Welsh Players' Season Review - Premier League Part 1

Arsenal
Aaron Ramsey’s season started well. He was making a good case for his inclusion in Arsenal’s team, ahead of many older and more experienced players, scoring some great goals along the way. He had also emerged as one of the stars of the Welsh international side, despite making the step up from the under-21s relatively recently. Then of course he was injured and it’s still not clear when he’ll be coming back. Some sources say September, but the original January estimate could be more realistic. Wales fans – and Arsenal fans - will be hoping Aaron returns from injury sooner rather than later.
Aaron has been linked with a loan move back to Cardiff City but I haven’t heard anything recently. I don’t think that’ll happen. If he gets back from injury and then a couple of months later he’s still not in the team – and if Arsenal aren’t still involved in the Carling Cup – maybe then he might go on loan as Jack Wilshere did this season. But Aaron is ready for Arsenal and unless Arsene Wenger brings in lots of experienced midfielders (which would be unlike Arsene), I’m sure Aaron will get plenty of opportunities once he’s fit again.

Arsenal (loans to Southend United and Leeds United)
Sanchez Watt has had two loan spells this season. The first was with Southend United, where he was a regular starter but he could do little to halt their slide into League Two. Once his loan spell was ended, he returned to Arsenal, hoping he might get into the first team, but he agreed to go out on loan again when Leeds United, who were at the opposite end of League One, showed an interest. Sanchez made only one start throughout his time with Leeds – that was the match where he claimed his one assist – but he made regular appearances from the bench and played a part when they clinched promotion on the final day.
I expect Sanchez will stay with Arsenal for the first part of next season and appear in the Carling Cup but then if he’s not breaking into the first team, he might go out on loan again, perhaps to a Championship side this time.
Unfortunately Sanchez continues to show no interest in playing for Wales but if he wants to play for England, I can’t really blame him for that. I’d want to play for Wales so I’d say no too if some other country came along, even though I would be very flattered.

Aston Villa
James Collins was a surprise purchase for Aston Villa on transfer deadline day in September - and the fact I was convinced he’d be brilliant is probably more down to patriotism than anything else. But James has done really well, not just turning in great individual performances but forming a great partnership with Richard Dunne. A good partnership between your centre backs does not often form overnight but at Villa it pretty much did.
Villa would be mad to let go of him now. Okay maybe if Manchester United offer £50,000 for him, you can’t blame them for considering it and maybe that isn’t completely impossible as Man Utd might want a really good experienced centre half to help out when Rio Ferdinand is out. But I think James should stay right where he is. Either that or come to Arsenal.
James has continued to be a key player for Wales when fit (and when not on maternity leave) and wore the captain’s armband when Wales lost to Sweden at Swansea City’s Liberty Stadium.

Blackburn Rovers
Jason Brown made a few first-team appearances for Blackburn Rovers this season - in the Cup when Paul Robinson was rested and in the League when Robinson was injured. Jason’s League appearances were excellent and other than a defeat to Tottenham Hotspur (the match in which he replaced the injured Robinson), Blackburn were unbeaten with Jason in the team, even though one of their matches was against Chelsea.
If Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce hadn’t been so eager for Paul Robinson to get into the England squad (even I’m annoyed he’s not in the squad and I’m not exactly England’s most loyal supporter) perhaps Jason would have remained first-choice keeper for the rest of the season.
But he didn’t and a combination of rumours of Allardyce buying goalkeepers and Jason’s own desire for first-team football (and it would be great for Wales if he could get some) suggests that Jason will leave Ewood Park this summer. Middlesbrough are said to be interested and they could do a lot worse.
Jason was on the bench when Wales beat Scotland at the Cardiff City stadium but he hasn’t been selected since.

