Here is a list of the ten greatest footballers that God ever managed to make. He was having a fantastic day by his standards because these guys are just so good. It is a list of by far the best players who’ve ever graced the completely unworthy Premier League. The turf should be sealed off after they’ve played and turned into a pilgrimage site. Or so they think.
In reality this is a list of the biggest egos in the Premier League. The ten players who cannot handle being substituted and storm down the tunnel in a fit of rage, the players who kick out in disgust at water bottles and throw their shirts to the ground really really angrily. These are the players who scream at their teammates when they don’t get the ball but would never dream of passing if they had a chance from 40 yards.
All these players genuinely believe they are the best, they believe that taking them off is a stupid mistake and leaving them on the bench is pure lunacy. They are God’s gift to the game and to their team and to ignore God you must be a fool. In fact you’re all fools anyway, you just can’t comprehend their talent.
Managerial authority means absolutely nothing, the idea that somebody would tell them how to play when they have already mastered all there is to know is laughable. ‘Leave it to me and we will win’ they think, ‘who is this old goat who thinks Jermaine Jenas can replace ME! He must be mad!’ Cue strop.
In football, whole squads can be described as egos, particularly the most expensive ones. The Chelsea and Manchester City managerial jobs in particular require masterful ‘mass-ego management skills’ but that is a story for another day. Today we’re going to focus on the individuals, just as these players would want. It’s all about me, me, me. So here are 10 of the best.
Click on Drogba and Ronaldo below to see the Top TEN
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A Rangers insider has delivered a big behind-the-scenes claim regarding Aaron Ramsey…
What’s the talk?
The former Gers player and current Rangers TV pundit, Alan Hutton, has provided an insight into the impact the Welsh international has had since arriving at the club on loan from Italian giants Juventus in January.
He told Football Insider: “I’ve heard little bits.
“Obviously his whole mentality, the way he is a player, he’s played at big clubs that are going to win things.
“I think the bar for yourself, you raise it when these players walk into the building. They expect a certain amount of talent to be out there on the pitch.
“You have to show it. I think he’s raised that bar. Everybody knows how much of a talented player he is and they want to get to that level. It’s things like that, just little things, that make the squad better.”
Rangers fans will be delighted
This claim from Hutton will surely delight fans as it shows that the midfielder is still making a difference for the side despite his limited involvement on the pitch so far.
It has been a frustrating start to his spell at Ibrox as he is yet to start a Premiership or Europa League match for Gio van Bronckhorst. His only start so far has come in the Scottish Cup in a 3-0 win over Annan Athletic, with the former Arsenal man picking up an assist for Filip Helander’s goal in the match.
He has only played two matches in the Premiership and has accrued 30 minutes of football in the competition, which highlights how much of a struggle it has been for him throughout February. The midfielder missed the second leg of the win over Borussia Dortmund in Europe through injury, but he still has plenty of time left to come in and be a difference-maker on the pitch.
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For now, though, fans will be delighted to read that Ramsey has been a positive influence off the pitch. His arrival has seemingly given everyone at the club a boost and his experience could prove vital as the Gers go deeper into a title race with Celtic and the latter stages of the Europa League.
Therefore, the supporters will be pleased that he is having an impact at the club in spite of his struggles to get on the pitch. Whilst it is not ideal that he has been dealing with injury issues, at least he is not simply taking his payslip and making no contribution to the side.
AND in other news, Forget Tavernier: £6.4k-p/w Rangers tank with 75% duels won was real star of the show…
Aston Villa have not been shy when it comes to spending significant amounts of money on bringing new players to the club over the past few years.
As is the case with a lot of clubs who are particularly active in the transfer market, not every player that joins ends up proving their worth on the pitch.
One player that falls into this category for the Midlands club is striker Wesley.
He made the move to Villa Park back in the 2019 summer transfer window from Belgian side Club Brugge in a deal worth a reported fee of £22m.
His debut campaign in England turned out to be a very unfortunate one for him, after scoring just five goals in 21 Premier League matches, the Brazilian suffered a severe knee injury in January 2020 that kept him out of action for a whopping 15 months.
This season, after making a one-minute cameo in Villa’s 2-0 win against Newcastle United back in August, the striker returned to Brugge on a loan deal but only made six appearances before moving back to his home country in January for another temporary spell, this time with Internacional until the end of the campaign.
