THE INS AND OUT: MANCHESTER CITY AND LIVERPOOL.

WHO SHOULD LIVERPOOL AND CITY BRING IN AND GET RID OFF TO CHALLENGE NEXT SEASON?

Both Liverpool and Manchester City had rather subdued campaigns, mostly Liverpool. Going from the highs of the Suarez era that saw the Reds finish 2nd to a miserable 6th place finish really sums it up. For City, inconsistency and poor results away from home was their undoing.

Both sides will definitely strengthen, but will they get their signings right? Brendan Rodgers will definitely be more cautious as he digs into the transfer market as a majority of his signings last summer were below average. Pellegrini will be looking to do away with dead wood and invite some fresh young talent into an aging City line up.

So who should both teams be looking at and who should they get rid of?

MANCHESTER CITY

Manuel Pellegrini has a lot of work to do in the transfer window. His aging squad need some fresh young blood and a replacement for the departing Yaya Toure who to be fair has looked a shadow of the player he was the previous seasons.

City's problem area is their backline, when Vincent Kompany is out or playing when not fully fit as he did against Manchester United, City struggle badly. Eliaquim Mangala has been disappointing, once the most talked about upcoming stars in his time at Porto now looks like a defender who can't tell his right from left. Martin Demichelis is aging and getting slower. The midfield looks good but with the departure of Toure, a replacement is needed, Fernando or Fernandinho are far away from being the dominant force Toure is. The forward line is fantastic, with Aguero, Bony, Dzeko, Jovetic and the returning Negredo all options.

Ins;

Mats Hummels/ Nicolas Otamendi/ Benedikt Howedes - All these three options should be a major upgrade to Mangala, no offense. Pellegrini should try get two central defenders in this summer. Hummels looks to be the defender on demand this summer with a host of English clubs after the German and with City's financial power they would definitely be top dogs in securing his signature.

Marco Reus - Jesus Navas and Samir Nasri haven't really sparkled this season, although I like Nasri, I think his time at Manchester is coming to an end. Lack of game time doesn't go down well with the French man. Pellegrini should attempt a player plus cash deal for Reus, Nasri/Navas plus about 15million pounds may land him the German international.

Isco -  David Silva needs some competition for his place, and Isco looks a fine option to push Silva all the way. City at the moment lack creative midfielders with Silva the only one capable of shredding the ball through the hole of a needle 9/10 times of asking. Isco can be a back up or even a starter.

Moussa Sissoko - Who better to replace Yaya Toure than Sissoko. He's big, powerful, fast and is able to produce a Yaya Toure esque wrecking ball run if called upon. Sissoko's talent is at waste in Newcastle, it's about time he moved to a top 4 side.

Outs;

Martin Demichelis - His age is the main reason City have to do away with him and clear up some space in the roster and be in terms with the FFP rules.  

Yaya Toure -  The Ivorian has already made it clear he'll be leaving the Etihad this summer with Inter Milan chasing for his signature. His last campaign wasn't as spectacular as his previous seasons in the sky blue shirt. The city fans will definitely miss him.

Samir Nasri/ Jesus Navas - Navas hasn't really caught my eye at all this season and even in his past seasons with Sevilla. He is too predictable and doesn't have the trickery to go past players, his pace is a plus though. Nasri is great on his day but with lack of matches you wonder if he'll ever rekindle the form he had in Arsenal. Swap deal for Reus.

Stefan Jovetic/ Negredo/ Edin Dzeko - One of these three will definitely be seeing the exit door at the Etihad. Negredo most likely but I would totally disagree with that because he was exceptional before he got his injury prior to the World Cup. Jovetic in my opinion should be let to leave, lack of game time and his form isn't what it was when he was in Italy.

Probable Line up

4-2-3-1

Hart; Zabaleta, Kompany, Hummels, Kolarov; Fernando, Isco; Reus, Sissoko, Silva; Aguero.

Bench: Cabalero, Mangala, Otamendi, Fernandinho, Milner, Bony, Dzeko.

Squad Rating out of 10: 7.9


LIVERPOOL

 

The Reds have probably had the worst campaign from the top clubs. Much was expected from them after Suarez had guided them to a 2nd place finish the season before, but with the departure of the Uruguayan came the downfall of the Mersyside giants. A disappointing 6th place was all they could manage.

Brendan Rodgers should be the man to blame really, with all the money he got from the Suarez sale he decided to buy 6 or 7 mediocre players, not being harsh but that is what they are. He'll be looking to avoid the same mistake this time but with Liverpool not in the Champions League, you feel he'll have to settle for mediocre players once again.

The whole Liverpool squad needs a makeover from the defense all the way to the forward line and back to the bench. Only Henderson, Coutinho and Sturridge are confirmed starters.

Ins;

Benedikt Howedes/ Neven Subotic/ Ashley Williams - To be honest, Liverpool won't attract big names such as Mats Hummels so they'll have to settle for defenders in a lower tier. Howedes may be an interesting option but if any of the bigger clubs go for him then Liverpool will have to look elsewhere. Subotic is a decent defender and definitely better than what Liverpool have now but he tends to be rush at times and prone to error. Ashley Williams won't be an upgrade but an assurance buy. Rodgers should do all he can to snap Howedes.

