Premier League Predictions - 10 Breakthrough Stars For 2011-12
The Premier League is one of the strongest leagues in the world with many teams possessing a large number of big name players, who can make a difference in a lot of games. Most teams also emphasize on a strong youth academy which can produce the stars of the future and though some clubs find it difficult to find enough playing time for their youngsters, there are clubs like Arsenal, Manchester United and recently, Liverpool who are willing to bring through youngsters who can excel in the future.
In the last season, a number of players unexpectedly broke into the first team of the club and performed excellently when provided with opportunities. Jack Wilshere, who could have gone on loan in the first half of the 2010-11 season, went on to establish himself as one of the best players at the club and has a bright future ahead of him. Similarly, Javier Hernandez, who was signed by Manchester United, was expected to be used sparingly in his first season at the club but Sir Alex Ferguson was very impressed by the youngster and he played a crucial role in their historic 19th title.
It is expected that there will be some players, who will go on to have a breakthrough year, in the 2011-12 campaign and here are my predictions for 10 youngsters who could make it big in the next season.
Martin Kelly (Liverpool)
Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has insisted that he wants the Liverpool academy to be one of the strongest in the world in the future and he plans to bring through some of the talented players from the academy into the first team. Since the appointment of Dalglish as the manager of Liverpool, Jay Spearing, John Flanagan and Martin Kelly have received decent playing time.
Kelly was one of the most impressive youngsters in the Premiership last season though he missed the last few weeks of the season due to injury. The left-back slot has been a problematic position for Liverpool and Dalglish used established right back Glen Johnson in this position and trusted Kelly to do a job at right back. Kelly showed that he has the quality to be a first choice right back in the future for Liverpool and will challenge Johnson for sure.
Though he is also comfortable playing as a centre-back, it is likely that he is most likely to be utilized as a right back for now. Though Kelly is likely to face immense competition next year with Dalglish looking to strengthen the squad by bringing in some top players to the club, Kelly has the quality to establish himself in the team. With Dalglish at the helm, it is expected that the defender will continue his progress and hopefully grow into one of the best defenders in the Premiership.
Daniel Sturridge (Chelsea)
Daniel Sturridge was signed by Chelsea in 2009 from Manchester City, where he was brought through from their youth academy. The England striker is undoubtedly very talented but has unfortunately received many opportunities at Chelsea because the club has had impressive strikers in Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka.
Sturridge did not get regular opportunities in the Chelsea first team and with the addition of Fernando Torres in January 2011, his playing time was set to be further reduced which is why he opted to go on loan to Bolton. He found his confidence and goal-scoring ability at Bolton as he notched eight goals in only 12 league appearances and made a huge impact at the club.
He has returned to Chelsea for the preseason and it is yet to be seen as to how new manager Andre Villas-Boas will utilize the forward, who can also play on the wings. With Drogba and Anelka not able to strike a lethal partnership with Torres in the last season, the new manager could combine Sturridge with Torres to see how they work as a partnership.
David "Junior" Hoilett (Blackburn Rovers)
Blackburn have already lost one of their best talents in Phil Jones to Manchester United in the summer but manager Steve Kean will hope to bring in quality to the team. Though the club were close to being relegated, one of the biggest positives for Kean's team is the emergence of David Hoilett, who was one of the best players for the club in the last season.
The tricky winger, who can represent both England and Canada in the future, made 28 appearances for the club and also scored six goals, impressing in a number of games. Though he is still a bit raw, he has immense potential and at only 21 years of age, he has a bright future ahead of him though there could be bigger clubs interested in him in the near future.
Hoilett is expected to feature regularly for Blackburn in their next season and he has shown that he has the quality to become an excellent player in the future. Also, he has scored some excellent goals and with experience, he will be more threatening and has all the attributes needed to be a quality player, who can regularly score a lot of goals in the future.
Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal)
Arsenal have sold Frenchman Gael Clichy, who was their first choice left back for the last few seasons, to Manchester City and early indications from Arsene Wenger is that Kieran Gibbs might play more in the first team next season. Wenger refuses to divulge much on transfer targets but he admitted that Gibbs could feature more in the first team in the future.
The England International has been unfortunate with injuries with Gibbs sustaining a number of injuries in the last season after missing out for most of the 2009-10 season due to injuries as well. Though there are questions on whether he is ready to be the first choice left back for the Gunners, he is a player with immense potential and Wenger is in the best position to judge his progress.
