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Fan Football - by Craig Hill
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Manchester United Complete Obertan Deal
July 8th 2009 14:17
Manchester United have continued their rebuilding with the signing of winger Gabriel Obertan from Bordeaux.
The 20-year-old has agreed a four-year contract with the Barclays Premier League champions.
Obertan, a Paris-born France Under-21 international who can fill several attacking roles, will have to wait for his first-team bow, however, as an unspecified minor injury will keep him out of United's forthcoming tour of the Far East.
"Gabriel is a player we have tracked for a few years now, but because of his educational programme our efforts to get him here have always been delayed," manager Sir Alex Ferguson told the club's official website.
"We are delighted to get him now as he is an exciting prospect. We like to get young players and develop them, and we will see that in Gabriel over the next two years."
Obertan himself says he is relishing the opportunity of playing for the Champions.
"I am very happy to join Manchester United," he said. "This is a big opportunity for me to play at such a great club. I am very excited to be here and I look forward to proving what I can do."
However, a slight injury means Obertan will not travel on the club's pre-season tour.
The 20-year-old has agreed a four-year contract with the Barclays Premier League champions.
Obertan, a Paris-born France Under-21 international who can fill several attacking roles, will have to wait for his first-team bow, however, as an unspecified minor injury will keep him out of United's forthcoming tour of the Far East.
"Gabriel is a player we have tracked for a few years now, but because of his educational programme our efforts to get him here have always been delayed," manager Sir Alex Ferguson told the club's official website.
"We are delighted to get him now as he is an exciting prospect. We like to get young players and develop them, and we will see that in Gabriel over the next two years."
Obertan himself says he is relishing the opportunity of playing for the Champions.
"I am very happy to join Manchester United," he said. "This is a big opportunity for me to play at such a great club. I am very excited to be here and I look forward to proving what I can do."
However, a slight injury means Obertan will not travel on the club's pre-season tour.
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NinetySix
April 16th 2009 00:03
The following excerpt was taken from 'Across The Park' by Peter Lupson, a new book that examines the shared heritage of Liverpool and Everton Football Clubs.
15 April 1989 is a date no Liverpool supporter will ever forget. It was the day on which one of the worst disasters in football history occurred, and its memory remains as vivid and horrifying as ever. The occasion was the FA Cup semi-final clash between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at the Hillsborough stadium in Sheffield, a match that should have been an exciting cup tie with the added spice of the prospect of an all-Merseyside final at Wembley. But it turned out to be a nightmare of the worst kind.
The day started normally enough. Liverpool and Nottingham Forest had both enjoyed good seasons and there was an air of eager anticipation as both sets of supporters made their way to the ground in glorious sunshine. As the Liverpool supporters headed for the Leppings Lane end of the ground there was nothing at first to suggest a terrible tragedy was about to unfold. But about half an hour before kick-off, the congestion at the turnstiles had built to such an alarming level that supporters had become frightened and distressed. To relieve the pressure at the turnstiles, the police took the decision to open one of the exit gates in the perimeter wall. The consequences proved disastrous.
Within minutes of the gate being opened, some 2,000 Liverpool fans made their way onto the terrace, most going down a tunnel immediately in front of them. The tunnel led to two already full pens but they had no idea of this. As they pushed forward into the pens, the crush at the front by the perimeter fencing became intolerable for those unfortunate enough to be there. There was no means of escape. As the pressure from behind increased, many lost consciousness. Tragically, 96 never recovered.
The shock and horror of the disaster reverberated throughout Britain and far beyond, but nowhere more so than on Merseyside, which was engulfed with grief. It was a grief of such intensity that it could not be carried alone. Its burden had to be shared. And instinctively Anfield became the place to share it.
The day started normally enough. Liverpool and Nottingham Forest had both enjoyed good seasons and there was an air of eager anticipation as both sets of supporters made their way to the ground in glorious sunshine. As the Liverpool supporters headed for the Leppings Lane end of the ground there was nothing at first to suggest a terrible tragedy was about to unfold. But about half an hour before kick-off, the congestion at the turnstiles had built to such an alarming level that supporters had become frightened and distressed. To relieve the pressure at the turnstiles, the police took the decision to open one of the exit gates in the perimeter wall. The consequences proved disastrous.
Within minutes of the gate being opened, some 2,000 Liverpool fans made their way onto the terrace, most going down a tunnel immediately in front of them. The tunnel led to two already full pens but they had no idea of this. As they pushed forward into the pens, the crush at the front by the perimeter fencing became intolerable for those unfortunate enough to be there. There was no means of escape. As the pressure from behind increased, many lost consciousness. Tragically, 96 never recovered.
The shock and horror of the disaster reverberated throughout Britain and far beyond, but nowhere more so than on Merseyside, which was engulfed with grief. It was a grief of such intensity that it could not be carried alone. Its burden had to be shared. And instinctively Anfield became the place to share it.
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Is GOALwen going home?
April 6th 2009 05:28
After Newcastle Uniteds two nil loss to Chelsea on the weekend, it all but seems like the Geordies will be a Championship team next year.
The Geordies are currently sitting third from the bottom in the Premiership, and are four points from the safety position.
Newcastle United also welcomed back favourite son Alan Shearer, this time as manager of the northern English side, but his arrival back at Newcastle was not enough to hold off third placed Chelsea, whom are also in intention for the Premiership title.
Owen who is said to be delighted to have Shearer back at the club, after these two have teamed up so many times when Shearer was a player for Newcastle and England, has also backed the appointment of Shearer as manager.
The press in England is also saying appointing Shearer as manager of the Geordies, is the last chance for the club to stay alive in the premiership.
If by any chance the Geordies lose their battle to stay in the premiership. Michael Owen like Robbie Fowler, who are favourite sons of the red side of Liverpool, must be a damn certainity of returning to his old club. Benetiz who has shown interest in getting Owen back to merseyside before must be thinking of the same again.
Owen who is too good of a player to play in the Championship, and help Newcastle back in to the Premiership, if Newcastle gets relegated will somehow have a clause in his contract where he can leave the club shall they not be in the premiership. You see this with most players.
If Newcastle goes down, it will be another fight for the Geordies to hang on to Owen, pathing the way for him to return to Liverpool.
Owen who is also in good form currently with Newcastle, and was considered for the recent internationals for England will only get better for the rest of the season while Newcastle fights to stay in the top league, and will play a big role in that fight.
Owen who left Liverpool on the 14th August 2004 to join Real Madrid for a undisclosed fee, only lasted a year with the Spanish giants before being signed by the Geordies on the 31st August, one year later.
Liverpool then was the other team to make a unsuccessful bid for Owen .
The 29 year old striker from Chester England has scored 40 goals in 89 games for his country, and is still in intention to play more international games.
The Geordies are currently sitting third from the bottom in the Premiership, and are four points from the safety position.
Newcastle United also welcomed back favourite son Alan Shearer, this time as manager of the northern English side, but his arrival back at Newcastle was not enough to hold off third placed Chelsea, whom are also in intention for the Premiership title.
Owen who is said to be delighted to have Shearer back at the club, after these two have teamed up so many times when Shearer was a player for Newcastle and England, has also backed the appointment of Shearer as manager.
The press in England is also saying appointing Shearer as manager of the Geordies, is the last chance for the club to stay alive in the premiership.
Michael Owen (left) with former Newcastle player and now manager Alan Shearer. Courtesy of Skysports
If by any chance the Geordies lose their battle to stay in the premiership. Michael Owen like Robbie Fowler, who are favourite sons of the red side of Liverpool, must be a damn certainity of returning to his old club. Benetiz who has shown interest in getting Owen back to merseyside before must be thinking of the same again.
Owen who is too good of a player to play in the Championship, and help Newcastle back in to the Premiership, if Newcastle gets relegated will somehow have a clause in his contract where he can leave the club shall they not be in the premiership. You see this with most players.
If Newcastle goes down, it will be another fight for the Geordies to hang on to Owen, pathing the way for him to return to Liverpool.
Owen who is also in good form currently with Newcastle, and was considered for the recent internationals for England will only get better for the rest of the season while Newcastle fights to stay in the top league, and will play a big role in that fight.
Michael Owen the player. Courtesy of Skysports
Owen who left Liverpool on the 14th August 2004 to join Real Madrid for a undisclosed fee, only lasted a year with the Spanish giants before being signed by the Geordies on the 31st August, one year later.
Liverpool then was the other team to make a unsuccessful bid for Owen .
The 29 year old striker from Chester England has scored 40 goals in 89 games for his country, and is still in intention to play more international games.
