Javier Hernandez believes he can still improve, and is happy to fight for his place in the Manchester United team after being left out of Sundays win over Liverpool.
The 24-year-old Mexican striker was overlooked for the 2-1 Premier League victory, which may have come as a surprise due to his excellent contribution over United’s busy festive period of fixtures, scoring three times in two starts.
However he has expressed his desire to improve and fight for his place in Sir Alex Ferguson’s side, telling the clubs official website, “I’m not saying I’m the perfect player.”
“I am always looking to improve my game, whether that’s my play outside the box or also inside it.
“I still think there is work for me to do. But the reason I want to improve is so that I can help the team.
“It’s not just that I want to score more goals. It’s a group sport and so I want to do what I can to help the team get the right results every week,” he said.
Hernandez arrived at Old Trafford in 2010 and enjoyed a hugely successful debut season scoring 20 goals in all competitions for the Red Devils.
His second season however wasn’t so spectacular due to a number of injuries and the form of England international Danny Welbeck.
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So far this campaign, he has scored eight league goals in just under seven games worth of football, with Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney being Ferguson’s first choice strike pairing.
For all the various reasons that existed within Tottenham Hotspur’s decision to sell Rafael van der Vaart last summer, regardless of what the Dutchman could do on the pitch, supporters simply didn’t want to see him leave North London.
Of course, the now Hamburg-man’s eclectic range of attacking skills was always likely to leave a gaping hole in this Spurs side, but it was in his passion, his desire and the way that he played the game, that supporters were really loathsome to see him head for the exit door.
Although while it may be very early days within the Tottenham career of one Lewis Holtby, there’s a sneaking suspicion that not only has the club managed to replace the No10-like presence it’s been missing since Van der Vaart left the club – they may have also found a new fan favourite, too.
With Holtby only three games into his Spurs career, it’d be premature to label him as much more than an incredibly promising talent within Andre Villas-Boas’ side. In both the games against Norwich City and West Bromwich Albion, the young German changed the game with his bursts of sharp movements and incisive one and two-touch passing.
But it was within his home debut during the weekend’s 2-1 victory against Newcastle United, that supporters were really given a taste of what Holtby’s made of.
His process to acclimatization within this league won’t happen overnight and although he perhaps wasn’t firing on all cylinders against Alan Pardew’s side, the home crowd was treated to a magnificent display of effort from the 22-year-old. Holtby’s work ethic was there for all to see and the former Schalke-man ran his socks off before being replaced by Emmanuel Adebayor for the last 20 minutes.
Certainly, for all his wonderful goals in a Spurs shirt, Van der Vaart wasn’t exactly renowned for his tireless shifts on a matchday. If nothing else, Holtby offers a little more graft in attack for Villas-Boas’ side.
But every team needs a bit of character and since Van der Vaart departed, who can’t help that with him went a little bit of this team’s heart and aggression. It’s not an observation that all may agree with, nor is it one that would seem visibly apparent to the neutral.
But during your London derbies and your fixtures against the league’s biggest teams, Van der Vaart was always the man the White Hart Lane support would look to for a spot of inspiration and a dashing of passion. When he scored, he’d celebrate every goal as if it was his last and subsequently, you have to go as far back as perhaps David Ginola to find the last time supporters celebrated a foreign import in quite the same way.
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First and foremost, Holtby is always going to be judged on what he contributes with the ball at his feet, not his theatrics once the ball has gone in the back of the net. But in his short time at Spurs he’s endeared himself to supporters simply by showing that Van der Vaart-like youthful enthusiasm for the game. When Gareth Bale fired Spurs ahead against West Bromwich Albion recently, Holtby could be seen hunched over the advertising hoardings screaming as if he was part of the travelling party at the Hawthorns. It might not seem like much, but you can’t help but feel sometimes there isn’t enough of that within this Spurs side.
