So… he doesn’t help us qualify, he retired 3 years ago, his side has their worst season in club football for 16 seasons and he declared that he wasn’t all that fussed about representing his country in his autobiography and yet now he has a chance to go to the World Cup. How on earth does that work? Are England really struggling that much for defenders? Many people argue that Carragher is versatile. And? So what? He’s not the only versatile English defender – what about Micah Richards? He was always available throughout the qualifiers and he can be considered to be versatile.
What about Matthew Upson? How must he be feeling? He helped the country get to the World Cup in the first place! While Jamie Carragher was sitting at home with his feet up, Matthew Upson was out there working hard to make sure that his country got to South Africa. Why? Because playing in a World Cup is the most important thing to some people and it is these people who should be contenders to be picked. Naturally there are going to be ‘guarantees’ to go to South Africa. Players like Rooney, Lampard and Ferdinand etc can consider themselves picked already but others, like Upson and Richards, have had to work as hard as they possibly can just to even be considered. Sadly for the pair – it was to no avail. The position went to somebody who didn’t even want it.
Don’t get me wrong. I respect and like Capello. But here it looks as though he’s just like every other England manager. If your name is big enough then you’re in the squad. If England require a holding midfielder and an attacking midfielder – sadly it won’t be a case of: ‘Sorry, it’s either Frank or Stevie for the attacking role.’ It’ll be ‘Well we’ll put Frank in there and then we can try and cram Stevie in somewhere else like Left-Midfield. We can’t not pick him – it’s Gerrard.’ Yes Fabio. You can ‘not pick him.’ In the exact same way that you can rely on English players from clubs outside of the ‘Big Four’. If Carragher played for West Ham – begging him to come out of retirement wouldn’t have even been an option.
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When we go out in the Quarter-Finals and everyone is walking around the country feeling very glum and confused as to how the mighty England didn’t manage to ‘bring it home’, I ask them to look Greece’s win in the Euros in 2004. What do you see? Do you see a strong team of players, or a team of strong players? And yes – there is a difference.
Tottenham striker Emmanuel Adebayor has stated that he will not celebrate if he scores against Arsenal on Sunday, as a mark of respect to his former club.
The African forward has been in exceptional form since joining Spurs on loan from Manchester City at the start of the season, scoring three goals in three straight Tottenham victories.
The Togolese man ruffled Arsenal feathers however back in 2009 when he ran the length of the pitch to celebrate in front of the London side’s fans after scoring against Arsene Wenger’s men for City, but has stated the same will not happen on Sunday.
“What happened two years ago was an accident and I do apologise to all the fans of Arsenal,” he stated in a press conference.
“Sometimes the emotions, we cannot control them, we are all human beings. I regret what I have done and I say sorry to everyone but at the end of the day sorry doesn’t change anything. For me, it’s over.
“I’m looking forward to playing against Arsenal again on Sunday. But believe me, if I have a chance to score – trust me, I will score – but as for the celebration, never in my life will I do something like that again.
“It will be a funny game, it’ll be fantastic. I have a chance to play against Arsenal again, the club that gave me the chance to be where I am today. I have a huge respect for the club,” he concluded.
Tottenham will go into the game as favourites following their 4-0 win over Liverpool in their last fixture at White Hart Lane, but Arsenal have improved over their last couple of games after a shaky start.
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Even by their recent standards, January was a particularly eventful month for Liverpool FC. The month began with Roy Hodgson’s ignominious early ousting from the Anfield hotseat, with the Reds’ new American owners appointing club legend Kenny Dalglish in the former Fulham manager’s place. The King’s return to the throne culminated in a return to winning ways, before a staggering transfer deadline day saw the club effectively trade Fernando Torres for Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll.
Dalglish’s return to the managerial post he vacated nearly 20 years ago has undoubtedly brought back some much-needed stability and leadership to a side decimated by in-fighting and turmoil over the last 18 months. Sunday’s 1-0 win away at Chelsea saw Liverpool record their fourth successive victory, fuelling optimistic suggestions that the side can make a late push for Champions League qualification.
