EX-IRELAND INTERNATIONAL David Meyler has joined The42 as our new football columnist for this season.
Every Friday, the former Hull City and Sunderland midfielder will give expert insight and his predictions ahead of the weekend’s Premier League action, alongside the latest William Hill prices.
Today, he looks at Michael Obafemi’s current situation for club and country, before weighing up whether Liverpool new boy Diogo Jota deserves to start this weekend.
Southampton v Newcastle, 8pm Friday
Whenever a young Irish player makes his Premier League debut, there is always going to be excitement around it.
As football fans from this country, we want to see these lads doing well. So when Michael Obafemi was handed a first-team opportunity by Southampton aged 17 and 199 days, your mind inevitably begins wondering what he could potentially go on to achieve at international level.
Against Tottenham that afternoon in January 2018, the striker — born in Dublin to Nigerian parents — became the club’s second youngest player to make a Premier League appearance after Luke Shaw. It was a refreshing sight, and by the end of the year the teenager had been called up to Ireland’s senior squad by Martin O’Neill.
We were buzzing about it at the time. Michael arrived into the Ireland set-up, and came across as a bubbly character. He was lively and got involved with the banter straight away.
Modern-day footballers are different and times have changed since I was 17 or 18 walking into a dressing room. The senior lads were a lot harder on you and nowadays some of the stuff would be classed as “bullying”.
When I first linked up with Ireland, I would only have spoken to the people I knew. I played with John O’Shea and Keiren Westwood at Sunderland, and I was friends with Seamus Coleman, James McCarthy and James McClean, who I kind of clung on to initially.
Nowadays, everyone is more open and friendly. There isn’t the belief that ‘You’re a young boy, so do what you’re told’.
Martin brought Michael on for the final 10 minutes of a 0-0 draw against Denmark, and it felt like a natural progression that he would push on to become a good addition to the team.
Exactly two years have passed, and he must be wondering when he is going to add to that first cap.
If I was to give him some advice, it would be to concentrate on his form at Southampton and do everything in his power to get more minutes. After making 21 Premier League appearances last season, he has only managed 13 minutes of league action this term and most recently picked up a red card for their U23s.
The striker, pictured alongside Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl, has barely featured this season. Naomi Baker
Naomi Baker
Danny Ings has been the Saints’ main man in terms of leading the line for some time now. However, during the week it was revealed that the former Liverpool striker has undergone minor surgery on his knee, meaning he’s out for four to six weeks. While that is a massive blow, it also represents a huge opportunity for the club’s other forwards.
In the summer of 2019, they signed Che Adams from Birmingham City and, after failing to score in his first 12 months on the south coast, he has found his form of late to strike up a great partnership with Ings.
Of course, there’s also Shane Long — a player with 85 Ireland caps to his name who has been in the Premier League consistently for the past 10 years.
Michael can learn from these guys by watching how they conduct themselves. It’s not just about how Long or any of the others play. It’s time keeping, discipline, eating right, getting enough sleep, what they do before and after training. Are they watching clips of their previous or future opponents? Does the defender who will be marking you like to go tight or to drop off?
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There is so much that you can do to improve yourself and your knowledge of the game. At Southampton, the best of everything will be available to them and it’s the same when you go away with the international team. There are iPads with all the information you need, it’s whether you choose to take it on board or not.
I don’t know Michael well enough to say that he does or doesn’t do this, but at the same time, we can all do more to become better players. It will boil down to how much the individual wants to develop.
Michael is still only 20 and there is time. He has most recently been involved with Ireland’s U21s and wasn’t called up by Stephen Kenny for this month’s games against England, Wales and Bulgaria yesterday. We’ve seen him bring plenty of players from the U21s up to the first team, Jason Knight and Dara O’Shea made the progression as recently as the last international break, so Michael will be given his chance if he is patient.
It’s on him to put the disappointment that he’s not in the senior squad to one side, and look at it as a challenge to consistently be the best player at U21 level and make sure that the next time there’s a senior squad announcement, his name is included.
Use the setback as a motivation to work harder than the rest, score goals for the U21s and show everyone that you’re too good to be there.
I’ve previously spoken about Jayson Molumby in this column, and Ireland have several young talents with huge potential like Troy Parrott, Adam Idah and Aaron Connolly, who have all come through the Irish underage system. Michael fits into that bracket.
Obafemi’s Southampton team-mate Will Smallbone also looks an intelligent player. From what I’ve heard, he’s a terrific young lad so that’s another bright prospect for Ireland going forward.
