Just over a year ago, Arsenal’s talisman Robin van Persie signed for old rivals Manchester United. Just ten months later, the Dutchman lifted the Premier League trophy, and his goals were instrumental in a campaign that saw United stroll to the title.
As highlighted Monday night by a rowing Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher, there seems to be somewhat of a transition taking place when it comes to defending. What once made a defender great may no longer be what makes a defender great. And it was highlighted perfectly as Chelsea came unstuck against Everton at the weekend.
Greg Dyke has laid out the FA’s master plan. England are going to win the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, that’s the plan anyway. Not, of course, that it wasn’t the plan to win it in 2010, or 2006, or 1998, or 1970 for that matter. But Qatar will be different. This is the aim laid out by FA Chairman Greg Dyke at his recent press conference and it starts now.
Phew! Breathe a sigh of relief, the transfer window has closed. The most hectic period in football is over, until January at least. Now the only football news we receive should be due to people actually going out onto a pitch and playing the game, god forbid.
Since his return to Chelsea this summer, José Mourinho has by and large cut a rather more relaxed and sanguine figure – a far cry, perhaps, from the scowling, smouldering manager we’d all grown to recognise and respect, if not quite love.