Well done Gareth Bale, but who's in the frame for next year?

Few would have contested the decision to award Gareth Bale a double victory at The 2013 Professional Footballers' Awards (PFA), as he claimed the prize for Young Player of the Year and Player of the Year. The Spurs midfielder became only the third player ever to win both awards in the same season, joining ex Sky Sports pundit Andy Gray and Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo.

Bale with PFA Chairman Gordon Taylor. Who will take his
place in PFA Team of the Season next year? 

This automatically meant that he was first name on the team sheet for the PFA Premier League Team of the Year, as voted for by fellow professionals.

Here's the team in full: De Gea (Manchester United), Zabaleta (Manchester City), Ferdinand (Manchester United), Vertonghen (Tottenham Hotspur), Baines (Everton), Carrick (Manchester United), Mata (Chelsea), Bale (Tottenham Hotspur), Hazard (Chelsea), Suarez (Liverpool) and Van Persie (Manchester United.

Congratulations to all of those players, it's hard to argue with any of their selections. However, I've decided to look ahead to next season, and line up the potential candidates for next year's PFA Premier League Team of the Season, based on their potential and performances so far this term.

GK - Hugo Lloris - Tottenham Hotspur

Hugo Lloris has made several saves during the early stages of his Spurs career that demonstrate why he is France's number one goalkeeper. Andre Villas-Boas has decided to rotate him and Brad Friedel throughout the season, due to Tottenham's involvement in the Europa League. However, with Friedel almost set for retirement, there will be no doubting the first choice goalkeeper at White Hart Lane come the first game of next season. If AVB can decide on a settled centre-back pairing and choose who will play alongisde Jan Vertoghen (who made the PFA team this year), Spurs will again challenge for the Champions League with Lloris set to shine.

RB - Cesar Azpilicueta - Chelsea

Azpilicueta was signed by Chelsea during the summer transfer window. Many believed he would play a secondary role to the already established Branislav Ivanovic at right-back, but the appointment of fellow countryman Rafa Benitez saw him become first choice full back at the club. He is strong, agile and quick and has adapted to the Premier League in a very short space of time following his move from Ligue 1. If Benitez's successor at Stamford Bridge shows similar faith in the 23-year-old, he will continue to grow as a player and could even displace Alvaro Arbeloa in the Spanish national side.

CB - Phil Jones - Manchester United

One of Phil Jones's greatest strengths is his ability to be utilised anywhere on the pitch. The fact he can play a holding midfield role, full-back on either side or centre-half means that he is consistently picked by Sir Alex Ferguson for Manchester United and by Roy Hodgson for England. Sooner or later, he is going to revert back to his strongest position at the centre of defence. That's where he was playing for Blackburn when Ferguson decided to spend £16.5m on the then teenager. Rio Ferdinand has played well through a series of reoccurring back injuries this season, but is unlikely to play as many games next year. Whether Jones plays alongside Ferdinand or instead of him, he could be influential to any success Manchester United might have in the future as they aim to retain their Premier League title.

CB - Vincent Kompany - Manchester City

Class is permanent, and Vincent Kompany is up there with the most complete centre-backs in world football. He has struggled this campaign with injuries and suspensions and his Manchester City side have not coped well with the pressure that comes from winning a Premier League title. They will be out for revenge next season, and if the Belgian can get fully fit over the pre-season period, he could form a formidable partnership alongside youngster Matija Nastasic for years to come.

LB - Luke Shaw - Southampton

Luke Shaw is frighteningly young at 17-years-old. Despite this, he has started 19 games for Southampton in the Premier League this season, and has rarely looked out of his depth. It may be a long shot to predict him featuring in next year's Team of the Season, but Southampton are only going to improve when Mauricio Pochettino gets a full pre-season with his side and is able to reinforce the high pressing style of play he has managed to introduce so far. Even if Shaw doesn't quite make the grade next season, he will be an integral part of whatever Southampton manage to achieve, as they do not look as solid or as threatening without him, even now.

RM - Shinji Kagawa - Manchester United

Shinji Kagawa is widely regarded as one of the linchpins of Borussia Dortmund's recent success. Before German wonder duo Mario Gotze and Marco Reus dominated the attacking midfield positions for the Champions League semi finalists, Kagawa was influential in his role just off central striker Robert Lewandowski. Kagawa showed early promise during his first few games for Manchester United, scoring on his home debut before a knee injury halted his progress at the club. If the Japanese midfielder can get back to full fitness in the closed season, he should be guaranteed a spot in Sir Alex Ferguson's line-up ahead of the inconsistent Nani and Antonio Valencia. Robin Van Persie and Wayne Rooney will benefit hugely from Kagawa's vision and passing range.

