Gareth Barry: A Contender for the England Squad

Roberto Martinez came out to say that he is keen to sign Gareth Barry on a permanent deal following what has been an incredibly successful loan spell so far on Merseyside. Barry has added some much needed experience to Everton’s midfield, his signing offset the loss of Feliani and while that move allowed James McCarthy to come in, it’s Barry who’s been one of Everton’s top performers so far this season.

So far for Everton this season Barry has appeared 18 times. Since making his debut in the hard fought victory against Chelsea, Barry has missed just one game through suspension and has played 90 minutes in each game. This underlines his importance to the Everton side and also casting aside any doubts that there might have been about his fitness.  

He’s scored moregoals (3) so far this season than in each of his 4 seasons at Manchester City, it’s an added bonus for a player who is mainly regarded for his defensive capabilities to be scoring goals for Martinez. Barry has also provided 3 assists so far this season, more than in the last two years at City.

Barry is making 2.8 tackles and clearances (2.7) per game, similar to the levels at the beginning of his Manchester City career. Partly that must be due to the way that City dominate the game so much more than Everton do. A reflection in the differences of the two sides playing styles is that Barry is now playing 5.8 accurate long passes per game, more than he ever did at his time at City. Another sign of Martinez’s style of play coming through is that Barry has played more passes on average (70.9) than when he was at Manchester City, which corresponds to the possession based football Martinez likes his teams to play.

It speaks volumes of Gareth Barry as a professional that he wanted to move away in order to get regular football. It suggests he has a great attitude towards the game, many other layers would have been happy to sit on the bench and pick up hefty wage packets at City.

I was one of many who thought that Gareth Barry would never play for England again. In the 2010 World Cup, the way in which Ozil eased passed him as Germany went on to score again, signified the ageing of Barry and that he was past his best. However, his performances at Everton this season have been of a higher level and suggest he deserves to be going to Brazil.

Barry has experience of international tournaments and has played on the highest stages in world football with both Manchester City and England, he will not shy away under the pressure in Brazil. At Everton he has shown he has the ability to be a leader on the pitch, which is something England could well need.

The issue is where would Barry fit in, presumably as one of the two holding midfielders in a 4-2-3-1 system, alongside either Gerrard or Carrick.

Barry certainly has the edge over Michael Carrick going forward, Carrick hasn’t scored or provided any assists for Manchester United so far this season. Barry is also making more tackles (2.8) on average per game than Carrick (2.0), but the United midfielder has been making more interception (3.5) than Barry (1.2). Carrick has the advantage when it comes to passing, with an average pass completion of 86.9%.

It’s hard to imagine Gerrard being left out of the England team if he is fit. The England captain has twice as many goals and assists as Barry so far this season, in the same number of starts. The only advantage Barry has over both Carrick and Gerrard is that he has avoided injury this season whereas both of the others have had spells out.

He could be a good asset to have on the bench, to bring on to close out games when needed. He certainly has the composure to do so and is a more accomplished in centre midfield than someone like James Milner who may be used in a similar situation.

It’ll be interesting to see whether or not Hodgson decides to recall Barry. I can imagine public outcry, but based on this season he deserves a second chance for England. Hopefully he’ll at least be considered by Hodgson.

Statistics courtesy of whoscored.com

Adebayor not the only one excelling under Sherwood

Emmanuel Adebayor’s new lease of life under Tim Sherwood has been well documented, but he’s not the only one that the new Spurs boss is getting the best out of. Tottenham’s 3-1 win away at Swansea was their 4^th in a row and they are undefeated in the Premier League under the stewardship of Tim Sherwood (5 wins, 1 draw).

Sherwood’s first league game in charge was the 3-2 win away at Southampton. The game was Adebayor’s first start of the season and he marked it by scoring 2.  Adebayor has started every league game under Sherwood, scoring 5 goals in his 6 starts, as many as Roberto Soldado has managed in 16 starts. He’s also provided 2 assists in the games and looks a new player under Sherwood.