Though Clichy has been an unselfish player for the Gunners, he has lacked the end product and also, suffers from lapses in concentration, which has led to goals in the past. Gibbs is excellent when attacking and though his positioning needs to improve, he is a player who has the quality to step up in the next season. Should the 20-year-old remain fit for most of the season, he could be a very important player for the Gunners in the next season.
Adel Taarabt (Queens Park Rangers)
Queens Park Rangers' captain is one of the most exciting young players in the Premiership and he could be the key as to how QPR perform in the next season under manager Neil Warnock, who has brought a lot of direction to the club. The Moroccan midfielder endured a torrid time with Spurs since he signed for them in 2006. He moved to QPR initially on loan and then on a permanent move in order to get regular opportunities in the first team.
He has been extremely influential for the London based club as he helped the club in getting promoted to the Premiership. He was named as the best player of the Championship in the 2010-11 season after playing an integral role in QPR's Championship win. He made 44 appearances for the club last season in which he scored 19 goals.
Though the Moroccan International will come up against oppositions of much higher quality, the former Tottenham midfielder will be keen to prove his worth in the Premiership. Neil Warnock would understand the importance of the midfielder to the club, which is why he will try his best to hold on to the 22-year-old despite interest from others.
Kyle Walker (Tottenham)
The former Sheffield United Right Back was signed by Tottenham in 2009 but Walker did not get enough opportunities in the first team because of which he wanted to leave on loan. Aston Villa were struggling at the end of the first half of the season having not performed as well as they would have wanted. Villa signed Walker on a six month loan deal till the end of the season.
The pacy right back established himself in the Premiership with a number of good performances for the club as they finished in a decent position at the end of the 2010-11 season. He is a player of immense potential and has represented the England U-21s in the recently concluded Euro Championships. Though Aston Villa would be happy to sign him on a permanent deal, Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has insisted that Walker will be a part of his team's plans in the future.
Walker has signed a new deal with Tottenham till 2016 and with both Alan Hutton and Vedran Corluka not very consistent in the last season, there is every chance that he could establish himself as a regular in the Spurs first team in the next season.
Phil Jones (Manchester United)
Manchester United have been active in the transfer market this season despite winning the Premiership in the 2010-11 season as manager Sir Alex Ferguson is determined to build a team capable of winning trophies in the next decade as well. Though they signed Chris Smalling, who had a good 2010-11 season, last year, Ferguson has pulled out an excellent signing in Phil Jones from Blackburn in this summer.
The former Blackburn defender had attracted the interest of several clubs but Manchester United beat competition to sign Jones, who is regarded as one of England's best talents. Also, the newly signed defender is very capable in the role of the defensive midfielder and with the Red Devils releasing the injury-prone Owen Hargreaves, Jones could get time in the midfield if Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic stay fit for most of the season.
Though the Red Devils have a strong backline even without Jones, it is evident that United have signed him for the long term future and there is every chance that the Chris Smalling and Jones can not only be the first choice partnership for United, but also England in the future. Ferguson is an unpredictable manager to say the least but Manchester United's legendary manager will certainly have plans for the 19-year-old.
Wojciech Szczesny (Arsenal)
Wojciech Szczesny was not in the frame for potential goalkeepers in the 2010-11 season when the season began but by the end of the season, he has made a strong claim to be installed as the no.1 goalkeeper for the next year. The young Polish International is a goalkeeper of immense potential and more importantly, he has the swagger and confidence to become a regular in the years to come.
Szczesny has immense confidence in his abilities and in an interview on Arsenal.com, he was confident of holding on to the no.1 keeper role in the next 10 to 15 years to come if manager Arsene Wenger chose him as the first choice keeper for the next year. The 20-year-old is never short of confidence and is not daunted by the big teams as he showed by performing assuredly against FC Barcelona and Manchester United.
Though the young keeper can be blamed for his error in the Carling Cup final against Birmingham, the good thing about Szczesny is that he has a strong mentality and has put the past behind him. He is regarded by many Arsenal supporters as the best keeper they have had since Jens Lehmann in his prime and there is every chance that Szczesny will be the no.1 keeper for Arsenal in the future and it will certainly resolve one of the most problematic positions for the Gunners in recent money.