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Premier League Week 29 Results
March 23rd 2009 10:36
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Posted By: Craig Hill - Category: English football news
Down to the wire...
March 23rd 2009 05:16
Just weeks ago now, football critics like myself were handing the silverware to Manchester United, but with a end of year revival by Liverpool and with Chelsea slowly creeping to the top as well, despite a loss this week, it is coming down to one of the most exciting finishes to the Premiership in seven years.
Liverpool this week who trounced a 10 man Aston Villa at Anfield 5-0 including a hatrick by captain courageous Steven Gerrard, coming off enormous wins thrashing Manchester United at Old Trafford 4-0 and beating Real Madrid twice in recent weeks are in outstanding form which we must say is better than their form at the beginning of the season.
Liverpool who were going through another mid season slump in January and February were slowly slipping out of contention for the flag, and were starting to be written by everyone.
A mid season slump in January and February is nothing new to Liverpool under Benitez and even his predecessor Gerrard Houliard. This is something that Liverpool has to overcome if it is going to win more Barclaycard Premierships.
Can we say that the mid season slump this season by Liverpool ' May have cost them the Premiership again". I think we can. At the start of the season, they were also in tremendous form, opening up a 6 point lead on their rivals.
With nine weeks left in the season, leaders Manchester United have two more matches more to play than their closest rivals Liverpool and I have to unfortunately say that they are still the favorites to take out the Premiership, on their games in hand.
Manchester United are still to play Aston Villa, Sunderland, Portsmouth, Tottenham, Middlesborough, Manchester City, Wigan, Arsenal and Hull City in their last match.
While Liverpool has only seven matches to play in the premiership with their next Premiership match not until the 11th of April against Blackburn, then it is Arsenal, Hull City, Newcastle, West Ham, West brom and then Tottenham to finish off the Premiership season.
We still can not write of Chelsea who has one more match to play than Liverpool, and they have slightly the easier run home with Newcastle in their next match, and then Bolton, Everton, West Ham, Fulham, Arsenal, Blackburn and Sunderland.
For Liverpool to hold up the silverware at the end of the Premiership season we can not afford to drop a game while we need two or three of Manchester United games to go our way, and for Manchester to lose.
One thing going Liverpools way, is that, they have creeped in front of Manchester on the for and against goal tally, which may come into account if the teams end up on the same amount of points at the end of the season.
Also to take into account that Manchester United and Chelsea still have a Champions League and FA Cup season to play while Liverpool still have a Champions League season to play, and it may come down to who is the fittest team at the end.
One thing we can say it is going to be an exciting finish to the end of the Premiership season.
Liverpool this week who trounced a 10 man Aston Villa at Anfield 5-0 including a hatrick by captain courageous Steven Gerrard, coming off enormous wins thrashing Manchester United at Old Trafford 4-0 and beating Real Madrid twice in recent weeks are in outstanding form which we must say is better than their form at the beginning of the season.
Steven Gerrard-Liverpool
Liverpool who were going through another mid season slump in January and February were slowly slipping out of contention for the flag, and were starting to be written by everyone.
A mid season slump in January and February is nothing new to Liverpool under Benitez and even his predecessor Gerrard Houliard. This is something that Liverpool has to overcome if it is going to win more Barclaycard Premierships.
Can we say that the mid season slump this season by Liverpool ' May have cost them the Premiership again". I think we can. At the start of the season, they were also in tremendous form, opening up a 6 point lead on their rivals.
With nine weeks left in the season, leaders Manchester United have two more matches more to play than their closest rivals Liverpool and I have to unfortunately say that they are still the favorites to take out the Premiership, on their games in hand.
Manchester United are still to play Aston Villa, Sunderland, Portsmouth, Tottenham, Middlesborough, Manchester City, Wigan, Arsenal and Hull City in their last match.
While Liverpool has only seven matches to play in the premiership with their next Premiership match not until the 11th of April against Blackburn, then it is Arsenal, Hull City, Newcastle, West Ham, West brom and then Tottenham to finish off the Premiership season.
We still can not write of Chelsea who has one more match to play than Liverpool, and they have slightly the easier run home with Newcastle in their next match, and then Bolton, Everton, West Ham, Fulham, Arsenal, Blackburn and Sunderland.
For Liverpool to hold up the silverware at the end of the Premiership season we can not afford to drop a game while we need two or three of Manchester United games to go our way, and for Manchester to lose.
One thing going Liverpools way, is that, they have creeped in front of Manchester on the for and against goal tally, which may come into account if the teams end up on the same amount of points at the end of the season.
Also to take into account that Manchester United and Chelsea still have a Champions League and FA Cup season to play while Liverpool still have a Champions League season to play, and it may come down to who is the fittest team at the end.
One thing we can say it is going to be an exciting finish to the end of the Premiership season.
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Down to the wire...
March 23rd 2009 04:51
Just weeks ago now, football critics like myself were handing the silverware to Manchester United, but with a end of year revival by Liverpool and with Chelsea slowly creeping to the top as well, despite a loss this week, it is coming down to one of the most exciting finishes to the Premiership in seven years.
Liverpool this week who trounced a 10 man Aston Villa at Anfield 5-0 including a hatrick by captain courageous Steven Gerrard, coming off enormous wins thrashing Manchester United at Old Trafford 4-0 and beating Real Madrid twice in recent weeks are in outstanding form which we must say is better than their form at the beginning of the season.
Liverpool who were going through another mid season slump in January and February were slowly slipping out of contention for the flag, and were starting to be written by everyone.
A mid season slump in January and February is nothing new to Liverpool under Benitez and even his predecessor Gerrard Houliard. This is something that Liverpool has to overcome if it is going to win more Barclaycard Premierships.
Can we say that the mid season slump this season by Liverpool ' May have cost them the Premiership again". I think we can. At the start of the season, they were also in tremendous form, opening up a 6 point lead on their rivals.
With nine weeks left in the season, leaders Manchester United have two more matches more to play than their closest rivals Liverpool and I have to unfortunately say that they are still the favorites to take out the Premiership, on their games in hand.
Manchester United are still to play Aston Villa, Sunderland, Portsmouth, Tottenham, Middlesborough, Manchester City, Wigan, Arsenal and Hull City in their last match.
While Liverpool has only seven matches to play in the premiership with their next Premiership match not until the 11th of April against Blackburn, then it is Arsenal, Hull City, Newcastle, West Ham, West brom and then Tottenham to finish off the Premiership season.
We still can not write of Chelsea who has one more match to play than Liverpool, and they have slightly the easier run home with Newcastle in their next match, and then Bolton, Everton, West Ham, Fulham, Arsenal, Blackburn and Sunderland.
For Liverpool to hold up the silverware at the end of the Premiership season we can not afford to drop a game while we need two or three of Manchester United games to go our way, and for Manchester to lose.
Also to take into account that Manchester United and Chelsea still have a Champions League and FA Cup season to play while Liverpool still have a Champions League season to play, and it may come down to who is the fittest team at the end.
One thing we can say it is going to be an exciting finish to the end of the Premiership season.
Liverpool this week who trounced a 10 man Aston Villa at Anfield 5-0 including a hatrick by captain courageous Steven Gerrard, coming off enormous wins thrashing Manchester United at Old Trafford 4-0 and beating Real Madrid twice in recent weeks are in outstanding form which we must say is better than their form at the beginning of the season.
Steven Gerrard-Liverpool
Liverpool who were going through another mid season slump in January and February were slowly slipping out of contention for the flag, and were starting to be written by everyone.
A mid season slump in January and February is nothing new to Liverpool under Benitez and even his predecessor Gerrard Houliard. This is something that Liverpool has to overcome if it is going to win more Barclaycard Premierships.
Can we say that the mid season slump this season by Liverpool ' May have cost them the Premiership again". I think we can. At the start of the season, they were also in tremendous form, opening up a 6 point lead on their rivals.
With nine weeks left in the season, leaders Manchester United have two more matches more to play than their closest rivals Liverpool and I have to unfortunately say that they are still the favorites to take out the Premiership, on their games in hand.
Manchester United are still to play Aston Villa, Sunderland, Portsmouth, Tottenham, Middlesborough, Manchester City, Wigan, Arsenal and Hull City in their last match.
While Liverpool has only seven matches to play in the premiership with their next Premiership match not until the 11th of April against Blackburn, then it is Arsenal, Hull City, Newcastle, West Ham, West brom and then Tottenham to finish off the Premiership season.
We still can not write of Chelsea who has one more match to play than Liverpool, and they have slightly the easier run home with Newcastle in their next match, and then Bolton, Everton, West Ham, Fulham, Arsenal, Blackburn and Sunderland.
