Liverpool v Sunderland
English Premier League
Anfield Stadium – Liverpool, England
28 March 2010 – 16:00 GMT

Liverpool looks for a win on Sunday as their Champions League hopes for next season are slowly slipping away.

Liverpool v Sunderland Preview

Liverpool is four points back of 4th place Tottenham but has played one more game than Spurs. They have only two wins in their last six matches and currently in the last Europa League spot.

Sunderland are 11 points clear of relegation and one more win could guarantee their survival. They are undefeated in their last four matches but have a 0-3-3 record in their last six away matches. The Black Cats have had an up and down season but ultimately should stay up in the Premier League. The club has been two different teams this season with a +11 goal difference at home but a -17 goal difference on the road.

Liverpool have a similar issue with strong performances at home and disappointing results on the road. Fortunately for the Reds, Sunday’s match will be at Anfield where they have a 11-2-2 record. There a few injury concerns for Liverpool but Fabio Aurelio and Martin Skrtel will both be unavailable. Sunderland could be without striker Kenwyne Jones, defender John Mensah, and winger Andy Reid.

This is a match that Liverpool needs to win to keep pace with Manchester City and Sunderland for 4th place. They already have played one more match and trail both teams on points. Steven Gerrard has not had a great season and needs to step up on Sunday. The Englishman will need to link up with striker Fernando Torres, who is finally healthy and has five goals in his last three matches.

The Reds will be the favorites in the match and will want to avenge the “beach ball” match that took place at Sunderland in the fall. If Torres and Gerrard play to their potential then it will be an easy win at Anfield for the home side but with Liverpool it could also be a nail biting 1-0 match.

Last 6 EPL Matches

Liverpool – L D W L W L

Sunderland – L D W D W D

Liverpool v Sunderland Prediction

Liverpool will win the match 1-0.

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“Liverpool v Sunderland – Preview – 28 March 2010” was originally published at Soccerlens.com – Football News.

We’re already in the middle of June, and though the signings haven’t been coming hard and fast just yet, that doesn’t mean that there’s a shortage of action thus far in the summer transfer window.

In this morning’s transfer news and rumors roundup, we’ve got tidbits from England, Spain, Italy, Germany, France, and Greece, with many big names and big clubs looking to spend, spend, spend. Some of the rumors are pretty concrete, while there is at least one in the bunch that, like Manchester United being linked with a move for Fernando Torres, are a little head-scratching, to say the least.

There are also a couple of signings to report, and remember, to keep up with all of the latest confirmed signings, check out our summer 2009 transfer lists.

England

Manchester United After Valencia Stars

There has been a great deal of speculation over the last few days about what Manchester United are going to do with the money they get from selling Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid, and it could be that a sizable chunk of those funds go towards signing Valencia stars David Villa and David Silva.

United are reportedly set to make a £45m bid for Villa (The Mirror). The competition could wide open between United, Barcelona (Sky Sports), and Chelsea for Villa, as his potential move to Real Madrid appears to have broken down (Daily Mail).

Meanwhile. Rafa Benitez might not like hearing about United making a concerted effort to land Silva, as the winger has been a target for Benitez for a while now but could be the subject of a £25m bid from United. (The Mirror)

Analysis: £25m looks to certainly be enough to land Silva, but even though they could outbid Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Chelsea for Villa, they could be out of luck if Villa prefers the chance to stay in Spain. Of course, if Barcelona land Villa, that’d all but free up the opportunity for a United move for Samuel Eto’o.

United and Boro In Downing Swap Deal?

Middlesbrough are heavily interested in Manchester United duo Paul Scholes and Gary Neville, and there are reports that they could offer Stewart Downing to United to try to make a deal happen. (The Mirror)

Analysis: Both Scholes and Neville could be reluctant for such a move, but even so, it’d seem like United would come out a lot better in this deal, especially if they didn’t have to spend much of that sizable transfer kitty on purchasing Downing.

Costa On Shortlist To Replace Ronaldo?

Along with the moves mentioned above, United could be set to swoop for Gremio starlet Douglas Costa. (Sky Sports)

Analysis: Brazil’s becoming more and more of a hotspot for United, and signing a prospect of Costa’s ability and potential would be worth the fee United may have to stump up. He’s only 18, so he’s more one for the future and wouldn’t be expected to step in and star right away. But as Ronaldo did when he arrived at United, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him earn first-team opportunities immediately.

Bolton Lead Race For Veloso?

Bolton are back in for Sporting Lisbon midfielder Miguel Veloso, and after refusing to overbid for Veloso in January, could be in with a £10.2m offer for the 23-year-old, who’s also been linked with Arsenal. (Tribal Football)

Analysis: £10.2m is still a little lower than Sporting might like to get for Veloso, but it could be a sign that Bolton are willing to fork out a little more in order to land him.

Bentley And Huddlestone To Sign For Villa?

It could only be a matter of time before Aston Villa seal the deal on a couple of new signings, as there are reports that they are close on Tottenham pair David Bentley (Goal.com) and Tom Huddlestone (Birmingham Mail).

Analysis: Considering their interest in Bentley, Huddlestone, and Jermaine Jenas, I’m surprised they haven’t been strongly linked with Darren Bent or Roman Pavlyuchenko, considering a forward should also be on their summer wishlist.

