEFA Champions League finals (Atletico last reached the Champions League knockout in 1997 before his arrival), won the UEFA Cup not forgetting their 2013/2014 La Liga title (first time in a decade a team outside Barcelona or Real Madrid won the league and 2002 the last season Atletico finished in top three in La Liga) all these despite losing his best players year in year out (Diego Costa, Radamel Falcao, Arda Turan and Miranda to mention but a few).

Under the Argentine, Atletico have become one of the most difficult sides to play in Europe boasting one of the best defences, unrivalled team spirit and drive as well as a perfect and compact closely knitted unit that is bonded by the push of achieving the impossible. Unlike his rivals who boast the best talents, Simeone have achieved the impossible with certain players who would normally not made the grade at other rival clubs with the likes of Juanfran, Gabi, Felipe Luis and SA who having thrived perfectly under his tutelage.

This season things appear to be falling apart for the Great tactician as Atletico have struggled to score goals unable to beat little known Qarabag in two legs in UEFA Champions League leading to their exit in the first round for the first time under his with his worst result before this season in the competition been their quarter-final exit in 2014/2015 season. Over the years the Argentine have succeeded to drag the last bit of quality from his players who appear ready to take a bullet for him judging from their performance on the pitch.

In the league , the story is not so different as the Capital side have failed to win many of their games even against less talented side despite not losing any league game at present but recording a woeful six draws from 14 games (3rd in the league) five points behind leaders Barcelona. Although been in 3rd place in La Liga cannot be said to be a failure yet watching Someone's side it is clear that his drive and energy might be at the point of diminishing returns as results since last season have shown they have been gradually slipping as title contenders each season since their win in 2014 with Europe been their theatre of dreams which is not the case having seen them eliminated on Tuesday after drawing Chelsea.

It might be a little bit harsh to start speculating that Simeone appears unable to push Atletico any further than he has already done all these years judging from his spectacular achievements yet it might be the case of been a victim of his own success after raising the bar so high with success since his appointment six years ago.

Tactical Dissection: Bayern Munich Vs PSG (UEFA Champions League 2017/2018).

Unai Emery's 100% UEFA Champions League record might had suffered a damage on Tuesday after Juup Heynckes expertedly set-up his Bayern side to frustrate and inflict a 3-1 defeat of the French side in Munich.

Tactically the German (4-2-3-1 formation) got the better of the Spaniard (4-3-3 formation) right immediately the line-ups were announced. In central-back position , Heynkes dropped Jerome Boateng and Javi Martinez preferring to pair Matt Hummels with youngster Nicklas Sule mainly to notify the aerial threat of Edison Cavani judging from Sule's superior height and aerial ability . In midfield the German again dropped Arturo Vidal despite needing his bursting energy and drive instead pairing Tolisso (got a double ) and Sebastian Rudy mainly due to Vidal's tendency  to play on the edge as an early caution for him might curtail his involvement in the game . There was no much surprise in attack  although Thomas Muller was dropped with Frank Ribery  given licence to roam in any position, James Rodriguez ( recorded as assist) solely focused on creating chances in attack for Robert Lewandowski and Kingsley Coman pushing Kurzawa deep to his penalty box unable to help PSG in attack the same way Ribery did to Dani Alves.

Firstly , PSG were forced to play narrow barely using the wings as their three midfielders (Verratti, Draxler and Rabiot) and attackers struggle when asked to provide width ( Neymar and Mbappe inverted wingers often preferring to cut and shoot)  with the only player who provides Perfect crossing nullified  and pinned  back all  night (Alves) by the duo of  Ribery and Coman who often interchanged at random. This isolated Cavani who thrives on aerial duels as he was forced to drop deep to get involved in the game with little service from the wings. It is surprising that Emery did not deem it fit to play Angel Di Maria as the game really needed him to stretch the Bayern backline so as to create space for either Cavani or Neymar. In total PSG managed only 17 crosses compared to Bayern's 28.

Secondly, Bayern charged at PSG every moment they French side had possession (as many as three players tackling one PSG player in possession) coupled with their high defensive line which  forced PSG deep and Hummels often going forward to become an extra man in midfield and the likes of Rudy, Tolisso and Coman charging the Parisians; often committing fouls to slow down the pace of the game to their advantage as PSG clearly missed the energy and drive of now departed Blaise Matuidi. In total Bayern commited 18 fouls while PSG only had 12.

Thirdly and lastly Emery's side did not have a plan B as they failed to use the wings with Di Maria  or Lucas Moura as well as shoot more often from distance. On the contrary the French side preferred to pass their way into the net and this worked against them although Mbappe's goal showed passing the ball around wasn't entirely bad but when observed clearly it shows that boasting the likes of Cavani, Draxler and Neymar (players who have accurate shooting ability), trying long distance shots with the Bayern number two (Ulreich) in goal could have been a little more fruitful.

In the end, Heynckes showed he was an old fox as Emery failed to react as well as making wrong substitutions outlining struggles with a Plan B when the front three fail to fire his side to victory.

EPL Club Legends ; Robbie Keane (Tottenham Hotspur and Republic Of Ireland).

Born Robbie David Keane in Tallaght, Dublin Republic Of Ireland on July 8 1980; Keane is a quick , skillful and versatile forward who  could play in any forward position as well as a leader on and  off the field. Keane joined local club Crumlin United before moving rejecting  Liverpool to move to Wolvehampton Wanderers in Division One progressing through their youth ranks scoring a brace on his debut aged 17 against Norwich. The next season at 18 (1998/1999), the youngster became the club's leading scorer with 16 goals leading to a move to Coventry City for £6 million then British record for a youngster. Just like in Wolves, the youngster did not disappoint as he quickly formed a deadly partnership with the likes of Youssouf Hadji in Coventry recording 12 goals in 31 Premier League games which earned him a £13 million move to Inter Milan.

Things fell apart for the Irishman at Inter with then coach Marcelo Lippi sacked months into his signing and new coach Marco Tardelli stating he was surplus to requirements as he moved back to the EPL with Leeds where revived his career scoring 13 goals in 36 league games. This new form saw him earn a big move to Spurs. At White Hart Lane, he was often used as a substitute with then manager Martin Jol preferring the likes of Jermain Defoe and Mido to him , although things will change later on after he convinced the Dutchman with eye catching displays when given the chance .

In total , Keane scored 122 goals in 306 games in two speels for Tottenham winning the League Cup in his most productive season 2008 (scored 23 goals as well as 15 goals in his last 15 games ) and reaching the UEFA Champions League quarter-final in 2012 with the same side . Keane is the first player to win three Player of the Year from Spurs (2003, 2006 and ,2008) having also played for the likes of Liverpool, Celtic, West Ham and Aston Villa in the Premier League as well as the LA Galaxy in the Major League Soccer.

In total Keane scored 126 goals for six EPL sides in the league becoming the 13th most successful goalscorer in the league history. Just like his club football records, the Striker is Ireland's all-time highest goalscorer an highest appearance maker (146 international games for the Boys in Green and 68 goals ) in a career that spanned for 18 years. He is also the only player in the history of world football to have scored at least one international goal in 19 consecutive years as well as All-time top scorer in European  Championship Qualification games having played in Two European Championships and a World Cup (2002).

