All posts by h79snht.top

Arsene Wenger is either throwing us off the trail (the apologists like to call it a smokescreen), or he’s telling us exactly what’s going to happen.

The Arsenal manager last week spoke of stability and that his side were close. He added that he didn’t expect a large number of signings this summer, hinting that the theme of three maximum could be continued, while sounding out the difficulties the World Cup will create during the transfer window.

Off the bat, stability can be used with one intention but interpreted as another. For those whose glass is half empty, stability means the club aren’t planning to do too much. Just as Mesut Ozil’s blockbuster signing last summer failed to disguise what was yet another poor period of business throughout, this summer is likely to feature one or two names that won’t really rock the boat, firstly in upsetting the balance of the squad but mainly in damaging the accounts.

Arsenal may be two or three signings away from sustaining a title challenge up until May, but that doesn’t take into account those who are leaving on free transfers this summer. It doesn’t take into account the fact that the team have only three natural centre-backs, with no one in the reserve team good enough to step in during an emergency. It ignores that Theo Walcott may miss the start of next season, and that most players will have to treat a World Cup hangover.

Wenger said that the window may only start to come alive around July 15th, which sounds awfully similar to his comments in previous years about a bankrupt Europe and a cold market. It’s not really an excuse for inactivity across the market, just a passable enough excuse that explains Arsenal’s inactivity.

This is a team who suffered at the start of this season through ill preparation. At time of writing, Arsenal are five points off Liverpool in first place. Those three points which were lost against Aston Villa on the opening day could have been quite useful.

But again, things like that aren’t taken into account. Wenger’s general comment on the summer transfer period seemed to echo the stance of past years: a lack of motivation, resting on laurels, getting by with the hope things will fall into place in your favour.

For those who want to take a realistic look at this Arsenal team, at least five players need to arrive this summer in order to turn a March imposition into title success in May. Five at the very least, and that’s being conservative. Someone at the club, probably Ivan Gazidis, needs to tell Wenger to stop dictating the terms of the summer. Stop finding excuses to halt the progression of this team.

There may be a feeling among some that Arsenal have gotten away with this season, snatching fourth when not too long ago it seemed likely they’d be preparing to play their European football on a Thursday night.

The manager has spoken about injuries, which is fair. How much further up the league table would Arsenal be if Aaron Ramsey, Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jack Wilshere, and Ozil hadn’t been injured for so long? It’s a problem that needs to be addressed, but another problem is the lack of quality in reserve. A lack of quality may be a stretch; a lack of variance may be more fitting.

It only takes a couple of injuries for this Arsenal team to become worryingly one dimensional, and it’s not something that can be effectively resolved by going blindly into this summer.

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Wenger will hold his cards close to his chest, as he’s always done. A couple of obvious addition may be completed in the near future. Loic Remy and Carlos Vela would be big helps next season, and they could both be signed for a combined £16 million. Remy and Vela – and Lukas Podolski ahead of the European Championship in 2012 – show that deals can be wrapped up before the start of a summer tournament.

The hope is that Wenger has altered his ways this year and that his statement on the summer is indeed a smokescreen that keeps the club’s business well disguised. If not, it’s set to be another frustratingly long summer.

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West Ham are a club with enormous potential.ÂUpton Park enjoys sell-out 35,000 crowds on a weekly basis, hosting one of the most passionate and militant fan-bases in the country. Furthermore, the East Londoners plan to move to a new home in 2016, the Olympic stadium, which is expected to significantly increase the club’s revenue.

But performances on the pitch in recent years haven’t quite reflected the Hammers’ almighty scope for growth. After continually bouncing between the Premier League and the Championship, Sam Allardyce has spent the last few campaigns using an attritional brand of football to solidify the Irons’ top flight status.

Perhaps that potential can be unlocked via the transfer market, a theory Big Sam Âappears to be subscribing to, having made five signings already this summer in the form of Diego Poyet, Enner Valencia, Cheikou Kouyate, Mauro Zarate and Aaron Cresswell.