Adebayor looks much more like the player he was at Arsenal and at times at City, confidence is so important for footballers, especially strikers, and what Sherwood seems to have done is give Adebayor a massive boost of confidence. He looks to be building the team around the Togo international and has made Adebayor his main man, it’s a tactic which is to date playing off extremely well.

Christian Eriksen is another player who has started every game under Sherwood. In this time he’s scored his first 3 goals for the club and has provided 2 assists. When Sherwood has deployed a 4-4-2, Eriksen has been utilised through the middle and also on the left. However, his best position is a number 10 role in behind the striker. From here he can have the greatest influence on the game, picking out passes to Adebayor and the other attacking talents that Spurs have.

Eriksen was good enough to be running the Ajax midfield and when you think about the history that entails, it demonstrates what a great player he can become. Especially when you consider that he is just 21 and has so much potential already. He’s the kind of player that David Moyes is lacking at United, he could have easily been their creative spark and they must be kicking themselves for not bidding for the player, given that he cost Spurs a meagre £11m.  

Last season at Ajax, he created more chances than any other player in the Dutch Eredivisie (138), scored 10 goals and supplied 17 assists. When you look at those numbers it makes you wonder why AVB didn’t make more of the Dane, he’s already made more starts under Sherwood, and when you consider that Spurs were lacking creativity and a cutting edge under AVB it’s puzzling that he didn’t use Eriksen more. It’s understandable that Eriksen would take time to adjust to the rigours of the Premier League, so that may be why he’s taken time to really hit the ground running, or maybe it’s the confidence that Sherwood seems to have instilled in so many of his players.

Sherwood has had the advantage of being able to play a settled back 4 whilst he’s been in charge. He’s used the same defensive line on 5 occasions and the centre back partnership of Chiriches and Dawson on every occasion. Spurs have conceded just 5 goals in these games and Lloris has kept 2 clean sheets, having a settled back line will have certainly had something to do with that.

Chiriches in particular looks to be growing in to an assured centre back. Playing alongside the experienced Michael Dawson he looks settled and less error prone than when he first arrived.

The Romanian is averaging 2.3 interceptions per game, the most in the Spurs defence. He has the pace to complement Dawson and as a centre back pairing they looked extremely settled and play to each other’s strengths. It’ll be interesting to see if the youngster will keep his palce when Vertonghen and Kaboul return from injury, but if he keeps playing in this way, it’ll be hard to leave him out.

This is something which seems apparent from Sherwood’s management style, he is willing to give players a chance, particularly young players. The chance to gain Premier League experience is vital if these players are to become top class. It’s certainly an advantage Sherwood has over an outside hire, having worked within the club as a coach he knows the players, especially the young players and when you consider the strength of Spurs’ youth system these are players who will be key in the future.

A prime example of this is Nabil Bentaleb. The 19 year old centre midfielder looks adept and mature beyond his years. He has more than held his own in the Premier League and looks a bright prospect, apparently the FA are keen to convince him to play for England as he has represented France at Under 19 level. He has started the last 2 games in the league for Spurs, following an impressive display in the FA cup defeat to Arsenal.

Against Palace he played 107 passes, the most in the team and had a pass accuracy of 93%, he also had 120 touches of the ball (the most), his defensive contribution was clear as well, making 4 tackles and 2 interceptions. He is clearly not just a passenger and is having a positive impact on the team. Against Swansea he continued in a similar fashion, with 91% pass accuracy, playing 58 passes (the most), the decrease in the number of passes is due to the possession dominated style of football Swansea play, whereas Spurs dominated the game against Palace. Despite having less of the ball, he made a staggering 10 tackles in the game, showing he’s more than just good on the ball.

Bentaleb will serve as a prime example for young Spurs players, play well and you’ll continue to get chances in the team. I really like this aspect of Sherwood’s management style; he is basing his selections on performances rather than reputations. Meaning the players who get picked are those are playing and training well, this must inspire confidence in players, which is so important in the modern game.