Several Sides Interested In Newcastle’s Martins

Arsenal, Aston Villa, and Everton are all interested in Newcastle striker Obafemi Martins (Tribal Football), but they could face competition from a mystery Bundesliga club (Tribal Football).

Analysis: Everton would be a great fit, considering the familiar faces that would await, but wages would likely be a stumbling block, and that could also be the case with Aston Villa. No telling what the situation could be with the Bundesliga club, but Arsenal may well be the best match financially – but that could all hinge on whether or not they sell Emmanuel Adebayor.

Fulham And West Ham Interested In Acquafresca

It’s a London battle for young Italian striker Robert Acquafresca, as Fulham and West Ham are both interested in the 21-year-old. Acquafresca was supposed to go to Genoa as part of the deal that brought Diego Milito and Thiago Motta to Inter, but he could yet move elsewhere, with even Juventus being linked with a move. (Tribal Football)

Analysis: I don’t have any doubts that Acquafresca could succeed in the Premier League, but if Juventus come in for him, that might be an opportunity that’s too hard to pass up.

Sunderland Bid For Cattermole

Sunderland have made a £7m bid for Wigan midfielder Lee Cattermole. (Tribal Football)

Analysis: Well they sure aren’t sitting on their money, are they? That’s certainly a tempting offer for Wigan, considering it’s double what they paid for Cattermole just last summer. I don’t know if Wigan will offload him right now though, unless he’s just that eager to be reunited with Steve Bruce. If someone’s willing to pay 7m for him right now, they could be in line to get a lot more if he continues to develop well over the next season or two. Besides, the sale of Antonio Valencia will net a nice amount of transfer funds for Roberto Martinez.

Wolves Sign Milijas

Wolves have completed the signing of Red Star Belgrade midfielder Nenad Milijas. (The Guardian)

Analysis: For a little while, the deal looked to be in some doubt, but in the end, Wolves fought off some pretty good competition to land the free-scoring midfielder.

Birmingham Bid For Gomez

Birmingham have made a £1.5m offer to Espanyol for midfielder Jordi Gomez, who starred on loan for Swansea last season. (Tribal Football)

Analysis: With Roberto Martinez set to complete his move from Swansea to Wigan anytime now, Birmingham could face some competition from Wigan for Gomez, so it might be in Birmingham’s best interests to try to get him signed, sealed, and delivered as soon as possible.

Spain

Real Madrid Offer Sneijder For Inter’s Maicon

Real Madrid could be set to offer Inter Milan €20m plus attacker Wesley Sneijder in a bid for right back Maicon. (Goal.com)

Analysis: Sounds like a reasonable deal. Sneijder’s someone that has been linked with Inter, and €20m + Sneijder would meet the €40m asking price that Inter have for Maicon.

Italy

AC Milan Sign Cissokho

AC Milan have completed the signing of Porto defender Aly Cissokho for €15m. (Sky Sports)

Analysis: This time last summer, Cissokho had just made the jump from France’s Ligue 2 to Portugal, joining Vitoria du Setubal, and now, he’s signed for AC Milan. Talk about a quick rise!

Inter Closing In On Double Swoop

Jose Mourinho could be close to being reunited with Deco and Ricardo Carvalho, as Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti spoke hopefully about being able to agree a deal with Chelsea for the duo. (Daily Mail)

Analysis: Seems to be only a formality, really.

Juventus To Swap Trezeguet For Rossi?

Juventus are prepared to offer striker David Trezeguet as part of a swap deal for Villarreal star Giuseppe Rossi. (Tribal Football)

Analysis: £15m + Trezeguet would fall a little short of Rossi’s buyout clause of £40m, but it could get Villarreal to bite, or at least think seriously about the offer. Trezeguet might turn down the chance though, considering the interest that he’s had from the likes of Inter, Real Madrid, and others.

Lazio In Talks For Barnetta

Lazio are in talks with Bayer Leverkusen over a move for Swiss midfielder Tranquillo Barnetta. (Tribal Football)

Analysis: Barnetta’s valuation is reportedly €10m, but even though Lazio don’t exactly have the room to break the bank on summer purchases, it shouldn’t be a problem to spend the right amount on a player who’s certainly worth it.

Germany

Wolfsburg Want Berbatov?

In one of the more interesting transfer rumors of the day, Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov is being linked with a loan move to VfL Wolfsburg. (Sofia Echo)

Analysis: Though things didn’t exactly go completely swimmingly at United last season, Berbatov’s not going anywhere.

Stuttgart Interested In Tottenham Striker

VfB Stuttgart could be targeting Tottenham striker Roman Pavlyuchenko. According to Stuttgart general manager Horst Heldt, the Russian striker has come up in discussions within the club. (Tribal Football)

Analysis: After selling Mario Gomez to Bayern Munich for €30m, Stuttgart have money to spend and a big void to fill up front. Replicating Gomez’s 33-goal output from this past season might be a little much to ask, but Pavlyuchenko does have the quality to succeed in the Bundesliga, even though his struggles at Tottenham last season might convince some otherwise.

France

Shevchenko Offered To French Trio

Chelsea have offered striker Andriy Shevchenko to Lyon, Marseille, and Monaco. Lyon have turned down the opportunity to sign the Ukrainian, but Marseille and Monaco are still considering the chance to snap him up. (Tribal Football)

Analysis: Safe to say then that Sheva doesn’t have a future at Chelsea, eh?