The New Toast Of Vicarage Road; Marco Silva.

Marco Silva was an unknown manager when he was first appointed the manager of then struggling Hull City last season despite him having coaches the likes of Estoril , Sporting CP and Olympiakos winning Taca de Portugal and the Greek League. Although he was unable to save Hull from relegation it was so evident how he had transformed the Humber side with the meagre resources at his disposal.

Upon a new appointment as Walter Mazzarri's successor in Watford, Silva has again transformed the side as they are currently flying high at the moment having amassed six wins after 14 league games sitting 8th in the table, seven points adrift of 4th placed Liverpool which is a major feat considering how Watford were nearly relegated last season as they finished 17th, six points above 18th placed Hull City.

Under the Portuguese who won 17 consecutive league games at Olympiakos as well as leading Estoril from the Tier 2 of Portuguese football division to European Football having finished 4th; Watford are set-up in a 4-2-3-1 formation with emphasis on an energetic and physical style of game as the likes of Etienne Capoune and Doucoure patrol the midfield protecting the back four as well as playing as box-to- box midfielders given the licence to join in attack to distract opposition defenders. Watford are a hard tackling side under the Portuguese as well as playing with width as the right and left backs (Holebas and Fermina) quickly join in attack leaving behind the centre-backs and playing behind Richardlison and Hughes. In this set-up, Watford drags their opponents to the wings so as to create chances for main striker Gray and attaching midfielder Tom Cleverly.

In his role as the No.10, Cleverly is tasked with switching play quickly from either wings such that defenders are caught napping . Playing a patient style of game favouring the retention of the ball in their own half and quickly bursting on counter when opportunity presents itself with Richardlison's creativity , work rate and tackling (averages 2.9 tackles a game which is impressive for a striker ), Watford are a delight to watch when in their best although the quickly become ineffective when playing superior teams who can counter them quickly when their wing backs are out of position as defeats to Manchester City and Chelsea show .

Although it is still too early to predict how the season might end , one memorable thing for football fans is how an "Unknown " Portuguese who was scrutinized and unfairly criticised after his foray into the League last season have become a toast of many established clubs as evidenced by the £8.5 million offer rejection by Watford after Everton made their offer some weeks ago since sacking Ronald Koeman. For now Marco Silva is enjoying his time at the Vicarage .

Can Sam Allardyce Lead Everton To Their Envisaged Glory?

Everton might have sacked Ronald Koeman a long time ago yet this has done nothing to halt the slide as the club have only won twice in the post-Koeman era lossing five times  (nine games) across all competitions under David Unsworth who was the caretaker manager in that period. 

With the appointment of Sam Allardyce as the new manager on Thursday on an 18 months contract, Blue Merseyside fans will be experiencing mixed feelings given how the former Three Lions manager have not only stabilised his previous clubs and also his emphasis on dull, unattractive football. Languishing in 13th position in the league despite spending more than £100m this season on the likes of Michael Keane, Jordan Pickford, Sandro Ramirez, Gylfi Sigurdsson to mention but a few . 

The reason Allardyce's appointment is hailed as a masterstroke is his record of overachieving at his previous clubs . Under the 63-year-old Bolton Wanderers not only  won promotion to the Premier League in 2011 but also reached the League Cup final as well reaching the last 32 of the UEFA Cup. With a near perfect defensive record and ability to get the best from average players at his disposal , Allardyce was able to finish 6th and 8th with Bolton with the club getting relegated a two seasons after he departed . 

Having recorded only two clean sheets as well as conceding 28 goals in 13 league games , Allardyce is the perfect person to organise their defence and bring back the lacking stability since the days of David Moyes. What makes it better for the manager is the fact that from December 2nd to The New Year , Everton will be playing sides in the bottom nine of the league (Huddersfield, Swansea and Newcastle United to mention but a few). 

On the other side it is difficult seeing Everton play the sort of attacking football the fans are used to having watched the likes of Roberto Martinez and Ronald Koeman set-up their sides to attack . With attacking players like Tom Davies, Wayne Rooney, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Lookman it is difficult to decipher how they will fare under the manager dubbed the "Long Ball" specialist. 

For while Everton so much need Allardyce's stability and magic touch, the former Bolton Manager also needs Everton to re-assert himself in the game having been sacked for  making corrupt remarks as England manager despite been incharge for just one competitive game . 

Is Peter Bosz Or Hans- Joachim Watzke To Blame For Borussia Dortmund's Struggles?

Peter Boss is a haunted man right now having failed to win a single game in the UEFA Champions League as Borussia Dortmund have gained only two points despite playing five games so far in the competition (Real Madrid, Tottenham and Apoel). This is not all as the former Dutch international has won only one game across all competitions since September (11 games), the win coming against 3rd division Magdeburg in the German Cup with BVB 5th in the German Bundesliga eight points off leaders Bayern Munich.

So where did it go wrong for the former Ajax manager? Having started the season in an overly impressive form winning his first seven games of the season , Bosz presently seems out of depth with his team struggling to exert themselves in games . Having led a young Ajax to the final of the Europa League beating the likes of Schalke 04 and Lyon on the way, the Dutchman sets-up his side to play an exciting style of football which emphasizes mounting attack upon attack on the position and building from the back to the front mainly through the wings; a style which has failed him in BVB considering how it has magnalised the likes of Julien Weigl who only completed 14 passes in the 4-4 draw against Schalke 04 despite leading 4-0 until the 60th minute. Under former manager Tuchel, the German was the boss in midfield often building attacks and organising the midfield when the side is not in possession.

Under Bosz, BVD lack the fitness to see out games judging from the 17 goals conceded in the second half in their last 11 games across all competitions. Starting on the strong foot with waves of attack , BVB players tire even before the hour mark with opposing managers exploiting the weakness . Another area worthy of mention is the manager's decision to instruct star striker Emerick Aubameyang to drop deep to the no.10 position and retrieve the ball rather than his favoured  forward position , a strain on the striker's strengths.

Despite all these flaws one good thing with the Dutchman is his ability to promote youngsters, building them to become stars as well as the attacking vibe his team showcase on the field . Having overseen improvements in the games of the likes of Mario Gotze and Nuri Sahin after their stall as well as the re-emergence of  Yamelenko  it is clear that the Dutchman needs patience to get the best from his side.

One reoccurring question that must be answered by the club chairman Hans - Joachim Watze is the reason for the sacking of Thomas Tuchel who despite a limited squad having sold the likes of Matt Hummels reached the UEFA Champions League quarter-final as well as winning the German Cup. With a personality clash between the two men, Watze wanted to show off he was the boss by firing the German although the case of Sven Mislintat comes to mind. Mislintat was the club's chief scout having discovered the likes of Emerick Aubameyang and Ousmane Dembele who moved to Arsenal to head their recruitment department in the summer despite pushing for Tuchel's sacking after the manager banned him from contacting the players and attending trainings .

BVB have clearly boxed themselves into a corner only they themselves will have the final say.