And as we approach the looming North London derby next month, it seems poignant that the recent comparisons between Holtby and Van der Vaart have taken such prominence in recent weeks.
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It would be foolish to claim that the Dutchman breathed new life into the first fixture that Tottenham fans look for when the list is released, but Van der Vaart did all he could to make that game his own during his stay in N17. His goal record against the Gunners certainly helped endear himself to the fans, but it was the little things, too, that made such a difference.
Be it putting his finger to his mouth in a silencing motion in front of the away support or simply not being afraid to fly into a meaty tackle, Van der Vaart came alive during his North London derbies and you got the impression he knew what it meant to the fans. Within Holtby, you get the feeling he’s not a million miles away in character.
Most importantly, Lewis Holtby needs to be producing the goods within matches, before he can think about endearing himself to fans in the same way Van Der Vaart did. After all, the Dutchman’s popularity with fans stemmed from the fact he was a superb footballer with a wonderful habit of scoring big goals in important matches. Holtby may play in a similar position, but as more of an architect than a goalscorer, we might not see him wheel away in celebration quite as many times as what Van der Vaart did.
But with two London derbies coming up in successive league games, Holtby has the chance to show us what he’s made of in handling the pressure cooker that both matches will bring. There will only ever be one Rafael van der Vaart, but should Lewis Holtby play with even half of the heart, style and passion that Van der Vaart brought to N17, then you can expect the current adulation thrown his way to last a very long time to come.
Summary: Aston Villa scored twice in the final three minutes to earn a rare away victory that lifts them out of the relegation zone and increases Stoke’s own relegation worries. Gabriel Agbonlahor fired Villa into the lead early onand they lead until Michael Kightly levelled with 10 minutes left. But in a frantic finale to the game Matthew Lowton restored the visitors’ lead with a brilliant goal before Christan Benteke wrapped up the win in stoppage time.
Stoke City 1-3 Aston Villa: Key moments
Two minutes: Stoke have a penalty shout turned down by referee Mark Clattenburg after Jon Walters’ cross appears to strike the arm of Aston Villa defender Nathan Baker.
Nine minutes: GOAL! Lowton combines with Jordan Bowery down the right flank and picks out Agbonlahor, who rolls the ball into the net at the second attempt after his intial effort is blocked.
Thirty minutes: Villa threaten again and Weinmann is a post widths away from doubling his sides advantage. Some neat build-up play sees the ball find its way to the Austrian attacker only for his low side-footed effort to rebound back off the woodwork.
HALF TIME
Eightieth minute: EQUALISER! Salvation for Stoke as substitute Kightly slams home from 12-yards after being played through by fellow sub Charlie Adam following his exchange with Walters.
Eighty seventh minute: GOAL! It’s heartbreak for the home supporters as Lowton puts Villa back into the lead with a contender for Goal of the Season. Bringing a cleared corner under control with his chest the defender hammers a stunning 30-yard volley past Asmir Begovic and into the top corner.
Ninetieth minute:GOAL! Thats the game wrapped up for Villa. As Stoke push forward in search of an equaliser Benteke springs clear and profits from the gaping holes at the back and finish past Begovic and ensure Paul Lambert’s men will end the day outside the bottom three.
Good day for….Matthew Lowton: It was an excellent afternoon for young full back as he capped off a solid defensive performance with a wonder strike that effectively won the game for Villa.
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Bad day for….Matthew Etherington: By contrast this was one to forget for the veteran winger who was hauled off at half time following an under-par first 45 minutes.
Tony Pulis said…”It is important we stay in the Premier League. We need a point a game and it is important the lads stay confident. We have United, Tottenham, Norwich at home and then tough games away from home too. We have played well away so it is a good test for everyone at the football club now.”
Paul Lambert said…”It was thoroughly deserved. We looked terrific from the off. I thought we defended really strongly and football-wise I thought we were excellent. Every time we went forward I thought we looked threatening.”
