FT Top 10 World Cup Snubs: #7 - Sandro Wagner

The FIFA World Cup is the biggest individual sports tournament in the whole world. Russia successfully submitted a bid and are going to be hosting this year’s World Cup. Many players have given their all during the 2017/18 season in a bid to get a sit on the plane to Russia to represent their national teams. Since the decisions lie on the managers and their team, it was bound that many players would be shockingly dropped in teams especially with a lot of competition for places. Here, we look at the 10 players who failed to make the cut on the final squad list.

Sandro Wagner - Germany

The self-proclaimed ‘best striker’ in Germany, Sandro Wagner has been left out of the World Cup squad by Joachim Low. The player joined Bayern Munich in the middle of the season from Hoffenheim where he had scored 4 goals already. Wagner has scored a total of 14 goals in all competitions and has assisted 4 goals which are not a bad return considering that he has been playing second fiddle to Robert Lewandowski. The player is an out-and-out striker which is a position that Germany has been lacking in talent in recent years. They resorted to Klose and Mario Gomez in recent years because of the lack of options. Now, in a new age of players like Timo Werner and Wagner, the Bayern Munich striker thought he had a chance to represent his nation at the World Cup. Instead, he has been left out which is not just disappointing but shocking as well.

FT 2017/18 African Transcendent XI: CB - Eric Bailly [Manchester United]

Many African players have light up the European leagues ever since the days of George Weah. These include Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o, Yaya Toure, Okocha, etc. who have performed at an extraordinary level in the past decades. Mo Salah of Liverpool and Egypt has been the fan favorite this year for his record-breaking goals and guiding his club to the UEFA Champions League final. But this is not all the continent has to offer. There are other young players who are showing early promises of reaching these levels or even better them. Therefore, FirstTouch reflects on the next transcendent U23 players in each position.

CB - Eric Bailly

The African continent has failed to produce the best talents in this position which means that the focus will be on the Manchester United defender even though he is an already established player. Bailly joined Manchester United from Villarreal for £30m in 2016. He has proved his consistency for the Red Devils but he has had problems with match fitness. He has suffered some setbacks and injuries which have kept him out of the United team of late but the Ivory Coast international is Mourinho’s first preference in the heart of a defense. Bailly is popular for his confident and aggressive approach to the game not forgetting his passing abilities. He can easily pass as a defensive midfielder because of his power, pace and forward runs that he often makes whenever he is given the freedom to roam around the pitch in search for a goal. Many African players have light up the European leagues ever since the days of George Weah. These include Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o, Yaya Toure, Okocha, etc. who have performed at an extraordinary level in the past decades. Mo Salah of Liverpool and Egypt has been the fan favorite this year for his record-breaking goals and guiding his club to the UEFA Champions League final. But this is not all the continent has to offer. There are other young players who are showing early promises of reaching these levels or even better them. Therefore, FirstTouch reflects on the next transcendent U23 players in each position.

FT Top 10 World Cup Snubs: #8 - Karim Benzema

The FIFA World Cup is the biggest individual sports tournament in the whole world. Russia successfully submitted a bid and are going to be hosting this year’s World Cup. Many players have given their all during the 2017/18 season in a bid to get a sit on the plane to Russia to represent their national teams. Since the decisions lie on the managers and their team, it was bound that many players would be shockingly dropped in teams especially with a lot of competition for places. Here, we look at the 10 players who failed to make the cut on the final squad list.

Karim Benzema - France

The Real Madrid striker has not featured for France since 2015. The player was involved in a scandal with teammate Valbuena which saw them both dismissed from the national team fold. Karim Benzema’s qualities are undeniable having been trusted to be Real Madrid’s first choice striker ever since Gonzalo Higuain left in 2013. He fell out of favor with the coach of the national team, Didier Deschamps who is refusing to bring back the player to the national side. The player had a below average season compared to his other outings in the Los Blancos colors but he still scored 10 goals and also helped his teammates to score on 11 occasions. Cristiano Ronaldo likes his strike partnership with Benzema, imagine how France would line-up with Mbappe, Benzema and Griezmann. Anyways, the squad is yet to be announced by Benzema is almost certain to not be included in the team. What a waste of talent by the French national team setup.