Coupet To Sign For PSG

Former Lyon goalkeeper Gregory Coupet could be set for a quick return to Ligue 1, as he has agreed personal terms over a move to Paris Saint-Germain. Coupet moved from Lyon to Atletico Madrid last summer, but after seeing little time last season, will be back on familiar soil if a fee can be agreed. (Goal.com)

Analysis: With current #1 Mickael Landreau looking to leave, PSG needed to swoop for a quality replacement, and Coupet, with his long history of success with Lyon, certainly fits the bill.

Greece

Panathinaikos Close On Drenthe?

Panathinaikos are going all out in their efforts to sign Real Madrid’s Royston Drenthe, as they could offer £11m in order to land the versatile Dutchman. (Tribal Football)

Analysis: That’s about the same amount Real spent to sign Drenthe from Feyenoord in the summer of 2007, so I don’t see them turning down an offer of that amount. Drenthe hasn’t exactly blossomed at Real, and he wouldn’t appear to have much of a future there, so the only holdup might be whether or not he wants to move to Greece or to a more elite league.

“Transfer Rumors (15 June 09): Man United after Valencia stars Villa and Silva, Aston Villa close on Tottenham duo, Berbatov and Pavlyuchenko linked with Bundesliga moves, and more” was originally published at footballlens.com – football news.

Carlos Tevez is out, Dimitar Berbatov is out, Park Ji-Sung and Ryan Giggs are in. The paper claims it’s a real ”insult” to Tevez to be left out, but we’re not sure why as no-one has expected him to play from the start with all the focus on his future.

John O’Shea keeps his place at right-back and Cristiano Ronaldo continues his not-going-to-give-the-ball-away-as-much effort as a lone striker. So it’s pretty much exactly the same team as against Arsenal in the semi. Except Darren Fletcher of course.

Transfer gossip now, and there are some pretty interesting deals going on if you believe the media. Chelsea, for some reason, are being linked with a new right-back. We all thought Jose Bosingwa had done rather well this season, but the Blues are apparently tracking Inter Milan’s Brazilian defender Maicon for £22m.

The Daily Star reckon that when Carlo Ancelotti takes over in the summer, he’d just love to take him along for the ride. Probably wouldn’t please Jose much, but he has given his backing to the Italian for the Stamford Bridge post.

Arsene Wenger, meanwhile, is looking to Fulham for his defensive stability next season. Brede Hangeland has done a good job at the heart of the Cottagers defence, and his extra height and power has caught the eye of the Frenchman, according to the Sun. But would he really spend £15m on him?

The Sun also have the news that ‘Arry Redknapp is keen to raid his old club once again for full-back Glen Johnson. Liverpool are believed to be in the prime position to sign the England defender as they need a player to shout back at Jamie Carragher when he gets in a mood; but Tottenham may swoop for their fourth right-back in the past year.

Once an England player, Dean Ashton gets the treatment (and he’s used to that) in the Daily Mirror. The paper thinks he’d be offloaded to Newcastle or Aston Villa in the summer, but someone would have to take a big chance to take the injury-prone striker anywhere.

However, Newcastle won’t be signing anyone decent if they go down and Sebastian Bassong could be the first to leave, says the Times.

Another team struggling for top flight status, Sunderland, could turn to Hamburg manager Martin Jol next season, according to the Daily Star. Quite why the Dutchman would want to trade a chance at the Bundesliga title and possible qualification for Europe for the drudgery of another relegation battle is beyond understanding. So he’ll probably just stay put.

And finally, Chelsea have cancelled their plans for an FA Cup parade. Not because they haven’t won it yet. Not because it’s a mere consolation prize given they really wanted to claim the Champions League. But because of the CREDIT CRUNCH! We know Roman Abramovich has been cutting costs, but if one of the world’s richest men can’t even get a open bus tour together, we know it’s bad.

There’s nothing quite like the buzz and thrill of expectancy when your club announces a new signing. Let’s face it, it doesn’t matter if you follow a team in the lowest echelons of the Conference South or one of the European superpowers at completely the other end of the spectrum, you just can’t beat that feel-good feeling of a new recruit.

The problem is that there are invariably times when a manager’s faith in a new signing simply fails to come to fruition and we’ve certainly seen a fair few of them up and down the country this season. I can see you nodding your head now so without me blabbering on for too much longer I would like to welcome you to the not so wonderful world of the transfer flop. 2008/09 Premier League edition!

5. Deco

At £8 million it looked an inspired signing and with two goals and two assists coming in his first three matches, we were all guilty of jumping on the Deco bandwagon. It had looked like a stroke of genius from Scolari and yes I’ll be the first to admit it – I thought Deco was the man who completed Chelsea’s midfield.

Although the Portugal international’s season rapidly derailed thereafter to the point where he is rarely even considered a first-teamer at Stamford Bridge these days.

With just one goal against Bolton to add to those rousing first few displays in a Chelsea shirt, Deco has been one of the biggest disappointments of the season and I doubt he’ll be around too much longer to be given a chance to silence his critics.