Everton are preparing to enter a three-way scrap with Sevilla and Valencia for Paris Saint-Germain striker Kevin Gameiro, according to reports from talkSPORT.
The 25-year-old, a former target of Liverpool, is believed to be surplus to requirements in the French capital, and may be allowed to make a cut-price exit this summer.
With the arrivals of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Ezequiel Lavezzi last year, Gameiro has struggled for game time, and could be pushed even further don the pecking order if more big names stars are brought in during the next transfer window.
Despite only making a handful of starts this term, the ex-Lorient hit-man has registered seven goals in all competitions, displaying his lethal edge.
This form has tempted a number of clubs from across Europe, with Everton, Sevilla and Valencia believed to leading the chase.
Toffees boss David Moyes is said to be keen to add some more attacking flair to his squad, and sees Gameiro as the ideal man to challenge the likes of Nikica Jelavic, whilst offering another dimension to the squad.
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Liverpool failed with an approach for the forward during January, and it’s unclear as to whether they will revive their interest, particularly with reports that Andy Carroll could return to Anfield.
Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert recently argued that the club’s star young striker Christian Benteke was worth upwards of £25m should another club come calling for him in the summer, but these kinds of absurdly inflated prices serve no purpose than other to frustrate fans and make them sigh at their manager’s myopic nature and it’s an irritating diversion tactic that has to stop, for the sake of all our sanity.
The Midlands outfit has finally climbed out of the bottom three in the Premier League, where they sit nervously in 17th, three points above Wigan having played two games more. Their top flight fate still hangs in the balance, but that hasn’t stopped Lambert making preposterous claims about the value of Belgium international Benteke in an attempt to warn off any potential suitors.
Lambert told reporters on Thursday in the build-up to the club’s crucial clash against Fulham at home: “He is hot property. If you wanted to prise Christian away from here you would want a sizeable cheque, that is for sure. He has the potential to be fantastic. If you look at modern day figures then £25m is probably a good start.”
A good start? Who is he trying to kid? A 21-year-old striker with one season of top level experience in one of Europe’s five biggest leagues is suddenly worth £25m? It’s a bizarre strain of bravado, but I’m not even entirely sure who it’s aimed at; is it for the Villa fans? The ‘well the manager’s got our back over this matter’ viewpoint? Because any club currently operating at the top level will be acutely aware of the club’s finances and what sort of offer they’ll be tempted to accept. Undisclosed transfer fees are fed to the public, but when it comes to budgets, there are no secrets in the modern game.
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That is not to say that Benteke isn’t worth a significant hike on the £7m they paid to Genk in the summer for his services. After 15 league goals in 30 games in his first season in England, with the potential he’s shown at international level with four goals in 2013 for Belgium, he’s certainly a talented player capable of stepping up a level or two. Nevertheless, with Villa in such a perilous position, Lambert’s stance is fooling nobody. It’s just amateurish mind-games gone horribly wrong and there’s a question mark over whether he’s even the best young Belgian forward in the Premier League, with on-loan Chelsea man Romelu Lukaku looking the more complete player at West Brom this season.
Next up on the inflation wall of shame is quite possibly the most misplaced example of nepotism committed to the public sphere since Francis Ford Coppola cast his daughter Sofia in The Godfather Part 3, with Blackpool manager Paul Ince going off at the deep end about what his son Tom is worth.
“If you’re talking £15m for Zaha, Thomas has got to be £25m. If you compare the two, Thomas should cost more. Zaha is a fantastic player, don’t get me wrong. Zaha’s a stronger runner and does a lot of tricks, whereas Thomas is more direct, he makes things happen and he scores goals. You’ve got a kid playing in the Championship who has scored 18 goals. When you look at the leading scorers, they’re all strikers, and he’s there amongst them.