FT 2017/18 African Transcendent XI: CB-Chancel Mbemba [Newcastle]

Many African players have light up the European leagues ever since the days of George Weah. These include Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o, Yaya Toure, Okocha, etc. who have performed at an extraordinary level in the past decades. Mo Salah of Liverpool and Egypt has been the fan favorite this year for his record-breaking goals and guiding his club to the UEFA Champions League final. But this is not all the continent has to offer. There are other young players who are showing early promises of reaching these levels or even better them. Therefore, FirstTouch reflects on the next transcendent U23 players in each position.

CB - Chancel Mbemba

Congolese international Chancel Mbemba currently plies his trade in the English Premier League with Newcastle and plays as a center-back. The 23-year old deputized the injured Jamaal Lascelles and Florian Lejeune whenever they were suspended or out injured. The player has not been an instant hit in the English Premier League has started only 7 matches in the league and coming on as a substitute on two different occasions for the relegation-threatened Newcastle. The young African player must be relieved that his team eventually managed to survive which means that he has another opportunity to show his worth in the league unless the club takes a new direction and appoint a new coach who could make wholesome changes in the squad. Mbemba is just 23 and can be a great player if given the opportunity that the likes of Kolo Toure were given by Arsene Wenger at Arsenal.

FT Top 10 World Cup Snubs: #9 - Zlatan Ibrahimovic

The FIFA World Cup is the biggest individual sports tournament in the whole world. Russia successfully submitted a bid and are going to be hosting this year’s World Cup. Many players have given their all during the 2017/18 season in a bid to get a sit on the plane to Russia to represent their national teams. Since the decisions lie on the managers and their team, it was bound that many players would be shockingly dropped in teams especially with a lot of competition for places. Here, we look at the 10 players who failed to make the cut on the final squad list.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic - Sweden

Yes. The Greatest of All Time, Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been snubbed by his national team, Sweden at this year’s grandest tournament. The 36-year old recently joined LA Galaxy from Manchester United after having struggled to retain his form due to a knee injury which he picked up in 2017. The striker was received in Los Angeles with a bang after scoring a vicious rocket from more than 30 yards out on the volley. Such moments typify his career where he has scored some amazing goals not only for his clubs but also for his national team. The player has always been the face of the Swedish national team as long as we can remember but it has finally come to an end. Zlatan Ibrahimovic retired from the national team own his own last year when he was trying to focus on his fitness for Manchester United. He has since recovered and was contemplating on offering his services. He claimed, “It is up to me to decide whether I should play at the World Cup”. Well, I guess it was not all up to him as the Swedish manager, Lars Richt stated that, “Zlatan Ibrahimovic is in that case, for the same reason as with previous national team gatherings, not under consideration for the World Cup squad that national team coach Janne Andersson will announce on May 15.” It’s official, the player will not be playing at the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018.

FT 2017/18 African Transcendent XI: RB-Achraf Hakimi [Real Madrid]

Many African players have light up the European leagues ever since the days of George Weah. These include Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o, Yaya Toure, Okocha, etc. who have performed at an extraordinary level in the past decades. Mo Salah of Liverpool and Egypt has been the fan favorite this year for his record-breaking goals and guiding his club to the UEFA Champions League final. But this is not all the continent has to offer. There are other young players who are showing early promises of reaching these levels or even better them. Therefore, FirstTouch reflects on the next transcendent U23 players in each position.