West Brom'S Alan Pardew: A Tale Of Two Contrasting Features.

West Bromwich fans were relieved to hear of the sacking of manager Tony Pulls some weeks back after watching him set-up his team in an ultra-defensive style playing a boring and labouring football and at the same time unable to get points. Yet what these fans did not realise was the appointment of a certain Alan Pardew some days ago? So who is Alan Pardew and is he an upgrade on Pulis?

Frankly the answer is a simple Yes and No depending on the context used. Having reached the FA Cup finals twice as a manager with the likes of West Ham and Newcastle, Pardew guarantees you plenty of entertainment but the problem lies in what sort of entertainment. With many controversies, the 56-year-old has worked wonders in some clubs taking Newcastle to a 5th placed finish in the 2011/2012 season with unknown players like Pappis Cisse, Demba Ba, Marveux , Yohan Cabaye and Hateem Ben Arfa as well as winning the Premier League Season Manager the same year. As if that wasn't enough the former Reading player took a newly promoted West Ham to finish 9th in the 2005/2006 season with mostly Championship players who won promotion with him the previous season .

Despite boasting all these records , Longeitivity s a word alien to the Englishman as he always hits rock bottom soon after reaching his heights with his previous clubs. Soon after finishing 5th in Newcastle, the Tyneside club went on a free fall finishing 16th the following season before he re-signed to take charge at Crystal Palace where he was sacked in December 2016 after losing eight of his last 10 games in South London. At West Ham the story was the same after he recorded the Hammers worst run in 70 years before his sacking In 2007.

With talent abounding in West Bromwich Albion despite the poor results of this season, Pardew is tipped to boost the morale and confidence of the club as the return to the winning ways of early last season . From James McClean, Matt Philips, Jack Livermore, Nacer Chadli, Jonny Evans, down to the veteran Gareth Barry, it will surely be an interesting adventure with the English man in charge. Having won only twice in 21 league games as well as having the 4th worst goalscoring record in the league , it should surely get better considering that Pardew is an attacking manager hence must help Venezuelan Salomon Randon and Robson Kanu rediscover their good form .

Only time will tell how the new union will end as season end will surely show a glimpse of what to expect.

Evergreen Wayne Rooney Reminds Everyone He Never Left.

David Unsworth finally bowed out in style as interim Everton manager having beaten West Ham 4-0 after he replaced Ronald Koeman a few weeks ago. While Everton played like a title contender on the night , it was England Legend Wayne Rooney who stole the spotlight delighting fans and reminding them he still has what it takes to play at the top level for a few years with his hat-trick on the night.

Although Everton are languishing in 13th position in the Premier League at present having lost seven games already this season (14 games already played); club captain Rooney is in top form having scored seven goals in his 12 league games since his return from Manchester United to the Merseyside in the summer. At 32, it seemed that Everton were making a critical mistake re-signing the same player who they sold for £25 million in 2004. Having lost a yard of the pace which made him so dangerous, Rooney's near perfect shooting and passing ability have enabled him to function deeper as a second striker or no.10 at this point in his career. Presently unable to start games every weekend , the former Three Lions striker showed his abysmal last season was mainly due to lack of game time and not the inability to perform. With Juan Mata, Henrik Mkhitaryan, Paul Pogba all better suited as the no.10's and Marcus Rashford, Zlatan Ibrahimovic as well as Martial all preferred upfront it was always difficult to get game time in Old Trafford last season .

In a young and attacking Everton side which  boasts such players like Carl Lewis, Tom Davies, Jonjoe Kenny, Lookman, Vlasic and Baningime, the second highest goalscorer in Premier League history (205 goals) have become a role model on and off the pitch as well as the one who dictates the pace of their game . While he might not be able to guarantee a 20 plus goals each season, evergreen Wayne Rooney has shown he can still cut it at the top level considering how this season as played out.

Nigeria Is Gradually Returning To The Top Under Little Known Gernot Rohr.

Gernot Rohr might have been an unknown coach in Nigeria despite the fact he led Bordeaux to the 1996 UEFA Cup final before losing to Bayern Munich,  yet the German has silenced his critics with the success he has so far enjoyed with the Super Eagles Of Nigeria having become the first African nation to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia as well as beating highly fancied Argentina 4-2 in a friendly on Tuesday.

At 67, Rohr did not have an impressive Resume when he was hired by the NFF in 2016 with with less fancied spells at the likes of Niger, Burkina Faso and Etoile Sahel. To buttress further, the German was not even considered good enough to manage the Syli Stars of Guinea shortly before his appointment in Nigeria , a decision which now looks folly considering the new heights the Super Eagles now enjoy under him.

Shortly before his appointment, the Super Eagles then African defending champions  were ranked 70th in FIFA World Ranking as in addition to their  inability to qualify for the  two  previous Africa  Nations Cup in Gabon  (2015) and Equitorial Guinea (2017) as well as having their coach Sunday Oliseh abandon them shortly before they must win game against the Pharaohs of Egypt for the Nations Cup Qualification.

Shortly after taking over, the German developed a highly productive scouting network which scouted Nigerians born abroad as well as those who left the country early to play in Europe. This was not enough as the average age of the national team has also been reduced from 29 years to 26 with many youngsters making their debuts under him (Alex Iwobi, Ola Aina, Ola Brown to mention but a few) . Despite being seeded in a difficult group for the World Cup (Cameroon - defending African Champions, Zambia and Algeria all of them one time African Champions) , the Eagles ended the qualification unbeaten gaining 14 points from a possible 18 as well as having a goal difference of 8 with second placed Zambia on 8 points and a goal difference of 1 in addition to qualifying for the World Cup with a game to spare.

Though there is still as much as six months to go before the World Cup, Rohr knows most of his players with the duo of Leon Balogun and William Troost-Ekong partnering near perfectly in central defence and Ola Aina/Elderson Echiejile and Shehu Abdulahi playing on the wings not leaving out John Mikel Obi, Ndidi Wilfred and Ogueyi Onazi in midfield as well as Kelechi Iheanacho, Victor Moses and Alex Iwobi in attack in a 4-3-3 formation not forgetting goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa who has been brilliant since taking over from the ever reliable and confident Carl Ikeme who is battling Cancer bravely at present .

Having come behind to win 4-2 against football mighty Argentina at full strength although Lionel Messi wasn't in the game, the fans of the Super Eagles must be forgiven for been super excited and joyous given how they team have gone from strength to strength under a low profile manager who is like a father to the players and who has given life back to a team that lacked confidence before his appointment.

Out Of Ideas And Struggling; Why West Ham Were Right To Sack Slaven Bilic .

As Slaven Bilic's 28 months reign as West Ham United's manager came to an end last week, the Croat might feel unfairly treated considering his record exploits in his debut season (2015-2016) yet a part of him will be sincere to accept that he lacked ideas and creativity when needed most soon after his first season in East London.

