Michael Carrick has admitted that his Manchester United side are pleased to be back top of the Premier League, but is expecting a difficult game against Wolves this weekend.
The reigning champions moved to the top-flight’s summit on Sunday after a 2-0 win over West Brom and a Manchester City slip-up against Swansea, and the England international is glad to have an advantage in the race for the title.
“There is no hiding the fact that it is nice to be top of the league. This is a big week for us but I think we’ll be saying that for the rest of the season,” he stated to The Sun.
“Wolves has been a tough place to go over the last few years. It has been hard for us down there, so we are not taking anything for granted.
“We are top of the league at the moment but we still have to pick up enough points between now and the end,” he admitted.
Meanwhile, Danny Welbeck knows that there is no room for complacency, and is taking the fixture list one game at a time.
“I think we’ll get confidence from our recent results but we know there is no room for complacency at all.
“We’re getting to the end of the season and winning is vital. We need to get as many points as possible.
“We are just focusing on ourselves and knowing the next match is always the most important.
“You can’t afford to slip up at any point, so it’s always the next game that’s on my mind,” he said.
Finally, Ashley Young confessed that the shift in power at the top means that added pressure is on Roberto Mancini’s men.
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“A lot of people might not have said that we’d be in front of City but we’ve got the belief that, as long as we’re winning our games, the pressure’s on them,” he stated.
United travel to take on Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League on Thursday, before returning to domestic action at Molineux on Sunday.
On-loan Arsenal midfielder Yossi Benayoun has stated that Robin van Persie is one of the world’s best strikers and that it is an honour to play alongside him.
The Netherlands international has fired a transitional Gunners side into third place this season, and scored in the north London club’s 1-1 draw with Stoke on Saturday.
Benayoun feels that Van Persie is one of the best that he has played with, and stated the importance that Arsene Wenger’s men don’t lose their star player this summer.
“I was lucky to play with some of the great strikers in my career and Robin at the moment is one of the best in the world,” The Israeli playmaker told The Telegraph.
“It was the same for me when I was with Fernando Torres and he was on fire at Liverpool, scoring a lot of goals. For me, they are at the same level – two of the best strikers in the world. They are very similar because you can look at their record of scoring goals.
“Fernando at Liverpool, he scored in a lot of goals, especially when he had a player like Stevie Gerrard playing behind him helping him.
“With Robin, we know we must give him the ball to the right place and he will score like he has done all season. Everyone knows it’s important to keep him. Each club wants to keep their best players and Robin is our best player,” he confessed.
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Not too many years ago, winning a League Cup and reaching the final of the FA Cup would be regarded as a hugely successful season, no matter where the team finished in the League table.
However, those were the days of course of romantic football, when reaching a Wembley final for many was even bigger than the celebrations of claiming a league crown. The FA Cup was the stuff of boyhood dreams and it was a point raised by Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard during the build-up to the Carling Cup Final. He said that despite winning the league and the Champions League, there would be no better feeling for him than to lift a cup at Wembley and raise it in the direction of the Liverpool fans. With luck, Gerrard may well be able to realise that dream after next month’s FA Cup final against Chelsea.
Sadly however, winning the FA Cup in an economic sense and it is business terms that count these days, guarantees only a place on Europe’s footballing undercard, the Europa League, while a much sought after fourth place in the league table qualifies a team for the top billing Champions League the ever expanding purse that goes with it. This of course is precisely why Liverpool boss, Kenny Dalglish is under so much pressure this season at Anfield.
Win or lose the FA Cup final, Dalglish’s card will be marked, his tenure would be rewarded two cup victories in his first full season back at Anfield in over 20 years and he’d no doubt be given a vote of confidence from the Liverpool Board. However this is no longer the 1980s and sadly, winning a cup for a club the size of Liverpool nolongers “cuts it” in a game so obsessed by money in 2012.
Many would argue that Dalglish’s Liverpool team is strategically inept, a team incapable of playing 38 games in a season better than any other and a team bereft of the spirit of those Liverpool teams of the 70s and 80s that saw Dalglish enjoy so much dominance as both a player and manager at Anfield.
Of course, if the FA Cup was still regarded with its true value then it would qualify the winners for the Champions League at the expense of the fourth placed team in the league. If that was the case then imagine what that would do for the competition? Indeed, imagine the incentive for both Liverpool and Chelsea as they head to Wembley for what once was regarded as the seasons showpiece with neither team qualified as yet for the Champions League. It would make the FA Cup the game of the season.