Although plaudits have been heaped upon the 59-year-old caretaker manager by fans and pundits alike, credit must be given to the man brought in by Dalglish to oversee coaching of the first-team. Former Chelsea man Steve Clarke has been an integral part of the Reds’ recent revival, a sentiment alluded to by Daniel Agger and Jay Spearing.
Speaking to LFC Weekly, Spearing said: “Under him [Clarke] the pace of training has changed.
“He wants us to do things quicker. That’s helped us to play at a better tempo in games.”
Clarke is a respected figure within the game, and is widely credited as being a key figure behind Chelsea’s back-to-back title wins of 2004/05 and 2005/06.
Charlton Athletic assistant manager Alex Dyer, a man who worked with Clarke during the Scotsman’s spell as assistant manager at West Ham United, said that Dalglish’s number two excels at getting “footballers playing to their maximum potential.” This assertion has been vindicated in the performances of some of Liverpool’s players; shaky Slovak Martin Skrtel has begun to show some semblance of the defender he was when he first arrived at Anfield in 2008, and the free-scoring Raul Meireles is finally starting to prove his true worth to the team.
The fact that Liverpool’s rearguard has been breached with greater infrequency during the last month is no coincidence. The side have conceded five goals in their last seven games, and have managed to keep clean sheets in each of their last four outings. Liverpool’s successful tactical reversion to a 3-5-2 system not seen since the late 1990s is thought to be to attributable to Clarke.
Liverpool’s displays of late have also drawn comparisons to the ‘pass and move’ ethic synonymous with the club during their 1970s and 1980s halcyon days (for example, Fernando Torres’ second goal against Wolves at Molineux was preceded by 31 passes). Dyer again attributes to this to the work of Clarke, stating: “Most of the players I know loved his sessions. He likes to play the ball on the ground with quick passing and play at a high tempo.”
Dealing with Fernando Torres’ late January transfer request would surely have provided Kenny Dalglish with his biggest headache this January. Dalglish admirably dealt with the mess created by the former Rojiblanco, but whether or not Carroll and Suarez manage to fill the Spaniard’s illustrious shoes remains to be seen. Regardless of their eventual impact, the signing of Steve Clarke may prove to be the most important signing made by Kenny Dalglish in the January window.
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Chelsea have confirmed that Joe Cole, Michael Ballack and Juliano Belletti will be leaving the club at the end of the month after their contracts expire. With Deco also expecting to leave this summer there will be a few spots opening up in the Blues’ midfield, which has led to a media frenzy as many are speculating on who should Carlo Ancelotti sign to fill the shoes of the above.
Here are five players that Ancelotti should consider as replacements:
Bastian Schweinsteiger: the Bayern Munich midfielder has been linked with Chelsea in light of the recent exodus and many believe the 25-year-old could be a perfect replacement for fellow German Ballack and could inject some much needed youth into the Stamford Bridge outfit’s midfield.
The Germany vice-captain has enjoyed a good season with his club, who like the Blues won a league and cup double. Also, just like Chelsea lost to Inter Milan in the Champions League. Schweinsteiger is also a very versatile player and can be implemented anywhere in the midfield.
The transfer fee mooted is £25million, which doesn’t usually get you a whole lot these days and it could be a great deal for a player who has many years ahead of him.
Yaya Toure: I’ve already written an article on the benefits of the Ivorian as adding a defensive midfielder to the team would allow Ancelotti to play Michael Essien further up the pitch. Essien is probably Chelsea’s best player and I feel as though his talents are wasted as a deep lying midfielder, even though he plays the role so well (remember when he had Steven Gerrard in his pocket at Anfield in the Champions League in the 2008/09 season?).
Toure’s agent claims that the Ivory Coast star has already signed an agreement with a Premier League club, with many believing it is one of Chelsea, Manchester City or Arsenal.