With that in mind, here’s FIVE signings that could transform West Ham, propelling them up the Premier League table.

[ffc-gallery]CLICK ON MAROUANE FELLAINI TO REVEAL

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MAROUANE FELLAINI

Despite the glaring inadequacies of Marouane Fellaini’s first season at Manchester United, summed up in the below vine:

I still believe the Belgian lankster would be an exceptional signing for most Premier League sides, including West Ham. It wasn’t long ago Fellaini was considered to be one of the best midfielders in the top flight, in no small part due to a return of eleven goals and five assists during his final campaign at Everton, the highlights of which are viewable below:

//www.youtube.com/embed/mZFuxC1bdUk?rel=0

And although the Hammers are keen to branch out from their attritional roots this summer, there’s no doubt the 6 foot 4 afro-bearer would be a perfect fit for Sam Allardyce’s more traditional style.

Furthermore, Fellaini appears unlikely to survive the change in regime at Manchester United this summer:

The Daily Express believe the Red Devils will sell for around £15million, but Fiorentina have emerged as the Belgium international’s likeliest suitors:

ASHLEY YOUNG

Another Manchester United misfit who could have considerable impact at Upton Park is much-maligned winger Ashley Young.

You can’t imagine Big Sam taking too kindly to the 29 year-old’s regular Tom Daley impressions:

//www.youtube.com/embed/LVtYWd5TRS4?rel=0

//www.youtube.com/embed/UF3QJvHApTI?rel=0

But regardless, recent speculation suggests the Hammers are already planning a loan bid for the former England international:

On his day, Young can be unplayable. Just take a look at this sensational strike from last season:

And he can produce that kind of thing on a semi-regular basis for West Ham, the winger could prove to be an astute addition.

YEVHEN KONOPLYANKA

Another wideman believed to be firmly in the Hammers’ transfer crosshairs is Dnipro talisman Yevhen Konoplyanka.

Also a long-term target of Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham, the Ukraine international would be a sensational coup for the East Londoners. Just take a look at this wonder-strike against England from back in 2012:

//www.youtube.com/embed/GB0wDwgI39c?autoplay=1&loop=1&playlist= GB0wDwgI39c

The 24 year-old was in strong form last season, particularly in the Europa League…

…where he absolutely destroyed Tottenham’s Kyle Naughton:

But recent speculation suggests West Ham have been put off by Dnipro’s £12million demands for Konoplyanka:

MATHIEU VALBUENA

Pint-sized midfielder Mathieu Valbuena is by no means a natural fit for West Ham’s direct style, but I guess that’s kind of the point. Resultantly, and with the European elite seemingly shunning the 29 year-old, it’s believed the Irons are preparing a bid:

The France international produced good form last season and transitioned his displays into the World Cup, as seen below:

…where he netted against Switzerland…

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…and produced this enticing assist to Paul Pogba…

And after announcing his intentions to leave Marseille earlier this season:

L’Equipe believe he could be available for as little as €7million.

JORDON MUTCH

Cardiff City youngster Jordon Mutch may not be a top flight star just yet, but his first Premier League season suggests the midfielder has a bright future ahead of him.

The 22 year-old was in great form for the Bluebirds last season despite often featuring from the bench, as detailed below:

This last-minute winner against Fulham particularly stood out:

And Mutch comes with strong pedigree, having represented England at U17, U19, U20 and U21 level.

Furthermore, following reported interest from Sunderland, Cardiff have placed a more-than-reasonable £5million valuation on the goal-scoring midfielder.

Football Fancast hooked up with Hull City midfielder, Republic of Ireland international, infamous adversary of Alan Pardew’s forehead and devoted FIFA enthusiast David Meyler, ahead of the launch of FIFA 15.

It was a fantastic season for Hull City last year; Premier League survival, an FA Cup final and qualification for the Europa League. What was your personal highlight?