It’s just over a year since Southampton got beaten 9-0 by Leicester City. I was at Southampton’s training ground a few days before that game doing some work, and there was a good feeling around the place. Then they suffer a humiliating defeat like that and I thought ‘Where do they go from there?’.
A lot of owners and fans would have wanted the manager sacked after a result like that. It’s the joint-worst defeat in Premier League history, along with Man United’s hammering of Ipswich Town back in 1995. Not a statistic Ralph Hasenhuttl would want on his CV.
But if you look at the transformation of the squad since then, they are unrecognisable. They’ve continued it into this season and are now fifth in the table.
Newcastle had a valuable victory over Everton last Sunday but, although loss of Ings will be significant, I can’t see anything other than a Southampton win — 2-0.
Diogo Jota is looking a fantastic signing for Liverpool at €49 million.
Given the form that he’s in since arriving — and after scoring a sensational Champions League hat-trick in midweek — replacing Roberto Firmino with him for Sunday’s clash away to Manchester City seems an obvious decision.
I’m one of Firmino’s biggest fans in terms of what he brings by dropping into pockets, his link-up play, his work rate and his ability to get on the ball in tight spaces. He’s almost assisting the assister, in that he plays the ball for someone else to create the goal.
Having said that, the Brazilian is Liverpool’s number 9 and their main striker. He’s not scoring enough goals and would be the first to admit that he needs to be finding the target more often in a team that creates so many chances.
Diogo Jota celebrating one of his three goals on Tuesday night. PA
PA
Could Jurgen Klopp find a way to get them both in the team? It might involve changing the system to a 4-2-3-1, in which you play Jordan Henderson and Gigi Wijnaldum sitting in midfield, with Firmino in the number 10 while also starting Jota, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane in attack.
For a long time, we didn’t think the front three could be replaced but this lad has given them real options and brings a different dimension.
So it will be interesting to see whether Klopp picks one or accommodates both. If it’s a straight shootout between the two, I would hang my hat on Jota at the moment.
Sunday should be the first real test for both clubs this season, but I see the Reds winning with the form they’re in. I’m going for 3-2 Liverpool and Mane to score anytime.
William Hill odds above correct at the time of writing. New online customers get €30 in free bets when they bet €10 with William Hill. Just use the promo code P30. For all the latest prices, visit williamhill.com. 18+, always gamble responsibly. For more information, see BeGambleAware.org
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David Meyler: Two years on from Ireland debut, Obafemi wondering when second cap will come
EX-IRELAND INTERNATIONAL David Meyler has joined The42 as our new football columnist for this season.
Every Friday, the former Hull City and Sunderland midfielder will give expert insight and his predictions ahead of the weekend’s Premier League action, alongside the latest William Hill prices.
Today, he looks at Michael Obafemi’s current situation for club and country, before weighing up whether Liverpool new boy Diogo Jota deserves to start this weekend.
Southampton v Newcastle, 8pm Friday
Whenever a young Irish player makes his Premier League debut, there is always going to be excitement around it.
As football fans from this country, we want to see these lads doing well. So when Michael Obafemi was handed a first-team opportunity by Southampton aged 17 and 199 days, your mind inevitably begins wondering what he could potentially go on to achieve at international level.
Against Tottenham that afternoon in January 2018, the striker — born in Dublin to Nigerian parents — became the club’s second youngest player to make a Premier League appearance after Luke Shaw. It was a refreshing sight, and by the end of the year the teenager had been called up to Ireland’s senior squad by Martin O’Neill.
We were buzzing about it at the time. Michael arrived into the Ireland set-up, and came across as a bubbly character. He was lively and got involved with the banter straight away.
Modern-day footballers are different and times have changed since I was 17 or 18 walking into a dressing room. The senior lads were a lot harder on you and nowadays some of the stuff would be classed as “bullying”.
When I first linked up with Ireland, I would only have spoken to the people I knew. I played with John O’Shea and Keiren Westwood at Sunderland, and I was friends with Seamus Coleman, James McCarthy and James McClean, who I kind of clung on to initially.
Nowadays, everyone is more open and friendly. There isn’t the belief that ‘You’re a young boy, so do what you’re told’.
Martin brought Michael on for the final 10 minutes of a 0-0 draw against Denmark, and it felt like a natural progression that he would push on to become a good addition to the team.
Exactly two years have passed, and he must be wondering when he is going to add to that first cap.
If I was to give him some advice, it would be to concentrate on his form at Southampton and do everything in his power to get more minutes. After making 21 Premier League appearances last season, he has only managed 13 minutes of league action this term and most recently picked up a red card for their U23s.