Sadly that will not be the case and in theory, Kenny Dalglish’s job is not safe at Anfield. The club’s owners, New England Sports Ventures, have invested heavily in playing personnel and will, sooner or later, want to see a positive return on their investment, something that a Carling Cup and FA Cup won’t deliver. Two cup wins in one season still remains a great achievement in football, however, it is does not come with the same prestige of years gone and it could be argued that the Carling Cup and at least a trip to Wembley for the FA Cup final has provided Kenny Dalglish with a stay of execution but it has to be said that a repeat performance in the Premier League next season, could well see the club’s American owners looking for a new manager.
Fancy playing at Anfield – click on the link below
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If 19 games unbeaten or a sturdy resilience in the face of an imposing Southend side when it really mattered was not enough, the trip to Essex and Roots Hall on Wednesday night offered the final call in what has become this Crewe side’s coming of age.
The lead was a precarious one, handed to Crewe by the most delicate of back post headers by Adam Dugdale last Saturday evening, and many a betting man would have plundered the money the way of a Railwaymen capitulation given the years of forging a distinct reputation for vulnerability in the face of an intimidating atmosphere.
Southend had not shipped a goal at home since March and with the potency in attack harnessed by the experience of Freddy Eastwood, the brute force of Bilel Mohsni, the crossing ability of Ryan Hall and the supportive threat of midfielder Michael Timlin, it would be obvious Crewe would need to score again to stand any chance of withstanding the most thorough of examinations of a back-line that in the very nature of the club, bears the possibility of a glaring error or two with unerring frequency. The simple question was, would a young Crewe, managed by the relative rookie of a 6 month serving Steve Davis, buckle to the nous and stature of a Southend side managed by the wily, seasoned Paul Sturrock. The Alex duly went out and answered it with an emphatic “No!”
It was not the performance that will amble long in the memory, hallmarked by a fine opening strike by Ajay Leitch-Smith and the nimblest of finishes by Max Clayton, but the words of the superb Ashley Westwood when approached by the Sky interviewer in the immediate aftermath of the final whistle. The poser, “you should be so proud of your achievement for a group of kids” was instantly dismissed by the return “we don’t like being called kids” and with that came the true realisation that the old rationale of the club, one of a sole emphasis on tracking academy graduates through to the world of professional football, had been swept away to a world of results and mental-fortitude. Gone are the days that saw teams being able to carry out the old footballing adage of “mixing it”, so often gaining the upper hand on Crewe, for now this side can “mix it” too.
Bilel Mohsni was the projected danger man before this tie began but he was reduced to a peripheral force, offering just a few glimpses of his feral threat over the course of 180 minutes. A free header right at the death threw hearts into mouths in the away end, but it was comfortably gathered by Steve Phillips in a chance that summed his contribution up; from a fearful figure he had been reduced to the benign as he grew more frustrated and anxious the longer his influence was diminished. The tenacity in the tackle of Anthony Grant had somehow escaped punishment up until the 79th minute by referee Darren Drysdale, even a blatant scythe into the back of Nick Powell earned the 18 year old talent a remarkable yellow for diving, but Steve Davis’ side stood up to the gamesmanship that had so commonly been their downfall in the past.
There were shaky moments, Freddy Eastwood saw his effort chalked off for offside before hitting a post, either side of Timlin’s rasping drive smacking the opposite post, but Crewe had ample chances of their own to put the tie to bed before the obligatory barrage of pressure that usually accompanies the size of the prize slipping away from the losing side. Byron Moore somehow found the top of the stand where the home fans were positioned after seizing upon a woeful clearance from goalkeeper Cameron Belford and Leitch-Smith couldn’t bring the ball down to a composed level when put clean through, it looked with every passing minute, that such profligacy, continued in the second half as Nick Powell and Matt Tootle continuously contrived to waste counter-attacking chances with the utmost leniency, would be punished with the most heart-braking of blows. Pulses began to race when a cross was flung into the box and needlessly attracted Phillips for Neil Harris to prod into his vacated net. Southend had the momentum in their corner but Crewe’s youthful innocence chose not to play to the script. Max Clayton, introduced for Leitch-Smith, was released into the box by the most sublime of passes by an otherwise sporadic Powell, and illustrated the potential of his promising career that will roll on far past his 17 years by slipping a finish inside Belford’s near post.