Whatever he lacks as a tactician Sherwood more than makes up for with his man management techniques, he’s more akin to Harry Redknapp than AVB, and given the size and quality of the Spurs squad, maybe that’s what they need right now.

Next up for Spurs, it’s the visit of City to White Hart Lane and they’ll be looking to exact some revenge for their 6-0 drubbing at the Etihad. Whether or not they will be able to get a result will depend somewhat on the performances of the likes of Adebayor and Eriksen. I fear it might just be a challenge too big too soon.

Statistics courtesy of whoscored.com

Diego Costa: The Perfect Striker For Spain

Diego Costa is arguably the world’s most in demand player. His impressive form this season at Atletico Madrid has won him many admirers and amidst rumours of a €32 million buy-out clause in his current contract he has been linked with a move to one of the top clubs in Europe. It’s more than just clubs who want him though, in a World Cup season, the in form striker had the choice of whether he would represent hosts Brazil or holders Spain at the World Cup this summer. Despite being born in Brazil and having played in an international friendly for them Costa made the decision that he would represent Spain, citing the opportunities that the country had given him as the reason for choosing them, although it may have had more to do with Brazil’s treatment of the player.

His decision to represent Spain will have certainly brought a smile to Vincente del Bosque’s face. For several games in during Euro 2012, del Bosque’s Spain side played without a recognised striker, Spain certainly have a midfield which is more than capable of scoring goals but the decision certainly raised more than a few eyebrows. With Costa at his disposal it'd be surprising to see del Bosque use a similar tactic again.

Costa is in a different mould to the strikers that they had in that tournament (Llorente, Negredo and Torres) he is not a target man, he has pace and most importantly he is unbelievably clinical. He is the sort of player Spain have missed up front in recent years, a target man like Negredo, Soldado or Llorente doesn’t suit their free flowing, possession based style of football. Arguably Costa’s biggest rival for the striking position is Fabregas, who has excelled in the false 9 role during Messi’s absence at Barca this season.

In qualification for the World Cup despite finishing top of their group Spain scored just 14 times in 8 games, that kind of record is screaming out for a striker of Costa’s calibre, especially considering the quality of some of their opponents (Belarus, Georgia and Finland). In qualifying Spain’s top scorer with 4 was Pedro, Negredo got 3 and Jordi Alba and Sergio Ramos bagged 2 goals apiece. Hardly the sort of goal scoring pedigree we have come to associate with Spain.  

In his time in charge of Spain del Bosque has favoured a 4-2-3-1 formation, similar to that which is employed at Atletico in the Champions League. In La Liga, Simeone has more often than not partnered Costa with Villa up front, but Costa is more than adept at playing up top on his own.  Whilst not being noted for his aerial ability (winning on average 1.4 aerial duels per game in La Liga) Costa is 1.88m and is strong enough to hold off most defenders and can lead the line well enough on his own. Costa’s lack of aerial prowess isn’t something that should worry Spanish fans, their style of football is hardly route one.

Despite being a big man, Costa is quick, he has the sort of pace that will terrify defenders. The positions he takes up, especially in and around the box show the ability he has to read the game well. Add to that quick feet, bags of technical ability and the strength and heading ability you’d associate with a big man. There are few attributes you’d look for in a top striker that he doesn’t have. He provides more than one dimension in attack and it’s proving very hard for defenders to keep him quiet.

With Falcao departing Atletico Madrid for Monaco during the summer, few would have predicted the Spanish club would be sitting level on points with Barca at the top of La Liga and 3 points ahead of bitter rivals Real. Despite the departure of last season’s leading scorer, Falcao, Atletico didn’t buy a direct replacement, although they did capture the signature of David Villa from Barcelona. The signing of Villa has allowed Costa to move to a more central position and occupy Falcao’s former role.