For Liverpool to hold up the silverware at the end of the Premiership season we can not afford to drop a game while we need two or three of Manchester United games to go our way, and for Manchester to lose.
Also to take into account that Manchester United and Chelsea still have a Champions League and FA Cup season to play while Liverpool still have a Champions League season to play, and it may come down to who is the fittest team at the end.
One thing we can say it is going to be an exciting finish to the end of the Premiership season.
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Premier League Week 28 Results
March 17th 2009 10:06
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Posted By: Craig Hill - Category: English football news
Club News 16th March
March 17th 2009 09:44
Arsenal
Arsenal Arsene Wenger was eager to share the praise throughout his team after the 4-0 win over Blackburn Rovers. Andrey Arshavin, who received stitches in a cut on his foot at half-time and celebrated his second-half strike with club doctor Gary O'Driscoll, was the man most obviously in the limelight after opening his account for the Gunners. Nicklas Bendtner, by contrast, may question his finishing after he spurned several presentable chances, but the Frenchman was content to praise his all-round effort. "Arshavin has intelligence, vision and talent and his goal was an example of that," said Wenger. "But I liked Samir Nasri's contribution also. He looks to have more personality now and his influence is growing. Nicklas' overall contribution was also good. His finishing wasn't sharp but he played well. He has power, pace and he understands the game. People forget he is only 20 years old. It is wrong to boo him. But when he left the pitch, the fans clapped him."
Aston Villa
Aston Villa Martin O`Neill has backed his Aston Villa side to bounce back from their recent dip in form and claim a top-four place in the Barclays Premier League. Villa have gone seven matches without a win in all competitions following their 2-1 defeat at home to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday and are now behind fourth-placed Arsenal on goal difference. They now face two daunting away trips to Liverpool and Manchester United, but O`Neill is confident they can respond. "It was a disappointing result (against Spurs) because it was a game we felt we could win but I still feel it is possible to reach our objectives," said the Villa manager. "In November we lost two games in six days and then went on a 13-match unbeaten run. We probably have to get something from the next two games which will be pretty difficult but I believe it is possible that we can still fight back and the players feel that."
Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers Sam Allardyce was left disappointed by the 4-0 defeat at Arsenal. Nevertheless, the former Bolton and Newcastle United manager remains upbeat about his side's chances of beating the drop. "It chops and changes by the week," he said. "It's what other people haven't done which is most important for us, because we could have been back in the bottom three had results gone differently. We can't control that obviously but they've gone in our favour and we still have only lost three in 12, so we're on the up. If you only lose to the big boys, that's not so bad. What's important is that you don't lose to the other teams who are down there with you."
Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers Defender Gary Cahill admitted there could be no excuses for the team's performance in the 3-1 defeat at home to Fulham which increased relegation worries at the Reebok Stadium. Gary Megson's side were clear favourites after three successive home wins, in stark contrast to the Cottagers who had scored just three goals on the road in a season-long winless run away from home. But they never got up to speed and Cahill admitted too many players failed to perform. He said: "We went into the game on the back of some good form at home so it was not a good performance to say the least. We were lucky to come in 1-1 at half-time and I felt we couldn't go out in the second half and play as badly as we did, it was a very sloppy performance. It wasn't much of a spectacle, to say it was the Premier League it was a terrible game."
Chelsea
Chelsea Captain John Terry reaffirmed his commitment to the club after the Blues' victory over potential suitors Manchester City - saying he wanted to see out his career at Stamford Bridge. Terry, who was linked with a big-money move to Eastlands during the January transfer window, was quick to respond to questions about his future after the 1-0 win, which takes Guus Hiddink's side back up to second place in the Barclays Premier League. He said: "I can't ever see myself leaving Chelsea Football Club - I love this club. I've been here since the age of 14 and I never want to leave. I've done a statement because there was some speculation a few months ago and that's what I'm putting in it - I never want to leave Chelsea Football Club, simple as that."
Everton
Everton Manager David Moyes feels his current squad is the best he has had in his seven years at Goodison Park. The Toffees almost assured of European qualification this season and awaiting an FA Cup semi-final. Moyes said: "We are still going to chase the teams above us; we are going to keep those below away from us and we are going to try to reach a cup final. This is the best squad I have had at Everton, and it is being underlined by the effort the players are putting in. The quality we have is excellent - if not the quantity of players in the squad. Nevertheless, we are still getting good results."
Fulham
Fulham Roy Hodgson saluted a professional performance from his side following the 3-1 win at Bolton Wanderers. Andrew Johnson, Simon Davies and Diomansy Kamara secured the Cottagers' first away victory since the final day of last season. "I'm happy with the result and the performance, I thought we played very well," said Hodgson, whose team are now eight points clear of the relegation zone. "I've been a little bit unhappy with the last two results, although not the last two performances. When we conceded a goal in injury time I was rather concerned the players would not be able to pick themselves up and give the same performance in the second half which had given us the lead in the first, but luckily they did."
Hull City
Hull City Manager Phil Brown felt his side had earned a good point from the 1-1 draw with Newcastle United - even though they remain far from safe. The Tigers lie just four points above the bottom three with nine matches remaining. Brown said: "It was a scrappy affair, not a great spectacle in terms of football but there was probably a lot of nervous tension about, from both sides. I think we came out of the traps and approached the game in the right manner and got our noses in front with a great goal. But then that lapse of concentration in the first half and we allowed a poor goal from our point of view. In the second half I think Newcastle huffed and puffed and didn't trouble the goalkeeper. You can't say they deserved to win but the only way I can say we deserved to win was if Bernard Mendy had composed himself when he went through two on one."
liverpool
Liverpool Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez stood by his recent comments about Sir Alex Ferguson following his side's 4-1 win at Manchester United. Benitez's outburst, now known as 'Rafa's rant', was widely interpreted as a moment of folly. But he insisted: "What I said were facts. I did not say anything that wasn't true. Sir Alex Ferguson is a great manager and I have a lot of respect for him. But I have to defend my club."
Manchester City
Manchester City Manager Mark Hughes accepts John Terry is unlikely to be heading to Eastlands any time soon. The Chelsea skipper was strongly linked with the Blues during the January transfer window, with Hughes ready to tempt the centre-half with a lucrative contract. However, the England international, who has spent his entire career at Stamford Bridge, has made it clear that he has no intention of leaving Chelsea. That stance has been reiterated in recent weeks, after speculation resurfaced, and Hughes has been forced to admit defeat in his pursuit of the talented 28-year-old. Hughes said: "Any manager would be interested in John Terry but I can't see him coming on the market any time soon. John is an outstanding player, someone everyone in football has a great admiration for. He's a great guy and commands respect because of his attitude, application and the way he leads his team."
Manchester United
Manchester United Rio Ferdinand admits the 4-1 hammering Manchester United took at the hands of title rivals Liverpool at Old Trafford has given the world champions a very rude awakening. After carrying all before them since their last defeat at Arsenal in November, collecting the Club World Cup and Carling Cup, as well as establishing a handsome lead in the Barclays Premier League, reaching the last four of the FA Cup and last eight in Europe, United suffered their biggest home defeat by the Merseysiders since 1936. It has cut United's advantage to four points, although they do still have a match in hand, and given them a few problems to address ahead of next weekend's trip to Fulham, when Nemanja Vidic will be suspended because of his red card. Ferdinand said: "We have got a rude awakening. None of us has been taking anything for granted but subconsciously there may have been complacency. Losing any game is disappointing but losing to a team who we have such a big rivalry with is even worse. And the scoreline takes it beyond that. It is very hard to take."
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough Gareth Southgate accused the Middlesbrough fans of being "disrespectful" after they targeted his players during the 1-1 draw with Portsmouth. Southgate's side had been heading for defeat after Peter Crouch's first-half volley until Marlon King's injury-time equaliser secured a possible lifeline for Boro in their fight against relegation. Boro fans had booed several players and started chanting "We've only got one player" - in reference to Turkish striker Tuncay, who had an impressive match. But Southgate was unhappy with the reaction of the fans and said: "It's one of those situations where I am going to get slaughtered whatever I say, so I'm going to say what I believe. Some of the chants were disrespectful to the rest of the team. The crowd are right to laud Tuncay's efforts but we will win and lose as a team. The other lads may not have been as eye-catching but they were making important saves, blocks and interceptions. It's hurtful for a lot of the other players. We will survive as a club and as a town by everyone pulling together."
