<div id="attachment_32625" style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><div><figure class="image"></figure></div>Photo by nicksarebi</div>
Ashley Young has signed a five-year contract with Manchester United on a fee believed to be around £15m to Aston Villa.
I am sure that United fans everywhere are celebrating this development. The club has been tracking the pacey left winger for a while and I am glad that the club are finally signing him. This bodes well not just for United, but looks to benefit England as well. Together with Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and Danny Welbeck amongst others, manager Sir Alex Ferguson appears to be building his next team with a strong core of English players.
Does anyone remember the last time United had a pure left winger? When I first started watching football, Ryan Giggs had just taken over from Lee Sharpe on the left wing and since that time, I can only think of Jesper Blomqvuist. An argument can be made for Nani and Park but they are not left wing specialists. Young looks to be a worthy successor to the Giggs of old: He can tear apart defences with his dribbling, pace, ability to whip in dangerous crosses and score the odd goal. With Giggs still at the club, I’m sure he will be able to aid Young’s development.
Valencia has shown the value of width to United’s game and with this signing, United will be able to pose a threat down both wings. How do you see this playing out? Share your opinions in the comments section below.

Ashley Young Signs for Manchester United: Initial Impressions - World Soccer Talk

Ashley Young Signs for Manchester United: Initial Impressions

<a href="http:\/\/view.picapp.com/default.aspx?term=liverpool&amp;iid=8679886" target="_blank"></a><div><figure class="image"><a href="http:\/\/view.picapp.com/default.aspx?term=liverpool&amp;iid=8679886" target="_blank"></a></figure></div>
<a href="http:\/\/view.picapp.com/default.aspx?term=liverpool&amp;iid=8679886" target="_blank"></a> 
Out of the Europa league, out of the Champion’s League next season, trophy-less this season, and with key players and manager looking likely to leave, Liverpool’s season of agony is coming to a close. An outstanding contrast to the way they finished last season, the question on all Pool fans’ minds will inevitably be “what went wrong?”
As the team trudged back onto the pitch to say their final farewells for the season with what must’ve been very heavy footsteps, the imminent fate of the club seemed reflected on all their faces. Indeed, from the minute Steven Gerrard provided Didier&nbsp;Drogba with his 26th goal of the season, Liverpool seemed certain of their destiny. The silence emanating&nbsp;from the Kop seemed to confirm that the sentiment was not shared amongst the players alone.
A start as sluggish as you’d ever see from a supposed top four club, Liverpool never looked like they would stand a chance. It didn’t help that Liverpool supporters all over the globe were torn between potentially allowing Manchester United to surpass their record, and retaining what’s left of their pride. Ultimately, sloppy defending and listless attacking made that decision for them.
As for Chelsea, they go up against Wigan, a team that despite their humiliating 9 – 1 defeat against Tottenham, beat Arsenal, Liverpool and, Chelsea. While it is true that the title is theirs to lose, Chelsea must be wary to avoid complacency, lest they suffer a similar fate as Arsenal.
Interesting fact: 75% of Liverpool fans in Singapore wanted Liverpool to lose.

Liverpool&#039;s Woes Compounded; Chelsea Almost There - World Soccer Talk

Liverpool's Woes Compounded; Chelsea Almost There

<div><figure class="image"></figure></div>
Let me just start off by saying that I’m so glad I put Nicklas Bendtner in my fantasy premier league team this week. So often dismissed as an arrogant egotist, he’s showed real ability in this past week, netting a hat trick against Porto and scoring the late winner in this morning’s game. I believe my cynicism has been well documented, and well justified. However, it is starting to look more and more likely that I’ll eat my words.
The last ten minutes of the game against Hull reminded me of Manchester United. Their movement, sense of urgency, it resembled a United movement I like to call it. There was real intent to claim the 3 points, and while I disagreed with the substitutions Wenger had made, I was relieved that Denilson took that shot. He is possibly the only one, besides Arshavin, who would try from such a distance and actually test Myhill. And by resembling United, I mean they resemble champions.

