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It’s certainly been a disappointing first half to the season for Liverpool fans. Far from their runner-up finish last year, the Reds find themselves in eighth place after twenty fixtures, and most importantly of all, seven points off a Champions League spot.

But there’s still 18 Premier League games remaining and reportedly some cash in the transfer kitty, so with the January window now upon us, it’s time to consider some signings that could rekindle the Reds’ stuttering campaign.

Just in case Brendan Rodgers is short on ideas, being the lovely bunch we are at Football Fancast, we’ve gone and thought of FIVE.

YOHAN CABAYE

With reports of Steven Gerrard’s end-of-season departure confirmed yesterday evening, Brendan Rodgers could kill two birds with one stone in January – strengthening his squad for the rest of the campaign whilst simultaneously finding a successor to Liverpool’s Captain Fantastic.

Undoubtedly a task easier said than done, but one option comes in the form of PSG’s Yohan Cabaye. The France international is a little more lightweight than Stevie G but shares many traits with the Anfield skipper, particularly a cultured, long-range passing game and deadly potency from dead ball situations.

The 28 year-old is well-proven in the Premier League too, having bagged 18 goals and 15 assists in 93 appearances for Newcastle, and appears to be on his way out at PSG after failing to become a first team regular since swapping Tyneside for Parc de Princes last January. It’s believed he’d set Liverpool back around £22million.

PETR CECH

Brendan Rodgers’ dwindling faith in Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet has clearly surpassed breaking point and securing the services of a replacement No.1 will likely be the Anfield gaffer’s first port of call in January.

It might seem like a rather audacious move, but in terms of goalkeepers with Premier League-proven credentials, it’s impossible to look past Chelsea’s Petr Cech. The Czech international is one of the greatest goalies in Premier League history, boasting 328 league appearances, three titles and three Golden Gloves, and is in need of a new challenge, having fallen behind Thibaut Courtois in the pecking order at Stamford Bridge this season – an immensely talented goalkeeper a decade his junior.

Chelsea are reluctant to sell however and the 32 year-old doesn’t seem to be pushing for a departure, but the Red should be at least testing the waters this January.

XHERDAN SHAQIRI

According to the tabloids, Liverpool are already on the verge of announcing a deal for Bayern Munich winger Xherdan Shaqiri.

The Reds were strongly linked to the Swiss international during the summer, but his impressive performances at the World Cup reportedly convinced the German champions to reject Anfield’s fiscal advances.

Still struggling to usurp Arjen Robben or Frank Ribery from a first team place however, somewhat unsurprisingly, it’s believed the Bavarians are now prepared to let Shaqiri leave.

Despite not making the grade at the Allainz Arena, the 23 year-old is a real prospect; he created the most chances per match of any player at Brazil 2014.

FABIAN SCHAR

From one Swiss international to another, FC Basel prodigy Fabian Schar is set to become one of the January transfer window’s most sought-after bargains and Liverpool would be wise to get involved in the pursuit.

It may seem counter-intuitive to suggest a 23 year-old centre-half can triumph where Liverpool’s more experienced players have failed. But Schar’s continually impressed in the Champions League over the last two seasons, last term recording the best statistics of any defender, as detailed below, and appears more than ready to begin plying his trade at a higher level:

A front-footed, ambitious defender, the Switzerland centre-back’s confidence in possession should particularly strike a chord with Brendan Rodgers – and with his contract set to expire at the end of the season, it looks like Bebbi will be forced to sell before the end of the month.

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It’s believed Schar will be sold for around the £10million mark, but rival suitors include Arsenal, Spurs, Manchester United, Borussia Dortmund and Inter Milan.

FABIAN DELPH

From one January bargain (and one Fabian) to another, plenty of clubs will also be fighting it out for Aston Villa’s Fabian Delph this month.

It’s been a sensational 2014 for the tenacious midfielder, winning the Villain of the Year award at the end of last season and more recently a spot in Roy Hodgson’s England squad, with three caps since his September debut.

Brendan Rodgers has brought success to several young England internationals since taking the Anfield helm in 2012 and in that regard, Delph fits the bill perfectly. His blend of industry, dynamism and flair – epitomised in the video above – suits Liverpool’s philosophy too.