In December 2019, a few months after making his big-money move to the Midlands, Transfermarkt rated the 25-year-old’s value listed at £27m, but following a torrid few years, it now stands at just £5.4m.
That shows a significant decrease of 80%, presumably as a result of the lack of game time at Villa due to his injury as well as his disappointing spell back at Brugge.
Taking all of this into account, it’s safe to say that the centre-forward, who is currently picking up a weekly wage of £46k-per-week according to Salary Sport, has not exactly repaid the hefty transfer fee that Wes Edens and Nassef Sawiris splashed out for him.
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Having been labelled as a potential “burden” for the club in the past by Paul Robinson due to his lack of consistency in front of goal, Wesley has a big challenge ahead of him if he wants to convince Steven Gerrard that he has a future at Villa Park and can be an important figure for them.
In other news: Lange plotting bargain AVFC swoop for “monstrous” £6m-rated gem, he’d be a big upgrade – opinion
Everton could look for new investors after Uzbekistan-born Alisher Usmanov has seen his assets frozen by the European Union, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.
The Lowdown: Usmanov news
Usmanov, owner of USM Holdings, first became involved with the Toffees when his company sponsored Everton’s Finch Farm training ground.
More recently, he struck a deal with the Merseyside club, securing naming-rights of Everton’s proposed new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.
However, the Toffees have now cut ties with their Russian sponsors, including Usmanov’s USM Holdings, leaving the club with a potential £300 million black hole in their playing budget.
The Latest: O’Rourke’s claim…
Consequently, O’Rourke has claimed that Everton may be searching for new investors to fill the void left by the Uzbekistan billionaire.
Speaking with GiveMeSport, he said:
“It might mean that Everton will be looking for financial investment just to help the club tick along and everything else.
“It’s going to be such a big summer for Everton. They will be desperate to stay in the Premier League.”
The Verdict: Needed
New boss Frank Lampard has insisted that Usmanov’s sanctions “have not impacted” his squad as the Toffees continue to fight off a relegation battle.
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If Everton remain in the Premier League next season, they will need new investors over the summer, especially given the calls being made for a defensive overhaul.
Therefore, the Toffees need to worry about the remainder of the season, before undergoing a search for investment during the summer.
In other news: Everton: Toffees need defensive overhaul
Leeds United secured their first win under manager Jesse Marsch in dramatic fashion after young substitute Joe Gelhardt fired home in stoppage time to beat relegation rivals Norwich City at Elland Road.
In what was his third game in charge, having taken over from Marcelo Bielsa only a few weeks ago, the Whites finally ended a run of six straight defeats with a crucial win in the dogfight at the foot of the table.
The Yorkshire giants now move four points clear of the relegation zone with only nine games left to play.
Marsch will be encouraged to have finally picked up three points but there is still a long, long way to go. His late move to bring on Joffy paid serious dividends but despite the last-gasp winner, there was another hero on the day – Raphinha.
It was the Brazilian international who remained ever so composed to provide the 19-year-old with the perfect assist in the game’s dying embers, having gone close multiple times himself.
He hit the crossbar twice and was a constant thorn in Dean Smith’s side.
As per SofaScore, Raphinha was amongst the most influential players on the pitch, registering 72 touches of the ball (third-most) and with those, he contributed four key passes (the most) and created two big chances.
The £36m-rated dynamo also fired off three shots, recorded four dribbles and even did his defensive duties, managing to win eight duels, two interceptions and one tackle.
That late moment was another reminder that, on his day, he walks into most teams across Europe and that’s the Raphinha that Marsch will need if Leeds are to remain a Premier League outfit heading into the summer.
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On another day, he’ll have undoubtedly bagged himself a goal or two but his ice-cold assist with seconds to spare was enough for him to be the true hero for the American head coach this weekend.
SofaScore clearly agreed as he was graded as the best performer on the pitch, as per their ratings, after the game. It’s no wonder he’s regarded as a “magician” around these parts.
AND in other news, Leeds could have future star in “fiery” teen who’s shades of Alan Smith…
Three Leeds United players could be forced to withdraw from international duty through injury, as per Leeds Live’s Beren Cross.
The lowdown
The Whites came back from two goals down to beat Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday night, but the victory came at a cost.
