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As the dust settles on what must surely (on paper at least) be considered one of England’s best ever qualifying campaigns, commentators and pundits are now racing to answer some tricky questions; what did we learn from the games? Are England now in reasonable shape for the tournament? How far can they go? Can they even win it?!Unfortunately it’s a case of ‘almost certainly not’ as far as that last one is concerned, but there are a few issues thatÂrequire slightly more than a simple rebuttal.Here’s my humble take on what Roy & co. may have taken from the last 9 games…The team has not been properly tested yet – Aside from some self-inflicted pressure in Slovenia when the defence capitulated alarmingly easily twice and stood aside like a yawning whale for the home side to waltz through and score, actual pressure during games has been rare.In fact, the friendlies have given us much more tension and pressure, with a cauldron-like atmosphere in Glasgow last year testing the players mettle before going to Italy in the spring and facing a growing and confident Azurri. In this respect, the friendlies against Spain and France later this month, and Germany early next year, will tell us a lot more about how the players can handle big games. Especially the defence, which takes me neatly onto point two…..[ffc-gal cat=”premier-league” no=”5″]This defence does not inspire tremendous confidence – after the glory-years of Terry, Ferdinand, Neville and Cole, this England defence is still a real work in progress. Gary Cahill and Phil Jagielka did not look altogether convincing at the World Cup and it is hard to see how they can have improved given the one-sided nature of the qualifying games. Practice, and plenty of it, against the worlds best teams is vital ahead of the summer.But the strike force does – any team that can have Daniel Sturridge consistently out of the side and still not look too short of strikers is clearly a force to be reckoned with. With Rooney, Kane, Welbeck and Sturridge all strikers to be feared in the Premier League, and back up including Danny Ings, Jamie Vardy and possibly Charlie Austin, Hodgson can feel confident in how his side looks going forward.The wingers don’t look too shabby either – depending how the team lines up in France next year, the wingers could either be part of a midfield four or three up front. Whatever the formation, they deserve respect from the opposition. Townsend, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Walcott and Sterling all have the capability to frighten the life out of defences with their pace, and they can all finish if given the opportunity as well.But Roy must sort out the centre of midfield before it’s too late – Henderson, Lallana, Barkley, Carrick, Delph, Wilshere…… Who is England’s first choice centre midfield pairing?! None of the players mentioned above have let the side down, but then the opposition they’ve been playing against have made most games a stroll in the park.Depending on whether Roy feels like sitting in and countering or going on the offensive, he can set up a different side, which must be looked at as a positive. However, a little continuity might be nice.Barkley must play a key role – worthy of an article in itself, this debate might just decide how far England go next year. If Hodgson can conquer his natural conservatism and trust the talented playmaker from the start, he could reward them in spectacular style. His early-season performances for Everton show his startling ability and promise. Now is the time for him to realise that potential.Hodgson manages best when he lets exciting young talent loose – having previously mentioned that England must not rely on their defence for too much in the tournament, Hodgson must realise that the best form of defence is attack, and let his forwards take it to the opposition.We have to appreciate exciting qualifiers when they come around – due to the ranking system, games during qualifying do tend to be dull, cagey affairs against a side of limited ability. That’s why the games against Scotland before the 2018 World Cup will be so enjoyable – the passion of that rivalry remains undimmed by time.There are too many teams in these qualifiers – qualifying for a major tournament should never be a boring chore, but that’s exactly what this campaign turned into. FIFA and UEFA must look long and hard about whether the minnows who now sup at the same table as the worlds finest deserve their automatic place there.Despite that, it’s going to be a great tournament! After such a long build up (around 13 months by the time the playoffs are decided), it’ll be nice to see the groups, start to plot potential routes to the final and get down to the serious business of acquiring wall charts and England car flags like there’s no tomorrow.

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Nottingham Forest recently delved into the loan market with a move for Crystal Palace midfielder Jonathan Williams. The Wales international is a welcome addition to side currently struggling to string any sort of consistency together.

Dougie Freedman has a decent enough spine to call on, and any side with Henri Lansbury in it will always have a chance. However, they are struggling to connect their midfield with their attack, with striker Dexter Blackstock and Chris O’Grady often seeming isolated.

