Hits or Misses - Was I Right?

At the beginning of the season I picked out some transfers that I believed would be Hits and others that would be Misses. As the season now draws to a close it time to assess my predictions. 

Predicted Hits:

1. Diego Costa 

Now their is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Jose Mourinho and Chelsea have had the best summer window. Diego Costa is a wonderful signing and at only £32 million, given the market, I think they have got extremely good value. I am a massive fan of this player having watched him a lot last season at Atletico Madrid. He is big, powerful and a clinical finisher - essentially everything Fernando Torres was not in the last few seasons. He is going to be a nightmare to handle for all other Premier League teams this season and fully expect him to fire Chelsea to the title.

The only man I can see preventing him winning the Golden boot is Sergio Aguero.

OUTCOME :  HIT

I believe I got this one spot on. He has struggled with injury in the second part of the season however the title was effectively won by christmas.

2. Alexis Sanchez 

Ever since I saw this man take England apart at Wembley I have been a huge fan. I must admit when I saw him at Barcelona a few years ago I could not stand his constant diving however having seen him lately this has hugely reduced. Unlike Mesut Ozil this man is built for the job. He looks physically capable of withstanding the physicality of a full Premier League season. Add to this his magnificence ability and goalscoring prowess and you have a terrific signing. I am going to go out on a limb and say he is the best signing Arsenal have made for over 10 years. This is big claim and may make me look stupid in time but I honestly believe it.

Personally I fear for Arsenal this season however with this man in the team I think he will act as Suarez did for Liverpool last season. He will not be enough to win Arsenal the league but he will get them a top four finish. 

OUTCOME : HIT

This one I also got right. No question that Sanchez carried Arsenal for the first half of the season and without him their top four place could have been in danger. He is a wonderful player who I expect to continue performing in seasons to come. 

3. Enner Valancia 

Again similar to Sanchez, Valancia looks a player who has the physical ability to cope in the Premier League. I am personally looking forward to seeing him in the league. He has pace, power and is both strong in the air and on the ground. He looked very strong in the World Cup and I know they say you should never buy a player of the back of a good World Cup however I do think in this case West Ham were right to do so.

I think he will be a crucial player for West Ham this season and will play a major part in keeping them in the division. 

OUTCOME : HIT/MISS

This one could be argued either way. I think he had a good season and made a positive impact but did he make the impact that I was expecting...well no. In fact it was Aaron Cresswell who was without doubt West Ham's signing of the season.  

4. Angel Di Maria 

Another world class arrival to the Premier League. Is he the calibre of a Bale or Ronaldo? No. But he will certainty bring an obvious improvement to Manchester United. He has proved over a number of years just how good he is and can see him adapting well to the Premier League. He will get a very prominent role in the Manchester United side and am expecting him to contribute plenty to the side in the form of both goals and assists.

He looks similar to Mesut Ozil is statue however having seen him play I am sure he will relish the challenge of the increased physically whilst his game will also benefit from the increase in pace, unlike Ozil. 

He will play a major role in getting Manchester United in the top four.

OUTCOME : MISS

This I got wrong. You could blame LVG but at the end of the day Di Maria simply hasn't performed. There were glimpses but never a sustained period of brilliance. I expect him to leave United this summer and he will go down in many people eyes as a flop.

5. Siem De Jong

This one is maybe more in hope then anything else. I am very hopeful that De Jong can be a sort of Dennis Bergkamp style player for Newcastle. A player of real brain and thought who will add quality to the side. Hopefully he can strike up a good partnership with one of the forwards and lead Newcastle to having a good season.

Although his injury record does worry me.

OUTCOME : MISS

This one was always more in hope than genuine expectation. I was worried about his injury record and as it turns out I was right on that front. Missed most of the season and therefore had very little impact. 

Predicted Misses:

1. Mario Balotelli

Personally I have absolutely no idea why Brendan Rodgers has signed this man. He is a massive gamble and at £16 million, an expensive one at that. I can foresee him only having a negative impact this season on the team. For all Suarez's misdemeanours he was a clinical finisher with a fantastic work rate. Balotelli brings neither of these on-field traits but plenty of problems off-field. The board at AC Milan must have thought it was a joke when Liverpool bid £16 million. Hardly excelled in his short time at Milan and to see all the Liverpool fans celebrating his arrival is comical. It seems some football fans have totally forgotten his time at Manchester City.  

Can see Liverpool becoming very frustrated with him very quickly and would not be surprised to see him gone in January. 

I will be the first to admit I was wrong if Balotelli performs well however just cannot see it happening.

