The last day of the season may not have been as dramatic as the Premier League, or the TV broadcasters, had hoped but there was some outstanding matches and individual performances. To mark the end of the season, every PickOurTeam Cub Editor will be reviewing his team's season in the coming days. Below is the…
20 May 2013
One player expected to leave Ajax this summer is Christian Eriksen, though his possible destination is still unknown, in the last few months a plethora of British newspapers have linked him with a move to the Premier League with Liverpool and Tottenham his likeliest destinations.
That theme continued in the Sunday People (). Liverpool's interest is…
20 May 2013
One reason cited for Roberto Mancini's dismissal as manager of Manchester City is his failure to meet the targets set for this season. Mancini to a certain extent can feel hard done by, on account of City's transfer activity last summer, according to those close to him much of which was out of his hands.
Out…
17 May 2013
Victor Moses will be disappointed at being omitted for Chelsea's Europa League final victory over Benfica on Wednesday night; he didn't start despite the absence of Eden Hazard through injury, and Rafael Benitez didn't use a single substitute during the 2-1 triumph.
Benitez selected the more defensive format for his side, with Ramires on the right,…
17 May 2013
Lukas Podolski was frozen out of the Arsenal starting XI until Olivier Giroud's red card at Craven Cottage, which resulted in the Frenchman being given a three-match ban, and therefore a return to the side for Podolski. Despite Theo Walcott's desire to play upfront, he remained on the right as Podolski played as the central…
17 May 2013
With the confirmation Victor Valdes will be leaving this summer, Barcelona have wasted no time in identifying his replacement, or in this case a long and short-term successor: Pepe Reina of Liverpool and Marc-Andre ter Stegen of Borussia Moenchengladbach. Ruud Hesp, former Barça keeper, points out not just anyone play between the sticks at the…
16 May 2013
Geoff Shreeves called it 'housekeeping' when he questioned Sir Alex Ferguson last weekend about Wayne Rooney. Ferguson is leaving a well-maintained home but his answer to Shreeves was the equivalent of handing over the keys as you move out of your house and nodding ominously to the new owners, "There's been some unpleasantness in the basement."
David Moyes will have…
15 May 2013
A wind of change is set to swirl through the Premier League this summer; Chelsea plan to appoint their eighth manager in nine years under Roman Abramovich while both Manchester clubs will boast new leaders in their dugouts for the first time in over a quarter of a century.
But trepidation is certain to consume Everton's impending transition. Supporters were…
15 May 2013
David Moyes will have a lot on his plate when he eventually takes over from Sir Alex Ferguson as Manchester United manager on July 1. His first task, which according to reports he’s already undertaken, is to resolve the Wayne Rooney situation.
It was revealed last week and confirmed by Ferguson last Sunday the striker handed…
15 May 2013
Arsenal in recent years in some ways has come to resemble a Dutch football club, not in terms of the way they play, but with the loss of key and experienced personnel every summer. The most recent to depart Robin van Persie; this policy, if it is one, has made the natives restless especially as…
14 May 2013
The penultimate weekend of the season saw emotional send-offs for Manchester United coaches present and future, as United and Everton both won. Chelsea secured their place in the top four with a win at Aston Villa while Spurs put Arsenal under pressure by beating Stoke. At the bottom, Newcastle and Norwich secured safety with big…
13 May 2013
The news going into last Saturday's FA Cup final surrounded the future of Roberto Mancini, nothing new there, and the prospect of him being replaced by Manuel Pellegrini, again old news. However, this time around, there was a sense of certainty.
News initially broke of Manchester City's decision to replace their manager in the Spanish newspaper…
13 May 2013
One thing certain to happen this summer is Wilfried Bony leaving Vitesse, but his destination still remains up in the air, with a host of Premier League clubs interested in his services.
The Ivorian, who should finish as the Eredivisie¹s top goal scorer this season, in recent weeks has been linked with West Ham, who allegedly…
10 May 2013
It was a familiar story for Fernando Torres in Wednesday's 2-2 draw against Tottenham. He was barely a threat in front of goal, and struggled to cope against Michael Dawson and Jan Vertonghen in the air, winning only two of
his nine attempted aerial duels.
As usual, Chelsea's midfielders were forced to contribute the goals, with Oscar…
10 May 2013
While Andre Villas-Boas has used Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon as his two wide options throughout 2012-13, he's never been completely sure who to use as Tottenham's central attacking midfielder.
Two signings from last summer, Clint Dempsey and Gylfi Sigurdsson, were underwhelming in the opening months of the campaign, while Lewis Holtby's form has dipped following…
10 May 2013
This day was always going to come, but nonetheless when it arrived it sent shockwaves throughout the world: Sir Alex Ferguson will be retiring at the end of this season.
News quickly moved as to who will succeed him: Jose Mourinho and David Moyes were the names spoken in great length, however as yesterday progressed it…
9 May 2013
Jose Mourinho's departure from Real Madrid gathers apace. On Sunday he was spotted buying €200-worth of boxes at Ikea (). Yes, this was news, at least for Punto Pelota who interpreted it as confirmation of him leaving this summer. It’s already been documented the Portuguese manager is in his final days in Madrid and west…
8 May 2013
A familiar dilemma threatens to confront Liverpool this summer; to embrace a wayward son or cut him adrift. It has become an almost annual conundrum, largely due to the previously immovable Alberto Aquilani, and for a second consecutive summer, Andy Carroll is that particular subject.
Brendan Rodgers has made clear, through his actions at least, that…
8 May 2013
The departure of Jamie Carragher this summer, due to retirement, is set to leave a gaping hole in the Liverpool defence. The Merseyside club, not one to stand still, have already begun the unenviable task of replacing him with the Netherlands being a favourite destination. Earlier in the year they were linked with Stefan de…
7 May 2013
Late goals were the order of the weekend as the season entered its crucial phase: Gareth Bale and Juan Mata gave Spurs and Chelsea much-needed late wins in their quests for Champions League qualification, while Gabby Agbonlahor scored a vital late goal for Aston Villa at Norwich. Wigan also needed a late winner to keep…
7 May 2013