Pandemonium, Wembley was in sight with that goal, clocked on 85 minutes, Southend would need two in the final stages but with events at Manchester City ringing in everybody’s minds, this tie was not over and Chris Barker gave a crisp reminder of that by nodding Ryan Hall’s excellent chipped cross over the line just minutes later. An Alamo ensued, but Crewe’s bunch of youngsters held firm to cling onto the 2-3 advantage that saw Wembley roll onto a touchable horizon. There was no soft-centre, see Morecambe, Doncaster, or Chesterfield for spectacular Crewe capitulations over the years, rearing its ugly head this time and the 774 fans that had travelled down from South Cheshire were sent into emotional raptures. The players and management team celebrated in front of them in a shroud of gratitude and Westwood uttered those immortal words, broadcast on screen for anybody who wants to reference them; “we don’t like to be called kids”.
That the transition from Dario Gradi’s soulless ineptitude that threatened to harm his wonderful legacy to Steve Davis’ ambitious new era will now culminate in a mass exodus of South Cheshire to the capital can be described without breaching any boundaries of hyperbole. It has been a massive, remarkable journey and it was fitting that Max Clayton, the face of Crewe’s future, should get the goal to take them to their fabled destination as Crewe Alexandra has always been about the future. Now however, they are also about the present.
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Roy Hodgson is looking ahead to what might be the most torrid or terrific three weeks in his managerial career. The England boss is under no illusions about the pressure and criticisms that he is likely to face, but says that as long as the players don’t con him and put in the performances on the pitch that he is expecting from them, then he has no room for complaints. Hodgson says he will take any negatives that come out of this tournament and work hard to ensure they are eradicated ahead of the World Cup in Brazil.
Elsewhere in the news, Harry Redknapp is reportedly on the brink at Tottenham; Peter Hill-Wood says that Arsenal won’t be offer the same high wages that are on offer at clubs like City, while Steven Gerrard is the one player the French national team fear.
Headlines
Roy Hodgson has spoken about his omission of Rio Ferdinand from his England squad and said he would refuse to pick a player just based on his reputation alone – Guardian
Steven Gerrard is the one player that the French national team truly fear, according to Newcastle United’s Yohan Cabaye – Guardian
Russia have been hit with a disciplinary probe after sections of their support directed racist abuse towards the Czech Republic’s Gebre Selassie – Guardian
Joey Barton has slammed Roy Hodgson’s England squad and believes that if his attitude was better then he would walk into this team – Daily Telegraph
Robbie Keane believes that the Republic of Ireland have the ability and spirit to get out of the Group stages of the Euros – Daily Telegraph
Slaven Bilic is banking on Everton striker Jelavic to bang the goals in to give him one last hurrah as Croatia manager – Independent
Stoke City have expressed an interest in bringing Michael Owen to the Britannia Stadium after the striker was released by Manchester United – Independent
Harry Redknapp’s long term future at Tottenham remains is in doubt and it appears that Sheikh Monsour may give him an escape route by offering him the Al Jazira job – Daily Mail
Glenn Hoddle believes that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could have the same impact in the England squad that Michael Owen had in France 1998, if given the chance – Daily Mail
Peter Hill-Wood says that Robin van Persie will have to look elsewhere if he is chasing more money. The Arsenal chairman says that Arsenal cannot compete with the Man City’s of this world when it comes to high wages – Mirror
Manchester City are prepared to write off £50m in unwanted talent in an attempt to clear the decks at the Etihad – Mirror
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Marseille are expecting Tottenham to make a formal bid this week for striker Loic Remy – Metro
As a new dawn rises over White Hart Lane, the temptation to speculate as to what the future holds is a far too alluring prospect to ignore. With Andre Villas-Boas ready to stamp his unorthodox style of football into the Tottenham squad, what will the forthcoming season hold for a team who had improved considerably under the tenure of former boss Harry Redknapp?With many clubs in current transit around the Premier League, Spurs are not wandering a lonely path. Liverpool, Arsenal and even Man United to an extent are in a state of transition, looking to achieve relative solidarity in a moment of upheaval or change. While there is still a fair amount of time before the much anticipated new season commences, it is a hotly conversed topic for any transitioning club when discussing what their achievable goals are for the new campaign.Casting an eye over the situation at White Hart Lane generates an unsurprising balance in its positives and negatives. Coming off the back of another season finishing in the elusive top four in the Premier League, exterior circumstances that need not be