RB – Achraf Hakimi

The Spanish-born right back plays for Real Madrid, the biggest club in the history of football. Popularly known as just ‘Achraf’, the player decided to represent the Moroccan national team because of his heritage. the 19-year old is the current second option in the right-back position in Zinedine Zidane’s team. His development as a player pushed Danilo, a £26m signing out of the club. Real Madrid has had some greats in that position before including current club captain Sergio Ramos before he moved into the center-back position. Hakimi is versatile himself and can play in midfield. It is safe to say that the player is in the right place to show if he is capable of competing at the highest level. With a couple of appearances under his belt and under the mentorship of a coach who pays attention to the youth as Zidane, we are guaranteed to be seeing the best of the player in the years to come. For now, we look forward to seeing the player at the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 in Moroccan colors.

FT Top 10 World Cup Snubs: #10 - Jack Wilshire

The FIFA World Cup is the biggest individual sports tournament in the whole world. Russia successfully submitted a bid and are going to be hosting this year’s World Cup. Many players have given their all during the 2017/18 season in a bid to get a sit on the plane to Russia to represent their national teams. Since the decisions lie on the managers and their team, it was bound that many players would be shockingly dropped in teams especially with a lot of competition for places. Here, we look at some of the players who failed to make the cut on the final squad list.

Jack Wilshere – England

Regarded as England’s only creative genius, Jack Wilshere has suffered from injuries which hampered his progress ever since he made a name for himself at Arsenal. The player left for Bournemouth last season in search of playing time and had a decent season. He came back to Arsenal and was slowly integrated back into the first team fold. He played some crucial matches in the UEFA Europa League before being handed the chance to redeem himself in the Premier League where he scored 2 goals and provided 5 assists in all competitions. The player was called up to the national team by Gareth Southgate last month before picking up a slight knock that prevented him from playing. I think he is ruing that opportunity because it has cost him his place in the final team.

The England boss named his final list and the player was not even a part of the provisional five. He must be disappointed not to make it. Without Wilshere, England has little creativity from midfield which means that their chances of going far in the tournament have already reduced before even kicking a ball.

FT 2017/18 African Transcendent XI: GK-Andre Onana [Ajax]

Many African players have light up the European leagues ever since the days of George Weah. These include Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o, Yaya Toure, Okocha, etc. who have performed at an extraordinary level in the past decades. Mo Salah of Liverpool and Egypt has been the fan favorite this year for his record-breaking goals and guiding his club to the UEFA Champions League final. But this is not all the continent has to offer. There are other young players who are showing early promises of reaching these levels or even better them. Therefore, FirstTouch reflects on the next transcendent U23 players in each position.

GK – Andre Onana

22-year old Onana is a goalkeeper for Dutch club Ajax who guided his team to a second-placed finish in the league. Andre Onana hails from Nkol Ngok, Cameroon and is showing early promises of becoming a European hit like his predecessors. To those that watched football between the 80s and 90s, they should remember a famous Liverpool goalkeeper who was from Zimbabwe. Bruce Grobbler was popular for his comedic stunts between the sticks. If not him, then you probably know Vincent Enyeama. One of the African legends who played for Nigeria for the longest time. Andre Onana is on his way. Ajax is a team that has produced some of the best talents in Europe and he has a starting spot on that team. It is just a matter of time before the rest of Europe start bidding in for the keeper of the future who is already amassing 39 appearances in a top league.

Aubameyang scores but Arsenal’s woes continue

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been nothing short of spectacular since his move from Borussia Dortmund. The Gabon international has come to the English Premier League deemed the most competitive of them all and has already managed to score 9 goals and provide 4 assists in just 10 starts as according to WhoScored. The African player had already done the most in the Germany where he scored 21 goals in all competitions at club level. Combined, the Aubameyang has scored 30 goals in all competitions this season excluding the one goal he scored for his nation in an international friendly game. This deserves so much praise for a player who joined a team in the middle of the season just like some international players like Alexis Sanchez but has still managed to outscore them. Of those goals, one of them came from today’s match between Arsenal and Leicester City.

