Kenny Dalglish has stated that he was happy with Liverpool’s performance in their 2-0 win over Aston Villa on Sunday, and feels his side thoroughly deserved the three points.
First half goals from Craig Bellamy and Martin Skrtel gave the Merseysiders a comfortable victory, and the Scottish coach felt that his team defended well against Alex McLeish’s men.
“We passed the ball and moved it and hit the bar twice – I think it was a well-deserved three points for us,” he told Sky Sports.
“I think the first goal was a little bit fortunate but the second one was a good flick-on from Martin. We get pleasure taking three points and that’s the greatest reward you can get from the work you do in training.
“We’ll go forward as a team and defend as a team. If we don’t have the ball the first person is the first defender.
“There is no point having one part of the team good and another rubbish. We do everything together and we’ll move forward together,” he concluded.
The win lifts the Anfield team up to sixth place, equal on 29 points with Arsenal.
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Both sides will be looking to bounce back to winning ways this weekend for very different reasons. Bolton went down 2-1 at relegation threatened Birmingham, whilst West Ham’s own relegation woes continued after the 2nd half demolition by Manchester United which ended in a 4-2 defeat at home.
Owen Coyle could put defender Zat Knight back into the first team after his return from a knee injury suffered in February. But will be without the likes of Stuart Holden and Sam Ricketts for selection after both underwent surgery for injuries.
At present there are no new injury concerns for Avram Grant and his Hammers team who sit in the relegation zone. A win at the Reebok will move them up the table and ease worries but it’ll be a tough ask against a Bolton side who have only lost one in the last ten games at the Reebok.
Although, Bolton haven’t won any of the five games that midfielder Holden has missed and with West Ham midfielders, Scott Parker and Thomas Hitzlsperger impressing, they will look to control the game.
The form guide suggests this should be a home win, with Bolton only a point behind Everton in 7th, a win would move them into a comfortable position in the table if Everton lose at Wolves. However, with the character shown by West Ham since January has been impressive and hard to beat.
Match Prediction: Bolton 1-1 West Ham
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You can get odds of 5/1 on a 1-1 draw between Bolton and West Ham!
Aston Villa owner Randy Lerner has accused Manchester City of breaking rules over their continuing pursuit of midfielder James Milner.
The England international scored in Saturday's season-opening 3-0 victory over West Ham at Villa Park.
Milner has been linked with a £30million move to big-spending City throughout the summer after they made an initial bid for his services before the World Cup.
Villa have successfully held off City's interest in the 24-year-old midfielder, but Lerner is unhappy with the conduct of their Premier League rivals.
Twelve months ago Villa lost fellow midfielder Gareth Barry to City in similar circumstances.
"Big, bad Manchester City came along and asked for Milner and we said, 'No, he is not for sale'," Lerner told the Mail on Sunday.
"Under the rules you have to respect that. Manchester City respected that for two whole days. And then they violated the rules and came in for him again.
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"We are not a selling club. A selling club is when you let it be known that you want to sell a player, through an agent or whatever.
"That didn't happen with Gareth Barry and it didn't happen with James Milner either. As for Ashley Young, he was never going."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Following a 2-0 loss to Liverpool on Tuesday the pressure is back on the Premier League’s youngest manager. Following three defeats in four games, two against the Reds, his reign at Stamford Bridge looks to be hanging from a thread.
Since Roman Abramovich shelled out an eye-watering £13.2 million to bring the 34-year-old to London this summer, expectations have been sky high and Chelsea’s indifferent start to the campaign has had people suggesting his time may be over already. It is a disastrous statement about the world of football that one of the brightest young managers around may be thrown onto the scrapheap after five months as a Premier League boss because his philosophy of playing sexy football has not taken off.
With every game being scrutinised, particularly at Chelsea where the axe is never far away, defeats against fellow top sides is a cardinal sin but while it is often managers that pay the price for poor results, AVB cannot be held fully responsible for the problems he faces.
Since the departure of Jose Mourinho the team has only been patched up by his successors, papering over the cracks by splashing cash, trying to implement their own playing style into a squad that has been set up a completely different way and the team he has inherited dangerously lacking in youth.
Frank Arnesen legacy at the Cobham Academy is staggeringly small considering his reputation and the money spent on the facilities. Josh McEachran has come through the system and looks to have a bright future despite not being given much of a chance, but after that, who else is there? Patrick Van Aanholt and Jeffrey Bruma are both out on loan as is Gael Kakuta, a player that they spent a lot of money on ‘poaching’ from Lens, and none of them look likely to break into the side any time soon.