The man for me who Liverpool should have got was Wilfred Bony from Swansea. He is a genuine world-class player who deserves to play at a top team and in the Champions League. He has also proved how effective he can be in the Premier League. 

OUTCOME : MISS

Have to say I got this one spot on. Balotelli will leave this summer for sure, the  only question is will Rodgers be leaving with him?

2. Georgios Samaras

Now I must admit I did actually laugh out loud when I saw this transfer go through. Similar to when I saw David N'Gog sign for Swansea in January, it was just surreal.  Georgios Samaras must have one of the best agents going to get him back into the Premier League. This is a man who was a flop at Manchester City and who has not even really shone at Celtic. Now when you are playing for the best team in a Scotland league which is very poor that says it all. He will be lucky to get 2 goals all season. 

A truely awful signing who will be up front with Balotelli come May when they announce the flop XI of the season. 

OUTCOME : MISS

Another spot on prediction. Samaras certainly in the flop XI. 

3.  Rio Ferdinand

Quite honestly why Rio Ferdinand has signed for QPR I do not know. The obvious answer is money however surely the man is not that greedy? Well this is for sure his last payday so I suppose I cannot blame him. However I do feel this is an awful transfer. He looked awful last season. A man well past his best and this season he is playing in a side who will be on the back foot most weeks. It will not be like his many years at Manchester United when United had 65%+ possession everyweek and quality players ahead and around him. Last season he looked very uncomfortable doing just about anything. If you are a QPR fan you should be worried although given Ferdinand injury record I cannot see him playing 20 games. 

Expect him to be continually caught out this season - leading to his retirement at the end of it.

OUTCOME : MISS

3/3 so far on the as Rio Ferdinand proved me right that he should have hung his boots up at the end of last season. 

4.  Leonardo Ulloa

I feel that Ulloa is really going to struggle. As I said in my prediction post, his lack of pace for me is a major concern at this level. He played very well with a very average Championship side in Brighton and was a constant threat however I fear at Leicester he simply will not get the supply or chances to really show his worth. He deserves his chance at this level and of all the signings I am predicting to be misses I hope Ulloa proves me wrong. 

I honestly feel Leicester will go down however on his day Ulloa can be a real handful.  

OUTCOME : HIT/MISS

Have to say that Ulloa performed better than I expected and his goals defiantly played their part in Leicester's survival however whether he was a HIT or MISS is arguable. Not sure he will be with the club for the start of next season. 

5. Jack Rodwell

Firstly the reason why I have put Rodwell on this list is his injury record. He may claim to be fit however only time will really tell if his body can stand up to a whole season. Secondly given his woeful fitness record, the fact that Sunderland have laid out £10 million is astonishing. This figure is wildly over the mark. He may prove to be a great signing in time however at this moment in time he does not demand such a fee. 

Expect an injury hit season and so a limited impact. 

OUTCOME : MISS

His overall impact at Sunderland was very poor and even though he did pitch in with a few goals his contribution didn't match that 10 million price tag.

Overall I do not think I did badly. Angel Di Maria was the biggest disappointment.  

Best And Worst Transfers Of The Summer

As the window firmly slammed shut last night fans can now sit back and look at the squad their managers have assembled over the summer months and decide if it was a good window or not and whether they are now looking forward to the rest of the season. As a Newcastle fan I must say I am apprehensive to say they least and am very unsure as to the season that is about to unfold for my team.

Although in this piece I have picked out some of the notable transfers that I believe will hits and misses.

Hits

1. Diego Costa 

Now their is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Jose Mourinho and Chelsea have had the best summer window. Diego Costa is a wonderful signing and at only £32 million, given the market, I think they have got extremely good value. I am a massive fan of this player having watched him a lot last season at Atletico Madrid. He is big, powerful and a clinical finisher - essentially everything Fernando Torres was not in the last few seasons. He is going to be a nightmare to handle for all other Premier League teams this season and fully expect him to fire Chelsea to the title.

The only man I can see preventing him winning the Golden boot is Sergio Aguero.

2. Alexis Sanchez 

Ever since I saw this man take England apart at Wembley I have been a huge fan. I must admit when I saw him at Barcelona a few years ago I could not stand his constant diving however having seen him lately this has hugely reduced. Unlike Mesut Ozil this man is built for the job. He looks physically capable of withstanding the physicality of a full Premier League season. Add to this his magnificence ability and goalscoring prowess and you have a terrific signing. I am going to go out on a limb and say he is the best signing Arsenal have made for over 10 years. This is big claim and may make me look stupid in time but I honestly believe it.