The club are entering their 17th season away from the Premier League, and the project embarked upon by their Kuwati owners has never truly taken off. Club legend Stuart Pearce was unable to lead them back into the big time, despite some good form in the early days of his tenure.

They are not far off a good team, but could use some astute temporary additions if they are to push for the playoffs.

MIKE WILLIAMSON

The Newcastle defender may not be the most awe inspiring addition the City Ground club could possibly make, but an astute one nonetheless. Former Forest player Jamaal Lascelles looks to have taken Williamson’s place at St. James’ – as well as the arrival of Chancel Mbeba.

The former Portsmouth man would add an experienced head to the Forest back-line, something that could be vital in a gruelling league such as the Championship. He also provides an aerial threat at the opposite end of the pitch.

EMANUEL RIVERIE

Williamson’s Newcastle teammate Emmanuel Riverie hasn’t had the best time of it up in the North East. However, a loan move and a run of first team games could be just what the former Monaco man needs.

The former French youth international can play as a leading man, or on either wing and used to mix with the likes of Radamel Falcao and James Rodriquez.

Though often frustrating, his two goals against Crystal Palace last year show there is talent in the player. Somewhere at least. A move to Forest could work wonders for all.

LLOYD ISGROVE

The Southampton youngster could do with a run in a first-team. The Saints’ famed academy has produced some wonderful talents over the years – and the Welshman could be next in line.

He’s previously impressed at Sheffield Wednesday, and is versatile enough to play on either flank. As you might expect from a Southampton academy graduate, he’s comfortable in possession and could form a classy double act with Henri Lansbury.

JOE COLE

The forgotten man. Once a hugely talented young footballer, he now finds himself in the wilderness at Aston Villa. The former Chelsea man is exactly the sort of between-the-lines player Freedman’s side are crying out for.

Despite recent stagnation in his career, Cole has played for some huge clubs and won some huge trophies. If Forest are still struggling to break things down, they could do a lot worse than bringing in the player.

JONATHAN WALTERS

The Stoke man seemed set for a move away from the club, but ultimately stayed despite a transfer request.

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The Republic of Ireland international is a proven Premier League player, and could prove an excellent addition to a side bidding for promotion.

Able to operate either on the right flank, or as a striker, his tireless work in the front third could prove the spark Freedman and his side need to shoot up the league.

DWIGHT GALE

After completing a fairy-tale rise up the ranks from non-league, all the way to the Premier League, the 25-year old has fallen in the pecking order under Alan Pardew.

A move to Bristol City collapsed over the summer, so it’s clear Crystal Palace are willing to sell. He would provide energy and a poacher’s instinct up front for a Championship side, and is another who can be deployed in a variety of positions across the front line.

Teenage summer signing Joe Gomez has already helped improve Liverpool’s defending this season, with Saturday’s defeat to West Ham the only blip on his record so far.

Gomez wasn’t really at fault for any goal, as Dejan Lovren and Martin Skrtel were mostly at fault for least two of the Hammers goals on Saturday.

Nonetheless, the affect Joe Gomez has made at Liverpool hasn’t only been huge, but equally as surprising, too. Former Liverpool left back John Arne Risse in high praise for the youngster saying: “I must admit I didn’t know too much about him before he came to the club.

“But I’m very, very impressed by Joe Gomez. Seriously impressed.

“It’s a recurring theme when it comes to the 18-year-old”.

Gomez’s impressive performances haven’t gone unnoticed so far this season with a call up to Gareth Southgates U21’s England squad a telling reward for his efforts.

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Ostensibly, it’s been a swift turnaround. But some are not so shocked. Certainly not Charlton academy director Steve Avory.

“I think Joe saw there was a pathway here,” Avory told Sky Sports, speaking at the training ground where Gomez’s photo still adorns the wall.

His form has been hugely impressive and first impressions count a lot in football, and so far you would have to say that the former Charlton man couldn’t have done any more.

But not only has his performances individually, but he has also helped to galvanise the Liverpool defence. Despite being known for leaking goals, Rodgers’ men had kept three clean sheets in their first three games with the youngster in the side, and because Gomez is a right footed centre-back playing at left back, it has meant that the back four has played far narrower.

