Hull apply the brakes to Chelsea title charge

February 3, 2010

Didier Drogba celebrated his return to Premier League duty with a first half equaliser at the KC Stadium to cancel out Stephen Mouyokolo’s earlier effort on a frustrating night for Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea.

Drogba struck his 20th goal of the season on 43 minutes to haul the Premier League leaders level after Hull defender Mouyokolo had headed Phil Brown’s Hull City side into a surprise lead with his first ever goal for the top flight strugglers.

But despite Drogba coming to the rescue it wasn’t enough to help Chelsea secure the win they so badly needed to restore their four point advantage over Manchester United at the top of the table.

The London club now have a lead of just two points and United manager Sir Alex Ferguson will be thankful to Hull for holding his great rivals to a draw to blow the title race wide open.

Ancelotti had the luxury of recalling Drogba for the first time since he departed for the African Cup of Nations over four weeks ago, while England internationals Joe Cole and Ashley Cole had to be content with a place on the bench.

John Terry also maintained his place in the side despite the on-going pressure on him to resign as England captain following his off-field problems while Deco was recalled to the starting line-up.

Brown, meanwhile, made just one change to the side which was held to a disappointing draw with Wolves last weekend, recalling Craig Fagan on the right wing in place of Bernard Mendy. The Hull manager resisted the temptation to hand a full debut to new loan signing Amr Zaki.

Hull had gone nine games without a victory and found themselves entrenched in the relegation zone. Considering Manchester City were the next visitors to the KC Stadium then the immediate future looked bleak.

But Chelsea struggled to find their rhythm from the start and seemed to make Hull’s evening easier than expected.

Frank Lampard worried Boaz Myhill with a swerving drive inside nine minutes which the Hull goalkeeper could only palm straight to Nicolas Anelka but the French striker stubbed his shot badly wide with the goal at his mercy.

It wasn’t until the 24th minute that Chelsea threatened again when Branislav Ivanovic sent over an inch-perfect cross for the waiting Michael Ballack but all the German midfielder could do was power his diving header straight at Myhill from close range.

The longer the game went on the more Hull seemed to grow in confidence but it still came a surprise when they took the lead with their first real attack of the game.

Terry was nowhere to be seen as Stephen Hunt swung over a corner and Mouyokolo rose the highest to head past the helpless Petr Cech.

But Hull’s lead always looked fragile and it lasted just 13 minutes before Drogba levelled the scores with a powerful free kick into the bottom corner of Myhill’s goal.

Hull could have restored their lead on the stroke of half time when Tom Cairney’s free kick found the head of the unmarked Anthony Gardner, but the defender could only direct his effort over the crossbar.

Yet Chelsea always carried a threat and Myhill had to be at his best to keep the scores level with a fine double save just before the hour mark.

First he got down sharply to tip wide a skidding drive from Florent Malouda before producing an even better stop to keep out Drogba’s downward header from Malouda’s cross as Brown’s men hung on for a point that is of much more use to them than Chelsea.

HULL, England (AFP)

Tags: african cup of nations, alex ferguson, Anthony Gardner, ashley cole, bernard mendy, Boaz Myhill, Brown, carlo ancelotti, CHELSEA, Cole, Craig Fagan, didier drogba, England, england internationals, frank lampard, frustrating night, HULL, hull city, Joe Cole, john terry, kc stadium, london, london club, Manchester, manchester city, Michael Ballack, Nicolas Anelka, Petr Cech, phil brown, point advantage, premier league, relegation zone, sir alex ferguson, Stephen Hunt, Stephen Mouyokolo, Terry, Tom Cairney, Zaki

Fergie bills Gunners clash as biggest game of season

January 29, 2010

Alex Ferguson has billed Manchester United’s visit to Arsenal on Sunday as a match that could make or break his squad’s season.

“I think the game on Sunday, to my mind now looking at the way the league is shaping up, is the biggest game of the season for us,” the Scot told reporters at United’s training ground on Friday.

“Arsenal have gone on a consistent run and it’s amazing how this league has changed.