“Potentially, I think he can reach that value. If Palace want £15m for Zaha who has scored six goals, it makes you wonder what price he’s going to be. You’re not going to get it because he’s not proven in the Premier League, but if United are paying £15m for Zaha, on the stats you’d have to say Thomas is worth a lot more than that. That’s my opinion.”
That my be his opinion, but Ince has shown himself to be little more than a cliche-happy ‘football man’ during his time in management, which translates to roughly ‘has no real knowledge of how the world actually works’. Given that his son’s contract expires at the end of the season and Blackpool are unlikely to figure in the play-off mix, as they sit just four points above the drop zone in an extraordinarily congested table, once again he is in no real position to set the agenda or any sort of terms, let alone ones as bonkers as that.
The 21-year-old has done extremely well in the Championship this season, hitting 18 goals in 39 appearances in the league, but he lacks top level experience and it’s very telling that Liverpool weren’t willing to go above the £6m mark for him in January, despite retaining a 30% sell-on clause which would essentially see them pay around £4m, given the state of his current contract.
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What is clear, though, is that a player’s valuation isn’t judged by similar players around them playing for different clubs – so what if Ince has scored more goals than Zaha? They’re different players with different strengths. Boiling it down to a simple statistical debate, bereft of any sort of context, is not only misleading, it’s downright moronic. Zaha cost Manchester United £15m because he had a long-term deal still in place at Crystal Palace and they could still feasibly be promoted to the top flight next season, and ignoring those sorts of determining factors is just a brain-dead comment of the highest proportions. The silly season is well and truly upon us.
Managers will obviously always seek to use the media to ramp up a player’s price, particularly when the team they are in control of is struggling while the footballer in question is performing well. It’s a natural technique that’s been used for years, but the sheer cheek of both Lambert and Ince is just baffling. They’ve gone too far the other way and in trying to promote a position of strength, they’ve only succeeded in showing how weak their hand really is.
West Ham’s hopes of concluding a summer deal for Alvaro Negredo have received a blow, with news that Atletico Madrid are considering a move for his signature, according to reports from talkSPORT.
The Hammers have been linked with the Spanish international for some time, and with manager Sam Allardyce said to have a sizable transfer budget at his disposal, it has been speculated that they could make a move for the Sevilla star.
However, their hopes of pulling off a deal have suffered a set-back, with Atletico preparing their own offer.
The Vicente Calderon-based side have identified the 27-year-old as a direct replacement for the departed Radamel Falcao.
The prolific Colombian recently completed a £53million switch to Monaco, which has left Atletico rather short of striking options.
With the cash burning a hole in their pocket, they are keen to take advantage of Sevilla’s mid-table finish and lure Negredo to the capital.
With Atletico having secured Champions League football for next season, it’s likely that the transfer would appeal to the powerful front-man, which could scupper West Ham’s hopes of completing a deal.
Meanwhile, negotiations between Andy Carroll and the Londoners are still underway, with a reported fee of £15.5m having been agreed with Liverpool.
West Ham fans, would Alvaro Negredo be a better option than Andy Carroll?
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We have all heard of Fergie Time, where referees seem to add more minutes than perhaps is necessary waiting for the ‘Red Devils’ to nick that much needed equaliser, or indeed winner.
However, now revelations that referee Mark Halsey used to be on texting terms with Sir Alex, seem to only further emphasise this speculation.
Opposition fans have always felt that referees didn’t do them any favours at Old Trafford, so you can understand the controversy surrounding the revelations that Sir Alex Ferguson used to be so close to Halsey.
The details are revealed in Halsey’s new book in which the ref admits texting Fergie, including to get his support for Mark Clattenburg during the John Obi Mikel racism row.
Halsey wrote: “I took matters in my own hands and rang Sir Alex asking him to speak out.
“He agreed and used his Friday press conference to say he could not conceive of Mark [Clattenburg] saying such things. It helped the situation a great deal.”
Despite this, it has been emphasised that when on the pitch, no favours were given to the mighty Scot.