Bolton Wanderers
Sam Ricketts has had a mixed time at Bolton Wanderers. Mostly, he played very well but he struggled when the rest of the team were struggling (which is reasonable) and when he was dropped to the bench, it was always in unfair circumstances. True, he did score one of the worst own goals in the history of the universe (or at least in the history of me watching Match of the Day) but that was the goalkeeper’s fault too and he wasn’t dropped. Then Sam seemed to be dropped for playing poorly in midfield. Somehow Owen Coyle had got it into his head that because right back Sam was also brilliant at centre back and left back, he could stick him anywhere. Well it didn’t work and Sam was dropped again.
I think he’ll probably stay at Bolton and fight for his place but if Owen Coyle decides to go shopping in the transfer window (I’ve heard Burnley is his favoured shopping destination), he might choose to get rid of some of the players who haven’t been playing every week. But getting rid of Sam would be very silly.
Sam has been in every Wales squad this season when fit and turned in an excellent performance when Wales beat Scotland but he has been Wales’ second choice for the right back position behind Chris Gunter – although he did get to play against Croatia when Gareth Bale was out.

Chelsea (loan to Queen’s Park Rangers)
Rhys Taylor went out on loan to Queen’s Park Rangers in January but this was not a success – Rhys never managed to get off the bench in that part of London either. There was talk of a second loan move but nothing materialised, even though QPR were still short of keepers.
Rhys also made one ‘appearance’ for Chelsea this season, sitting on the bench when both the first and second-choice goalkeepers were injured. Rhys would have been on the bench for the following match too but unfortunately he was the next victim of the keeper curse and the place was given to another Academy player.
It’s disappointing for Rhys but at the same time it’s great that manager Carlo Ancelotti felt confident enough in Rhys’ ability to put him on the bench. He is only just 20 which is practically the embryonic stage if you’re a goalkeeper. I’m sure he will have more chances as time goes on and maybe next season will give him more loan opportunities with managers who actually want to play him.
Rhys has also featured in Wales under-21 squads this season, as both a stand-by and an official squad member. He hasn’t played yet but maybe he would have done if you were allowed to play more than one goalkeeper.

Fulham
Simon Davies suffered an ankle injury towards the end of last season and although he had many attempts at making a comeback this season, they all ended in relapse.
But when he finally came back midway through the season, he came back with a vengeance. Without him, Fulham almost certainly wouldn’t have beaten Hamburg to take their place in the Europa League Final and maybe they wouldn’t even have got as far as Hamburg in the first place.
At the start of the season, Simon might have been envisaged as a squad player. He didn’t have his own Match Attax card in the original 2009-10 set. But he’s been so undroppable, he’s been, well, not dropped. Even when Roy Hodgson has taken the decision to rest players, Simon has very often been picked. Then he plays in Europe too. They just can’t do without him.
The only problem is that Simon’s ankle (or foot, the papers keep changing their mind) is still troubling him and he was forced to withdraw from Wales’ match against Croatia. Here’s hoping he can get a nice rest and some more treatment during the summer so he’ll be fine for the new season. And, of course, for Wales’ match against Luxembourg.
Simon’s contract ends next summer. It wouldn’t surprise me if other clubs started sniffing around Simon (although with the huge amount of games he’s played recently, he probably hasn’t had much time for a bath) but Fulham have had such a great season, I’m sure Hodgson would want to keep him and I’m sure Simon will just be happy to be on great form in a great team. Why would he want to be anywhere else?
Simon considered retiring from Wales this year – he is, after all, at the age where most Welsh players seem to retire. Luckily the Euro 2012 draw changed his mind and he’s looking forward to playing for Wales again.

Hull City
Boaz Myhill produced one of the goalkeeping performances of the season when he faced Tottenham Hotspur and the Hull City keeper has continued to produce world class saves ever since. Unfortunately, these have often been outweighed by some disappointing moments with the result that Bo has been dropped from the team twice this season.
Bo says he’s more than willing to come back to Hull next season and fight to get them back up into the Premier League but Hull’s financial difficulties have been well-documented (well I think they have, I haven’t read much about it to be honest) and Bo might be a player they’re willing to sacrifice if they can get a good price for him.
Tottenham are rumoured to be interested although maybe we shouldn’t take this too seriously as Tottenham are often are linked with keepers who play well against them. I think Harry Redknapp starts most of the rumours. However with Carlo Cudicini probably not fit for next season, young Ben Alnwick probably not ready for a major role (and with the addition of Champions’ League fixtures to Tottenham’s calendar, having a strong second goalie would be a very good idea), Bo would be a great choice to cover Heurelho Gomes and challenge him for the No. 1 spot.
Unfortunately the last thing Wales need is a keeper who isn’t getting first-team football and with Wolves’ Wayne Hennessey also spending time on the bench (and himself linked to a top-six Premier League club), it would be better for Wales if Bo stayed at Hull and played every week.