4. Fabricio Coloccini

The frizzy haired former Deportivo central defender arrived in Newcastle with the weight of the world on his shoulders. Yes Coloccini would supposedly be the man to rejuvenate the Toon Army’s shoddy defence and he’s ultimately caved in under the pressure.

It would seem that Shearer can’t get rid of this £10.5million Argentine international quick enough and after a nightmarish season that has comprised of a bucket load of mistakes and an array of lacklustre defensive performances, you can’t really blame him can you?

3. Robbie Keane

What can you say about Robbie Keane and his time at Anfield? I mean was it simply Rafa’s fault for failing to play to his £20 million signing’s strengths or did Keane ultimately struggle to produce the goods when he was given a chance to impress?

You could debate what went wrong for the Irishman long into the night but at the end of the day Liverpool splashed the cash on a goal-scoring striker who was supposed to do exactly that. Score them goals. He didn’t, so that’s the fundamental reason why he’s on this list.

2. David Bentley

What on earth has happened to Bentley this season? He was supposed to be Beckham’s heir apparent on England’s right-hand-side but on the evidence of this Premier League campaign, he’d be lucky to get in the B team.

That goal aside, the £15 million signing from Blackburn has endured a frustrating start to life at White Hart Lane culminating in him having played just 18 minutes of first-team football since February.

The form of Aaron Lennon has hardly helped his cause but Spurs fans must have surely expected a whole lot more from Bentley and he could quite plausibly be the first casualty of Harry Redknapp’s summer clearout.

1. Dave Kitson

I don’t know whether Kitson failed to cope under the radiant limelight of being Stoke’s record signing but he has undoubtedly proved to be one of the only blemishes during what has been a terrific season for the Potters.

The 29-year-old failed to find the net in 16 Premier League outings this term and was quickly moved on to Reading in the January transfer window.

The good news for supporters at the Britannia Stadium? James Beattie came in and did a slightly better job for less than half the price. The bad news? Kitson looks set to return to the club this summer.

“Top of the flops: The five worst Premier League signings of the season!” was originally published at footballlens.com – football news.

Seasons are coming to a close around Europe, and while many big names will make moves in the upcoming summer transfer window, we’re also going to see a few notable managers change clubs in the near future. With that in mind, today’s transfer news and rumors roundup has a little managerial news from around Europe mixed in with the regular player transfer gossip.

Brazil

Corinthians Pursuing Tevez Loan Deal?

Corinthians are exploring ways to try to engineer a loan deal for Carlos Tevez. Tevez starred at the Brazilian club before making the jump to England, and with his time at Manchester United seemingly almost up, his old club are looking to pounce. (Daily Mail)

Analysis: I think Manchester United will do all they can to sign him if possible, but if he doesn’t sign for United, you’ve got to love the thought of a rejuvenated Ronaldo and Tevez playing alongside one another. Would he jump for it?

England

New Chelsea Manager Ancletti to Target Tevez?

The chances are high that Tevez could remain in the Premier League even if he doesn’t sign with Manchester United, and one of the clubs who could make an approach for him is Chelsea, who are set to name Carlo Ancelotti as their new manager. (Daily Mail)

Analysis: Hiddink certainly would’ve been their best choice, but it wasn’t to be. Chelsea will be looking to add to their front line, especially if Didier Drogba finally leaves, but even Roman Abramovich might not be willing to stump up 32m for Tevez.

Mourinho Turns Down Manchester City Offer

According to Italian news reports, Jose Mourinho has turned down a 12m offer to manage Manchester City. (Goal.com)

Analysis: This contradicts with reports that I’ve read that made it seem silly that Mark Hughes’ job was ever under threat, but maybe that’s being said because City couldn’t land the replacement they wanted.

Liverpool and Manchester City After Gourcuff?

Liverpool and Manchester City are both being linked with Bordeaux loan star Yoann Gourcuff. The 22-year-old French international midfielder has been huge in Bordeaux’s run towards the Ligue 1 title, scoring 12 league goals and assisting on 10 more. (Sky Sports)

Analysis: Considering the season he’s had at Bordeaux, AC Milan’s new manager might see him as a key asset for next season. But if Milan put him up for sale, he’s going to cost a pretty penny.

Arsenal to Bid for Ajax’s Vermaelen?

Arsenal are reportedly ready to make a £7.5m bid for Ajax defender Thomas Vermaelen. The 23-year-old Belgian international has also been recently linked with Aston Villa. (The Mirror)

Analysis: As this season has shown, Arsenal need to add some depth to their back line, and Vermaelen’s versatile enough to fit in multiple slots. And with Kolo Toure potentially leaving in the summer, Vermaelen could immediately be thrust into a key role for the Gunners.

Aston Villa Chase Toulouse Striker Gignac

Aston Villa scouts have been keeping a close eye on Toulouse striker Andre-Pierre Gignac, who tops Ligue 1’s scoring charts with 22 goals. (Daily Mail)

Analysis: It would aid their hopes of making a sustained challenge for the top four and making a deep run in the Europa League to add another scoring option, but I don’t really see why they’d send Carew packing, seeing as how he’s been scoring when others haven’t.

Italy

Van Basten and Adebayor to Arrive at San Siro?

