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Feeling generous: The 20 Prem stars who have given the ball away most this season
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KEEPING the ball is crucial in football - after all, the opponents simply can’t score if they don’t have it. So which players are the biggest culprits for giving it away?
The 20 players who have made the most misplaced passes this season includes some surprise names - with key Leicester and Manchester United players featuring prominently.
Of course it’s worth bearing in mind that players who give the ball away a lot are likely to be attempting more ambitious passes or tactically playing long balls out of the defence - it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re playing badly!
CLICK THROUGH THE GALLERY ABOVE AS WE COUNT DOWN THE 20 PLAYERS TO MAKE THE MOST STRAY PASSES SO FAR THIS SEASON.
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How have Burnley started the season?
“They’ve started it pretty well and probably would have taken this. There’s an element of caution there, in that five of their seven games so far have been at home. I think they needed to start relatively well, and two victories is probably the minimum they were looking for.
"It’s a lot better than the way they started two years ago, that’s for sure, and I think it’s given everyone a bit of extra belief. They were unlucky not to pick up an extra point against Arsenal before the international break – they played very well in that game, which gives real signs of hope going forward.
“They’ve switched formation the last couple of weeks as well, from 4-4-2 to a three-man midfield with one up front, which has worked quite well. They look more of a Premier League team in that formation and are much better at keeping the ball.”
You mentioned the formation. What’s Burnley’s style of play like this season?
“Until the Leicester game a few weeks ago, Sean Dyche was always an avid fan of the 4-4-2, with Sam Vokes and Andre Gray up front. He’s rarely deviated from that, but the Leicester game away he sprang a surprise and played 4-2-3-1 and it’s been that shape ever since.
“Gray’s suspended at the moment, so it’s Vokes up front. I think it will be 4-2-3-1 again at the weekend, with Vokes. They spent quite a bit of money in midfield over the summer on Steven Defour and Jeff Hendrick, so it allows them to play to the strengths of the squad and get three central midfielders in the team, so it’s been quite a significant shift in terms of shape in the last couple of weeks. It’s taken them a little bit of time to get used to, but it does look to be working. In terms of possession, it’s certainly given them more options on the ball and helped them to keep the ball.”
Do you feel they’re better equipped this time around to survive in the Premier League?
“I think so. Getting promoted last time around they were well ahead of schedule then and were always up against it. A lot of that squad is still here and they’ve learnt from that. They’ve also spent a lot more money since then. They spent big money on Hendrick and Defour this summer. There’s a lot more Premier League experience in there, and I think the manager himself has probably learnt from two years ago, in terms of setting up a team and what you need to compete in the Premier League, so I think they’ve definitely come on from that and they’ll see this season as a much bigger chance to survive."
Who would you pick as Burnley’s key men for this Sunday?
“Defour in midfield has been hugely influential since he arrived. You can see his technical skills are fantastic, his passing’s superb and I think he’s been involved in four of the five goals Burnley have scored this season. He really makes that midfield tick and they like to get him on the ball as much as they can.
“They’ve been pretty good defensively so far, and a lot of that has been down to Michael Keane who has been fantastic. He reads the game really well, he’s strong in the air and good on the floor too. First thing’s first, they’ll be looking to try to keep a clean sheet down there and take it from there.”
What sort of a game are you expecting?
“I think Burnley will be relatively defensive and probably look to play on the counter attack with this shape. They’ll try to keep the ball as much as they can, but first thing’s first they’ll be looking to keep a clean sheet. If they do that, they’ll be confident of creating at least one good opportunity and trying to nick a goal. I think that’s how they’ll try to play it."
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Every manager in England’s top two tiers ranked by time served in current job
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FOOTBALL managers tend to have a short shelf life these days - but who has been around the longest after Arsene Wenger?
The Arsenal veteran is out on his own as the longest serving boss in England’s top two divisions, but how long have all the other managers been in their current roles?
We’ve added up the days in charge for every manager in the Premier League and Championship and it is clear that patience is even shorter in the second tier than the top, with eight of the longest-serving 12 bosses working at the highest level.
Shockingly, only 18 of the 44 have lasted a year!
CLICK THROUGH THE GALLERY ABOVE TO SEE HOW LONG EACH BOSS HAS BEEN AT THEIR CURRENT CLUB.