Aston Villa insist the 25 year-old isn’t for sale, but with his contract set to expire in the summer and an extension becoming increasingly unlikely, they’ll be unable to turn down respectable offers this January. £10million-£15million seems like a realistic estimate.

There is a persistent mentioning of Demba Ba having a £7 million release clause as we approach January; various sources suggest he may leave. What’s new?

This time though Newcastle supporters are slightly more concerned about the prospect of the Senegalese international leaving. He has proven that his flurry of goals at the beginning of the last Premier League campaign was no flash in the pan, and his consistent ability to put the ball in the back of the net you would suspect has not gone unnoticed.

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Since the summer window came and went with similar rumours of a supposedly unsettled Ba wanting to jump ship we approach the same issue again. If he finally decides it is time to leave are there any better options out there for him? Would he be wise to move on?

If we are to believe the gossip columns then Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool are queuing up for him. Are any of those options superior than Newcastle? Well that is an obvious yes to two of them. I don’t buy that Liverpool is more of an obvious lure than where he currently is, despite their prestige and history. They are in transition as are the Magpies. The Europa League has been a brutal lesson for those involved that if you don’t have a squad you will be punished, and they have realised this at Anfield as well as at St James’s Park.

The style of play of Arsenal does appear to suit Demba more than that currently displayed on Tyneside. I am sure he would find neat intricate passing a welcome break from the long ball drivel that Alan Pardew’s men have so often offered up this season. It is a logical fit from other perspectives too. The transfer fee for a high calibre proven Premier League scorer is one which wouldn’t break the bank. Wenger is a man who has stuck to what he knows in the transfer market and a reasonable price tag makes the move possible.  It is also a transfer that would benefit the Gunners too. There is a sense that the majestic finishing and ruthless goalscoring of Robin Van Persie hasn’t been adequately replaced by Giroud or Podolski. It seems that they are crying out for a striker who is willing to be that little bit selfish, takes those gambles when he gets close to the opposition goal and shoots on sight. Demba certaintly ticks all those boxes.

A switch to Tottenham is also one which would provide an opportunity to push for Champions League football. Spurs only have Defoe and Adebayor as their 2 striking options, so Ba would be welcomed to add competition. The fact that AVB likes playing 1 forward up front, particular away from home again could suit Ba. The supporting cast to provide service at Tottenham is pretty impressive with Bale, Lennon and Dembele to name the most prominent flair players. There is a definite feeling that the Lilywhites need to plump up their squad if they are to retain their top 4 challenge. Daniel Levy is known to scout for good deals too and the transfer fee could appeal to the shrewd chairman at the Lane.

Should he jump at the opportunity to leave the Magpies now I have suggested better options are available? I am not so sure. The grass may appear to be greener at other clubs, but he should assess his own position rather those of the clubs he could go to.

Some  fans have suggested that Newcastle have plateaued under Pardew and can’t go any further under him, so insist a move to stay at the top level is neccessary. They fail to understand what Demba Ba has at Newcastle. He is currently the main man, and he would not be guaranteed to be that at the Gunners or Spurs if he left. There is a definite appreciation for what he does by Newcastle fans. I would go as far as the majority of the fans of either potential North London clubs would be underwhelmed by the signing of Ba, hoping for a higher profile signing. If an offer was forthcoming from Brendan Rodgers I am not sure another Newcastle signing would be welcomed with glee in Anfield either.

At Spurs I fear he would clash with Defoe up front as both play a goalscoring game, and the England international has been on stunning form, even Adebayor has found him hard to oust from the team. At Arsenal, Wenger he would by no means walk into the team, especially if Walcott is finally given a chance to play up front. At Newcastle they are looking for a forward too and any striker brought in you would assume would be brought into to tailor his play rather than being brought in to directly challenge him. Ba also enters new contract negotiations in a strong position, where he would probably be paid more by Mike Ashley than by other suitors. Arsenal and Tottenham run strict wage structures and would not break that for a player like Demba Ba, Lionel Messi maybe. This is not disrespect to how good Ba is because his goalscoring ability is abundantly clear, just an observation on the way the chairman at these clubs decide to run things.