A whopping four players – Illan Meslier, Diego Llorente, Mateusz Klich and Patrick Bamford – were forced off with injuries at Molineux, while Raphinha didn’t make the trip to the Midlands at all after testing positive for the virus.
The latest
Cross relayed an update on three of the casualties on Sunday morning in Leeds Live.
He shared a link to the article via Twitter, stating: “Jesse Marsch expects Raphinha will have to withdraw from Brazil duty. Diego Llorente likely too. Illan Meslier a candidate with his knock too. Could be a hugely useful fortnight for the head coach with most sticking around.”
All three nations are due to play twice during the upcoming international break, and Cross feels that the break could actually prove to be ‘hugely useful’ for Marsch, with most of his players set to remain in Yorkshire.
The verdict
Even before the Wolves game, Leeds were without left-back Junior Firpo (knee) and forward Tyler Roberts (thigh), so the returns of Kalvin Phillips and Liam Cooper to the substitutes’ bench were immediately offset.
Still, the Whites will hope that the three points have given them a safety net above the bottom three. They are now seven clear of the drop zone on 29 points, and it has been suggested that 35 (i.e. two more wins) should be enough to stay up.
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If they can get most of their key players back fit and healthy for the final stretch of games, Leeds should be fine.
In other news, Leeds are facing a ‘disaster’ after this off-field development
Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips could be keen to join Aston Villa because of Steven Gerrard’s influence, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.
The Lowdown: Phillips rumours continue
The 26-year-old has endured an injury-plagued season for the Whites, proving to be mostly helpless in their battle to stave off the threat of relegation.
At the same time, Phillips has been continually linked with a move away from his boyhood club this summer, as he potentially eyes up a fresh challenge with a side chasing European football rather than running from the drop.
Villa are one of those to have shown an interest in the midfielder, who has been lauded as ‘phenomenal’ by former England manager Fabio Capello, with Gerrard reportedly plotting to launch a £60m bid this summer.
[freshpress-quiz id=“383507″]
The Latest: Gerrard influence key?
Speaking to Give Me Sport about those rumours, Jones believes Gerrard’s legendary reputation in the game could be enough for Villa to snap up Phillips in the summer:
“I think if Kalvin Phillips were to leave Leeds, he would be looking for certain aspects to fit what he’s looking for. Aston Villa have got Steven Gerrard and that, obviously, is a massive positive for them in terms of persuading him.
“They’re going to be pushing for European football from this point on and that’s the aim, so that’ll suit him.”
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The Verdict: Perfect mentor?
While Gerrard is clearly a legend of the game and someone any midfielder would want to learn from, a move to Villa still wouldn’t feel like a big enough step up for Phillips.
Granted, they are currently faring better than Leeds, but if the England international is to leave the club, it should be for a team playing in the Champions League rather than one currently sitting ninth in the Premier League table.
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Only Phillips knows what his decision will be – so much may hinge on whether or not Leeds are relegation – but moving solely because of a manager who may not be at Villa Park forever would feel a little like a sideways move.
In other news, Leeds are thought to be keen on signing a defender. Find out who it is here.
Aston Villa trio Lucas Digne, Marvelous Nakamba and Kortney Hause will all return to training ahead of the clash with Wolves next weekend.
The lowdown
Villa’s season run-in begins with the short trip to Molineux on Saturday afternoon following the international break.
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Digne missed the 1-0 defeat against Arsenal last time out after sustaining a hamstring injury just 10 minutes into the clash with West Ham United earlier this month.
Hause has been absent for the last three Premier League three matches with an abdominal problem, while Nakamba’s return has been long-awaited. The Zimbabwean underwent knee surgery in December, sidelining him for 14 top-flight games.
The latest
Birmingham Mail’s Ashley Preece and Leigh Curtis reported that Digne has already returned to full training with his national team France. Meanwhile, Hause will ‘link back up with the group at Bodymoor Heath’ at the beginning of the week.
However, Gerrard is expected to exercise caution with Nakamba as he resumes ‘full training’. The midfielder is unlikely to play against Wolves and could instead feature for the under-23s against Stoke City on Friday night as he aims to build up his fitness.
The verdict
The Wolves game may come too soon for Nakamba, while you’d imagine that Hause will be confined to the bench, given that he has only started four league matches this season.
