Posts tagged Landon Donovan
Jordan Florit; daily views on the footballing world
Three Top Targets Nikica Jelavic has already set at Everton
Nikica Jelavic has more than just his position as a striker in common with Jordan Rhodes, Salomon Kalou, Nicky Maynard, Ricardo Vaz Te and even Carlos Tevez: he was linked with West Ham during the January Transfer Window. However, unlike Ricardo Vaz Te and Nicky Maynard, who signed for The Hammers on deadline day, Jelavic didn’t join the current Championship table toppers and headed to Premier League club Everton, for a fee of £5m. For Everton, it completed a successful transfer window, which saw Steven Pienaar re-join his former employers much like Landon Donovan – both on loan – and Darron Gibson sign a four-and-a-half-year deal, as well.
The signing marked the first over £1m for Everton since signing Jonny Heitinga for £6.2m in the 2009 summer transfer window, which was the last of many expensive signings Everton made since Wayne Rooney’s departure in 2004. His move made The Toffees £25m in and David Moyes went on to smash Everton’s transfer record 4 times in as many years, spending over £40m on James Beattie, Andrew Johnson, Aiyegbeni Yakubu and Marouane Fellaini. Moyes’ ability to spend led to Champions League qualification in 2005, and UEFA Cup runs in the 07/08 season and 08/09 season, as well as an F.A. Cup Final appearance in 2009, finishing runners up to Chelsea. Last year’s finish of 7th didn’t look like it could be replicated this season, with many players hinting at a small playing team and no money to bolster it; however, an impressive January, on and off the pitch, has the ability to push Everton up the league and firing them in said direction will be Nikica Jelavic.
- “I will do my best to score many goals”
When you buy a striker the minimum you would expect from them is goals: it is their job; it is what they’re paid to do and it is what wins games. So, when Jelavic announced that he will “score many goals” Everton fans breathed a sigh of relief in unison; but, when he added further weight to the burden on his back to fire Everton to a respectable Premier League finish, by declaring that he will score “goals, goals and more goals,” in an extravagant exclamation of his finishing ability, Everton fans would be forgiven for taking his promise with a pinch of salt.
Presuming that goals – whilst also presuming Jelavic has a firm grasp on the English language – means at least two, we can expect that, by stating he will score, “goals, goals and more goals”, Everton will see their new Croatian striker score at least 6 goals. That’s excellent news considering their current top scorer this season is their left-back, Leighton Baines, with four. Seriously, however, Jelavic knows where the goal is, joining Everton on the back of a goals to game ratio of 0.65 goals per game throughout his entire Rangers career. Everton fans will be hoping Jelavic’s talk is symptomatic of his walk.
- Another International Player
Everton’s squad, a squad that club chief executive Robert Elstone had to defend, stating that “this is not an ageing, threadbare squad, portrayed by some as amongst the weakest in the Premier League” is indeed, not the weakest in the Premier League; in fact, if clubs were to be ranked by the number of active internationals in their first team, Everton would have the 20th strongest side in Europe and the 8th strongest in England’s top flight. However, there are the obvious arguments against this measure, as Celtic prove by ranking in as the 4th strongest side in Europe. Yet, a quick glance at Everton’s side shows that the standard and quality at which their international players are amongst and up against, gives weight to the argument that Everton’s team – made up by 50% of active international players – is a strong one and the four signings made in January only boost this figure from 50% to 57%.
Whilst Jelavic’s international goal-scoring record isn’t quite as prolific as his exploits in Britain – but still more fruitful than Emile Heskey’s, as well as every regular Everton striker so far this season – he’s part of a promising Croatian side that could cause an upset in Euro 2012, having beaten Turkey 3-0 over two legs in the play offs and joins countrymen Luka Modric, Nico Kranjcar and Ivan Klasnic in the Premier League. It’s something that pleases David Moyes too: “he will also want to play for Croatia in the European Championship so hopefully that will keep his form good, keep him hungry to score and play well.”
- “It is a big thing for me, a step forward”
His ambition matches his stature; a height of 6’2 sees him befitting of the Everton striker of late, with Victor Anichebe, Apostolos Vellios and Denis Stracqualursi all coming in at six feet three inches. However, his ambition could keep him, one inch shorter than his contemporaries, head and shoulders above them: “the Premier League is something on a higher level and I hope it will be good for me. I don’t think I will need time to settle.” For many players making the move across the border, it is often one that comes with much scepticism; the standards of the SPL is a hot topic season after season and many football fans deem the Premier League far superior and the step up is sometimes too much, but Jelavic recognises this: “The Scottish Premier League is not as high a level as here in England but I think it will help a lot as it is not so much a big difference.”
Undoubtedly, fans will be hoping his ability on the pitch is as prominent as his ambition and David Moyes’, a former SPL player, was well-placed to make the decision. Ultimately though, the value of Jelavic to Everton and the astuteness of the signing will become prevalent as Jelavic advances through the years he is contracted to: “In the four and a half years of my contract, I have time to learn.” Hopefully, he’ll adjust as quickly as he feels he will; score as regularly as he’s promised and satisfy the ambition he declares so strongly. For Everton’s sake he knows he has to, “I know [David Moyes] expects a lot from me and I can promise to do my best and score lots of goals.”
Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/
For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit
Three MLS stars with a future in the Premier League
Despite the constant and almost fashionable put-down of the MLS, made all the more arguable by players such as Robbie Keane and Darren Huckerby heading to America for their final pay packet, whilst playing football that Del Piero states needs to be “more competitive,” it seems that the American Dream of a rising standard of soccer is looking all the more valid.
David Beckham joined the MLS as an L.A Galaxy player in 2007 and told the world that he was going there, ”to make a difference, to play football,” however he admitted that going over to the States didn’t mean it was going to, “make soccer the biggest sport in America,” further admitting it, “would be difficult to achieve.” He did however end his inspirational PR-fuelled ode to the MLS with a, in hindsight, accurate prediction for the future of American football, “I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t think I could make a difference.”
As Beckham’s multi-million pound contract trickles to an end in Los Angeles it is unquestionable that he has brought positive attention to the league, as well as inspiring aging has-beens to follow suit. Wenger is one of the biggest admirers of the MLS, “the United States (is) where football is becoming more and more popular and the quality is rising,” said the Frenchman, “I think (America and Asia) will be the future of the game. America will produce more and more top level players.” His explanation is down to the mental attributes of the players, ”they have an aptitude to have a team attitude and a hard-working attitude too. Once they get the education, they will start to produce good players.” With these comments in mind, the first MLS star with a future in the Premier League is Brek Shea and his possible future in the World’s best league may lie under Arsene Wenger.
Brek Shea is a 6’3 winger and height out wide is no bad thing, Ronaldo is 6’1 and a combination of pace and power makes for one of the most-feared players in the world. The 21-year old has already enjoyed a spell of English football, training with Bolton Wanderers in 2007 aged only 17. Bolton are a club that have invested in American talent with Stuart Holden having signed from Houston Dynamo in 2010. Shea was drafted in for FC Dallas in 2008 and the USA international has this year been shortlisted for the MLS MVP award, along with two other players. His ability has not gone unnoticed and Arsene Wenger has moved quickly to ensure he is in the best footing to sign the creative midfielder.
Arsenal.com announced that Brek Shea has joined The Gunners on a temporary basis, and Wenger added that “he will practice with the top team when it’s possible, practice with the best prospects of the club as well outside the normal sessions and have a contact with top level football in the world,” also hinting at the player featuring for the reserves, “if it is possible I would like to do it.” Arsenal will assess the American whilst he trains with the first team and if he impresses during his time at the club, Wenger may be inclined to sign the player on loan in the January transfer window. Shea would be available to sign on a three-month loan contract with the American football calendar in it’s off-season and it is rumoured that if Wenger doesn’t make the move, David Moyes will. Moyes knows fully the advantage MLS players can bring to his club mid-season, having signed Landon Donovan on loan in January 2010.
Landon Donovan is another MLS star that may well have a future in the Premier League, similarly, on loan, at least initially. As aforementioned, the USA’s all-time highest goalscorer with 46 goals in 138 games, has already starred in the Premier League for Everton and a move back to the Merseyside club looks like a possibility with Everton cash-strapped for transfer in the January window.
The Daily Mail have suggested that “Moyes is keen to see Landon Donovan return to Goodison Park in January,” and the acquisition of the L.A Galaxy player may assist the Scot in tempting his fellow countryman Brek Shea to the Toffees, should Arsenal choose not to move for the FC Dallas player. ”It’s something we will probably try and look to to see if there’s an interest,”explained Moyes, “Donovan was popular here, and we could do with some speed and width on the right. It wouldn’t be something we’d be against, that’s for sure.” However, it would only be a loan with Moyes perhaps eluding to the lack of funds at Everton, “It’s unrealistic to sign him on a permanent deal, though.”
Tim Ream may well be the third American that could be joining the Premier League in the future and yet again it is Arsenal at the heart of the speculation. The centre-back plays for New York Redbulls and it was teammate and ex-Arsenal striker Thierry Henry that allegedly brought the name to Wenger first. Apparently Henry, who has recently jumped to the defence of NY Redbulls’ “dirty tactics” and Wenger over criticism to Arsenal’s start, has tipped off his former boss and believes that his current team’s centre-back is good enough for his former team and as a fan of The Gunners, you’d trust Henry’s opinion, wouldn’t you?
Only January will tell how many, if any, of the three MLS players make the move across the pond. However, with Brek Shea already training at Arsenal and Donovan having enjoyed a previous flirt with the EPL, the American internationals may well have a future in the Premier League. Following the paths of Clint Dempsey, Brian McBride and most recently, Stuart Holden, would prove that the skill gap is continually closing and The Professor of football is certain that America is the “future of the game.”
Written by Jordan Florit forwww.maycauseoffence.com/ For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit