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Demba Ba may as well see what Pardew has up his sleeve in January. There will be signings to come in and there is still a Europa League campaign he could play a huge part in. The clubs that seem interested in Ba are all in transition. If Ba didn’t fit in he would be quickly put in the bin pile as Carroll was at Liverpool or Chamakh has been at Arsenal. The nature of football is extremely fickle, so he would be wise to think carefully if and when he moves on. His stock can only continue to rise with continued goals where he is at. There appears to be a long term plan at Newcastle with the manager on an 8 year deal looking to build for the future. This season may be one where the club lapses. Next season with a clean bill of health, Newcastle could very well be challenging the likes of Tottenham and Arsenal again and Demba Ba would be at the centre of these plans.

In the summer Ba threw his toys out the pram indirectly through his agent and has got what he wanted. He is the spearhead of the Newcastle attack and they have compensated their style of play to suit him. This has not come at the cost of the fans disliking him either, his goals and lively displays still make him an idol and one of their favourite players. If he leaves in January there is a lot of risk for Ba and very little tangible reward.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poSPzhmYpdM

Manchester United and Liverpool face each other for the 52nd time in the Premier League this weekend and there is once again big stakes on the line in the Northwest derby.

While the title may be beyond both sides this season, the battle for a runner-up finish is well and truly on with the second-place Red Devils and the third-placed Reds separated by just two points in the table.

But which manager faces the biggest injury problems, how could the referee influence proceedings at Old Trafford, who enters the game in better form and can history tell us anything about the likeliest outcome? Here’s everything you need to know ahead of Saturday’s 12.30pm kickoff…

What History Tells Us

Throughout the Premier League era, Manchester United have claimed a huge 42 points more than Liverpool in this fixture, accordingly boasting better returns for goals scored and clean sheets – however, they have received two more red cards.

Perhaps that shouldn’t be a surprise considering the few occasions in which Liverpool have actually finished above United in a Premier League season, but the Red Devils’ dominance has been mostly felt in recent years, winning seven of the last twelve and losing just two.

United’s win-rate at Old Trafford is far superior to Liverpool’s as well, but the big concern for the neutrals is whether this game will be reduced to yet another uneventful draw. The last three top flight meetings have all ended with a point apiece, with neither side scoring in both of the visits to Anfield Jose Mourinho has presided over.

Referee Influence – Craig Pawson

The appointment of Craig Pawson doesn’t spell particularly good news for either side based on their recent encounters with the 38-year-old; Pawson infamously awarded an incredibly soft penalty to hand Everton a 1-1 draw in the Merseyside derby at Anfield earlier this season, while the last United fixture he officiated was the shock 1-0 defeat to Newcastle at St. James’ Park.

More troubling for United though is the maudlin approach Pawson has shown in the Premier League this season, ranking in the top nine for fouls per tackle, fouls per game, yellow cards per game and penalties per game. While the home side are fourth in the Premier League’s foul charts, Liverpool are a lowly 17th.

But in a derby that will implore full-blooded challenges and drama, Pawson’s returns this season are a warning for both sides not to cross the line. A few too many bookings or a sending off will make a huge difference in a clash between two teams of such similar quality.

Form Guide

It’s Liverpool who enter this fixture in better form – they’ve lost just once in the Premier League since October – but there isn’t a great deal to choose between them and United from the last six games. Both have won four of those, with Liverpool picking up one draw compared to the Red Devils’ two defeats.

The Reds have also scored more goals and kept more clean sheets, although United have faced Chelsea in that time as well as Tottenham, whereas the rest of Liverpool’s opposition have all been members of the relegation battle – the likes of Newcastle, West Ham and Huddersfield.

In terms of firepower though, Mohamed Salah is finding the net more frequently than Romelu Lukaku at the minute, and much of Jose Mourinho’s focus on Saturday will be on stopping the Egyptian attacker marauding through his defence before slotting past David De Gea.

Team News

It’s certainly Mourinho who has to contend with the bigger injury issues this weekend. Despite Scott McTominay’s impressive form, Ander Herrera and Maurouane Fellaini would both likely be starting ahead of him on Saturday if they were fully fit – the former is not expected to be part of the squad, but the latter could return to the bench.