“The team that is most consistent will win the league now and Arsenal’s current form has been very good and I’m looking forward to it.

“At the moment the league is looking like a three horse race but there have been so many changes and different result from the top sides that you cannot be 100 percent certain.”

Just two points separate Chelsea at the top of the table and Arsenal in third with United in between. “Of course Chelsea have the advantage of the game in hand and if they win that they go four points ahead of us,” Ferguson added.

“So that is the catch up part we are in and that means Sunday has a great relevance to both of us because we have a genuine chance to win the league.”

Ahead of the match, Ferguson has appealed to United’s travelling supporters to get behind his players in a positive way rather than indulging in the personal abuse of his Arsenal counterpart Arsene Wenger which has been a regular and unpleasant feature of meetings between the two clubs.

“I think it’s unavoidable in the way that managers get abused today,” Ferguson said. “Sometimes I can’t hear these chants and I can’t make them out but I know there’s been some terrible abuse from our fans to Arsene Wenger and there must be a line drawn and I think our fans must know that themselves.

“I was really proud of the way they supported us (in the League Cup win over Manchester City) on Wednesday. We don’t need to worry about anyone else — they should be proud of the team they are supporting.”

Ferguson meanwhile has hinted that United will not appeal against the ban that has ruled Rio Ferdinand out of the club’s next four matches despite what he sees as blatant inconsistencies in the handling of violent conduct cases.

Ferdinand was charged by the Football Association after flooring Craig Fagan with a swinging arm in United’s 4-0 win against Hull last weekend.

The mandatory three-match ban was increased to four after the FA deemed United’s appeal to be “frivolous” and Ferdinand will miss Sunday’s encounter with Arsenal as well as further games against Portsmouth, Aston Villa and Everton.

Ferguson initially announced that United would try to have the decision looked at again only to later contradict himself by insisting the incident is now finished with.

“We have to decide if we appeal it because there are conflicting ways of viewing some of these decisions,” he said. “I watched Charlton and Leyton Orient the other night and the Leyton Orient goal came after an elbow on the Charlton player three times and nothing happened.

“So there’s a lot of confusion in terms of these decisions but we accepted he is banned and we will get on with it – there’s nothing we can do about it.”

If United were to appeal again, they would risk the ban being increased to five matches which would rule Ferdinand out of the League Cup final at the end of next month.

MANCHESTER (AFP)

Tags: alex ferguson, arsenal, arsene wenger, chants, charlton, CHELSEA, counterpart, Craig Fagan, Ferdinand, four points, game, genuine chance, horse race, HULL, Leyton, Manchester, manchester city, manchester united, match, personal abuse, Portsmouth, Rio, rio ferdinand, Scot, unpleasant feature

Man Utd´s Rio Ferdinand gets four-match ban

January 29, 2010

Rio Ferdinand was banned for four matches on Thursday after failing in an appeal against a Football Association charge of violent conduct.

The charge related to an incident in United’s 4-0 win over Hull on Saturday in which Ferdinand, returning from three months out injured, appeared to catch Hull’s Craig Fagan in the face with a swinging arm.

The offence would normally result in a three-match ban but Ferdinand’s appeal was deemed “frivolous” by the FA disciplinary panel which examined the appeal and an extra match suspension was added.

The ban takes effect immediately, ruling Ferdinand out of United’s Premier League match against Arsenal at the Emirates on Sunday.

The 31-year-old will also sit out matches against Portsmouth, Aston Villa and Everton next month but he will be available for the League Cup final against Aston Villa at Wembley on February 28.

By appealing against the charge, Ferdinand delayed the FA’s announcement of his punishment until Thursday, ensuring he was able to play in the second leg of the League Cup semi-final against Manchester City, which United won.

Nemanja Vidic was on the bench for that match following his own recovery from injury and the Serbian centreback is expected to partner Jonny Evans against Arsenal.