Manchester City
Craig Bellamy has been linked with the exit door pretty much ever since Carlos Tevez and Emmanuel Adebayor walked through (and Roque Santa Cruz limped through) in the other direction. Reported rows with new manager Roberto Mancini have only fuelled the rumours.
But what the controversial articles often fail to mention is that Craig has been on fantastic form for Manchester City this season. Too many strikers? No problem, just put Craig on the left wing. He can still get goals from there and loads of assists too. Indeed, when Tevez and Adebayor were still struggling to find their feet, it was Craig who provided the necessary goals to ensure that City didn’t slip too far behind their rivals. Manchester City would be very silly to let him go.
Craig and Mancini have both denied they have a problem with each other and Mancini says Craig will probably still be a Manchester City player next season. If this wasn’t football, I think I’d believe them. As this is football, Craig might just be on his way out after all. If so, Tottenham are rumoured to be ready to pounce, even though they have nearly as many strikers as Man City. Everton are also said to be interested and they need a striker more than most clubs.
Craig continues to avoid playing for Wales in friendlies and his insistence on threatening to retire every time something goes wrong still scares me every time he does it. But Craig does always play for the competitive matches when his knee problems allow and when he actually gets onto the pitch, you can’t fault his passion and commitment There are a lot of things about Craig you can fault but let’s not go into those now.
Craig’s most recent retirement threat was on condition that Manchester City got into the Champions’ League. Luckily for Wales. Tottenham Hotspur got the fourth place so he hasn’t retired. Well done, Gareth Bale. Even when you’re scoring against my beloved Arsenal, you’re a great servant to my beloved Wales. But… what happens if Craig signs for Tottenham?

Manchester United
Ryan Giggs was predicted to be coming to the end of his career and I suppose in a way these predictions might be right. You can’t be a 36 year old footballer and not be coming to the end of your career. But considering Ryan has again been on great form and is playing for one of the best clubs in the world, I should think he’s good for another year or two at least. Sir Alex Ferguson thinks one more year will be enough for Ryan but what does he know. Well, quite a lot actually. But one thing I definitely can’t see him doing is signing for another club. He probably could continue to play for a lower-level team for quite a few years but it’s difficult to imagine him wanting to.
Those milestones keep on coming for Ryan. This season, he scored his first ever penalties in the League for Manchester United. In the same match too.
Ryan recently made headlines when he said he would be willing to play for Wales again if they needed him, specifically while Aaron Ramsey was injured. John Toshack however thinks it’s all a publicity stunt and has decided to ignore it. And besides, Sir Alex Ferguson has already said he wouldn’t stand any nonsense like that from Ryan. Although if any footballers are old enough to make their own decisions, Ryan Giggs must surely be one of them..

Owen Hargreaves chose England over Wales so he’s lucky to be mentioned in my blog at all but it was great to see him back on the bench and making a substitute appearance for Manchester United against Sunderland. He was literally only on the pitch for a minute but even Fabio Capello was rumoured to have got caught up in the romance of it all, although when he announced his squad, Owen was not among the chosen ones after all.
A bit of Owen in midfield could be just what Wales needs right now. Actually, a bit of Owen at his best would be very useful for England too, with Gareth Barry still not certain to be fit for the World Cup. It’s far too early to say what next season will bring for Owen but it looks as though he will be staying at Manchester United. If he can stay fit, I’m sure he will get his chances.

Michael Owen is another who chose England although to be fair I think he only qualifies for Wales under the education rule and that didn’t exist when Michael started playing international football. So let’s pretend that Michael would have chosen Wales if the choice had been there.
Speaking of surprising choices, Sir Alex Ferguson made one when he decided to sign Michael at the start of the season. Not every club which has just won the League for the third time in a row and finished as runners up in the Champions’ League will sign a player from a club who’s just got relegated. But that’s what happened. Michael didn’t exactly set the League alight but there was the odd flicker here and there.
There are rumours that Manchester United will get rid of him but I hope they’ll give him another season. If he can stay fit, he’ll have his chances (especially if Dimitar Berbatov keeps going as he has done) and maybe he’ll be a star again.