Having led the Hammers to a record sixth place finish in the 2015-2016 season (their joint best league finish in a century) as well as finishing ahead of the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool in addition to playing one of the best attacking style of football in the league with Frenchman Dimitri Payet pulling the strings in central midfield, it felt like the West London club would only go higher and challenge for the League title the next season. Fast forward to the end of the 2016-2017 season and West Ham flirted with relegation all season despite finishing 11th as well as collecting 17 points less from the previous season. This is not all as the Hammers also made the most individual mistakes that led to goals , lost most points from winning positions which is made worse due to the fact that Payet ended the season as their most creative player despite moving to Marseille in January. West Ham became a laughing stock in his second season unable to play with the attacking Vibe and creativity witnessed in his first season despite playing in their new Olympic stadium (more than 50,000 capacity). 

Despite the results of last season, Bilic was given a lifeline by the board likewise £45 million spent on new players Pablo Zabaleta, Joe Hart, Xavier Hernandez and record signing Marko Arnautovic who has received more red cards than goals so far . In total £100 Million has been spent by the club in player sigings  since his appointment with little or no success as the endless list of flops continues to pile up Sofiane Feghouli, Ashley Fletcher, Alvaro Arbeloa, Havard Nordveit, Simone Zaza, Robert Snodgrass and Gokhan Tore to mention but a few with only Dede Ayew impressing yet lacking match fitness and injured most of the time . As if things weren't bad enough, Bilic often times played Hernandez out of position often playing him on the wings with Andy Carroll the main striker. 

Though he is seen as fans favourite and one of the best managers of West Ham, it was not enough reason to keep him on the job considering how woeful the Hammers have been this season rooted in the 18th position five points ahead of bottom placed Crystal Palace as well as having lost six out of their 10 league games so far. 

Whether or not new manager David Moyes will do better is a topic for another as at present what is clear is that Slaven Bilic was on clearly out of his depth before his sacking in East London. 

52 Goals In 17 Games; Pep Guardiola's Manchester City Are Simply Unplayable.

Very few football managers have achieved half the feat or enjoyed half the success of Manchester City's Pep Guardiola (six league titles and two Champions League titles) yet one constant criticism that has trailed the Catalan is his inability to achieve success in a more competitive league with Bayern and Barcelona at the time having little or no competition in their leagues . Yes Manchester City have spent billions since the Qataris took over in 2008 winning the Premiership twice and reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League yet there is no denying the fact that Guardiola has taken them further up than most expected.

Despite spending an excess of £160m last season, City under performed exiting the Champions League to a young Monaco side in the second round as well as finishing 3rd in the league last season. So what has changed this season?

While many of his colleagues favour a less expansive attacking style of playing trying to find a balance between defence and attack , Guardiola sets up his side with the mindset that attack is the best form of defence with City playing an all out attacking style as well as more than five attacking players starting most of his games this season (Sergio Aguero, Leroy Sane, Raheem Sterling/Gabriel Jesus, Kelvin De Bruyne and David Silva). In total City have 31 points already this season (Premier League's best ever start much more than the sides managed by Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsenal's Invincibles and Jose Mourinho's Chelsea)  winning nine out of 10 games this season with the 1-1 draw against Everton the only exception.

Unlike last season where City won only two league games out of 10 against the league's top six (Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham, Arsenal and Liverpool), Guardiola's charges have already beaten Chelsea (at Stamford Bridge) , Arsenal and Liverpool this season as well as a 9 straight league games win which is a club record. So what has changed this season? The difference between both seasons is the inability of Guardiola's side to finish off chances last season , struggling to score goals despite controlling the game and creating loads of chances . Already City have scored an English record 52 goals across all competitions (17 games) , 38 goals in the league (10 games) as well as boasting a 23 games unbeaten record across all competitions (19 games league unbeaten run winning 16) all since last season. Since losing 4-0 away at Everton in January , City have lost just one game up until now and that was a 2-1 loss to Antonio Conte's Chelsea who won the League last season.

That is not all as City have averaged 3 1/2 goals per game this season with a goal difference of +31 in thier 10 league games with United (second) eight points and 13 goals behind them. With such points and goals this is Guardiola's best ever start which is remarkable considering he had earlier managed such sides like Barcelona and Bayern Munich which had such stars like Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta, David Villa, Arjen Robben, Robert Lewandowski and Frank Ribery.

If there was any doubt concerning Guardiola's ability, the Catalan has clearly silenced his critics  although it must be acknowledged that the season still has a long way to go, yet what must be noted is the likelihood of City becoming the most attacking Premier League side if they continue with their early season form.

How United's Jose Mourinho Is Stifling His Attacking Players With His Ultra Defensive Football Style.

When Jose Mourinho spent over £150m on the likes of Romelu Lukaku, Nemanja Matic and Lindelof without releasing any regular senior team player the sky was expected to be his landing spot having won the Europa League and League Cup the previous season. Mourinho's new side would soon start the new season in an impeccable form scoring 10 goals without conceding against the likes of West Ham, Swansea and Leicester City with fans predicting an unbeaten campaign and Romelu Lukaku scoring goals for fun.

Fast forward to the moment and you realise how football can change in a short while  considering their is already talk of the Portuguese favouring a negative system with a star studded attack. So how did it get to this ? Having lost 1-0 away to Chelsea in Stamford Bridge on Sunday, it became clear that the United manager went into the game with a defensive mindset having started eight defensive players in his line-up. To illustrate better, United were so poor that striker Lukaku had only 24 touches in the whole game losing the ball 10 times . To make matters worse,  the Belgian striker was so starved of support that he failed to make a single touch in Chelsea's 18 yard box coupled with his one shot in the game and a mere 16 passes. While it might seem unfair to blame the manager for the Belgian's poor form (hasn't scored in his last seven games  across all competitions) it should  be noted that despite missing Paul Pogba (hamstring injury) , the manager has failed to start numerous attacking players like Juan Mata, Anthony Martial and Jese Lingard often going for a defensive 3-4-3 formation with only Henrik Mkhitaryan and Marcus Rashford the only attacking players in the starting line -up .

Going by statistics, Jose Mourinho's United has scored only one goal in 630 minutes away from home (10 league games)  in games with the league's top six (Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham)  . To make matters worse the Portuguese has failed to win away  against the top six in three years with his last win coming in the 2-1 Anfield defeat of Liverpool in 2014. What this entails is that the Portuguese employs the style of containing and suffocating his opponents away from home, with the mindset of getting a draw rather than going for a win despite the array of attacking players in his side. While this might have been condoned in Chelsea where he won the league in 2015, Manchester United is a club that have enjoyed success synanumously with their attacking flair and on-field results.

What is even more annoying to United fans is the attacking success and excitement their "Noisy Neighbours"- Manchester City seem to be enjoying under Pep Guardiola having scored 52 goals across all competitions already this season (17 games) as well as leading second placed United with seven points (+31 goal difference whIle United have +18).

While there is still 28 more league games to go before the end of the season, it might seem too early for criticism considering how United have positively evolved under the Portuguese, the fact still remains he sets up his team in a defensive style that stiffles and frustrates the attacking players in his side .

Three Goals In 13 Games; What Is Wrong With Barcelona's Luis Suarez?