Rafael van der Vaart: the 27-year-old Dutchman has had a mixed time at the Santiago Bernabeu and is expected to be one of the casualties as new Real Madrid manager is set to shake things up.
The former Hamburg midfielder could be the sort of playmaker that Chelsea are crying out for and many believe he could be bought for as little as £10million. He is also fairly versatile and is a lot better passer of the ball than Joe Cole. If he can have a similar impact as two fellow Netherlands stars who have left Los Blancos (Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben) then he would be a fantastic bargain for any club.
James Milner: considering UEFA’s new quota which states that a 25-man squad must contain at least eight home-grown players the Aston Villa midfielder is set to become hot property this summer. As Chelsea are set to lose and Englishman in Joe Cole it would make sense to replace him with another and Milner is the best available.
The 24-year-old scored a dozen goals for the Villains last season and won the PFA Young Player’s award. The only stumbling block is the player’s price tag which could be in excess of £30million…perhaps more if he impresses in South Africa.
Diego: although the mercurial Brazilian has previously insisted that he does not wish to give up on Juventus after just one season at the club his manager Gigi del Neri is unlikely to use the player in his preferred system.
So, according to Juve’s general manager Beppe Marotta the club will listen to potential transfer offers for the 25-year-old.
Marotta told Tuttosport: “There are offers for Diego,”
“Del Neri’s tactical requirements have the priority and I don’t think the Brazilian fits into the 4-4-2.”
“Faced with an impressive offer, I believe we could sell him.”
Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea were all previously linked with the player before he moved from Werder Bremen to Turin in 2009 and may renew their interest in the player. The playmaker could operate at the tip of the diamond if Ancelotti wished to revert to his preferred system and he is likely to be a cheaper option than £50million rated Kaka.
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Of course there are many other alternatives and fans will speculate and debate over who they want to join during the summer. Some may even argue that it is time for the likes of Gael Kakuta and Nemanja Matic should make the step up and be given more chances in Ancelotti’s first team.
Who would the Chelsea fans like to see replace Ballack, Cole and Belletti?
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The phrase, “must get off to a good start,” is as horribly tedious as it is immortal. Every season it seems to get dusted off as we evaluate a new manager’s chances, as if a mediocre or uninspiring start would be some form of viable alternative. Every time a manager walks into a new club, they’ve got to hit the ground running and start winning games. For Brendan Rodgers though, the phrase might hold a bit more prominence.
Liverpool enter the new season under a real paradox of expectation. The appointment of Brendan Rodgers is one that is supposed to exude longevity. The Ulsterman is a of the new breed of young manager and he brings with him a blueprint for the future alongside his roadmap for technical excellence. Liverpool’s owners, Fenway Sports Group, seem to be doing everything in their power to emphasize this- it is said that Champions League football is not a direct necessity for next term.
But as much as FSG want to, quite rightly, quell expectation, there is a bubbling undercurrent of impatience. There is only so long that a club like Liverpool can stay in regression for, and since the dying moments of the Rafa Benitez era, the club has slipped further and further away from the summit of English football.
Whilst you could hardly describe the club as undergoing freefall, expectations have been dealt a ruthless reality check in recent years. Since Benitez guided his side to Premier League runners-up during the 2008-09 season, the club have kicked on my moving backwards. Finishes of 7th. 6th then 8th have succeeded since and Benitez, Roy Hodgson and Kenny Dalglish have all been and gone during the same time frame.
But it’s not been the decline caused by drastic implosion or lack of investment, which is what makes it all the more frustrating. They’ve not invested petromillions, but Benitez was always backed, Hodgson was allowed to bring in his own men (enter, Paul Konchesky) and the new regime gave Dalglish as much help as they possibly could. Of course, the aforementioned change in ownership played it’s part. But after a pretty mediocre three years, the notion of being told to wait a little longer isn’t the most appealing of prospects.