The narrow defence has worked well, though. Skrtel and Lovren have been less exposed so far, with Saturday’s defeat being the exception, and it is crucial that Liverpool keep Lovren unexposed as Manuel Lanzini highlighted the damage it can have when he disposed Lovren for Mark Noble’s goal on Saturday.

When he is left isolated the Croat struggles, as shown last season when he made many mistakes, and his seven mistakes leading to shots last term was indeed the highest in the league. With Gomez in the side, Lovren being isolated is far less likely to happen as the former Charlton man tucks inside.

He has made more interceptions and more tackles than any of his Liverpool team mates so far, which is pretty impressive for young teenager still learning his trade at the very top of the game.

He has settled into life on Merseyside seamlessly, and the fact he is keeping one of Rodgers’ big signings from last summer, Alberto Moreno, out of the side, shows the Northern Irishman’s faith in Gomez, as he clearly sees that he is a far reliable defender than the Spaniard.

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Gomez may well have gone under the radar when he made his Liverpool switch earlier in the summer, but the teenager is already showing his worth and frankly starts don’t come much better than the one he has made to his Liverpool career.

He is fast becoming a real unsung hero.

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As the curtain falls on the Premier League, it is difficult to imagine the 2014/15 season living long in the memory.

Of course, we may look back on it as a breakout year for Harry Kane and all his associated memes.  Future journalists may well be able to point to this very season as Eden Hazard’s arrival to the top tier of world football.  However, for the most part, this season proved to be a little flat.

Once again; Chelsea, Arsenal and the two Manchester sides finished in the top four.  Despite some notable challenges throughout the years, these four sides have finished in the highest echelons of the Premier League three out of five years.

Is the Champions League now a bridge too far for the chasing pack?  What lies beneath in the troubled waters of Europa League qualification?

The top four spots of English football are among the most lucrative in the world.  Few have contested them in recent memory.  In fact, in the decade following Steven Gerrard’s Turkish delight, only six different sides have held such lofty positions.

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The two ‘breakout’ teams have been Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur, a pair of clubs who have 20 league titles between them.  Furthermore, Tottenham did not even play in the Champions League during the 2012/2013 season after a special night in Munich for a certain Mr Drogba & co.

A worrying trend (for the hopefuls) appears to suggest that the only glimmer of hope the chasing pack have is granted to them when one of the established titans goes through a transition.

Ten years ago, it seemed Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool had taken to their thrones as the powerful kings of English football.  That was until the wheels slowly started to come off for Liverpool.  Once proud rulers at home and abroad, the departure of first Xabi Alonso, and then Rafa Benitez left a gaping hole in a structure that once seemed so strong.  They were in transition.  Suddenly, new challengers were ready for battle.

An exciting Tottenham Hostpur side, always on the periphery of such elusive spots, had broken the top four for the first time in four years. A new sense of optimism filled English football.  It could be done!  Tottenham, Everton, Aston Villa rejoice!

Multi millions from Abu Dhabi decking the halls of (what was then) the City of Manchester Stadium crushed such optimism.  After a few (albeit very costly) seasons finding their feet as a financial powerhouse, Manchester City finally bulldozed their way into the promise land.  A successor to Liverpool seemed to be anointed.  The structure was back in place.  Arise, Manchester City.

The following year we witnessed the second transition to be seen in a top four club.  The mighty Chelsea.  The strong Mourinho team that had served the club so well appeared to ageing.  A second special one had been chosen to lead the West London side.  Andre Villas Boas swaggered into the Stamford Bridge halls to usher in a new age for Chelsea.  It did not work.

Tottenham did what they could to pounce, but we all know the events of THAT night at the Allianz Arena.  Ultimately the top four remained the same.

Finally, we had Luiz Suarez Liverpool last year.  The swashbuckling, cavalier approach employed by Brendan Rodgers and embodied by the Uruguayan captivated the Premier League as Manchester United were left reeling under David Moyes.

The post Sir Alex transition was always going to be difficult for United, and Liverpool took full advantage.  Louis Van Gaal appears to have somewhat steadied the ship, though the ride sure was stormy at times, and it will be fascinating to see if they can emerge from this period any more unscathed.

It is hard to imagine a team outside this establishment of order breaking the mould.  Newcastle, Everton and Swansea all dared to dream and the stress of the Europa League brought with it a shattering reality.

