What to expect in January 2014 transfer market

Managers of English Premier League live a pretty busy life. After a congested festive period, teams are returning to action on the first day of New Year. Transfer market is also re-opened. In contrast to the summer transfer window, they do not have a month to focus on scouting their targets; there is no pre-season for the new signings to adapt to the new environment; there is additional pressure on the signings to be influential saviours rather than luxurious benchwarmers.

Previous successful January transfers --- Vidic (left) and Dempsey

Good scouting could earn you the Nemanja Vidic in 2006 or Clint Dempsey in 2007, but prices are often inflated in January, that the return does not always correlate positively with the investment. Afonso Alves disappointed Middlesbrough who had even relegated in 2008. Andy Carroll's vintage form at Newcastle disappeared at Liverpool. And there of course, the infamous £50 million Fernando Torres.

It is no secret defending champion Manchester United are desperate for additional signings. A new central midfielder is almost essential. Ander Herrera will again be the prime target. Koke and Marco Reus are also reportedly under David Moyes' radar. Ross Barkley is also Moyes' favourite, but they will have to break their bank account to lurk him away from Everton. A more reliable left back as Patrice Evra's understudy will be useful as well. Fabio Coentrao will hit the headline again.

Will Koke (right) join De Gea at Old Trafford?

Chelsea likely will be United's main rival in the transfer market, as it is evident they are seriously weakened playing without either Frank Lampard or Ramires. Eliaquim Mangala or Inter Milan Andrea Ranocchia may land at Stamford Bridge soon. Wesley Sneijder could be on the brink to rejoin Jose Mourinho, who would also welcome more resources at the back to cover for John Terry. Long-term target

Mourinho might also face fierce competition in bidding for defenders elsewhere in Manchester, as City also realises their over-reliance on Yaya Toure, Fernandinho and Vincent Kompany. Budgets will not be City's concern, but they definitely do not want another Martin Demichelis. Rumours also suggest Manuel Pellegrini is monitoring Iker Casillas to bring consistency to goalkeeper position, despite Joe Hart's impressive performance lately.

League leader Arsenal unarguably has the best midfields in Premier League and have little concerns in that department. Instead, they are out again to search for strikers. As Michael Cox suggested (http://espnfc.com/blog/_/name/tacticsandanalysis/id/2408?cc=5739), Olivier Giroud needs a break having sustained a high level of performance for half a season. The problem is who can they turn to? Luis Suarez and Gonzalo Higuain are impossible to switch. Edin Dzeko is a good option but Manchester City will not allow him to go to title rival. If Diego Costa is slightly too hefty, will Dimitar Berbatov be an attractive bet with potentially wealthy return?

Berbatov's former club Tottenham has survived a turbulent 2013 and found themselves not too far off the pace from Champions League football. Tim Sherwood will eager to anchor the squad, but having already spent over £100 million in Summer, will Daniel Levy be generous in six months time? Reality is they are short in defenders due to injuries. Barcelona Martin Montoya's versatility could be the solution.

Liverpool is also keen to sign Montoya. Brendan Rodgers' trust in youngsters could be an appealing point to the young full back. At the same time, Liverpool's depth in defenders is pretty decent, so as the balance of the squad, despite they are yet to get the best out of newcomers Iago Aspas and Luis Alberto. A reliable third-choice striker will help relieve the burdens on Suarez and Sturridge.

Pochettino (right) will have a lot to consider in January

Everton is the biggest surprise pack this season, who is also unexpectedly the team who least requires changes . They did not falter when Leighton Baines and Arouna Kone injured, nor with their awareness of over-wearing Ross Barkley. Roberto Martinez has constructed a team with incredible squad depth. With both eyes on European football, there is very little reason to risk disrupting the harmony of the squad.

Also playing some impressive football, Southampton has slowed down lately as they struggled to find their form with their bench players. Mauricio Pochettino is now facing the dilemma in either pushing for European qualification or keep a steady pace in club development by seeking improvement from last year's 14th position. However, Adam Lallana, Ricky Lambert and Morgan Schneiderlin might share a stronger ambition that the Saints might fail to retain them in long run. Selling key players at the right moment is also a challenge to mid-table clubs.

Is he still willing to listen to offers?

Newcastle will be keen to retain Yohan Cabaye though. They have recovered from the poor August form and the Cabaye's transfer chaos to sit at 8th place. Speed and creativity in attack can further improve their squad. Jeremy Menez can be a good fit to Magpies. He is quick and desperate for first-team football. More importantly, he speaks French.

There are teams who are eager to hold on to their key players. There are teams who will strive to search for bargain talents. There is no short of excitement for football fans in January. Let's wait and see which team will have the last laugh.

Back to the top --- Gunners show resilience to defeat the Magpies

1-0 victories brought Jose Mourinho his first league champion in England; Manuel Pellegrini stressed the importance to secure 1-0 victories to be a champion. Seeing Olivier Giroud's goal at St James Park sealed the top spot of the league, Arsenal's title talk is becoming increasingly realistic in 2014.

Packed fixtures during festive period finally led to the injury of Aaron Ramsey. Jack Wilshere returned, so as Mathieu Flamini to anchor the midfield. However, it did not go as Arsene Wenger predicted. Newcastle, usually more adventurous at home, was content to sit deep and not rush into counter attacks. Cheik Tiote and Vurnon Anita offered Theo Walcott and Santi Cazorla very little room to use the ball. When Giroud was more busy lurking on the ground, Arsenal barely created any chance in the first half.

The stalemate continued after interval. Newcastle was patiently waiting for that one and only chance, until Alan Pardew finally made the move of bringing Hatem Ben Arfa. Somehow, it was Arsenal who broke the deadlock. A needless tackle by Tiote gave Walcott the chance to find Giroud in the box. The Frenchman surprisingly was unmarked and beat Tim Krul with a glancing header.

Well-thought substitution --- Flamini

Pundits suggested Wenger's conservatism ruined their chance to beat Chelsea at home last Monday. His decision to move Mathieu Flamini to left back against Newcastle would not be backfired though. The defensive midfielder successfully kept the in-form Ben Arfa in check, who struggled to threaten for even once. Getting Carl Jenkinson in for the last ten minutes might be a passive move, but at least the extra height of Jenkinson helped encounter the aerial attack led by Shola Ameobi and more importantly preserved the lead till the final whistle. 

If not of Debuchy's awareness, Walcott would have already doubled the lead. Ultimately, the Gunners would not need the extra cushion and won the hard-fought battle at St James Park. Sitting above all teams to begin 2014 campaign would be the best New Year present to Arsene Wenger, having faced huge pressure in recent years to end Arsenal's title droughts. The Gunners are still yet to convince they are forceful enough to conquer the big clubs, but improved consistency and mentality send them flying in the first half of 2013 season. The title race is still incredibly close with only eight points separating the top seven. Arsenal still has every reason to enjoy in the driving seat of the race to celebrate their sensational 2013.   

3 mistakes of AVB that sent Tottenham hammered

Missing Jan Vertonghen and Danny Rose for the clash might be a misfortune. Having Paulinho sent off with half an hour to go could be a bit unfortunate as well. However, 5-0 is never the scoreline reflective of the differential between the quality of two teams. Brendan Rodgers managed the absence of Steven Gerrard and Daniel Sturridge very well. On the other hand, Andre Villas-Boas has committed some fundamental tactical mistakes that halts Tottenham strong run in December, also adds further pressure to his managerial position at White Hart Lane.

How long will he stay?

1. High line defence

Playing a high back four is a more active defensive strategy, which aims to regain possession as quick as possible and take charge of the tempo of the match. The key to success is to have a back four of excellent communication and understanding, also with reasonable pace. Barcelona has executed this near to perfection, but AVB's attempt to clone this in England has been disastrous.

The Portuguese seems to have learned little from his failure in Chelsea. Having only four available first-team defenders for the match, with two of them not the usual starters, also facing the red-hot Luis Suarez and speedy Raheem Sterling, AVB's decision to press high up the field will hardly be justified. Michael Dawson was forced on races with Suarez; Etienne Capoue's lack of centreback positioning sense was well exposed; Kyle Naughton was simply slaughtered. Hugo Lloris spent more time as a sweeper, having to go all the way to the edge of the box at least three times each half to clear the dangers, while once embarrassingly misjudged a header (Yes, a header) that went unpunished, and in the second half helplessly being lobbed by Suarez.  

It could be players' fault for failing to execute AVB's game plan, but who would expect to see Dawson and Capoue trying to set Suarez in an offside trap for 90 minutes?

Liverpool celebrating Flanagan's goal

 2. Where is plan B

Playing with ten men, trailing by two goals and with thirty minutes to go, damage limitation should be the priority. On contrast, Tottenham rode on the belief that they still had a chance to level the game. What AVB had changed after Paulinho's dismissal was not solidifying the back, but to switch from a four-men defence to a three-men one, pushing Capoue higher up and moving Kyle Walker to the centreback. With Lewis Holtby and Nacer Chadli remained in the more advanced midfield position, and Capoue desperately trying to make up for his horrific defence, Liverpool only found it increasingly comfortable in shaping up their counter attacks.

There might be some supporters who genuinely admire the team for giving it a go, but with no question, 0-2 is a less demoralising scoreline than 0-5. For the second time in a month Tottenham is demolished heavily. AVB's decision-making ability in big matches is very questionable.

3. Lennon and/or Townsend?

who's right? Townsend (left) or Lennon?

AVB seems to fancy playing a right-footer attacking midfield on the left, which offers extra ball-handling ability in Tottenham's eleven. This could work well with an attacking full-back like Danny Rose, but pairing up Kyle Naughton and Chadli left Tottenham with an unbalanced attack. This definitely did not help Aaron Lennon, who came back from injury and still struggled to hit top form. Facing John Flanagan on the right, who maybe the weakest link of Liverpool defence, the Kop could focus on protecting Flanagan, as Spurs hardly created anything on the left. Chadli's best move of the night was a header after a corner, leaving Glen Johnson alone with a relaxed afternoon.

Preventing Andros Townsend from over-burning is obviously important for his young career, but undoubtedly he is the most dangerous winger in AVB's side. It was already his fourth successive substitute appearances. With Chadli and Lennon continue their unimpressive performances, would AVB finally consider starting his best two wingers together?

Phil Jones stops the bleed of the uninspired Red Devils

Knowing that even the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson did suffer in his early days at Old Trafford would not bring much comfort to the man in crisis, David Moyes. Third successive defeats will put the tolerance of the fans under test. With no room for failure, also aiming to top the group, United supporters saw a strong side being fielded against Shaktar Donetsk, despite already secured their berth in the knockout round.

Phil Jones (centre) celebrating the winning goal

With a squad having so used to be on the winning side, the players were undoubtedly no short of motivation to get out of the mini slump. The missing factor was obviously confidence. At times it seems United was more concerned of not losing the match rather than convincingly bagging a victory. This is a dangerous mentality to have in mind against a side who needs to better Leverkusen's result at Spain, while also being well-known of their technical skills and pace of attack.

Ryan Giggs might have turned back the clock at Leverkusen, but Moyes would regret starting the 40 years old against Shaktar. Giggs was caught out of position more than once in the first half, leaving the midfield largely exposed to allow Shaktar threaten United defence. Better finishing would have already see Shaktar earn a well-deserved lead at half time.