There is a boost in defence, however, with Eric Bailly now back to full health after a lengthy layoff. It seems unlikely that Mourinho would rush the young centre-back into the starting XI for such an important game, though.

Accordingly then, we’re expecting Manchester United to stick with the same starting XI that pulled off the 3-2 comeback against Crystal Palace on Monday night. However, don’t be too surprised to see England duo Luke Shaw and Marcus Rashford replace Ashley Young and Jesse Lingard respectively although we believe they’ll be overlook.

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They’re probably the key positions for United this weekend; whoever starts at left-back will need to contain Mohamed Salah, and whoever starts on the right wing will need to provide an outlet on the break.

Jurgen Klopp, meanwhile, faces a few late injury concerns heading into Saturday’s game, with Andrew Robertson and captain Jordan Henderson both doubts – the former was left out in midweek against FC Porto, while the latter lasted the full ninety minutes but suffered a dead leg.

But we’re expecting those players to play through the pain in order to take part in arguably the biggest game of Liverpool’s season, while the usual suspects from Liverpool’s regular Premier League starting XI look set to return to the fold.

In total, we’re anticipating five changes from the side that couldn’t score against Porto at Anfield on Tuesday night.

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The football hipster’s favourite team is in the midst of a bit of a rough patch at the moment. A home defeat to Hamburg two weekends ago condemned Borussia Dortmund to their fourth defeat of the season, leaving Bayern Munich’s only credible challengers for the Bundesliga title languishing in 13th place, ten points worse off already than their table-topping rivals from Bavaria after just seven games.

In many ways, Dortmund’s decline was almost inevitable in a game where very few footballers are immune to the lure of a big-money move. Winning the German title in two successive seasons between 2010 and 2012 was down to an immensely talented crop of players – some expertly picked out from relative obscurity, others educated and gradually promoted through the ranks at Dortmund’s prestigious academy of excellence – whose potential for success transformed into reality under the guidance of Jurgen Klopp.

In addition to their league triumphs, Dortmund also won the German Cup in the 2011/12 season and reached the Champions League final a year later. While that game may have ended in defeat at the hands of Bayern Munich, the mere fact that Dortmund had reached the final of the biggest club competition in world football after years of financial difficulties was, in the eyes of many, a cause for celebration in itself, and an emphatic announcement of Dortmund’s emergence as a genuine footballing superpower.

However, the west German side’s headline-grabbing achievements proved to be significant in an altogether different manner, as bigger – and richer – clubs started to become interested in its stars. Shinji Kagawa’s move to Manchester United in 2012 was a blow given that the Japanese playmaker was a well-liked figure amongst the fans, yet the loss of Mario Gotze to Bayern – confirmed prior to the Champions League final – was the real sucker punch and marked the turning point in the battle for supremacy in German football.

Gotze had been with the club since the age of nine and was regarded as the club’s brightest prospect. His transfer to Dortmund’s fiercest rivals not only left a bitter taste in the mouths of the fans, but was also a devastating reality check for the team in yellow and black – for all of Dortmund’s success, Bayern remained the definitive German side, a powerhouse with the clout and enviable prestige to snap up the best players with little trouble. The Champions League final appearance was meant to be a symbol of Dortmund’s phenomenal rise to the top; instead, it came to represent a false dawn, a beginning of the end for a great team whose dismantling was bound to happen in the modern footballing world where money rules all.

Lightning struck twice for Dortmund this summer as Robert Lewandowski – the talismanic Polish striker who had played such a large part in Der BVB‘s back-to-back title wins – also decided that the temptations of Munich were too much for him, and Jurgen Klopp’s side arguably haven’t recovered since. Although their performances in the Champions League – including a convincing victory over Arsenal – have been impressive and puts them in a good position to qualify, the loss of two highly important members of the team in consecutive seasons to their arch rivals and title challengers has been gut-wrenchingly demoralising.

