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hitting .260 in his first season

Started by fu0222, 2015-11-16 08:39

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The European transfer is open once more as teams across the BPL look to solidify title charges, keep up the fight for European places and avoid the drop at all costs. TSN.ca brings you an overview of what each team in the BPL needs in January, who they could look to target and which players could be departing their current clubs. Arsenal (9-6-5, sixth in BPL) What do they need?: A top-four place and passage to an 18th-consecutive Champions League isnt a given just yet for Arsene Wengers side. The club is arguably at its healthiest right now ( thats not saying a lot) this season with only Jack Wilshere (out with an ankle injury until February) out for the long term, but that doesnt mean reinforcements wouldnt be welcome. Laurent Koscielny returned from a lengthy absence (Achilles) in last Sundays 2-1 win over West Ham, yet it might be foolish to count on the oft-injured Frenchman to stay fit for the duration of the season and it wouldnt be prudent to expect him to play in every game, considering that the Gunners remain alive in three competitions. Combine that with concerns over Mathieu Debuchys health, as well as some questionable decision-making as of late from the likes of Per Mertesacker and its easy to see that some incoming defensive help would be high on Wengers list of priorities. Like they did in the summer, Arsenal could still use a big presence in the centre of midfield, but that would appear to be an area better addressed at the end of the season based upon the scarcity of options in the winter. Whos of interest?: Winston Reids name is one that is constantly attached to the Gunners and the New Zealand international certainly fits the bill as somebody who plugs a hole in the back. Hes out of contract in the spring, but with West Ham challenging for Europe and the fact that selling to a derby rival is never something a team likes to do, it could take some magic for Wenger to reel in the 26-year-old. Tires should be kicked on Aston Villas Ron Vlaar, but there will be competition for his signature and Villas willingness to part with their captain seems lukewarm at best. Mats Hummels will obviously be on Arsenals radar, as well, but if the German international were to leave his beloved Borussia Dortmund, it would be in the summer. As for that midfield problem, Sami Khedira would be one of the best solutions out there. While theres no indication that Real Madrid has any intentions of selling the 27-year-old World Cup winner in January, hes become a fixture on Carlo Ancelottis bench and hes also out of contract in the summer. As for luxury additions, Edinson Cavani could be arriving at the Emirates. Its become increasingly obvious that the Uruguayans days at PSG are numbered and a move appears to be in the cards sooner than later. Goal-scoring has not been a problem for the Gunners (their 34 goals this season sit only behind joint goals leaders Chelsea and City at 41), but it would be hard to resist the allure of a player like Cavani if he were to become available. Who could leave?: Lukas Podolski has left for Inter. There was some speculation that Arsenal would insist on a sale to drum up funds for other January moves, but the German international striker, who didnt start a single game for Arsenal this season, is he. Speaking of loans, both Joel Campbell and Yaya Sanogo could be farmed out in the New Year in hopes of more playing time for both of the young strikers. Bordeaux is a potential destination for the latter, but there is some talk that Wenger would prefer if the Frenchman stayed in the BPL. Aston Villa (5-7-8, 12th in BPL) What do they need?: Rather than adding players, Paul Lambert needs to be concerned about retaining them, namely captain Ron Vlaar and, arguably, his best player in Fabian Delph. And its not that Villa wants to sell either man in the slightest, either. Its their contract situations that make this a crucial window for Villa when it comes to both men. Vlaar and Delph are out of contract in the summer and Villa are at a bit of a crossroads: Do you cash in on the pair now and face a relegation battle or do you retain them for the rest of the season at the cost of losing them for nothing? Lambert and Villa must tread cautiously here, but its going to be very hard for the Birmingham club to turn down a lucrative offer from the likes of Manchester United for Vlaar and Liverpool for Delph. While the safe money has Lambert keeping the pair, lets wait and see how intently Louis van Gaal wants a reunion with Vlaar. This is not to say that the team doesnt have other needs to address in, say, some defensive cover and an attacker for their anemic offence (theyve scored a league-worst 11 goals). The likelihood of arrivals at Villa Park just isnt very high right now. Whos of interest?: While nobody of note might be arriving, Villa will push to make Tom Cleverleys loan deal from Manchester United into a permanent. Should that occur, expect a total of zero tears to be shed by United