Personally I fear for Arsenal this season however with this man in the team I think he will act as Suarez did for Liverpool last season. He will not be enough to win Arsenal the league but he will get them a top four finish.

3. Enner Valancia 

Again similar to Sanchez, Valancia looks a player who has the physical ability to cope in the Premier League. I am personally looking forward to seeing him in the league. He has pace, power and is both strong in the air and on the ground. He looked very strong in the World Cup and I know they say you should never buy a player of the back of a good World Cup however I do think in this case West Ham were right to so.

I think he will be a crucial player for West Ham this season and will play a major part in keeping them in the division.

4. Angel Di Maria 

Another world class arrival to the Premier League. Is he the calibre of a Bale or Ronaldo? No. But he will certainty bring an obvious improvement to Manchester United. He has proved over a number of years just how good he is and can see him adapting well to the Premier League. He will get a very prominent role in the Manchester United side and I am expecting him to contribute plenty to the side in the form of both goals and assists.

He looks similar to Mesut Ozil is statue however having seen him play I am sure he will relish the challenge of the increased physically whilst his game will also benefit from the increase in pace unlike Ozil.

He will play a major role in getting Manchester United in the top four.

5. Siem De Jong

This one is maybe more in hope then anything else. I am very hopeful that De Jong can be a sort of Dennis Bergkamp style player for Newcastle. A player of real brain and thought who will add quality to the side. Hopefully he can strike up a good partnership with one of the forwards and lead Newcastle to having a good season.

Although his injury record does worry me.

Other notable mentions:

Cesc Fabregas - Was a hit first time round and see no reason why he will not be again.

Gylfi Sigurdsson - Will benefit hugely from regular football again. One for the Fantasy Football team for sure

Misses 

1. Mario Balotelli

Personally I have absolutely no idea why Brendan Rodgers has signed this man. He is a massive gamble and at £16 million, an expensive one at that. I can foresee him only having a negative impact this season on the team. For all Suarez's misdemeanours he was a clinical finisher with a fantastic work rate. Balotelli brings neither of these on-field traits but plenty of problems off-field. The board at AC Milan must have thought it was a joke when Liverpool bid £16 million. Hardly excelled in his short time at Milan and to see all the Liverpool fans celebrating his arrival is comical. It seems some football fans have totally forgotten his time at Manchester City.  

Can see Liverpool becoming very frustrated with him very quickly and would not be surprised to see him gone in January. 

I will be the first to admit I was wrong if Balotelli performs well however just cannot see it happening.

The man for me who Liverpool should have got was Wilfred Bony from Swansea. He is a genuine world-class player who deserves to play at a top team and in the Champions League. He has also proved how effective he can be in the Premier League. 

2. Georgios Samaras

Now I must admit I did actually laugh out loud when I saw this transfer go through. Similar to when I saw David N'Gog sign for Swansea in January, it was just sureal.  Georgios Samaras must have one of the best agents going to get him back into the Premier League. This is a man who was a flop at Manchester City and who has not even really shone at Celtic. Now when you are playing for the best team in a Scotland league which is very poor that says it all. He will be lucky to get 2 goals all season. 

A truely awful signing who will be up front with Balotelli come May when they announce the flop XI of the season. 

3.  Rio Ferdinand

Quite honestly why Rio Ferdinand has signed for QPR I do not know. The obvious answer is money however surely the man is not that greedy? Well this is for sure his last payday so I suppose I cannot blame him. However I do feel this is an awful transfer. He looked awful last season. A man well past his best and this season he is playing in a side who will be on the back foot most weeks. It will not be like his many years at Manchester United when United had 65%+ possession everyweek and quality players ahead and around him. Last season he looked very uncomfortable doing just about anything. If you are a QPR fan you should be worried although given Ferdinand injury record I cannot see him playing 20 games. 

Expect him to be continually caught out this season - leading to his retirement at the end of it.

4.  Leonardo Ulloa

I feel that Ulloa is really going to struggle. As I said in my prediction post, his lack of pace for me is a major concern at this level. He played very well with a very average Championship side in Brighton and was a constant threat however I fear at Leicester he simply will not get the supply or chances to really show his worth. He deserves his chance at this level and of all the signings I am predicting to be misses I hope Ulloa proves me wrong. 

I honestly feel Leicester will go down however on his day Ulloa can be a real handful.  

5. Jack Rodwell

Firstly the reason why I have put Rodwell on this list is his injury record. He may claim to be fit however only time will really tell if his body can stand up to a whole season. Secondly given his woeful fitness record the fact that Sunderland have laid out £10 million is astonishing. This figure is wildly over the mark. He may prove to be a great signing in time however at this moment in time he does not demand such a fee. 