Meanwhile, twelve members of his team are over 30 and while that brings experience it means there is a distinct lack of pace throughout the team which has left them struggling with the pass-and-move style of play and high defensive line that is now the norm at the bridge. John Terry has is a world-class defender but pace is not something he has ever had in abundance and with opponents now looking to get the ball in behind them it is making his life a lot more difficult, particularly when he is having to deal with the eccentricities of David Luiz alongside him.
The most frustrating factor for Villas-Boas must be the long-term injury to Michael Essien. The Ghanaian would be included in the midfield without a second thought when available. He can play in defence, in the holding role or pushing forward and does so with the pace and enthusiasm that is lacking from the team at present. When the 28-year-old returns to action he will be able to replace John Obi Mikel who has looked weak in the centre of the park. His ability on the ball is way below par for somebody playing top-level football. He is playing in an important role in the team and isn’t up to the level of other holding midfielders but unfortunately for Chelsea, he is the best available at the minute.
Then there is the trouble of Torres. He has been better this campaign than last season but is still nowhere near justifying his £50 million price tag. His struggle to get on the scoresheet is a big concern and doesn’t look like ending soon. Meanwhile, Didier Drogba has been favoured recently but at 34, he is not a long term fix and has only scored twice himself this term, and while Daniel Sturridge has been in good form AVB is still not confident enough to play him down the middle, a position that will bring the most out of him.
Off the pitch, the club’s failure to sign Luka Modric in the summer took the wind out of the sails. Having secured the unlikely capture of Fernando Torres in January, Abramovich believed anything was possible in the transfer market but came crashing back to Earth after failing to negotiate a deal with Daniel Levy, his main target was out of reach. He was a player that would have fitted in perfectly with AVB’s masterplan but without him he’s relying on people that he would not have bought himself.
Perhaps more worryingly are the off-field events. With the club looking to move home, they have become preoccupied with trying to buy back Stamford Bridge from the Chelsea Pitch Owners, which is alienating fans who want to stay where they are.
Captain John Terry bagged a goal on Saturday but even he will admit that this is not his finest campaign. Since the incident with QPR’s Anton Ferdinand, he has had other things on his mind and that isn’t what is needed by the club’s cornerstone. He has been the best central defender at the Bridge this season but that is predominantly down to Sideshow Bob lookalike David Luiz pressing the self destruction button at every opportunity and Alex being way short of his English counterparts’ skill level.
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At the top of the tree, Abramovich is currently facing a £3 billion lawsuit from his former friend, Boris Berezovsky, who claims that he was intimidated into selling his share of an oil company they co-owned to the Blues owner for a fraction of their actual worth. This case will of course be playing on his mind and when his biggest investment is not reflecting the money he has put in then it will be irritating and cause the new boss to be under added pressure to impress.
However, he isn’t totally blameless. Unlike the Special One, the 34-year-old is trying to please his demanding boss by trying to play attacking football despite it exposing their vulnerability when the ball is played behind them.
The constant squad rotation is also affecting this transition because there is no chance for the team to get used to the new style and develop an understanding with each other.
His aggressive responses to the comments of pundits like Gary Neville also show a sign of nervousness about the current predicament when confidence is needed. Neville’s comment that David Luiz was playing like he was being controlled by a 10-year-old on the Playstation was justifiable but it showed a lack of experience by Villas-Boas when he rose to it.
Chelsea need a complete overhaul and that will take time. Abramovich must back his manager and give him more than one season to turn it round. He is a fantastic young manager and with the signings of Mata and Meireles it is clear he has a plan in his mind but if it is going to bring the success that the Russian craves then he must allow it to blossom.
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The owner must take a back seat and allow his big investment to do what he needs.
Villas-Boas obviously must survive the short term and currently he is nowhere near achieving what is required but that is down to the form of the teams near them at the top.
Manchester City are unbeaten and look formidable while United started the season in scintillating fashion and are picking up points despite not playing great. At the same time, Tottenham are playing mercurial football and could be a title contender and start that Newcastle United have made so far is gaining all the plaudits.
The start Chelsea have made has not been terrible but is below par. Give it time and he will succeed. But how much longer before the Russian’s clock stops?
What do you think is Chelsea’s biggest problem? Comment below or follow me on Twitter @jrobbins1991 and talk football.
Alberto Aquilani would be willing to return to parent club Liverpool next season if a proposed deal with Juventus fails to goes through.Aquilani, 26, joined Liverpool from AS Roma in 2009, but endured an injury-plagued first season in the English Premier League.
The midfielder made just 18 appearances in all competitions before being sent out on loan to Juventus at the start of the 2010/11 campaign.
A permanent transfer to the Turin club has been discussed, but with Liverpool reportedly seeking a fee of 14 million pounds, it remains to be seen where the Italy international will be plying his trade next season.