With Carlo Ancelotti set to take over at Chelsea, AC Milan are said to be lining up former Rossoneri star Marco Van Basten as his replacement, and Silvio Berlusconi says that ‘there is a good chance’ that the club will also land Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor. (Daily Mail)

Analysis: There might have been some unhappiness about Flamini leaving for Milan last year, but many Arsenal fans probably can’t wait to see the back of Adebayor at this point.

Fiorentina In Talks to Land Crespo

Fiorentina have confirmed that they are in talks to sign Inter striker Hernan Crespo. The veteran Argentine striker’s contract at Inter expires this summer, so he will be available for free. (Sky Sports)

Analysis: Crespo hasn’t made much of an impact at Inter in the last couple of seasons, but Fiorentina is where strikers go to rejuvenate their careers (see Mutu, Adrian and Gilardino, Alberto), so this would be a good move for him.

France

PSG in €10m Bid for Inter’s Vieira?

Paris Saint-Germain could be set to make a €10m bid for Inter midfielder Patrick Vieira. (Goal.com)

Analysis: It’d be a great opportunity for Vieira, but as the article mentions, PSG’s finances could be a stumbling block to this one. If they could beat Lyon to third and Ligue 1’s last Champions League spot, that would significantly help their chances, but the chances of that happening are now pretty slim.

Scotland

Duo Chase Hibs Star Riordan

Hibs striker Derek Riordan is a target for Lokomotiv Moscow and Premier League hopefuls Burnley. Riordan has scored 11 goals this season after returning to his old club following a forgettable spell at Celtic. (Sky Sports)

Analysis: After how things didn’t work out the last time he tried to make a step up, Riordan might balk at moving so quickly, but if it’s a can’t-resist offer, then Hibs might try to push him out the door. However, if said can’t-resist offer comes from Moscow, Riordan might do well to ask former teammate Garry O’Connor about his issues with settling during a short spell with Lokomotiv.

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Is Drinking a Problem in the Premier League?

Given the recent and very public issues involving a couple of Premier League players and alcohol, how serious of a concern is boozing in the EPL?

Tie-Breakers for Football Teams Level on Points

Ever wanted to know what tiebreakers various football leagues around the world use to determine champions if teams are tied on points?

“Transfer Rumors (18 May 09): Chelsea to make Tevez move, Liverpool and Manchester City after French star Gourcuff, Arsenal to rival Aston Villa for Ajax defender Vermaelen, and more” was originally published at footballlens.com – football news.

It’s somewhat rare these days to see an Englishman trying his luck in Europe’s top leagues, especially in the tactical cauldron that is Serie A. In fairness, for many, life seemingly begins and ends with the Premier League where visions of a move abroad are often distorted by what many perceive as the ‘greatest league in the world’.

Although of the very few over the years that have exchanged Blackpool tower for the leaning tower there have been significantly contrasting results. So without further ado I present to you a rundown of ten very good and shockingly bad moves that English players have made to the land of Calcio.

Five successful Englishmen in Italy

David Beckham

To say he raised a few eyebrows when he made the switch to AC Milan would be an understatement. Desperate to revive his international career, Beckham has not only firmly edged his way into Fabio Capello’s plans but he’s also proved an asset to the Serie A giants too.

Since joining the club on loan in January, Golden Balls has established himself as a vital cog in the Milan machine that has attempted to keep abreast with rivals Inter in the race for the Scudetto.

At 34-years-old it would have been easy to hide away in the shadow of the likes of Kaka, Ronaldinho, Pato and Seedorf but with two goals and five assists in 16 Serie A outings, Beckham has certainly adapted well to life in Italy’s top flight.

Paul Ince

Ince’s performances in a Manchester United shirt indisputably earned him many plaudits at Old Trafford and after Sir Alex Ferguson had had enough of his ‘big-time Charlie’, Inter Milan were quick to snap him up for £7 million.

The Guv’nor went on to make over 50 league appearances for Inter where San Siro fans warmed to his combative style akin to an Esteban Cambiasso of today.

Although he never won a trophy in Italy, Ince undoubtedly made a decent impression on Serie A before he returned back to England in 1997.

David Platt

As one of the only Englishman to have won anything in Italy, Platt can safely say he enjoyed a fruitful period in the land of pizza and pasta.

In a terrific first season with Serie A club Bari in 1991/92, the Lancashire born goal-scoring midfielder managed an eye catching tally of eleven goals which consequently alerted the attention of Juventus.

Despite not firing on all cylinders for the Old Lady, mainly due to being played out of position, Platt still went on to win the UEFA cup with the club in 1993.

The England man, capped 62 times for his country during his career, then moved onto Sampdoria where he won the Coppa Italia and finished second top goal scorer in Serie A during his second season with the club.

Gerry Hitchens

Our younger readers may not know too much about Gerry Hitchens but he’s certainly worthy of a place in this top five list and arguably at the peak of it too.

Hitchens made his name in England with Aston Villa during the late 1950’s although a brace for his country in a 3-1 victory over Italy in Rome persuaded Inter Milan to part with £85,000 (how the transfer system has changed since then eh) to secure his signature.

At a time when Serie A was experiencing an influx of players moving over from England, Hitchens embraced Italy’s top flight scoring goals aplenty along the way (including 16 in his first season with the Nerazzuri).