Klopp deserves immense credit for his principled approach, sticking with the team after such galling setbacks despite some lucrative offers elsewhere, and he still has wonderful players at his disposal, not least Kagawa, whose return at least softened the blow of losing Lewandowski. Nevertheless, losing two key players has swung the balance of power firmly in Bayern’s favour, as reflected by Dortmund’s lowly league position. The way in which the Bavarians ruthlessly crushed Dortmund’s potential by taking their star performers means that the chances of Klopp’s side emulating their recent triumphs are very slim. Ultimately, what is most sad about Dortmund’s story is the fleeting nature of their success – given time, theirs was a team that could have won so much more.

And yet, there is more than one Borussia in the Bundesliga. After decades of underachievement with little to cheer about, Borussia Monchengladbach – five-times Bundesliga winners, two-times UEFA Cup winners and one-time European Cup finalists – are on the ascent once again. Under Swiss coach Lucien Favre, Die Fohlen have undergone a rapid change in fortunes, finishing in sixth place last season on their way to Europa League qualification after only getting promoted from the second tier of German football in 2008. Monchengladbach are currently undefeated in the Bundesliga and sit in third place, and with an exciting squad containing the likes of Granit Xhaka, Christoph Kramer and on-loan Chelsea midfielder Thorgan Hazard, expectations are high.

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Replicating the Golden Decade of the 1970’s – the period when Monchengladbach enjoyed the greatest success – is fanciful, yet with the other Borussia side struggling, they may be the team to emerge as the next threat to Bayern’s crown. For the sake of German football, let’s hope that this Borussia does not succumb to the same fate as its namesake.

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The world has slowly become more and more obsessed with going green. Perhaps you have made subtle changes to help the environment, such as using energy saving light bulbs or dividing your waste into the various different coloured and shaped bins your council provides, or maybe you’re an Eco Freak, and you’re reading this article via a cycle-powered laptop. Either way, I think we can all agree we could all be doing more (apart from those of you who think Global Warming and environmental concerns are liberalist propaganda), and the same can be said for our football clubs.

Forest Green Rovers however, are a football club who are really going the extra mile for the environment. Owner Dale Vince has started a green revolution since his takeover of the conference side in 2010. Some of their feats are truly remarkable: the creation of the world’s first fully organic football pitch, solar panels on the roof of the stadium, a solar powered lawnmower (which texts the groundsman when it’s in need of maintenance), electric leaf-blowers, a rainwater collection system and the removal of red meat from the snack-shop’s menu – although I feel slightly conflicted over this last point as a match day burger-lover.

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The small club’s vision is vastly different to the Premier League giants. The air miles and coach trips to and from various destinations around the continent as well as the UK must leave a huge carbon foot print, not to mention the vast consumption of more than 30,000 fans on match days resulting in enormous waste produce. The majority of big clubs have environmental policy statements, but they tend to contain phrases such as “we aim to” and “ensuring legal compliance”, with little details of specific targets or planning of how to reduce their impact on the planet. Although there is an impetus to educate the local community into going green, the majority of practical activity by clubs is little different to what one would do at home, for example; minimising lighting and heating, turning off electrical appliances and encouraging staff to walk or cycle to work. The latter objective clearly hasn’t worked considering the number of footballers who turn up to training in ridiculous gas-guzzling cars.

Manchester United are the leading Premier League club in terms of environmental management, and have been rewarded accolades for their green improvements. It may surprise some readers that Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville is also a green influence at the club, and has been working at Old Trafford as their Environmental ambassador. In February, the club were awarded with the ISO14000 standard, and the year previous topped the government’s Carbon Reduction Energy Efficiency table – a list of organisations including universities and businesses that have effectively managed their energy use.

Newcastle United have also made efforts to improve their environmental impact via means of offsetting their carbon emissions. This tactic is a combination of mixing carbon reduction with investing in eco-projects concerned with renewable energy sources in the local area, which the club are awarded environmental credits for. The Magpies now claim to be the world’s first Carbon positive club because of they are now offsetting more  credits than they are omitting carbon. It was part of an initiative set up by the Carbon Trust, which asked the Premier League and SPL at the start of the season to “kick out carbon emissions, and secure a victory for the environment and their finances”, but with limited success so far.