Ilkay Gundogan - Rodgers should act quick with this, Dortmund had a terrible season and with Lopp leaving, trust a few big names will follow suit. Gundogan can give that Liverpool midfield a bit of spice and creativity that they awfully lack. With Manchester United and Arsenal rumored to be interested, it won't be easy for Rodgers.

Christoph Kramer - Liverpool lack a proper holding midfielder, in Kramer they get an World Cup winner with Germany and a player who has helped his current side Borussia Monchengladbach qualify for the Champions League. With Lucas far from his better days, this would be a good buy for the reds.

Julian Draxler - With Sterling nearing an exit from Anfiled if all the rumors are to be believed, Rodgers should use money from the Sterling sale wisely, Draxler is young and immensely talented and would fill that gap with ease. Rodgers should just hope Wenger isn't after the German.

Jackson Martinez/Christian Benteke/Danny Ings/Charlie Austin - The Reds are in need of a striker, with Sturridge constantly out and Balotelli hopeless infront of goal, two additions from the options would do Liverpool good. Unfortunately, Martinez is also been watched by Arsenal so that may be a tough one to crack for Rodgers and Benteke is been watched by a host of clubs bigger than Liverpool, so count that out as well. Ings and Austin both in for Liverpool would be job well done by Rodgers. They have both proven they can match up to the Premier League and are both goal scorers.


Outs;

Kolo Toure - He'll most probably be one of the players leaving this summer with no surprise at all. He's not played a whole lot and age isn't on his side either.

Glen Johnson - Lack of playing time coupled with niggling injuries here and there has seen him lose his spot in the side and probably his name on the Liverpool roster. He's served them well but his time is up at Anfield.

Jose Enrique - Another player who has seen injuries and lack of game time lose his spot on the team. I can't remember seeing Enrique make an appearance for Liverpool this season.

Joe Allen - Allen is a mediocre player and doesn't deserve to be playing every single week in a team of Liverpool's size. That just tells you how weak the squad depth is at Anfield. Allen should be sold as he is a waste of space and just not good enough.

Lucas Leiva - Once upon a time Lucas was hailed as one of the best defensive midfielders in England, now he doesn't even make the top 10 to be honest. He's been in and out of the team and Rodgers should cash in on him.

Mario Balotelli - Everything just went wrong for Super Mario this season. He didn't look the player that left City a while ago, he was completely horrendous. If Rodgers can get a buyer well and good, Balotelli needs to leave and probably return to Inter who are under Mancinc. He seems to play his best football under the Italian.

Rickie Lambert - I never really understood why Liverpool signed Lambert but all I know is that they should let go of him.

Fabio Borini -  Borini hasn't had much game time, but I feel he can produce moments of magic. He is wasting himself in Liverpool and should move to a lesser side, the likes of Stoke or Swansea for him to discover his best football.


Probable Line up

4-2-3-1

Mignolet; Can, Skrtel, Howedes, Moreno; Henderson, Kramer; Coutinho, Gundogan, Draxler; Sturridge.


Bench - Jones, Sakho, Lovren, Lallana, Markovic, Ings, Austin.

Squad rating out of 10: 7.2

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE: THE SEASON THAT WAS.

ANOTHER SEASON GOES BY!

Gutted is the feeling all football fans will be going through for the next 11 weeks or so. No Premier League football to enjoy on the weekends as I sip a cold glass of my favorite beer cheering my team on. All we have before us is the Copa America which should be interesting and the Champions League final coming up this Saturday.......oh! and not to forget, transfer window kicks in, probably the only exciting bit of a football-less period.

Besides all that, this season would have been amazing if only Mourinho and his boys would have tagged along with the rest of the bunch but instead they ran away with it. Congratulations to the 'boring' champions.

So what moments caught my eye this season? I'm going to break it down and forgive me if Arsenal frequent, I probably watched all their matches this season.


Match of the Season

Tottenham 5 - 3 Chelsea

Chelsea were on a roll at this stage of the season, no one so this coming at all. Spurs were fantastic and tore apart Chelsea's defense. Terry, Cahill and Ivanovic always getting the plaudits for their stern and no nonsense style of defending were torn to mere shreds by Kane and his boys. For once this past campaign Mourinho elected to attack and not sit back and hold on for a draw or 1-0 scoreline. Fantastic match it was.


Team of the Season

Southampton

I'm sure most neutrals would pick The Saints as their team of the season. They started off brilliantly and at one point looked like they would finish in the top 4. All the big boys feared facing them.  As the season progressed they kinda tired, fatigued and they dropped miserably to 7th spot where they eventually finished. Kudos to Ronald Koeman for pushing Spurs and Liverpool all the way.

If Koeman can keep hold of this squad and add more quality around the pitch, they'll definitely be making a whole lot of noise next season.


Signing of the Season

Alexis Sanchez

Please, we all have to bow down to this lad and have a moment of silence for all the magic he pulled this season. To me the best player in the Premier League currently and the only reason he didn't win the PFA player of the year is because Arsenal weren't top but all in all he beat Aguero and Hazard to the PFA fans player of the year. He had to sign out this season with a screamer in the FA cup final. Absolutely amazing! Hope he carries this form into next season.