The former Cardiff centre forward went on to spend the best part of a decade on the Italian peninsula representing Torino, Atalanta and then Cagliari during a nine-year spell that asserted him as one of the greatest ever Englishman to have played in Italy.

Trevor Francis

Fabio Capello labelled him the best English player to have ever played in Serie A. And to be fair it’s hard to argue with that assessment.

As England’s first £1 million player Francis invariably had to live up to expectations when he joined Sampdoria in 1982.

In his three years spent with the Blucerchiati he scored 17 goals in 68 appearances, helping  the Genoa club win their first ever Coppa Italia in 1985.

Even after having enjoyed varying levels of success with Sampdoria, Francis was hungry for more and he would go on to play for Atalanta for another two seasons before joining Rangers in 1987.

Five unsuccessful Englishmen in Italy

Paul Gascoigne

Undoubtedly one of the most technically gifted players of his generation, Gazza looked as though he was set to conquer the world when he agreed terms with Lazio in an £8.5 million deal from Tottenham in 1991.

Unfortunately Gascoigne sustained a serious knee injury in the final of the FA Cup when he lunged in knee-high on Gary Charles in the early moments of the showpiece Wembley tie. That challenge plus a further accident at a night club would keep him out of the entire 1992/93 season and would delay his move to Italy, knocking £3 million off the eventual price-tag too.

A spate of injuries and a failure to settle in Rome ultimately took its toll on Gazza and after only 41 appearances for Lazio he was on his way back to the UK and Rangers.

Yet wedged in between three years of inconsistency and injury heartache were some rousing moments too, including a fantastic run and finish against Pescara.

Joe Baker

Baker may have found life easy in England and Scotland but a press infused Italian lifestyle certainly proved a different kettle of fish for the Merseyside-born England international.

Despite a relatively impressive scoring record of seven goals in nineteen matches (including one against Juventus) during the one sole year he spent with Torino, Baker was lucky to escape back home to England with his body still intact.

In February 1962 Baker and teammate Denis Law were involved in a serious car crash that left the former needing seven operations that would inevitably cut short his Italian adventure.

Luther Blissett

A legend at Watford and football AM may have named a stand after him but he certainly didn’t receive too many standing ovations in an AC Milan shirt.

Whatever possessed Milan to shell out £1 million in 1983 on this bustling English centre-forward is beyond me and the Italian club soon realised their mistake.

After 30 appearances in his first season yielded just five goals, Milan had shipped Blissett back to the Hornets for nearly half the original fee!

Des Walker

You’ll never beat Des Walker…apparently. Although during his time with Sampdoria you would have certainly fancied your chances.

These days you can find this former England international hanging inside closets and perhaps that’s exactly where he should have stayed when making the decision to join Sven Goran Eriksson’s team back in 1992 for £1.5 million.

On his debut against Lazio, Sampdoria conceded three goals with Walker at the heart of the defence and the Italian job soon became the Italian sob when it became arrivederci for Desmond after just one season in Serie A.

Ray Wilkins

It’s a tad harsh to comprehensively claim that Butch was a failure in Italy so I’ll let the statistics do most of the talking instead.

During three years with one of Europe’s biggest clubs, AC Milan, Wilkins only managed to pick up a runners up medal in the Coppa Italia final of 1985.

In fact Wilkins time with the Rossenari coincided with a barren trophy spell for the club as a whole and in a total of 73 Serie A appearances, the current Chelsea assistant manager notched up a somewhat uninspiring two goals.

“Walker to Wilkins, Beckham to Baker – Five of the best and worst Englishmen in Italy” was originally published at footballlens.com – football news.

The Daily Mail ‘exclusively’ reveal that the Ecuador international is set to join Real Madrid after Latics boss Steve Bruce thrashed out a £21.5million deal with the Spanish club.

Despite the fact that Valencia does not feature on Real Madrid president-elect Florentino Perez’s wanted list the deal will apparently force the hand of Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

Although the players agent Diego Herrera said: “Real Madrid made an offer last week, but nobody from Wigan has told me of an offer from Manchester United.”

Valencia, 23, is seen by United as a potential replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo, who, as we all know, is permanently linked with a move to Madrid.

However, the Daily Star claim that Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso is the one who will be on his way to Real if Perez returns as club president. £21m should just about do it.

According to the Daily Mirror’s Football Spy Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp is set to move for Lazio’s £15million-rated striker Goran Pandev to beef up his attack. Presumably ‘Arry will have to get rid of one of Darren Bent, Roman Pavlyuchenko, Robbie Keane or Jermain Defoe from his beef-lacking attacking first.

Meanwhile, Chelsea’s pursuit of AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti has taken a new twist after it emerged that the club are reluctant to recruit the Italian’s trusted assistants, according to The Times.

Mauro Tassotti and Filippo Galli will not be following the Italian to Stamford Bridge as owner Roman Abramovich would prefer Ancelotti to work with the club’s existing coaching staff of Ray Wilkins and Paul Clement.

But Milan loan-star David Beckham has revealed in The Sun how the players are begging Carlo Ancelotti not to quit the Rossoneri for Chelsea.

“Every single one of the Milan players loves him, adores him and doesn’t want him to go,” Beckham said.