CM - Phillipe Coutinho - Liverpool 

Many Inter Milan fans must be scratching their heads as to why the club allowed Phillipe Coutinho to leave for just £8.5m, a price that can only be described as an absolute steal in today's transfer market. Since arriving at Anfield in January, the young Brazilian has lit up the Premier League, with an exciting flurry of goals and assists for Brendan Rodger's side and produced a Man of the Match performance during Liverpool's 6-0 thrashing of Newcastle. Provided he stays clear of injury and continues to enjoy living in England, Coutinho is also my tip to win the Young Player of the Year award next time round.

CM - David Luiz - Chelsea

Rafa Benitez has received nothing but stick from the majority of Chelsea fans, despite making many positive changes at the club, including the shocking transformation of David Luiz. Luiz had struggled in the past at Chelsea and was regarded by most as an error-prone centre-back, before Benitez pushed him forward into midfield. Since the Brazilian has lined up alongside Frank Lampard or Ramires, he has performed exceptionally well, making important challenges, dictating the tempo of matches and has even scored several sublime goals. Chelsea's new manager must keep him in this position, as he could grow to become one of the best holding midfielders in the Premier League, starting next season.

CM - Jack Wilshere - Arsenal

It must surely be time for Jack Wilshere to fulfil his potential. The young Arsenal midfielder has been described as the future of English football for as long as most of us can remember, but it is still yet to materialise. Fitness is the key for Wilshere, as it is for many of next season's potential candidates. If he can go a whole campaign unhurt at the centre of Arsenal's midfield, he will dominate teams both domestically and Internationally, as he has shown all too briefly recently against the likes of Bayern Munich and Brazil.

LM - Gareth Bale - Tottenham Hotspur

It is impossible to look beyond Gareth Bale. Provided he stays in England and isn't tempted by the likes of Real Madrid, there is little doubt that he will cement his place in next year's Team of the Season too. Whether he is deployed in a central role behind the striker or wide on the left, his combination of pace and fiercely accurate long-distance shooting means he has the ability to stand out, hence his double award this year.

ST - Romelu Lukaku - Chelsea

Admittedly, this position will probably be filled by an already established Premier League striker such as Suarez, Rooney, Van Persie or Aguero. Whilst it is hugely unlikely that Romelu Lukaku will feature in next year's Team of the Season, I don't doubt that he has the necessary ability. If Chelsea weren't too bust trying to justify spending £50m on Fernando Torres, the young Belgian wouldn't have even been loaned out this season. If however the striker was to be kept on by the new Chelsea manager, he could stake a claim for the lead role in Chelsea's attack. Lukaku has proved this season at West Brom that he is more than capable of scoring goals and playing up front by himself. If he has the magical trio of Oscar, Juan Mata and Eden Hazard behind him next year, who knows how many goals he could score in a young and exciting Chelsea team.

Football is primarily a business for Arsene Wenger

Arsene Wenger will soon be held accountable for Arsenal’s eighth consecutive season without a trophy. As fans continue to revolt against the Frenchman’s willingness to settle for fourth and a place in the Uefa Champions League, Wenger remains defiant over his careful management of the club’s finances.

Arsene Wenger is the perfect manager for an owner
who prioritises financial stability over trophy wins

Arsene Wenger graduated in 1971 with a first rate degree in Economics at Strasbourg University. It shows. After becoming Arsenal manager in 1996, Wenger made the club his own, and oversaw a transformation that changed modern day football as we know it. He altered the diets of his playing staff to the nearest calorie, and concluded through science and statistics the exact minute a player would begin to tire and therefore need substituting.

It soon became clear that Wenger’s brain worked differently to other managers. It worked on the basis of mathematics and logic, and where he really excelled, was in the area of financial management. The Frenchman sold troublesome striker Nicholas Anelka to Real Madrid for £23 million, and as a result was able to assemble ‘The Invincibles’, the most successful football team in Premier League history. Kolo Toure, Patrick Vieira, Robert Pires and Thierry Henry were all bought in to form the spine of a side that would go unbeaten throughout an entire season, 38 games without defeat in 2004.