Newcastle United
Newcastle United Caretaker manager Chris Hughton admits his side's run-in will be tough but insists they can handle the pressure. The Magpies remain in relegation trouble and still have to face Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Aston Villa before the end of the season. "It is going to be a tough run-in towards the end of the season but we have been able to go up a place," said Hughton after the 1-1 draw at Hull City. "But the teams around us have tough games as well. Ours has been highlighted a bit more because of our next two games. We have got to make sure we win a better percentage of games than the others do."
Portsmouth
Portsmouth Paul Hart was full of praise for Peter Crouch after the England striker's goal against Middlesbrough. Crouch's volley was his first goal in 10 matches, and although Boro hit back through Marlon King to earn a 1-1 draw, Hart revealed the frontman had been inspirational since he took over as manager. Hart said: "I think this could be very important for Peter. I have been delighted with his performances, he's thoroughly deserved that goal and he took it brilliantly."
Stoke City
Stoke City Manager Tony Pulis maintained his side's destiny was in their own hands despite the Potters dropping into the bottom three of the Barclays Premier League following a 3-1 defeat at Everton. Jo, the Brazilian striker, and defender Joleon Lescott had given Everton a comfortable half-time lead, but after Ryan Shawcross had pulled one back after the break, Stoke battled hard for a point before Marouane Fellaini got Everton's third in injury-time. Pulis said: "It was disappointing, we didn't throw any punches until the second half, we did not take the game to them and looked laboured, that's the nicest way to put it. But after the break we showed a lot more spirit, the goal helped and we made them nervous. We had chances and could have scored again. But we cannot wait until we are 2-0 down every game before we start to fight back. We know we are now in the bottom three, but survival is in our own hands. If we can win an away game somewhere, it will take a lot of pressure off everyone. I believe we have to win one away from home minimum."
Sunderland
Sunderland Manager Ricky Sbragia admitted the fans had a good reason to voice their displeasure after his side were booed off against Wigan Athletic. Grant Leadbitter was on target for the hosts but goals from Charles N'Zogbia and Ben Watson secured a 2-1 win for Steve Bruce's men. Sbragia said: "They are entitled to boo. They pay good money and we haven't delivered for them. They are entitled to it, I don't have any problem with that, they can vent their anger. On the day, we have got to deliver for them and get results, and we didn't do that."
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur Manager Harry Redknapp hailed the performance of centre back pairing Jonathan Woodgate and Ledley King after Tottenham's 2-1 win at Aston Villa. He said: "Ledley has come back into the side and, with Jonathan, forms one of the best pairings in the country. You can talk about Ferdinand and Vidic but these two are also up there. They are fantastic central defenders. They have got bags of pace, bags of ability and play a key part for us."
West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion Tony Mowbray insists West Brom are "only a couple of players away" from being a top 10 side in the Barclays Premier League despite their current precarious position. Mowbray said: "Can we match teams in the Premier League? They can't beat us playing football but they can do the other side of the game. We need some experienced men in our team who know the Premier League, who have been there, seen it, felt it, worn the shirt and know what it takes. We're a couple of players away from being a decent team. We are `so near' and I like the team. But we are judged on results. I believe we are close to being a team that could be in the top 10 but we have flaws that continue to let the team down like some of the defending recently. Those are the areas that need addressing."
West Ham United
West Ham United West Ham United and Sheffield United have reached an out-of-court settlement over the Carlos Tevez affair. In a joint statement, the agreement was described as "satisfactory settlement for compensation" but the figure paid by the Hammers was not confirmed. It means the independent tribunal chaired by Lord Griffiths to rule on the controversy will not reconvene on Monday. The statement from Blades chairman Kevin McCabe and West Ham chief executive Scott Duxbury said: "Both clubs are pleased to announce that a satisfactory settlement for compensation has been reached which brings the dispute between Sheffield United and West Ham to an end. The tribunal will not be resuming."
Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic Steve Bruce saluted his January signings after Charles N'Zogbia and Ben Watson teamed up to fire Sunderland into relegation trouble. Former Newcastle midfielder N'Zogbia applied the finishing touch with a winner in first-half injury-time after Watson had opened the scoring at the Stadium of Light with just 12 minutes gone. Bruce said: "I don't think anyone has ever questioned Charles' ability. He is 22 years of age - I remember him scoring a wonder goal here a couple of years ago for Newcastle. I never thought I would have the chance of signing him, but there you go, that's how football works. He has great ability. To go the length of the pitch in the Premier League is terrific. It was a great goal. To come here and the way we have played delighted me, and the two new boys. It can only do them the world of good."
Arsenal Arsene Wenger was eager to share the praise throughout his team after the 4-0 win over Blackburn Rovers. Andrey Arshavin, who received stitches in a cut on his foot at half-time and celebrated his second-half strike with club doctor Gary O'Driscoll, was the man most obviously in the limelight after opening his account for the Gunners. Nicklas Bendtner, by contrast, may question his finishing after he spurned several presentable chances, but the Frenchman was content to praise his all-round effort. "Arshavin has intelligence, vision and talent and his goal was an example of that," said Wenger. "But I liked Samir Nasri's contribution also. He looks to have more personality now and his influence is growing. Nicklas' overall contribution was also good. His finishing wasn't sharp but he played well. He has power, pace and he understands the game. People forget he is only 20 years old. It is wrong to boo him. But when he left the pitch, the fans clapped him."
Aston Villa
Aston Villa Martin O`Neill has backed his Aston Villa side to bounce back from their recent dip in form and claim a top-four place in the Barclays Premier League. Villa have gone seven matches without a win in all competitions following their 2-1 defeat at home to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday and are now behind fourth-placed Arsenal on goal difference. They now face two daunting away trips to Liverpool and Manchester United, but O`Neill is confident they can respond. "It was a disappointing result (against Spurs) because it was a game we felt we could win but I still feel it is possible to reach our objectives," said the Villa manager. "In November we lost two games in six days and then went on a 13-match unbeaten run. We probably have to get something from the next two games which will be pretty difficult but I believe it is possible that we can still fight back and the players feel that."
Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers Sam Allardyce was left disappointed by the 4-0 defeat at Arsenal. Nevertheless, the former Bolton and Newcastle United manager remains upbeat about his side's chances of beating the drop. "It chops and changes by the week," he said. "It's what other people haven't done which is most important for us, because we could have been back in the bottom three had results gone differently. We can't control that obviously but they've gone in our favour and we still have only lost three in 12, so we're on the up. If you only lose to the big boys, that's not so bad. What's important is that you don't lose to the other teams who are down there with you."
Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers Defender Gary Cahill admitted there could be no excuses for the team's performance in the 3-1 defeat at home to Fulham which increased relegation worries at the Reebok Stadium. Gary Megson's side were clear favourites after three successive home wins, in stark contrast to the Cottagers who had scored just three goals on the road in a season-long winless run away from home. But they never got up to speed and Cahill admitted too many players failed to perform. He said: "We went into the game on the back of some good form at home so it was not a good performance to say the least. We were lucky to come in 1-1 at half-time and I felt we couldn't go out in the second half and play as badly as we did, it was a very sloppy performance. It wasn't much of a spectacle, to say it was the Premier League it was a terrible game."
Chelsea
Chelsea Captain John Terry reaffirmed his commitment to the club after the Blues' victory over potential suitors Manchester City - saying he wanted to see out his career at Stamford Bridge. Terry, who was linked with a big-money move to Eastlands during the January transfer window, was quick to respond to questions about his future after the 1-0 win, which takes Guus Hiddink's side back up to second place in the Barclays Premier League. He said: "I can't ever see myself leaving Chelsea Football Club - I love this club. I've been here since the age of 14 and I never want to leave. I've done a statement because there was some speculation a few months ago and that's what I'm putting in it - I never want to leave Chelsea Football Club, simple as that."
Everton
Everton Manager David Moyes feels his current squad is the best he has had in his seven years at Goodison Park. The Toffees almost assured of European qualification this season and awaiting an FA Cup semi-final. Moyes said: "We are still going to chase the teams above us; we are going to keep those below away from us and we are going to try to reach a cup final. This is the best squad I have had at Everton, and it is being underlined by the effort the players are putting in. The quality we have is excellent - if not the quantity of players in the squad. Nevertheless, we are still getting good results."
Fulham
Fulham Roy Hodgson saluted a professional performance from his side following the 3-1 win at Bolton Wanderers. Andrew Johnson, Simon Davies and Diomansy Kamara secured the Cottagers' first away victory since the final day of last season. "I'm happy with the result and the performance, I thought we played very well," said Hodgson, whose team are now eight points clear of the relegation zone. "I've been a little bit unhappy with the last two results, although not the last two performances. When we conceded a goal in injury time I was rather concerned the players would not be able to pick themselves up and give the same performance in the second half which had given us the lead in the first, but luckily they did."