reminded to Spurs fans stopped the club reclaiming Champions League football.With the recent unpredictability that has stifled countless Premier League contenders, it can be difficult to pinpoint what Spurs can achieve. However, European football should be a requirement not an aspiration, so the top six is a demand that must be met. Anything below and AVB could be waving “Tchau” to his affair with the English game.The question that has still to be answered by any recent manager to take the hotseat at White Hart Lane is whether a run for the title is achievable. Finishing 4th is an objective that can be ticked off the ambitious list of achievements. Aiming higher may be the only way that the club can transcend into the elite echelons of European football giants. However, most Tottenham fans will probably tell you that the current squad not near good enough to rival the likes of Manchester City, who have a squad that rivals any roster in the world.Gylfi Sigurdsson is an astute purchase and is made more desirable by that fact that he chose to ply his trade in North London despite major interest from comparative rivals Liverpool. Jan Vertonghen will also assist in tightening up a defence that looked a little rusty in patches last campaign. However, he is an unknown entity and to put absolute faith in the Belgian would be dangerous. Signing Emmanuel Adebayor permanently would be a great start in the process of increasing the number of quality frontmen. However, it will not just be new signings that decide where the club will finish, it will also be the adaptability of the current squad.With Villas-Boas’ well publicised stint at Chelsea not going according to plan, the Portuguese will be praying that his unique style of management impacts the players at Spurs more significantly. If they adapt well and some breathtaking football is being displayed at the Lane, would fans be happy with this, regardless of league position? Well, it has never been the case recently that Spurs have played boring football. At times, uninterested performances have hindered games but the club can never be accused of sitting back or failing to entertain attacking options. With this said, AVB doesn’t need to massively revamp the squad to excite the fans, the players will do that thought their natural abilities. It has to be league position that is priority, and certainly 4th or above, in other words Champions League football, is a probable prerequisite demanded by Levy when Villas-Boas signed on the dotted line.Tottenham fans have every reason to be speculative about the forthcoming season; unknown territory always rattles the nerves. However, with the new man at the helm highly regarded on the continent, the team would have been hard pressed to find a better manager at the time and if anyone is going to continue building Spurs into a real domestic force, it’s the man from Portugal.Spurs fans, what will you consider a successful season? 4th place? European football? A domestic trophy? Have your say. Discuss your opinions with me on twitter @mattpegg1[ad_pod id=’dfp-mpu’ align=’right’]
As Sunderland return from an eventful preseason tour of South Korea focus now turns to their impending transfer business as manager Martin O’Neill looks to reinforce his striking options ahead of the new season. With his delayed transfer business becoming the main topic of debate in the North East, the Northern Irishman has announced this week that he will be looking to strengthen his side’s front line.
Names like Steven Fletcher have perennially linked with a move to the Stadium of Light but such is the coy manner with which O’Neill undertakes his transfer business that no Sunderland fan has any inkling of who is being targeted. In fact their supposedly inexperienced forwards look to be coming of age as three of them scored in a 3-2 win against Groningen on Sunday so the club flounders in their attempts to bring in established talent, perhaps the answer is lying right under the their nose.
Fraizer Campbell, Connor Wickham and Ryan Noble may not be a strike force that sends shudders down the spines of Premier League defenders, neither does Ji Dong-Won, but the variety of talent they possess as a group makes them a useful quartet that could save the Black Cats precious pennies in the transfer market. Campbell is fast and agile with a decent eye for goal, similar in many ways to Noble who is a few years behind the former Manchester United striker but has an outstanding record at reserve team level and has impressed in brief loan spells away from the club. If both players were given a decent run of games then they could easily become the Darren Bent replacement fans have been craving. Wickham and Ji may not be as nippy as their counterparts but their height offers the more physical approach favoured by O’Neill and they both have good technical ability as well. Both could be excellent foils for Noble and Campbell and were it not for their obvious inexperience, Sunderland could potentially have two little and large pairings already on their books. With so much nostalgia shaped around the success of Kevin Phillips and Niall Quinn, perhaps they do not need to sift through the overinflated fees being demanded by their rivals and should instead look to blood their current youngsters.