supporters. Who could leave?: Outside of Vlaar and Delph, the current crop of players, including a reinvigorated Christian Benteke, appears to be the one that Lambert will have at his disposal to keep Villa afloat. Burnley (3-8-9, 19th in BPL) What do they need? Like any modestly budgeted promoted team, Burnley needs depth and quality across the board. Whether Sean Dyche will actually have the funds to improve at all in January is another matter, altogether. One thing is for certain, no game changers are headed to Turf Moor in the next month. Burnley will likely have to avoid the drop with the current hands on deck. That said, as witnessed by the Clarets two-goal fight back last Sunday against City, Burnley doesnt intend to head back to the Championship without a fight. If Dyche can bring in a player to help, hell certainly try, but it needs to make sense financially. With staying up an uphill battle, it would be absolutely foolish for Dyche to bring in an expensive (relative to Burnley, at least) player and then get stuck with an enormous wage bill as a Championship side. Never mind attempting to secure a return to the Prem, when a situation like that happens, another relegation is a more likely scenario as weve seen so many times in the past. Whos of interest?: If Burnley were going to bring in a single player, Dyches highest priority would be a forward. Dwight Gayle is out of favour at Crystal Palace (but that could change with Alan Pardews arrival) and could be an ideal pick-up for Burnley, but again, it comes back to cost. Watfords Troy Deeney could be another option. Who could leave?: Striker Danny Ings has attracted interest from a number of teams including Saints, Newcastle and Liverpool. Hes out of contract in the summer and Burnley is stuck in a catch-22 because of it: His sale would represent an injection of sorely needed money into the club, but losing his goal-scoring prowess could condemn the Clarets to the drop. You never want to see an asset leave with no return, but in the case of Ings, Burnley cannot be blamed for taking the risk. Chelsea (14-4-2, first in BPL) What do they need?: In all honesty? Nothing. This is the deepest and best quality side in the Prem by a good margin with history on its side - every time a Jose Mourinho-led team has been at the top of the table on Christmas Day, its won the league. Defeat at Spurs side, this bodes well for Chelsea heading into the the New Year and its clear that, Chelsea were to add to the team during this window, it would be out of luxury and not out of need. Whos of interest?: The only scenario in which Chelsea might have to act out of need would be if Petr Cech sought first-team football elsewhere. Firmly entrenched as the back-up behind Thibault Courtois, Cech is unlikely to be turned to going forward outside of injury, maybe games in the same week as a Champions League tie or, perhaps, an FA Cup tie. If the match is meaningful, Courtois is in goal. Though having won everything in the BPL with , including a Champions League title, the 32-year-old still believes himself to be a number-one stopper, but would need to leave Chelsea to be that. Who could go?: Outside of a Cech departure, the other name to watch out for is Mohamed Salah. The 23-year-old Egyptian international has appeared just five times for the Blues this season and will likely be loaned out somewhere on the continent. The winger has been attached to Inter in recent days, but so has just about every other player rumoured to be a loan candidate. Crystal Palace (3-8-9, 18th in BPL) What do they need?: Goals and lots of them if Palace wants to be a Prem team come next season. Currently, Palaces leading scorer is captain Mile Jedinak with five. Three of those came on penalties and Jedinak is a defensive midfielder. It doesnt take Bob Paisley to understand that this is not good. If incoming manager Alan Pardew can guide the Eagles to safety, it will cap quite the season for a gaffer who went from Newcastle scapegoat to savior and then somewhere in between, all over the course of a couple of months before walking out on the job last week. Pardew is not a miracle worker, though, and will need help from existing forwards in Frazier Campbell and Marouane Chamakh and from whomever he can convince to join him at Selhurst Park during the next month. Whos of interest?: Like other relegation-threatened teams, Palace knows that any transfer has to be mindful of what could happen if the team is sent down come May. You simply cannot spend a large sum of money on a player whose big wages could still be on your books as a Championship side next summer. Neil Warnock, when he was still manager last week, confirmed that the team had interest in Jermain Defoe, but that the Toronto FC striker was too rich for their blood. Loan moves or signings on the cheap will be the name of the game for Pardew. Its believed that French international Bafetimbi Gomis is on the clubs radar, but Swansea could be asking too much for the forward. Arsenal pair Campbell and Sanogo certainly fit the bill for the type of player that Palace is looking for and an intra-London loan could make sense. Though