Barcelona might be cruising to the La Liga title as well as topping their Champions League group yet that is not enough to excite fans of the Catalan club yet considering the poor form of Uruguyian  star striker Luis Suarez who has been abysmal all season with Tuesday night's Champions League away game to Olympiakos making it more serious than previously thought.

Despite having the luxury of playing alongside Lionel Messi, the former Liverpool striker has scored only three goals in 13 appearances across all competitions this season. To make matters worse the striker has failed to score in four Champions League games with the likes of Juventus and Sporting Lisbon the other opponents.

In the goalless draw against the Greek side, Barcelona's second game without scoring a goal in the last 47 Champions League group games, the striker attempted only eight shots of which three were blocked and four off target to show how badly he played all night. To buttress further it is important to look at the Uruguain's impressive goalscoring record in Barcelona. A return of 25 goals in 43 games in his debut season despite waiting until October to make his debut after biting Italy's Chielini in the 2014 World Cup group game is impressive yet not good enough when compared with his 59 goals from 53 games in his second season (2015-2016) leading Barcelona to the treble as well as not forgetting his last season's stat of 37 goals from 51 games last season .

So where did it go all wrong for Suarez? First and foremost while he might be criticised heavily for his loss of form, Suarez appears most affected of all Barcelona players from the loss of attack partner Neymar to PSG as well as the loss of the Brazilian's replacement Ousmane Dembele who assisted Suarez's goal against Espanyol. Having played with the Brazilian since his signing, the former Liverpool striker has found it difficult to move on as well as adapting to Ernesto Valdeva's system. Also to be noted is the knee injury sufferd by the striker in the opening day game with Real Betis and the fact he rushed back  too early in order to be ready for  the World Cup qualifiers for Uruguay soon afterwards. With Valdeva  constantly tinkering with his personnel and system, the end to the striker's goal drought might take longer than expected.

However, with four points ahead of second placed Valencia in La Liga and top of the Champions League as well as defensive solidity, Barcelona fans have every reason to celebrate given their last season's struggles under Luis Enrique at the same time hoping 30-year-old Luiz Suarez hits his best form as soon as possible.

Jaded, Lack Of Desire Or Not Up To Grade; What Is Wrong With Antonio Conte's Chelsea?

Antonio Conte will have a Halloween to forget having seen his Chelsea side crushed (lost 3-0) to the very end by Francesco Eusebio's Roma on Tuesday night at the Stadio Olympico in Rome despite controlling much of the proceedings in the first half .

Despite claims that the absence of energetic dynamic defensive midfielder N'golo Kante had a major impact on the game there is no denying the fact that Chelsea are lacking the same thing that made them the Champions of England last season. The same players who were called heroes last season seem to lack the drive, desire and attitude that once made them the best team in England last season. A look at once realiable defenders Marcus Alonso and Ceaser Azpilicueta shows both are either Jaded and tired or have lost the right mentality as Alonso's lifeless  attitude allowed El-Shaarawy all the time to pick Eden Dzeko's header before scoring a screamer. Agreed Kante is like two players in one due to his positional skill and quality yet it must be noted that Chelsea have been poor all season even with him in the side as the 3-2 opening day loss to Burnley and 1-0 loss to Manchester City testifies. Conceding six goals in two weeks against Roma as well as conceding within 39 seconds is unacceptable for any side aspiring to win trophies which even seems fair when the stats are dug up. Even Antonio Rudiger who was making a return to his old side looked suspicious all night, not clearing a dangerous Kolarov long pass which led to the second goal likewise David Luiz who seems back to his old calamity best of recent.

This season Chelsea have recorded only five clean sheets from a total of 17 games across all competitions (appalling). In the last eight games , The Blues have recorded a single clean sheet as well as conceding 20 goals in 17 games which is poor when compared to their 33 goals conceded in 38 games last season. While it is accepted that Conte's attack isn't as dangerous as it was last season given Alvaro Morata's inability to score in his last five games despite starting the season on fire, yet it should be noted that the defence is far worse at present and most be addressed promptly. With the likes of Kennedy, Christensen and Zapacosta not so experienced, they aforementioned players deserve a chance in the first team as the likes of Gary Cahill, David Luiz and Cesar might benefit from some rest of sort on the bench.

Conte might have felt vindicated in letting go of Diego Costa having seen Morata's early season promise but watching from the game tonight it is wise to say that the Athletico Madrid striker would have given the Blues the needed drive and purpose which was so glaringly lacking all night, worse still the board's decision to sell Nemanja Matic to a rival club despite having to play every four days on the average this season.

Individual errors, miscommuncation, lack of confidence, fatigue, inability to do tactical preparations, loss of the dressing room call it anything you like; Chelsea look pathetic and out of touch and Conte must rescue the situation or risk getting booted by trigger happy Roman Abramovich. Bold calls and decisions must be taken and the former Juventus manager is a man not afraid to do that given his decision to switch to a three man backline last season which yielded results. For now Conte must be trusted to take the team further to where they belong.

Has Anthony Martial Earned His Spot In The Starting Eleven In Manchester United With Spurs Goal?

Manchester United might have secured a hard fought victory over Spurs (second behind league leaders Manchester City) on Saturday having been too predictable and less creative yet the fact remains that Anthony Martial reminded everyone watching of his clutch time abilities; grabbing the headlines despite again starting on the bench. While no one can question the Frenchman's talents he still remains a  liability when United lose the ball as well as when defenders go hard on him coupled with his inability to track back and help the wing backs.

With Mourinho often opting for Marcus Rashford in his place, it is difficult to question his decision given the energy and vibrance of the Englishman  Yes Martial has scored four goals in nine games (all goals from the bench), has a 100% shot accuracy as well as 84% pass accuracy yet it is also no denying the fact that when given less space the Frenchman is notified as well as becoming a passenger when defenders go hard on him due to his quiet nature and small body build whereas  Rashford offers the opposite with more versatility which can stretch defenders with his direct runs making it easier for the other attackers to exploit and run into space.

With Romelu Lukaku as the no9, the use of the Englishman suits his game better due to his ability to run at defenders before lofting crosses or playing a through ball which is something unfamiliar with Martial as he prefers to cut inside often going for goal or drifting to the centre himself. In all these though he might not accept it in public , Anthony Martial knows that statistics have shown he is better when he comes from the bench to disrupt the plans of defenders who played direct with Rashford earlier in the game and have become stressed and unable to change game plan with his entry (Martial).

Rashford or Martial, Manchester United are winning despite not playing well and creating less chances with out of form Mkhitaryan and injured Pogba , which speaks volumes about their mentality this season.

Hottest Attacker In Europe This Season? Messi, Ronaldo Or Kane? No; It's Ciro Immobile Of Lazio

A guess of the highest goalscorer in Europe's top five leagues (Germany, England, Italy, Spain and France) will have many people mentioning the likes of Lionel Messi, Christiano Ronaldo, Emerick Aubameyang or even Harry Kane yet none of the aforementioned players comes close to Ciro Immobile, a failed striker who couldn't even make the grade in Borussia Dortmund and Sevilla some seasons ago.
How how did it get to this? The undeniable fact is it is unfair to label a player a failure simply because they didn't shine when expected to. Footballers are human beings hence their form is affected by numerous things like culture, weather, language, trust or love to say the least. Having joined Juventus aged 16 for €80,000 in 2007, Immobile was classified not good enough to play for his childhood club despite being born in Naples. Afforded no game time and playing just three Seria A games, the striker played on loan for the likes of Sienna, Grosseto and Pescara where his talents were starting to be recognised having scored 28 Seria B goals (Seria B top scorer) as Pescara won promotion to Seria A where he played alongside Insigne and Marco Verratti.