When Tom Cleverley came in after the hour mark, United regained the control of midfield. Although Cleverley lacks Giggs' quality of touches, his area of coverage is important to shield the backline, led by the aging Rio Ferdinand. With ball in feet, he is still one of the top class defenders, but the lack of match fitness, as well as the decline of physicality, sees him being increasingly fragile at the heart of defence.

Luckily escaped from trailing, the Red Devils also struggled on the other side of field. A number of fringe players failed to impress and put up strong fight for the starting positions. Ashley Young surely was the most disappointing among those. While spoiling a golden chance in the first half, he could not live up to the expectation and never quite connected with Kagawa and Rooney throughout the night.

Even Pyatov (left) didn't know how Young missed it

Rafael and Alex Buttner would also need to work harder to move up the pack under Moyes. Rafael has obviously hurt from not playing regularly. The sharpness and decisiveness in overlapping he has shown last season are badly missed. Buttner has a crystal clear role to play in United --- being the understudy of Patrice Evra. The attacking full-back, though, does not show much improvement in the quality of his end-products. While roaming down the left flank, his crosses often found the opponents before his teammates in the box.

   

The only player that David Moyes can find some comfort in is Phil Jones. More well-known as a versatile defender, Jones is starting to find his feet as a defensive midfielder. If playing at centreback is a waste of his energy, while crossing from byline is not his strength, being the anchorman would be the best fit of his character. Positioning Jones just in front of the back four provides solid cover between the midfield and defensive lines. With growing confidence, he has started to find himself appear in the right place at the right time even in opponents' half. 

The first big achievement and much-needed relief 

 It was still another lacklustre performance for the reigning Premier League champion. Three away league games have lined up before the calendar year ends. Although Aston Villa, Hull City and Norwich City have all sort of problems to resolve, Manchester United just does not offer the supporters the confidence at the moment. They must now ride on their historically strong performance during the Christmas period to prevent their title hope being completely written off. 

Spurs yet at their best but back on track

November was blue and turbulent. The month of Christmas appears to be a different story though. For the second time in four days, Tottenham dug deep and somehow found the way to win. They were nowhere near playing the style of football they want to, but the resilience they have rarely shown this season is enough to please the fans, when picking up victories is the main priority after the disastrous defeat to Manchester City.

Still scrappy

Lloris (yellow) dipping form is worrying

As a team, Spurs again looked very flat. From time to time, it seemed Sunderland wanted the game more than Spurs did. While winning the majority of possession, the ball was not moved quick enough. Nacer Chadli was not creating much but was a liability in defence. His failure to impose pressure on Ondrej Celustka indirectly led to the goal, although it was Hugo Lloris who cheaply mishandled the cross that allowed Adam Johnson score. The French goalkeeper has not recovered since returning from international duty.

Although dominating the early second half, they failed to kill the game off. Jermain Defoe and Paulinho had several opportunities. Better luck or finishing would have saved their manager some scare in the final minute of the match. It has been individual brilliance that won them two straight victories, but not quite the well-worked goals they have invested heavily for.

Moussa Dembele

Despite not scoring many, he has quietly established as an integral part of AVB's midfield. The all-rounded Belgian covers a lot of ground and times his run into the box to perfection. Although single-footed, his dribbling is first-class, also thanks to his strong upper body. There are not many individuals who can shake off the challenge of the like of Wayne Rooney and Jozy Altidore. His bursting run beat another strong man Jack Colback and led to John O'Shea's own goal. Tottenham midfield looks completely different without Dembele.

O'Shea (right) in despair when Dembele celebrated the winning goal

He did the subs right

Andre Villas-Boas' tactics at Etihad Stadium was questionable. Tonight, his in-game changes worked well. Sandro might have been sent on only because of Dembele's injury, but it was when Spurs needed a defensive midfielder the most. Sandro was always the first to break Sunder land's counter attacks and protect the back. His aerial ability was also invaluable in defending set pieces. His controversial handball could have changed the results. After all, he did his job in his twenty minutes.

Three games in a row, Andros Townsend came in as a substitution. It is logical for AVB to use the exciting young star sensibly, who had not made a single Premier League start before this season. Townsend's speed is a nightmare to defenders late in the game, which offers AVB an impactious option on the bench.

Man of the Match

I go for Lewis Holtby. He has made no direct contribution to the victory, only to blame Defoe for the below-par finishing, but he did exactly what the fans love, and also what AVB exactly needs. Sitting behind Defoe, his creativity might not be those of a natural playmaker, but his coverage area was sensational, always trying to make himself available for passes, also constantly applying pressure to the opponent defenders with ball in feet. He might not be AVB's first choice midfield in the long run when Christian Eriksen is fit, but Holtby was the key to help Tottenham pick up six points in four days.

Who's next?

They might still have not fired all the cylinders. The bright side is they are not that far off the pace for Champions League football yet. Three point away from second place, their next opponent Liverpool, a third successive league victory could mean they have finally set things straight. Despite the red hot Luis Suarez, Spurs still have a decent chance at home as Gerrard and Sturridge are destined to miss the game. Jan Vertonghen's ankle recovery progress could be vital, while AVB would be grateful the mid-week Europa fixture is only a formality, as Tottenham has already qualified for second round.  

Soldado --- the scapegoat of the toothless Tottenham

The movie "Moneyball" illustrates you don't need to invest as heavy as New York Yankees to enjoy success in the business of sports. The message might not be well-received by Premier League club owners. Manchester City did not get their return of investment until the final minute of 2011-12 season. The flop last season only means they need to spend more.