Hull City
Hull City Manager Phil Brown felt his side had earned a good point from the 1-1 draw with Newcastle United - even though they remain far from safe. The Tigers lie just four points above the bottom three with nine matches remaining. Brown said: "It was a scrappy affair, not a great spectacle in terms of football but there was probably a lot of nervous tension about, from both sides. I think we came out of the traps and approached the game in the right manner and got our noses in front with a great goal. But then that lapse of concentration in the first half and we allowed a poor goal from our point of view. In the second half I think Newcastle huffed and puffed and didn't trouble the goalkeeper. You can't say they deserved to win but the only way I can say we deserved to win was if Bernard Mendy had composed himself when he went through two on one."
liverpool
Liverpool Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez stood by his recent comments about Sir Alex Ferguson following his side's 4-1 win at Manchester United. Benitez's outburst, now known as 'Rafa's rant', was widely interpreted as a moment of folly. But he insisted: "What I said were facts. I did not say anything that wasn't true. Sir Alex Ferguson is a great manager and I have a lot of respect for him. But I have to defend my club."
Manchester City
Manchester City Manager Mark Hughes accepts John Terry is unlikely to be heading to Eastlands any time soon. The Chelsea skipper was strongly linked with the Blues during the January transfer window, with Hughes ready to tempt the centre-half with a lucrative contract. However, the England international, who has spent his entire career at Stamford Bridge, has made it clear that he has no intention of leaving Chelsea. That stance has been reiterated in recent weeks, after speculation resurfaced, and Hughes has been forced to admit defeat in his pursuit of the talented 28-year-old. Hughes said: "Any manager would be interested in John Terry but I can't see him coming on the market any time soon. John is an outstanding player, someone everyone in football has a great admiration for. He's a great guy and commands respect because of his attitude, application and the way he leads his team."
Manchester United
Manchester United Rio Ferdinand admits the 4-1 hammering Manchester United took at the hands of title rivals Liverpool at Old Trafford has given the world champions a very rude awakening. After carrying all before them since their last defeat at Arsenal in November, collecting the Club World Cup and Carling Cup, as well as establishing a handsome lead in the Barclays Premier League, reaching the last four of the FA Cup and last eight in Europe, United suffered their biggest home defeat by the Merseysiders since 1936. It has cut United's advantage to four points, although they do still have a match in hand, and given them a few problems to address ahead of next weekend's trip to Fulham, when Nemanja Vidic will be suspended because of his red card. Ferdinand said: "We have got a rude awakening. None of us has been taking anything for granted but subconsciously there may have been complacency. Losing any game is disappointing but losing to a team who we have such a big rivalry with is even worse. And the scoreline takes it beyond that. It is very hard to take."
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough Gareth Southgate accused the Middlesbrough fans of being "disrespectful" after they targeted his players during the 1-1 draw with Portsmouth. Southgate's side had been heading for defeat after Peter Crouch's first-half volley until Marlon King's injury-time equaliser secured a possible lifeline for Boro in their fight against relegation. Boro fans had booed several players and started chanting "We've only got one player" - in reference to Turkish striker Tuncay, who had an impressive match. But Southgate was unhappy with the reaction of the fans and said: "It's one of those situations where I am going to get slaughtered whatever I say, so I'm going to say what I believe. Some of the chants were disrespectful to the rest of the team. The crowd are right to laud Tuncay's efforts but we will win and lose as a team. The other lads may not have been as eye-catching but they were making important saves, blocks and interceptions. It's hurtful for a lot of the other players. We will survive as a club and as a town by everyone pulling together."
Newcastle United
Newcastle United Caretaker manager Chris Hughton admits his side's run-in will be tough but insists they can handle the pressure. The Magpies remain in relegation trouble and still have to face Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Aston Villa before the end of the season. "It is going to be a tough run-in towards the end of the season but we have been able to go up a place," said Hughton after the 1-1 draw at Hull City. "But the teams around us have tough games as well. Ours has been highlighted a bit more because of our next two games. We have got to make sure we win a better percentage of games than the others do."
Portsmouth
Portsmouth Paul Hart was full of praise for Peter Crouch after the England striker's goal against Middlesbrough. Crouch's volley was his first goal in 10 matches, and although Boro hit back through Marlon King to earn a 1-1 draw, Hart revealed the frontman had been inspirational since he took over as manager. Hart said: "I think this could be very important for Peter. I have been delighted with his performances, he's thoroughly deserved that goal and he took it brilliantly."
Stoke City
Stoke City Manager Tony Pulis maintained his side's destiny was in their own hands despite the Potters dropping into the bottom three of the Barclays Premier League following a 3-1 defeat at Everton. Jo, the Brazilian striker, and defender Joleon Lescott had given Everton a comfortable half-time lead, but after Ryan Shawcross had pulled one back after the break, Stoke battled hard for a point before Marouane Fellaini got Everton's third in injury-time. Pulis said: "It was disappointing, we didn't throw any punches until the second half, we did not take the game to them and looked laboured, that's the nicest way to put it. But after the break we showed a lot more spirit, the goal helped and we made them nervous. We had chances and could have scored again. But we cannot wait until we are 2-0 down every game before we start to fight back. We know we are now in the bottom three, but survival is in our own hands. If we can win an away game somewhere, it will take a lot of pressure off everyone. I believe we have to win one away from home minimum."
Sunderland
Sunderland Manager Ricky Sbragia admitted the fans had a good reason to voice their displeasure after his side were booed off against Wigan Athletic. Grant Leadbitter was on target for the hosts but goals from Charles N'Zogbia and Ben Watson secured a 2-1 win for Steve Bruce's men. Sbragia said: "They are entitled to boo. They pay good money and we haven't delivered for them. They are entitled to it, I don't have any problem with that, they can vent their anger. On the day, we have got to deliver for them and get results, and we didn't do that."
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur Manager Harry Redknapp hailed the performance of centre back pairing Jonathan Woodgate and Ledley King after Tottenham's 2-1 win at Aston Villa. He said: "Ledley has come back into the side and, with Jonathan, forms one of the best pairings in the country. You can talk about Ferdinand and Vidic but these two are also up there. They are fantastic central defenders. They have got bags of pace, bags of ability and play a key part for us."
West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion Tony Mowbray insists West Brom are "only a couple of players away" from being a top 10 side in the Barclays Premier League despite their current precarious position. Mowbray said: "Can we match teams in the Premier League? They can't beat us playing football but they can do the other side of the game. We need some experienced men in our team who know the Premier League, who have been there, seen it, felt it, worn the shirt and know what it takes. We're a couple of players away from being a decent team. We are `so near' and I like the team. But we are judged on results. I believe we are close to being a team that could be in the top 10 but we have flaws that continue to let the team down like some of the defending recently. Those are the areas that need addressing."
West Ham United
West Ham United West Ham United and Sheffield United have reached an out-of-court settlement over the Carlos Tevez affair. In a joint statement, the agreement was described as "satisfactory settlement for compensation" but the figure paid by the Hammers was not confirmed. It means the independent tribunal chaired by Lord Griffiths to rule on the controversy will not reconvene on Monday. The statement from Blades chairman Kevin McCabe and West Ham chief executive Scott Duxbury said: "Both clubs are pleased to announce that a satisfactory settlement for compensation has been reached which brings the dispute between Sheffield United and West Ham to an end. The tribunal will not be resuming."
Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic Steve Bruce saluted his January signings after Charles N'Zogbia and Ben Watson teamed up to fire Sunderland into relegation trouble. Former Newcastle midfielder N'Zogbia applied the finishing touch with a winner in first-half injury-time after Watson had opened the scoring at the Stadium of Light with just 12 minutes gone. Bruce said: "I don't think anyone has ever questioned Charles' ability. He is 22 years of age - I remember him scoring a wonder goal here a couple of years ago for Newcastle. I never thought I would have the chance of signing him, but there you go, that's how football works. He has great ability. To go the length of the pitch in the Premier League is terrific. It was a great goal. To come here and the way we have played delighted me, and the two new boys. It can only do them the world of good."
