Crystal Palace manager Tony Pulis was disappointed with the way in which his side defended during Sunday’s 2-0 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates, reports Sky Sports.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain marked his return to the Arsenal first team with two second half goals, and ended Palace’s hopes of three consecutive Premier League wins.
The result saw Pulis’ team slip to 17th place in the table, and the former Stoke City boss was quick to bemoan his side’s defending for the first goal, as well as their inability to take their chances.
Cameron Jerome wasted arguably the chance of the game, having a free header saved by Woijech Szczesny in the 51st minute.
“We’ve been to Man City, Chelsea and Tottenham, and I didn’t think we created as many chances today as we did in those games,” Pulis said after the game.
“The first goal was a poor, poor goal. Two players have been caught with their body positions in poor positions and they get a runner off the back.
“Once they get the first goal, you’re up against it but having said that, a couple of minutes later we’ve had our best chance and if Cammy (Jerome) scores then, it might have been a different game.”
Palace take on fellow Premier League strugglers West Brom at Selhurst Park next weekend, and Pulis is hopeful the new signings and injury returnees can push his side towards three crucial points.
“The spirit, commitment and togetherness of the players is brilliant and we can bring a couple more players into it now, which will help us,” he added.
“Joe Ledley is a good passer of the ball and keeps things ticking, but he’ll also score a goal. We need that.
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“Glenn Murray isn’t far away either, he’s going to have another game on Monday and we need goals in the team, no question of a doubt.”
Wilfried Zaha has been loaned out by a third different manager at Manchester United – will he ever make it at Old Trafford?
Zaha became a key member of the Crystal Palace team in 2009/10 and was showing real potential. He won The Eagles’ Young Player of the Year in his first senior season and in the following season he picked up the award again, along with the Football League Young Player of the Year – an impressive start.
Wilfried was starting to attract attention from various Premier League clubs and as the January transfer window opened during the 2012/13 season Sir Alex Ferguson purchased the English winger for Manchester United.
A dream move to one of the biggest football teams with arguably the best manager of all time in charge – but not for long.
Manchester United instantly loaned Zaha back to Crystal Palace for the remainder of the season and he played a key part in winning Crystal Palace promotion into the Premier League via the playoffs. He came through the ranks with The Eagles’ but wasn’t going to get a chance to represent them in the Premier League.
He was still off to play for Manchester United but David Moyes was now in charge. He made four appearances under Moyes for United and he was loaned out to Cardiff City to gain some more first team football. This is where Zaha’s career move fell down immediately, he signed for a team with a certain manager who was gone by the time he arrived – not ideal.
He had a half decent time with Cardiff City who were relegated and Wilfried again returned to Manchester United with another different manager in charge. Louis van Gaal arrived and signed more world class attacking midfielders and strikers than you can shake a stick at. He also deemed Zaha surplus to requirements and again he was loaned out but this time it was back to Crystal Palace. Perhaps two years of his career wasted?
Wilfried is still only 21-years-old so his career is still very much in the early stages. Just after the arrival of van Gaal, he had made it known that he was willing to fight for a place with The Red Devils but I don’t think he foresaw the incoming transfers. In terms of attacking midfielders at United, Wilfried is behind Young, Valencia, Mata, di Maria, Herrara, and Januzaj. And since Van Gaal’s system generally doesn’t include wingers, he was unlikely to want more than 2 in his squad.
His return to Crystal Palace has sparked him to life again and he scored on his return. He’s back where he wants to be and should he impress during this loan spell, a permanent move away from Old Trafford may be in the pipeline come the end of the season, or even in January. There is no doubting that the England international (OK, he’s only played seven minutes – but still) has an immense amount of talent and at 21 he is picking up a lot of experience.
He’s playing under Neil Warnock now and is in desperate need of game time if there was any chance of him becoming a part of van Gaal’s first team plans.
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I would suggest that Van Gaal is unlikely to change his style of wing-backs and/or lack of wingers, so all the while that he boss at Manchester United, there is no place for Zaha. The 21-year-old was left in the dark with the departure of Sir Alex as under his guidance he may have flourished. He’s now been rejected by two managers and hasn’t made it into two of the worst United sides in recent history, although the attacking options are as good as they have ever been.
