Monthly Archives: December 2017

29th December 2017.
José Mourinho has been put under pressure in the past month after Manchester United's title hopes slipped through the cracks after a string of disappointing performances.

Manchester United may have improved drastically since last season, given they finished sixth and were poor overall, but it is being overlooked by the brilliance of Pep Guardiola's Manchester City.

No one can deny the excellence of the Citizens, who remain unbeaten in the Premier League. The Spanish manager has completed an overhaul of his squad and acted astutely in the transfer market to bring in the players he feels compliments the team.

Mourinho has not had the luxury of signing each and every one of his transfer targets, as both Antoine Griezmann and Ivan Periši?, two key players for the Portuguese boss, escaped his grasp.

Before the start of the season, it was clear to see why Mourinho wanted those players: Manchester United do not have orthodox wingers in

27th December 2017.
First seen in the 2017 World Cup qualifiers, this Germany home kit has already become a popular purchase for supporters across the globe. Aiming to defend their Champions title, the 2018 FIFA World Cup has been widely anticipated. Continuing with their signature black and white base, this colour scheme has been expanded on, and now includes the details as well as the background. Therefore, creating a distraction-free monochrome look to their 2018 home strip.

Retro Inspiration for the 2018 Germany Football Kit Home Edition

Conforming to a long history of kits, the home jersey is white in colour with black printed and embroidered accents. This particular colour scheme was inspired by the centre circle of the Germany crest whereby the eagle is used to represent the German coat of arms.

Adorned to the centre of the shirt is the FIFA 2014 World Champions patch which the team acquired in Brazil. This is the only feature in colour which

22nd December 2017.

As the January transfer window is just around the corner, clubs all over Europe will be discussing their plans to bring in the targets they have identified.

Historically, January has been a time period where you might find a bargain in the market, due to the player forcing his way out of the club, or because their contract is expiring in six months' time.

With that being said, here are the three best free transfers available in Europe right now:

Mesut Özil Arsenal

The German's next club, should he leave Arsenal, will realise that they have secured one of the biggest bargains of the last decade.

It has been surprising to see the Gunners allow Mesut Özil to run down his contract with no contingency plan involved, and so there is no surprise to see a number of teams interested in signing the World Cup winner when his contract expires next June.

Özil is in the position now, coming into January, where he can

21st December 2017.
Unveiled in 2017 during the World Cup qualifiers, this Spain home strip has already captured the eyes and hearts of supporters. After making it through to the 2018 FIFA World Cup, fans are guaranteed to see this kit worn by their cherished team on the pitch for a long time yet. A bright and bold colour choice for this home kit, beams ultimate pride and ensures that the fans and players
alike, will be easily visible and stand out in the crowd.

Inspired by the Spanish flag, their home jersey has been designed using a red base colour with yellow and blue accents. By focusing on this palette, this Spain home strip reiterates the uniting passion and pride between the club and the country.

Located in the centre of the chest in yellow embroidery, is the Adidas logo. Across from this on the left, woven with honour, is the Spain crest in a yellow outline. Also, stitched onto the shoulders of this shirt are the three stripes of Adidas in yellow fabric.

20th December 2017.
Despite the rising transfer market spend of Europe's biggest and best clubs, most prefer to keep their power dry in the January window, moving only if absolutely necessary, and even then often opting for stop-gap arrivals, with the major business saved for the summer.

But that might not be the case for Manchester United this coming January. The Red Devils, trailing neighbours Manchester City by 11 points at the top of the Premier League, could be about to address a number of their squad's deficiencies in the mid-season window, reportedly on the lookout for a full-back and a winger, with departures not ruled out either.

According to manager José Mourinho, United, whose most notable January successes of the recent past include Patrice Evra, Nemanja Vidi? and Juan Mata, will swoop if a key target becomes available. "I'm not a big defender of the January market but there are players and situations that sometimes you have the chance to do and you

14th December 2017.
A goalkeeper's job is often a thankless one. As the last line of defence, they represent a team's final hope of thwarting an opposing striker who has evaded the attention of the defence, with the odds almost always stacked against them.