Marc Albrighton (Aston Villa)
Aston Villa have not had a good time in this summer transfer window as they have lost arguably their two most talented players in Ashley Young and Stewart Downing, who were signed by Manchester United and Liverpool respectively. However, Villa have an excellent youth academy and despite some failures in Gerard Houllier's time at Villa, he did encourage talented players like Barry Bannan, Jonathan Hogg and Marc Albrighton to develop and also gave them chances in the first team.
Albrighton is one of the most exciting youngsters for England and though he was not a regular in England's U-21 Euro Championship campaign, he is a quality player who has a bright future with club and country. Blessed with a lot of natural talent, the 21-year-old is also very hard-working and after spending two years in the Villa senior team on the periphery, he made the best use of the opportunities in the 2010-11 season.
With the exits of Young and Downing, Albrighton will probably get even more chances in the next season and could be the player to watch for Villa. The winger is comfortable on both wings and has good crossing ability as well. It is important that new manager Alex Mcleish helps him develop at Villa Park, because he is a player who could be a regular in the years to come.
Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal)
Arsenal supporters were pleased to see midfielder Aaron Ramsey back in Arsenal colors in the last season following his horrendous injury due to a tackle by Stoke City captain Ryan Shawcross in February 2010. He returned to fitness around December but was sent on loan first to Nottingham forest and then to Cardiff in order to gain fitness.
Though he looked rusty in some games for Arsenal towards the end of the 2010-11, he proved his quality by performing superbly in the game against Manchester United, where he also scored the winner. After former Arsenal striker Eduardo never really recovered from his injuries, there was still some doubt as to how Ramsey would perform following his long break from competitive football.
However, he has shown no discomfort and his mental attitude has been fantastic, which is why Wales manager handed him the captain's armband following the youngster's return to the National team. The 20-year-old was also one of the best players in the preseason tour to Asia, and with the futures of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri still uncertain, Ramsey could play an important role in the next season because the manager has immense faith in his quality.
Arsenal's Jack Wilshere progressed superbly in the last season, and it could now be the turn of Ramsey to break into the Arsenal first team. It seems like the duo have an excellent understanding and they could forge a formidable partnership in midfield for Arsenal in the years to come.
SOURCE
Beautiful list is beautiful, tbqh. Who do YOU think will be the youngster to truly step up and prove their worth in 2011?
In the last season, a number of players unexpectedly broke into the first team of the club and performed excellently when provided with opportunities. Jack Wilshere, who could have gone on loan in the first half of the 2010-11 season, went on to establish himself as one of the best players at the club and has a bright future ahead of him. Similarly, Javier Hernandez, who was signed by Manchester United, was expected to be used sparingly in his first season at the club but Sir Alex Ferguson was very impressed by the youngster and he played a crucial role in their historic 19th title.
It is expected that there will be some players, who will go on to have a breakthrough year, in the 2011-12 campaign and here are my predictions for 10 youngsters who could make it big in the next season.
Martin Kelly (Liverpool)
Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has insisted that he wants the Liverpool academy to be one of the strongest in the world in the future and he plans to bring through some of the talented players from the academy into the first team. Since the appointment of Dalglish as the manager of Liverpool, Jay Spearing, John Flanagan and Martin Kelly have received decent playing time.
Kelly was one of the most impressive youngsters in the Premiership last season though he missed the last few weeks of the season due to injury. The left-back slot has been a problematic position for Liverpool and Dalglish used established right back Glen Johnson in this position and trusted Kelly to do a job at right back. Kelly showed that he has the quality to be a first choice right back in the future for Liverpool and will challenge Johnson for sure.
Though he is also comfortable playing as a centre-back, it is likely that he is most likely to be utilized as a right back for now. Though Kelly is likely to face immense competition next year with Dalglish looking to strengthen the squad by bringing in some top players to the club, Kelly has the quality to establish himself in the team. With Dalglish at the helm, it is expected that the defender will continue his progress and hopefully grow into one of the best defenders in the Premiership.
Daniel Sturridge (Chelsea)
Daniel Sturridge was signed by Chelsea in 2009 from Manchester City, where he was brought through from their youth academy. The England striker is undoubtedly very talented but has unfortunately received many opportunities at Chelsea because the club has had impressive strikers in Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka.