Iheanacho opened the scoring in the 14th minute. The Nigerian international has not been in the best of form this season unlike his fellow African counterpart Aubameyang as this is only his second goal in the league. Iheanacho was dangerous on the night though as he was clean through on goal before being brought down by young Arsenal defender Konstantinos Mavropanos. The Greek defender was shown a red card and Arsenal were short. Arsenal held on until Aubameyang came to the rescue and score in the 53rd minute. Arsenal was level on matters and was looking to pull a comeback but their hopes were shattered by Jamie Vardy’s penalty who scored after Grey was brought down in the box by Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Another African player claimed a stake from the match between the two teams. Algerian born winger Riyad Mahrez scored the 3rd and final goal for Leicester to seal their 3-1 win against Arsenal. Arsenal have not won a single point this year away from home which can be a mental challenge for the players that the incoming Arsenal coach has to deal with in the new season. Wenger has one final chance to win on a note and win points away from in their match against Huddersfield on the 13th of May.

Feature: The curious case of replacing Arsene Wenger

The football world was blown away when Arsene Wenger stepped out to the public and stated that he would be leaving the club at the end of this season. This was quite shocking considering that Arsene has claimed to have respected all his contracts as a coach and he is currently on a 2-year contract that expires next season. This leaves us with a lot of questions as to why the legend just decides to go at the end of this season. Could it be that he faced the reality that the club was ailing in his hands instead of progressing like he thought he could make them? But this was just one of the stories that were in the headlines on this day. Many people had their thoughts on Wenger’s decision as well as his legacy and replacements.

Mesut Ozil was the first player to share his sentiment on Arsene Wenger. It is well known that the former Real Madrid star swapped the tremendous Spanish club for Arsene in a £42.5m move. He has since claimed that Wenger was a significant influence in him moving to the English side ahead of other big offers from clubs such Bayern Munich in Germany and the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United who were interested in his services. The player has said that he is proud to have made that decision and come to Arsenal and play against a manager of Wenger’s stature. The coach believes in an attacking team that allows the midfielders to dominate the game in possession and splitting the opposition with some timely passes.

Another player who played Wenger shared his thoughts on Wenger’s imminent departure. Lukas Podolski acknowledges that 22 years at the helm of one club is quite a feat but leaves a lot of marks now that he is going. The German played for Arsenal for 2-and-a-half years before moving to Galatasaray. He is also curious to find out which direction the club will take after his former boss’ decision. He is quoted as having said, “It's a question of whether they want someone with experience like Arsene Wenger, a guy like Carlo Ancelotti, or maybe a young, hungry coach.” This is something that is on everyone’s mind because this is the first time the club is on the market after 22 years.

Arsenal Chairman, Ivan Gazidis, had a lot to say about Wenger’s legacy. He is obviously grateful to the manager for the legacy that he leaves at the club. He also took the opportunity to reassure the fans that the club will be on the hunt for a manager who will take Arsenal to the next level. Gazidis said, “The process begins today. I want to keep that process in-house. This club has to rise to the challenge. You don't find a replacement for Arsene Wenger. You find a new path forward.” The club has to be bold in making that decision when they eventually have to choose from a pool of options because they have made a lot of mistakes in the past when other great managers like Klopp and Guardiola were available. Could they go for the experienced Ancelotti like Podolski mentioned?

We also looked at what Ancelotti thought about the idea of joining Arsenal. The Italian has been out of a job since last September when Bayern Munich sacked him. The manager refused to rule himself out of a job saying, “I can say I would like to work again, but that depends on me. If I find the right possibility, the right project I would be delighted to continue.” We take hints from his message that he is referring to Arsenal because they are a club who have been well run and have a great crop of talent that lack motivation. He is known for bringing the best out of a player and it would be interesting if the club decides to go for him.

Spanish football expert, Guillem Balague also had this opinion on who should come to the Emirates Stadium and replace Wenger. He looked at the prospect of former Barcelona coach Enrique leading the Gooners with his attacking mentality which suits the way the club has been playing under the current coach. Balague believes that Luis Enrique is interested in the job after having a season out of football waiting for the right job to appear. It is quite sad that everyone is now focused on who will be leading the club next season while the Frenchman is still left with less than two months.  