Danny Ings has been the Saints’ main man in terms of leading the line for some time now. However, during the week it was revealed that the former Liverpool striker has undergone minor surgery on his knee, meaning he’s out for four to six weeks. While that is a massive blow, it also represents a huge opportunity for the club’s other forwards.
In the summer of 2019, they signed Che Adams from Birmingham City and, after failing to score in his first 12 months on the south coast, he has found his form of late to strike up a great partnership with Ings.
Of course, there’s also Shane Long — a player with 85 Ireland caps to his name who has been in the Premier League consistently for the past 10 years.
Michael can learn from these guys by watching how they conduct themselves. It’s not just about how Long or any of the others play. It’s time keeping, discipline, eating right, getting enough sleep, what they do before and after training. Are they watching clips of their previous or future opponents? Does the defender who will be marking you like to go tight or to drop off?
There is so much that you can do to improve yourself and your knowledge of the game. At Southampton, the best of everything will be available to them and it’s the same when you go away with the international team. There are iPads with all the information you need, it’s whether you choose to take it on board or not.
Michael is still only 20 and there is time. He has most recently been involved with Ireland’s U21s and wasn’t called up by Stephen Kenny for this month’s games against England, Wales and Bulgaria yesterday. We’ve seen him bring plenty of players from the U21s up to the first team, Jason Knight and Dara O’Shea made the progression as recently as the last international break, so Michael will be given his chance if he is patient.
It’s on him to put the disappointment that he’s not in the senior squad to one side, and look at it as a challenge to consistently be the best player at U21 level and make sure that the next time there’s a senior squad announcement, his name is included.
Use the setback as a motivation to work harder than the rest, score goals for the U21s and show everyone that you’re too good to be there.
I’ve previously spoken about Jayson Molumby in this column, and Ireland have several young talents with huge potential like Troy Parrott, Adam Idah and Aaron Connolly, who have all come through the Irish underage system. Michael fits into that bracket.
Obafemi’s Southampton team-mate Will Smallbone also looks an intelligent player. From what I’ve heard, he’s a terrific young lad so that’s another bright prospect for Ireland going forward.
It’s just over a year since Southampton got beaten 9-0 by Leicester City. I was at Southampton’s training ground a few days before that game doing some work, and there was a good feeling around the place. Then they suffer a humiliating defeat like that and I thought ‘Where do they go from there?’.
A lot of owners and fans would have wanted the manager sacked after a result like that. It’s the joint-worst defeat in Premier League history, along with Man United’s hammering of Ipswich Town back in 1995. Not a statistic Ralph Hasenhuttl would want on his CV.
But if you look at the transformation of the squad since then, they are unrecognisable. They’ve continued it into this season and are now fifth in the table.
Newcastle had a valuable victory over Everton last Sunday but, although loss of Ings will be significant, I can’t see anything other than a Southampton win — 2-0.
Man City v Liverpool, 4.30pm Sunday
Diogo Jota is looking a fantastic signing for Liverpool at €49 million.
Given the form that he’s in since arriving — and after scoring a sensational Champions League hat-trick in midweek — replacing Roberto Firmino with him for Sunday’s clash away to Manchester City seems an obvious decision.
I’m one of Firmino’s biggest fans in terms of what he brings by dropping into pockets, his link-up play, his work rate and his ability to get on the ball in tight spaces. He’s almost assisting the assister, in that he plays the ball for someone else to create the goal.
Having said that, the Brazilian is Liverpool’s number 9 and their main striker. He’s not scoring enough goals and would be the first to admit that he needs to be finding the target more often in a team that creates so many chances.
Could Jurgen Klopp find a way to get them both in the team? It might involve changing the system to a 4-2-3-1, in which you play Jordan Henderson and Gigi Wijnaldum sitting in midfield, with Firmino in the number 10 while also starting Jota, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane in attack.
For a long time, we didn’t think the front three could be replaced but this lad has given them real options and brings a different dimension.
So it will be interesting to see whether Klopp picks one or accommodates both. If it’s a straight shootout between the two, I would hang my hat on Jota at the moment.
Sunday should be the first real test for both clubs this season, but I see the Reds winning with the form they’re in. I’m going for 3-2 Liverpool and Mane to score anytime.
William Hill odds above correct at the time of writing. New online customers get €30 in free bets when they bet €10 with William Hill. Just use the promo code P30. For all the latest prices, visit williamhill.com. 18+, always gamble responsibly. For more information, see BeGambleAware.org
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