Of course, taking into account that Hull was playing the entire second half with ten men, Arsenal probably should have finished them off sooner. Then again, Hull never should have had that penalty. And that brings me to my main problem. The pitch.
Firstly, the pitch looked utterly abysmal. Arsenal simply couldn’t play their passing game. The ball couldn’t travel fast or straight enough on the pitch. Secondly, I have a niggling suspicion that the addition lines on the pitch contributed to the amount of offsides missed by the linesman. The lines, and also the bad pitch, are remnants of the recent rugby league, and my theory is that it made the linesmen lazy. It served, at times, as a marker, and at times as a distraction. I’m not a big fan of last night’s referee either. Arsenal had 2 penalty appeals turned down in the first half. The first, I contend, wasn’t all that obvious. Nicklas Bendtner was sandwiched by two Hull players, and there could’ve been a hand to his face as he went down. But the second makes me scratch my head. Clichy is tripped in the area by a Hull defender. Anywhere on the pitch, that would’ve been a freekick. Credit duly given to Clichy for getting up right away.
Overall, it was a great game. It had everything: Goals, misses, injuries, bookings, a sending off, refereeing mistakes. Arsenal have clearly demonstrated their desire to win and their ability to do so. Before the game, Football Channel pundit Carlton Palmer said that he had no doubt that Arsenal would win the league. While I don’t share his confidence, it is looking increasingly plausible.

Arsenal And The League Title: Looking Good - World Soccer Talk

Arsenal And The League Title: Looking Good

<a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/arsenal-supporters.jpg"></a><div><figure class="image"><a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/arsenal-supporters.jpg"></a></figure></div>
The word “drog” should be in the dictionary(no not the <a href="http:\/\/www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=drog">urban one</a>). “Drog” – verb- Completely dominating one’s opponent in the style of an Ivorian footballing machine.
It was an all too familiar story at Stamford Bridge. Dider Drogba, 12 goals in 12 games against Arsenal. The man simply does not play his age. At 31, he’s still running with the pace of a 26 year old. There is no doubt that the Gunners are sick to the sight of him.
Prior to the game, Sir Alex encouraged Arsenal to batter Chelsea. Wishful thinking on the old fox’s part? Chelsea are now back on top, 2 points clear, and Arsenal’s titles hopes hang by a thread. But what exactly went wrong for the Gunners?