There were quite a few; scoring at Wembley in an FA Cup semi-final, playing in the FA Cup final, beating Liverpool 3-1 at home at Christmas time. I’m trying to build on that this year, that’s the main aim.

And it must have felt particularly special for you – I understand you thought your playing days were over at one point after a horrific knee injury, the second of your career, back in 2011?

It wasn’t nice, I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. At times, when you’re going through a long injury, you don’t see a light at the end of the tunnel. But when you have big moments like that, playing in an FA Cup semi-final, scoring in it, playing in front of 90,000 people at Wembley in an FA Cup final, it makes going through those injuries worth it.

How did you all react to coming so close in the FA Cup final after going 2-0 up? Did the defeat take a while to get over, or were there positives to be taken out of it?

Oh it was heartbreaking. We were completely gutted to lose from 2-0 up. Santi Cazorla scored just as we approached half time. If we’d got to half time at 2-0 it would probably have been a different game. We could’ve held onto something. We worked so hard all afternoon so obviously it was just heartbreaking when  Aaron Ramsey scored in extra time.

How about locking heads with Newcastle manager Alan Pardew?

Well, to some people it’s a big thing but I was more disappointed that we lost the game 4-1. I was quite fortunate that I was going on international duty the next day so I could focus my attentions onto something else. I played against Serbia just a few days after so I didn’t think too much of it at the time. Obviously it was a complete shock but it’s forgotten about – he’s apologised. I’ve certainly moved on and I’m sure he has too.

Speaking of the Magpies, Hull visit Tyneside on Saturday. You must be aiming for a win with all the turmoil surrounding Newcastle at the moment?

We’re eying the win especially because we beat them there last year. It’s going to be tough but we’re looking forward to the game.  We’re going there to get three points and that’s all we’re looking for. It’s not going to be an easy game because St. James’s Park is always a tough place to go, but I feel we’ve more than got the beating of them at home.

It’s been an exciting summer for Hull fans – the club have spent around £40million bringing in the likes of Hatem Ben Arfa, Mo Diame, Michael Dawson and Abel Hernandez to name a few. Is this evidence of how ambitious the club has become over the last few years?

Of course, every year we’re trying to build, trying to improve on last year, trying to improve on the year before. It was a fantastic year when we got promoted and obviously we had another excellent year after by staying in the Premier League and getting to the FA Cup final, but we’re looking to try and build on that again – we’re not resting on our laurels.

It’s going to be tough but that’s why the manager’s made those signings, to strengthen the squad. We’ve got so many players to play in so many position and everybody’s up for it. It’s good; it’s what [Steve Bruce] thinks we need in this competition. We’re all striving to push one further on and that starts with three points at the weekend.

And can you feel the benefits of added competition on the training pitch?

As I said, players like that, I would never be against them joining our squad.  We all get a bit sharper – a bit better – because of it. Competition is always good. We just need to pick up points as quick as we can.

Clearly, the owner has great faith in Steve Bruce by letting him spend so much, which isn’t necessarily the case at a lot of Premier League clubs nowadays. Does that positivity trickle down to the dressing room too?

Of course, the owners have great faith in the manager just as all the players do after what he’s done in the last few years. Everyone plays a big part; the owner keeps the phones ringing, the manager gets the players to play how he wants. We’ve done that over the last few years, and we want to do the same this year.

Where do you think Hull can go this season? Top half?

Up and around 10th is what we’re aiming for. I predicted 12th last year, hopefully we’ll be around twelfth or tenth this year. The squad is definitely better now with the players we’ve brought in, so I think that’s a realistic target and what we should be aiming for.

Things are going pretty well for the Republic of Ireland too – how’s working with Martin O’Neill again?

It’s good. Obviously we had a good start to the Euro qualifiers beating Georgia 2-1 away. We’ve got Gibraltar coming up too which will be another tough game but we’re looking forward to it. It’s an exciting time for Irish football, with the manager coming in and picking Roy [Keane] as his assistant. A lot of people are really excited for us.