It’s not just Falcao’s position that he has taken up though, Brazilian born Costa has more than emulated the form of his former teammate. In 18 starts and 1 substitute appearance this season Costa has scored 19 goals and supplied 1 assist, only Ronaldo has scored more La Liga goals. Contrast this was last season, where he scored just 10 goals in 24 appearances (7 sub apps) and the transformation of Costa to one of the world’s leading attacking talents is apparent. You’d expect an increase in the number of goals scored if he’s playing through the middle and there’s also the decrease in assists from last year, but again that’s as a result of now being the main striker and taking the chances as opposed to providing them. This season Costa has been averaging 3.2 shots a game, the most in the Atletico team.

Costa’s goal scoring record this season is considerably better than those who would be considered his rivals for the position in the Spanish team. He’s scored more league goals than Negredo (9), Soldado (5) and Torres (4) put together (18). Scoring over a goal a game is an incredibly impressive feat and one which has put him well ahead of his rivals.

It’s hardly surprising given how lethal Costa has been in front of goal that he has been linked with a move away from Atletico, Arsenal are potential suitors and he would probably fit in well in Wenger’s side. However, given that Atletico are serious contenders to win La Liga for the first time in a long time and are seen by many as the dark horses in the Champions League I can’t see why Costa would risk unsettling himself and disrupting his current form ahead of the World Cup. Also, Costa’s decision to represent Spain and not Brazil was based, partly at least, on the way he has been treated in Spain, I’m not sure he’d want to leave a country that means that much to him.

Costa’s prevalence in front of goal is partly due to the work of Koke. The young midfielder has provided 8 assists so far this season and he too has attracted interest from around Europe. Following the Under 21 European Championships in the summer, Koke was likened to Xavi, and if Costa is playing this well with the midfield maestro’s apprentice, you can imagine he’d excel alongside Xavi. Add to that the considerable talents of Alonso, Fabregas and Iniesta, to name but a few, and it’s hard to see Costa not fitting in well to Spain’s system. These players will provide him with chances and based on his performances this season Costa will take the majority of them.

Atletico’s style is certainly less possession based than that of Barcelona and Spain, Simeone certainly doesn’t think possession is all important and he may have a point based on his team’s current league position. So it’ll be interesting to see whether or not some of Costa’s impetus will be lost by being in a team which dominate the game and not playing on the counter.

His average pass percentage in La Liga this season has been 77.0%, not bad, but hardly at the levels of the Spanish national team. Perhaps worryingly he has provided just 1 assist so far this season, this is an area which someone like Fabregas is stronger than Costa. Spain’s entire game is built around keeping the ball so I wouldn’t put it past del Bosque to play without a recognised striker at some point.  Costa’s lack of international experience could also work against him, but based on his current form Diego Costa would get into almost any international team on the planet.

In recent years Spain’s one potential weakness has been their lack of a striker who would fit in to their system and style of play. In Diego Costa the perfect player seems to have fallen into their laps and presumably on to their team sheet for the foreseeable future.

Statistics from whoscored.com

The State of Newcastle United’s French Revolution

Last January, languishing in 15^th position and still in the Europa League Newcastle United looked across the channel to bring in fresh faces in an attempt to stave off relegation and strengthen a paper thin squad. They ended up bringing in 5 French players, bringing the total number in the squad to 9.

To some extent the plan worked, the club stayed up and reached the quarter finals of the Europa League. But at times losses and rumours of a divided dressing room were attributed to the influx of French players, the French revolution was hardly a complete success.

Given the strains of the Premier League and how it differs from Ligue 1, in terms of the demanding schedule and its physicality it’s hardly surprising that the January signings took a while to settle in. Here we look at the impact the five players have had and whether or not their signings have been a success.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Massadio Haïdara

Haïdara is certainly one for the future, he’s just 21 and the left back has looked impressive when he’s been given chances by Pardew. The battle for left back could be an intriguing one in the coming years, with the emergence of Paul Dummett and Haïdara looking to challenge Davide Santon’s current stake for the position.