Arsenal enjoyed dominance under Wenger’s fast-flowing, eye-catching pass and move football. Other teams were unable to cope with the tempo of passing inspired by Arsenal’s midfield triangles. By this time, clubs had decided to compete in the only way they could; financial muscle. A certain Russian oligarch, Roman Abramovich had taken over at Chelsea and was quick to make his mark on the transfer market, buying sought after players for hugely inflated transfer fees, which other clubs simply couldn’t afford, including Arsenal.

Even if Arsenal did have the money to spend, there was a feeling that Wenger would have persisted with his own transfer philosophy of buying players at extremely low prices and selling them on for profit after they had developed under his guidance. It was Wenger’s belief that players begin to digress at the age of 28, and so introduced his own age restriction policy. His ‘Invincibles’ side had finally lost to Manchester United, and things were never to be the same. It was time for a period of transition in English football.

Patrick Vieira, who was bought by Wenger for £2.5m, was sold for £14m. The trend continued, and the height of Wenger’s profit making transfer policy came following a deal that would see the club sell Cesc Fabregas back to Barcelona for a staggering £30m profit. Despite such an incredible return on the player, the move came at a price for Wenger. Fabregas was club captain of Arsenal and one of the best players in the Premier League. Wenger’s decision to sell the most talented and influential individual on his playing staff sent out a signal to fans that Arsenal were no longer able to compete at the highest level. Rival clubs took advantage of this fact and Gael Clichy, Samir Nasri and Robin Van Persie all followed Fabregas out of The Emirates, leaving behind them a set of angry Gunners fans demanding that Wenger should spend heavily on their replacements.

But he didn’t. Arsenal are rumoured to have a transfer fund of £136m, but Wenger didn’t spend more than £11m on a single player during that same transfer window. Simon Kuper of The Financial Times believes this is because Wenger thinks so deeply about football’s potential economic collapse, that he is trying to protect the future of the club: “Wenger and Arsenal think that the football economy is a bubble: clubs are spending beyond their means and risking collapse. The argument is at bottom one about football being a business. Wenger manages Arsenal as if he is going to be there for the next 100 years.”

Kuper is not the only one who has likened Arsene Wenger to a businessman. Many believe that Wenger has kept his job at The Emirates despite his lack of silverware because of his ability to bring money into the club. The aforementioned player sales will have compensated and replaced any outgoings from the pockets of board owners Ivan Gadiz and Stan Kroenke, so what reasons do they have to fire a man who has a proven track record when it comes to earning money?

Wenger has wrapped himself into the foundations of the club, literally. His visions and planning were an integral part to building Arsenal’s 60,000 capacity Emirates Stadium, following their move from Highbury. Arsenal Football Club now earn £3.3m each and every home game on ticket sales alone, making them the most profitable club in the country, further proof that Arsene Wenger sees football as a business. He played the game at an extremely low level for a modern day manager, so perhaps his management style isn’t clouded by blind passion and dressing room experiences of the past. He is able to analyse football from the outside, making decisions he feels will be of most benefit to the club, and it’s clear he chooses to place more importance on financial reward than titles and trophies.

“To other managers, £15m might be simply ‘a big number, but not to Wenger. When he weighs up potential signings, he judges like an economist pricing assets as much as like a coach seeking quick wins”says Kuper, the author of Soccernomics, a book based on football’s troubled financial underworld. Wenger’s rule at Arsenal has been fuelled largely by business, but also by stubbornness and strong personal morals. Arsene Wenger is so against the Abramovichs’ and Glazers of this world, spending money that they don’t have, funding wage bills on insurmountable debts, that he installed his faith in youngsters and products of the club’s youth academy. Whereas Wenger used to scour the globe to buy unknown young players from abroad, these same players are now choosing to go to ‘bigger’ clubs than Arsenal, such as Chelsea and Manchester City who are willing to offer the mind-blowing wages demanded by footballer’s agents and advisors.