However, Digne’s return is a significant boost for Gerrard. The 28-year-old leads the squad for accurate crosses per 90 minutes (1.3) and is also joint-second for chances created with 1.4 (level with Emiliano Buendia and John McGinn, behind Philippe Coutinho on 1.5).
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Indeed, Gerrard believes that the £25m January signing fits his system to a tee, which is “vital” for the manager. The Frenchman could be a player who makes the difference against Villa’s Midlands rivals, given his prowess for creating chances, and having him back in training is very good news indeed.
In other news, the sale of this star could fund Villa’s summer spending plans.
With games coming thick and fast over a frantic December period, it’s perhaps unsurprising that Arsenal’s performances have dwindled somewhat.
There was a week in which the Gunners scored a collective seven goals against Spurs and Bayern Munich but more recent displays have lacked the same firepower.
They lost to Aston Villa a few weeks ago and besides the 3-0 win over Brugge, have failed to score more than two goals across wins over Wolves, Everton and Crystal Palace.
That said, Mikel Arteta’s men have still only lost one game since August. They’re flying and well in the driver’s seat to win the Premier League title next May.
A big part of that has been due to the transfer business that Arteta and Andrea Berta have completed. It differs considerably from the days of Unai Emery. The current crop may have the Spaniard to thank for bringing William Saliba to the Emirates Stadium but beyond that, things were a bit of a disaster in the market.
Nicolas Pepe is proof of that.
What went wrong for Nicolas Pepe at Arsenal
Back in the summer of 2019 Arsenal decided to break their transfer record on a marquee addition.
They paid a colossal £72m to bring Lille winger Pepe to the Emirates. Remarkably, six years on, he is still the second biggest addition in the club’s history.
However, while the new record signing in Declan Rice has gone from strength to strength, Pepe flopped in Arsenal colours and is still remembered as a total disaster in north London.
It’s a peculiar tale, really. The Ivorian arrived in England off the back of a stunning season in France. He netted 22 goals across the 2018/19 campaign but never replicated that after his mega-money move.
It says it all that Emery didn’t even want him. Detailing the saga a few years ago, the former Arsenal boss commented: “Pepe is a good player but he needs time. When I was there he didn’t give me the performances. I was in favour of someone coming who knew the English league, more than anything so that he wouldn’t need a period of adaptation.”
Revealing who he wanted instead, the now Aston Villa manager said: “I had a meeting with Zaha. He was the player I wanted because I could see that he won so many games on his own. I saw 20 Zaha games, some incredible performances and I told them that this is the player that I want for this team. I spoke to Zaha. I had been with him personally. And he wanted to come.”
Alas, Arsenal were stuck with Pepe and while he flirted with delivering some strong performances, scoring 16 goals in 2020/21, he was more known for injuries and a lack of end product.
The fact he only found the net 11 times across his final two campaigns in red and white said it all.
Arsenal’s transfer business since then has been a lot more impressive but might a new Pepe be emerging during the Berta and Arteta era?
Arsenal's new Nicolas Pepe
Everything about the Pepe move was a nightmare, not least because they paid over £70m, but because they ultimately ended up seeing him leave on a free transfer.
From a financial point of view, it was a mess. He will go down as one of the biggest flops in Premier League history.
It’s too early to judge any of Berta’s signings in that light but it does feel as though Arsenal may have wasted a bit of cash during their huge summer of spending.
Viktor Gyokeres may well have scored against Everton last weekend but he has still only bagged seven times since arriving from Sporting in the summer.
Chalkboard
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That said, he’s arguably had a better time of it at Arsenal than Noni Madueke. Signed for a whopping £52m, including add-ons from Chelsea, many questioned and many protested the signing.
In the early stages of his career with the club, he proved people wrong. Bukayo Saka endured a period on the sidelines and Madueke certainly came into his own.
He notably caught the eye during starts against Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. The 3-0 win over Forest was a particular highlight, completing five dribbles and supplying five key passes. It was a Saka-esque performance from a player who was signed to deliver exactly that. He is here to ensure Saka isn’t missed when he’s injured.
To his credit, Madueke has been impressive in spurts. His first goal against Club Brugge in the Champions League a few weeks ago was a spectacular strike from range. Meanwhile, his goal against Bayern Munich – his first for Arsenal – was rather timely.
The Gunners needed an extra spark to get over the line and he delivered. Saka was surprisingly brought off but Madueke stepped up to the plate by scoring at the back post from Riccardo Calafiori’s cross.