But compared to the accomplishments of Dale Vince’s Rovers, the Premier League giants’ improvements are minimal. Forest Green have recently registered with EMAS (Eco-Management Audit System), a system designed by the EU which has particular environmental requirements and standards to be met before being allowed to join. Vince summarises the difference in accolade between his own club and those of Manchester United: “We recently achieved EMAS, it’s like the gold-standard of environment management. Manchester United, by comparison, have just been granted ISO 14000. I mention that because that’s League One standard, though we applaud what they have done. We, however, are in the Champions League.”

The juxtaposition is exactly what is wrong with the situation. Vince’s green revolution may have been easier to pull off at Forest Green Rovers than it would be at a Premier League club – bearing in mind their considerable commitments to travelling and providing food and service for thousands of fans on a regular basis – but difficult choices have to made in order to make any significant improvement on a club’s carbon foot print.

Of course, business often gets in the way. Environmental policies can often be unprofitable, although Manchester United claim to have saved a total of £500,000 since starting their green initiatives, and it is hardly the main concern for board rooms, fans and club management teams who have to constantly deal with the pressures of the footballing world. Using the example of Newcastle again, a Guardian reporter remarked after their 3-0 victory over Wigan last Monday: “Newcastle claim to be the world’s first carbon-positive football club. This feat is all very admirable but hardly cut much ice with fans disgruntled and alarmed by the team’s November slump. Reassurance finally came in the form of Ba’s crowd-pacifying ninth goal of the season”.

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But It is time for the Premier League to learn from the conference minnows. Currently, only four teams in the Premiership and football league meet the Carbon Trust’s Standard; Manchester United, Newcastle, Bolton Wanderers and Bradford City. I do not pretend to know the ins and outs of the technology involved, but I see little reason why Forest Green’s advances in environmental management cannot be applied to a higher level.

Imagine the huge space on stadium roofs that could be filled up with solar panels, or the vast amount of rain water that could be collected over the area of the stadium as well as at training grounds. Football clubs constantly say they are striving to be a part of the community; well it is time to lead the community and provide a shining example of change for the better.

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After years of frugal spending at Arsenal, Arsene Wenger has been gradually loosening the purse-strings in recent years.

That has put the Gunners’ notoriously strict wage structure under threat and it was blown apart by their January spending.

Alexis Sanchez departed the Emirates after a protracted stand-off over his contract after the club refused to meet his elevated wage demands, to be replaced by Henrikh Mkhitaryan as part of a swap deal from Manchester United.

To appease Arsenal fans further, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang came in from but that pair of deals to reunite the former Borussia Dortmund pair did not come cheap.

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According to the Times, some of the Arsenal players who earn less and who have been earning less for some time now are becoming disgruntled with the high-earning duo – who the report claims earn £200,000 and £180,000 respectively.

They feel that they are not doing well enough on the pitch to justify their increased salaries and with many contracts due for renewal – Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere and Nacho Monreal among them – that could become an even bigger problem.

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Arsenal have only won two in eight since the pair – valued at a combined £90m by transfermarkt.co.uk – joined and the initial excitement that greeted their arrival has already subsided.

They are under pressure to perform already from the club’s fans and if that spreads to the dressing room – where admittedly there aren’t many players pulling their weight right now, no matter what they’re earning – then it could deepen their issues.

David Silva believes Manchester City cannot afford to lose to Chelsea, when the two go head-to-head at the Etihad tomorrow afternoon, reports the Manchester Evening News.

Chelsea already sit five points clear of their title rivals, having gained a 100% winning record from their opening four Premier League fixtures.

A win at the Etihad tomorrow would see them move eight points clear of City, and even at this early stage Silva reckons it is a game his side cannot afford to lose.

“It is very important game,” he said. “They are first and have more points – we can’t lose on Sunday and allow the gap to open.

“It’s the early stages, there’s still a long way to go in the Premier League.

“Anything can happen – we need to win as otherwise the gap is starting to get too big.

“But the Premier League, until the last minute, you just don’t stop fighting and there’s still a long way to go.”

Chelsea have been boosted by the summer arrivals of Silva’s fellow countryman Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa, with both having made a huge impact so far.

But Silva insists he is not phased by facing his international teammates.

“It’s Fabregas this weekend but also Santi Cazorla (at Arsenal) and Mata when we play United, so almost every game I’m against one of them”, he said.