Flop of the Season

Angel Di Maria

Before Manchester United fans start bashing me, hear me out. The only reason his my flop of the season is because I expected wonders from him but he just didn't show up. I remember watching him play for Real in the Champions League final against Atletico and he was brilliant, then watched him play a friendly for Argentina against Germany and he tore the Germans apart.

He started off the season quite okay, his goal against Leicester City had me drooling for a moment but after that it all went haywire for the Argentine from then on. His miss against Arsenal at the Emirates just sums his whole season into one. He flopped and flopped BAD!


Manager of the Season

Ronald Koeman

It had to be him surely. With so little resources he's done a very good job at Southampton and maybe deserved more than a 7th spot finish. He lost good talent in the summer transfer window but replaced well. Graziano Pelle chipped in with the goals that Lambert offered the season before, Shane Long and Mane filled the void left by Lallana and Fonte and Alderweireld made the Saints fans forget about Dejan Lovren. If he can do this with Southampton, what would he do if he got a club with more resources?!


Most Improved Player

Francis Coquelin

Francis Coquelin, where would Arsenal be without you. Brought back from his loan spell in Charlton due to an injury crisis, Coquelin took that chance with aplomb. Arsenal lacked a player with a bit of bite and aggression, a player that can intercept and break up play, but when he arrived, all that changed. Coquelin bossed the likes of Silva, Fellaini and even Coutinho, not only that, he stats are way better than that of Nemanja Matic the 'so-called' best midfielder in the Premier League. No chance Matic!


Breakthrough Player of the Season

Harry Kane

Is anyone questioning this decision? You better not. Harry Kane has thrived in a position Emmanuel Adebayor and Roberto Soldado have miserably failed in and has grabbed that center forward role by the throat. He scored important goals for Spurs and he is the reason spurs claimed 5th spot. Without his goals, Spurs would probably be meandering in mid-table with the likes of Stoke and Swansea.
Keep it up lad!


Goal of the Season

Graziano Pelle vs QPR

Does anyone remember this beauty from Pelle earlier in the season when Southampton beat QPR 2-1? You probably do because this is as good an overhead kick goal you'll see for sometime. the technique, timing and direction were spot on. Beauty from Graziano Pelle.










 

THE INS AND OUTS: MAN UNITED AND ARSENAL.

CHALLENGERS LOOK TO STRENGTHEN FOR NEXT SEASON.

The 2014/15 season comes to a climax this weekend, Chelsea already crowned champions and the top four spots determined, we can all gear up for two and half months or season without competitive football. We still do have the FA cup and Champions League final to look forward to, if you are an Arsenal, Villa, Barcelona and Juventus fan.

For the coming weeks I'll be digging in to all the transfer rumors and completed deals but for now I'll be taking a look at next seasons challengers, Manchester city, Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and maybe Southampton or Everton. How should they approach the transfer market and which players should they add and get rid of to mount a serious challenge next season.

United and Arsenal are the teams on focus today. The battle at Old Trafford was rather stale and disappointing to some extent. Both sides have already secured Champions League football for next season, so there wasn't really much to play for. A victory for United would have lifted them a point above Arsenal who do have a game in hand though, while a victory for Arsenal would have put them in prime position for 2nd spot.

A draw was a fair result given the balance of play, United dominated the 1st half, the second 45 minutes belonged to Arsenal.

MANCHESTER UNITED

 

United have had an up and down season and a relatively lucky to have achieved Champions League football for next season. The Red Devils fans will have loads of thanks to goalkeeper David De Gea as his heroics in numerous matches have them where they are now. 

Performances have been flat and have lacked a killer edge, defense to shaky and star players Di Maria and RVP seem lost in the theater of dreams. Shuffling formation week in hasn't helped either.

So what do United really need to be taken more serious next season?  Memphis Depay has already signed from PSV, I see this as very unnecessary. Mata, Di Maria, Young, Januzaj and Valencia can all operate in a similar position, unless it means one will be departing.

Defense is the major problem at United, definitely there is need for at least two world class defenders and there is no surprise they have been constantly linked with Mat Hummels. The midfield looks okay but no world class, Carrick is too injury prone, Di Maria as I said looks completely lost, Mata is world class but inconsistent for me and Daley Blind is an average player at best. The forward line is another problem, Rooney aside, RVP's days are numbered and with consistent injury problems he looks done for, and the on-loan man Falcao has been a disappointment.

Ins;

Mat Hummels - The German center back will definitely be available this season and with a host of clubs chasing his signature, Louis Van Gaal will have to act quick. He'll definitely bring some assurance and leadership that United lack in the back.

Dante - The Brazilian has found himself warming the bench at the Allianz ever since the arrival of Benatia and will probably be looking for a move away. If Bayern make him available United should pounce. Whether he'll be willing to move to United is another story, but he is a way better defender than what United have at the moment.

Petr Cech/Asmir Begovic - United will have huge problems if David De Gea leaves for Madrid. Top keepers are hard to find, but in Cech you get a wolrd class keeper who is heading for the exit door at Chelsea. No chance Mourinho is letting him join a rival club. Begovic has been outstanding for Stoke and it's about time he got a move to a bigger club.