As if that was not enough the striker once again did it in a big way by scoring 22 goals in 33 league games for Torino in his sole season (2013-2014) winning the Copacannoniere (Seria A top scorer; first Torino player to win the award since Francesco Graziani in the 1976-1977 season)  which earned him  a €18m move to Jurgen Klopp's Borussia Dortmund in 2014 where his career stalled as he failed to adapt to a new culture, language and tactics, failing to dislodge Emerick Pierre Aubameyang as the top dog as well as playing only 24 league games and scoring only three. It could only get worse for him as he flopped once again in Sevilla under Unai Emery with Kelvin Gameiro this time keeping him out of the team (made only eight appearances scoring thrice in six months).

Realising he was in in danger of going down the drain as an unfulfilled talent, the Italian settled in Lazio after a single season on loan in former club Torino. Signed for a paltry €8.5m last summer , the striker has shown that on-field performances are sometimes not a true reflection of a player's quality. While he might have been sublime last season scoring 23 goals in 36 league games (Dzeko 29 goals and highest goalscorer) as Lazio qualified for the Europa League, the striker has started where he left out scoring 13 goals in 10 league games as well as 17 in 14 games across all competitions. With the likes of Luiz Alberto, Milinkovic-Savic and Anderson all playing in the front row with him, Immobile has become world class showing exactly that he thrives under a manager that trusts and gives him the patience he needs to deliver. Coach Simone Inzaghi is already doing wonders this season having beaten the likes of Juventus and Milan as they sit 4th in the table three points behind league leaders Napoli.

With more than 28 more games to go, this write-up might appear misleading or premature yet there is no denying the fact that Ciro Immobile is in his prime and at the same time presently the hottest attacker in Europe.

Why Jurgen Klopp's Style Of Play Is Holding Liverpool Back Rather Than The Defenders.

Jurgen Klopp might have reached two finals and finished in the top four in his two years in Liverpool yet one thing appears to be dragging him to the mud and that is defensive frailty. While it is easy to lay all blame on Lovren who has been abysmal since Klopp's appointment one thing that should be noted is that the German has not helped his team due to his inability to field a recognised defensive midfielder who can shield the defence. A player is only as good as his team mates they say, hence the reason the likes defenders who play behind  of Victor Wanyama, Nemanja Matic and Ngolo Kante who interrupt passes, make hard tackles and disposess attackers appear better than their mates in other  clubs .

With his emphasis on massive attack massive defence, there has been little or no man to man marking even in set-piece situations which leaves out space for opponents. Accepted Lovren isn't the best defender available yet this has been a reoccurring problem all through his time in Liverpool with the likes of Nathan Clyne, Kolo Toure, Martin Shktel  , Alberto Moreno, Joel Matip and Klaven all deemed not good enough at one point or the other . The same problem plaguing the Merseyside club this season has always plagued them since the German's appointment in 2015. The only difference last season is that the attack papered the cracks with the likes of Sadio Mane and Philipe Coutinho (13 goals each), Firmino (11), James Milner  and Adam Lallana (eight each). What this entails is that while Liverpool continued to concede goals at an alarming rate  they outscored their opponents.

This season Mane  and Coutinho have suffered with injury and suspension, Lallana is still out and yet to lace his boots and Roberto Firmino is out of form with only Mohammed Salah their only hope in attack. With so much emphasis on intensity and use of wings , the right and left backs bump forward recklessly leaving the centre backs exposed while the duo of Henderson and Emre Can do not possess the stamina to burst up and down to disposess opponents or the ability to tackle and win back the ball without conceding a foul , something mastered by both Wanyama and Kante. Even Spurs despite having the best central defence play with two holding midfielders in Wanyama and Erik Deir or Moussa Dembele which allowed the likes of Kyle Walker and Danny Rose to play high up the pitch last season . Once known as a defensive liability Chelsea's David Luiz have turned the corner ending last season as one of the best central defenders in the Premier League due to Conte's style of play which makes Luiz the third central defender coupled with the protection offered by Matic and Kante.

Pep Guardiola might have been successful in playing without a recognised defensive midfielder yet one cannot argue his team is a disaster at the back and only win games due to the quality of their attack (Sergio Aguero, Jesus Gabriel, Kelvin De Bruyne, Sterling Raheem and David Silva to mention a few). Rather than sign a recognised defensive midfielder, to allow either Henderson, Can, Lallana or Wjinaldum go further up, Klopp has continued to try and make matters worse for himself. Even Jose Mourinho had to pay more than £40m to sign 29 year old Matic from Chelsea so as to reduce the pressure on his defenders and help Pogba concentrate in attacking opponents in this season.

Lovren might not best in his position but he was sure better while in Southampton when he had Wanyama ahead of him to protect him . To illustrate further , Matip who was dependable for Schalke has lost some form as well. Lying 14th in the table and 12 points behind leaders Manchester City, top four is Klopp's best bet for now. Time to Change is now.

Is Claudio Ranieri Cooking Up Another Impossible Shock At Nantes?

Nantes are flying high in the French Ligue 1, sitting 3rd in the table with only big spending PSG and Monaco ahead of them . Though talk of European football might seem premature, yet there is no denying the fact that Claudio Ranieri's side are one of the most improved teams in Ligue 1.

Claudio Ranieri might have been unfortunate to have been sacked by Leicester City despite winning their first league title in their 133 years of existence as well as qualifying them for the second round of the Champions League yet this did nothing to halt his sacking nine months after he won the title. Fast forward to the present and Ranieri's Nantes boast the second best defence in Ligue 1 (seven goals conceded) as well as playing a highly comprehensive compact style of football. Having taken over the job after Sergio Conceicao resigned few weeks to the start of the new season to take over at Porto, Ranieri has further improved the side to the surprise of many . Given that Conceicao took the side from brinks of relegation to near European football qualification ladt season, despite the limited budget, Ranieri has done more in his few months at the club making them difficult to beat as well as improving most players.

Having lost his first two league games, the Italian abandoned his preferred 4-4-2 formation for 4-2-3-1 or 5-4-1 to get the best from his players. Under him, Nantes have conceded only once in their last five games with new signing and goalkeeper Ciprian Tatasuranu being the the fourth best goalkeeper in terms of save percentage in Europe's best five leagues. Playing with a direct style that allows them to soak pressure, sitting deep as well as countering at the slightest opportunity, Nantes have it all going for them at the moment. With top star Amine Harit sold for €10m in the summer, the likes of Abdoulaye Toure, Andrei Girotto and Rene Khhrin have stepped up. What is even more impressive is that Ranieri's appointment was not approved by the UNECATEF (France's Union of Coaches) due to the existing law that prohibits coaches over 65 years from managing in the league before  the Legal Commission of the League stepped in to salvage the situation and confirm his appointment.