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“But we are a strong team, we’ve got a big team and we have to win the game.

“Costa has made a huge impact. I think he has scored seven times so far and is important for Chelsea – not so good for us. They are a good team and we just have to go out and win.

“It’s not easy to adapt, but he (Costa) has done it very quickly. Fabregas knows the Premier League very well from being here before. Some players adapt faster than others but it’s never easy.”

In every season there is a point where clubs have long injury lists and have to rely on players within their squad who can play in more than one position to plug the gap. The question is, does this really work? Or do they suffer from being a jack of all trades and master of none?

At a first glance it appears an ideal solution, with Premier League sides looking to constantly change formations within a game, having players who can play almost anywhere. It should be a trump card.

However, it has to be questioned whether players can fill each role they are required to, to an acceptable standard. There certainly have been players who can play several positions with a large degree of success, such as Phil Neville or John O’Shea, but then you have the issue of players who can play somewhere as a temporary solution, and this is made more permanent.

For example despite having the ability to play at left back I am sure both Fulham and Aston Villa fans would not be rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of seeing either Damien Duff or Charles N’zogbia filling the left back void, should their first choice full back be injured.

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A key question to ask is whether the player you want to use as a versatility player could become ineffective to the team if moved out of their normal position, whereas on the other hand, they could be a real asset in their natural position so there would be no point trying to utilise their flexibility.  In the case of Theo Walcott it appears he can play as a winger or a striker. Whether he would be happy to play both is another issue, but he has played for several seasons on the wing and seems more than apt to fulfil the striker’s role, as he has proven in recent times, that he possesses a goalscoring pedigree. However, if we were to play Wayne Rooney on the left wing it appears to be a waste of the striker’s talent and skill, despite the player having the range of passing and ability to play anywhere along a front four.

However, going out to sign a player who is known for their versatility is a slightly different matter. When the manager purchases such a type of player there is recognition that there is no certainty over what the player’s best position is. At Everton, David Moyes can use this to his advantage as Marouane Fellaini is capable of playing in central midfield or he can be used as a second striker to cause headaches for opposition defences. The reason why Moyes can switch Fellaini positionally is because he is aware that the player is known for his strength and ability to unsettle opposition players in wherever he plays, so despite him being versatile, his true capabilities are not lost.

On the flip side of the coin you can find footballers who are tagged as versatile claiming to be able to fulfil several squad positions but actually having the ability to fulfil none to a satisfactory level. Newcastle United appear in the last transfer window to have been caught out with a red herring guilty of this tag in Vurnon Anita. The club hoped the player would be able to fill in for either Cabaye or Tiote when injured or unavailable or to cover at full back when the same applied to Davide Santon or Danny Simpson. What has occurred is a player who looks like he can’t fulfil either position accurately, as he does not yet have the confidence in his play to assert himself in the midfield or the range of passing, nor the tackling ability to play at full back. Newcastle thought that they were being shrewd by trying to sign a utility player, but it has so far backfired.

However, in James Perch they appear to have a utility player who can fill in, but despite him being valued, there is an acceptance around St. James’ Park that he is never as good as the person he is filling in for, but he always does an adequate job. Again I would argue that it was a stroke of luck that even “Perchinho” as Newcastle fans affectionately now call him, has managed to get his chance at Newcastle after a couple of very indifferent first few seasons on Tyneside.  Most clubs don’t have a this long to wait for a player on their books to suddenly start showing their true potential.

This seems to lead me to believe that versatility is definitely something that is useful if a player has it. Despite this, the player must be talented and suitable for the club outside of this, with his flexible nature being seen as a bonus feature.

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Because if a club seeks out a versatile player they end up paying for someone who has no certain position, and always remains a periphery player within the squad.

Managers in the next transfer window will be tempted to sign players who can supposedly fulfil several positions, but if it appears too good to be true, it usually is, and there should be wariness about looking to sign these stop gap solutions, despite the temptation to do so.