Ilkay Gundogan - Another Dortmund player on several clubs radar. His injury record may stop teams signing the talented German, who once tore apart Manchester City's defense with sleek top draw passing. I doubt LVG will be after the German though.

Jackson Martinez/Gareth Bale/Charlie Austin/Harry Kane/Danny Ings - United are in desperate need of a proven goalscorer. So much talk of Bale joining the red half of Manchester but it's a move I don't see happening unless De Gea goes the opposite direction which to me doesn't look like happening. Harry Kane would be the obvious pick from the remaining names, not that he is better than Martinez, no, no, no, he's just more proven to play in England. Do I see it happening? No. Austin or Ings could be good back to Rooney, either would fit in and at a cheap price.

Outs;

Robin Van Persie - The flying dutchman's performances have dropped remarkably this season and coupled with his injury worries and age, RVP is heading for the exit at Old Trafford. He has failed miserably this season and would probably be heading back to Netherlands or a much lower level team.

Radamael Falcao - An unsuccessful loan spell will see the Colombian head back to Monaco. Just like RVP, he has failed to impress and has constant knee problems. I don't see Van Gaal keeping him at United permanently.

Rafael - Injury has kept him out for a while, and with Valencia cementing the right back position and at least two defenders coming in, it will be hard for the Brazilian to get back in the team and he is the most likely option to depart. 

Adnan Januzaj - The young Belgian is full of talent, but is being wasted by LVG. The signing of Depay means more competition in that position. Perhaps a loan spell away for next season will be the best option.

4-2-3-1: De Gea; Valencia, Hummels, Rojo, Shaw; Carrick, Herrera; Depay, Fellaini, Young; Rooney.

Bench: Valdes, Smalling, Jones, Blind, Mata, Di Maria, Austin.

Squad rating out of 10: 7.0

The bench doesn't look to fancy to be honest with only Mata and Di Maria stand out names and the starting 11 still just doesn't look like it has enough to mount a serious challenge. With this squad United will probably be fighting for 4th spot with Liverpool if they sign well and Spurs.

ARSENAL

The Gunners have had a fantastic second half of the season, and will be looking to strengthen a few areas before the start of next season. The first half of the season was too inconsistent, and at that point is when they surrendered the title to Chelsea.

As Mourinho put it, Arsenal aren't too far from challenging Chelsea, a couple of signings will do the trick for Wenger. 

On their game they are absolutely breathtaking and tantalizing. The up for Arsenal will be the rise in form of Mesut Ozil. He's been a joy to watch and he seems to have a good understanding with Sanchez and Cazorla.

So what do Arsenal need to be regarded as challengers next season? Ospina hasn't been bad but he isn't in the level of De Gea, Courtois or Hart. The back line seems to be a bit shaky at times, a replacement for Mertesacker would probably tighten the defense. A defensive midfielder to provide competition for the impressive Coquelin would also help matters and a different kind of striker to compete with Giroud.

Ins;

Asmir Begovic/Steve Mandanda - Petr Cech will be available but we all know Mourinho won't sell him to a rival club. Between Begovic and Mandanda, I would go for the Marseille stopper. He was recently named in the Ligue 1 team of the year and has proven himself time and time again.

Mat Hummels/Benedikt Howedes - Wenger will have to compete with a host of clubs for Hummels signature, if he losses out option B should be Hummels German teammate Howedes. With a strong German link at the Emirates, persuading either of the two shouldn't be that hard. Hummels link to Manchester United seems to be stronger and stronger each day, so Howedes would be the more likely.

Morgan Schniederlin/Ilkay Gundogan/William Carvalho - Arsenal need a holding midfielder just to provide some competition and back up to Coquelin. I don't see Gundogan as being a holding midfielder so I'll dismiss him. Schniederlin is the best fit for Arsenal and he has Premier League experience. Carvalho is a good option but I'd stick with Morgan.

Jackson Martinez/Antonio Lacazette - Arsenal need a different kind of striker to Giroud. Giroud has been impressive but doesn't have back-up or competition for his place. Welbeck doesn't seem to be an out and out striker and Walcott is more explosive out on the wing. Martinez has the pace that Giroud lacks, he also has a physical presence. Lacazette won Ligue 1 player of the year but he just seems like another Walcott and Welbeck, he posses pace just like the two Englishmen but lacks in physicality.

Pedro/Marco Reus - Rumors of Pedro to Arsenal have been gathering steam and it looks almost likely he'll be at the Emirates next season, and with the right wing position up for grabs he'll surely make a case to grab it by the neck. Marco Reus the man I'd love to see in an Arsenal jersey. It looks very unlikely as he signed a new contract but with Klopp gone you never know. 

Outs;

Mikel Arteta - Arteta has served his time at the Emirates and it would be best for him to move on. With an array of talent in central midfield, Arteta is down the pecking order. 

Mathieu Flamini - He'll surely be departing if Wenger brings in another holding midfielder, he's played his part but just like Arteta, game time should be a problem if additions are made at the Emirates.