They also spend every minute on the pitch operating with a greater degree of jeopardy hanging over their head than any other player. A striker can fluff his lines all game then become a hero if the ball rolls in off his shin; one mistake from a keeper invariably leads to a goal conceded, whereas even the most glorious save merely maintains the status quo.

But there is a vanguard of custodians demanding more from their role, a greater involvement is their teams' prospects with the ball, rather than focussing solely on keeping it out of their net. The role of sweeper-keeper a goalkeeper who occupies an advanced station when their side is in possession, ready to contribute to passing moves and race forth to nullify

12th December 2017.
After years of English teams failing to perform in a competitive manner in the Champions League, this could be the first season of their return to past glory. The last team from the Premier League to win the elite European competition was Chelsea, in 2012, a long six years ago.

Since Chelsea's triumph in the Allianz Arena against Bayern Munich, only Manchester City have reached a semi final, which was staged against eventual winners Real Madrid. On paper, a 1-0 aggregate loss looks kind, but the truth of it is, is that Real Madrid dominated both legs and it was a non-event, at no point did the Citizens look genuinely threatening.

It has been disappointing to watch English teams fail so miserably in the Champions League, but there could be a changing of the guard, as there usually is in cycles. As the draw for the knockout rounds was made this week, England have five representatives to restore some honour and pride back into the division.

Four

8th December 2017.
In anticipation of Russia 2018 next summer, a host of new soccer jerseys are being released for the team's that have secured qualification. German sportswear manufacturer Adidas has got ahead of the game, and began launching shirts toward the end of 2017. The FIFA World Cup 2018 Adidas football shirts released to date are all home edition jerseys, and the designs embody the strengths, passions and heritage of each nation involved, with a clearly retro look. Below we take a look at some of the Adidas 2018 World Cup kits launched so far.

Argentina 2018 World Cup Home Kit

The advertising campaign launching the Argentina home kit for the 2018 World Cup was fronted by the infamous Lionel Messi. Messi, one of the greatest footballers to have ever graced a soccer field, and an icon in the history of Argentinian football, has never won a major trophy with his country. This disparity, in an otherwise unblemished career, is clearly referenced with

7th December 2017.
Top of Ligue 1 and the bookmakers' favourites to claim a first ever Champions League title, Paris Saint-Germain's record-breaking summer investment is on course to reap the desired dividends.

The Parisians' quest to recover their standing atop of the French football landscape and make serious inroads towards continental glory has undoubtedly been significantly boosted by the arrivals of Neymar and Kylian Mpabbé, who have combined for 24 goals and 17 assists to date in all competitions. And the signing of veteran full-back Dani Alves should not be underestimated, with the Brazilian offering experience and quality.

But one of the most significant factors in PSG's remarkable start to the 2017/18 season can be found in a man who has called the Parc des Princes home for more than seven years. The departure of Blaise Matuidi for Juventus in the summer meant that Adrien Rabiot would be further entrusted with a key role in the French side's midfield this

5th December 2017.
Mauricio Pochettino might have ignited a revolution at Tottenham over the past few years, but the club now find themselves in a worrying position of potentially losing their key players.

Tottenham were expected to challenge for the Premier League title again this season, but their form at Wembley, and even away from 'home', has been poor and in decline since the start of the season. While they have impressed in the Champions League, their domestic form has taken a setback, which is probably a direct consequence of playing twice a week in the prestigious competition.

Why Tottenham are in Real Danger?

If Spurs are to drop out of the top four this season - they are currently in sixth, four points from a Champions League spot - then you can guarantee some of Tottenham's star players will be engineering moves away from the new White Hart Lane.

It would be a shame, as a whole, to see a gutting of Tottenham's players, considering