Sturridge did not get regular opportunities in the Chelsea first team and with the addition of Fernando Torres in January 2011, his playing time was set to be further reduced which is why he opted to go on loan to Bolton. He found his confidence and goal-scoring ability at Bolton as he notched eight goals in only 12 league appearances and made a huge impact at the club.
He has returned to Chelsea for the preseason and it is yet to be seen as to how new manager Andre Villas-Boas will utilize the forward, who can also play on the wings. With Drogba and Anelka not able to strike a lethal partnership with Torres in the last season, the new manager could combine Sturridge with Torres to see how they work as a partnership.
David "Junior" Hoilett (Blackburn Rovers)
Blackburn have already lost one of their best talents in Phil Jones to Manchester United in the summer but manager Steve Kean will hope to bring in quality to the team. Though the club were close to being relegated, one of the biggest positives for Kean's team is the emergence of David Hoilett, who was one of the best players for the club in the last season.
The tricky winger, who can represent both England and Canada in the future, made 28 appearances for the club and also scored six goals, impressing in a number of games. Though he is still a bit raw, he has immense potential and at only 21 years of age, he has a bright future ahead of him though there could be bigger clubs interested in him in the near future.
Hoilett is expected to feature regularly for Blackburn in their next season and he has shown that he has the quality to become an excellent player in the future. Also, he has scored some excellent goals and with experience, he will be more threatening and has all the attributes needed to be a quality player, who can regularly score a lot of goals in the future.
Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal)
Arsenal have sold Frenchman Gael Clichy, who was their first choice left back for the last few seasons, to Manchester City and early indications from Arsene Wenger is that Kieran Gibbs might play more in the first team next season. Wenger refuses to divulge much on transfer targets but he admitted that Gibbs could feature more in the first team in the future.
The England International has been unfortunate with injuries with Gibbs sustaining a number of injuries in the last season after missing out for most of the 2009-10 season due to injuries as well. Though there are questions on whether he is ready to be the first choice left back for the Gunners, he is a player with immense potential and Wenger is in the best position to judge his progress.
Though Clichy has been an unselfish player for the Gunners, he has lacked the end product and also, suffers from lapses in concentration, which has led to goals in the past. Gibbs is excellent when attacking and though his positioning needs to improve, he is a player who has the quality to step up in the next season. Should the 20-year-old remain fit for most of the season, he could be a very important player for the Gunners in the next season.
Adel Taarabt (Queens Park Rangers)
Queens Park Rangers' captain is one of the most exciting young players in the Premiership and he could be the key as to how QPR perform in the next season under manager Neil Warnock, who has brought a lot of direction to the club. The Moroccan midfielder endured a torrid time with Spurs since he signed for them in 2006. He moved to QPR initially on loan and then on a permanent move in order to get regular opportunities in the first team.
He has been extremely influential for the London based club as he helped the club in getting promoted to the Premiership. He was named as the best player of the Championship in the 2010-11 season after playing an integral role in QPR's Championship win. He made 44 appearances for the club last season in which he scored 19 goals.
Though the Moroccan International will come up against oppositions of much higher quality, the former Tottenham midfielder will be keen to prove his worth in the Premiership. Neil Warnock would understand the importance of the midfielder to the club, which is why he will try his best to hold on to the 22-year-old despite interest from others.
Kyle Walker (Tottenham)
The former Sheffield United Right Back was signed by Tottenham in 2009 but Walker did not get enough opportunities in the first team because of which he wanted to leave on loan. Aston Villa were struggling at the end of the first half of the season having not performed as well as they would have wanted. Villa signed Walker on a six month loan deal till the end of the season.
The pacy right back established himself in the Premiership with a number of good performances for the club as they finished in a decent position at the end of the 2010-11 season. He is a player of immense potential and has represented the England U-21s in the recently concluded Euro Championships. Though Aston Villa would be happy to sign him on a permanent deal, Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has insisted that Walker will be a part of his team's plans in the future.
Walker has signed a new deal with Tottenham till 2016 and with both Alan Hutton and Vedran Corluka not very consistent in the last season, there is every chance that he could establish himself as a regular in the Spurs first team in the next season.