Wojiech Szczesny - He's had a disappointing season and may see himself as third choice if a new world class keeper is brought in. He's probably too good to be a third choice keeper so moving on would do him good for his international place as Lukas Fabianski has been outstanding for Swansea.

Abou Diaby - Sad to say, but it's about time Wenger gave up on Diaby. He does have the talent and is a personal favorite of mine when fit and on his game. 

4-2-3-1: Mandanda; Bellerin/Debuchy, Howedes, Koscielny, Monreal; Schniederlin/Coquelin, Cazorla; Pedro, Ozil, Sanchez; Martinez.

Bench:Ospina, Mertesacker, Wilshere, Ramsey, Chamberlain, Walcott, Giroud.

Squad rating out of 10: 8

The squad looks complete and the depth on the bench is outstanding. With a squad like this Wenger should surely be battling with Chelsea and Manchester City next season for the title.

'BORING' CHELSEA CHAMPIONS.

'BORING' 'BORING' CROWNED CHAMPIONS WITH THREE GAMES TO GO.

Congratulations to Chelsea football club on their title win with three games to spare. No doubt they fully deserve it given their performances especially in the first half of the season, they were consistent as their title rivals were nothing close to consistent.

Jose Mourinho always delivers, hate him or love him, he is a master in winning titles. He's done it with every team his managed, Porto, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and now again at Chelsea. Let's applaud the special one please.......or should we not?

This Chelsea team has depth and a variety of options in every position, something that the likes of Arsenal, City and in particular Liverpool and United lack. As an Arsenal supporter, the disgust running down my throat in admitting we lack depth is pinching, come on someone put me out of this misery.

The Blues have been top of the table for 250 so days. Yes 250! So what were their rivals actually playing for this season? Mourinho's men have absolutely blown their rivals away, Arsenal and United had an inconsistent first half of the season, City began to stutter late on and for Liverpool, well, I don't get why they are even considered title challengers with the mediocre squad they have.

Now let me go into the exciting part of this article, 'boring' 'boring' were the chants doing rounds at the Emirates when Chelsea visited not too long ago. And I couldn't agree more. Chelsea are a boring side to watch, and with all the quality they possess in their line up, the likes of Hazard, Oscar, Willian and especially Fabregas who applied his trade in two teams, Arsenal and Barcelona that have mastered tiki-taka football with perfection, we all expect a bit of entertaining football from the Blues surely.

Don't get me wrong, defending is part of the game as well, and with a shaky back line, the risk of conceding goals is very high. But for Mourinho's men, the talent that oozes in the squad can be spotted from miles away. The players are more than capable of defending with the ball at their feet rather than surrendering possession and parking the bus for 90 minutes. What I mean is this, the best form of defense is attack. Just like Barcelona do it, keep the ball, play beautiful football and as long as the opposition don't get hold of the ball, there's no danger of conceding.

So Jose, why not try keeping the ball and having a go at your opponent instead of torturing as football lovers with your usual 9-1 formation. Let me not blame Mourinho for Chelsea's boring brand of football because I can't recall a time Chelsea ever did entertain. Anyway, yapping about 'boring' 'boring' Chelsea won't alter that they are already champions. So maybe Wenger, Pellegrini and Louis Van Gaal should take notes, boring football wins you titles in England.

For one, Arsene Wenger won't change his brand of football, never ever and I'm glad about that. Pellegrini and Van Gaal as well don't look to be going down Mourinho's route. City, Arsenal and United all do play better football than Chelsea, but then where did they lose it.

The blue have of Manchester have given us something to familiar to work with, it's craved out on a rock right in front of us. City are horrendous away from the Etihad, their away form really let them down bad. To add to that, the squad is aging, Yaya Toure is far from the Yaya of last season, Aguero should try stay fit a whole season and Silva needs more Silvas around him, apart from Nasri in the midfield and to some extent Milner, the rest aren't good enough. Their holding midfielders Fernando and Fernandinho are nowhere near the class of Matic or even Coquelin funny enough. The defense needs some tweaking, a Hummels beside Kompany would sort their problems.

Arsenal, Arsenal my beloved Arsenal. If they would have started the season they way they are finishing it, Chelsea would have to wait longer before they are crowned champions. The Gunners story is all too familiar, throw them at the Britannia stadium, Stamford bridge and it's almost a guarantee Wenger's men won't take a point leave alone three. Kick and shove and they find it difficult to cope. They need a bit of aggression and steel to go with their beautiful football.

For United, the red half of Manchester, they'd been riding their lack for a long long time, and probably are lucky to be where they are. lack doesn't last for long and of late United have been found wanting, three defeats in a row says it all, they are definitely out of the race for second spot and are now trying to crawl their way to the finish line. Crystal Palace in the weekend, United fans may be facing another defeat. United to me are kind of like Liverpool, too many mediocre players, and their star players aren't performing at all. RVP, Falcao and Di Maria all seem lost.

Once again congratulations to the boring team for winning the title, and I hope all Chelsea fans watched the game between Barca and Bayern last night, yes, that's how football should be played, both teams positive and not relying on defending. I just have to mention this, Messi's second goal was a gem, take a bow for the Argentine man.

So Mourinho, change your ways and lose the 'boring' tag.