Jamie Redknapp has come out and stated that no one should feel sorry for the Frenchman. This is because the manager has had an opportunity that lasted for 22 years. What is sad is seeing a coach being sacked after one year and never having another opportunity to coach another top club ever again. Everyone should instead respect the Frenchman and celebrate his legacy which leaves fond memories for the Arsenal faithful. Redknapp thinks that the club is now ready for someone who has a connection with the club like Thierry Henry. He believes the former Arsenal captain has the hunger that the club needs if they are to maintain their status as a top club in Europe.

What next for Wenger you may ask? Some believe he still has a lot to offer in football but not at Arsenal. Arsene has had control at Arsenal for so many years and probably should not be appointed as the Director of Football as it might bring conflict with whoever comes in to replace him as a coach and fails to agree with him on certain things. Instead, Wenger can lead a club like PSG who are on the lookout for a top manager, and he is undeniably that and more. With the right players, he can deliver.  

Bayern win 6th straight Bundesliga Title

Bayern Munich thrashed Augsburg 4-1 to claim their sixth successive Bundesliga title. The German champions were disappointed by an early own goal by Sule which gave the advantage to Augsburg in the 18th minute. Before Augsburg’s confidence grew, Joshua Kimmich took up the creative responsibility and crossed in for Tolisso who scored in the 32nd minute. From then on, it was all Bayern as Kimmich also provided a goal for James Rodriguez only six minutes later. Arjen Robben’s half-volley and Wagner’s header confirmed the victory for the side and sparked the title-winning celebrations on a day that Frank Ribery was born. This victory means that Bayern Munich have now won 27 Bundesliga titles and this is the fourth title for coach Jupp Heynckes, who came out of retirement to replace Ancelotti late last year. Bayern have undeniably dominated the domestic league. This makes one wonder what their rivals are doing and if they are doing enough to stop this consistent team. Borussia Dortmund their closest rivals for years have recently fallen backward and are not as competitive as they used to be. It seems as if they have given up considering that most of their talented players and that of the rest of the teams in the league, are just lured to the German champions which weakens them.

Bayern Munich more attractive than Arsenal for the former Borussia Dortmund coach

The former Borussia Dortmund boss, Thomas Tuchel has today confirmed that he is interest taking the job at his old club’s rivals. Even with an enticing prospect of joining Arsenal, Tuchel showed that he prioritizes the Bayern Munich job because of how big the club is. Arsenal might be an interesting option considering how competitive the English Premier League is but the prospect of joining the biggest club in Germany gives joy to any sensible coach because they are capable to challenge with the very best in the world. Bayern Munich are currently on the lookout for a replacement for interim boss Heynckes who will step down in the summer. Tuchel who turned down the opportunity to work at Southampton a fortnight ago is believed not to be interested also in the structure at Arsenal because it does not suit him. Only he knows what he means by that. He would even prefer the Chelsea role over the one at the Emirates. Tuchel seems to be very ambitious and it would be wise if he picked any role from the aforementioned 3 clubs when it comes up because they do not just come along for they are very big clubs.

International Friendlies Round-Up: Ronaldo, Coutinho and Lingard amongst the goals

World Cup hosts Russia succumbed to a 3-0 defeat to a Neymar-less Brazil. Barcelona players Philippe Coutinho and Paulinho stepped up in the absence of their main man and scored one each. Miranda scored the other in the thrilling match which is a test for the teams that want to challenge in FIFA’s biggest tournament in less than 2 months.

In other news, France lost 2-3 to Colombia on the same night. The result is quite surprising considering the fact that France had an early 2 goal advantage as Giroud and Lemar both scored a goal each. Muriel scored for Colombia to make it 2-1 before the break. Falcao and Quintero’s penalty completed the comeback and downed Deschamps’ side.

Germany and Spain’s clash ended in a disappointing 1-1 draw. Rodrigo scored at the 6th minute for Spain before Muller leveled the matters on the 9th minute.