“The future? I’m at Juve, but I don’t know what will happen,” Aquilani told La Gazzetta dello Sport .
“I’m on loan and if I’m not redeemed in any case I’d go back to Liverpool in the best championship in the world. We’ll see.”
Juve take on Roma away from home in Serie A on Sunday, with Aquilani apprehensive about the reception he will receive at the Stadio Olimpico.
“When I went to Juve, I thought: ‘What will happen when I have to play in Rome? ‘ Sunday for me is a delicate game. I hope that I’ll be welcomed with affection, but I don’t know if it will happen,” Aquilani said.
“Certainly if I score, I won’t cheer. My memories are all positive.”
“Was I sent away? It is not the right word. When they proposed that I leave, I realised there was no more room for me.”
The capital city club have been purchased by an American consortium led by business Thomas Di Benedetto.
The takeover has led to speculation that Aquilani could be in line for a surprise move back to his former club.
“It is a delicate question. I would do, but I think it will be difficult,” he said, referring to the prospect of re-joining Roma.
“As a fan I’m curious to see what happens with the new property, especially if they begin to buy players and to revolutionise the team.”
After seeing some crunching tackles in the World Cup final between Spain and Holland, particularly from the Dutch, and to more specific from captain Mark van Bommel and Nigel De Jong. It got me thinking about some of the worst tackles that we’ve seen over the years so here are a compilation of the top 5 worst tackles ever:
1. Harald Schumacher on Patrick Battiston
In the semi-final of the 1982 World Cup between West Germany and France, Michel Platini fed a through ball is substitute Battiston, rather than attempt to catch the ball or block the shot, German ‘keeper Schumacher decided he would clothesline the player. As a result of the challenge Battiston was knocked unconscious, lost his two front teeth and had damaged his vertebra. Platini said that he thought he had died, because “he had no pulse and looked pale”. To top it all France weren’t even awarded a penalty and ended up losing the game on penalties
[youtube tGq7VcaHoqo]
2. Roy Keane on Alf-Inge Haland
After Roy Keane injured his cruciate ligament attempting to tackle Haland, the Norweigian lay over Keane and accused him of feigning injury to escape a punishment. Keane clearly wasn’ happy with these comments and four years later, after Haland had transferred to Man City he exacted his revenge with an awful tackle in the Manchester Derby.
[youtube p_st29mlQwU]
3. Paul Gascoigne on Gary Charles
In the 1991 FA Cup final between Tottenham and Nottingham Forest, Gascoigne went in for a horrific tackle on Charles which ended up having severe repercussions on himself. The challenge ended up rupturing the cruciate ligaments in Gazza’s right knee. Many people believe that had he not suffered that injury, then he would have gone on to become a much better player than he already was. To make matters worse Stuart Pearce scored from the resulting free kick that he had given away, although Tottenham did eventually win the game after extra time.
[youtube AyX_af6Rm3k]
4. Benjamin Massing on Claudio Caniggia
How do you stop a dazzling Argentinian forward getting past your defence? Why you just take him out with a a late tackle. At least that was Cameroon defender Benjamin Massing’s idea when he took out Claudio Caniggia at the 1990 World Cup. Still despite his dismissal Massing’s team were able to hold on to a 1-0 lead and record one of the greatest World Cup shocks of all time.
[youtube KeRlJJbtdHc]
5. Francesco Totti on Mario Balotelli
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Roma icon Francesco Totti decides to take a similar leaf out of Benjamin Massing’s book here to Mario Balotelli from waltzing past his defence. Except Totti’s ‘challenge’ was a lot more blatant and as the team’s captain he should know a lot better than to do that.
[youtube a0Zsd38GssA]
Are there any tackles that you think should be on the list?
Liverpool have been told that they will not sign Barcelona midfielder Seydou Keita in January according to the player, however the Mali international refused to rule out a move in the summer according to the The Sun.
Keita; who has a £90million buy-out-clause in his contract, has struggled to establish himself as a regular at the Nou Camp since his £14million move from Sevilla in 2008; seemed keen to move away from the Catalan club but not until the season is finished.
Liverpool stated their interest in the 31-year-old midfielder earlier this month and although Keita was flattered by the interest and was keen to praise the Premier League, he could not see a January move happening.
Just nine appearances in the first four months of the season and the arrival of Cesc Fabregas from Arsenal in the summer have prompted the Mali midfielder to discuss his future.
Keita said: “Liverpool are a great club and it is fantastic to hear they are interested in me but you know how I feel about Barcelona.
“But we are in football and nothing is an absolute, so let’s wait until the end of the season.
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“I want to play more games and the Premier League is very attractive and exciting for anyone.”