A shame for Zaha but his move to Manchester United was disastrous and while he may return back to Palace on a permanent basis, he probably wishes that he never left.
Liverpool’s is gearing up to be extremely crucial. The business they’re able to do may all depend on what European competition they’ll be competing in next season.
Secure Champions League football and they’ll be in the transfer market and big players, but if they have to settle for the Europa League then they may be forced to settle for everyone else’s scraps.
As things stand, it looks like it could be the latter. Having been crushed by Arsenal last weekend, Brendan Rodgers’ side now trail fourth placed Man City by seven points with just seven games to play.
But that hasn’t stopped them from being linked with some of Europe’s most sought after players. So we put together a cheeky list of all the players Liverpool have been linked with ahead of the summer transfer window so far – a whopping 22 stars from all across Europe – and asked Reds fans to vote each one up and down depending on whether they wanted them at Anfield next season.
149 fans took part, which pretty much means the following results are as conclusive as they can be.
So, without further a do, here are the top five players Liverpool fans voted on, counting down to the main man Rodgers must sign to keep them happy…
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5. Pedro
Mail Online reckon Pedro could be on his way to Anfield if Raheem Sterling ends up leaving the Reds this summer.
The Barcelona forward is thought to be considering his Nou Camp future after finding his opportunities limited with the likes of Neymar and former Liverpool striker Luis Suarez preferred ahead of him.
The World Cup winner would apparently demand around £90,000-a-week to sign for Brendan Rodgers’ side, which is a reported £100k less than Raheem’s wage demands.
But not having Champions League football could hinder Liverpool’s chances of bringing Pedro to Anfield, with Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal also keen on the 27-year-old Spain international.
4. Geoffrey Kondogbia
Football – Arsenal v AS Monaco – UEFA Champions League Second Round First Leg – Emirates Stadium, London, England – 25/2/15Monaco’s Geoffrey Kondogbia celebrates scoring their first goal with Anthony MartialReuters / Eddie KeoghLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
The 22-year-old Monaco star played a huge part in knocking Arsenal out of the Champions League last month, which has resulted in increased interest for him from some top European outfits.
Mail Online are reporting that Liverpool have now joined the Gunners in the race to bring the French midfielder to the Premier League this summer, with the 6’2″ youngster building himself a reputation of being a commanding presence in any midfield.
With Steven Gerrard heading for the exit door this summer, Brendan Rodgers has Kondogbia on his list as potential replacements for the Anfield legend – and the fans are clearly as keen on him.
3. Memphis Depay
The Dutch international’s performances for the Netherlands at last summer’s World Cup put him on the radar of several of Europe’s biggest clubs.
He’s following that up with an even more impressive season with PSV and, as a result, looks likely to be heading away from Holland this summer.
Last month, Metro were reporting that the Reds were ‘close’ to completing a deal for Depay, with the youngster reportedly prefering Anfield to Old Trafford.
Nothing has materialised since, other than on-loan Southampton star Eljero Elia reportedly telling Depay to turn down any advances from the Premier League duo.
But with Liverpool desperate for some attacking flair if Raheem Sterling does indeed leave this summer, then Brendan Rodgers may be ready to offer Depay a pretty attractive route in to English football.
2. Miralem Pjanić
The Roma midfielder has been a target for the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea in the past, but now it appears to be Liverpool who are most likely to bring the highly-rated Bosnian star.
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Metro reported earlier this week that Brendan Rodgers could sign him for around £21.8million, which should put them in poll posision for his signature because they’ll be offering him regular first team football.
Other clubs reportedly interested in him are Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Monaco and Paris Saint Germain.
1. Alexandre Lacazette
keep
The fans have spoken and, given Mario Balotelli’s complete failure this season, it’s no surprise to see a striker at the top of the fans’ wishlist this summer.
The man they want is Alexandre Lacazette who, if you hadn’t heard of him because you’ve been hiding under a rock all season, has been banging the goals in for Lyon over in France.