The 5 Could Nots
1) Arsenal Could Not Defend
Same old story. Set pieces are still Arsenal’s Achilles Heel. Disgraced former England captain John Terry lost his marker and rose to head the ball towards the far post, where Didier Drogba lost his marker to stab the ball home. 2 players, 2 markers lost.
For the second goal, Vermalen inexplicably left Drogba alone on the right. Perhaps he didn’t see Clichy speeding back to assist Gallas in the centre. Who knows? He could have stuck with Drogba and forced him to go wide, possibly preventing the concession of the second goal. Instead, he joined Clichy and Gallas in the centre and when the ball reached Drogba, there was only going to be one outcome.
They say a good keeper is worth at least 15 points in a season. Almunia, for me, is worth only 2. His&nbsp;defence&nbsp;does not seem to feel confident about him keeping goal. He has not earned the respect of his team mates, and that is where the problem lies. Arsenal need a goalkeeper who isn’t afraid to bark at his players and be the alpha male in defence. Peter Schmeichel did it. Peter Shilton did it. Edwin Van Der Sar is still doing it. And they have all won trophies with their respective clubs.
2) Cech Could Not Be Beaten
Too good. Cech was simply too good to be beaten. It was a brave Peter Cech, one that seemed to have been missing for the past few games. Last night, he claimed corners, dove at player’s feet, and demonstrated remarkable reactions to deny Arsenal again and again, notably Arshavin’s volley, the 1 v 1 with Nasri and Fabregas’ freekick. Almunia could take a page or two out of Cech’s book.
3) Wenger Could Not Read Carlo’s Tactics
The Italian job comes to mind. Carlo Ancelotti knew exactly what to do against Wenger’s Boys. He knew all too well that Arsenal’s big problem was not with passing, but with finishing off moves. Chelsea sat back and allowed Arsenal to play their passing game, and the moment Arsenal felt settled and comfortable enough, someone would nip in to steal the ball, and with lightning speed, a counterattack would be launched ie. Second goal. Mr Wenger, however, stuck to his guns. To be fair, Arsenal’s response after going 1 – 0 down was surprising, and quite pleasing. They looked hell bent on causing trouble for Chelsea. Arshavin, especially, looked in the mood for destruction. Sadly, it was not their day.
4) Walcott Could Not Play
Anonymous. That is the word to describe Theo Walcott last night. At times, I had to remind myself that he was playing. He could not pass, he could not run, he could not beat Ashley Cole. To be fair, he has been in and out of the side too much, and has not had sufficient play time to establish any sort of consistency. It was essentially 10 against 11 until Bendtner was introduced, who I maintain, should have started the game. I’m not the Dane’s biggest fan, but against a team of muscles, you need a big guy up front.
5) The Boys Could Not Beat The Men
Alan Curbishley, guest pundit on the night, made this excellent point. Chelsea have a team of men. Terry, Lampard, Malouda, Drogba, Ballack, Carvalho, Anelka, these are men who will grab the game by the scruff of the neck and make something out of nothing. Arsenal don’t have any players of that calibre. Cesc? Too soft. Arshavin? Too small. Nasri? Too small. Song? Too small. Walcott? Don’t joke. Echoing Patrice Evra’s comments last year, it was truly another case of Boys vs Men. Except the metaphor is more aptly used in this instance than <a href="http:\/\/www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/jan/31/arsenal-manchester-united-premier-league1">that one</a>.
Other notables:
Sagna cannot cross
Much of Arsenal’s game revolves around quick full backs making runs up the pitch and sending crosses in. Sagna’s crosses were so terrible, they actually made me wonder if Eboue would’ve done a better job.
Arsenal do not shoot
Pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass… ball’s lost. Arsenal fans should be familiar with that story. Too many passes, not enough shots. Arsenal need to take some risks. A low, angled drive could result in a pinball effect, and ultimately land in the back of the net. God forbid Arsene should encourage that sort of scoring method.
Drogba cannot be stopped
No explanations required here. Didier Drogba simply cannot stop scoring. It doesn’t seem like any defense in the league can handle him at the moment. And it’s not for the lack of trying either.
The truth is, Arsenal never looked like title contenders. Even if they did make a strong point at the beginning of the season, one must remember that there is a formula to creating champions. And Arsenal haven’t got it. A strong centre forward is still missing. A world class goalkeeper, a tall centreback and a defensive midfielder the likes of Patrick Viera. These are all elements that have been missing in Arsenal’s game for too long. Arsene can stick to his “beautiful football” philosophy, but last night, Chelsea’s passing left me breathless. It was quick, it was accurate, it was hard, and it was as pleasant to watch as anything Arsenal’s ever produced. With the transfer window shut, Wenger must attempt to manufacture a winning formula using his existing players.
The statistics tell another story, though. Looking at the numbers, Arsenal look like winners, like the better team. A wise man once said to me, “If you need statistics to tell you what’s good or bad, you’re probably not very bright.” Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea had a game plan that involved allowing Arsenal to play their way, and they worked it to perfection. As for Arsenal, it looks like yet another season’s title hopes down the drain.