Following Arsenal’s defeat at the hands of Manchester United everyone from Bob Wilson to Emmanuel Petit is having an opinion on what is going wrong at the Emirates. While it must be frustrating in many ways it could prove a blessing in disguise for Arsene Wenger as it will enable the North Londoners to focus solely on the League title.
In the papers this morning there have been a mixed bag of stories that include Villa players remorseful over fracas; Ferguson hits back at critics, while Beckham will relish a Premier League return.
Beckham open to Premier League return when LA Galaxy contract ends – Daily Mail
Ferguson blasts back at Dalglish and Taylor over referee criticism – Independent
Terry to be England captain – Daily Telegraph
No way Jose will replace Fergie – Sun
Rooney wants FA Cup to complete collection – Mirror
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No 1 choice: Fergie eyes Atletico’s De Gea as £15m replacement for Van der Sar – Daily Mail
If you think the England team has major problems, then just look what’s been going on in the French camp this summer.
The French national side look to be out of total control and in utter disarray, after several bust-ups involving staff and players has effectively ended their World Cup campaign in South Africa.
All the drama kicked off prior to the start of the World Cup when Raymond Domenech left a number of French stars including the likes of Samir Nasri, Patrick Vieira and Karim Benzema at home. Domenech omissions of these stars have left not only the French population scratching their heads, but as well as other fans around the world (including myself)
The manager has not been a popular figure amongst the players, the French press and many of the country’s fans for his tactics and team selection in the World Cup. The players body language suggest that there is a lot of friction and disharmony amongst the group, and at half-time against Mexico last week, Nicolas Anelka let rip on Domenech. The Chelsea striker is reported to have told the disillusioned manager ‘Go f*** yourself, you son of a w****’, this inevitably saw the French striker being sent home by the French Football Federation, and as such, the player will not feature in the national side any time soon.
Following Anelka’s exclusion, the French squad have since refused to train and have revolted against the FFF’s decision on sending the striker packing. The walk-out came just moments after an intense dispute between France fitness coach Robert Duverne and captain Patrice Evra boiled over, with the left-back claiming that the Anelka story had been leaked by some form of ‘traitor’.
Taking this all into consideration (and it is a lot) what would the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger make of their French stars actions in South Africa this summer?
Evra appears to be the ringleader of this ‘French circus’ following his actions and recent statements released to the media. However, with this being said, would Fergie actually care what his left-back does whilst wearing the Blue of France? It’s debatable, and this would probably be the same for Wenger with Abou Diaby, William Gallas, Gael Clichy and Bacary Sagna. Nevertheless, the two Premier League managers would like to see their players play football and more importantly to act in a professional manner whilst on international duty. Wenger and Fergie may be surprised to hear and see what has transpired in the French camp, although, they may have seen it coming from the start.
Many fans around the world will agree that the French players are certainly not acting in a professional manner, especially by revolting against any sort of authority, it’s just wrong to do as a footballer, period. Even if the manager is disliked and or not respected highly, it’s still the player’s job to play the game, and as such, perform well…if not for themselves then for their fans back at home and those who travelled to South Africa.
I would think that Fergie and Wenger would be slightly concerned with their player’s actions, but not overly. They would not stand for such behaviour at their clubs that’s for sure. If it were to ensue at club level at any time, then both Fergie and Wenger would unquestionably deal with the problem quickly and sufficiently. Both managers would not like to see their players in the papers for the wrong reasons, due to the fact that it may draw bad and unnecessary publicity towards their clubs. However, I would argue that whilst the players in question are not wearing their club colours, then it won’t be too much of an issue for Fergie and Wenger to worry about, but that’s just my opinion of course.
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Click image below to see a gallery of the Italian babes at the World Cup:
Arsenal goalkeeper Lucasz Fabianski has admitted that he may leave Arsenal in the next transfer window, as opportunities in the Emirates first-team are becoming limited for the stopper.
The Poland international has had to play second fiddle to countryman Wojciech Szczesny for the bulk of this campaign, after a number of high-profile blunders cost him his place in the team.
The 26-year-old is motivated in trying to win the number one jersey back, but has admitted he will have to wait and see what happens in January.
“It is really difficult. Of course not playing doesn’t make me happy. I want to play, that’s my goal,” he told Mirror Football.
“But as well, sometimes you have to be patient. Like I said, I am just fighting, fighting.
“If there is an opportunity, I want to play as well as I can and help the team. We will see what happens.
“At the moment, I focus on Arsenal. There is still time until January, almost two months. We will see what happens.
“I am going to keep fighting for the place. Wojciech is doing well, but I have to fight, work hard and see what happens,” he concluded.
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