The France international currently has 24 goals in 27 Ligue 1 outings this term and has found himself linked with several big clubs all over Europe as a result.
Given that he’s only really done the business for one season, it may be a bit of risk to spend a load of money on him and Brendan Rodgers will be wary of that after Balotelli.
The Express, Liverpool are leading Manchester United in the race for the 23-year-old and have him lined up as Luis Suarez’s replacement. Lyon are adamant that they’re not selling, but a pretty big offer may force them to cash in this summer.
Football may be known as the beautiful game but when it comes to some players that is clearly not the case. For every pin-up like David Beckham there is a few more fellas who just don’t cut it in the glamorous footie world.
The most talented stars have the ability to drive fear into their opponents – but the guys on our list have the extra bonus of looking scary too! In the spirit of Halloween we’ve thrown together a list of 15 players that are so scary, perhaps supermarkets should consider offering costumes of them rather than vampires or skeletons. Sometimes it’s their appearance, sometimes it’s their tendency to lose their heads, or sometimes its something even more sinister…
Click on Iain Dowie to unveil the 15
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Are there any footballers out there that you think should have made the list? I’ve been scared enough putting these 15 together, but let me know on Twitter @dudeyoungy where I’ll be nervously waiting…
“It’s a question of nerves,” Arsene Wenger declared in his pre-match address. Albeit Arsenal are in pole position to qualify for next season’s Champions League do they possess mental backbone to see it through? On the evidence of Saturday’s victory over Norwich that question has already been answered. Seeing off the Canaries in the dying stages was indicative of the Gunners’ late season surge. Seven wins from their last eight puts them amongst the form teams in the division and, more importantly, heaps the pressure on London rivals Chelsea and Tottenham, who’re now playing catch-up after Wenger’s side leapfrogged them both into third. Now it’s just a case of holding on for dear life.
Everton, although rank outsiders, are still very much in the frame for Champions League qualification and lie three points and two spots shy of the top-four. Only the two Manchester sides have been beaten less than the Toffees although 13 draws has hindered them somewhat. That being said they’ve displayed an uncharacteristic consistency from the first kick this season that has kept them amongst the European contenders. Four victories in their last five league games has put them within touching distance and David Moyes will be urging his troops to do all they can to grab a seat at the continents top table. A further incentive is finishing above Merseyside rivals Liverpool for the second year running and a mid-week success in North London would push them eight points above the Reds.
Team News
Thomas Rosicky (hamstring) should return for Arsenal, while Nacho Monreal looks set to play after being rested at Norwich. There are concerns over goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianksi after he sustained a rib injury on Saturday.
Everton have a number of minor knocks to assess before they arrive at the Emirates Stadium but there no serious injuries for David Moyes to contend with.
What the managers said…
“We have good spirit, good mental strength and desire and we are up for a fight and that’s what we want to show again on Tuesday against Everton. It has strengthened our belief that we can do it (finish in the top four), but we will go with the right focus against Everton and we know what is at stake. We will really go for it.” Arsene Wenger insists Saturday’s victory over Norwich was down to Arsenal’s character, not luck. (Liverpool Echo)
“It’s an opportunity which we will try and take. The players know that this is a chance, and because of that, there is not a great deal, which needs to be said to them. It’s a small chance, maybe a 15% chance, something like that. It’s not a big chance, but there are not many teams who can say they have even got a chance. We are happy to be in that position.” David Moyes quantifies Everton’s Champions League chances (Liverpool Echo)
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Pre-match Statistic: The 18 goals Arsenal have scored in the last 15 minutes of games this season is a Premier League high.
Prediction: Arsenal 2-1 Everton
Make your bets ahead of the showdown at the Emirates Stadium by clicking on the banner below
Tim Krul and Fabricio Coloccini could play for Newcastle in the Europa League after stepping up their returns to fitness.
Krul has been on the sidelines since he picked up an ankle ligament injury in the first leg of Newcastle’s Europa League win over Metalist Kharkiv last month but is now closing in on a return and could make the quarter-final clash with Benfica.