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Liverpool must sign a world-class goalkeeper this summer, even if Loris Karius continues his fine form.If there’s one thing that encapsulates modern football, it’s short-termism. That doesn’t just go for fans; it applies to media outlets, pundits, managers and even players.How many times has Paul Pogba been branded world class this season, only to be a “fraud†a week later? It is startling how quickly players are tarnished, revived, finished and revived again in today’s football world. Nowhere is this more apparent than in Liverpool’s goalkeeping situation.The reds have been strongly linked with a move for Roma’s Alisson, and there have even been murmurs of interest in Atletico Madrid’s Jan Oblak, but a return to form for Loris Karius has left some fans wondering if the German still has a future as Liverpool’s number one.https://video.footballfancast.com/video-2015/klopp-excuses.mp4After a few good performances, Karius is being prophesied as the saviour to Liverpool’s goalkeeping nightmare, just as quickly as he was written off after his poor start at the club.In the case of Karius, he seemed to be the victim of high fan expectations, as after years of Simon Mignolet fans were expecting the German to be perfect, only to lose patience with him almost immediately after a shaky start.This is not just a goalkeeping issue either; plenty of Reds’ fans have voiced their support for Dejan Lovren in recent weeks after some stellar performances, including a brilliant block against Porto when the score was 0-0.This is the same Dejan Lovren that was substituted at Wembley in October after the worst 31 minutes from a top-flight defender in quite some time.

Are we so biased towards the short term now that we base our opinions of players on their last three matches? Karius may well have a fantastic end to the season and could even earn himself a place in Germany’s World Cup squad.

If Liverpool are serious about competing for titles though, they must spend big on a replacement for the outgoing Mignolet this summer, regardless of how well Karius performs. Most big clubs have two top quality goalkeepers and it’s time the Reds followed suit.

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Liverpool fans, what do you think?

Frank Lampard has been breaking Chelsea fans’ hearts since his return to the Premier League with Manchester City but could the stalwart midfielder be the key to the Citizens’ success?

In a move that has been heavily criticised, Lampard left Chelsea after a 13-year spell to move to the USA and play for newly formed team New York City FC which saw him immediately loaned back to current Premier League champions Man City for half a season. At first it looked like he was only there to make up the squad numbers and keep his fitness up before returning to America to play for his new team, however things are starting to look a bit different now after his first few performances have seen him score some vital goals.

There is no doubting that Lampard is one of the world’s best midfielders – he has had a fantastic career for both club and country which saw him become Chelsea’s all time record scorer – not a bad achievement from the middle of the park. He has consistently contributed to the goal tally every season, whether he was scoring them or supplying them, and he fast became a club legend at the Bridge becoming an integral part of their success under Roman Abravomich.

Few could blame him for his move away from the club at the end of his contract, especially when the player himself said that he wanted to stay but was not offered a new deal. Lamps has still got a few years left in him, so the natural thing to do was to move, even if he didn’t envisage it being a title rival.

Football is big business these days and big name players will certainly go a long way to boost the popularity of “soccer” in America, which certainly goes some way to explaining why Lampard is the latest star to have made the move over there.

Loan moves back to Europe are not uncommon either, we saw David Beckham have spells with AC Milan during the MLS off-season on a couple of occasions to keep his fitness levels up.

What made his move to Man City hit so many headlines though is the fact that first of all it was hard to ever imagine him in any other Premier League shirt other than Chelsea’s, let alone a title rival’s colours. It might not have been so hard to take if it was just the odd substitute appearance as first anticipated, but Lampard has shown his class since his first game for City and scored some important goals already, not least the dramatic late equaliser against Chelsea in the 1-1 draw between the two sides. He is already showing signs of the Super Frank Chelsea fans loved to watch every week, providing chances for his team mates and showing a killer instinct in front of goal.

It is still early days for him in the sky blue of Manchester, but he looks a key part in the trophy chasing squad already and what was set to be a short-term loan deal already looks like it could be made into a more long term deal. Whereas last season Yaya Toure was the key to City’s success, the Ivorian is yet to show his mettle, but Frank has stepped up to the plate so far and been the catalyst in the side that has inspired them to get results in all the games he has featured in.

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With City chasing not only the title but also the Champions League, he could well be the key to their campaign. You have to wonder whether at the end of the season, Mourinho will regret letting Lampard go.

It could be worse Nando, you could be one of these guys…

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