Everton get one of the best

The loudest supporters I have ever witnessed are the Everton fans, mainly behind the Toffee’s goal. The noise is deafening and delivered with astonishing passion. However, during the past few seasons even the most committed supporters have found little to cheer about. Everton should be one of the world’s best teams with their history and support base. Instead, following the David Moyes era they have languished in the bottom half of the Premier League with an eye on relegation more than a top four place. That, I believe, is about to change. In appointing Carlo Ancelotti, the owner Farhad Moshiri and board member Bill Kenwright have found someone who is a world beater and winner of three Champions League titles. The optimism on Merseyside from Blue’s fans is sky high.

This is Ancelotti’s 10th managerial appointment so you can judge for yourself that he doesn’t stay around too long after achieving his ambitions. His £11million a year salary from a shrewd owner is a great investment and Ancelotti will be given a decent amount of money to spend in building his new team. This deal was done in the rich surroundings of Monaco because both Moshiri and Ancelotti like expensive trappings that wealth can bring. There are many people who claim Duncan Ferguson should have been given more time considering his passion and the reasonable results he achieved during his short time as caretaker manager. Ancelotti has agreed to keep Ferguson on board, especially as he is a club legend. Ronald Koeman, Marco Silva, Roberto Martinez and Sam Allardyce all failed and were sacked by Moshiri. But

Ancelotti is different class. I watched him in the stands in the 0-0 draw with Arsenal and sitting a few seats away from the Gunner’s new manager Mikel Arteta. He shrugged his shoulders at some of the poor moves from his new side and even turned away when chances were missed. He knows there will have to be radical changes and he is just the manager to do it. He has spoken about “cracking the whip!” The Premier League is about to become even more competitive now and with arguably the world’s four top managers, Guardiola, Ancelotti, Mourinho and Klopp all in the mix, it will be a fascinating battle to see who comes out on top.

Tough words from Arteta

I wrote last week how Mikel Arteta is facing a considerable challenge at Arsenal in his first managerial job. This week, after arriving at the Gunners training ground, Arteta tried to show he has an iron will and a very tough side despite being Mr Nice Guy underneath. The Spaniard spoke to his new players with a warning that things were going to be different and he would only keep players who adopted his way of playing and his new tactics. He told us, “I have to try to convince the players about what I want to do and how I want to do it. They have to start accepting a different way of thinking and I want to make sure that all the players and everybody at the club has the same attitude. What I have learnt from Pep Guardiola at Manchester City is that you have to be ruthless. You have to build the culture of the club and create a winning mentality.” Arteta has signed a 42 month contract and his first challenge is to create uncertainty in the minds of Arsenal opponents and to make sure they do not feel comfortable against the Gunners.” One of his most telling comments was centered on the supporters and he said, “I understand that the supporters are used to success and fighting for things and at the moment it is difficult for them to swallow the situation. I will change that. Everyone has to be accountable and we have to bring leadership into the team and then put in some passion and clear direction into what we do and then we create an identity.”

Solving Chelsea’s left back position

After Frank Lampard’s classic win against his old mentor Jose Mourinho and his Tottenham side, he sat in his office planning the next step forward for his talented youngsters. Now the Blues have had their transfer ban lifted, Frank is looking to solve his left-back problem. Bournemouth’s Nathan Ake has been mentioned but to prise him away from the south coast team and then turn him into a left-back is not seen as the best move from inside Chelsea. Many Blue’s fans and backroom staff believe Leicester’s Ben Chilwell is a better bet to partner Antonio Rudiger but then again he is not a natural left back. If Frank thinks he can adapt Chilwell to solve the problem then owner Roman Abramovich will release the money for the transfer. Of course, there will be strong resistance from Leicester manager Brendan Rogers but money is a big incentive.

Short corner infuriates Mourinho

Jose Mourinho did not take kindly to being beaten by his protege Frank Lampard. The two hugged at the beginning of last weekend’s Tottenham v Chelsea match and again at the end but then the difference was that Mourinho had his mind on other things. The defeat he could swallow but the manner of the defeat he could not. Willian’s short corner, which led to Chelsea’s first goal, infuriated Mourinho. He said after the match that all week they had practised playing against the short corner and when it happened during the match Chelsea  lost concentration – the one thing he told them not to do – and the Blues were allowed to make the most of it from Tottenham’s disorganised defending. Mourinho was visibly angry in his technical area and intends to rip his defence apart in the coming week to make sure it does not happen again.

No room for Matic and Rojo at United

Following a complete review of his players, Ole Gunner Solskjaer has decided to sell midfielder Nemanja Matic and defender Marcos Rojo in the January transfer window. Matic has started only six games this season and neither player features in the manager’s plans. Matic has been watched by two Premier League clubs and Rojo has attracted the interest of several European sides.

Jose wants Vertonghen and Eriksen

Jose Mourinho wants both Jan Vertonghen and Christian Eriksen to follow Toby Alderweireld and sign a new contract which runs up to 2023 and is worth £150k a week. I have picked up information that Vertonghen would be willing stay and work with the new manager but Christian Eriksen still wants a move to Spain and preferably Real Madrid however Italian clubs Juventus and Inter Milan are also interested. Mourinho said of Alderweireld, “I couldn’t be happier and the agents and the family were all happy to give the player what he wanted.”

No promises for Arteta at City

I can now reveal that Mikel Arteta only took the Arsenal manager’s job after not getting reassurances that he would take over at Manchester City when Pep Guardiola eventually leaves. Arteta believed that he would be Pep’s natural successor after spending three season’s as assistant coach. Unlike Arsenal, who have gambled on Arteta, City were not prepared to promise the job to a novice who had no previous first team coaching experience. It is interesting that Pep himself has not appointed a new No2 to replace Arteta and this has lead to whispers inside the club about the clause in Pep’s contract which allows him to leave this coming summer if he so wishes.