Arsene’s faith in the club’s own youth academy has yet to be rewarded. An 18-year-old Denilson was expected to develop into a ready-made replacement for Gilberto Silva, a strong, combative midfield captain. It never materialised and the Brazilian has since been loaned back to his native South America, and is set to depart permanently in the summer. Nicklas Bendtner, Sebastian Larrson and Fabrice Muamba all promised to break through at the same time and form a new first-team spine, but were deemed not good enough and shipped out to various other Premier League clubs. Several promising Englishman also came through the ranks, Jay Simpson, an explosive striker, is now plying his trade with Hull City after failing to make an impact under Arsene Wenger. Kieran Gibbs remains at the club but has struggled with a series of muscle injuries that have prevented his development. Simon Kuper believes Wenger’s decision to rely on the club’s academy was a mistake. “Separately from economics, Wenger made another fundamental misjudgement. He dreamt of building a team produced in Arsenal’s youth academy, rather than bought as adult stars. Another truth of football is that it’s almost impossible to predict whether a great untried teenager will make a great adult footballer. Only really once a teenager has achieved success in actual professional football, like Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney or Gareth Bale, can you know he is the real thing, and by then richer clubs than Arsenal will be chasing him.”

Arsenal are unlikely to win a trophy again next year. Their playing squad is not good enough to compete with Chelsea, Manchester City or Manchester United, and those clubs are set spend sufficiently in the summer before FIFA’s Financial Fair Play rules come into fruition. As Tottenham and Everton continue to improve, they might even find it difficult to finish in the top four. That still won’t be enough to make Arsene Wenger open his chequebook and make ‘big-money’ signings. That is not his approach to business, or indeed life. Whilst he continues to oversee financial stability and generate such great revenue at The Emirates, his job will be safe. His bosses will be happy. Club owners and Chief Executive types in football boardrooms will always take money over cup wins and tournament glory. That’s why they are happy to make him the highest paid manager in England on £7.5m a year.

Tottenham need a striker to banish end of season curse.

Andre Villas-Boas has had a relatively successful first season in charge of Tottenham Hotspur as they sit fourth in the Premier League and occupy the final Champions League place. However, a poor result at home to Basel in the Europa League and an inconsistent run of domestic form, could see a season full of eye-catching performances and impressive results go entirely unrewarded.

Spurs have been far too reliant on Gareth Bale's
goals from midfield this season

Spurs often suffer from end of season syndrome, and have been known to implode at this time of season in the past, which usually means granting success to their North London rivals Arsenal, who sit two points behind with a game in hand. It has been well documented that Tottenham have been over reliant on Gareth Bale's goals season, and the Welshman may well be angling for a move away from the club during the summer transfer window. Emmanuel Adebayor was absent for over a month whilst on International duty with Togo at the 2013 AFCON and has struggled with league goals this season, scoring just three times. Jermain Defoe has a typically impressive goals to minutes ratio with 10 league goals in 25 starts for the club, but has struggled with a series of muscular injuries and doesn't always seem comfortable as the lone front man in AVB's preferred 4-2-3-1 formation. Tottenham need strength in depth up front and Daniel Levy must add to his strike force if his club are to challenge for honours until the final game of the season. Here's a look at some of his likely targets.

Loic Remy

Remy has taken no time to settle in England
and has always been a target for Spurs

Loic Remy only joined QPR in January but his agent secured a release clause of just £8m should the Hoops be relegated. That looks increasingly likely following Wigan's last minute equaliser at Loftus Road on Sunday to leave Harry Redknapp's side 7 points adrift of safety. Remy has adapted seamlessly to English football and has scored 5 goals since his arrival, making him the club's top goalscorer. Tottenham owner Daniel Levy had previously shown interest in signing the French striker from Marseille, but was deterred by the £15m valuation. His versatility could make him Tottenham's number one transfer target, as he can also be utilised on the right side of midfield to provide competition for Aaron Lennon should he not be first choice striker at White Hart Lane.

Christian Benteke

A move to Spurs would help Benteke become
Belgium's number one striker

The Aston Villa target man has been unstoppable at times this season. 15 league goals for a team that have been fighting relegation is an achievement that makes him a potential candidate for the player of the season award. Villa's young side have struggled under Paul Lambert and have often had to rely on the Belgian striker's goals and influential line-leading performances to get results. At just 22 and with three years left to run on his current deal, he won't come cheap, but it would be difficult for him to resist a move to Spurs and the lure of European football should they secure it.

Leandro Damiao

Damiao is a natural finisher and became top
goalscorer at the 2012 Olympics

The young Brazilian striker Leandro Damiao is another player Daniel Levy has been watching for some time. The Internacional forward was the top goalscorer at the London 2012 Olympic Games and is a reported target for a host of top European clubs including PSG, Napoli and Arsenal. Damiao lacks pace and is nowhere near Benteke and Remy in terms of speed, but he has an unteachable eye for goal and always hits the target when in and around the penalty box. He would add another dimension to Tottenham's strike force and provide a good alternative to either Defoe or Adebayor. He has the ability to operate alone up front, but whether he would be able to settle in England and adapt to the pace and physicality of the Premier League remains to be seen.