And speaking of Roy Keane, is he the fearsome taskmaster he’s often made out to be?

Well I played under Roy at Sunderland and people read too much into things. He was an exceptional midfielder and he’s won everything. He’s someone you know you can trust. You look at how he’s helping Aston Villa [as assistant to Paul Lambert], they’ve started competing as well – they’ve had a fantastic start. He’s been good for us, with the manager, trying to make us push on and qualify for the Euros.

Beating Gerogia in such dramatic style, with a winning goal in the dying minutes, must have given a huge boost in terms or morale and what you think you can achieve as a group?

It was just relief because Georgia was such a tough place to go. Their fans made it very hard, especially when it was one-nil. It was a tough game, it took a moment of magic to win it, but a lot of games these days do take one player to make the difference. We’re very pleased Aiden McGeady came through for us that night.

I hear you’re quite a big FIFA fan. How much do you play? Could you rate your obsession out of ten?

Every day. I’d probably say ten.

Do a lot of the Hull lads play?

About six or seven play; myself, Tom Huddlestone, Tom Ince, Yannick Sagbo, Liam Rosenior, Jake Livermore and that new lad Abel Hernandez fancies himself quite a bit.

Who’s the best?

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I am.

And the worst?

Liam Rosenior.

Any sore losers?

We’re all bad losers, nobody likes to lose at FIFA. We’re all similar like that.

Do play Ultimate Team? Who’s in your team?

I do. I have all the best players, my team’s decent. Ronaldo, Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, all Team of the Year, in-form Gareth Bale; I’m not messing about. Oh yeah and I’m top of division one!

Play as David Meyler in EA SPORTS FIFA 15, out Friday 26th September on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and all other formats. Pre order NOW to get your copy on #FIFA15Friday from easports

.com/uk/fifa/buy 

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2014 has been a bit of a nightmare for Theo Walcott. The flying winger suffered an unfortunate knee injury during the momentous FA Cup win over Tottenham way back in January, and has since missed the Gunners’ successful top four finish and England’s World Cup journey to Brazil.

It’s been a long and rocky road for the 25-year-old, but the weekend win at home to Burnley marked the light at the end of the tunnel for Walcott, who came on for the last 10 minutes in place of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Despite nine months of rehabilitation, the former Southampton youngster was impressive in his brief cameo, forcing a good save from Clarets stopper Tom Heaton, hinting that none of the zip and flair has disappeared. Arsene Wenger has since said that the speedster is not yet at the end of his road to recovery, but the signs look good.

Coming back with Arsenal really beginning to kick into gear this season means that Walcott has the potential to drive the Londoners on to the next level. There’s no doubt that his pace has been missed at the Emirates Stadium – after all, any team would love to have the Three Lions star’s straight line speed – so with the extra injection of horsepower, Wenger will have another tool at his disposal.

It’s not just the Frenchman who will be thrilled by the return of Walcott, with Jack Wilshere having revealed a few weeks ago just how excited he, and his team-mates, is with the prospect of playing alongside the wide-man once again:

“I’ve never played with someone before who times their runs so perfectly and keeps doing it, time after time. It’s tough in a game to repeat those sprints 15 or 20 times but he does it, and it’s a dream for a midfielder.

“He gives us something different – he gives us pace. I know we’ve got Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who gives us pace but Theo gives you something different without the ball.

“He’s got physically stronger and he looks quicker than he did before – that might seem impossible but he does. He’s done a lot of work on his quads and his power so he’s going to come back fine.”

Pretty positive then. And it’s east to see why, with Walcott’s versatility and dynamism a timely boost as the season enters its crunch period. Now the yellow match day ball is back, winter is officially here, and the festive period means one thing in English football… hectic fixture lists. The cold dark nights in north London will be pierced by the floodlights from the Emirates, which will be the venue for a few encounters for Wenger and his team.