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Posted By: Craig Hill - Category: English football news
Club News 13th March
March 14th 2009 09:40
Arsenal
Arsenal Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia praised his team's growing maturity after the Gunners knocked Roma out of the Champions League. Arsene Wenger's side reached the quarter finals of Europe's elite club competition for a second year in a row as they ousted Roma on penalties at Rome's Stadio Olimpico. "I am so proud of my team-mates because they showed a lot of character and maturity on the pitch," Almunia said. "We have players who are very young and proved they have a great future ahead of them. We didn't have fear in the penalty shoot-out, being a young team we stood our ground. We faced adversity as men."
Aston Villa
Aston Villa Martin O'Neill admits he is excited about the final stretch of the season as Aston Villa bid to finish in the top four. He said: "I'm excited by the prospect of finishing in the top four. The players have stuck with it and their performances on the whole have been terrific. Can we stay with it? There is no reason why we shouldn't be in the mix at the end of the season. There should be no reason at all. We should be there. We have kept it going now for the past six months and we now only have three months to go now."
Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers Sam Allardyce is confident his Blackburn side are a team heading in the right direction after seeing them overturn a one-goal deficit to defeat Fulham at Craven Cottage. Rovers went into Wednesday's match third from bottom and harbouring serious relegation worries, while victory would have put the hosts within touching distance of the European places. And while Allardyce accepts that relegation remains a genuine concern he is also convinced that his players are in good enough form to edge past their rivals for the drop. "That's two defeats now in 11 games since I've been here and we've had two away wins on the bounce - that shows we are gathering enough points to get us out of trouble," said the former Bolton and Newcastle manager. "It's important the results and the form keep coming. As long as we are carrying on in that vein, the sooner we can try and get to safety. Gifting that goal in the first half made it very difficult for us but games are 95 minutes now and at the end of that 95 minutes it said, Fulham 1 Blackburn 2. That's a result I feel we thoroughly deserved. We're a team in good form on the way up rather than some of the teams around us who are in poor form and sliding down."
Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers Gary Megson has warned his side they cannot afford to allow complacency to slip into their game again if they want to avoid a relegation scrap. Wanderers are currently 11th in the Barclays Premier League but only five points above third-bottom Portsmouth. After their 2-0 defeat at Stoke City, Bolton will have had a 10-day break by the time they face Fulham, one place above them, at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday - for which the club have slashed ticket prices to £10. The Cottagers, by contrast, have played twice since then and, although Roy Hodgson's side have now lost their last three matches, Megson is more concerned by how his players react. "We didn't have very many who could turn around in the game against Stoke and say, 'That was my absolute best'," he said. "Work-rate, we were fine, but we didn't show the same desire and determination that Stoke did and that is what has gained us a few decent results this year, and we have to get back to that. Although it might stick in the throat a bit, it was complacency. We had won our last two games, we were in that mid-table bit where we still are and we wanted to push on from there. It was disappointing but hopefully now a lesson has been learned and we can crack on again."
Chelsea
Chelsea Frank Lampard believes Chelsea's rediscovered fighting spirit will have sent a shudder through the rest of Europe's top clubs. Chelsea remain unbeaten under interim coach Guus Hiddink after their 2-2 draw against Juventus in Turin on Tuesday night meant they progressed to the Champions League quarter-finals 3-2 on aggregate. "Maybe no-one will want to face us the way we are playing," the England midfielder said. "When you get to this stage your away performances are important and it is a good sign we scored two against Juventus. Against Juventus and the previous five games we have shown we are together and, when we have the spirit combined with our quality, we can do whatever we want."
Everton
Everton Leon Osman has set his sights on seeing off Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-final to win the FA Cup. "We are looking forward to our trip to Wembley but we don't want to be going there just to be seen as the fourth team in the draw, nor are we going there to make up the numbers," he said. "We are going there because we want to win the FA Cup."
Fulham
Fulham Roy Hodgson believes his chances of taking Fulham to the next level depend as much on decisions in the boardroom as progress on the training pitch. Asked if he had a clear vision of where he wants to take Fulham in the next few years, Hodgson said: "That is not just a question for me, but also for the chief executive of the club and the owner Mohamed Al Fayed. It is up to them to decide. If things go okay this season and we do achieve our goal of stabilising the club and being less relegation prone - which I said was the aim from day one - then we are looking better and it will be up to the chairman to decide where he wants to take the club. There is no doubt that to take the club to the next step, it won't be purely down to the coaching and the preparation we try and do, it will also be down to recruitment - what players we can bring in to strengthen what is a very fragile squad."
Hull City
Hull City Chairman Paul Duffen has revealed the club has already started planning for a second season in the top flight. The Tigers are currently four points clear of the Barclays Premier League relegation zone following a 1-0 victory over Fulham in their last outing and although Duffen is not taking survival for granted, he admits they have already identified targets for next term. He said: "We have been constantly scouting and we have a list of targets that we have identified over the course of the season. Many are young players, some are proven talent from abroad and others are emerging talent from home, whom we believe we can develop. However, at the moment we don't know if we have to sign players for a second season in the Premier League or not, so things are on hold for a couple of weeks. Staying in the Premier League is the first priority but we have the list of targets identified and that is something we have left in the hands of Bob Shaw and his scouting team."
Liverpool
Liverpool Ryan Babel admits he needs to be 'more greedy' if he is to establish himself as a striker at Liverpool. The Dutch youngster has generally been used in a wide role by Reds manager Rafa Benitez since joining the club from Ajax in the summer of 2007. He has made occasional appearances up front and is keen to be given the opportunity to make a name for himself in front of goal. Babel has scored just 13 times in 83 matches for Liverpool and accepts he must start to display a selfish streak in front of goal if he is to fulfil his aim of being a striker. Babel said: "Right now, there are too many times when I can go for goal myself that I pass the ball to another to try to give an assist. At the end, if I watch the game back I think, 'hey, I could shoot or I could go for myself'. I still believe I can be a striker, but if you want to be a striker you have to think more about yourself and that's why you are a striker. So I think that's a part I have to learn more, to be more greedy. It's a process and I'm confident that it will come."
Manchester City
Manchester City Mark Hughes is confident Manchester City's failure to make the most of their dominance against Aalborg at Eastlands will not cost them a place in the UEFA Cup quarter-finals. City will take a two-goal advantage to Denmark next week thanks to first-half strikes from Felipe Caicedo and Shaun Wright-Phillips. But it could have been many more. Indeed, had the Blues scored five their visitors could not have complained such was the one-sided nature of the contest. "Ideally we would like to have put the game to bed," Hughes said. "We had enough chances to score more than we did. But we got a positive result and a clean sheet and overall it was a very good European performance. Aalborg have to attack us now. I am sure that will provide us with opportunities and if we play as well next week as we did here it will be very difficult for them."
Manchester United
Manchester United Ryan Giggs thinks Manchester United have the momentum and belief to clinch an unprecedented quintuple of trophies this season. Sir Alex Ferguson's silverware hunters already have the Carling Cup and Club World Championship in the trophy cabinet this season. United are also fast closing in on retaining their Barclays Premier League title, and next month face an FA Cup semi-final tie with Everton at Wembley. Ferguson is also just five matches away from his dream of becoming the first manager to retain the Champions League title after reaching the last eight with a 2-0 win over Inter Milan. When asked whether United could clinch the lot, Giggs said: "We've certainly got the momentum, but we'll have to wait and see. We'll take each competition as it comes and obviously try and win every game, but you need a lot of luck, as we enjoyed against Inter Milan, and hopefully we'll get there. But with the run of results we've had, the belief is definitely there within the squad, with individuals in good form, and the team generally in good form. Everything is set up for an exciting end to the season, which will be a test of character, a test of that belief."
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough Gareth Southgate has backed record signing Afonso Alves to help save the club from relegation. The Brazilian striker, signed from Heerenveen for £12m last year, has found the net just seven times in his first full season on Teesside. Southgate said: "I think in terms of the number of goals he has been able to score, he'll be disappointed that he hasn't got as many as he might have done, because we have had some good chances. But I still believe he can score goals between now and the end of the season. As far as we are concerned we have got a squad of players that have got to keep us in this division. Everyone has got a key part to play in that. There is nothing to be said for any player with regard to the summer, until the summer."
Newcastle United
Newcastle United Michael Owen will play against fellow Barclays Premier League strugglers Hull City on Saturday. The 29-year-old England international has been back in training for around 10 days after recovering from the ankle ligament injury he suffered in January, and will play some part at the KC Stadium. Caretaker manager Chris Hughton said: "Michael will be involved. The decision on the team will be left until tomorrow, but Michael has had a good week-and-a-half's training under his belt. He has trained very, very well and it is a massive bonus to have him back involved again."