WHERE WOULD THEY BE IF IT WEREN'T FOR INJURIES?

THESE PLAYERS HAVE BEEN PLAGUED BY INJURIES BUT HOW FAR WOULD THEY BE NOW?

Injuries are part of the game and can't be avoided, long term injuries and short term injuries. I'd like to think that everyone's body reacts differently to an injury and some take a longer time recovering than others. 

In the world of football we've seen a number of players retire due to injuries they just can't overcome, Owen Hargreaves for example. The former Bayern Munich and Manchester United star quit the game at the age of 31 back in 2012. He only managed 27 league appearances in four seasons at United, a period in which Hargreaves was riddled with tendonitis and knee injuries.

It's a shame to see great players having to retire due to niggling injuries they can't shake off no matter how hard they train or work on it. So I've put up a list of players that I feel would be exceptional players today if it weren't for injury problems.

• Marco Reus

Reus has it all, pace, technique, dribbling skills, set-piece specialist and the ability to strike the ball from distance. To add to that he is versatile, operating out on the flanks, behind the striker or even as a lone striker and in all positions he is effective.

He missed the World Cup in Brazil and what a pity it was as I was looking forward to seeing my favorite player in the world mix it up with the very best. Only 25 years of age, he definitely has another World Cup or two under his belt, and the chance to claim his spot amongst the world's finest.

There's no doubt in anyone's mind that Marco Reus would be a world beater by now. Yes, in some way he is but I'm talking about being compared with the worlds best Ronaldo and Messi, that's how good I think the German really is. 

A fit Reus would fall into my top 5 players today. I see him joining a bigger club in the near future, maybe Real Madrid if all the rumors of Bale leaving are to be believed, then he'll fit into the position seamlessly, or Wenger could sign him as a replacement for Walcott which will be a massive upgrade.

• Robin Van Persie

Robin Van Persie, this guy needs no introduction really, if you're a lover of the English Premier League you definitely know what RVP is all about. He's deadly left foot stands out from the rest and his awareness and attacking positioning is up their with the very best.

RVP has only managed to put in two good seasons, his final season at Arsenal and he's first at United, other than that the he's been plagued with injuries every other season, which is a shame for such a talent.

Unlike Reus, he was available for Oranje at the World Cup and did impress, helping them to a third place finish. At 31 years he doesn't have a whole lot left to play, and he will definitely be cursing and wondering why he had so many injury problems at a young age.

Injuries aside, I believe Van Persie is a deadly finisher just like Messi and Zlatan and no question one of the world's top 10 strikers when fit. Unfortunately for RVP, time is not his friend and I don't see him joining another big club, a return to Feyenoord is looming for the flying Dutchman.

• Alex Pato

Once tagged as the 'new Ronaldo', Alex Pato has found the going tough at a very young age. He has the talent to be a world class player but recurring injury problems has set him back a mile from where he began. He has the pace or rather use too, trickery and finishing ability to be a feared striker. So why did AC Milan and Brazil give up on him so quickly?

His recurring muscle injuries eventually contributed to his departure from the Milanese giants to Corinthians. He now plays for Sao Paulo in Brazil. Only 25 years, Pato has time on his side to make things right given he can shake off his injury problems.

He is still young and can return to Europe one day, the Premier League in my opinion. He is becoming a disappointment but hopefully he can put his problems behind him and rise to stardom once again. A side like Southampton could do with his services or even Spurs or Everton to provide competiton for Kane and Lukaku.

• Thomas Vermaelen 

Thomas Vermaelen stormed into the Arsenal side after being signed from Ajax and my word wasn't he exceptional in his first season. His aggression and 'tough boy' persona looked every bit what Wenger and Arsenal needed in their backline not to mention the screamers he scored against Blackburn in his first season. 

Things went from perfect to absolutely terrible for the Belgium in his second season. Injury after injury and the signing of Per Mertesacker didn't make it easier for him. Koscielny had upstaged him as Arsenal's first choice center back and was forming a formidable partnership with Per.

If he wasn't warming the bench then he was injured, Arsenal decided to offload him to Barcelona where his injury problems look to have followed him from the Emirates treatment table to the Camp Nou. 

I was a big fan of Vermaelen when he joined Arsenal and maybe I still am, I'll have to figure that out though. He is fast approaching 30 and being at Barcelona isn't doing him any favors at all. He'll most probably be shipped out to a lesser club in the summer, a more mid-table side or even Europa side.

• Arjen Robben

Another Dutchman on the list who has had an injury plagued career, but kudos to Robben when he plays he rarely fails to put on a show for Bayern, be it scoring, dancing his way past defenders or even diving, he always manages to be the center of attention.

He is probably the one person on the list excluding Marco Reus who looks to have made it with all his injury problems. He is part of a Bayern side that have won it all really, and at the age of 31 he probably has one more season left in Bayern before he departs.

He can't go higher than that Robben, he has done it all. He'll most probably be returning to the Netherlands to finish off what has been a successful career.

• Jack Wilshere

England's Iniesta, Jack Wilshere is a lad with loads of talent but he is too injury prone for my liking. His close control and ability to navigate his way in tight areas is a plus, and when on form he can be fun to watch. 