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Liverpool introduce wage cap: Jurgen Klopp speaks out on new measure
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Young talented players from across the globe are being lured to Premier League academies with the promise of a lucrative salary. But the Reds are fighting back. The Telegraph claim Liverpool will no longer pay their 17-year-old first-season professionals more than a basic £40,000-a-year salary.
“That’s how the future should be, even in the crazy football transfer world” Although that figure could increase with appearance bonuses for the Under-23 squad, or successful loan spells in a lower division. They are following Southampton and Tottenham, who’ve already implemented the measure, and believe it will benefit youngsters looking for a route into the senior squad. Manager Jurgen Klopp has reassured youth players that there is a clear pathway to his first-team squad, and will look to promote those already at Liverpool before making additions. He said: “I’ve always been at clubs for the long-term so when I see a 16-year-old player who is good, I can always wait for him.
“I can promise that before we sign a player who isn’t a lot better than what we already have, we will always use our own boys. “That’s how the future should be, even in the crazy football transfer world. We want to be this special club. "That’s why I am really interested in the talent groups and all these boys. We have created a situation where all these boys see a real perspective. “That’s very important. They need to know that there is a way through.”
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On This Day: Saints 2-1 Liverpool
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Watch as a goal from Dean Richards and Trond Egil Soltvedt’s 90th-minute winner see Southampton come from behind to beat Liverpool 2-1 in a 1999 League Cup tie at The Dell.
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Premier League football is back: 10 reasons to get excited
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Oh Premier League, how we’ve missed you.
The past two weeks have been tedious torture, as international breaks so often are, but now you’re back and you’re ours. All ours.
The nation can come out of a fortnight’s grump.
No more soulless stadia, no more relentless gloom, no more goalless draws in cities we can’t spell. Who needs Llubljana when we’ve got Stoke, anyway?
When the most entertaining moment of a 12-day stretch is a Norwegian TV panel’s reaction to a San Marino equaliser in Oslo, it’s easy to see just how mundane international football outside of major tournaments has become.
But that’s done now - for a month at least. Dust off the trumpets and stand to attention: the Premier League returneth. We’re excited and you should be too. Here’s why…
- THE LAST TWO WEEKS HAVE BEEN RUBBISH
Being an England fan over the past fortnight has been unbearably boring.
There’s been very little drama, very little intrigue, very little to smile about and the fact the nation wound itself into a knot over Wayne Rooney being dropped to the bench shows how desperate the situation became.
Elsewhere, Scotland’s self-combustion under Gordon Strachan is coming along a treat and even Wales stuttered against Georgia - a country ranked some 114 places below them in the FIFA rankings. For the sake of perspective, that’s the equivalent of England being held by Cuba or Germany struggling for a point against Syria.
Anything is better than this.
The midfielder has had more hairstyles than a Nicky Clarke handbook and this week he introduced his latest creation to the world.
Not content with the racing stripe, peroxide white and snakeskin concoctions he has sported since arriving at Manchester United, the Frenchman has now had emojis carved into his mop.
At this rate there’ll be a market on what hairdo he’s wearing when he runs out at Anfield on Monday night. If he can reproduce his stunning goal for his country in the game against Liverpool, however, United fans won’t give a hoot about his barnet.
- KLOPP vs MOURINHO: THE MOTHER OF TOUCHLINE BATTLES
If you want the hottest ticket in town, head to Anfield on Monday night when Liverpool and Manchester United come face to face.
But it’s not only the action on the pitch that’ll be worth the price of admission. In the shape of Jurgen Klopp and Jose Mourinho, two of the most animated managers in the division will be a matter of metres from one another on the sidelines.
Klopp’s air-punching has reached epidemic levels this season while the sight of Mourinho running down the touchline, arms waving like a mother chasing an errant pushchair, has become a staple part of the Premier League diet.
Budding choreographers looking for inspiration could do worse than watch the pair side by side.
Goal machine Chadli is living up to his tag as West Brom’s most expensive player following his £13million move from Tottenham and this weekend he has the chance to show Spurs just what they’re missing.
According to Tony Pulis, the midfielder has been so committed to bettering himself that he’s had to kick him off the training ground for staying too long after his team-mates have gone home.
Though there’s a slight porkie smell hanging over that tale, Chadli’s performances have been impressive. In four appearances for the Baggies, the Belgian has scored three goals and set up two more - the same stats he recorded in 29 appearances for his former club last season.
There’d be something poetic about Tottenham’s unbeaten record - the only one left in the Premier League - falling at the hands of a player they were happy to see leave White Hart Lane.
