Adriano didn’t handle on purpose, says Italian FA

February 18, 2009

Brazilian striker Adriano will not be punished for scoring with his arm during Internazionale’s match with arch rivals AC Milan on Sunday.

The forward directed the ball into the net with his right arm in the first half, giving Inter a 1-0 lead. His team went on to win the match 2-1.

The Italian FA (FIGC) judged that Adriano didn’t handle the ball on purpose, and therefore shouldn’t have to undergo any consequences. Earlier this season, Alberto Gilardino of Fiorentina was suspended for two games after deliberately using his hand to score.

Written by: Jonathan Roorda

Tags: ac milan, adriano, alberto gilardino, arch rivals, consequences, FIGC, fiorentina, hand, Inter, internazionale, jonathan, Jonathan Roorda, match, match 2, Milan, net, right arm, roorda, Serie A, two games, width

Given’s future with the Magpies uncertain

January 2, 2009

Shay Given’s lawyer Michael Kennedy says that his client, the thirty-two year old Ireland International and Newcastle United goalkeeper Shay Given is considering his future with the Magpies.

Kennedy said that Given has been feeling down after having conceded five goals against Liverpool on Sunday.

Given has said, despite his inspired performance against Liverpool, that it was the lowest point of his career to date.

It is reported that Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur are interested in the goalkeeper.

This comes in the wake of manager Joe Kinnear’s statement in which he said that he would not be allowed to leave the club.

Kennedy, on the other hand has stated that Given should reconsider his current position “given” the turmoil both on and off the pitch.

Written by: Dave Cohen

Tags: arsenal, CITY, Club, current position, dave cohen, English Premier League, goal, Goalkeeper, hand, Hotspur, joe kinnear, lawyer, Liverpool, magpies, manager, manchester city, michael kennedy, NEWCASTLE, newcastle united, old ireland, pitch, point, rsquo, shay, Shay Given, side, tottenham, tottenham hotspur, turmoil, United

So, Liverpool fans… Are you starting to believe?

December 29, 2008

Liverpool seem to have got through their sticky patch and continued failures from Chelsea and Arsenal have limited the damage.

After convincing wins over Bolton and Newcastle Liverpool are clear at the top of the table and will stay there going into 2009.

So is it going to be a happy new year for Liverpool fans? I blogged the other day about (what seems to me) Liverpool’s need for another forward or midfielder with the wow factor but Steven Gerrard seems to be playing that role to perfection just at the moment. Can he carry on in this form until the end of the season?

Liverpool’s biggest problem, of course, is the prospect of Manchester United continuing their ominous rise up the table. United have three games in hand and if they win all three they’ll be within a point of the top.

But still, optimism is creeping in. Here’s how Kai at the Liverpool Offside put it after the Newcastle win:

“And so with Chel$ki held to a 2-2 draw at Craven Cottage, we are 3 points clear heading into 2009!! I’m strangely starting to believe we might just nick it this year.”

redfloyd at Have You Ever Been to Liverpool? sounds more cautious in his report on the game:

“This can only be good for the team’s confidence going into the long home straight. Although we are top we have, with one or two exceptions, achieved this through perspiration rather than inspiration, in short we haven’t really got going. Perhaps the last two games are a first sign of us starting to put our foot on the accelerator? However, it is still a long, long treacherous journey. God speed!”

I think that’s about right, in that this season they have gone top while hardly ever playing really well. If the Newcastle performance is a sign of things to come, who knows?

So what do you think? Can Liverpool stay clear and get that first title since 1990? Or have they just delayed the inevitable slide away from the top two?

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