In Stade de La Beau, Club president Waldemar Kita even seems more excited than most given his public backing of the Italian to return the glory days to the club who were promoted to the first Division as recent as 2012 although they still remain one of the most successful french clubs having won the league eight times with the most recent been in 2001. With a desire for flexibility,  pragmatism  and emphasis on most attacks going through Adrien Thomasson , Ranieri has evolved his side to become a better side.

With Leicester fighting relegation already having sacked Ranieri's successor Craig Shakespeare last week, it is clear the Italian is already having the last laugh and is building something positively shocking at the moment.

How Valencia Have Evolved Under Marcelino.

Peter Lim was hailed as the Valencia saviour shortly after he bought the club's majority shares as well as clearing it's substantial debts in 2014, yet that has been the only good thing from Valencia since then. In the last three years Los Che have had six different managers  have coupled with two successive 12th place finish . Unrest, financial struggles, fans protest and on-field inconsistencies have come to represent the once Great Spanish side who won the League and UEFA Cup in 2003 under Rafa Benitez.

This appears to be a thing of the past this season as the club has been purged of both directors and players with 16 players sold in the summer and seven signed. In their place came Mateu Alemany (former president of Real Mallorca) as General Director incharge of the daily running of the club. In the dugout, former Sporting Gijon player and coach Marcelino was recruited to turn things around. On the field , everything appears to have changed positively with Los Che 2nd in the table three points behind leaders  Barcelona (ahead of the two Madrid clubs) , unbeaten thus far after nine games,  scoring 25 league goals (only  Barcelona have scored more ) a record which is their best season  start in 70 years  despite having played heavyweights like Real Madrid, Athletic Bilbao, Athletico  Madrid and Sevilla as well only being behind for eight minutes after all these games.

Under the former Villarreal coach, Valencia sold the likes of Negredo, Nani, Perez and Diego Alves for a combined sum of €14m and signing such players like Kondogbia, Guedes, Gabriel as well as keeping hold of captain Parejo who was linked to Barcelona all season, Carlos Solder and Luis Gaya who have all been impressive. In total the Spanish side spent a net of €21m having spent €35m on new signings . Under Marcelino's watch , striker Rodrigo has already scored five times (earning a call up to  the Spanish national team) which is the same number of goals he scored the whole of last season, the same with Simon Zaza who has scored eight (one behind Lionel Messi) and was awarded the League's best player of September . This is not the first time Marcelino will be working wonders with constrained budgets having led Villarreal from the second division to the Semi-final of the Europa League as well as leading an unknown Recreativo Huelva from the second division to a La Liga 8th place finish. Under his belt, Valencia now play in the old traditional 4-4-2 formation with emphasis on intensity and focus on quick recovery of the ball immediately possession is lost so as to quickly counter the opponent as well as the use of the wings to stretch opponents and create spaces for thier attackers. In goal, Neto has shown flashes of his old best after being in Buffon's shadows, Guedes has been so impressive that PSG is unlikely to let him leave on loan again next season having scored three goals and assisted five already with Geoffrey Kondogbia not left out displaying his ball winning abilities and shielding the defence.

Though the league still has a long way to go, their is no doubting that Valencia are on the right path with the new board and Coaching staff considering the excitement and optimism of the fans.

Can Claude Puel Achieve The Impossible In Leicester As He Once Did With Monaco?

Having led Southampton to the League Cup final and narrowly losing 3-2 to Manchester United despite coming back into the game from 2-0 down and  having the misfortune of having a goal wrongly disallowed, Claude Puel was dismissed by the Saints at the end of the season.

So what were the reasons for his dismissal? Puel had led the Saints to 8th in his one and only season but his stifled and patient possession style of football ultimately led to his sacking  as Southampton scored only 41 goals in 38 league games (17 goals in 19 league games), failed to score in six of their final seven league games as well as finishing 15 points behind 7th placed Everton and six ahead of 17th placed Watford. 

Can he turn Leicester City around following his appointment? This is a dicey question considering Leicester City appears to be back where they belong after overachieving under Claudio Ranieri (winning the league in 2016) but considering Puel's ability to work wonders under financial constraints and blooding youth players, the Foxes should be optimistic. No disrespect to Southampton but when compared on paper to Leicester (Leicester are 14th in the table one point above  relegation) , its clear that the Frenchman now has better players despite the exit of Danny Drinkwater to Chelsea as Vincent Iborra and Wilfred Ndidi have shown some early promise in central midfield since Craig Shakespeare's sacking . The list is not complete without the mention of the trio of Riyadh Mahrez, Jamie Vardy and Okazaki all players who are better when playing on a counter-attack considering their pace ans trickey which perfectly suits Puel's style and alongside talented youngsters  Kelechi Iheanacho and Ben Chillwell and you see why Puel is the right man for the Foxes at the moment. 

Despite not winning any trophy lately, Puel won the French Ligue 1 in his first season as a coach in Monaco (2000) , promoting the likes of Thierry Henry and David Trezeguet from the academy and turning them into World Beaters, taking Lyon into their one and only Champions League semi-final (2010) and finishing 4th in Ligue 1 with little known Nice with the likes of Mendy, St-Germain, Ben Arfa (2016). While he might have struggled to play Southampton's style of entertaining quick football it should be noted that he started the season without two of his main important players Victor Wanyama and Sadio Mane who were the bedrock of the Saints but sold to Spurs and Liverpool respectively. This is not all as then captain Jose Fonte decided to make the move North to West Ham in the Winter as well as the injury of new captain Virgil Van Dijk who suffered a career threatening injury in January that kept him out of the season coupled with the strains of League Cup and Europa League for a thin Southampton Squad and you find out why he struggled at the South Coast last season. 

Though it is still too early yet optimism should be expected from fans of the Foxes as Puel tries to take them back into contention for European competitions, only time will tell if this expectation is excessive

Stats That Show Why Javier Hernandez (Chicharito) Has Struggled In West Ham.

West Ham United fans thought their club made the best signing of the season when Javier Hernandez (Chicharito) was signed for £16m from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer having been without a prolific goalscorer with the likes of Andy Carroll, Diafra Sako and Dede Ayew all blowing hot and cold over the years yet based on empirical evidence the Mexican has flopped in East London.

While it is shocking to admit that the highest Mexican goalscorer (international) has not been at his best with West Ham sitting 16th in the league same point with 18th placed Everton, Slaven Bilic must take the blame for not getting the best out of the Mexican. Having scored 39 goals in 76 games for Bayer Leverkusen in two years as well as netting 59 goals in 157 games for Manchester United despite playing more then half of those games as a substitute, Chicharito is as good as the services provided to me by his team mates. This means that the striker feeds on creativity from team mates as his awareness (predatory instincts and ability to find the back of the net inside the penalty  box are his best attributes. In East London, the Mexican has been starved of the ball so often with his team mates unable to create chances as stats show the Hammers have created only five clear cut chances this season which is one of the worst in the league which is only better than the likes  of Huddersfield, Brighton Bournemouth , 65 chances in total which ranks 12th in the league as well which shows why the striker has suffered. This is not all as West Ham have also covered the least distance and fewest springs  in the Premier League this season.