Although Brendan Rodgers hasn’t been brought in for a slap dash season. He’s been brought in for the long haul, and supporters generally seem to have brought into him. He plays the brand of football that is hoped will drag Liverpool kicking and screaming back into the forefront of the modern game and he’s already made the right noises in and around the club. Rodgers speaks with drive and authority and he has a far more accessible feel than Kenny Dalglish. King Kenny will always be King Kenny, but his PR skills certainly didn’t help proceedings last term. Rodgers has brought genuine optimism back to Anfield.
Yet all the pre season posturing and column inches of adulation mean nothing when the season kicks off. Rodgers will be given plenty of time by both the fans and the board but ultimately, he has to start winning football matches.
When people start talking about embarking on a project at a football club, expectations and aims seem to fluctuate as and when the season goes on. Supporters understand that to get to the finished article, they have to endure the building process and results can often be unpredictable and sometimes volatile.
But the improvement needs to be there to see and progress will have to be made. Memories don’t last long in football and time is a commodity that few are afforded. Rodgers needs to get off the ground quickly, specifically by flying out the blocks in the Premier League. The fixture computer, however, hasn’t been particularly kind.
Their opening five fixtures are potentially as savage as they can get, or at least their three home games are anyway. Rodgers takes his Liverpool side to the Hawthorns on the opening day, where the somewhat unknown quantity of Steve Clarke’s West Brom await. And this represents the perfect acid test for supporters’ patience.
The aim will of course be, to beat West Brom. But more importantly, Liverpool simply cannot loose. Because in their next three home games, they play host to Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United respectively. Throw in a tricky away trip to Sunderland in between and you can understand why the Liverpool management are asking for patience.
But whilst fans will do everything they can to heed to their demands, Rodgers has to combine building his project for the future with winning over a set of fans that intrinsically behold high expectations.
He can have all the time in the world, but if Liverpool lose to City and Arsenal at home, he will be under huge pressure to get a result against Martin O’Neill’s side at the Stadium of Light. Why? Losing three on the bounce would set up an encounter with Sir Alex Ferguson’s men to try and stop the rot.
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You can see why the stakes are high- the Anfield crowd would be loathe to see their fiercest rivals create a stink around the place come mid-September. But that’s exactly what it would create. Defeat would hurt and suddenly the rebuilding process will have to be undertaken without the probation period of time and patience.
Supporters should never go into a new season with pessimism and Liverpool fans will be loathe to see observers putting Rodgers under pressure before he’s even started. He could of course come out and stuff the opposition and any remaining doubters by putting the League Champions to the sword on the 26th. But however he does it, Rodgers needs to get his project winning games and soon. We’ll soon see just how patient Liverpool fans are.
How do you feel about Brendan Rodgers’ difficult set of opening fixtures? Do you fancy Liverpool at home or do you sense danger around the corner? Let me know you see it on Twitter: follow @samuel_antrobus and bat us your views.
Stoke City’s first jaunt in the group stages of the Europa League sees a tough task for Tony Pulis’ men if they are to make it through to the knock-out stages of the competition. Elsewhere the Irish giant killers Shamrock Rovers have got themselves a plump draw with Tottenham Hotspur in their group, which promises to be quite an occasion for the Rovers’ fans.
The Europa League fixtures for the English clubs below:
Birmingham City
Sept 15: Braga (H)
Sept 29: Maribor (A)
Oct 20: Club Brugge (A)
Nov 3: Club Brugge (H)
Nov 30: Braga (A)
Dec 15: Maribor (H)
Fulham
Sept 15: Twente (H)
Sept 29: Odense BK (A)
Oct 20: Wisla Krakow (A)
Nov 3: Wisla Krakow (H)
Dec 1: Twente (A)
Dec 14: Odense BK (H)
Stoke City
Sept 15: Dynamo Kiev (A)
Sept 29: Besiktas (H)
Oct 20: Maccabi Tel Aviv (H)
Nov 3: Maccabi Tel Aviv (A)
Dec 1: Dynamo Kiev (H)
Dec 14: Besiktas (A)
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Sevilla coach Gregorio Manzano has made defence the number one priority ahead of the Copa del Rey semi-final against Real Madrid.