The Dutch stopper took to Twitter to break the good news of his return and it will give boss Alan Pardew a big lift ahead of a crucial run-in to the season.
“Completed my first full training session today with the lads,” Krul revealed. “Buzzing to be back on the pitch. Proper freezing out there.”
The game against Manchester City will come too soon this weekend but there is a chance he could make the Benfica game and the same can be said of Coloccini following a back injury.
The Argentina defender returned to his homeland for a spell while he recovered from the injury but is now back on Tyneside and could be fit for the first leg against Benfica in Lisbon.
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According to reports in The Sun, West Ham United defender James Collins is a £2m target for Premier League rivals Brighton and Hove Albion before the January transfer window slams shut.
What’s the word, then?
Well, The Sun says that Seagulls boss Chris Hughton is keen to add the experienced 34-year-old to his side’s backline to provide competition for first-choice centre-back pairing Lewis Dunk and Shane Duffy, as the south coast outfit look to stay out of trouble in the second-half of the campaign.
Even though Collins has become more of a regular fixture in the team under David Moyes in recent weeks following injuries to Winston Reid and Jose Fonte and is a firm fans’ favourite, the Welshman only has six months left on his contract and The Sun says that there has been no word on whether his deal is to be extended.
How has Collins done this season?
The failed to play a single minute of their opening two Premier League matches of the campaign against Manchester United and Southampton – failing to make the squad for the latter – but he then played three straight top flight games before suffering an injury.
The issue kept him on the sidelines until the end of November, but he struggled to earn a place in the starting XI ahead of Reid and Angelo Ogbonna, although he has started three of their Premier League fixtures in the past month – including captaining his side in the 3-3 draw against Bournemouth on Boxing Day.
With 210 appearances for West Ham in total and 50 caps for Wales he certainly has shown that he has that experience and calmness on the pitch, even if he is perhaps approaching the twilight years of his career.
Should West Ham cash in on him?
In a word, no.
Collins clearly loves the club and the fans love him, so it wouldn’t be worth selling him for £2m even with his contract running down.
If Brighton were willing to raise their bid to something around the £4-5m mark then the Irons may have a decision to make, but the 34-year-old has shown just what a useful part of the squad he is in recent weeks following a number of injury issues, and the east London outfit would be mad to get rid this month.
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While him leaving on a free could be an option at the end of the season, they may also agree a deal that sees him stay for another year, but they are much better off deciding that when they know for sure what division they will be in next term.
Well, well, well. If you’d have told us a little over two weeks ago that Newcastle would win three back-to-back games against an impressive Leicester side, away at Spurs and at the home of the reigning League Cup and Premier League champions we may well have been making a concerned call to the men in white coats. But, the Magpies are now on a decent run and look to have finally turned the corner this term after a turbulent opening month and a bit to the campaign.
The win away at Manchester City is, undoubtedly, the pick of the results, and should be a massive boost to the North East side. Could things be about to get even better for the boys in black and white? Maybe… and here’s FIVE reasons why.
If a win against the defending League Cup and Premier League champions in their own back yard doesn’t get confidence levels soaring, then nothing will! The Magpies took on a relatively depleted Man City side, but with Ballon d’Or nominee Yaya Toure, Spanish magician David Silva and Brazil international Fernandinho in the XI, the Sky Blues boasted plenty of experience and quality. It’s worth mentioning that Newcastle themselves were far from the peak of their powers, with teenage rookie Adam Armstrong handed a start while Ryan Taylor continued his comeback.
Two league wins followed by a cup victory over one of the richest teams on the planet? Not bad, eh?
Players stepping up
For the talk of underperforming stars at Newcastle, many are beginning to push on and show just what they’re all about. Rolando Aarons was the major story of the City win, with the highly-rated 18-year-old opening the scoring with a neat finish. The teenager has the potential to be Newcastle’s very own Raheem Sterling, and could thrive if given more chances after a few notable showings this term.
Away from newbies, experienced stars such as Moussa Sissoko – who also found the net – Gabriel Obertan and Jack Colback all impressed at the Etihad Stadium.