goal-scoring is Palaces clear focus, Pardew wouldnt turn down the opportunity to shore up at the back for the right price. Who could go?: Dwight Gayle wasnt a favourite of Warnocks and the feeling was that he could be shipped out during the window, but Pardew might decide to see what he has in the player before selling. Winger Yanick Bolasies name has come up in rumours over the course of the last few weeks, with the likes of Newcastle and Liverpool said to be monitoring the Congolese international. Bolasie is unlikely to move unless a team is willing to pay heavily for the player. Everton (5-6-9, 13th in BPL) What do they need?: Still alive in Europa, Everton might not be in the position to compete on three fronts at this point, considering the injury crisis at the club. With keeper and club talisman Tim Howard the highest profile of the casualties, Roberto Martinez would be wise to consider additions in an attempt to get the time out of the midtable wasteland the club currently finds itself in. The Toffees are hemorrhaging goals right now, having conceded nine goals in their last four matches, all four of them losses. Everton currently sits 13 points out of a European place and likely wont make a run in this incarnation. While Martinez is unlikely to consider anything close to wholesale changes in this window, help right now would be welcomed at almost every position on the pitch. Whos of interest?: Martinez would love to get his hands on monstrous Celtic centre back Virgil van Dijk, but they are only one of several teams in the queue for the impressive Dutchman. Evertons loan deal with Barcelona last season for Gerard Deulofeu proved to be a great success, so the Toffees could turn to the Blaugrana for help again, this time at the back. Martin Montoya, frustrated with a lack of opportunity at Camp Nou, is reportedly interested in a move, while Barca is interested in loaning out young Brazilian right-back, Douglas. While reinforcements in defence are of the highest priority, Evertons offence has gone cold as of late, so a reported deal for Marseille striker Andre Ayew would be welcome right now. Who could go?: Martinez has indicated in recent days that he doesnt think there will be any departures from Goodison Park in January, but Louis van Gaal and Manchester United could test his resolve with a big offer for Ireland international defender Seamus Coleman. Hull City (4-7-9, 15th in BPL) What do they need?: Last years FA Cup final was the first final appearance in the clubs 100-year history and it was a great run for the Tigers, but crashing out of this years tournament on the weekend to last years champions, Arsenal, could be a blessing in disguise. The Tigers arent really equipped to compete on two fronts right now (let alone three, as the teams brief foray into the Europa League proved earlier in the season, crashing out in the playoff round to Belgian side, Lokeren), so focusing on survival in the Prem is all they need to be doing right now. The Tigers could use an injection across the board, but Steve Bruce will let his finances dictate where improvements can realistically be made. If there is one really pressing need for Hull, its some help in attack. Whos of interest?: Aaron Lennon is exactly the type of player Bruce could use at his disposal right now - a pacey winger, also capable of making runs up the gut and a good distributor of the ball. Spurs would probably be willing to let the one-time England international go for the right price and thats where the problem starts for Hull. That price could be too rich for the Tigers blood. Toronto FCs Jermain Defoe is also a player who interests Bruce, but the former Manchester United star admitted last week that he doesnt think that he has the funds to get a deal done with the MLS side. A potential cheaper option for Bruce could be Udineses Ghana international Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu. A more central player than Lennon, Agyemang-Badu could bring the same type of impact, but for less of a pocketbook hit. Who could go?: Well, Hatem Ben Arfa is already gone. With his loan cancelled by Bruce after less than six months, the days when Ben Arfa was one of French footballs most promising young talents is long gone and it became almost comical to watch Hull and Newcastle both attempt to wash their hands of this former cant-miss star. Hell try to rebuild his reputation at Nice. If anybody else is to leave KC Stadium, it could be the captain. Curtis Davies is said to be unhappy with the club dragging its feet on a new extension for the defender. While it might not be either partys first choice for a separation, the impasse could prompt a move with Sunderland said to be monitoring the situation. K.J. Wright Seahawks Jersey .com) - Four-time champion Novak Djokovic has been installed as the top seed at the Australian Open, which will begin Monday in Melbourne. Jimmy Graham Seahawks Jersey . McLeod, who was assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct for boarding and Kronwall was taken from the ice on a stretcher. After the game, the Red Wings told the media that Kronwall had sustained a