Every week, Sportsnet.ca will chat with soccer commentator James Sharman about the big stories and issues in the Premier League, and preview the weekend’s games.
Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli has been charged by the English Football Association after one of his posts on social media site Instagram was criticized for being racist and anti-Semitic. Both the club and player could really do without this latest controversy, right?
Of course, and really it’s the first controversy aside from patchy form that Balotelli has brought to his new club. It feels a bit like Christmas day, when we’ve all been waiting with baited breath for him to do something stupid, and now it has arrived. Once again it demonstrates an immaturity and naiveté from a man who just doesn’t seem to learn. He will get fined for this, and then we will begin waiting for something else to happen with him.
The best way for Balotelli and the club to move on is for him to just start scoring goals and let his play do his talking. You have to assume Liverpool jammed his contract full of clauses regarding his behavior, so I can only imagine he has had a stern talking to at the very least.
Saturday programming alert: Watch Newcastle United vs Chelsea on the four main Sportsnet channels at 7:30 am ET, Stoke City vs Arsenal on the four main Sportsnet channels at 9:30 am ET, Queens Park Rangers vs Burnley on Sportsnet World at 9:30 am ET and Manchester City vs Everton on the four main Sportsnet channels at noon ET. || Sportsnet World NOW || Broadcast schedule
Thierry Henry recently announced he won’t sign a new deal with New York and that his time in MLS is over. Do you think he’ll land with a Premier League side?
I imagine several Premier League clubs would be interested in him. Although older than Didier Drogba, I’m sure managers will look at the Ivorian’s success in a reduced playing role this season and wonder if Henry could do a similar job. I’d be curious to see how he would perform. He didn’t dominate MLS—his intelligence made him an important member of the Red Bulls, but Henry’s game at its best was based on obscene pace, something that he no longer has. If he wants a job he’ll get it, but if he wants one more massive payday he’ll find that in Asia or the Middle East.
Personally, I’d love to see him back in the Premier League, but the best choice might be retirement. My memories are of him in Arsenal red, and I have difficulty seeing him in another English team colours.
Swansea City is seventh in the table, just three points out of a Champions League spot. What have been the keys to their early season success?
If Gary Monk was a smooth talking, skinny-suit wearing continental European we’d be celebrating another brilliant young manager with a massive future. Instead, we’re still trying to figure out if he is for real. I hope he is, as he’s done a masterful job at Swansea and they are full value for a place among the European hopefuls.
Great home form has been the key, and even the Swans’ away record would be much better if they didn’t have a propensity to throw leads away. Overall the Swans are tied for the third best defence in the league and with Leon Britton returning to full fitness that could improve, as he’s been key to Swansea’s success in recent seasons in that deep midfield role. And as for Wilfried Bony, he’s a striker with the ability to absolutely dominate, what a force!
Sunday programming alert: Watch Aston Villa vs Leicester City on Sportsnet World at 11:45 am ET. || Sportsnet World NOW || Broadcast schedule
Everton visits Manchester City on Saturday. The Blues have a big game in the Champions League away to Roma next week. How do you think this will influence Manuel Pellegrini’s tactics and player selections for the Everton match?
City have finally discovered their mojo, with 12 goals in their last four games, all of them wins. I imagine Pellegrini sticks with the winning formula, however David Silva is reportedly close to a return, so we might see him in one of these games, more likely against Roma. Oddly, City have started to win consistently since he has been out injured, which makes little sense as the Spaniard is the team’s best player.
Yaya Toure is looking much more like Yaya Toure as well, so City does have some options. I imagine the priority will be Europe, as Pellegrini knows he will be under enormous pressure if they bow out in the group stage, so the hope will be to put Everton away early enough to rest the likes of Sergio Aguero and Samir Nasri.
Aston Villa hosts Leicester City on Sunday. What have you made of Esteban Cambiasso’s time with the Foxes thus far?
It’s still very weird seeing Cambiasso in Leicester’s blue rather than Inter Milan’s blue. Despite being in his mid 30s, he still looks like a proper footballer. Despite his team’s struggles, he has been very good, doing the dirty work in midfield, and even getting forward occasionally. Let’s hope that awful miss against Liverpool on Tuesday isn’t how he will be remembered, because he really has played well—well enough, in fact, that Leicester are considering offering him a contract extension.
Soccer Central podcast: SPORTSNET.CA’s Soccer Central podcast, hosted by John Molinaro and James Sharman, takes an in-depth look at the beautiful game and offers timely and thoughtful analysis on the sport’s biggest issues. To listen and subscribe to the podcast, CLICK HERE.