To the surprise of some and delight of many, Bob Bradley’s epic football pilgrimage - via the USA, Egypt, Norway and France - finally reached the Premier League with his appointment by Swansea this week.
While Robbie Savage might have been critical of the decision not to employ a man with a vastly inferior CV and significantly less experience in the shape of Ryan Giggs, the arrival of Bradley adds a new dimension to the English top-flight.
The American will be hoping to bring more culture to these shores than some of the most notable imports from across the Atlantic and he has the perfect stage to show what he can do at Arsenal on Saturday.
Win and maybe, just maybe, Savage will accept that an interview process is the appropriate way to fill a job vacancy.
England’s haul of two goals in 180 minutes against Malta and Slovenia is as good an illustration as any of why international football, outside of major tournaments, is decomposing.
The style is dull, the football is slow and then there’s the atmosphere - which at times feels like the parental standing ovation at the end of a Year 10 clarinet recital.
Domestically it’s different. Sure, there are duds, but generally the action is faster, the players are more willing to bomb forward and the managers are more creative. It’s proper entertainment, unrestrained by the baggage of representing one’s country.
And, subsequently, the experience of ‘going to the football’ retains its raw emotion.
Sunderland have made a habit of starting seasons slowly and this year has been no different.
Last term, the Black Cats didn’t win a league match until October 25, the year before it was October 4, in 2013-14 it was October 27. Currently they sit bottom of the Premier League with two points from their seven games.
On Saturday they go to Stoke, who have had a shocker under Mark Hughes so far. The match presents both sides’ best opportunity to seal a first victory of the season. You can get 9-1 on a 0-0 draw.
N’Golo Kante’s defection from Leicester to Chelsea over the summer left a void which Claudio Ranieri is still struggling to fill.
The Foxes boss can be forgiven for finding it impossible to pinpoint a player with the same Tasmanian Devil intensity and relentless energy as Kante and he’s going to get a stark reminder of the Frenchman’s qualities at Stamford Bridge on Saturday lunchtime.
Having worked so closely with him during Leicester’s romp to the title last term, perhaps Ranieri has an idea or two about how best to limit Kante’s influence.
It will be intriguing to see just how the champions set up as they bid to avoid making the worst eight-game start by a side defending their crown during the Premier League era.
A little more than 20 years ago, Johan Cruyff was in his final season at Barcelona. Manchester City and Everton, meanwhile, were struggling towards the bottom end of the Premier League.
Fast forward two decades and the great Dutchman’s wide-ranging influence on the game will clearly be on display at the Etihad Stadium, where first-placed City and the fifth-placed Toffees go head to head.
In each corner sits a man whose managerial mantras were defined by Cruyff - Pep Guardiola and Ronald Koeman; intricate, technical, imaginative football men who have already had huge impacts on their respective clubs since joining in the summer.
For Koeman, it is the biggest test of his short Goodison Park reign to date. For Guardiola, the match presents a chance to make amends for his first loss at the helm, at Tottenham a fortnight ago.
There’s been a paucity of drama over the past two weeks that compares to the BBC’s Christmas programming.
England’s two matches during the international break were so lacking in headline material that Joe Hart’s save in Slovenia - very good, granted, but hardly the stuff of legend - was reported in hysterical hyperbole.
We’re in desperate need of something to really get excited about.
Luckily, Aguero, Ibrahimovic, Coutinho, Sanchez, Pogba, De Bruyne, Klopp, Mourinho, Conte and the rest are back to give us exactly what we need.
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Fathers, sons and extended football families | Sport Galleries | Pics | Daily Express
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Express Sport has already ranked the best and worst siblings in football, but now we take a look at some of the most talented father and son duos in the beautiful game (with a few cousins thrown in too) [Getty Images]
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Jay Rodriguez hopes visit of Burnley can spur Saints’ star back to action
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Jay Rodriguez will always have a special place in his heart for Burnley and the Southampton forward hopes the visit of his old club to St Mary’s on Sunday can provide the platform to finally banish his injury torment.
When Southampton paid Burnley around £7million to prise the sought-after Rodriguez away from his hometown team upon their return to the Premier League in 2012, they believed they were buying a player with the ability to become a future England star.
That potential was on the verge of being fulfilled in the form of a World Cup call-up two years later after a goal-laden season, when Rodriguez was cruelly struck down by a career-threatening knee injury.