Phil Jones (Manchester United)
Manchester United have been active in the transfer market this season despite winning the Premiership in the 2010-11 season as manager Sir Alex Ferguson is determined to build a team capable of winning trophies in the next decade as well. Though they signed Chris Smalling, who had a good 2010-11 season, last year, Ferguson has pulled out an excellent signing in Phil Jones from Blackburn in this summer.
The former Blackburn defender had attracted the interest of several clubs but Manchester United beat competition to sign Jones, who is regarded as one of England's best talents. Also, the newly signed defender is very capable in the role of the defensive midfielder and with the Red Devils releasing the injury-prone Owen Hargreaves, Jones could get time in the midfield if Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic stay fit for most of the season.
Though the Red Devils have a strong backline even without Jones, it is evident that United have signed him for the long term future and there is every chance that the Chris Smalling and Jones can not only be the first choice partnership for United, but also England in the future. Ferguson is an unpredictable manager to say the least but Manchester United's legendary manager will certainly have plans for the 19-year-old.
Wojciech Szczesny (Arsenal)
Wojciech Szczesny was not in the frame for potential goalkeepers in the 2010-11 season when the season began but by the end of the season, he has made a strong claim to be installed as the no.1 goalkeeper for the next year. The young Polish International is a goalkeeper of immense potential and more importantly, he has the swagger and confidence to become a regular in the years to come.
Szczesny has immense confidence in his abilities and in an interview on Arsenal.com, he was confident of holding on to the no.1 keeper role in the next 10 to 15 years to come if manager Arsene Wenger chose him as the first choice keeper for the next year. The 20-year-old is never short of confidence and is not daunted by the big teams as he showed by performing assuredly against FC Barcelona and Manchester United.
Though the young keeper can be blamed for his error in the Carling Cup final against Birmingham, the good thing about Szczesny is that he has a strong mentality and has put the past behind him. He is regarded by many Arsenal supporters as the best keeper they have had since Jens Lehmann in his prime and there is every chance that Szczesny will be the no.1 keeper for Arsenal in the future and it will certainly resolve one of the most problematic positions for the Gunners in recent money.
Marc Albrighton (Aston Villa)
Aston Villa have not had a good time in this summer transfer window as they have lost arguably their two most talented players in Ashley Young and Stewart Downing, who were signed by Manchester United and Liverpool respectively. However, Villa have an excellent youth academy and despite some failures in Gerard Houllier's time at Villa, he did encourage talented players like Barry Bannan, Jonathan Hogg and Marc Albrighton to develop and also gave them chances in the first team.
Albrighton is one of the most exciting youngsters for England and though he was not a regular in England's U-21 Euro Championship campaign, he is a quality player who has a bright future with club and country. Blessed with a lot of natural talent, the 21-year-old is also very hard-working and after spending two years in the Villa senior team on the periphery, he made the best use of the opportunities in the 2010-11 season.
With the exits of Young and Downing, Albrighton will probably get even more chances in the next season and could be the player to watch for Villa. The winger is comfortable on both wings and has good crossing ability as well. It is important that new manager Alex Mcleish helps him develop at Villa Park, because he is a player who could be a regular in the years to come.
Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal)
Arsenal supporters were pleased to see midfielder Aaron Ramsey back in Arsenal colors in the last season following his horrendous injury due to a tackle by Stoke City captain Ryan Shawcross in February 2010. He returned to fitness around December but was sent on loan first to Nottingham forest and then to Cardiff in order to gain fitness.
Though he looked rusty in some games for Arsenal towards the end of the 2010-11, he proved his quality by performing superbly in the game against Manchester United, where he also scored the winner. After former Arsenal striker Eduardo never really recovered from his injuries, there was still some doubt as to how Ramsey would perform following his long break from competitive football.
However, he has shown no discomfort and his mental attitude has been fantastic, which is why Wales manager handed him the captain's armband following the youngster's return to the National team. The 20-year-old was also one of the best players in the preseason tour to Asia, and with the futures of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri still uncertain, Ramsey could play an important role in the next season because the manager has immense faith in his quality.
Arsenal's Jack Wilshere progressed superbly in the last season, and it could now be the turn of Ramsey to break into the Arsenal first team. It seems like the duo have an excellent understanding and they could forge a formidable partnership in midfield for Arsenal in the years to come.
SOURCE
Beautiful list is beautiful, tbqh. Who do YOU think will be the youngster to truly step up and prove their worth in 2011?