League Cup offers glimpse of giants´ futures

October 28, 2009


It might be one of English football’s grand occasions but Wednesday’s League Cup match between Arsenal and Liverpool is likely to reveal more about their future prospects than their current form.

Both Arsene Wenger and Rafael Benitez are likely to make a raft of changes for the game at the Emirates Stadium, mindful of the need to keep their regulars fresh for more pressing priorities in the Premier League and Europe.

In the third round win over West Bromwich Albion, Arsenal’s line-up was composed of players almost exclusively under the age of 21 – Mikael Silvestre and Philippe Senderos were the sole sops to experience – and Wenger has promised to do likewise this week.

“It will be a mixed team but we want to win every single game we play, no matter who plays,” he said.

Wenger will also be mindful of the possible benefits of piling more pressure on Benitez by inflicting an early exit on his team.

The Spaniard has ridden the immediate crisis created by four straight defeats by engineering a victory over Manchester United last Sunday but Liverpool’s season is still in danger of sliding away, with the club’s Champions League hopes hanging by a thread and a six-point gap separating them from league leaders Chelsea.

Being dumped out of the League Cup would not precipitate any drastic action at Anfield but it would deal another blow to morale and Wenger, while he would never admit to it in public, would consider that incentive enough ahead for his makeshift team.

There are more prosaic concerns for his players, as well, not least convincing Wenger that they could be worth a place in his regular starting line-up.

Teenagers such as Francis Coquelin, Sanchez Watt, Jack Wilshere, Mark Randall and Kerrea Gilbert – all of whom can expect to be involved at some point on Wednesday – might still be too raw for Premier League football but that does not apply to all the stand-ins.

Carlos Vela, the Mexican winger, and Croatian striker Eduardo will be determined to re-establish themselves in Wenger’s thoughts after frustrating spells out with injuries.

And with Manuel Almunia out of favour and Vito Mannone low on confidence following several errors, there is a chance for goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski, recently recovered from knee surgery, to stake his own claim with an assertive display in north London.

“It has been a frustrating time for me because of the injury but it’s gone now and I need to look forward to the future,” Fabianski said.

“I want to get back into the team, fighting for my place really hard. I want to show my quality and, hopefully, win a trophy with Arsenal. I can think about this now that I am completely fit, which is the main thing. I want it to stay that way.”

Another player set to strain every sinew at the Emirates is David Ngog, the Liverpool striker whose clinching goal against United last Sunday should earn him a huge ovation from the travelling contingent from Merseyside.

Ngog has fond memories of the League Cup, having scored the winner in the third round tie at Leeds United, and the French striker is seeing the trip to Arsenal as another chance to impress the notoriously demanding Benitez.

“The goal against United was a fantastic moment for me and the team and I would say it’s my best moment in football,” he reflected.

“But now we have Arsenal and we are looking forward to it. All I can do is keep working hard and show what I can do when I get the opportunity. I just want to do my best for the team.”

LONDON (AFP)

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Rangers desperate to bury Euro nightmare

October 24, 2009


Rangers defender Sasa Papac has targeted a winning run in the Scottish Premier League as they aim to put their European humiliation behind them.

The Bosnian played in the 4-1 humiliation handed out by Romanian minnows Unirea Urzceni at Ibrox to leave the Gers’ Champions League hopes hanging by a thread.

Rangers return to domestic duty this weekend as they take on Hibernian, hoping to hold on to top spot in the league and heap pressure on Old Firm rivals Celtic who don’t play Hamilton until Sunday.

The Easter Road outfit have been rejuvenated under new boss John Hughes and currently sit in third place, just two points behind the leaders.

Hibs have had an excellent start to the league campaign with Hughes adding quality additions to the squad in the shape of Anthony Stokes and Liam Miller.

A win for the Edinburgh side would see them take top spot in the table from their hosts.

Walter Smith’s problems have mounted after their midweek European disaster with the news midfielder Pedro Mendes and defensive lynchpin Madjid Bougherra could be missing for several weeks with knee injuries.

Portuguese playmaker Mendes was taken off at half-time against Unirea after giving Rangers the lead in the match. His is the more serious of the injuries with fears he could be ruled out for two months.

Medical staff are more optimistic about Algerian defender Bougherra’s injury but he will definitely miss Saturday’s match.

It is the last thing the supporters want to hear as they try to get over such a disastrous result but Papac says going on a winning run in the league could ease their pain.

“If you are playing for Rangers, every game is important and you must try to take three points every time you step out on the park,” said Papac.

“That will be the case against Hibs this weekend, especially because we will be playing them at Ibrox. I hope we can beat them because going on a winning run could end up being so important to us in the end.