Not too long ago he made Xavi and Iniesta look like fools at the Emirates, beating them in their own game, and that's the Wilshere Arsenal fans love to watch and have been hoping to get him back to his very best. After his injury, things went a bit downhill for him, but the ship hasn't sunk yet for the Englishman. He does put in good performances from time to time but he's too inconsistent.

At only 23 years, I don't see Wenger giving up on him and personally I wouldn't want to see him leave the Emirates. The fact that Arsenal have a plethora of creative midfielders competing for limited spots, should do Wilshere good as maybe a bit of competition from the likes of Ramsey, Cazorla, Ozil, Chamberlain and Rosicky will get him performing at his best.

Wilshere seems like an Arsenal main stay, I don't see him leaving and with Rosicky, Cazorla and Arteta already at the 30 years mark, he has a future here and I believe Wenger sees that as well.

• Abou Diaby

Abou Diaby has had the worst injury record of any player I have seen in my time, at times you even forget he exists. The 'new Vieira' he was suppose to be, and I'm sure he would have if it hadn't been for such a horrid injury record. He is back fit for now, but let's wait and see how long he'll stay fit.

He is one of my favorites, he has the ability to control proceedings in the middle of the park just ask Liverpool fans. He's greatest game ever came against Liverpool a couple of seasons ago in a 2-0 victory. Diaby was a beast in that match, dictating the flow of the game from the get go.

For Diaby we can only hope he stays fit because he is a class act. It's a shame he has spent more time in the treatment table than on the field. He is probably the spine Arsenal have always needed but due to so many injuries Wenger hasn't been able to deploy him as he would have liked.

If Diaby wasn't so injury prone and at the peak of his game, I don't think he would have been in Arsenal now. I'm sure a club like PSG would have already snapped him up for about 30Mil pounds. Wenger seems to have so much faith in him, so I see him staying put for another couple of seasons before he departs.

PFA PLAYER OF THE YEAR, EDEN HAZARD.

MEET EDEN HAZARD, PFA PLAYER OF THE YEAR!

The little Belgium beat off competition from Harry Kane, David De Gea, Alexis Sanchez, Philipe Coutinho and Chelsea teammate Diego Costa to join a list of top class players such as Alan Shearer, Thierry Henry and Cristiano Ronaldo to have won the award.

Hazard has lifted Chelsea on his own especially in the second half of the season in which the likes of Fabregas seems to have lost a bit of steam and Diego Costa spending more time in the treatment room than on the field.

His 13 goals and 8 assists have edged the Blues ever closer to the Premier League title. He leads the league in chances created, dribbles attempted, dribbles completed, duels won and fouls won. Very impressive indeed, but did he really deserve it?

David De Gea has been impressive to say the least, bailing United in numerous occasions with some fine keeping. Remember games against Everton and Liverpool at Old Trafford? Arsenal at the Emirates and Southampton at Saint Mary's? Yes, De Gea basically won those games for United with absolutely stunning performances between the sticks.

Harry Kane has bust onto the scene in lightning pace, even getting a call up to the national side and scoring after only being on for 79 seconds was it? 30 games, 20 goals and 4 assists for the 21 year old who put Hazard's Chelsea to the sword at White Hart Lane. He deservedly won the young player of the year award and maybe in a year or two may be a serious contender for Player of the year, but for now, not yet.

Liverpool's Philipe Coutinho is a mesmerizing player to watch, his close control and ability to hit a screamer is up there with the best but the one department he miserably fails is his goal scoring and assist. In 30 games his recorded 4 goals and 4 assists, very disappointing for a player of his quality. But then again, we shouldn't just look at goals and assists to judge a player right?

The one contestant I don't think should have been on the list is Diego Costa. Too many injury problems dating way back to his Atletico Madrid days. Yes, he is a beast in the box, Yes, he does score a lot of goals and no one would question his tag as a world class striker, but his injury record is taking a toll on him and I'd rather have included Charlie Austin or even maybe Olivier Giroud on the list. Why Austin? He does so much for a team with very little in terms of quality and are struggling at the wrong end of the table. Imagine Charlie Austin in a bigger team with better players around him, he would be up their with the best.

Finally, Alexis Sanchez was my pick to win or at least come a close second to Eden Hazard. In 30 games he has found the net 14 times, and recorded 8 assists, add to that 22 goals in all. Mind you, it's his first season in the Premier League. Sanchez has been Arsenal's go to guy especially in the first half of the season, his performances in the new year have slowed down a bit but what this guy offers in the field no one can match, okay maybe only Luis Suarez. He does have a better supporting cast in the likes of Ozil, Cazorla and Ramsey around him as compared to Hazard who only has Fabregas, but still Sanchez will give you a lot more than Hazard does. Disagree with me but it's the plain truth.

It was disappointing to hear Arsenal Legend Thierry Henry voted for Hazard, which to me is a disgrace. Gary Neville went for his Manchester United man De Gea, so why didn't Henry vote for Sanchez? I can go on and on but the result won't change, Hazard is the PFA player of the year so all I and everyone else who was backing Sanchez can do is to wait till next season and hope the Chilean keeps on with his top performances.