Despite their generous spending, Tottenham's balance book looks relatively healthy, offset by the income from the sale of Gareth Bale. The board would still be convinced this has in fact upgraded the team from over-relying on individual flair to become more all-rounded and complete, not until the recent humiliating defeat at Etihad Stadium.

Soldado has only scored from the spot this season 

It leaves Andre Villas-Boas puzzling about the lack of firepower in his squad, with more than half of Bale's sale was spent on Roberto Soldado and Erik Lamela, also seeing Andros Townsend bursts into the first team, so as the National team. If the concept of expecting one goal per £1 million invested in a striker is to apply, Robin Van Persie was a bargain for Manchester United, whereas Soldado will have to be in goals galore to reach the minimum expectation.

Jermain Defoe's eye-catching form put more pressure on Soldado. The Spaniard goal-scoring ability is beyond doubt. The difference in performance of the two strikers does not only lie in the level of competition they have regularly been featured in, but it is AVB's failure to get the best out of Soldado under his system.

Neither physically gifted nor possessing enormous pace, it is Soldado's technique, delicate touch and football intelligence that makes him one of the most prolific strikers in Europe. Playing in AVB's 4-2-3-1 formation, the former Valencia centre-forward struggles with opportunities to showcase his talents, while often finds himself being outnumbered in the final third.

Although the depth of the bench is not of a worry for Tottenham, they are in fact over-abundant in central midfielders and wingers, but relatively short in the no.10 position, whose presence alongside Soldado is exactly what is missing in Tottenham's attack. Christian Eriksen is the best fit to the vacancy since Rafael Van der Vaart's departure, although he has yet to flourish since his impressive home debut. The next closest match, Gylfi Sigurdsson, has instead found his new comfort zone on the left.

On Thursday night, Soldado was given a rare start in Europa League, as if an ultimatum given by AVB to his starting berth. Moussa Dembele was the man behind him, but the Belgian's terrible goal-scoring record has reflected his unsuitability to the role. Dembele is indeed way better as a distributor and looks more threatening arriving late at the box.  

Soldado thus spent more time showing his frustration in the first half, rather than contributing in the attack. Lack of penetration, mobility and creativity on Tottenham's side saw the ball often stall on both flanks, which by no means Soldado can find an easy way to threaten the opponents' goal. It appeared to be another night the striker again failed to impress his manager.

Constant pressure from Jermain Defoe

The own goal by Tromso's Adnan Cauevic opened up the game in the second half, also relieved the pressure of AVB's side. Playing with more liberty, Soldado showed glimpses of what he can bring to Tottenham's offense.  The timely dummy run in the box freed Dembele that saw him score again for Tottenham in over a year. Minutes later, he placed a first time flick perfectly to release Dembele once again but only saw the post deny the Belgian a brace.    

The skills are elementary, yet executing to perfection while making it look simple, Tottenham has gone in the right direction in investing in Soldado. If not contributing by putting the ball in the net himself, Soldado has a complete package to help the group of talented attackers Tottenham possessess to shine. Rather than suspecting his main striker's form and confidence, AVB might have to understand better his player's strength and the adaptability into his gameplan. 

The man who turns over a new leaf --- Alexis Sanchez

It s a great honour for a player to play for a title-winning team. At the same time, if only being assigned a bit-part role, it could be hard to swallow. Alexsandr Hleb, Dmytro Chygrynskiy, Martin Caceres and more recently Thiago Alcantara had left Camp Nou in search of more regular playing time. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who played regularly but was not treated as the key in attack, departed to win the attention he needs.

Alexis Sanchez chose to switch to Camp Nou in 2011 after being rated as one of the most exciting youngster at Udinese. The Chilean is seldom under the spotlight and has been overshadowed by superstars like Xavi, Iniesta and Lionel Messi, but Alexis has not been discouraged by the change of circumstances and has finally lived up to potential this season.

The Tiki-Taka style advocated by former Barca player and manager Pep Guardiola places emphasis on possession, patience and involvement of midfielders in attack. The attacking force led by the false no.9 Lionel Messi has driven Barcelona near to unbeatable in the past five years.

At his best when given the license to run

Alexis is at his best with ball at feet and running directly at defenders. Under the Tiki-Taka style, Barcelona often builds up the attack slowly and Alexis often finds himself isolated up front and being forced to retreat.  Not quite at full strength due to the mismatch with the tactics, Guardiola and Vilanova had been selecting Pedro over Alexis, with the former 's speed and off-ball movement being the perfect match to the penetrating passes by the playmakers.

Recent European stumbles as well as defeats in El Clasico raised the awareness of the necessity of a plan B. Vilanova's successor Gerardo Martino adds extra dimension to Barca football by introducing pace and directness. Counter attacks that were unseen in Barcelona past few years is rediscovered this season.

Alexis has clearly benefited from the change in playing style. While Messi's injury has opened up the opportunity in striker position, under Martino's system, Alexis finds himself with a lot more support in the final third and is encouraged to be more aggressive in challenging defenders. Also possessing the technical skills to play the Tiki-Taka football, the versatility of Alexis is valued by the new manager. The renewed confidence is reflected on his scorecard, having bagged 8 goals in 10 league games, including the sensational chip shot that sealed the El Clasico victory at home. 

The El Clasico's lob

His individual show at Wembley Arena might have shocked England. For those who have seen him play at Udinese would not be too surprised by Alexis' ability. His re-emergence has come at the right moment for Chile ahead of the World Cup next Summer. Even though Chile is far from being the favourite of the tournament, an Alexis in superb condition will strongly boast their chance in qualifying for knockout round for the second successive tournament. More importantly, the young Chilean is once again enjoying his football. 