He’s made just 5 substitute appearances this season and injuries have rather plagued his Newcastle career, most notably the one following a strong challenge from Callum McManaman at Wigan last season which caused a touch line fracas. Against Stoke his balls in to the box caused all sorts of problems and he certainly has the advantage over Santon in that he is left footed.

Given that Newcastle paid a reported £2m for the French Under 21 player it’s likely that he’ll be given chances in the future and it’s up to the player to impress when he does. With the injury to Coloccini and suspension of Debuchy he could get his chance in the coming weeks and it’ll be interesting to see whether or not he can make a real impact.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mathieu Debuchy

Debuchy was probably the most recognisable of the 5 players brought in, given his exploits for France in Euro 2012. Despite his international pedigree, at times last season he looked less like an international footballer and more like a non-league player.

This season, however, he has been a revelation. He’s started 19 of Newcastle’s 20 league games, missing one through suspension. He’s been part of a relatively settled back four which has conceded just 25 goals. Making 3.2 tackles per game, the second highest in the squad, behind Tiote, Debuchy has established himself as an integral part of the Newcastle defence.

Debuchy has been equally impressive going forward, he’s added another dimension to Newcastle’s attack and seems to have developed a strong understanding with Moussa Sissoko. He’s averaging 1.2 shots a game, an improvement from the 0.4 he averaged last year. He has also scored his first competitive goal for the club in the Tyne Wear derby defeat to Sunderland and has provided 2 assists whilst going forward (in the 14 games he played last year he provided 0 assists). Equally important his average pass completion has improved from 69.3% per game to 73.0% from last season. 

If there is one problem in his game it’s certainly his disciplinary record, he’s received 6 yellows already this season and his dismissal in the game at West Brom was partly to blame for the defeat. This means he’ll have missed 4 Premier League games through suspension so far this season, which will hamper both his and Newcastle’s progress. In the 14 Premier League games Debuchy played for Newcastle last year he received 2 yellow cards and 1 red, so there’s no real sign of any improvement there. This is something Pardew will surely be looking to address.

It’s strange that last season he had competition with Danny Simpson for the right back spot but this season he is the only out and out right back in the squad but his performances have flourished. Perhaps it’s just that it took him time to settle into the Premier League or maybe the lack of competition, the playing regularly and the responsibility that this entails has driven him to reach his full potential. Also with the World Cup looming on the horizon, he’ll be wanting to deliver top performances to ensure a place in Les Blues squad, although at the moment this doesn’t look like being a problem.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  

Moussa Sissoko

Moussa Sissoko burst on to the scene at Newcastle and was particularly impressive in his first few games last season. Scoring twice against Chelsea to secure a 3-2 home win and providing two assists against Villa on his debut many thought Newcastle had signed a real star. After that he went off the boil somewhat and looked lethargic at times.

This season he seems to have recaptured some of his earlier form and has been one of Newcastle’s more consistent performers. The fact that he has featured in all 20 of Newcastle’s Premier League games says something about the levels of performance the Frenchman has put in. He has been consistently one of Newcastle’s better performers and is someone Pardew has come to rely on.

He’s managed to keep fellow Frenchman Hatem Ben Arfa out of the team, this seems to be due to his defensive capabilities and whilst he doesn’t have the flair of Ben Arfa he has strength and power in abundance and has clear ability going forward. This is shown by the fact that he has scored one goal and provided 4 assists for his teammates, the most in the Newcastle squad.  This season has seen the regular deployment of Sissoko on the right of a more advanced midfield 3, I think this accounts for the decrease in his goal tally and increase in the number of assists as from a wider position he has been able to provide quality service for his team mates. 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yoan Gouffran

When he was signed from Bordeaux for just £500,000 not much was known about Yoan Gouffran and expectations weren’t particularly high. He was seen as a stop gap and certainly no replacement for Demba Ba. Last season he scored 3 goals in 15 appearances, which did little to dispel this opinion. Also he was unfortunate enough to look a bit like Obertan, which hardly helped matters.