Newcastle United could play themselves out of a £140m takeover if they are demoted from the Premier League this weekend. The Guardian reports that investors from the United States and the Middle East are lining up an offer to buy out unpopular owner Mike Ashley – but it all hangs on the club avoiding relegation.

And finally… an interesting story in The Independent claims top-flight footballers in England are routinely surrounded by gangsters who pose a threat to their reputations and tempt many towards criminality. That is according to a former Premier League player just released from prison after serving four years of an eight-year term for his involvement in a drugs ring.

My Grandad always used to say “The Runners Up in anything are just the first losers”. It is a notion that is unlikely to endear himself to the man who he refers to consistently as “Bennertez”, as Rafa Benitez wakes up today contemplating being the “first loser” of this season’s Premier League.

But, clichés and mispronunciations aside, there is more to second place than meets the eye this season. Debates have rumbled long and hard on whether this current crop of players really is Sir Alex Ferguson’s (or indeed Manchester United’s) best ever, whilst defensive records have tumbled, and finally Liverpool’s long-held record as the most successful league side in the country has been equalled. It is a sobering fact. Liverpool have fans have long basked in their “18+5” boast. Theoretically, it is just one year away from being rendered superfluous.

Nevertheless, there is still room for bullish optimism on Merseyside, and not simply because being “first loser” is an honour they have only enjoyed on three occasions in the past twenty years. Yesterday’s hard-fought 2-0 win over West Brom at The Hawthorns meant that Benitez’s current charges have recorded Liverpool’s best ever points tally for a Premier League season, and a victory over Spurs at Anfield next Sunday will ensure they will break another record, the highest points tally for a runner-up in Premier League history.

Scant consolation no doubt, Benitez’s side were seven points clear at one point of course, before a run of five draws in eight games gave United an impetus they would not relinquish, even in the face of a chastening 4-1 reverse when the sides met at Old Trafford in March. Yet still the positives to be taken from a Liverpool perspective are hard to avoid.

Benitez has been under fire from certain quarters for his perceived lack of ambition at times, yet Liverpool’s status as the league’s top goalscorers would fly in the face of such criticism. Equally, the defensive solidity which the Spaniard is famed for has not been abandoned- only a criminally under-rated Chelsea and a record breaking United have conceded fewer goals in the league. And despite the common consensus being that dropped points at home have cost Benitez’s side in the end, the Reds remain the only side in the division with an unbeaten home record, and possess comfortably the best record on their travels.

The omens are good. Benitez has signed a new contract, removing one more distraction from the Anfield table, and the imminent appointment of a new Chief Executive to replace the outgoing Rick Parry (a distraction too far in Benitez’s eyes) should yield the transfer-policy power that the Spaniard has long hankered after. This summer, it is widely agreed, is pivotal for the club.

And if Benitez desires a blueprint for how not to go about making the leap from first loser to first winner, he need look no further than the last time Liverpool occupied the former position. In 2001-2002 Gerard Houllier & Phil Thompson led the Reds to second place, seven points behind a double-winning Arsenal.

Tellingly, it is the only time Liverpool have finished above Manchester United in Premier League history. That they achieved it having been deprived of their manager for five months of the season after a heart attack in October is something for which not enough credit if offered. Houllier had always spoken of a “5 year plan” to win the league at Liverpool. In summer 2002 they were entering the fifth year.

The omens, like now, were good. In his four seasons in charge Houllier had presided over finishes of seventh, fourth, third and finally second. The natural progression could be clearly seen. The Frenchman himself had proudly boasted upon his return to the dugout in spring 2002 that his side were potentially “ten games from greatness”. Unfortunately by the end of his transfer splurge that summer, his squad were potentially ten signings away from greatness.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing of course, a place where mistakes are never made (or at least rectified immediately). Yet looking to Liverpool’s squad at the end of the 2001-2002 season, and the one which began the following campaign, it is impossible to wonder exactly what Houllier was thinking.

To refresh, this was a squad that featured England internationals in Jamie Carragher, Danny Murphy, Steven Gerrard, Michael Owen, Emile Heskey & Nick Barmby. Didi Hamann spent the summer of 2002 anchoring the Germany midfield as they reached the World Cup final, Sami Hyypia & Stephane Henchoz had established themselves as one of the best defensive pairings around, whilst in Jerzy Dudek & Chris Kirkland they had two of the best keepers in the Premier League. The rest of the squad was filled with the talented yet inconsistent- John Arne Riise, Patrik Berger, Igor Biscan, Vladimir Smicer, Milan Baros (who was yet to make his debut for the club) – and the dispensable older players- Gary McAllister & Jari Litmanen.

In short, it is easy to see where the need for strengthening lay. Owen & Heskey had forged a partnership good enough to see off fans favourite Robbie Fowler (sold to Leeds for £11m in one of Thompson’s first acts in caretaker charge), whilst in Gerrard & Hamann they possessed a midfield duo capable of starring for the club for years to come (as proven). Henchoz & Hyypia, with Carragher as cover, meant that centre half signings were unnecessary, and the same applied with the goalkeeping situation, with Kirkland seen by many as a future England keeper, and Dudek shining in his debut season.

The problems, patently, lay in the wide areas. Barmby would depart for Leeds that summer amid a string of injuries and loss of form, Berger was struggling with something similar, whilst Smicer had never reached any level of consistency since his move to Anfield in 1999. Houllier had been forced to address a problem with lack of quality from the flanks by using Murphy, Gerrard or, most sickeningly, Heskey in a wide position. It was clear that wide players were (or should have been) top of Liverpool’s shopping list.