England are still incapable of controlling matches against inferior opponents. Why?

England again proved their inability to control an International match during a 1-1 World Cup qualification draw against Montenegro. England have also failed to beat Poland, Sweden and Ukraine in their recent run of fixtures and have often been dominated rather than dominating. Why do England struggle so much to control these games against supposedly inferior opponents?

England couldn't contain Montenegro, a country with a population one tenth
the viewing audience of Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway

1. Lack of Frank Lampard

Frank Lampard has only started one of the aforementioned games England have failed to win. He scored an 87th minute penalty to save England from a disastrous home defeat to Ukraine and won the Man of the Match award. He has also scored the winning goals in recent friendlies against Spain and Brazil and was influential during the victory over Italy at Wembley. He is the form midfielder in the Premier League and has 12 league goals to his name. That's two more league goals than the preferred England midfield trio of Gerrard, Carrick and Cleverley combined. Chelsea managers have lost their jobs in the past as a result of undervaluing Frank Lampard, and the boardroom decision not to offer him a contract extension still confuses the vast majority of football supporters. His experience in important and difficult matches, including European Cup finals would surely help England take control of these games that they are expected to win.


2. Fear

Fear has had an impact on every England team since quarter-final elimination at Euro 2004. Fabio Capello cited it as the reason his team failed to perform on so many occasions when playing home fixtures at Wembley. It is a combination of fear of getting lambasted in the national press and a fear of public backlash from fans who pay so much money on tickets and travel to support their country. They are also under heavy pressure to perform at the same level they do for their domestic clubs, which has continued to baffle International managers for over a decade. This expectation is heightened when England play what are regarded as lesser opposition, and the players appear unable to cope with the increased pressure.


3. Central Defensive Partnership

All great sides capable of dominating matches have had strong and settled partnerships at the centre of defence. The Arsenal side of the 90's had Adams and Bould, Mourninho's Chelsea had Terry and Carvahlo and European and World Cup winners Spain had Puyol and Pique, who have an understanding formed over many years at Barcelona. Terry and Ferdinand were England's last settled centre-half pairing, and that fell apart in the most spectacular and controversial of fashions. It is difficult to believe Roy Hodgson even knows who his best two defenders are after constant injury problems, let alone his most effective partnership. Lescott and Smalling performed well in the air against Montenegro, but struggled with distribution and lack the necessary composure to keep possession for any team hoping to stamp their authority on an International match.


4. Michael Carrick is scared

Michael Carrick has the unfortunate tendency to go missing in an England shirt. When playing for Manchester United, Carrick protects the back four and retains possession of the ball in equal measure, allowing his attacking team-mates to express themselves as he takes responsibility of many league games. Carrick has been found wanting in the past against International players of the highest calibre, as displayed in the 2009 Champions League final when he anchored a United midfield that was embarrassingly outclassed by Xavi and Iniesta. Carrick believed that he was worthy of a first team place for England, and continued to get overlooked by Fabio Capello which led to him withdrawing from International selection. It seems as though Michael Carrick is too concerned with not making a mistake to have any real impact for England, and his place as a passenger would surely be better filled by the consistent Frank Lampard or a fully fit Scott Parker.


5. Hodgson slow to react

Roy Hodgson has united the England camp and reinstalled a sense of national pride in the players. However, during the draw against Montenegro, he had the opportunity to make substitutions that would have eased the pressure on England and given them a better chance of extending their lead. After striker Dejan Damjanovic had been introduced by the home nation, Montenegro had a sustained period of pressure as the quality of Jovetic and Vucinic began to stretch the England defence. There was a looming sense that England were going to concede that everybody was aware of, except it would seem, Roy Hodgson. Leighton Baines could have been introduced on the left side of midfield, to inject some energy into a lethargic England side, whilst still providing protection for Ashley Cole should he wish to bomb forward. Teams are judged on their results, and victories come as a result of scoring goals. Danny Welbeck put in a great defensive performance, but as a goal for Montenegro looked increasingly inevitable, perhaps attack would have been the best form of defence. Jermain Defoe guarantees you a goal at any level, and should consider himself unfortunate not to have featured at all after his brace against San Marino on Friday. Ashley Young was introduced by the former West Bromwich Albion manager, but too late, and only as a retaliation to the equaliser Hodgson should have foreseen.