After all both Ji and Wickham played bit part roles last season when the club’s options were limited and only Nicklas Bendtner represented an established option. The Dane’s loan spell was inauspicious at best and bar a handful of classy moments, never persuaded anybody at the club to make his move permanent. In hindsight Wickham and Ji’s development would have been aided by greater involvement last season but instead of starting this season raring to go, both are still untested and unconfident playing at the highest level. Noble is equally inexperienced and Campbell, the club’s most senior forward, has been through such an injury nightmare that little is expected of him. It means Sunderland are now left with lots of potential but very little substance and thus O’Neill is searching far and wide for experienced forwards. The problem is any fee for their supposed main target Fletcher is thought to be over £10m and Sunderland attempts to find striking power elsewhere have been met with similarly overpriced demands from teams who are fully aware of their goal shy predicament. While fans have little faith in the club’s current forwards, there must be an element of consideration given to their potential development and despite many believing they need at least two front line strikers, the reality is it could easily cost them around £20m, the same as the money spent on Wickham, Ji and Campbell while hindering those player’s progress.
It was a difficult juggling act for O’Neill last season as his main focus was understandably based on keeping the club in the Premier League therefore he couldn’t risk the involvement of inexperienced rookies. This season will be even more difficult because he has the same inexperienced players who have made little progress during his tenure and are still a risky inclusion. Does he admit he’s unwilling to nurture them into the side and would rather invest in a better guarantee or does he appreciate the lack of value in the transfer market and see it as a reason to throw his youngsters in at the deep end?
As it stands Sunderland realistically need one striker, not two. Should they bring in two or more forwards then it will hinder the progression of their current starlets and render the money spent on them as being wasted. The potential they possess is exciting but unproven and top ten aspirations cannot be maintained while spoon feeding youngsters so the club must find a strong enough character to lead the line while also imparting his wisdom on the rest of the squad. If O’Neill can find value for money in a competitive market while also progressing the development of his young up and comers then he will be able to invest in a number of areas to compliment his squad and the future at the Stadium of Light could be extremely bright.
Does Sunderland need more experienced forwards? Can O’Neill afford to give his youngsters a chance to prove themselves?
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Liverpool have rejected an offer of £17 million from West Ham for out-of-favour striker Andy Carroll, The Daily Mail report.
The England international has failed to live up to expectations after his £35 million deal to move to Anfield from Newcastle in January 2011.
With Brendan Rodgers now in charge at the Merseyside club, a more swift attacking style is expected and Carroll is thought to be surplus to requirements.
Following the signing of Italian striker Fabio Borini from Roma, the Northern Irish coach is ready to allow Carroll to leave the club, with a return to Newcastle or switch to AC Milan potentially on the cards.
However, Rodgers is eager to sell Carroll rather than send him out on loan, and the Hammers have made an offer for the frontman.
As Sam Allardyce looks to strengthen his squad for the Upton Park club’s return to the top flight, an offer of £17 million for Carroll is thought to have been rejected.
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Alex Song has stated that he did not want to leave Arsenal, and was ready to commit to the north London club for life.
Arsene Wenger sold the Cameroon international to Barcelona this summer, amid speculation that the player was asking for a pay increase.
However, the African battler has stated that he was eager to sign a new long-term deal at the Emirates Stadium and had not spoken about financial reward.
“I woke up and read those things in the paper and was really surprised and disappointed. I love Arsenal, I never wanted to leave,” The Sun quote Song as saying.
“I was ready to commit my future to the club. All I wanted were talks about a new contract but each time we were due to sit down, the club postponed it. I was fobbed off.
“I wanted a new five-year contract at Arsenal. In the end I got one — at Barcelona.
“I had been trying for eight months to start talking about a new long-term deal but the club kept postponing me all the time, saying ‘You have three years left’.
“I hadn’t talked about money I just wanted to sit down and discuss a new deal — I wanted to commit my career to the club I loved.
“Then out of the blue, Barcelona came in for me.
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“And, suddenly, I was wanted by the biggest club in the world and they wanted to give me a five-year deal,” he concluded.
Liverpool took a huge gamble in the summer by forking out the best part of £10.5m on Italian forward Fabio Borini, but with the 21-year-old failing to get involved much during the club’s first three league games, should there be any cause for concern about the player already?