However, like Pepe, he’s struggled for end product. This is a player who is still yet to score a goal or assist one in the Premier League this season.
Meanwhile, his performance against Crystal Palace on Tuesday in the Carabao Cup was particularly wasteful, spurning two OPTA-defined ‘big chances’.
Madueke vs Crystal Palace
Minutes played
67
Touches
41
Accurate passes
14/21 (67%)
Successful dribbles
1/1
Possession lost
14x
Shots
5
Shots on target
3
Big chances missed
2
Duels won
1/4
Stats via Sofascore.
One came in the 22nd minute when Gabriel Martinelli lofted the ball over the defence into Madueke. Rather than shooting first time, he decided to take the ball down and then fire an effort at goal. From a few yards out he hit it straight at the keeper.
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It felt like Madueke had countless opportunities in that first half, striking another effort straight at the Palace ‘keeper towards the end of the opening 45 minutes.
You sense that Saka, even though he is not prolific himself, would have found the net from at least one of those opportunities.
Madueke, on the other hand, continues to produce inconsistent displays. Like Pepe, he’s got a moment of magic in him. That goal against Brugge said it all. Pepe also had that in his locker. Remember that free-kick in the Europa League?
There are more parallels beyond that. Their playstyle is also similar. Left footed right wingers, they enjoy cutting inside to influence play from central zones. Their dribbling style is also similar, and they both sadly have a lack of end product to boot.
Madueke, perhaps, in that regard, is even worse. Pepe did, at least, have that barnstorming campaign with Lille to shout about.
While the former Chelsea man thankfully did not cost quite as much as the Ivory Coast international, there are some worrying similarities.
Madueke has been tipped to explode under Arteta and Kai Havertz is evidence that we must not write off a player too soon. We hope he will still come good.
For now, however, the Pepe comparisons will stick until he produces end product on a consistent basis.
Worse than Eze: Arteta must drop 5/10 Arsenal flop who lost 75% duels
It really was a night to forget in the League Cup for Eberechi Eze and one of his Arsenal teammates.
Chelsea are now one of the most aggressive suitors in the race for a “powerhouse” defender, and they could be prepared to make a huge bid.
Blues told to sign new defender
The Blues have been urged to bring in a new centre-back during the upcoming transfer window, with Darren Bent suggesting former defender Thiago Silva could have been a savvy addition, despite turning 41 back in September.
The ex-striker said: “I played against Thiago Silva when he was in his pomp. Oh my goodness, animal! Brazil versus England… animal. He had everything: jumps, quick, powerful.
“But now, he just reads the game so well and if I’m Chelsea then I’m trying to bring him back.”
However, with the Brazilian recently making the move to FC Porto, BlueCo have now set out to bring in a younger, up-and-coming prospect, who is being targeted by a number of Europe’s biggest clubs.
That is according to a report from Caught Offside, which states Chelsea have now emerged as one of the most aggressive suitors in the race for Atalanta defender Honest Ahanor, with the 17-year-old also of interest to Arsenal, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
Such is the Blues’ level of interest, they could even be prepared to make a bid of around €60m (£52m), with any deal likely to be on the expensive side, as the Italian club value the youngster highly and don’t want to cash-in too early.
At the moment, Ahanor remains under contract until 2028, so there is no pressing need for Atalanta to sanction a sale, but the defender’s reputation is growing, with his ability in possession of the ball particularly catching the eye.
"Powerhouse" Ahanor could be future star
Back in May, scout Ben Mattinson suggested the teenager could be in line to make a major breakthrough this season, while also praising his pace and upper body strength.
Mattinson’s prediction has proven to be correct, with the starlet going on to make 13 appearances in all competitions, including four in the Champions League, helping his side keep a clean sheet in a 1-0 victory against Marseille back in November.
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The Aversa-born defender then went on to grab his first professional goal in a 4-0 rout against his former club, Genoa, earlier this month, during which he won all four of the duels he contested.
Chelsea identify former defender as 'perfect fit' to replace Maresca as manager
He’s enjoyed a ‘rapid adaptation’ to coaching.
ByEmilio Galantini
Ahanor is exhibiting very promising signs at Atalanta, but it would still be a little early for Chelsea to submit a bid in the region of £52m, and they should wait until the end of the season before making any approach.