Instead, Houllier spent a combined £20m on a defensive midfielder (Salif Diao), a physically-weak attacking central midfielder (Bruno Cheyrou), and a goal-shy centre-forward-cum-wide-midfielder with an attitude problem (El-Hadji Diouf). By the end of the year, none of them were first-choice. By the time Benitez arrived at the club he was struggling to give them away.

Diouf was, it is considered, signed at the expense of Nicolas Anelka, who had spent five months on loan at Anfield in 2002. At a cost of £10m from Lens, he had big expectations. His performances for an impressive Senegal side at the World Cup had given Reds hope that the man nicknamed “The Serial Killer” in France could be the man to add the pace and creativity that Houllier’s solid but at times prosaic side could often lack.

Two goals on his Anfield debut hinted at good times to come, but by the end of the season he had added just three more, and had sickened Liverpool fans with his spitting antics in a UEFA Cup clash with Celtic at Parkhead. The mistake made by Houllier was highlighted further by the antics of Anelka, who notched 15 league goals to fire newly-promoted Manchester City to a respectable 9th placed finish.

But if Diouf was a gamble which backfired, his international colleague Diao was simply a shocking signing. Houllier is known to have long coveted a dominant midfield force in the mould of Patrick Vieira at Arsenal, yet Diao from his first appearance at Anfield possessed neither the physical force, nor the footballing ability of his contemporary. At £4.2m, he swiftly became tagged as a liability.

Speaking of tags, Cheyrou arrived from Lille wrapped in one which read “The next Zinedine Zidane”, a danger sign at the best of times. A left footed attacking midfielder, six foot plus and with a neat touch; the Frenchman would make three appearances for his country during his spell on Merseyside, but would be exposed as criminally out of his depth when asked to feature in a Premier League midfield. Too weak for the centre of a four-man midfield, too slow for the left flank, and too inconsistent for a place in attack, he flitted around the squad for two seasons with only fleeting glimpses of his ability. It would be a further two years before Benitez could offload him for free to Rennes.

The lesson is clear, Houllier rightly believed that his side were a couple of signings away from competing for the title, yet failed to acknowledge the key weaknesses of his squad. Liverpool are known to have haggled over the price of Damien Duff- then of Blackburn and rated around the £12m bracket- during that summer, and the Irish winger would eventually move to Chelsea a season later for £17m. Ring any bells?

Duff would certainly have added plenty of purpose and quality to Liverpool’s left flank, yet Houllier opted to mould an unfit player into the role. It proved costly, Liverpool would end 2002-2003 in 5th place, outside of the Champions League places and nineteen points behind Champions Manchester United.

Benitez faces a similar situation this summer. His squad is in need of minor alterations as opposed to all-out surgery. In Fernando Torres & Steven Gerrard they possess a partnership of enough class to lead them to glory, whilst Javier Mascherano & Xabi Alonso offer a midfield duo matched by few in Europe. Pepe Reina is one of the top keepers around, whilst Jamie Carragher, Martin Skrtel & Daniel Agger possess the know-how and youth to keep Liverpool’s defence solid for plenty more seasons. And in Yossi Benayoun, Dirk Kuyt, Albert Riera & Ryan Babel, they have sufficient options in depth to ensure that their bench is always populated with a couple of game-changers.

Benitez is expected to resume his voyeuristic pursuit of Gareth Barry this summer, which again leads to question marks over the future of Xabi Alonso- wanted by Arsenal, Real Madrid & Manchester City if the red tops are to be believed. Without meaning to undermine Benitez, it is difficult to see the thinking behind such a move.

Alonso has been one of Liverpool’s key men in their most successful league campaign for nineteen years, and his passing scope far surpasses that of Barry. Listening to any of Liverpool’s current squad, it is easy to see that they rate the Spaniard as one of the game’s best. Barry may be a good player, Mr Consistent in an impressively consistent Aston Villa side, yet it is unlikely that he would prove an upgrade on Alonso.

More exciting from a Liverpool fan’s perspective are the names Diego Forlan & David Silva, both of whom have been linked in recent weeks. Forlan may well have some making up to do to the Kop following his exploits in a Manchester United shirt at Anfield, but his 27 goals for Atletico Madrid this season- the latest in a string of impressive totals since swapping the Premier League for La Liga- make him one of the hottest strikers around, and his propensity for the unexpected would add a fresh dimension to Liverpool’s squad.

Silva meanwhile is almost certain to jump ship from a club in crisis at Valencia, and can operate anywhere across the top end of the field with distinction. At 23, his best years are undoubtedly to come, and in Benitez he may well find a coach who can turn his mercurial talent into one which lights up the European stage.

At this point, such talk is purely speculation of course. Benitez is known to keep his cards close to his chest with regards to transfers- Barry aside- and there have been few words coming from the horse’s mouth in recent months with regards to specific targets. One thing is for sure though, there won’t be any Dioufs or Diaos rolling up at Melwood this summer. One hopes.

“Learning from history: How Benitez must avoid the mistakes made by Houllier” was originally published at footballlens.com – football news.