RAHEEM STERLING: WORLD CLASS OR OVER-RATED?

20 YEAR OLD LIVERPOOL FORWARD, RAHEEM STERLING. IS HE A WORLD CLASS PLAYER?

Raheem Sterling is the name on most people's lips. Why? At the age of 20, is this raw talent fit enough to be tagged as a world class player? Or is he just another over-rated youngster?

Yes he did score a beautiful goal in last nights 2-0 victory over Newcastle, but he missed a couple of sitters as well. This guy posses so much pace he's a nightmare for defenders, and Ryan Taylor was the victim of that ability last night. Eleven goals, eight assists in all competitions for RS this season and fans, media are going ballistic about this young chap. The stats aren't too bad for such a young man.

There is way too much hype about him at the moment, yes he is Liverpool's top scorer but he just doesn't impress me. He's contract talks have stalled, does he want higher wages than he's currently been offered or he feels it's time to move to a big club? Rumor has it Wenger has been tracking him, why? Wenger why? Arsenal surely don't need him, The Ox and Walcott are by far more finished products than Sterling is at the moment. So Wenger should just look away.

Raheem should stay put at Anfield for another season or two before he makes the jump. The biggest mistake he'd make is moving in the summer. He is still so raw and needs time to develop himself. For example, he moves to Real Madrid in the summer, sorry to say he'll only make the bench. CR7, Bale and James Rodriguez occupy the positions Sterling operates, and honestly, those are world class players which Sterling isn't yet.

Is he better than Philipe Coutinho? Absolutely not! Coutinho already looks a complete player than Sterling and maybe the hype should be around the Brazilian instead. You may think I'm being a bit too harsh on the Englishman, no I'm not. Behind that raw player there's talent, we all see that when he's at his very best but he isn't there just yet. I'm sure a lot of Liverpool fans will disagree with me, but hey, the truth is always bitter.

"Raheem Sterling is just as good as Hazard and Sanchez." Those were the words of a friend who is a die hard Reds fan. Take a back seat son, because clearly you don't know what you are talking about. Hazard and Sanchez are probably the two best players in the Premier League and are world class. Sterling would be lucky just to sneak into the top 20 best players in the Premier League. Considering all the teams above Liverpool in the table have about five or six players better than Sterling. Then there also players such as Harry Kane who would definitely be ahead of him.

In two or three seasons, Raheem most likely will be a top player, but for now, all the hype must stop. He isn't there yet! Liverpool fans want someone to talk about, Philipe Coutinho is your man of the moment.

Feel free to have your say on the comment box below. Do you agree with me or not?

LIFE AWAY FROM THE ETIHAD.

WHY CAN'T CITY GET IT RIGHT AWAY FROM HOME?

Another away game another defeat. This City side look a shadow of the team that overhauled Liverpool last season to win their second Premier League title. Performances away from their home have been lethargic of late and it was evident to see in last night's defeat to Crystal Palace. The Potters deserve credit where its due, they've made their home somewhat of fortress and especially against the big boys, they never fail to show up. Chelsea and Arsenal (rather lucky after surviving a late Palace onslaught) are the only sides from the "big 5" that have come away with 3 points from Selhurst Park. United are the only one's yet to visit the daunting stadium.

City were lackluster and confused at times. Their build up play was rather slow when it needed to be fast one touch football against a side that had set up well. At times they reminded me of the Arsenal, wanting to score a goal that will make our jaws drop. This performance was reminiscent of the performances away at Burnley and Liverpool. A team filled with super talent all round the field have been the laughing stock on away games. Aguero just can't seem to get his shooting boots on, David Silva been double teamed on and Toure unable to impact games as he usually does. Jesus Navas is by far the biggest disappointment in my opinion, so much pace but no end product to show from his lightning runs.

With Nasri and Milner, Pellegrini has two options on the bench that would cause more problems to defenses than Navas can. Navas is a talented wide man but he's so predictable I could mark him without any fear. Milner seems to be in all the right places at the right time and chips in with the odd goal once in a while, he may not have the pace Navas possesses but he's movement and distribution are a step ahead of the Spanish international. Nasri would be my automatic first choice in that position, he might have lost some steam when compared to his Arsenal days but we all know on his day he can mix it up with the very best. Not to be misunderstood, I'm not solely blaming Navas but he is one of many players in the camp that don't seem to be in the best of forms.

Pellegrini should address this issue quickly with the Manchester derby coming up next, they'll be wanting to show up a different side than the side that turned up on Monday night. The 4-4-2 formation he enjoys to play seems outdated to me especially when playing against a 4-2-3-1 that most teams deploy nowadays, the risk of being overrun in midfield is quite high. In my opinion, Pellegrini should change to a 4-2-3-1 to ensure enough cover for the back four and to avoid being overrun in the middle of the field. Manchester city's best squad;

Manchester City 4-2-3-1

HART

ZABALETA                           KOMPANY                      MANGALA                   KOLAROV

                                                FERNANDO                    FERNANDINHO

NASRI                                                      TOURE                                                 SILVA

AGUERO

So what's not going right for City on away games, is it the formation? Or a case of the players being mentally weak and fatigued?