Rotating his squad will be key for the Gunners’ manager to maintain European and domestic aspirations, so having a player of the Englishman’s ability and adaptability is a massive boost. Able to play from either flank or as a striker, Walcott will provide cover and completion for a host of stars, and allow his boss to present opponents with new threats on a weekly basis.

With one of the strongest squads they’ve had for some time and one of the greatest managers in English football’s history, things really are looking rosy for Arsenal. And with a player of Walcott’s talents now back in the fold, the season looks set to get the real jump-start needed for success.

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Another FA Cup triumph? League glory? European achievement? Who knows, but the Gunners’ 2014/15 looks likely to get better and better in the coming months.

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He’s been struggling with injury for most of the season but Radamel Falcao was quick to offer a reminder of why he is one of the best forwards in the world against Aston Villa on Saturday.

The Colombian, who missed all of his country’s World Cup campaign due to a serious knee injury, rose well to cushion an excellent header away from Brad Guzan, who could do little to stop the ball from hitting the back of the net.

It has been a long time coming for Falcao, who has struggled with injuries and gaining match fitness in order to break into United’s starting XI. When the Colombian has appeared for Louis van Gaal’s side, he has looked a threat. He has two Premier League goals already this season which is a good achievement considering he has hardly featured so far. The forward has appeared nine times this term but has only started four games. He has two assists to his name as well, meaning that he has made a credible impact considering the amount of time he has spent trying to gain match fitness.

The player himself has recently declared his desire to stay at Manchester United but appreciates the fact that he has to prove his fitness: “I’d like to carry on but I have to analyse the situation, see if I play more and see what decision the board takes.”

Falcao clearly wants to prove himself at Old Trafford. However, a figure of around £40million to pay in the summer for a permanent move may be too steep a fee for United to pay, despite their Galactico-style transfer revolution. Alongside the fee is the player’s excessive wages. Some papers have claimed that the striker is earning around £350,000 a week with others stating he is earning somewhere within the £200-250,000 wage bracket. However much the real figure is, it will cost Manchester United a heap of money to keep him at the club. Although this may be the case, the Red Devils do have the funds available but you’d like to think the board will have more sense (admittedly, this is rarely a guarantee in football.)

On the other hand, if Falcao replicates the goalscoring form he produced while at Atletico Madrid and Porto, Manchester United will be more than willing to pay the £40m to acquire his services. At the height of his powers, Falcao was considered one of, if not the best number nine in the world. His game is also ideally suited to the Premier League. As well as being an excellent poacher in the box, he is a huge threat in the air and can shoot with both feet. His all-round ability will never be in doubt but his fitness record may be the one hindrance that prevents fans of both United and the Premier League from seeing one of the greatest strikers of the modern game in action.

Hopefully Falcao can put together a run in the Premier League that will allow him time to prove himself. The striker, known as ‘The Tiger’, is yet to show the Premier League exactly what he can do. Falcao once scored five goals for Atletico Madrid in a La Liga fixture against Deportivo La Coruna. What was even more impressive was the fact that he only managed five attempts at goal that game which shows just how lethal he can be.

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Old Trafford hero Cristiano Ronaldo hailed the Colombian’s arrival at Manchester United as ‘a fantastic buy’ and many United fans will still be hoping that come the end of the season, the Portuguese magician will be proved right.

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After a poor start to the season, Newcastle have turned it around and are now sitting in 9th place in the Premier League. Their main starters in midfield, Yoan Gouffran, Moussa Sissoko, and Remy Cabella, have stepped up recently and have helped the Magpies get into this position.

What this means is Hatem Ben Arfa, who is currently on loan at Hull, is most likely not to have a place in the starting line up once he returns to the club, and will not be offered a new contract, as it expires at the end of June 2015.

If the Frenchman does leave the club on a free transfer, here are FIVE possible clubs which he could move to…

[ffc-gallery]Click on the man himself to reveal

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Hull City

One place Ben Arfa could move to is Hull. Whilst he hasn’t been very impressive at the Tigers, he could still be brought into the squad next season on a free. Manager Steve Bruce has taken a liking to him as he has used the Frenchman in some of his most recent squads, starting him in their last five league games.