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So, what will become of the vibrant Southampton team that captured the hearts of many neutrals on their march up the league last season?  Following a fire sale and predicted relegation, Ronald Koeman’s stylish South Coast outfit qualified for the Europa League.  Rightly, fans are delighted.

However, a curse appears to bewitch those who finish just below the promise land.  So much so, towards the end of the season the idea of a team performing badly in an effort to miss out on Europa League qualification reared its head.  Now, whether this is true or not is almost beside the point – it screams volumes about the feeling towards Europe’s second tier.

Teams that have come close to breaking the glass ceiling of the Premier League have become so effected by its gruelling schedule and strain on resources, the gap has become even greater.  Is this truly the reward for ambition?

Unless we see a Manchester City type investment or a post Arsene Wenger nose dive from Arsenal, the Premier League season may continue in the same rather dull fashion as 2014/15.

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His goalscoring heroics for Real Madrid against Atletico Madrid in midweek have well and truly put Javier Hernandez back on the transfer map. Somewhat exiled at the Bernabeu, the Manchester United hit-man has become a forgotten character, but a timely reminder of what he does best – scoring goals – ahead of the summer transfer window may well have opened up possibilities for him.

One side sitting up and taking notice is West Ham, with reports claiming that the east London outfit are seriously considering a move for the 26-year-old. Although the ‘Little Pea’ is not in the Red Devils’ plans, he could be perfect for the Irons as they build for the future… and here are FIVE reasons why.

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Guarantees goals

‘Chicharito’ may not be standout in any specific area, but he knows how to score goals. He’s not tall, not overly strong, not amazingly quick over the turf and he’s certainly not the sort of player to bring others into attacks, but put the ball in the six yard box, and he’ll somehow find a way to get it into the net. And, after all, scoring goals is the most important job on the football pitch!

Hernandez has a record of better than one goal in every two games for Mexico, averaged almost the same at Manchester United despite a largely ‘impact sub’ role and has even managed four goals in just over 400 minutes of La Liga action this season.

More prolific than West Ham’s current options

Building on the last point, Hernandez is much more dangerous that West Ham’s current options. Okay the stats (via Squawka) are comparing La Liga and the Premier League – although as two of the ‘top divisions’ in Europe, they should be on a par – and Hernandez is supported by the likes of Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo when called upon, but the numbers are still impressive.

Per 90 minutes, the Mexican nets 0.81 goals, making him almost twice as dangerous as Andy Carroll and significantly more deadly that top scorer, Diafra Sakho. A shot accuracy of 62% is also not to be sniffed at.

Won’t break the bank

With Real Madrid having a clause to sign Hernandez for £7m, that would appear to be the benchmark figure for the 26-year-old. However, with Los Blancos set to reject the opportunity to draft him in, Manchester United will be stuck with a player entering the last year of his contract who will, most likely, be of little use to Louis van Gaal. As a result, West Ham could negotiate a better deal, and it would be no surprise to see him move on for a fee of far below £7m.

Suited to the style of football the fans want

Although ‘Big Sam’ has moved away from ‘hoof-ball’ this season, the Hammers are still suited to a direct style of play. Getting the ball forward quickly is by no means an embarrassing way of playing, but many fans crave a more attractive short passing game, which Hernandez could suit. Although not a great passer of the ball, a lack of physical presence up front will cut off the option of the long ball, forcing the Irons to use their talented midfielders such as Mark Noble to thread neat passes.

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Point to prove

Despite boasting an impressive record and always performing when called upon, Hernandez wasn’t ever really give a fair crack at Man United. So, given a chance to perform in the Premier League, ‘Chicharito’ would have the motivation of getting one over on his former employers, which could be the sort of fire needed to push him on to fulfil his potential. West Ham would surely benefit from this.

You’d be forgiven for adhering to the bout of pessimism prevalent at the moment given the state of English football clubs’ performances in Europe.

Chelsea’s away goal Champions League exit to PSG, combined with Arsenal and Man City’s precarious second-leg tie status, are again damning evidence for another year that English football is dwindling on the European stage.

To add to that, Liverpool and Tottenham are both out of the Europa League and only Everton, rooted to 14th in the Premier League, six points above relegation after 29 games, have any attachment left to the continent.