Honours split in the six-goal Merseyside Derby

There is never disappointment in the Merseyside Derby. With Everton being rock solid at the back lately and Liverpool finding renewed hope in the SAS partnership, the clash was destined to be colourful and mind-blowing.

The usually fierce derby did not produce the first blood until the half an hour mark. Kevin Mirallas' reckless stud-first tackle on the already-limping Luis Suarez would have sent him for an early bath, but Phil Dowd took exceptionally long time to decide a booking was sufficient to suppress the temper.

Before that, Tim Howard was already beaten twice. Philippe Coutinho smartly escaped the defence and met Steven Gerrard's corner at the back post. The Brazilian calmly flicked it past Howard, who could have made himself bigger but did not react quickly enough.

Liverpool's second goal further undermined the creditability of the American goalkeeper. Howard instructed a 4-man wall to protect a freekick from outside 30 yards, while room was left between Steven Pienaar and the wall. It was as if a mental game played by Howard to challenge Suarez to beat him through the gap. Suarez accepted the challenge and completed the task, despite Steven Pienaar's attempt to narrow the gap. Whether Pienaar should have been part of a 5-man wall instead, Howard would have a lot to explain to Roberto Martinez.

In between, Kevin Mirallas managed to find his first goal of the season. Liverpool could not deal with Leighton Baines' freekick cleanly and Simon Mignolet was beaten in close range by compatriot Mirallas. The winger looked active especially with Liverpool fielding young John Flanagan at left back, who more often plays on the opposite flank.  The Belgian, though, further irritated Liverpool fans in the second half when he elbowed Jordan Henderson in a header contest but escaped a second booking.

As Daniel Sturridge was only fit to make the bench, and with Coutinho and Glen Johnson only just back from injury, Suarez was the only threat in Liverpool's frontline. Sylvain Distin and Phil Jagielka looked well prepared for the Uruguayan. When Suarez finally managed to beat the defence, with the help of the opponents, Joe Allen infamously put it wide, with only Tim Howard between himself and the goal. The Welsh's woeful Liverpool career continues.

Lukaku hit the brace against Mignolet

An accidental step by Henderson on Baines' right foot forced the dead-ball specialist to depart shortly after the interval. Still, Everton had no problems in mastering possession at home. Deulofeu was introduced to enrich their attacking options, with Barry dropping to left back. The energy on the Everton side seemed to have enlightened Romelu Lukaku.

The on-loan striker was far from his best for most of the afternoon, even with Kolo Toure and Mamadou Sakho only on the bench. When given the opportunity, the young Lukaku was able to deliver and once again he proved, maybe to Jose Mourinho in particular, himself to be a prolific striker in the Premier League.

In contrast to Howard, Mignolet had an outstanding afternoon. Ross Barkley's cunning shot towards the bottom corner in the first half could not trouble the Belgian keeper. Both Deulofeu and Lukaku also could not get the better of Mignolet in one-on-one situation. When Lukaku's deflected freekick was one again being parried out, it seems to suggest this is not the day for Everton.

Sturridge came to rescue

Persistence finally paid off. Shortly after Lukaku's freekick being saved, Everton reorganised the big Belgian calmly placed the shot past Mignolet near the penalty spot to equalise at 2-2. 10 minutes later, just as Roberto Martinez was ready to consolidate the defence by introducing John Stones, the fans ruptured into celebrations when Lukaku's header brought them the lead for the first time in the afternoon.

Martinez had overturned his Merseyside Derby debut from disastrous to delightful, but Daniel Sturridge came off the bench to deny the Spanish manager a winning one. The English striker converted captain Gerrard's freekick to conclude the eventful derby. It might be a bit disappointing to the home fans but they would be content with the results after trailing twice. On the other hand, Brendan Rodgers would count themselves very lucky. Being the second best, SAS has preserved Liverpool second position in the Premier League table. 

Does A.C. Milan have what it takes to bounce back?

Allegri banks his hope on Kaka

Reform is often painful, particularly when revolutionary changes are to be made to a historically successful empire. 18 times Serie A winner AC Milan decided to withdraw their veterans policy a couple of years ago and started to rebuild. It did not appear to be a tough transition when they finished 2nd and 3rd last two seasons. But parted away with the very last piece of Golden Age puzzle --- Massimo Ambrosini, Milan seems to have lost identity and is already 19 points behind league leader Roma only 12 games into the season. Frustration is surfacing in San Siro. Although coach Massimiliano Allegri is not the one being targeted, his job security still remains in doubt.

The art of managing a football team could be as complicated as rocket science. The problem with Milan, though, is fundamental  --- they don't score enough. Unavoidably, the blame will be on Mario Balotelli. "Super Mario" has single-handedly rescued Milan's season last year but has yet to hit his top form. Despite Allegri's reluctance to admit, Balotelli is indispensable to Milan, being their main source of goals, something that Alessandro Matri and Giampaolo Pazzini will not be able to replicate individually.

It is not as if Milan is completely a one-man team. Before the arrival of Balotelli, Stephan El Shaarawy quickly emerged as the star striker, but then followed by a rapid drop in form, suggesting he is yet to be physically ready for the full season of Serie A football. Robinho is another talented attacker who would form a good partnership with Balotelli, but the Brazilian has been hit by injuries, while rumours about his return to Santos do not help either.

Having not possessed adequate assets, Adriano Galliani decided against paying an insignificant transfer fees to get Keisuke Honda five months earlier than planned. Selling Kevin-Prince Boateng, who had been featured regularly in Allegri's team, is also questionable, although it could be a decision based on discipline problems. Missing out on two younger guns, Galliani has instead brought back a familiar face from Real Madrid --- Kaka. 

He knows San Siro well enough; he has the motivation to break into Scolari's squad for next year World Cup; and he is only 31, having only played about 20 games each season with Real Madrid. He certainly still has something left in the tank. This might be the fair justification of Galliani's refusal to bring in Honda earlier.