Liverpool

Another destination for Ben Arfa could be Liverpool. The Reds have been linked with the Frenchman for the past two seasons and could finally bring him in if he becomes a free agent. This might not be an attractive option for Ben Arfa, as he is likely not to start ahead of the likes of Raheem Sterling, Adam Lallana, and Philippe Coutinho, but he would be a decent back up in case any of them picked up an injury.

Stoke City

One more club Ben Arfa could move to in England could be Stoke. Currently, the Potters have Victor Moses on loan from Chelsea on one of their wings. If they are unable to bring in the Nigerian on a permanent deal next season, they could bring in the Frenchman free agent instead.

Schalke

Currently Schalke’s wingers, Sidney Sam, is being watched by quite a few European clubs and could therefore move soon. If he does move, the German side will need to replace him and the Frenchman might be an option. However, Sam has only recently arrived at Schalke, so a high asking price will be needed for him to move. This means a move for Ben Arfa here is unlikely.

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Marseille

The French club currently sits at the top of the Ligue 1 table, and their attacking midfield is starting to draw attention of several European clubs. Andre Ayew has been on the books for several top clubs including Liverpool, Manchester United and Inter Milan. His contract expires at the end of June 2015 and he is yet to be offered a renewal.  If he was to leave either in January or on a free when his contract expires, a return to Les Olympiens could be destined for Ben Arfa.

There aren’t many fans that can claim to have had a worse time of supporting their club than Portsmouth supporters.

After establishing themselves as a Premier League club and winning the FA Cup in 2008, things started to go horribly wrong for Pompey. Several key players had to be sold to ease financial problems, but selling the likes of Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch, Glen Johnson, Sulley Muntari and Lassana Diarra couldn’t stop the club from entering administration and ending their seven year stay in the top flight in 2010.

It got even worse for the South Coasters as they re-entered administration in 2012, which resulted in another points deduction and another relegation. This resulting in the whole squad departing ahead of their first year in League One and a third points deduction followed, which ultimately led them in back-to-back relegations and a third in four seasons.

After years of ownership battles and financial ruin, Portsmouth is now fan-owned after the Pompey Supporters Trust agreed a deal to buy the club in April 2013. Whilst on the pitch, their second season in League Two isn’t exactly going to plan, the fact that Portsmouth are still alive and kicking is an achievement in itself.

Also, with the announcement in September that the club is now debt free, Portsmouth can finally start to look forward to a brighter future. The important thing is to consolidate and getting the club into a healthy position before attempting to push on back up the Football League.

The huge amount of transfer activity at both ends couldn’t have helped manager Andy Awford get a settled squad together and has to have contributed to a poor season at this stage. No win in seven has left Pompey in 16th position and just three points above the relegation zone. They have lost ten of their 25 matches and are struggling for consistent performances and positive results. But with the recent addition of Matt Tubbs and with youngsters such as Jed Wallace impressing, a relegation battle should be avoided this season.

One positive of not having money to spend on players is the ability to rely on the youth system. Allowing players to experience regular first team football from an early age can develop them quicker than at Premier League clubs, where under-21 football is what youngsters can expect. Twenty-year-old midfielder Jed Wallace is the main example of this.

The young winger has already made 90 league appearances, scoring 22 goal.s and has looked extremely impressive, especially this season. Eleven goals in 29 matches in total this term has surely got the bigger clubs of League One and the Championship taking notice of this young prospect. With great pace and a keen eye for goal, it will be a struggle to keep him at the club long term but for now he is key to any hopes this season.

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In reality, mid-table consolidation should be the aim, as it is so crucial for the club not be sucked into a relegation battle and face time outside of the Football League, which could finish off the club once and for all.

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England face Lithuania and Italy this week, and all of the build-up talk has centred around the squad picked by Roy Hodgson.