“I may have spoken to him a lot and shared texts but he knew when I crossed that white line there were no favours,” he added.
“Players and managers would not respect you if you gave decisions based on friendship.”
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This can be seen to be apparent when analysing Halsey’s reaction to a late United goal in a Premier League contest against Wolves. The look of disgust on his face in the video below speaks for itself.
Phil Neville is relishing the prospect of facing Everton as coach of Manchester United for the first time, reports the Guardian.
Neville spent eight years with the Toffees, and tonight comes up against them for the first time since leaving Goodison Park as a player in the summer.
Now back at Old Trafford in a coaching capacity alongside his former Everton boss David Moyes, Neville has only fond memories of his time at the club, and claims his spell there made him a better player and a better person.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Guardian, Neville was able to recall the moment Sir Alex Ferguson invited him to his house to inform him he would be sold.
“Inside – and this is the weird thing – it was probably one of the most magical moments of my career,” Neville says.
“We were in his front room, having a cup of tea and he was plotting my next career move, where I was going, how I would play, everything.
“I went outside and my wife was in tears. But it wasn’t done in a cold office. It was done with warmth, like going round to your Mum and Dad’s for some advice. But don’t get me wrong, I went home and cried my eyes out for 24 hours.”
Despite the tears however, Neville has only positive memories of his time at Goodison Park.
“I didn’t win a trophy with Everton but that time is just as special as my playing career at United,” he added.
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“People leave United and tend to drift out of the game. I actually think I became a better player and a better person. I proved a lot of doubters wrong. I was there on my own. It was a culture shock, being out of the bubble of Manchester United, but I thrived. It was the making of me.”
Manchester United are set to rekindle their interest in Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira once the transfer window re-opens, according to reports from The Mirror.
David Moyes made a late move for the German international over the summer, but was unable to tie up a deal.
But, the Scot remains interested in the 26-year-old, who is thought to be unsettled at the Bernabeu.
The Premier League champions had scouts in attendance for Real’s recent 7-3 win over Sevilla to assess Khedira.
Rumours suggest that the reports received were unanimously positive, which has convinced Moyes to press ahead with a £35m move.
The former Everton man has only been able to sign Marouane Fellaini since taking control at Old Trafford, and is believed to have concerns over his options in central positions.
Khedira is seen as the perfect man to add a combative edge as well as some forward-thinking creativity to the Red Devils’ ranks.
Real are thought to be willing to sell for the right price, with the ex-Stuttgart man no longer an essential first-team player
Chelsea are also keen, with Jose Mourinho – who coached the midfielder while in the Spanish capital – an admirer of his abilities.
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Could Sami Khedira transform Manchester United’s midfield?
Manchester United manager David Moyes fears he could be set for another transfer window of missing out on his top targets, according to the Daily Mail.
United suffered their fifth home defeat of the season at the hands of Swansea yesterday in the FA Cup, and Moyes admitted after the game there is now an ‘urgency’ to recruit new players.
“There is an urgency that we want to sign players but are the ones we want available in January?” Moyes said.
While the United gaffer admitted there were ‘no excuses’ for his team’s poor performance, he stressed the need for top class reinforcements so his side does not need to over rely on Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney, who are both currently injured.
“I have said before that I will try to bring players in this month,” he added.
“But it is doubtful because of the way the window works. There is no point me hyping it up, because the ones we want are probably not going to be available. It is that, rather than us not wanting to do it.
“Certainly we shouldn’t be too reliant on Rooney and Van Persie.
“We put out a really strong team, full of internationals and it should have been enough to get us through. There are no excuses. Everyone is getting an opportunity to show what they can do, so I will make decisions from the evidence of that.
“It has been a tough start to the season, a really tough opening period. There is no getting away from that. I am disappointed we haven’t won more and played better but I am sure that will change. What we need is to win.
“We need to find a solution to winning games, no matter how. It doesn’t matter what style.”
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