The hypothesis that you deduce from that is fairly straightforward; for all of the glamour and decadence that the Premier League arrogantly portrays in it’s multi-billion pound television deal swag, the best club team’s in Europe are residing abroad.

The whole aura of disappointment comes partly from our (very high) expectations. Such are born primarily from, one, the financial might that England’s top teams possess (be it from investing oligarchs or the financial efficiency of the league itself), and two, the incredible run of success that English teams maintained between 2005 and 2012 in getting to the Champions League final.

Indeed, in 2005 it was Liverpool, 2006 Arsenal, 2007 Liverpool again, 2008 Manchester United and Chelsea, 2009 and 2011 United, and 2012 Chelsea. In 2013/2014, not a single English team made it to the quarters, and last year only Chelsea made it to the semis.

It’s that recent success, combined with the assumption that the Premier League is the finest of it’s kind, that makes us believe that an English team should challenge every year. In reality, English expectations in Europe are slightly miss-guided, because a bracket of ultra-exceptional clubs now compete every year.

Jonathan Wilson outlines this basic (but applicable) analogy in this article, but to paraphrase, Europe is now dominated heavily by a string of ‘superclubs’- a collection of around eight teams who have a chance of winning the Champions League every year.

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Why? Primarily because of Financial Fair Play, but also because of the changing structure of the tournament itself, which demands more knockout games than it used to. That is beside the point, though.

While the notion of there being exceptionally strong clubs in Europe may feel familiar, it has never been the case in the past. Madrid won it five times in a row in the sixties and Ajax three times in the seventies – the last side to retain it was Arrigo Sacchi’s Milan in the nineties. Essentially, the Champions League is more competitive in the sense that a different team will win it every year, but it’s effectively significantly less competitive because the same eight or so teams will always make it to the final rounds. Never again will you see an ‘outlier’, a Steaua Bucharest (winners in 1986) or a Red Star Belgrade (1991) shock the tournament again.

Either way, the overtones of this change is that the European stage has never been so vehemently contested by that collection of ludicrously strong teams. A superclub will always use their might to stay absurdly strong – Spurs, for instance, had a 2011 surge with Luca Modric and Gareth Bale, but both players eventually migrated to Madrid and won the tournament three years later in a different strip. Liverpool, once the stronghold of the world’s finest collection of players ceded their golden booted Luis Suarez to Barcelona in the summer for a monolithic figure that only the very privileged can outlay.

Of course, this dominance has clearly coincided with some shortcomings in the English game – the ‘superclub’ analogy doesn’t wholly explain why England itself hasn’t produced a team of un-nerving quality in the last couple of years.

But overall, recent trends as a whole are more representative of the fact that English teams have continued on their projected rise in the last couple of years. They’ve steadily got better, while the boat of European elite have all soared exponentially into mega giants. Have so many world class players ever resided within so few clubs?

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In light of that, our maligned expectations ought to change. Barcelona, Madrid and Bayern are all undeniably in a superior state at the moment. The tide will inevitably turn back in England’s favour at some point. In fact, it would be pertinent to remember that a country’s European dominance appears to happen in phases; in the nineties Italian teams had their heyday; at the turn of the Millennium it was Spanish; the mid to late noughties was the time for the English and recent years has seen a minor German revival and a profound Italian decline. Pinpointing when England will have it’s fightback is an elusive task.

But if anything is certain, Europe’s next big challengers will only be one of those superclubs – so it’s down to England’s elite to buck up their ideas.

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Tony Pulis has called for rules to be re-considered when it comes to yellow card decisions.

He believes that clubs should be allowed to appeal yellow cards after Claudio Yacob was harshly sent off in West Brom’s defeat to Aston Villa recently.

The midfielder was dismissed for a second bookable offence after he cleanly won the ball, but was deemed to jump into the challenge. Yacob had already received a yellow from referee Anthony Taylor and will now be suspended for one game.

Pulis called the decision “disgraceful” and hopes that the FA will look into a new rule which allows clubs to appeal.

It isn’t the first time a Premier League manager has expressed their concern about the yellow card process – Harry Redknapp also brought up the idea in 2009.

When Redknapp was Spurs manager, Wilson Palacios was red carded for a second foul against Blackburn. Speaking at the time Redknapp said: “It’s a flawed system really that you can’t appeal against a yellow card when it’s blatantly wrong.