As the likeable Lancastrian lay in agony on the turf at Manchester City’s Etihad in April 2014, he knew the dream of pulling on the Three Lions jersey in Brazil had been callously ripped from his grasp.
A scan on his injured knee days later confirmed Saints’ and the player’s worst fears that he had damaged his anterior cruciate ligaments. Life for Rodriguez has never been quite the same since.
Hopes he would be fit to return to action before the end of the following 2014-15 season proved overly optimistic as a series of setbacks during his rehabilitation ruled out the now 27-year-old for the entire campaign.
Such was his dedication to regain full fitness he even snubbed pals’ plans for him to wear a pair of stilettos during his stag party celebrations for fear doing so could cause more injury woes.
Despite that commitment and spending endless hours training alone in the gym at Saints’ New Forest training ground, last season was little better for Rodriguez, who managed just 11 Premier League appearances.
His attempts to get back to the form which propelled him into Roy Hodgson’s plans were undermined by a string of injuries. A League Cup double in Southampton’s 6-0 thrashing of MK Dons was the highlight of another largely frustrating year.
Queue another summer of putting in extended hours on the training field and when Rodriguez scored twice in three games in September – in the 1-1 Premier League draw at home to Sunderland and 3-0 Europa League trouncing of Czech side Sparta Prague – it seemed his luck was turning.
The point-saving strike against Sunderland even persuaded Southampton manager Claude Puel to shelve plans to send him out on loan, with West Brom and Hull circling for his signature, believing the quicksilver striker provided an alternative option to the likes of Charlie Austin and Shane Long.
However, no sooner had the transfer window slammed shut, Rodriguez once again found himself checked into Southampton’s treatment room – this time with a groin injury which ruled him out for a further five weeks.
Rodriguez has seen fellow former Claret Charlie Austin help himself to five goals in as many matches to establish himself as Puel’s main front-man alongside makeshift striker Nathan Redmond.
That means another patient wait for Rodriguez, who since leaving Turf Moor has only faced Burnley once, in a 4-3 FA Cup win in which he was among the scorers.
However a place on the substitutes’ bench this weekend at least allows him the chance to revive his career against the club where it all began. Anyone with a heart will be praying this does not become another false dawn for one of football’s good guys.
Alex Crook is ESPN FC’s Southampton blogger. Follow him on Twitter @alex_crook
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Eric Black “innocent” says football agent at the centre of Daily Telegraph sting
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THE football agent at the centre of the Daily Telegraph’s “Football For Sale” sting that implicated Saints assistant manager Eric Black insists that all of those caught up in the investigation are “innocent”.
Black, who remains in his job at St Mary’s, was filmed at a New Forest Hotel by the newspaper during a meeting as part of an undercover sting.
In the subsequent story printed by the Telegraph it stated that Claude Puel’s number two had given undercover reporters advice on how to bribe officials at other clubs.
Black’s representatives released a statement at the time to say that “any suggestion that he was complicit in such discussions is false” while Saints also said that they are fully committed to investigating the situation.
Football agent Scott McGarvey is also implicated in similar stings on QPR manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Sam Allardyce, who lost his job as England manager as a result of the stories after just 67 days in charge.
But McGarvey, who say the FA overreacted by getting rid of Allardyce, insists that they were all entrapped with a “capital E” by the national newspaper.
“Capital E. Absolutely. One hundred per cent,” he said. “This is not Monday to Friday. This is 13 weeks of dozens of emails, hundreds of texts, hundreds of calls and bringing more than seven or eight innocent people into this story.”
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Gerrard? Keane? Vieira? The 25 best central midfielders in Premier League history
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- Dietmar Hamann - Revered for his role in the 2005 Champions League final, his seven years at Anfield were sandwiched by stints with Newcastle and Manchester City. Scored the last ever goal at old Wembley
STARSPORT count down the 25 best central midfielders in the history of the Premier League.
Some of the finest players, and captains, to grace the Premier League have plied their trade in the centre of the park.
From defensive midfielders like ex-Liverpool man Javier Mascherano to No.10’s like Manchester United’s Juan Mata and box-to-box players like Chelsea icon Frank Lampard, it’s an area where all sorts of talents can excel.
CLICK THROUGH THE GALLERY ABOVE AS WE COUNT DOWN THE 25 BEST CENTRAL MIDFIELDERS IN PREMIER LEAGUE HISTORY.
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