It is of course still extremely early in the new season and Borini should be granted time to settle in to a new side, in a new league and adjust to both the physical and mental demands that come with it. But history shows that Liverpool have been burnt when they’ve bought from Italy in the past, with both Andrea Dossena and Alberto Aquilani struggling to either settle or force their way into the side and they will be hoping that Borini doesn’t follow a similar path.
The former Roma striker enjoyed a decent campaign last year, finishing with 10 goals in 26 games, nine of which came in Serie A. However, the fee paid for him, particularly when you keep in mind how strict the financial constraints are around Anfield at the moment, seems a tad excessive for a player who had just 46 first-team career appearances to his name at the time of the move.
Of course, the fact that he made Cesare Prandelli’s Italy squad for Euro 2012 must have played a part in his price rising, as will the fact that Roma had just paid Parma €5.3m in a blind auction for the other 50% of Borini’s rights just two weeks before his move to Liverpool, having spent €2.3 million on the initial 50% the year before.
Rodgers has clearly tried to find players this summer that he knows can fit into his system straight away so that the team can hit the ground running. Joe Allen arrived at great expense from Swansea for £15m, but his familiarity with the Rodgers ethos and style has seen him slot seamlessly into the side already and he’s impressed so far. Oussama Assaidi had cultivated a reputation in Holland for being a lively, touchline-hugging winger in the Nathan Dyer mould and Nuri Sahin remains one of the most exciting central midfield players in Europe, comfortable with the ball at his feet.
Borini worked with Rodgers at Swansea, albeit briefly, during a hugely successful two-month loan spell from Chelsea back in 2011, with his six goals in nine league games providing a welcome boost down the home straight which went a long way to helping the club get promoted to the Premier League. His clinical finishing and ability to play in a number of roles prompted the club to move for him during the transfer window this year and his age makes him something of a long-term purchase for Liverpool.
Rodgers said as much about Borini when he signed him: “He’s a big talent. He’s technically strong, he’s a good finisher with both feet, he can play central or on the sides in a 4-3-3 up front, he’s quick, and he’s tactically very good.
“He is arguably the best physical player I’ve worked with in terms of his pace, power and fitness. Mentally, he’s very strong. We’ve got a player who is on the up.”
However, in the club’s opening three league games, Borini has been fairly anonymous and fans haven’t seen many examples of his so-called pace or power, as he’s looked worryingly lightweight and not as quick as you may initially assume. Against West Brom, he cut an isolated figure alongside Luis Suarez as they toiled up top in what was a frustrating afternoon for the side, while in the 2-2 draw with champions Manchester City, he missed a gilt-edged chance from a Raheem Sterling cross and was frequently wasteful while in possession.
It was the game against Arsenal, though, that really drove home that here is a player that could struggle, for the rest of his first season in the Premier League at least. Liverpool dominated possession for long spells but whenever it seemed to get near Borini, the move broke down and his crossing is not only erratic, it’s based on hope rather than percentages. At the moment he’s like Dirk Kuyt without the rare moments of quality – all running and very little in the way of end product or guile.
It was his goal against FC Gomel that highlighted his finishing ability, but the thing with that goal was that it gave him little time to think and he was simply relying upon his natural instincts, but it’s when he’s given time to think that his decision-making often lets him down at the moment.
This is all part and parcel of being a young player and perhaps expectations have been unfairly raised due to the inflated nature of his transfer fee, but with such a small squad at his disposal and with even fewer attacking options to choose from now that Andy Carroll has left on loan to West Ham, Rodgers needs Borini to step up and deliver right from the off, otherwise the side will continue to flounder and struggle to score goals.
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It hasn’t helped that both Luis Suarez and Steven Gerrard have been in some dog rough form of late, but he needs to get involved more. You also have to factor in that between the now departed quartet of Dirk Kuyt, Maxi Rodriguez, Craig Bellamy and Andy Carroll, they scored 29 times last season and that’s quite a big vacuum in terms of goals throughout the squad that needs filling in the short-term.
What Borini does have going for him is that he is undoubtedly a talented player and he’s at ease with Rodgers methods, but he needs to be more than just a willing runner and a keen participant in games. He’s still young and he will need time to settle, but if the team’s poor start to the season continues, patience may soon begin to run out with the raw forward.