“That’s was never a yellow card, his second, either, and it’s crazy. Surely they can look at that and say it was the wrong decision, they’ve not made contact with the player, so it shouldn’t count and he should be able to play.”

So is it something that should be brought in?

As the game progresses, referees seem to be losing their power. But instead of bringing in video referees and technology like many other sports, more and more decisions can be appealed and fought against after the game is over.

Slightly different to club football, yellow cards can be re-considered in the World Cup so that players cannot miss crucial matches. Should this be brought into the football leagues around the world as well?

Personally I don’t think so. You can practically appeal everything now and if you are going to do that then the easiest solution is to bring in video referees. That way any decisions that managers or players aren’t happy with can be dealt with there and then.

Whilst the idea of bringing in video referees is a controversial and by no means easy decision, I will be surprised if we don’t see some form of the idea in the next decade.

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But until that sort of huge decision is made, the idea of appealing against yellow cards is an idea that should swiftly be forgotten.

I can see why Pulis wants it – Yacob was dismissed unfairly – but players receive yellow cards frequently, with teams sometimes having five or six cautioned in a single game.

Clubs haven’t got the time or effort to appeal yellow cards after every match and, whilst every now and again a yellow card decision might be overturned, the numbers just wouldn’t add up to bring in such a rule.

So my message to Tony Pulis and other grumpy managers is this – sadly it may not be fair at the time but appealing is not the answer. Sadly at the moment they will just have to like it or lump it.

Although Spurs’ only January (albeit he came in in February) addition is not likely to pull on the white shirt in north London until next season, the window just gone was, on the whole, a successful one for Mauricio Pochettino.

Dele Alli from MK Dons was, of course, Tottenham’s only addition, and with the teenager coming in from a lower league team with a burgeoning reputation, there are some natural comparisons with John Bostock…

But, we think this deal will be rather more fruitful for Spurs than their ill-fated capture of the once England youth prodigy, and here are FIVE reasons why…

Steven Gerrard – Yaya Toure hybrid…

“Harry Winks and I were talking about who I play like and he was trying to tell me I’m like Fernandinho but I’m not having that.

“I’d prefer to think I’m a cross between Gerrard and Yaya Toure.”

These are the words of the young man himself, and if he can be half the player these two midfield monsters combined would be, then he’s destined for a very successful career. To be fair to Alli, he has some justification to such a comparison, with his playing style not dissimilar to the Liverpool and Manchester City stars. The teenager, a central midfielder, is known for his driving energy in the middle, explosive power and willingness to get forward, which are all traits displays by the ex-England skipper and the Ivorian hero.

He’s no John Bostock…

Without doubt one of the most underwhelming signings in Tottenham’s history is Bostock. At 16, the midfielder was snapped up from Crystal Palace and looked like a player who was destined for the very top. Fans celebrated his potential and coaches raved about him… but to say it didn’t quite work out I an understatement. The now 23-year-old is in the Belgian second tier right now after bouncing around the Football League and MLS on loan. Ouch.

Although there are some parallels – age, divisional status, position – between Bostock and Alli, the latter is in fact a million miles from the Spurs flop. Perhaps the key difference is that while Bostock had only a handful of games to his name when he moved across London, Alli is already a League One regular and has made well over 50 outings ahead of his 19th birthday.

He scores goals

Scoring goals may not be the only skill needed to be a successful central midfielder… but they do help! Despite his age and position, Alli seems to be an adept finisher from both in and outside the box, with many of his 20 goals in fact crafted efforts rather than thunderous drives. Such a tendency to place the ball hints that he has more technique and composure than some young midfielders, which is a firm foundation to build on.

Could fit the Spurs formation & style

While the Dons and Spurs don’t play an identical system, there are some similarities between their styles of play this season. Both clubs have been, for the most part, operating with a 4-2-3-1, in which Alli has been a part of the two in front of his own backline. Mauricio Pochettino used this set-up with a great deal of success at Southampton and has carried it to White Hart Lane, so it looks as if, as long as he sticks around, the formation will be staying.

Alli’s performances in the position he has frequented this term have been impressive, suggesting that he would be a good fit in ‘Poch’s’ set-up, even if the leap from the third to the top tier is a massive one.