England won 1-0 against the Netherlands thanks to a Jesse Lingard goal in the 59th minute.

Russia 2018: Nigeria ‘poaches’ German U-21 defender

Apparently, the Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr has been trying for months to convince Hertha Berlin center back, Jordan Torunarigha to join his camp. Jordan’s agent has confirmed that they received such a request from the Nigerian Football Federation(NFF) also advising that the 20-year-old defender will listen to his heart on the matter. Torunarigha has climbed through the ranks of Hertha Berlin academy, featuring for the world champions’ youth teams since 2014. Should he accept the request, the defender will get a chance to wear Nigeria’s colors on the biggest stage of them all at a tender age and perhaps follow after his father, Ojokojo Torunarigha, who won 12 caps for the Super Eagles. Last week, Rohr announced a squad for friendlies that included only two home-based players and did receive a fair share of criticism. Could this mount up the pressure?

What’s happening to the World’s number one keeper?

Former World’s number one shotstopper Manuel Neuer is still in recovery after breaking a bone in his foot. He has had this injury three times already and this time it is proving difficult for him to get fit to compete again at the highest level. This raises some questions to the medical department at Bayern Munich who confirmed that the player had supposedly recovered in January. Bayern coach Heynckes is hopeful that the player can return to the training pitch at the start of April so that they can have a chance to compete for the Champions League. David De Gea has since overtaken the player as World’s best goalkeeper after some consistent displays in recent months. Some suggest that even with Neuer at his best, he cannot be compared to De Gea who has raised his game and is rumored to be a target of Real Madrid once again. Whether we will be able to see Neuer back in April is something that we will wait to see but we hope that he at least recovers in time to join the German squad at the FIFA World Cup in Russia 2018. The best of luck Manuel!

Potential Candidates To Replace Wenger

In the past weeks, many reports were coming from all angles about Arsenal and their difficult patch they were going through. Many believe that the time has passed for the long-serving manager to turn around this bad omen and build a team that can mount a title challenge once more. £8 million per year is too much an investment that yields no results as the team is not even competing in the Champions League. In this article, we take a look at the people that could be potential replacements for the manager who has served for 21 years whether they are like-for-like or disruptive managers with different philosophies to that of the dead horse.

Edie Howe of Bournemouth is the first name that comes up on our list. The young manager has proved that he has the guts to play football his own way despite the opposition he is facing. Much-like-Wenger, Howe is a very stubborn manager who does not change his style of play to suit the opponents’ tactics. He sticks to his philosophy of dominating the game in possession and this has brought some excitement to the Bournemouth faithful ever since he took charge back in 2012. It would not be a surprise if he was named as the successor to Wenger if the manager leaves this season because they see football in the same way and most likely would continue Wenger’s legacy of always trying to bring the game to the opponents.

Achievements: Championship Promotion 2013, Premier League Promotion 2015

Carlo Ancelotti is the first big name coach that has the credentials to take over at Arsenal and bring some needed change. The Italian has been around the game for quite some time and has managed some of the biggest clubs in Chelsea, AC Milan, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. His trophy-laden career makes him an attractive option for Arsenal who needs someone to motivate the already talented squad and bring them to another level. He is well known for his man-management skills with most of his former players calling him the best coach that they have ever played under. Wenger seems to lack the ability to motivate his squad which is full of internationals and has even some amazing players come into his squad and lose confidence. This could be solved by Ancelotti. Also, he is a very attack coach as well with a preferred 4-2-3-1 formation which has been Wenger’s favorite formation in the past decade or more. Ancelotti is currently out of contract at the moment and now is the time for the club to make a move for the manager who was sacked by Bayern Munich earlier in this season.  