“In Scotland, you need to have over 80 points to win the SPL title and we are still some way from that. It is vital we come out on top as often as possible and especially this weekend. Hibs are a good team and they’re doing very well just now.”

On Sunday, Celtic are away to Hamilton looking to bounce back from their disappointing goalless draw against Motherwell at Parkhead.

Striker Marc-Antoine Fortune has resumed light training but the game against Hamilton has come too early for him.

Defender Glenn Loovens is back after suspension and Andreas Hinkel has recovered from injury. Landry N’Guemo is also in contention after being dropped for the Motherwell match but full-back Daniel Fox is out.

In Saturday’s other fixtures Hearts take on bottom-placed club Falkirk, St Mirren host Motherwell and Aberdeen welcome Dundee United to Pittodrie.

Mark McGhee’s side know a win could see them leapfrog United into the European spots and include new signing Maurice Ross in their squad.

Former Celtic striker Mark Burchill could make his debut for Kilmarnock in their game against St Johnstone.

Fixtures (1500 GMT unless otherwise stated)

Saturday

Aberdeen v Dundee United, Hearts v Falkirk, Kilmarnock v St Johnstone, Rangers v Hibernian, St Mirren v Motherwell

Sunday

Hamilton v Celtic (1230)

GLASGOW (AFP)

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Is Eduardo’s two-match ban too harsh?

September 2, 2009


UEFA’s decision to hand Arsenal striker Eduardo da Silva a two-match ban for diving has infuriated the Croatian media, many fans and national team coach Slaven Bilic.

“It is a shameful decision, especially in view of the fact that Eduardo personifies everything that’s decent in professional sport,” Bilic told Zagreb daily Vecernji List after learning the verdict.

Fans and media have gone to even greater length in defending the Brazilian-born Croatia striker, who has won the hearts and sympathy of his adopted country after recovering from a horrific leg break he suffered in Arsenal’s Premier League match at Birmingham in February 2008.

The sense of injustice in Croatia wasn’t helped by last weekend’s injury suffered by Tottenham playmaker Luka Modric, who faces up to six weeks on the sidelines after breaking his leg in a league match with Birmingham (again).

Croatia’s leading sports website, www.sportnet.hr, had harsh words.

“Eduardo has been punished in a most detestable manner, supposedly so that justice is done, while justice was deaf, dumb and blind only 18 months earlier when he was in bed with his ankle shattered and his career hanging by a thread,” the website said.

Is Eduardo a victim of double standards, or simply his own ill-judged decision to go down rather easily after minimum or no contact with the goalkeeper?

PHOTO: Croatia manager Slaven Bilic speaks with Luka Modric (L) and Eduardo Da Silva (R) during a training session at Poljud stadium in Split, February 5, 2008. Reuters stringer photo.

Source

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Celtic title hopes hit by Hibs draw

May 18, 2009


EDINBURGH (AFP) – Celtic’s hopes of clinching a fourth successive championship are hanging by a thread after a goalless draw against Hibernian leaves them two points behind Rangers going into the final game.

The Hoops wasted a host of chances as they dominated the possession in a dramatic game, with Australian Scott McDonald missing two golden opportunities in either half.

Hibs struggled to get out their own half in the last half hour as Celtic threw everyone forward but they couldn’t find a way past the Easter Road side’s determined defence.

Following Rangers’ win over Aberdeen on Saturday it means Celtic have to beat Hearts next Sunday and hope Dundee United get something from their game with Rangers if Gordon Strachan’s side are to win a fourth Scottish Premier League title in a row.

Celtic made a lively start to the match and Georgios Samaras and Scott McDonald linked up well in their first attack but the Australian striker failed to get his shot away in the box.

John Rankin then cleared the danger from a Shunsuke Nakamura corner before Hibs captain Rob Jones headed over from former Celtic player Derek Riordan’s cross.

With ten minutes gone McDonald’s close range shot from Andreas Hinkel’s cross was deflected over and Samaras couldn’t direct his header on target from the resultant corner.

Artur Boruc made a superb reflex save when Steven Fletcher produced an acrobatic bicycle kick eight yards out from a Ross Chisholm cross after 23 minutes.

Fletcher then let fly with a fierce shot which Boruc watched fizz past the post after spinning his marker on the edge of the box.

Yves Ma-Kalambay saved well under pressure from Gary Caldwell as he tried to get on the end of a Nakamura free-kick before Dutchman Glenn Loovens headed well over at the near post from the Japanese international’s corner.

Celtic should have taken the lead when Nakamura’s free-kick from the left was knocked on by Caldwell and German international Hinkel was inches away from connecting with it at the far post.

Socceroos striker McDonald missed a golden chance to put the Hoops ahead on the stroke of half-time when he collected a long ball in the box but he dragged his angled shot past Ma-Kalambay’s post.