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Some of the biggest sides have been after him

Teams like Liverpool and Bayern Munich do not chase useless players, and their pursuits of Alli in the past hint that he’s the real deal. The Reds’ commitment to unearthing youngsters and the short trip to Milton Keynes don’t prove too much, but the fact that the Bundesliga giants have also been paying close attention to a third tier player in a different country illustrates that he’s worth some fuss.

After a week or so of ‘will he or won’t he’ chat about Wilfried Bony’s potential move to Manchester City it was finally revealed as a ‘done deal’ this afternoon.

Even when the deal was in its early stages there was a mixed bag of opinions amongst fans of all clubs. Some were questioning whether City even needed Bony, while others insisted Bony would hugely increase City’s changes of successfully defending their Premier League crown.

Either way, you have to feel for Swansea, who have arguably lost the one player that were half-relying on to fire them in to the top half of the table.

An outlay of £28m is peanuts to a team like Man City, but with a strike force that includes the likes of Sergio Aguero, Stevan Jovetic and Edin Dzeko, you wonder where he’s going to fit in exactly.

And that’s what a lot of fans on Twitter are asking, while others were hailing it is a brilliant signing…

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Chelsea’s Diego Costa and Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero are the Premier League’s joint top goal scorers this season.

It is most likely going to be the Spaniard or the Argentine who will finish the season as the league’s top goal scorer. But who has been the better player so far this season?

Starting off with goals scored, both players have scored nine goals for their respective clubs. Diego Costa (7) may have played two games less than Aguero (9), but the Argentine has played 622 minutes whilst the Spaniard has played 585 minutes, 37 minutes less. Therefore, whilst many will see Diego Costa scoring the same amount of goals in two games less, is actually on 37 minutes less, less than half a game.

When it comes to how the goals are scored, Diego Costa statistics shows he is the more versatile of the two. From Diego Costa’s nine goals, he has scored four using his left foot, three using his right foot, and two using his head. All of them were scored inside the area as well. Aguero on the other hand has scored one goal using his left foot, eight using his right foot, none using his head, and all but one of his goals have come from inside the area.

In order for a striker to score, he needs to takes shots, accurate shots. Aguero has taken 43 shots in total, around 4.78 shots per game, with a shot accuracy percentage of 65%. Diego Costa however has taken fewer shots, but has a higher shot accuracy percentage. The Spaniard’s shot accuracy percentage is 84% from a total of 22 shots, around 3.14 shots per game. Whilst it is important for a striker to take as many shots as possible to increase his goal scoring chances, these shots need to be on target as well to further increase these chances.

Next is match performance against big teams. It’s important for these players to perform in these games more than any other as they have the biggest influence on the final places in the Premier League table at the end of the season.  From the teams that finished in the top six last season, Diego Costa has played against Everton, Manchester City, and Arsenal, but Aguero has played against Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Tottenham.

Diego Costa scored twice in 6-3 away win at Everton, and once in the 2-0 home win against Arsenal, but failed to score against Manchester City. Aguero also failed to score when his side met Chelsea, but he did score in the 3-1 home win against Liverpool, the 2-2 away draw against Arsenal, and scored all four in the 4-1 home win against Tottenham. Aguero may have scored more (6) in big games than Diego Costa (3), but neither player’s team have lost a big fixture.

A striker can’t just show up in the big games though, he has to be consistent throughout. Six of Aguero’s nine goals have come from four games against big teams. In the remaining five games against what some might say, lesser sides, he has only scored three goals. Three of Diego Costa’s nine goals have come from three games against big teams, meaning the remaining six have come against lesser sides. What this shows is Diego Costa is more consistent, scoring against anyone, no matter the opponent. Aguero though is only showing up for big games, and not against lesser sides. Strikers need to score no matter who the opponent as the result could play a huge influence come the end of the season.

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Diego Costa is a better striker than Aguero. He is more versatile as he has scored goals with his left foot, right foot, and with his head so far this season. The Spaniard has scored the same amount of goals as the Argentine in a smaller amount of time and with fewer shots on goal as well. Diego Costa also has consistency as he has scored in all but one game in the league for Chelsea this season. The only place he needs to improve upon is scoring in the big games, like against Manchester City, as these games could win or lose Chelsea the title come next May.

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