Liverpool up next…
Heading out of the City clash, Newcastle now face a home tie with Liverpool. Although the Reds are a Champions League side and finished the Premier League season as runners-up last time out, Brendan Rodgers’ team have been a shadow of their former selves this term. Losses at West Ham and at home to Aston Villa will fill the ‘Toon’ with confidence at St James’ Park, with the possibility of a big scalp to make it nine points from the last nine firmly on.
Liverpool have shown a vulnerability when pressed and battled, which is something that Pardew will have picked up on.
Cisse back to his best
//www.youtube.com/embed/RU9bjNvPCVg
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Although he’s missed the last two games, Papiss Cisse could be back in action against Liverpool this weekend with his knee problem thought to be resolved. Four goals in as many outings this term suggest that the 29-year-old is well on his way to recapturing the form he showed upon his arrival in England during 2012, and if he can continue to put the ball in the back of the net the Magpies look to have the player they’ve been missing up front for some time.
Players playing for Pardew
Even though the majority of the club’s faithful following have not yet got back behind ‘Handsome Pards’, it looks as if the players are once again playing for their boss. It may be a bit cliché, but the desire and work rate missing through the early weeks of the season – and the back end of 2013/14 – looks as if its now back, with commitment of the cause having increased tenfold over the past fortnight.
With all of the hype and anticipation surrounding his arrival at Barcelona, Neymar has had an underwhelming start to his career in Spanish football.
Such has been the Brazilian’s recent indifferent form that questions over his continued selection have been posed by the Spanish media to manager Tata Martino.
Two goals in the Catalans’ recent victory over Celta Vigo doesn’t disguise Neymar’s recent struggles. In the latest edition of ‘El Clasico’, the Brazilian was largely a passenger. Despite winning a penalty, the forward looked lightweight and indecisive in possession before being substituted in the 69th minute.
Not that the Brazilian seemingly has to worry about his place in the side. In a pre-match press conference before ‘El Clasico’, when asked about the player Martino responded: “I will reaffirm what I have said many times that Neymar is one of the top five players in the world.
“I don’t think it will be long before people stop talking about him like just another player because he isn’t,” the manager added.
Neymar’s arrival in European Football was eagerly anticipated. Publicly courted by most of Europe’s elite clubs for several seasons, the Brazilian eventually opted for a move to Barcelona. YouTube videos of Neymar’s various goals and skills for Santos divided opinion and prompted discussion before he had even arrived.
Comparisons with Real Madrid’s world record signing of Gareth Bale were inevitable. Both attackers arrived in Spanish football in the same window with huge reputations and for similarly astonishing fees. Despite all of this, both have also been forced to play second fiddle at their new clubs with Cristiano Ronaldo’s and Lionel Messi’s respective supremacy.
Scrutiny over Neymar’s performance at Barcelona has not been aided by this comparison. After a slow injury-affected start to the season, Bale has shone in the Spanish capital with an impressive ten goals and eleven assists in La Liga so far. Rather than displacing one another, the Welshman has managed to complement Ronaldo in Real Madrid’s attack.
Neymar’s statistics actually make for pretty good reading, having recorded nine goals and eight assists to this point. But the Brazilian has been outshone in his attacking output not just by Bale but several of his own team-mates. Alexis Sanchez has seventeen goals to his name whilst Pedro is not far behind with fourteen.
In the build-up to ‘El Clasico’, Sky Sports Guillem Balague represented the view of many of those in the Spanish press in expressing his surprise that Neymar had been selected ahead of Pedro.
It doesn’t bode well for one of the alleged top five players in the world that he has been convincingly outscored by a number of his own team-mates. Concerns still remain as to whether Messi and Neymar can effectively function together whilst still performing to their respective maximums.
Unfortunately for the Brazilian, his exploits in his debut season have been overshadowed by the revelations of his transfer. Club President Sandro Rosell resigned as specifics were made public, a bemusing action considering the club’s insistence that they have done nothing wrong.
A tax fraud case has been launched launched as the true cost of the deal remains murky. An astonishing 40 million euros was paid out to Neymar’s parents due to their ownership of the forward. Numerous other add-ons totalling millions have also been revealed in the embarrassing scandal.