6. Are they really inferior opponents?

The final question; Are these teams really inferior to England? Despite being ranked 4th in the FIFA rankings, England haven't won a major trophy since 1966. They have been eliminated from recent tournaments by the likes of Brazil, Portugal, Croatia and Italy, and never seem capable of surpassing the quarter finals. Countries like Poland, Ukraine and Sweden all have squads littered with talented players, some with far greater technique and ability than several England regulars. Maybe a draw is a good result at hostile away venues such as Stadion Pod Goricom in Podgorica, Montenegro. All week, England fans have been told that defeat would be catastrophic. Defeat was narrowly avoided, so perhaps a point is all we should expect from England sides of the future. Maybe we have found our level.

Michael Owen Announces Retirement

Owen had frightening pace throughout his youth and burst onto
the scene with a spectacular solo goal against Argentina in 1998

Stoke City striker Michael Owen has announced that he is set to retire from football at the end of this season.

The former England International had an illustrious career spanning seventeen years at a series of glamorous clubs including Liverpool, Real Madrid and Manchester United. More recent Premier League adventures have included Newcastle and currently Stoke City, who are destined to be his final club.

Owen will sadly be remembered for a career plagued by a series of injuries that never allowed him to fulfil his undoubted potential. He was touted by many as the most exciting England debutant ever and there is no doubt that he was the greatest English striker for several years. Ever since exploding onto the International scene with an infamous solo dribble and top corner finish against rivals Argentina in 1998, he was a permanent fixture up front for the Three Lions, earning 89 caps and scoring 40 goals, including a hat-trick against Germany in Munich.

Owen's fondest club memories will come from the eight year spell he spent at Liverpool. His record was exceptional, scoring 118 goals in just over 200 appearances after he had formed a successful forward partnership with Emile Heskey. Two of those goals were scored at the Millennium Stadium as his late brace earned Liverpool the 2001 FA Cup, the same year they won a treble including the League Cup and the Uefa Trophy.

Despite his history at Liverpool, Owen was talented enough to gain the support of Manchester United fans thanks to his first goal for the club, an injury time winner against bitter rivals Manchester City to secure a famous 4-3 away victory.

Few Englishmen have captured the hearts of the public in the same way as Michael Owen, so it is no surprise that today's news has been met with sadness by many. Tributes have flooded in on Twitter and from journalists across several national newspapers as they reminisce about watching Owen in action at his peak.

A statement confirming his retirement was released on his personal blog earlier this morning, which you can read here: http://www.michaelowen.com/

Expect more posts on Owen's official website later on this week, announcing his future ambitions. Many would love to see Michael Owen become a media pundit, but he is already a shrewd property developer and an expert on horse racing, so will have plenty of options as far as future career opportunities are concerned.

The very best of luck to him. Thanks for the memories.

Finally a goal for Nikica Jelavic as he bids to turn around wasted season

Jelavic has been dropped to the bench in recent weeks
due to poor form and a lack of goals.

Nikica Jelavic was the quickest player to reach 10 goals for Everton for a century. He scored vital goals against Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester United and became the first Croatian ever to win the Premier League Player of the Month award. He joined the Toffees in January for a relative bargain at £5m, and went on to become the club's top-goalscorer that same season, despite only featuring for half a campaign. It looked as though Moyes had finally found the final piece of his decade long jigsaw, in the shape of a striker that would score the 20+ goals needed for Everton to reach the next level.

However, under the weight of expectation, Jelavic has struggled hugely this season. Everton began well with some impressive attacking displays and goals were easy to come by as the Croatian netted 4 goals in the first six fixtures, including a brace on the opening day against Southampton. It looked as though Everton and Jelavic were all set to pick up from where they left off last season, but the striker's form rapidly declined. The goals dried up and his most baron spell in front of goal on Merseyside lasted for twelve league games and almost four months until he came on as a substitute to seal a 2-0 victory against Manchester City with a deflected finish in injury time.

The 836 minutes prior to that moment without a goal had a major effect on Jelavic's ability to lead the line for Everton as the drought began to affect his overall performance. David Moyes was left frustrated as his central striker was often put through on goal, only to produce a loose first touch or scuffed shot capable of making Fernando Torres look confident. Moyes was patient with Jelavic and clearly desperate for him to rediscover last season's prolific form, as it took seven games for the Scot to remove the forward from his starting line up. In recent weeks, Moyes has opted for Nigerian powerhouse Victor Anichebe to assume the role just in front of Marouane Fellaini. Anichebe is a target man whose game relies on hold-up play and ball retention, so his performances are rarely influenced by his ability to score goals.