Expect an injury hit season and so a limited impact. 

Only time will tell if I have been proved right or made to eat humble pie. 

United on the brink as City go down without a fight

Arteta's strike all but end City title hopes

Hopless, Useless, Gutless and Clueless. Four words that sum up Manchester City's 1-0 defeat against Arsenal. Having seen Manchester United win earlier City knew that they had to win. As a result you would expect to see a hunger and fight in City's display. This was their time to really stand up and show their qualities as a title winning side. However in reality as soon as the game began City looked a beaten team. The players looked as if they had conceded the title already. In truth Arsenal could have won the game long before Mikel Arteta's strike 10 minutes from the end. Arsenal dominated and no one could argue with the result. It was just incredible to witness such a lack of gile and will from a team challenging for the title. So much had been written and said about this Manchester City side but yesterday showed a stark reality about the team.

It seems as with some horses when they are in front it's ok however once they are passed the horse will not fight and come back. To me it showed a real lack of backbone from City. It seems they have no ability to dig in a get the result needed. Manchester United have done that on countless occasions, and one of the reasons for it is a team spirit. Manchester United are a team, unlike City who are a group of individuals.

Mancini left with much to ponder

Yesterdays performances of Gareth Barry, James Milner, Jolean Lescott, Samir Nasri and Mario Balotelli were abysmal. More worrying for me is that 3 of those are English and many would say will be in the Euro's. Barry's dreadful pass that gave Arsenal their goal and summed up another miserable display from him in that central role.

 Despite having spent over 200 million to me Roberto Mancini (left) I look at Manchester city and see no team. Until this is rectified they will not win the League. To win the league over a 38 game Premier League season is very tough and only if you are together will you have a chance. Although I must admit City's demise in the last few months has surprised me. I did think at Christmas that it would go to the wire and that meeting between the two on April the 30th be crucial. However with 5 games to go the likelihood of this is slim. Many will say they are second and that is an improvement but for me Mancini has not built the sort of squad that money should. City have over-paid for many players of which they have not delivered the goods, the likes of Edin Dzeko who cost 27 million a fine case in point. The Carlos Tevez affair and Balotelli's continuous off the field antics do nothing for the togetherness of a team. As a result Mancini should take plenty of the blame.

Another sure sign of my point is that if Mancini is sacked, as I think he will be, then a new manager will want to get rid of many of the squad and bring in many new players. Now I know people will say "well all new managers like to do that, put their mark on the team" although I do not think that would happen if Sir Alex Ferguson left United at the end of the season. Having said this if Mancini stays I am sure he will do the same, although I never did and still do not think he is the right man. 

A criticism of Jose Mourinho is that, he only has success because he is with top clubs and has a huge budget. This is true to an extent although the manager still has to build a team and mould them into a way of playing to be successful. This is why Mourinho is superior to Mancini. I am sure that if Mourinho was appointed when Mark Hughes was sacked or before that, Manchester City would have won the title. It may not have been pretty but I am sure they would have won. For me Mancini has no one to blame. He can not complain of lack of funds or support that for sure. He picks the team, he buys the players and he will take the blame. Mario Balotelli is the key here. Mancini signed this man, he knew exactly what he was like and it has cost him. When a man with the statue of Jose Mourinho refers to a player as 'unmanageable' it is obvious that the player is a trouble maker. He is not popular amount the City players it is clear. At half time yesterday Balotelli was down injured with the physio yet every Manchester City player walked straight past, not a word. Also the reaction of Joe Hart to his sending off, said it all.

I doubt Manchester United can believe how easy it has been, as City have collasped. Yes, United have put the pressure on and gone on that traditional United of winning game after game from March onwards. They have played well and been inspired but the likes of Giggs and the returned Paul Scholes. But for City the disappearance of David Silva, so masterful early on in the year is a real problem. As United have got stronger City have got weaker and weaker.

For me this season in the Premier League has been incredibly exciting and it is not finished yet. Although it must be the poorest in terms of quality Premier League ever. The English teams ventures into Europe this season prove this fact. United knocked out in the groups and then embarrassed by Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League. I know Chelsea are in the Semi-Finals some how, although the game with Barcelona will really test their new found confidence. This Manchester United team is  the weakest I can remember. This is a team relying on two players of 36+ age. This fact makes it even more galling that City have failed. In truth despite having without doubt the strongest squad of players in the division the reality is that City do not deserve to win the league.