Despite the five clear cut chances created by his teammates, the Mexican has converted three outscoring 20 to 30 West Ham strikers that came before him a stats that shows the scatter gun recruitment approach of the club in the transfer market. To buttress further, Chicharito has had no shot on target in the last three games yet scoring 40 of his Premier League goals inside the box which is the reason he has struggled in East London with the multi-talented chief creator Argentine Manuel Lanzini unable to play most games for the Hammers this season . Further stats show that West Ham have had the second fewest touches in the opposition box (101 touches with Swansea  95) which shows why it has been difficult for the Manchester United crowd favourite to shine. Paired with Andy Carrol in a 4-4-2 formation  in two league games, the Mexico  International has been abysmal as he plays from the left instead of his favourite central position with the 1-0 win against Swansea achieved after he was hooked off as Diafra Sahko came in for him to score the winner. At present the striker has an average only 1.8 shots per game which is his career worst considering his 2.6 shots in Bayer, 3.1 in Real Madrid and 4.2 shots per game in United.

Having seen Dede Ayew score a double in the 3-2 win against Spurs (League Cup), under fire manager Slaven Bilic might be tempted to pair the Ghanian with Chicharito hence leaving out Carrol on the bench in their weekend game against a struggling Everton side who sacked manager Ronald Koeman on Monday or keep him on the bench to come on as an impact substitute while continuing to pair Carrol and Ayew together as the Englishman has an excellent hold up play as well an aerial presence while Ayew can play from the wings as well as create chances for teammates at the same time giving Chicharito the time and training required to  gel with his teammates as well as coming on later in the game to run tired defenders hazard.

Slaven Bilic is clearly under pressure but having seen his side come from two goals down to beat Spurs on Wednesday, one will be making a massive mistake to right them off this season also considering the new form of Manuel Lanzini who has thrived since the exit of Dmitri Payet.

Despite A Net Spend Of £15m Inter Milan Are Riding High In Seria A.

For seven years since winning the treble (Champions League, Seria A and Coppa Italia) under Jose Mourinho in 2010, Inter Milan have fallen from grace to grass unable to replicate the form that made them one of the best sides in European football. In all the Italian club have signed more than 50 players , appointed seven different managers as well as having three different owners all in the space of five years.

All that appears to have changed with a plan to obey Financial Fair Play rules as well as building the right environment to work where players and coaching staff an excel. With city rivals AC Milan spending more than £150m on player signings in the summer, Napoli, Juventus and Roma consolidating on existing players by making big signings Inter had to sell star players like Ever Banega as well as the loaning of Murillo, Kondogbia and Jesus Barbosa to mention a few in order to balance the books. In total, the Nerazzurri realised £75m from player sales while spending £55m on new signings in the summer. 

The result is an Inter which has defied the odds under new Chinese owner Zhang Jindong sitting in second position, two points behind leaders Napoli and one ahead of defending Champions Juventus. Under former Roma coach ( Luciano Spalletti), the Italian side have played with the hunger and drive that has been missing over the years. With a record of 26 points from 10 games (club's second best ever points in their 109 years history ), it easy to see why this is the best points Inter have gained since the 1997-1998 season under Gigi Simone who had the likes of Ronaldo, Djorkaeff, Recoba and Simeone. This is impressive considering this same side finished 7th and where 24 points behind third placed Napoli last season. 

With the addition of Milan Skriniar, Juan Miranda has fared better partnering impressively with him in central defence to say the least. Veteran full backs Danilo D'Ambrosio (29) and Yuto Nagatomo (31 and given a standing ovation in the 3-2 win against Sampdoria on Tuesday) have played the best football of their careers due to competition from understudy youngsters Joan Cancelo and Dalbert . In central midfield new signings Borja Valero  and Matias Vecino have been excellent continuing from where they stopped while in Fiorentina together, with 23-year-old new signing Gagliadini showing flashes of brilliance to add to the mix. Despite being in his 30s Antonio Candreva has sparked to life often changing positions with Ivan Perisic who was linked all summer to Manchester United before signing a new deal. 

To add icing on the cake Captain and star striker Mario Icardi (24) has become almost unplayable in the last 15 months having scored  11 goals already this season which is not even as impressive as his 35 goals in his last 44 Seria A games (more than 100 goals for Inter across all competitions since 2013 for less than £11m).

Despite it been too early for optimism it is worthy of note that Inter do not play any European football this season and as a result will have ample time in training with no European distraction as the fans continue to hope for the best . 

Signed For A Mere £6.5m, Why Newcastle United's Mikel Merino Is A Steal .

Watching Newcastle's Mikel Merino play it is difficult to fathom the reason for his inability to shine while under Thomas Tuchel in Borussia Dortmund last season. At 21, with more than 67 Segundo division games for hometown club Osasuna (his father Angel played over 500 times in Spanish football mostly in Osasuna), Merino departed for the German club in the summer of 2016. With an imposing body frame of 6ft 2in, Tuchel saw him more as a left sided centre back in a three man defence,  a position the Spaniard failed to adapt to while at the German club. 

Initially signed for £2.7 million on a season long loan from BVB,  it took only seven league games to convince Benitez and the board to cough out an additional £6.5m to sign him permanently on a five year contract in October. So what are the attributes that did this immediate magic? 

With a plan to gently introduce the youngster to the Premier League, Benitez quickly abandoned such plan when Jonjo Shevley was sent off in the season opener against Spurs which prompted the immediate introduction of the youngster with the mindset of a damage control. Having struggled in his first two games (Spurs and Huddersfield), Merino came to life in his third game (West Ham United) as the Tyneside club comprehensively beat Slaven Bilic's side 3-0 with the youngster winning the Man of the Match Award after making the highest number of forward passes, total passes, successful dribbles and possessions won back. A member of the Spanish U-19 side that won the 2015 Euros alongside the likes of Dani Ceballos and Marcos Asensio, Mikel Merino scored Spain's first goal of the tournament as he expertedly marshalled La Roja's midfield throughout tournament. With nine League games under his belt in Newcastle, it is easy to see why he has been compared to ex-Liverpool and Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso considering his ability to play a defence splitting pass at the slightest opportunity as well as anchor and box-to-box midfield role. That is not all as the Spaniard is a strong tackler, ability to shot dangerous long range shots and near perfect in set-piece situations with his goal against Crystal Palace a perfect example. 

Sitting  seventh in the table with their ability to grind out results even when playing ugly , Rate Benitez has built his midfield on the Spanish youngster who has outshined the likes of the more established players  signed with him in the summer (Florian Lejeune, Joselu, Jacob Murphy and Christian Atsu).

This season the midfielder boasts awesome stats like 18m average pass length, 51 % average duels won and 76% average pass accuracy which illustrates his growing importance. Though it is still too early to tell, what is clear is that Mikel Merino is a "Steal" for Newcastle considering his early season displays.