This season he’s featured in every Premier League fixture, starting 16 games and appearing as a substitute 4 times, underlining his importance to Alan Pardew’s team. His current run of form will make it very difficult for Jonas Guttierez to break his way back in to the team.

 Gouffran’s scoring record is considerably better than that of his Argentinian colleague, Gouffran has scored 6 goals this season, that’s one every 3.67 games and as many as Guttierez has scored in 140 Premier League games. Five of these came in five consecutive games at St James’ Park, a feat only achieved by Alan Shearer previously. He is currently the squad’s second highest goal scorer and has provided two assists and has an impressive average pass accuracy of 84%. Defensively he’s more impressive than Ben Arfa, although he is at times sacrificed for the attacking talent of his compatriot. His work rate has won him many fans and he is averaging 1.3 tackles per game, which is good for a more attack minded player. 

A consistent run in the team has allowed Gouffran to achieve his potential and he’ll be hard to leave out of the team at this rate. With Gouffran it’s certainly been a case of allowing him time to adjust to the English game, but now he seems settled in well and fits in well with the current system employed by Alan Pardew. He should get in to double figures for the season and if his good form continues he may attract attention from larger clubs. Given the small amount paid for Gouffran, Newcastle have found a real gem and he could be priceless to Pardew in the coming months.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mapou Yanga Mbiwa

The 24 year old centre back was seen by many as the natural replacement for Coloccini, who last year seemed destined to return to his native Argentina. However, Alan Pardew persuaded club captain Coloccini to stay and that alongside the impressive form of Mike Williamson has rather limited the opportunities for Yanga Mbiwa.

In his time at Montpellier, Yanga Mbiwa won the Ligue 1 trophy and showed his pedigree in Champions League fixtures. The player certainly has the assets necessary to develop in to a top centre back and this is something Pardew and Newcastle will be hoping happens. The number of tackles he has made has dropped from 2.4 per game to 1.5 per game this season compared to last, whilst the number of interceptions per game has increased from 1.4 to 1.9. This indicates more positional awareness which comes with maturity and a better reading of the game.

He’s one perhaps for the future, earlier in the season Pardew said he thought centre backs reached their peak in their 30s so the manager will certainly think so. When he has had to deputise due to injuries or suspension he has at times looked a bit naïve and calamitous. Especially in the games against Everton, where he was torn apart by Lukaku and subsequently substituted at half time, and Liverpool where he was sent off.

That said, there is a lot of potential there, he has shown he can fill in anywhere along the back four and has played in all positions so far this season. His versatility is something that should stand him in good stead in the future, as it will give him a better understanding of the game and should improve his reading of the game. He also put in an excellent display in the one nil victory away at Spurs and helped to keep a clean sheet against Chelsea as well. In the games he has started this season Newcastle have kept 4 clean sheets.

By playing alongside the experienced Coloccini you’d expect him to pick up a few things and I think when the Argentinian does move on it’ll be the Frenchman who’ll replace him. With the Argentinian out with a knee injury for up to 6 weeks it’s likely that Yanga Mbiwa will get a chance to deputise and should he impress he could well keep his place in the side. I think the club would look at him as one of their stars of the future and _­he is certainly someone who could be key in the coming weeks and months. What he really needs is to add consistency to his game and this is something that’ll come from playing regularly in the team. The signs are there that the young man will occupy the centre of Newcastle’s defence for years to come.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This season Newcastle have 33 points from 20 games, just 8 less than they managed in the whole of last season. It’s safe to say that this is down in part to the settling in of the French players brought last January (although they aren’t entirely to credit for Newcastle’s performances).

Alan Pardew seems to be fostering a real team spirit in the club and the French influx of players is central to this, whether or not this current contingent of players will be added to in this transfer window remains to be seen, but if the quality is similar to those who have been bought in previously I’m sure not to many Newcastle fans will be complaining.  

Statistics courtesy of whoscored.com