The English media has been doing what it does best, and has dissected Hodgson’s choices. Though to be fair, this has been much less vociferous than in recent years.

But this time, the key factor in this England side isn’t about personnel. This is the first squad in a long time where the team doesn’t pick itself, and that’s a good thing.

Some eyebrows were raised when Danny Ings and Charlie Austin were left out, but the team still includes Wayne Rooney, Harry Kane and Daniel Sturridge. England have plenty of options up front, and they can’t use them all.

In terms of quality the squad is pretty similar across the board, though. We could reignite the ‘is Rooney world class?’ debate, but really, he’s not as important to England as someone like Gareth Bale is to Wales. Rooney is the only player in the team that looks to be above the rest in any way, and although it might be better to have Rooney than to have Walcott or Lallana, for example, playing others alongside Kane or Sturridge wouldn’t weaken England all that much.

In the past, England’s problem was getting all their quality on to the pitch – there wasn’t always room for all of the best players – Gerrard and Lampard couldn’t both play, Scholes was played on the wing.

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Now the problem isn’t about quality, or even getting it onto the pitch, the problem now is about which system to play. Though one problem still remains: the media

Over the next few England games, the talk will start again and it will undoubtedly be about Hodgson’s team selection. Does he leave out Kane, does he leave out Sturridge. If Welbeck starts to fire for Arsenal, maybe they’ll call for him to get a place? Should Rooney play deeper?

But this is distracting. What Hodgson has the ability to do with this team – and I think he is probably unique among England managers in this regard – is tinker with it. England have the ability to play different systems for different games. If you expect a physical game, you play physical players, if you expect the counter, you use players who can deal with it, if you expect to be up against a slow defence, you use the pace in your team.

England have players who can fit into all of these systems, and it’s up to the manager to be sophisticated enough to recognise which systems will suit each game.

The last thing Hodgson needs is the back pages telling him which team he should pick.

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For England, the options are there, and if used wisely the team can qualify easily. But working with these different systems will help England even more in the long-term, too. Tournament football is all about playing horses for courses. It’s about beating the team in front of you, because if you don’t win, you don’t progress.

It’s not about which system is better overall, or even about which players are better – it’s about which system and which players will stifle the opposition’s strengths and exploit their weaknesses. And doing that doesn’t necessarily mean picking your ‘best’ XI, just the XI most suited to beating what’s in front of you.

Hodgson will have to pick a team for a system, not a system for a team. His formation shouldn’t be dictated by the ‘best’ players – but thankfully he doesn’t have any players who stand out as being that much better than the rest anyway.

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Sometimes the best thing that can happen to you is failure. A kick up the arse is often the best remedy for under-performance. And under-performance is certainly what we’re seeing from Manchester City.

They’re like the kid at school who gets an A in his GCSEs, but in the first module of his A-Levels he gets an D.

It hurt, and it was unexpected, but that was the best thing that could happen under the circumstances. Because it was such a shock to his system it made him work hard, he knew then that he couldn’t just drift without trying and still get a good grade.

A disaster is sometimes the best medicine, but only when it doesn’t lead to all-out catastrophe. So long as you aren’t knocked out, you can come up off the mat and fight on.

And Manchester City are still fighting. Sort of.

They were under pressure after the Manchester derby. Liverpool were closing in on them for the final Champions League spot and given City’s form, it looked possible that they’d not even make the Champions League at all this time around.

But Liverpool have faltered and City have pushed on somewhat – even if they were lucky to beat Villa last time out.

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Yet they’re still under-performing. Even the last two wins have been poor from the Champions’ perspective. They were lucky to beat Villa – they were even lucky not to get beat. And they still have Spurs and Southampton to play. On current form as well as on motivation, you’d have to fancy the Europa League chasers over the deposed Champions.

Yet this might just be the shock to the system that Pellegrini’s men need. They’ve been poor all year, right from the start, but they were right in a title race up until fairly recently. They somehow managed to keep the pace with Chelsea up until New Year’s day when they were neck and neck, dead level.