Portsmouth
Portsmouth Paul Hart has brought his newly-inherited Portsmouth squad back from the warmth of a five-day break in Dubai to the cold shock of finding themselves in the bottom three of the Barclays Premier League for the first time in three years. But the 55-year-old former Nottingham Forest and Barnsley manager said: "I'm just going to tell the players to keep concentrating on what we've done over the last three games. I think it's still only three-and-a-half weeks we've been with them and the performances have been excellent. They have shown a great desire and a great attitude. We've done well as a team, defended well and still managed to create chances. We certainly deserve to have picked up more points than we've got."
stoke city
Stoke City Tony Pulis says the door is not closed on record signing Dave Kitson after he returned to former club Reading on loan. Kitson failed to find the net in 11 starts and six substitute appearances for Stoke after a £5.5m move last July. The 29-year-old moved back to Reading this week and he could start for the Royals against Ipswich Town on Saturday. Pulis said: "Dave is a good player but sometimes it happens where players come in and it just doesn't go for them. It could have happened for him and I'm just hoping he goes back to Reading and gets his confidence back. Dave's back with a manager he knows in Steve Coppell and he just needs to score a few goals. He will be on loan until the end of the season and we will see where it goes. No doors have been closed."
Sunderland
Sunderland Djibril Cisse's future will be thrashed out the day Sunderland secure their Barclays Premier League status. Manager Ricky Sbragia has promised the 27-year-old Frenchman, who is currently on a season-long loan deal at the Stadium of Light from Marseille, that his situation will be resolved swiftly once the Black Cats know where they will be playing their football next season. Sbragia said: "(Chairman) Niall (Quinn) has spoken to Djibril and I have spoken to him about it, and the day everything is safe and rosy will be the day we will sit down and talk to him. That has always been the case with all the players at the club, and we just hope we can focus on doing well for Sunderland and putting all our energy into that, and leaving that for another day. We have spoken to him umpteen times about it. My priority is to make sure Sunderland go up the table and stay in the Premier League. That's important and I would hope all the players would be focused that way."
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur Nottingham Forest have agreed the loan signing of Tottenham Hotspur defender Chris Gunter. The 19-year-old Wales international, who can play in either full-back position, will join the Championship strugglers until the end of the season and ease a defensive crisis at the City Ground. Forest manager Billy Davies is delighted to be bringing in a player who can offer versatility and said: "We are pleased we are bringing in an excellent player who can play a number of positions. He is a first-class lad to have here and I am delighted to have him. Hopefully we will see the best of him."
West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion Paul Robinson wants some of his team-mates should to show more "pride and passion." Robinson is known for his full-blooded and passionate approach to the game and is demanding the same attitude from other members of Tony Mowbray's squad. He said: "The supporters deserve more and as players we deserve more out of each other. There are a few out there who need to wear the shirt with a little bit more pride and passion and commit themselves to this club a bit more. I would like to see a bit more passion and commitment. I think we have lacked that. I am not afraid to say it. It shouldn't bother me to say it. I think a few more players should stand up and come out and say it themselves, that they should be more committed to the club and they should be fighting for the cause a bit more."
West Ham United
West Ham United Midfielder Mark Noble believes his team-mates have responded to manager Gianfranco Zola telling his squad to play for enjoyment. Zola endured a tricky start to his managerial career but has guided the Hammers to seventh in the Barclays Premier League, putting them in the hunt for a European place. "The gaffer always says 'go out and enjoy yourself, work hard and play with a smile'," Noble said. "That is what we have done and it is fantastic."
Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic Steve Bruce is hopeful Won-Hee Cho will have as big an impact on the Barclays Premier League as he has on his Wigan Athletic team-mates. Bruce knows he has taken a gamble on South Korea international Cho who was determined to follow his close friend, Manchester United's Ji-Sung Park, into the Barclays Premier League. "When you sign a player from overseas it's always about how they adapt to playing in England, but with his personality he will give himself every chance," assessed Bruce. "Talent alone is never enough, but through hard work and effort I am sure he will be okay. He is industrious, hard working, and he possesses a never-say-die attitude. He is tough, wants to win, you can see that with the way he trains. In fact, he has illuminated training. When he first joined us all the other players went 'Wow! Who is this guy?' But it's about the demands of the Premier League, and we hope and we think he will cope with it."
Arsenal Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia praised his team's growing maturity after the Gunners knocked Roma out of the Champions League. Arsene Wenger's side reached the quarter finals of Europe's elite club competition for a second year in a row as they ousted Roma on penalties at Rome's Stadio Olimpico. "I am so proud of my team-mates because they showed a lot of character and maturity on the pitch," Almunia said. "We have players who are very young and proved they have a great future ahead of them. We didn't have fear in the penalty shoot-out, being a young team we stood our ground. We faced adversity as men."
Aston Villa
Aston Villa Martin O'Neill admits he is excited about the final stretch of the season as Aston Villa bid to finish in the top four. He said: "I'm excited by the prospect of finishing in the top four. The players have stuck with it and their performances on the whole have been terrific. Can we stay with it? There is no reason why we shouldn't be in the mix at the end of the season. There should be no reason at all. We should be there. We have kept it going now for the past six months and we now only have three months to go now."
Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers Sam Allardyce is confident his Blackburn side are a team heading in the right direction after seeing them overturn a one-goal deficit to defeat Fulham at Craven Cottage. Rovers went into Wednesday's match third from bottom and harbouring serious relegation worries, while victory would have put the hosts within touching distance of the European places. And while Allardyce accepts that relegation remains a genuine concern he is also convinced that his players are in good enough form to edge past their rivals for the drop. "That's two defeats now in 11 games since I've been here and we've had two away wins on the bounce - that shows we are gathering enough points to get us out of trouble," said the former Bolton and Newcastle manager. "It's important the results and the form keep coming. As long as we are carrying on in that vein, the sooner we can try and get to safety. Gifting that goal in the first half made it very difficult for us but games are 95 minutes now and at the end of that 95 minutes it said, Fulham 1 Blackburn 2. That's a result I feel we thoroughly deserved. We're a team in good form on the way up rather than some of the teams around us who are in poor form and sliding down."
Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers Gary Megson has warned his side they cannot afford to allow complacency to slip into their game again if they want to avoid a relegation scrap. Wanderers are currently 11th in the Barclays Premier League but only five points above third-bottom Portsmouth. After their 2-0 defeat at Stoke City, Bolton will have had a 10-day break by the time they face Fulham, one place above them, at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday - for which the club have slashed ticket prices to £10. The Cottagers, by contrast, have played twice since then and, although Roy Hodgson's side have now lost their last three matches, Megson is more concerned by how his players react. "We didn't have very many who could turn around in the game against Stoke and say, 'That was my absolute best'," he said. "Work-rate, we were fine, but we didn't show the same desire and determination that Stoke did and that is what has gained us a few decent results this year, and we have to get back to that. Although it might stick in the throat a bit, it was complacency. We had won our last two games, we were in that mid-table bit where we still are and we wanted to push on from there. It was disappointing but hopefully now a lesson has been learned and we can crack on again."
Chelsea
Chelsea Frank Lampard believes Chelsea's rediscovered fighting spirit will have sent a shudder through the rest of Europe's top clubs. Chelsea remain unbeaten under interim coach Guus Hiddink after their 2-2 draw against Juventus in Turin on Tuesday night meant they progressed to the Champions League quarter-finals 3-2 on aggregate. "Maybe no-one will want to face us the way we are playing," the England midfielder said. "When you get to this stage your away performances are important and it is a good sign we scored two against Juventus. Against Juventus and the previous five games we have shown we are together and, when we have the spirit combined with our quality, we can do whatever we want."
Everton
Everton Leon Osman has set his sights on seeing off Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-final to win the FA Cup. "We are looking forward to our trip to Wembley but we don't want to be going there just to be seen as the fourth team in the draw, nor are we going there to make up the numbers," he said. "We are going there because we want to win the FA Cup."
Fulham
Fulham Roy Hodgson believes his chances of taking Fulham to the next level depend as much on decisions in the boardroom as progress on the training pitch. Asked if he had a clear vision of where he wants to take Fulham in the next few years, Hodgson said: "That is not just a question for me, but also for the chief executive of the club and the owner Mohamed Al Fayed. It is up to them to decide. If things go okay this season and we do achieve our goal of stabilising the club and being less relegation prone - which I said was the aim from day one - then we are looking better and it will be up to the chairman to decide where he wants to take the club. There is no doubt that to take the club to the next step, it won't be purely down to the coaching and the preparation we try and do, it will also be down to recruitment - what players we can bring in to strengthen what is a very fragile squad."