Nevertheless, it is quite a different team to the one Kaka played with in his first spell with Rossoneri. Carlo Anchelotti, a midfielder himself in his career, believes in possession football and utilised a balanced 5-man midfield to support lone striker Andrei Shevchenko. With the like of Gattuso and Ambrosini offering defensive support, the transformed Andrea Pirlo to link up plays as an anchorman, also the skills of Clarence Seedorf and Rui Costa to dictate the tempo, Kaka was able to shine in the no.10 position at the age of 21.

Those were the days

With Allegri taking charge, the Rossoneri is playing at much quicker pace than Anchelotti's era. Players of high efficiency, like Muntari, Emanuelson, Nocerino and De Jong are at the front of pecking order. Although it remains as a 5-man midfield formation, Kaka finds himself having to chase around the ball much more than he likes to, as Allegri expects his midfield to roam forward when possible and cover for each other in defence. Clearly, Kaka does not quite fit into his system. No wonder, Boateng, who is not a typical creative playmaker but more a trequartista, had been Milan's no. 10 in the past two years.  

When you cannot score, gradually the pressure on the defence grows. Philippe Mexes, their most capable leader,  is far from composed and has a long history of temperament issues. Long term servant Ignazio Abate and Christian Abbiati coincidently are suffering from a dip in form. Ultimately the defence buckles, but Allegri has little options on the bench to restore the order. French centreback Adil Rami may be the saviour, if he does not trouble the club like what he did to Valencia.

Amidst the misery, there are still some positives to take. Allegri has a lot of exciting youngsters awaiting for opportunities to break into first-team. Left back Kevin Constant is already a regular in the absence of Mattia De Sciglio. Although still error-prone in defence, his energy and potential are highly rated. Midfielders Bryan Cristante and Riccardo Saponara have both impressed in the limited playing time.

There are high hopes on Honda even before his arrival

Help is on the way, as De Sciglio and El Shaarawy is close to full recovery, though the latter is likely to be on the way out, also with Rami and Honda joining, together with the experience and quality of the squad, if Allegri can keep the team motivated, formulate the formation that best executes his preferred style of play and get all cylinders firing, it remains optimistic that Milan could be back in the race.

Is it finally the year for the Gunners?

The last time they mentioned about winning silverware in 2011, Laurent Koscielny comically gave it away to the relegated Birmingham at Wembley. 10 gameweeks have past, Arsenal finds themselves at the top of the table, convincingly leading co-2nd place Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham by 5 points. Nevertheless, the Gunners have been relatively cautious in all discussions about "title hopes" so far. There are solid reasons behind this, that also drive BBC Match of the Day pundits Alan Shearer and Danny Murphy playing down their chance of topping the table next May.

The recent pain may finally be relieved

Arsenal have not had much troubles in beating weaker teams usually. Strong performance in the second half of the season has fuelled them to finish among the top four consistently in recent years. What Arsene Wenger and the team have improved further this year is the stability of the squad early in the season. late August departures of key players like Cesc Fabregas, Robin Van Persie, Samir Nasri and Alex Song had unsettled the balance of the team. More often than not, they were out of the title race by October.

The opening day defeat against Aston Villa seems to resemble the misery, but Wenger admirably led the team to win 8 of the next 9 league matches. Deadline acquisition Mehmet Ozil has already established as a key figure in North London, bagging 2 goals and 4 assists in his brief two months spell.   

They have not looked back since the opening day defeat

What Arsenal has yet to demonstrate is the quality and characters to beat the top teams. The visiting Tottenham and Liverpool were overpowered, with the former was more concerned about the transfer window and the latter was tactically outperformed for 45 minutes, but undoubtedly, getting the better of Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea is the key to winning the league.

Flamini the X-factor

It would be harsh to rule them out any chance in beating the trio, but one thing for sure is they need a healthy Mathieu Flamini. There are plenty of talents and creativity in those midfields that without a tireless warrior like the Frenchman, Arsenal looks incapable to protect the back, let alone winning possession to allow their playmakers to take charge. Their recent defeats against Dortmund in Champions League and Chelsea in Capital One Cup, playing without the injured Flamini, have proved the point.

The depth of the squad is also an uncertainty. Flamini might be the only defensive midfielder in the first team. His fellow Olivier Giroud has also growingly become irreplaceable. The in-form striker is a rare big man who enjoys success as a Arsenal striker. The concern for Wenger would be the lack of reliable substitute on the bench.

While resources in attacking midfield are more than sufficient, those on the defensive end are scarce. Carl Jenkinson is a promising youngster who could provide some cover for Bacary Sagna, but only out-of-form Thomas Vermaelen is available to back-up Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny. The likelihood they could survive from injury problems in the next 7 months is very limited. January addition is almost inevitable.

A good start is vital to success. After a brilliant three months time, the real challenge has arrived, with Manchester United, Southampton, Everton, Manchester City, and Chelsea all lined up before Christmas. If Wenger can convert the enormous confidence of the players at present into critical victories in the next few weeks, the title talk might finally become realistic after eight years of drought.   

How Moyes can get United back on to the winning track

"The higher you climb, the colder you get". By now, David Moyes should have a full appreciation of this phrase. 11 points from 8 matches is decent, but not good enough at Manchester. Instead, success are measured by how the team shows the capability to challenge for silverwares.  

Moyes might be yet to adapt to the life with mid-week fixtures and international duties. It is not the intensive training which could get the best out of the squad, but is managing the playing time of the players. Although Sir Alex was not as a fervent advocate as Rafa Benitez towards squad rotation, it was indeed a key component for the legendary manager’s success at the Theatre of Dreams.