Club legend Johan Cruyff has slammed the transfer and claimed that “no-one is God when they are just 21 years old” in reference to the Brazilian’s reported salary. Cruyff also expressed his concern over Messi and Neymar’s ability to play alongside one another, stating: “you cannot have two captains on one boat.”
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The Brazilian has also come under criticism for his actions off of the field. The wisdom of a day trip to Disneyland Paris with Thiago Silva at a time when the Brazilian was struggling for form was questioned in the media. The forward has acquired a playboy reputation since arriving in Spain through newspaper headlines and his frequent Instagram posts.
Ultimately at the age of just 22, there is still plenty of time for Neymar to grow into his superstar status at the Camp Nou. Unfortunately for the Brazilian however, his time at the club has been overshadowed by the murky revelations of his transfer and the superior form of Alexis Sanchez and Pedro.
As it stands, Neymar has failed to live up to the hype.
It would be fair to say that the decision taken by West Ham co-owners David Gold and David Sullivan to replace the sacked Slaven Bilic with David Moyes in November wasn’t received well by the vast majority of Irons supporters.
The Scot took charge at the London Stadium with the east London outfit in the relegation zone and having taken just nine points from their 11 Premier League matches at the time.
It was certainly understandable that Hammers fans were frustrated by replacing Bilic – who had been struggling for some time – with Moyes, considering the 54-year-old didn’t even come close to saving Sunderland from relegation during the previous campaign.
His disappointing time on Wearside came on the back of poor spells with La Liga side Real Sociedad and Manchester United, and he had become something of a laughing stock for football fans in general because of his respective failings.
West Ham fans would have been included in that, and they certainly would have been horrified when they found out that Gold and Sullivan were set to appoint him as Bilic’s successor given the difficult situation the club found themselves in.
The players were bereft of confidence, while some were lacking effort and many looked unfit, and others simply looked as though they weren’t good enough or up for the fight – especially in the 3-0 and 4-1 home defeats to Brighton and Hove Albion and Liverpool respectively in the lead up to the Croatian getting his marching orders.
Gold and Sullivan obviously looked at the situation and believed that they needed someone with plenty of Premier League experience who knows how to get results at this level, and they felt that Moyes was the best option on the market at the time.
Considering former Irons bosses Sam Allardyce and Alan Pardew were two of the other options, it is of little surprise that they opted to ignore those two and opt for the Scot.
While the West Ham supporters didn’t necessarily agree with the appointment, they need that they needed to pull together and support him, and that is what they tried to do even though a 2-0 defeat to Watford in Moyes’ opening match in charge wouldn’t have done anything to boost their belief.
The team was much-improved – in the second-half at least – against Leicester City at the London Stadium next time out, but then came the result and performance that suggested that the owners had got it all wrong, and that the supporters were right.
The Irons were beaten 4-0 by an Everton side at Goodison Park that had just suffered successive 5-1 and 4-1 defeats against Atalanta and Southampton respectively, and with matches against runaway leaders Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal following that humiliation the fans understandably thought they were going down.
Moyes does know how to get results consistently at this level though – as he showed during his 11 years with the Toffees – and not only did he manage to pick up four points from three difficult fixtures that looked like they would yield none on paper, his side then beat Stoke City 3-0 away from home last weekend.
Three clean sheets in a row and seven points from the last nine available have suddenly lifted the Irons away from the bottom three and the mood around the whole club, and they host a Newcastle side that have lost eight of their last nine games on Saturday.
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It did take a few games, but West Ham finally have something more of an identity and all 11 of the players on the pitch know their role in the side, and they are now getting their reward on the pitch.
While the supporters won’t be quick to dish out any praise to their controversial owners given what has happened in the past, there are certainly some that will need to eat a slice of humble pie and admit they were wrong if the impressive performances and results continue over the festive period.
David Gold and David Sullivan have got plenty of things wrong since they became owners, but the decision to appoint Moyes may not only be the one that ensures they preserve the Premier League status that was slipping away from them, but it could also be the one that begins to repair the bad relationship and lack of trust that currently exists between them and the fans.