concussion. By having an in-person hearing, the league can suspend McLeod for more than five-games as per the Collective Bargaining Agreement. http://www.shoptheofficialseahawksJersey.com/Elite-Drew-Nowak-Seahawks-Jersey/ .C. - Wendell Scott earned a second NASCAR first on Wednesday: He became the first African-American driver to be elected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Byron Maxwell Seahawks Jersey . - A Tuesday funeral is planned in Toronto for 20-year-old Saginaw Spirit forward Terry Trafford. Jon Ryan Seahawks Jersey . The Boston Bruins top-line centre had no goals and only three assists through the first 10 playoff games. ANAHEIM, Calif. -- C.J. Wilson isnt too particular about the way he gets his victories. He will take them any way he can get them -- no matter how ugly they are. Wilson surrendered five runs in the second inning after his teammates had scored five in the first, but Mike Trout regained the lead for the Los Angeles Angels in the bottom of the second with a two-run homer, and manager Mike Scioscias much maligned bullpen hung on for an 8-6 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night. "It was the best luck I had to get that run support and win despite giving up all those runs," Wilson said. "The bullpen had their backs up against the wall. I didnt really give them that much to work with. They had to throw four scoreless innings and they came through." Wilson (8-6) barely navigated through five innings and left with the lead after allowing six runs and nine hits, including back-to-back home runs for the second time in his last three starts. The left-hander, who came in 5-0 with a 1.58 ERA in his previous six outings at Angel Stadium, blew a 5-0 lead in the second before Trout hit his 17th homer in the bottom half. "It was an interesting approach that their team had today. They took a lot of pitches -- first-pitch strikes down the middle -- and then with two strikes they would fight the pitches off," Wilson said. "I dont know how many first-pitch strikes I threw. It felt like a ton. All the hits were deep in the count, so it was kind of a Twilight-Zone type of thing. "After the two home runs, it was like paper cuts to death. Obviously, Willingham and Morales hit the ball really hard, but a lot of the other hits were in-between guys or under the coverage," Wilson added. Trouts homer was Los Angeles last hit until David Freeses one-out single in the sixth. The Twins got a run closer in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by former Angels slugger Kendrys Morales, but Joe Smith got three outs for his sixth save to help extend the Angels four-game winning streak and snap a season-best four-game streak by the Twins. Kyle Gibson (6-6) threw 50 pitches over two innings in his 25th career start, equaling his shortest outing in the big leagues. The 26-year-old right-hander gave up seven runs, four hits and two walks, after coming in with a streak of 22 consecutive scoreless innings. "I juust didnt really have a good feel out there from pitch one in the bullpen," Gibson said.dddddddddddd "It felt like I was searching the whole time. It was just one of those weird nights. I didnt feel like I was repeating my delivery. It was pretty clear that I wasnt very sharp. I was leaving sliders over the middle, sinkers up -- I mean, it was a confusing, frustrating night overall." The right-hander found himself in a bases-loaded, no-out jam after 16 pitches and failed to retire any of his first six batters -- although Albert Pujols reached on a fielders choice when shortstop Danny Santana fielded his grounder deep in the hole and Trout beat the rookies throw to second. By the time the inning ended, Los Angeles had pushed across five runs. Josh Hamilton and Howie Kendrick both came up with the bases loaded and hit two-run singles. Erick Aybar, who was hit by a pitch, scored the fifth run on a double-play grounder by C.J. Cron. But Minnesota needed only one inning to erase the deficit. Josh Willingham, who has eight homers in his last 15 games against the Angels, drove an 0-2 pitch to centre field that barely eluded Trouts glove -- which was about 3 feet above the fence. Morales followed with first homer in a Twins uniform, sending a 3-2 pitch into the lower seats in the left field corner. No. 9 hitter Sam Fuld kept the rally alive with a two-out RBI single, Santana drove in another run with a double and Brian Dozier tied it with an RBI single. NOTES: Angels hitting coach Don Baylor was in the dugout during a game for the first time since breaking his right leg while catching a ceremonial first pitch from Vladimir Guerrero on opening night. ... Gibson lasted just two innings on May 10 at Detroit, allowing six runs in a 9-3 loss. ... Joe Mauer, who won three AL batting titles as a catcher and the MVP award in 2009, is hitting .260 in his first season as a full-time first baseman. Only two of his 22 RBIs have come on the road. ... Mauer and C Kurt Suzuki each entered the game 2 for 22 against Wilson. Mauer was 1 for 3 this time against the two-time All-Star and Suzuki was 0 for 3. ... 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