Arsenal Drogged, Title Aspirations Smashed - World Soccer Talk

Arsenal Drogged, Title Aspirations Smashed

<div><figure class="image"></figure></div>
Owen Coyle’s managerial debut for Bolton ended in a 0 – 2 defeat against the Gunners. The scoreline suggests an easy victory. It was anything but. To Bolton’s credit, they started the match brightly and nearly scored twice within the first 5 minutes. Arsenal, though intially stunned by Bolton’s aggressive approach and passing movement, regained their composure to take control of the match. It could easily have gone the other way though. What went wrong for Bolton?
1. Return of Cesc
Fabregas is, quite simply, a genius. Describe by our Football Channel pundits as being “from another planet”, he was virtually unplayable in the first half. Despite not being a vocal captain like Tony Adams, Cesc prefers to lead by example. His performance on the pitch speaks volumes and makes up for what his lack of verbal outbursts.
2. Matthew “Many Misses” Taylor
If Matty had been more composed, Bolton would probably have scored at least 3 goals. Instead, he fired the ball into the stands at least three times when it seemed easier to at least hit Almunia. It was surprising; one would expect much better for a player employed an incredible technique to score this <a href="http:\/\/www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjFGdRRlt90&amp;feature=PlayList&amp;p=EAD31F36DA0860D5&amp;playnext=1&amp;playnext_from=PL&amp;index=43">wonder goal</a> while playing for Portsmouth.
3. Owen Coyle Tactics
The different between Gary Megson’s Bolton and Owen Coyle’s Bolton could not have been more significant. Gary Megson’s Bolton was one I dreaded watching every week, mainly because they were so boring. Long ball tactics, physical play and lack of invention from every part of the pitch meant a long and dreary 90 minutes. Owen Coyle comes along and suddenly, it’s a brand new Bolton. However, the danger of playing Arsenal is that if you leave yourself slightly open, Arsenal will exploit it and punish you. And that is exactly what happened to them. Owen Coyle’s Bolton resembles his Burnley side: Good passing movement, good rhythm, aggressive offensive play, but too little behind to stop conceding goals. Owen Coyle must find the balance between offense and defense to ensure that teams don’t exploit the space his players leave behind.
Positives to note:
1. Ivan Klasnic
The striker was looking sharp. Spearheading much of Bolton’s attacks, he was a constant threat. Despite missing a couple of glaring opportunities, Bolton looked a lot more dangerous compared to when Elmander was leading the pack.
2. Craig Eastmond
The young midfielder played extremely well. While most young players making their debuts tend to avoid the forward pass for fear of misplacing it or losing the ball, Eastmond showed none of that. The future looks bright for this young man.
3. Fran Merida
Rumours are that Merida will join Athletico Madrid next season in an attempt to secure regular first team football. Judging from his performance, he does make a good case. Arsene Wenger will be looking to convince the youngster to stay after last night’s performance, but will he be able to offer Merida more first team opportunities?
Arsenal and Bolton face each other in the return fixture at the Emirates on Wednesday. Will Owen Coyle adjust his tactics? Will it be another inspirational performance from Fabregas? How many will Matty Taylor miss? I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but I can’t wait to watch Bolton play.

Arsenal Force A Victory Over Bolton - World Soccer Talk

Arsenal Force A Victory Over Bolton

<div><figure class="image"></figure></div>
A handful of first team regulars were uncharacteristically slotted into the FA Cup team by Arsene Wenger as Arsenal survived West Ham’s efforts to upset them. The Hammers looked to be in control and ready to apply yet another blow to Arsenal’s season after coming back from two goals down to draw earlier in the season. Diamanti, credit to him, was superb in attack. Behrami was another outstanding performer, constantly chasing down balls and launching tackles that would’ve made Patrick Viera proud. Robert Green was in fine form, at one point of time making an incredible save which prompted the commentators to ponder out loud if Arsene would consider buying him.
The match signalled Wenger’s intent to capture at least one trophy this season. The introduction of Diaby and Nasri was a smart move. Diaby provided the cover for Ramsey to get forward more, and Arsenal’s passing became noticeably slicker with Nasri’s influence. It may just be one of the more important victories for Arsenal this season. Coming from behind to win a game at Upton Park is no mean feat, especially with Gianfranco’s Hammer’s so intent on upsetting any team that approaches.
One big worry is the lack of manpower. Alex Song is already on the way to the African Nations Cup, which means changes have to be made for Wednesday’s trip to Bolton. Diaby would probably have to step into the holding role. Fabregas, Denilson, Eboue and Walcott are all unavailable, which means Arsene could go with Ramsey playing in Cesc’s role and Rosicky to complete the midfield threesome, while sticking with Eduardo, Arshavin and Nasri up front. Alternatively, Arsene could choose to unleash Wilshere, though I’m not sure how he’d fare against a team like Bolton.
Bolton, fresh off their victory against Lincoln City will be looking to frustrate. It is a torrid time for Gooners, one full of anxiety and uncertainty. It’s supposed to be a time where while Chelsea and Manchester United engage each other in a race for the title, &nbsp;Arsenal quietly go about their business and sneak up behind them. Now, with their top striker out, their holding midfielder away and a handful of regulars injured, it remains to be seen if Arsenal have what it takes to rough this period out.

Arsenal Survives For Now - World Soccer Talk

Arsenal Survives For Now

The #1 Source for Soccer TV Schedules, Streaming Links, Cord Cutting Reviews, Soccer News and Interviews With Broadcasters.

Bruce Gottesman

latest articles by Bruce Gottesman

General

Ashley Young Signs for Manchester United: Initial Impressions

General

Liverpool's Woes Compounded; Chelsea Almost There

General

Arsenal And The League Title: Looking Good

Arsenal

Arsenal Drogged, Title Aspirations Smashed

General

Arsenal Force A Victory Over Bolton

General

Arsenal Survives For Now