Moyes demonstrated how to operate with limited budget and resources. Nevertheless, despite enjoying a much better squad depth now, the former Everton manager believes he needs better squad to win the Champions League. The worrying sign for United fans is that their manager seems to be far from understanding his players well enough.

Don’t concede if you don’t want to lose

Fielding the aging Vidic and Ferdinand for 6 consecutive matches within 35 days was astonishing and reckless. Maybe Moyes was still indulged in the Jagielka-Distin partnership who played week in week out for Everton. With Rafael injured, Phil Jones and Chris Smalling was deputised at right back, though both, who are natural centrebacks, were horrid at times.

Fabio might be still too raw, but Antonio Valencia, who was used occasionally at right back by Sir Alex, was not even considered to replace Phil Jones who limped off at Anfield. If this resulted in Vidic and Ferdinand clocking up so many minutes, it is inexcusable --- Moyes just do not know his players well enough.  Johnny Evans and Rafael has now returned from injury, but the damage has already been done. Two clean sheets in eight games is not the standard of a champion.  

Score if you want to win

There is little doubt that Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney are the first-choice strikers. Nonetheless, Chicharito, who scored numerous important goals last season, is limited to only three appearances (one start) this season.

Praying for his chance to come

Moyes has to give Rooney playing time to persuade him in a new deal and you can hardly bench a fit van Persie. However, with Danny Welbeck preferred on the flank, you would assume the Mexican finisher could manage more game time than he had.

Van Persie is a lethal centre forward but he could also be deployed as a no.10 with his exquisite ball control and neat passes. At times when Rooney was out of action with his horrendous scar, Moyes decided against the above idea and chose to field Giggs or Ashley Young in support, leaving Chicharito out in the cold.

Shinji Kagawa was not in scintillating form so far and was taken off at half time against West Brom – a blunt indication of the manager’s dissatisfaction; yet that was more because he was played out of position. Kagawa was occupied with the Confederations Cup and may not have many opportunities to impress Moyes, but if Moyes continues to overlook Kagawa, a player Sir Alex has rated above Chelsea’s Eden Hazard, he would be missing out on a potentially deadly striker partnership that brought Dortmund back into the spotlight (Kagawa-Lewandowski).

Youth Development

Nurturing young talents has been pivotal in United’s success throughout the years. Moyes appears to be following the tradition by promoting Adnan Januzaj, who did not disappoint him with the brace at Sunderland. If Moyes could help keep the prodigy on his feet then he has every chance of becoming a second Cristiano Ronaldo.

What about Wilfried Zaha, though? The England international has yet to make a league appearance for United this season and could only join Kagawa, Hernandez and Valencia as regular bench-warmers. While the other three could easily find suitors if they intend to, Zaha, at 20 years of age, will struggle to be recognized with his limited top-flight experience.

Moyes recently implied that Zaha is not ready for Manchester United yet and is looking to send him  on loan, making Zaha potentially becoming the most expensive player Sir Alex brought in to be loaned out. Instead, offloading Ashley Young seems to be a more reasonable option. High wages, poor form and cynical dives have already put the winger on the unpopular list, both in and out of the club.

Let’s hope the biased treatment between Zaha and Januzaj is not because of the former’s rumored love affair with Moyes’ daughter.

When will Zaha be featured?

Sir Alex revealed his eight core beliefs that was behind his managerial success earlier and his successor should read it if he hasn’t. In particular, Moyes needs to dare to rebuild his team. Some might argue Ferguson quitted his job in the best time, because the current crop has peaked. It is true in a way as van Persie turned 30, Vidic and Ferdinand looked only half of their best and Rooney was contemplating his future.

On the other hand, with his affection towards the Red Devils, Ferguson always possesses the long term vision despite having retirement in mind. Promotion of Welbeck, Cleverley, Rafael, so as acquiring Smalling, Phil Jones and Zaha have already helped equip Moyes with a balanced age groups in the squad.  Senior like Ryan Giggs would be of great help in addressing authority and garnering support, while the younger generation might provide elements of surprise during this rebuild through the managerial transition period.

Alex Ferguson has a glorious spell of 27 years with Manchester United, but it was not catalysed by one single winning formula. If David Moyes is to steer United back on the right track, he must forget about his sweet memories at Goodison Park and adapt to the new managerial environment  he is currently at.  

The man who is being overlooked --- Michael Carrick

In the critical five-day spell which determined England's World Cup fate, Rooney manned up to lead his nation to Rio next June, but it was Andros Townsend and Leighton Baines who stole the headlines. Apparently, new faces got the nation excited, when the golden generation is yet to live up to the expectation.

One man is again lost in translation. He seldom steals the show but is always a consistent contributor on the field. Michael Carrick's presence in the second half against Montenegro and the 70 minutes against Poland made a significant difference to the England side, which have long been passively predictable in big occasions.

Looking to repeat his European triumph, Sir Alex Ferguson quickly identified Carrick as one of his missing puzzles. His ability to play the ball out of defence, spread the ball around the field and enhance the quality of possession has made him indispensable in United’s midfield last few years.  

Carrick (left) is often surrounded by starpower

Joining United brought Carrick's career to another level, but may have also hurt his international career. Though being pivotal to United’s success, his low-profile playing style is further overshadowed by the stars at Old Trafford. Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo, Robin van Persie and co. have always attracted the attention. Even in 2008 when they came on top in the Champions League, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and even Owen Hargreaves were recognised ahead of Carrick.