It was Anichebe who made way for Jelavic against Manchester City as the Croatian raced clear in the 93rd minute to fire a shot past Joe Hart with the help of a deflection from Gael Clichy. Jelavic ripped his shirt off and ran to celebrate amongst the fans in the corner of Goodison Park. The ensuing yellow card won't have pleased his manager, but it was hard to begrudge the striker a passionate celebration after such a weight had been lifted. David Moyes will be hoping this is the goal needed to trigger several more as Everton begin their important run-in. Champions League football is still a serious possibility as they lie 4 points behind Chelsea in fourth place, and Jelavic will be influential if Everton are to have a successful end to their season.

Jelavic still needs two league goals to match last season's total. If he doesn't achieve a higher goals total during his first full season in England, it will have been a wasted season for the former Rangers star, showing his manager a distinct lack of progression. He is still Everton's major striking threat, and needs to start performing at a level that will take some of the goal scoring burden from team-mate Marouane Fellaini, who leads the statistics chart this season with 11. If Jelavic, Fellaini and Belgian winger Kevin Mirallas all remain at Goodison over the summer and stay fit throughout next season, Everton fans should have a great deal to look forward to providing David Moyes signs a new contract.

Barcelona should keep hold of David Villa

Barca celebrate their third goal;
Relief for Barcelona and David Villa.

Barcelona were 2-0 up against Milan, the scores were tied on aggregate and the next goal of a tricky Champions League encounter was surely going to decide which team progressed to the quarter finals. The ball fell to Xavi and his peripheral vision allowed him to slide a pass first time towards David Villa. The through ball committed Milan full-back Kevin Constant, and Villa's first touch swept the ball beyond the onrushing defender, leaving him in a heap on the ground before curling a deadly shot past Christian Abbiati and in to the far corner. Barca had breathing space, and it was thanks to Villa's prolific finishing ability.

The goal sparked mighty relief for David Villa, that much was clear from his celebration. It was the goal that re-announced the striker's return to form on the world stage after a devastating leg break that had kept him out of action for eight months. A snap to his tibia during a Club World Cup match in Yokohama meant he missed the entire 2011/12 season with Barcelona, and also Euro 2012, as the Spanish team continued their International dominance. After three consecutive La Liga titles with Villa fit and ever present, Barca surrendered top spot to Real Madrid during his injury plagued season, which looks to be far more than a coincidence. The striker, despite scoring against Real Sociedad on his return to competitive action, took some time to rediscover the form he was showing before that fateful injury, and there were even rumours that he might be sold in January to the likes of Arsenal or Manchester City.

The goal scoring exploits of Lionel Messi have rescued Barcelona in the absence of David Villa as the side continue to alternate their three forward players. Alexis Sanchez was signed from Udinese to try and ease the blow dealt by Villa's leg break, but the Chilean's first La Liga campaign was also mired with short-term injuries. His approach was seen as a little direct and it took some time before he was able to adapt to the pass and move philosophy of Barca, as Guardiola often used him as a central striker. However, the intelligence of Cesc Fabregas was sometimes preferred in a false number 9 role. Pedro has become an accomplished winger come striker and can operate on either wing for the Catalan side, but his goal threat and ratio are nowhere near the levels of his compatriot Villa.

Villa's left foot finish last night displayed that he has certainly not lost the killer ability to score goals. It is hard to stand out in a team that includes the record-breaking Lionel Messi, but this is a player who has won the European Championship Golden Boot, the World Cup and is Spain's all time top goalscorer. He has scored 53 goals in 86 appearances for his country, a ratio matched only by Alfredo Di Stefano. He was named the Spanish player of the year in 05/06 whilst playing for Valencia who finished third as he contributed 25 league goals.

Barcelona are on course to win the league title as they sit thirteen points ahead of Real Madrid and they are the strongest team left in the Uefa Champions League. If they are to claim a double, keeping David Villa fit is imperative. He showed his value to the team against Milan and his passion and work rate are hard to match. He has the ability to score important goals in important matches, which is exactly what Barca need during their challenging run in. To let him go would be a huge mistake. I bet they're glad they didn't in January.