Hull City
Hull City Chairman Paul Duffen has revealed the club has already started planning for a second season in the top flight. The Tigers are currently four points clear of the Barclays Premier League relegation zone following a 1-0 victory over Fulham in their last outing and although Duffen is not taking survival for granted, he admits they have already identified targets for next term. He said: "We have been constantly scouting and we have a list of targets that we have identified over the course of the season. Many are young players, some are proven talent from abroad and others are emerging talent from home, whom we believe we can develop. However, at the moment we don't know if we have to sign players for a second season in the Premier League or not, so things are on hold for a couple of weeks. Staying in the Premier League is the first priority but we have the list of targets identified and that is something we have left in the hands of Bob Shaw and his scouting team."
Liverpool
Liverpool Ryan Babel admits he needs to be 'more greedy' if he is to establish himself as a striker at Liverpool. The Dutch youngster has generally been used in a wide role by Reds manager Rafa Benitez since joining the club from Ajax in the summer of 2007. He has made occasional appearances up front and is keen to be given the opportunity to make a name for himself in front of goal. Babel has scored just 13 times in 83 matches for Liverpool and accepts he must start to display a selfish streak in front of goal if he is to fulfil his aim of being a striker. Babel said: "Right now, there are too many times when I can go for goal myself that I pass the ball to another to try to give an assist. At the end, if I watch the game back I think, 'hey, I could shoot or I could go for myself'. I still believe I can be a striker, but if you want to be a striker you have to think more about yourself and that's why you are a striker. So I think that's a part I have to learn more, to be more greedy. It's a process and I'm confident that it will come."
Manchester City
Manchester City Mark Hughes is confident Manchester City's failure to make the most of their dominance against Aalborg at Eastlands will not cost them a place in the UEFA Cup quarter-finals. City will take a two-goal advantage to Denmark next week thanks to first-half strikes from Felipe Caicedo and Shaun Wright-Phillips. But it could have been many more. Indeed, had the Blues scored five their visitors could not have complained such was the one-sided nature of the contest. "Ideally we would like to have put the game to bed," Hughes said. "We had enough chances to score more than we did. But we got a positive result and a clean sheet and overall it was a very good European performance. Aalborg have to attack us now. I am sure that will provide us with opportunities and if we play as well next week as we did here it will be very difficult for them."
Manchester United
Manchester United Ryan Giggs thinks Manchester United have the momentum and belief to clinch an unprecedented quintuple of trophies this season. Sir Alex Ferguson's silverware hunters already have the Carling Cup and Club World Championship in the trophy cabinet this season. United are also fast closing in on retaining their Barclays Premier League title, and next month face an FA Cup semi-final tie with Everton at Wembley. Ferguson is also just five matches away from his dream of becoming the first manager to retain the Champions League title after reaching the last eight with a 2-0 win over Inter Milan. When asked whether United could clinch the lot, Giggs said: "We've certainly got the momentum, but we'll have to wait and see. We'll take each competition as it comes and obviously try and win every game, but you need a lot of luck, as we enjoyed against Inter Milan, and hopefully we'll get there. But with the run of results we've had, the belief is definitely there within the squad, with individuals in good form, and the team generally in good form. Everything is set up for an exciting end to the season, which will be a test of character, a test of that belief."
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough Gareth Southgate has backed record signing Afonso Alves to help save the club from relegation. The Brazilian striker, signed from Heerenveen for £12m last year, has found the net just seven times in his first full season on Teesside. Southgate said: "I think in terms of the number of goals he has been able to score, he'll be disappointed that he hasn't got as many as he might have done, because we have had some good chances. But I still believe he can score goals between now and the end of the season. As far as we are concerned we have got a squad of players that have got to keep us in this division. Everyone has got a key part to play in that. There is nothing to be said for any player with regard to the summer, until the summer."
Newcastle United
Newcastle United Michael Owen will play against fellow Barclays Premier League strugglers Hull City on Saturday. The 29-year-old England international has been back in training for around 10 days after recovering from the ankle ligament injury he suffered in January, and will play some part at the KC Stadium. Caretaker manager Chris Hughton said: "Michael will be involved. The decision on the team will be left until tomorrow, but Michael has had a good week-and-a-half's training under his belt. He has trained very, very well and it is a massive bonus to have him back involved again."
Portsmouth
Portsmouth Paul Hart has brought his newly-inherited Portsmouth squad back from the warmth of a five-day break in Dubai to the cold shock of finding themselves in the bottom three of the Barclays Premier League for the first time in three years. But the 55-year-old former Nottingham Forest and Barnsley manager said: "I'm just going to tell the players to keep concentrating on what we've done over the last three games. I think it's still only three-and-a-half weeks we've been with them and the performances have been excellent. They have shown a great desire and a great attitude. We've done well as a team, defended well and still managed to create chances. We certainly deserve to have picked up more points than we've got."
stoke city
Stoke City Tony Pulis says the door is not closed on record signing Dave Kitson after he returned to former club Reading on loan. Kitson failed to find the net in 11 starts and six substitute appearances for Stoke after a £5.5m move last July. The 29-year-old moved back to Reading this week and he could start for the Royals against Ipswich Town on Saturday. Pulis said: "Dave is a good player but sometimes it happens where players come in and it just doesn't go for them. It could have happened for him and I'm just hoping he goes back to Reading and gets his confidence back. Dave's back with a manager he knows in Steve Coppell and he just needs to score a few goals. He will be on loan until the end of the season and we will see where it goes. No doors have been closed."
Sunderland
Sunderland Djibril Cisse's future will be thrashed out the day Sunderland secure their Barclays Premier League status. Manager Ricky Sbragia has promised the 27-year-old Frenchman, who is currently on a season-long loan deal at the Stadium of Light from Marseille, that his situation will be resolved swiftly once the Black Cats know where they will be playing their football next season. Sbragia said: "(Chairman) Niall (Quinn) has spoken to Djibril and I have spoken to him about it, and the day everything is safe and rosy will be the day we will sit down and talk to him. That has always been the case with all the players at the club, and we just hope we can focus on doing well for Sunderland and putting all our energy into that, and leaving that for another day. We have spoken to him umpteen times about it. My priority is to make sure Sunderland go up the table and stay in the Premier League. That's important and I would hope all the players would be focused that way."
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur Nottingham Forest have agreed the loan signing of Tottenham Hotspur defender Chris Gunter. The 19-year-old Wales international, who can play in either full-back position, will join the Championship strugglers until the end of the season and ease a defensive crisis at the City Ground. Forest manager Billy Davies is delighted to be bringing in a player who can offer versatility and said: "We are pleased we are bringing in an excellent player who can play a number of positions. He is a first-class lad to have here and I am delighted to have him. Hopefully we will see the best of him."
West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion Paul Robinson wants some of his team-mates should to show more "pride and passion." Robinson is known for his full-blooded and passionate approach to the game and is demanding the same attitude from other members of Tony Mowbray's squad. He said: "The supporters deserve more and as players we deserve more out of each other. There are a few out there who need to wear the shirt with a little bit more pride and passion and commit themselves to this club a bit more. I would like to see a bit more passion and commitment. I think we have lacked that. I am not afraid to say it. It shouldn't bother me to say it. I think a few more players should stand up and come out and say it themselves, that they should be more committed to the club and they should be fighting for the cause a bit more."
West Ham United
West Ham United Midfielder Mark Noble believes his team-mates have responded to manager Gianfranco Zola telling his squad to play for enjoyment. Zola endured a tricky start to his managerial career but has guided the Hammers to seventh in the Barclays Premier League, putting them in the hunt for a European place. "The gaffer always says 'go out and enjoy yourself, work hard and play with a smile'," Noble said. "That is what we have done and it is fantastic."
Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic Steve Bruce is hopeful Won-Hee Cho will have as big an impact on the Barclays Premier League as he has on his Wigan Athletic team-mates. Bruce knows he has taken a gamble on South Korea international Cho who was determined to follow his close friend, Manchester United's Ji-Sung Park, into the Barclays Premier League. "When you sign a player from overseas it's always about how they adapt to playing in England, but with his personality he will give himself every chance," assessed Bruce. "Talent alone is never enough, but through hard work and effort I am sure he will be okay. He is industrious, hard working, and he possesses a never-say-die attitude. He is tough, wants to win, you can see that with the way he trains. In fact, he has illuminated training. When he first joined us all the other players went 'Wow! Who is this guy?' But it's about the demands of the Premier League, and we hope and we think he will cope with it."
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Posted By: Craig Hill - Category: English football news
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