Cup holders Sevilla host La Liga title contenders Real at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on Wednesday, with a place in the final up for grabs.
But the match is only the first instalment of two legs to decide the outcome and Manzano knows it is vital that his team are still in contention when they travel to Real’s Santiago Bernabeu on February 2
“The tie isn’t going to be decided here,” Manzano said on Tuesday.
“If only it were to be decided here. It will be decided in the Bernabeu. That is why the most important thing is to not let them score. We need to keep a cool head. We aren’t going to go crazy and look to kill off the tie in the first 20 minutes at home.”
“It is a game where we need to be focused right from the first minute of the game right up to minute 180. That is why tomorrow we will look to have a good game to set up the return leg.”
Manzano revealed that his team selection will largely be dictated by Sevilla’s 4-1 win over Levante in their last La Liga match, on Saturday.
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“In today’s training session today we tried to set out a plan, but the game against Levante set the tone for the starting eleven,” he said.
“As I said before the game against Villarreal, which was a return leg, there will be variables that we will have to adapt to. We have this new game, with specific circumstances. I have the script in my head, but my players need to provide the performance.”
The British summer is upon us once more and surprisingly nothing much has changed. The English rain still falls, Murray still hasn’t won Wimbledon and now Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger insists he still won’t be spending big in the transfer market.
It’s a recurring trend that sports fans across the country have become accustomed to but the Frenchman’s principles have led to another of his star players being linked with a move away from the club. Robin van Persie’s impending departure has raised further concerns at the Emirates Stadium that they cannot compete financially with Premier League’s big spenders. While many fans appreciate the Gunners’ sustainability, Manchester City’s ability to snare their best players every summer has led to some questioning why their top talent cannot be persuaded to stay in North London.
With one year left on his contract, Van Persie’s future is not set in stone but many believe it is only a matter of time before the Dutchman leaves and while Wenger’s philosophy of spending wisely is admirable, the Arsenal project has lost another talented individual at a time when they should have been playing their best football for the club. The one positive will be the hefty chunk of cash received but since Wenger has announced he will not be splashing out, Arsenal fans will certainly not be witnessing the same sort of player influx as Paris Saint Germain this summer.
It may not be a glamorous recruitment policy but its needs must given Wenger’s philosophy so which players can Arsenal realistically sign on the cheap that will improve their squad?
Click on Mathieu Valbuena to unveil the top 10
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QPR had a miserable return to Premier League football as Bolton Wanderers thumped them 4-0 at Loftus Rd.
Goals from Cahill, Klasnic, Muamba and an own goal from Danny Gabbidon ensured an emphatic win for Owen Coyle’s men who found their hosts defence in a particularly generous mood this afternoon.
It was by no means one way traffic, especially in the first half; however the quality of Bolton in the final third proved decisive and it certainly could have been more than four in the end. To complete a frustrating afternoon for Neil Warnock he saw new signing Kieron Dyer stretchered off in the early stages of the game, while Clint Hill saw red later on after a clash with Martin Petrov.
Boos rang out at the final whistle and supporters will be hoping that the apparent Fernandes takeover goes through sooner rather than later.
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Transfer record breaking Chelsea will be looking for revenge tonight at the Stadium of Light against a Sunderland team that caused a shock 3-0 win at Stamford Bridge earlier in the season. Despite the defeat, Chelsea are still in the running for the title race but will need to continue their recent form.
Black Cats boss, Steve Bruce, could give a debut to new signing Stephane Sessegnon, who joined from Paris St Germain – however, loan signing Sulley Muntari is not available for selection. Despite losing striker Darren Bent, Sunderland have gained 10 points out of a possible 12 in the month of January and are currently 6th place.
Carlo Ancelotti will not have new lucrative signings, Fernando Torres and David Luiz, available for selection but will be looking to continue their recent run of form which saw them smash four goals away at Bolton in their last league outing – whilst maintaining their excellent defensive record.
Prediction: 0-2
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