One reason he did not win over the heart of the fans is that he is no typical English midfielder. There are no all-out tackles or tireless runs in his game; instead, it is his well-thought anticipation and composure is only seen as slow and indecisive in the fast and furious England soil. He simply doesn’t fit the 4-4-2 formation many English managers – especially the one in charge now – favour. He is often behind the hardworking and marauding counterparts.

always play with composure

This is why Owen Hargreaves, Gareth Barry and most recently Jack Wilshere are all higher in the pack – whoever is in charge of the national team – when it comes to choosing a midfield partner for Scholes, Gerrard or Lampard in a 4-4-2. Not because he is not as good; but because he is different – in a positive but unappreciated way as managers of the Three Lions, after Carrick rose to prominence, have been rather defensive-minded and conservative.

When the World Cup kicks off next year, Gerrard will be 34 and Lampard would be counting down his 35^th year; and they could in no way manage the frequent fixtures in group stage. Regardless of the importance of their influence and experience, Roy Hodgson should really start thinking about Carrick if he still hasn’t.

England has been relying on solid defence to go as deep as they could in recent tournaments, often lost out ultimately in the Russian roulette game --- penalty. When facing weaker teams, they run out of ideas to break through the crowded defence. What Carrick can offer is greater portion of possession and, if not the stagnant-breaking through balls, the passing range to distort packed defence.  

David Moyes perhaps could offer a tip or two when it comes to building a 4-4-2 midfield around Carrick. Despite the fuss, Marouane Fellaini is a more-than-decent partner for Carrick --- doing all the dirty stuff as well as compensating for the physical presence, allowing the Englishman time to use the ball wisely. The Gattuso-Pirlo partnership is another good reference, seeing Pirlo flourished with the help of the Milan mad-man.

A good example to learn from

 Phil Jones, Carrick's United teammate, maybe the closest match of that to Fellaini but being inexperienced and probably technically inadequate, it is unlikely Hodgson will opt for Jones. Jack Wilshere is also a front-runner for a starting place in the team but it will only be a waste of his attacking talent deploying him as a destructive midfielder. Scott Parker was a favourite when Hodgson first took charge, though he would need to start play more regularly in Fulham to regain his starting place.

It seems after all there are no suitable partners for Carrick and, much to Hodgson’s regret, this is why he remains on the periphery of the national team. After a much commanding performance against Poland, Hodgson will stay a worried man to seek for solutions to utilise Carrick's ability in Rio next year. 

What AVB should pick up from the timely reality check

There were once the Invincibles in North London and the Special One in Chelsea, who were so accomplished to not even falter for once in the league title marathon race. With the Premier League getting more popular, the competition could only get fiercer. A dip in form is almost unavoidable. It is the timing that matters the most.

Tottenham have missed out on Champions League by millimetres in the past two seasons. Short of consistency was the key to their dismay. It is the painful experience that makes a young side like Tottenham to grow exponentially. Appeared to have spent wisely and significantly strengthened the squad this season, the humiliating defeat to West Ham could be a timely reality check for Tottenham, in particular for Andre Villas-Boas.

The headache of having options in hand

Going for the right option

It is equally challenging whether you are under or over-resourced. AVB might not have many options to choose from in his debut season at White Hart Lane. Yet with all the new players recruited from the funds of selling Gareth Bale, it will now be down to him to pick the right men in the right occasion.

The most debatable area is the striker position. Jermain Defoe is not a natural lone striker, but his terrific form in cup matches gives AVB a huge dilemma. Unfortunately, the decision to drop Roberto Soldado, who started every league game before playing West Ham, was not rewarded. Defoe hardly got a touch of the ball with James Tomkins and Winston Reid in top-notch form. As Tottenham lacked width in attack, West Ham could easily crowd the midfield to prevent Defoe drop deeper as a trequartista. Defoe worked his socks off throughout the afternoon but never found the comfort zone.

It takes courage to make a change of this significance when the formation seems to work pretty well. AVB is desperate to get the team scoring freely before it is too late. Until then, his selection of striker(s) will continue to be in the limelight.

Respond to the change

There is expectation on AVB with his history as Jose Mourinho's assistant and the successful run with Porto. However, comparing to Mourinho, AVB's ability to make game-changing substitutions and counteract opponents' tactical change is something he still needs to work on.

Mourinho brought on Juan Mata after half-time at White Hart Lane and completely shifted the momentum of the match. AVB decided not to make a passive move by leaving Sandro on the bench, but only saw his side's brilliant first half fade away as Mata took control of the midfield.

Morrison wrapped up the miserable afternoon for Spurs

Facing Big Sam's West Ham who was coming for a point, Christian Eriksen failed to find his feet among the physical West Ham defence. Kyle Walker, who just passed the fitness test to start the game, and Kyle Naughton could not provide the width Tottenham desperately needed. The lack of presence in the box only made Tomkins and Reid’s afternoon easier. However, the anticipated tactical change did not come until they conceded.

Making gambling attempts to take initiative doesn’t seem to be AVB's preference. At the top level of football, though, one has to take risks to gain the high ground, and it is this mentality that differentiate good teams and top teams.

They need a leader

This has become increasingly crucial to Tottenham, when seeing John Terry of Chelsea, Nemanja Vidic of Manchester United and Steven Gerrard of Liverpool, though all may no longer be physically at the peak but were able to provide the comfort factor when their teams need it the most. For two consecutive Sundays, Tottenham could not find their man to stop the bleeding.

Michael Dawson should be the most capable leader in this young side but has to be more assertive when in crisis. Having dominated for most of the match, Winston Reid's goal killed their momentum away and Tottenham just could not find their way back. Dawson had even clumsily allowed Ravel Morrison to seal the deal for West Ham. 

When there is nothing more than yelling at the sideline a manager could do, a natural leader in the field is unarguably invaluable. Tottenham could not afford to give away too many grounds if they want to be in the top four. A stability and leadership provider is what they miss.