Celtic piled the pressure on at the beginning of the second-half with three corners in the space of four minutes.

Set-piece specialist Nakamura provided the Hibs defence with problems but twice Samaras was thwarted in his attempts to get a shot away.

McDonald was appealing for a penalty when his shot in the box appeared to hit the arm of Steven Thicot but the referee gave him the benefit of the doubt.

Riordan then had two chances to put the Easter Road side ahead but he screwed his first shot wide of Boruc’s near post before blasting over the bar with only the keeper to beat when Fletcher played him into the box after 65 minutes.

McDonald was sent through on goal in the 72nd minute but the out-rushing Ma-Kalambay produced an excellent save as the Australian attempted to lift it over him.

Substitute Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink should have done better when he sent his header from a Hinkel cross over the bar with 15 minutes remaining.

Hibs supporters had their hearts in their mouths when Ma-Kalambay dropped a cross under pressure from Vennegoor of Hesselink but the defence cleared the danger.

Naylor ended up in the back of the net as he narrowly missed an inswinging Nakamura free-kick before the Japanese international nearly clinched the winner but his fierce drive was deflected over.

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Disallowed goal drama as Newcastle face relegation

May 17, 2009


NEWCASTLE, England (AFP) – Australia’s Mark Viduka and Mark Schwarzer were at the centre of a disallowed goal storm as Newcastle’s Premier League future was left hanging by a thread following their 1-0 defeat against Fulham.

Referee Howard Webb ruled out Magpies striker Viduka’s second-half header for a foul by Kevin Nolan on Fulham goalkeeper Schwarzer as Fulham moved a step closer to qualifying for next season’s Europa League and left Alan Shearer’s side in dire trouble.

Newcastle’s loss dropped them back into the bottom three thanks to Hull’s draw at Bolton.

It means even a win at Aston Villa in the final match of the season next Sunday might not be enough to extend Newcastle’s 16-year stay in the English top flight.

Shearer accused Webb of being swayed by footage of Newcastle’s first goal in the 3-1 win over Middlesbrough last week where Nolan blocked off defender Matthew Bates at a corner to allow Steven Taylor to score.

He said: “I’m bitterly disappointed about the disallowed goal. I’ve not spoken to the referee yet but I will try him.

“I’ve seen the replay and I can’t see anything wrong with it. Probably what’s happened is the goal Steven Taylor scored on Monday has been highlighted so much, one or two people have thought they might clamp down on it.

“You’re meant to put somebody in front of the keeper at a corner, and I’m not aware that you’re meant to get out of the way. I thought their player was blocking Schwarzer more than Kevin was.

“I think the referee’s got the big decision wrong here and I think he might think that as well.”

The pivotal incident early in the second-half came shortly after Viduka saw another effort cleared off the line by Dickson Etuhu as Newcastle went in search of an equaliser following Diomansy Kamara’s close-range strike just before the break.

Schwarzer insisted: “I think the referee got the decision right. Their lad was backing into me at the corner.”

Predictably, Fulham manager Roy Hodgson saw the ruled-out effort differently to Shearer.

Hodgson defended Webb and insisted: “In a melee like that it’s impossible to see from our position 70 yards away but I have great faith in the referee.

“He’s arguably our best referee and he was very close to the incident. I’m sure he wouldn’t have given a foul unless he saw one.”

Shearer called on Sir Alex Ferguson to do Newcastle a big favour in their efforts to climb out of the bottom three on the final day.

Hull host Ferguson’s Manchester United on Sunday, and the Newcastle boss expects his counterpart to resist the temptation of fielding a weakened side in the wake of clinching their 11th Premier League title, even though they have the Champions League final against Barcelona four days later.

He admitted: “It’s out of our hands now. We have to better Hull next weekend and whatever they do, we’ve got to do better them. It isn’t over and I’m sure there’s going to be a twist or a turn next Sunday.”

On United’s trip to Hull, Shearer added: “Alex has always put out a side that does his club proud.”

Newcastle will be without key defender Sebastien Bassong through suspension Park after the French centre-back was sent off on the hour for tripping Kamara as the Fulham forward sped through on goal.

Whether Michael Owen figures next week remains to be seen. Newcastle were again without their injury-prone striker, who has strenuously denied claims he’s set to retire at the end of the season to concentrate on his racehorse stable.

Owen, who is widely expected to leave when his 110,000 pounds-a-week contract expires at the end of the season, failed to recover after missing training on Friday with a groin problem to fuel speculation he has played his last game for the club.

Shearer added: “Michael had a twinge in his groin and failed a fitness test so we’ll have him scanned on Monday and take it from there.”

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