LONDON (AFP)

Tags: arsenal, Craig, Craig Fagan, disciplinary panel, emirates, fagan, Ferdinand, football association, HULL, london, manchester city, match, offence, Portsmouth, premier league, Rio, rio ferdinand, three months, vidic, violent conduct, Wembley

US striker Altidore ready for Hull bow

August 21, 2009

Hull’s US striker Jozy Altidore is set to make his Premier League debut in Saturday’s meeting with Bolton with the on-loan youngster from Spain’s Villarreal having missed the Tigers’ losses to Chelsea and Tottenham owing to red tape problems.

Craig Fagan is also in contention after recovering from a summer hernia operation but midfielder Dean Marney is still out with a knee injury while Jimmy Bullard and Ian Ashbee are long-term casualties.

Having just stayed up in their first top-flight season Hull are seeking to bounce back after their unlucky loss at Stamford Bridge and then a midweek home mauling by Spurs.

HULL, England (AFP)

Tags: ashbee, Bolton, casualties, CHELSEA, contention, Craig, Craig Fagan, dean marney, England, flight season, HULL, hull england, Ian Ashbee, Jimmy Bullard, knee injury, league debut, losses, premier league, red tape, Spain, stamford bridge, tigers, top flight, tottenham, U.S., youngster

Hull survive despite United defeat

May 25, 2009

HULL (AFP) – Hull City avoided relegation from the Premier League despite losing 1-0 to an under-strength Manchester United on Sunday as Newcastle’s defeat kept the Tigers out of the bottom three.

Phil Brown’s side knew a victory would secure their safety whatever the results elsewhere, but Darron Gibson’s stunning first half strike at the KC Stadium put the pressure on.

It could have been enough to condemn Hull to the Championship but, despite winning just two of their last 29 games, they avoided the drop after Newcastle lost at Aston Villa, while Middlesbrough crashed at West Ham.

Never had a team sheet been so eagerly anticipated all season considering all the speculation surrounding who United boss Sir Alex Ferguson would pick.

There was little doubt Ferguson named a weakened team, irrespective of the fact the visitors side still contained six full internationals, including the experienced duo of Gary Neville and Wes Brown in defence, while Nani returned to midfield and Federico Macheda was given a rare start in attack alongside Danny Welbeck.

Brown must have have been relieved not to see the name of Rio Ferdinand, however. The England centre back has been struggling to overcome a calf problem and had been expected to be involved, but he was left out altogether to raise doubts about his participation in this week’s Champions League final against Barcelona.

Ferguson also handed a debut to defender Ritchie De Laet. The Belgium-born left back whose only previous action this season had been three games for Wrexham in the Conference.

Darren Fletcher, ineligible for the final in Rome, was made captain. Hull, meanwhile, had no such luxury.

Brown named the same team which earned a crucial draw at Bolton Wanderers, with the exception of Dean Marney coming in for Manucho, who was ineligible due to the terms of his loan move from Old Trafford.

Hull made a bright start and looked to take the initiative, but Craig Fagan failed to control Michael Turner’s long pass with just Tomasz Kuszczak to beat before Fagan narrowly missed a dangerous cross from Geovanni.

It took United a while to get into their stride but once they did a goal seemed inevitable. Nani tested Bo Myhill with a free kick before De Laet missed Rafael Da Silva’s cross by inches.

The breakthrough came in stunning fashion on 24 minutes when Gibson rifled an unstoppable drive past Myhill and into the top corner to stun home fans into silence.

Brown’s men could have fallen further behind but Macheda failed to convert Lee Martin’s cross a minute later before Welbeck burst past four defenders on a 60 metre run only to drag his shot wide.

Macheda followed suit two minutes later as the home defence threatened to crumble.

Andy Dawson drew a fine save from Kuszczak and Neville almost headed into his own goal but it looked increasingly likely that Hull’s fate would be decided at Villa Park, where the news was good.

Nick Barmby saw his header from a tight angle well blocked by Kuszczak as Hull looked to launch the kitchen sink at United’s defence and snatch the goal that would mean they were not reliant on events elsewhere.

It wasn’t to be but it didn’t matter as Villa handed them one of the biggest favours possible.