They’ve since realised what our school kid realised, however. They realised they can’t just coast through a season and win the league at the end of it. There are fresher, better-performing teams who can win it instead. They’ve received some sort of shock, but if they finish in an automatic Champions League spot they won’t truly have learned their lesson.

Coming fourth would be that extra kick for City. It wouldn’t be an all-out disaster, they’d still finish in a Champions League spot. So their finances, prestige, and that all-important co-efficient rating shouldn’t be affected – unless they lose that too.

Coming second or third would be better of course, they wouldn’t have to qualify. But maybe in this case, after the disappointment of this season has sunk in, City will realise that they need to be ready right from the off in August.

And the best way to get City to do this is by forcing them to play two very important matches before their season actually kicks off in earnest.

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City have been guilty of coasting through this season. But if they finish fourth as punishment for their sin, they’ll have to be up and running early next season, and that’ll build momentum. And we’ve seen what City can do with they build momentum – they’re almost unstoppable when they’re on proper form.

So although it would be a huge disappointment for City to finish fourth – and they look like they might manage second or third at the moment – it might just be what they need to have a great season next time around.

A kick up the arse would do them the world of good. It won’t have Father Ted style repercussions, but it’ll help long term. Sometimes the best thing that can happen to you is failure.

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Another season of Europa League football beckons for Tottenham after missing out on the top four once again, but while this comes as a disappointment to the club there has certainly been one major positive they can take from the campaign.

Harry Kane has shot to fame after a terrific season with Spurs, and his contribution to the side has ensured they can still finish as high as fifth thanks to his 20 league goals.

A worthy winner of the PFA Young Player of the Year, Kane also took his place in the Team of the Year alongside Diego Costa, something very few would have predicted at the beginning of the season.

Unsurprisingly after the season he has had, one which has seen him become the first Spurs man since Gary Lineker to reach 30 goals in all competitions, there is already rumours of a possible exit from White Hart Lane.

Reports last week suggested Manchester United were keen on signing the 21-year-old striker as they look to strengthen their squad in order for a title push next season, and could offer as much as £45m for the England youngster.

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And although this may come as a tempting proposition, Kane must forget about a move this summer and focus on kicking off next season with Tottenham once again.

The club are sure to stand firm as they look to hold onto one of their star assets, and for the striker himself he is currently at the best place to continue his development as a Premier League footballer.

It shouldn’t be forgotten that this is Kane’s first proper season at the top level and he didn’t really get his chance in this campaign until November. The dreaded second season syndrome awaits him from August and in order to really prove himself as one of the top strikers in the country he has to deliver on a consistent basis once more.

It will certainly prove more difficult given the pressure on him to perform and he will now become a player defenders will be keeping an extra close eye on given his exploits this season; again making it more difficult for the young star.

But unlike those teams above Spurs, the club can guarantee him regular first-team football, and to have this at a club with European aspirations at such an early age is exactly what he needs.

We’ve seen plenty of examples of players who have moved on too quickly to Champions League sides, only to find their career stalling as they are offered limited opportunities on the pitch. And this is something that could happen to Kane were he to join United, particularly with the amount of options they have upfront.

A new contract would at Spurs would take care of any wage issues, and from then on he should focus on improving and helping Spurs to improve on this season’s points tally.

Playing on a weekly basis under Mauricio Pochettino will not only allow him to do this, but also give him the best chance at making the England squad for next summer’s European Championships.

Continue on this upward curve over the next two or three seasons, and then he can start thinking about a move to a bigger club where he can fulfil his aspirations of lifting trophies, and he’s certain to have plenty of offers.

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We’re seeing with Raheem Sterling the amount of negative press coming his way as his contract saga rumbles on, and Kane, as he is doing, has to ensure this sort of thing doesn’t happen with him.

He’s at a great club where the fans love him, and with the opportunity he has to play on a regular basis as well as compete in Europe once again next season, he would be foolish to leave Spurs at this early stage of his career.

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