Achievements: UEFA Champions League 2003, 2007 & 2014, FIFA Club World Cup 2007 & 2014 among others

Joachim Low is another name that has been linked to the Arsenal post and could be next in line once Wenger resigns. The current Germany coach has been one of the bravest managers to give a chance to young and inexperienced players in the major international tournaments. This has been Wenger’s strength who has developed some of the best talents almost single-handedly before selling them off to other competitive clubs. Low has not only given them a chance but has also pushed them to deliver as most recently he won the Confederations Cup with a second fiddle squad that was full of young German players. Such is the dream for an Arsenal fan to pride in winning the Premier Leagues and Champions League with players that were not bought for hundreds of millions but are still world-class and dazzle the audience every 90 minutes. Little is known about his abilities to find success at club level but his portfolio is undeniably attractive and could be a risk worth taking.

Achievements: FIFA World Cup 2014, FIFA Confederations Cup 2017

Diego Simeone is the direct opposite to the aforementioned coaches as he is more defensive minded. This is probably down to the fact that he used to play as a central defender before he became a coach. He prioritizes defense over meaningless attacks that we have seen recently from Arsenal that have amounted to nothing. Simeone does not play attractive football but has managed to build a team capable of competing with the very best of players in the world as he sits back and waits for counterattacks in matches and successfully grinds out a win. ‘Winning ugly’ could be a new term to the Arsenal faithful but it has seen many teams lift trophies in Leicester, and Chelsea during Wenger’s tenure. That mentality to fight till the end and protect their own goal is evidently lacking considering the fact that Arsenal is the team that has already conceded 41 goals which is the highest among the top 7 teams this season. Arsenal needs to find a coach that can fix that problem at the back.

Achievements: La Liga 2014, Copa del Rey 2013, UEFA Europa League 2012,  

Finally, the last two options are Arsenal legends and have not done much in terms of gaining experience to lead such a big club but are adored by the fans which gives them a chance. The first one being Thierry Henry who is currently a SkySports pundit and an assistant manager to Roberto Martinez in the Belgium national team. He is somewhat the favorite to get the post among the rest and has even confirmed that he would not turn down the chance to help Arsenal out of their misery. Could he be next to bring in instant success with little experience like his former teammate Zidane has done for Real Madrid since he took over 2 years ago?

Apart from that, there is also a former captain of the club in Patrick Vieira who has been working with players as a coach in the MLS with Etihad’s New York City. He is known to be an outspoken person who has no problem with going hard with players if they are not in check. Could he be the manager that the players need to up their game? Don’t forget to drop your comments below! 

Per Mertesacker: The effects of football on a professional player

Current Arsenal captain Per Metersacker opened up on the challenges faced by professional players before the game. The 33-year-old centre-back revealed that he suffers from anxiety attacks and sometimes feels like vomiting if he turns his stomach. The player goes to extremes of chocking himself violently in order to avoid that from happening. Imagine what everyone else goes through if the captain of the team struggles like this. No wonder the Arsenal team often shows lack of fight and bravery when it matters the most. The soon-to-retire player also reflected on the match between Germany and Italy which was played in 2006 when he was still 21 years old. He talked about how he could not wait for the match to end because it was a burden both physically and mentally. It seems that there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes before the matches start. Let us wait to hear other confessions of players when they are about to retire.

Arsenal Win 3-0 Against Watford

Arsenal are seemingly beginning to bounce back after a long difficult spell. Arsene Wenger’s side dispatched Watford by 3 goals to nil in the Emirates Stadium on Sunday. This is their first win in after losing 3 games straight before this match. Mustafi scored the opener from a Mesut Ozil cross before Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang scored the second thanks to a Mkhitaryan assist on 59 minutes. It was a delight to see the striker celebrate with his traditional summersault which is very familiar to those that followed him during his days in Germany. The pair combined once again like they did in Dortmund as this time the striker turned provider to Mkhitaryan’s goal in the 77th minute. It is also worth mentioning that Petr Cech saved Troy Deeney’s penalty and went on to secure his record 200th clean sheet in the Premier League. The keeper got the man of the match award after making some fine saves in the match. Mesut Ozil’s assist makes him the fastest player to reach 50 Premier League assists in 141 matches. What a day to remember for the record-breaking duo!