They might be world class but have to prove they've still got it, they might be hoping that a move can help save their career. For whatever reason, a lot of players need a big season this year. F365 pick one man from each club who really needs to shine...
Aleksandr Hleb (Arsenal)
Has ever a man split the Arsenal fans more? One grumpy Gooner in F365 Towers uses no adjective other than 'rancid' for Alex Bread, but any time that opinion makes its way onto the site itself it kicks off a frenzy of Emirates bickering.
The fact is, Hleb has looked a decent prospect at times, but he blimmin' well should do - he cost the best part of £10m quid. He's now entering his third full season with Arsenal, and the departure of Freddie Ljungberg means he's the biggest-name winger they have - whether you think it's his best position or not. Will he rise to the challenge, or will his failings be further exposed?
Stiliyan Petrov (Aston Villa)
The Aston Villa fans expected big things from Stiliyan Petrov when he arrived from Celtic last summer, and his debut against West Ham suggested he would deliver. The Bulgarian ran the game, his performance peaking with a sublime chip over Roy Carroll...that was cleared off the line. Would things have been different if it had gone in?
As it was, Petrov struggled desperately through Villa's winter of discontent. Even the normally loyal Martin O'Neill expressed concern over the time it had taken him to settle. Towards the end of the season, though, he began to show real signs of improvement, and played a key part in Villa's final nine-game unbeaten run. After a full pre-season, he needs to produce (and better) that end-of-season form for a full campaign. Otherwise he'll just be another player who shone in the SPL but wasn't good enough south of the border.
Gary McSheffrey (Birmingham City)
Eyebrows were raised when Birmingham forked out £4m on Coventry's Gary McSheffrey - in Championship terms, that's a lot of money. But the ends justify the means...McSheffrey's 13 goals were a vital part of the Blues' run to promotion. Overshadowed at first by the form of Nicklas Bendtner, he quickly established himself as the key man at St Andrews, whether playing wide left or up front.
Will he be able to carry that form into the Premier League? Natural skill can see you get away with being a bit small and a bit slow in the lower leagues (everybody wave to Lee Trundle), but can often see players shown up when they make the step up to the big time. McSheffrey was the Premier League's youngest player when he made his debut as a 16-year-old for Coventry back in 1999, in a 4-1 win over Villa. He could make even more friends in one side of Birmingham if he inspires the same this year.
David Bentley (Blackburn Rovers)
Refusing to play for your country's Under-21 side because you're planning on being a fixture in the senior squad a year later is a hell of a gamble. It's a gamble that's in Bentley's hands, though; if he shines this season everyone will hail his foresight. If he looks good, and it comes down to a choice between him and, say, Aaron Lennon for a spot at Euro 2008, the England management might not look too kindly on his decision. If he doesn't perform, he'll be a laughing stock.
Bentley clearly has the potential to be a very good player, and he clearly has the confidence to go with it - demanding a move from Arsenal because he felt he was good enough to play first-team football had proved that even before this summer's controversy - but it doesn't need too many poor performances for people to stop talking about confidence, and start talking about arrogance. The winger must avoid giving them that chance.
Kevin Nolan (Bolton Wanderers)
It's always the way, isn't it? Player performs well for months. Fans wonder why he doesn't get a look in at international level. Player keeps it up for a couple of seasons. Fans and newspapers wonder why he doesn't get a look in at international level. International manager admits that player is looking good. Player's form vanishes.
So it was with Kevin Nolan, who has turned 25 this summer, and taken the step from being a promising young talent to a senior professional who needs to show what he can do week in and week out. If he ever wants people to talk about him as an England prospect again, Nolan cannot afford to have another season where he scores just four league goals from his position as an attacking midfielder. If they want to stay at the right end of the table following Sam Allardyce's departure, Bolton can't afford him to have one either.
from football365.com
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment