Gunners´ momentum born of mental strength: Wenger

January 5, 2010

Arsene Wenger has urged his on-form Arsenal squad to maintain the mental discipline that has lifted them back into the Premier League title battle when they take on struggling Bolton on Wednesday.

Having seemed out of contention following a 3-0 home defeat by Chelsea at the end of November, the Gunners have since revived their challenge with five wins from six league matches.

Another win at the Emirates on Wednesday would move Wenger’s men to within a point of leaders Chelsea and the Frenchman believes his young squad has proved its resilience.

“We have a good opportunity to come back very close to Chelsea, and we want to take it, to make it more interesting for everybody,” Wenger said. “One month ago we were far from the top teams, and since have created momentum.

“We refused to give up and continued to fight and believe in our strengths.

“The biggest test in our camp was the mental strengths of the players and the solidarity of the players. That has been tested.

“What we have realised in one month gives us a good springboard to go even further. Why should we stop here?

“The next two months will determine how ambitious and how hungry we are.”

Wenger added: “It does not mean Chelsea or Manchester United do not have hunger – but what I know is that within our team we have a great hunger for success. We have great solidarity and team spirit.

“We are a team who has grown up together and wants to achieve things. We have not won anything yet together and that makes us hungry for success.”

Wenger has admitted he would like to bring one or more new players into his squad during the January transfer window – notably a striker – but believes his faith in his policy of developing the club’s own youngsters is finally paying off.

“In the modern game, there is a lack of patience and one response when you lose a game – people say to you ‘buy, buy, buy’,” he said. “I believe sometimes when you have players who are 21, 22, that they can only become better.

“When they are 33, they can only be worse at 34 and that is why we are in a position where we need to have the needed strengths to be patient because we have the quality.

“Hopefully we can show until the end of the season that we can be successful.”

Arsenal will be without injured skipper Cesc Fabregas on Tuesday while midfielder Alex Song is away with Cameroon at the African Nations Cup.

Offsetting those losses is the fact that Denilson is fit again following a back problem and Wenger is confident the Brazilian can fill Song’s boots.

“Denilson is an all-rounder, but he can play in this position and will come in for Song,” Wenger said. “He is very strong in reading the game and winning the ball back.

“Denilson has 150 games in the Premier League. People do not notice how important he is for us and he can play in every single position in midfield.”

LONDON (AFP)

Tags: African, Alex Song, arsenal, arsenal squad, Bolton, cameroon, CHELSEA, contention, emirates, frenchman, great hunger, gunners, london, Manchester, manchester united, mental discipline, mental strengths, momentum, patience, premier league, resilience, solidarity, springboard, striker, team spirit, Wenger, youngsters

Where does U.S. win over Spain rank in list of upsets?

June 26, 2009

In the previous post, Simon Evans discussed where the U.S. go from here after their stunning win over Spain. Below Mike Collett looks at where the Confederations Cup semi-final victory ranks among shocks.

The debate is back on. Where does the United States’ shock 2-0 win over Spain in the Confederations Cup on Wednesday rank among the all-time great upsets.

I would say very high indeed.

It’s not just the facts leading up to the match that scream “WOW, that was something else” but also the way the U.S. played. It was defending, team-work, spirit, guts and resilience of the highest level. The goals were not flukey either.

Teenager Jozy Altidore muscled his way past some tame defending from his Villarreal team mate Joan Capdivila to score the opener and Clint Dempsey pounced with the opportunism all great strikers show to put the U.S. 2-0 ahead.

Perhaps because they won 2-0 and not 1-0 as is usual in the case of upsets, this victory deserves a place in the top five of all time.

And before anyone says, “ah but the U.S. is ranked No.14 in the world by FIFA, so it’s not that big a deal,” think again.

The U.S. is ranked that highly because of the low standard of most of the teams around them in the CONCACAF zone — not all, but a lot. Any anyway, in football terms, the U.S. are not giants. They may rule the world, but they do not rule soccer — yet.

My suggestion for the greatest international upset of all time remains the United States 1-0 victory over England in the 1950 World Cup finals in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

Some English papers thought the result was a misprint and “corrected” it the following day to read United States 1 England 10. They were wrong.

Here they are my choices then: I know I’ve probably left some real obvious ones out:

1. United States 1 England 0 1950 World Cup

2. North Korea 1 Italy 0 1966 World Cup

3. West Germany 3 Hungary 2 1954 World Cup final

4. Uruguay 2 Brazil 1 1950 World Cup final

5. United States 2 Spain 0 2009 Confederations Cup

6. Cameroon 1 Argentina 0 1990 World Cup

7. Senegal 1 France 0 2002 World Cup

8. Denmark winning 1992 European championship

9. Greece winning 2004 European championship

10. Faroe Islands 1 Austria 0 – Faroe Islands first ever competitive match in a Euro ‘92 qualifier played in September 1990

11. Northern Ireland 1 Spain 0 1982 World Cup

12. Nigeria 3 Spain 2 1998 World Cup

13. Egypt 1 Italy 0 2009 Confederations Cup

14. West Germany 0 Northern Ireland 1 – West Germany’s first ever home defeat in a European qualifier, Hamburg 1983.

and possibly…

15. England 3 Hungary 6 1953 – England’s first-ever home defeat to overseas opposition but those in the know, saw it coming…and the Hungarians were magificent.

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Tags: Argentina, Austria, belo horizonte, belo horizonte brazil, brazil, brazil 1, cameroon, Clint Dempsey, confederations cup, defending team, denmark, Egypt, faroe islands, FIFA, final 4, final victory, football terms, France, greece, guts, Hamburg, Hungary, Italy, Joan Capdivila, Mike Collett, MLS, nigeria, North Korea, Northern Ireland, opportunism, pounced, resilience, shocks, simon evans, Spain, strikers, team mate, U.S., United States, uruguay, west germany, world cup finals

Barcelona frustration at textbook Chelsea display

April 29, 2009

Chelsea will feel they are within touching distance of the Champions League final after holding Barcelona to a goalless draw a the Nou Camp in the first leg of their semi-final.

The Chelsea performance oozed professionalism, with Guus Hiddink’s players showing terrific resilience to leave Barca coach Pep Guardiola bemoaning Chelsea tactics and the performance of the referee.

“Five or six players in defence, a lot of players back, physically very strong,” said Guardiola. We tried to attack, we created chances and we presented a good image to people around the world but playing football is always difficult when one side doesn’t want to.”

Neutrals may have some sympathy for Guardiola, but Hiddink would be entitled to look at those comments as evidence that his team did just about everything right.

There were no gifts of the sort they enjoyed in the quarter-final against Liverpool, hence no away goal, but they will go into the second leg at Stamford Bridge with no fear … and against Barcelona that’s half the battle.

What do you think? Are we looking at another all-English final?

PHOTO: Guardiola shakes hands with Hiddink at the Nou Camp, April 28, 2009. REUTERS/Toby Melville

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Tags: Barcelona, Camp, champions league, CHELSEA, coach, English, fear, football, frustration, guus, guus hiddink, half the battle, hiddink, Liverpool, melville, nou camp, pep guardiola, Photo, professionalism, referee, resilience, reuters, stamford bridge, sympathy, textbook, Toby Melville, UEFA Champions League

Bayern suffer another blow as they lose their Cup crown

March 5, 2009

BERLIN (AFP) – Bayern Munich’s desperate recent domestic form continued on Wednesday as the defending German Cup holders were eliminated from the competition as the equally out-of-form Bayer Leverkusen beat them 4-2 in their quarter-final clash.

Bayern, who have lost two and drawn one of their last three league matches, found themselves 3-0 down after Bayer scored three goals in 16 second-half minutes and with just 20 minutes remaining.

Jurgen Klinsmann’s side fought back to make it 3-2 with two goals in the next four minutes but Bayer ensured they progressed with a goal in the second minute of time added on.

Bayer’s Swiss international Tranquillo Barnetta had opened the scoring in the 54th minute with a superb shot and they quickly doubled their advantage through a header by Arturo Vidal from a corner.

When Patrick Helmes added a third it looked game over for Bayern, who had won four of the last six editions of the Cup.

However at least in attack they showed some resilience as Brazilian defender Lucio pounced to take advantage of a poor punch by German international ‘keeper Rene Adler to make it 3-1 and then Bayer’s nerves were set truly on edge as two minutes later Miroslav Klose scored following a terrific pass by Franck Ribery.

Despite this it was too little too late as Bayer – with three defeats, a draw and a win in their last five matches – added a deserved fourth.

Earlier on Wednesday both Hamburg and Werder Bremen had moved through to the semi-finals – Hamburg beating struggling Second Division Wiesbaden 2-1 while Werder Bremen were impressive 5-2 winners over VfL Wolfsburg.

Brazilian star Diego and Peruvian veteran Claudio Pizarro were the stars of the show for Werder as they grabbed a brace apiece.

Schalke 04’s disappointing season continued on Tuesday as they were knocked out of the German Cup 1-0 by Second Division Mainz in their quarter-final clash.

An 88th minute goal by Burkina Faso’s Aristide Bance was enough to end four-time Cup winners Schalke’s interest in the competition and send Mainz – who are second in their division – into the semi-finals for the first time in their history.

Schalke’s exit heaps the pressure on their Dutch coach Fred Rutten as they are eighth in the league, nine points adrift of leaders Hertha Berlin.

Written by: AFP

Tags: aristide, Aristide Bance, arturo vidal, bance, bayer leverkusen, Bayern, bayern munich, berlin, Bremen, Bundesliga, burkina faso, Claudio Pizarro, cup winners, Diego, four minutes, franck ribery, Fred Rutten, german cup, Hamburg, jurgen klinsmann, lucio, minute goal, Miroslav, patrick helmes, Peruvian, rene adler, resilience, semi finals, tranquillo barnetta, Wednesday, Werder, werder bremen, Wiesbaden

Return of Ranieri offers Chelsea benchmark

February 25, 2009

LONDON (AFP) – If the pronouncements emanating from Stamford Bridge this week are to be believed, Guus Hiddink walked through the door and suddenly all was harmony and common purpose once more at Chelsea.

From the carefully choreographed group hug at the end of Saturday’s 1-0 win at Aston Villa – Hiddink’s first match in charge – to Frank Lampard’s claim that the ‘old’ Chelsea spirit was back, no effort has been spared in an attempt to bolster faith in the Dutchman’s ability to transform the fortunes of a group of players who had lost their way, individually and collectively, under Luiz Felipe Scolari.

Hiddink’s record as a motivator speaks for itself. But even the man who guided South Korea to the last four of the World Cup must harbour some doubts about his ability to squeeze more silverware out of Chelsea’s current crop of players.

The win at Villa offered some grounds for optimism but the visit of Juventus on Wednesday will provide a far more testing examination of the thesis that, as Lampard would have it, the resilience that characterised Chelsea in their recent prime has been restored.

"The win at Villa was the perfect lift for Juventus but it is only a start," the England midfielder added. "We can’t relax and the manager won’t let us anyway.

"We need to move the ball quickly because Italian teams like to move the ball quickly and defensively they can be very frustrating. If we take too much time on the ball, we won’t be able to break them down and it is important we get the right result to go out there with."

Chelsea’s peak years – and the club’s two Premier League titles – coincided with Jose Mourinho’s time in charge.

But Blues fans also recognise the importance of the foundations put in place by Mourinho’s predecessor, Claudio Ranieri, who will be back at the Bridge on Wednesday night at the helm of a Juventus side currently sitting in second place in Serie A.

Ranieri’s departure from Chelsea, in 2004, was followed by an unsuccessful spell at Valencia. But he has since restored his reputation as a coach, helping to save Parma from relegation before taking on the task of reviving the fortunes of Juventus.

That work is sufficiently well advanced to suggest Juve represent a real threat to the fledgling Hiddink revival but Ranieri can nevertheless anticipate a warm reception on his return to west London.

The Italian was kept on for Chelsea’s first season under the ownership of Roman Abramovich but, despite taking the club to the semi-finals of Champions League and securing second-spot behind unbeaten Arsenal in the Premier League, was pushed out to make way for Mourinho.

He can justifiably boast however of having forged the core of the Portuguese’s title-winning side having made John Terry captain as well as being responsible for bringing Lampard, Petr Cech, Joe Cole and (the now departed) William Gallas to the club.

"I didn’t win anything but the crowd knew very well that I built a good team," Ranieri reflected recently. "Did I get enough credit? No. I wanted to finish my job but it was impossible."

Ranieri insists his side should be regarded as underdogs. "I think Chelsea have improved with the change of coach – they’re quicker in and around the penalty area," he said.

"We’re up against a team that lost the last Champions League by a single penalty, so we know we’re up against it, but we’ll go there and play with conviction."

Juve will also travel with a squad that has been strengthened by a shortening of the club’s injury list. Hasan Salihamidzic, the Bosnian midfielder who was a Champions League winner with Bayern Munich in 2001, is in their squad for the first time this year while David Trezeguet scored on his first start of the season at the weekend.

Ranieri has the option of pairing the Frenchman with club captain Alessandro del Piero in attack but the Brazilian Amauri is seen as more likely to start.

Written by: AFP

Tags: A.Ranieri, aston villa, Bayern, blues fans, captain Alessandro del Piero, CHELSEA, Claudio Ranieri, common purpose, david trezeguet, dutchman, England, English Premier League, frank lampard, group hug, Hasan Salihamidzic, italian teams, Joe Cole, john terry, Jose, jose mourinho, juventus side, league titles, london, luiz felipe scolari, midfielder, motivator, old chelsea, peak years, Petr Cech, pronouncements, resilience, Serie A, south korea, stamford bridge, UEFA Champions League, Valencia, west london, William Gallas

Valencia Cup defence on the edge as they lose Villa

January 21, 2009

MADRID (AFP) – Valencia’s hopes of retaining their Spanish Cup trophy hang on a knife edge after they scraped a 3-2 home victory over Sevilla in their quarter-final first leg clash on Wednesday.

Indeed victory may have come at a cost as Spanish international striker David Villa, having scored their opener in the fifth minute had to come off injured later in the first-half and be replaced by former Spanish international Fernando Morientes.

Sevilla rebounded in the second-half to take a 2-1 lead as first Luis Fabiano and then Adriano gave them the advantage, though, the latter’s goal had an air of offside about it.

However, Valencia showed resilience by scoring twice in the last seven minutes – through Ruben Baraja and then Juan Mata – to take their slender advantage to Sevilla next week.

The evening’s other match saw Espanyol pull off a satisfactory result in their first match under former Argentine defender Mauricio Pochettino – who replaced ‘Mane’ at the helm of the relegation-threatened club on Tuesday – hold city rivals Barcelona 0-0.

Barca coach Josep Guardiola opted to rest the majority of his first choice players as is is habit for the Cup, though, he did send on Argentine star Lionel Messi and Spain’s Euro 2008 winning playmaker Xavi in the second-half to try and force a victory.

Written by: AFP

Tags: AFP, Argentine, baraja, Barcelona, city rivals, Cup, cup trophy, DAVID VILLA, Espanyol, euro 2008, fernando morientes, first choice, home victory, josep guardiola, Juan, knife edge, LA Liga, lionel messi, luis fabiano, MADRID, Mata, Mauricio Pochettino, offside, pochettino, relegation, resilience, ruben baraja, satisfactory result, SEVILLA, Spain, spanish cup, striker, Valencia, valencia cup, xavi

Pivotal clash as Chelsea visit Man Utd

January 11, 2009

MANCHESTER, England (AFP) – When Sir Alex Ferguson suggested this week that Liverpool might lack the necessary experience to stay the pace over the second half of the Premier League season, he touched a raw nerve with Rafael Benitez.

Infuriated, the Liverpool manager responded caustically by claiming that it was, in fact, his Manchester United counterpart who was betraying signs of apprehension as the season heads towards its decisive phase.

Ferguson’s demeanour of late has offered little to support that suggestion.

But the Scot readily admits that the champions’ margin for error has been curtailed by the unexpected resilience of Liverpool’s challenge this season and, in the process, substantially raised the stakes involved in Chelsea’s visit on Sunday.

United’s two games in hand reduce the significance of the eight-point advantage Liverpool held over the champions as 2009 got underway.

But United can ill afford to see their current momentum stalled by a Chelsea side which arrives at Old Trafford with almost identical concerns and a record of eight wins from their ten away matches this season.

"The games we have in hand gives us the opportunity to close the gap on those clubs at the top," Ferguson said ahead of what will be Chelsea’s first visit to Old Trafford under Luiz Felipe Scolari.

"Those two games are at home and it’s important we take advantage of that. But the first thing is to win Sunday’s game. That’s the one that can set us on our way."

For Scolari, a victory would help him to repudiate criticism that he lacks the nous required to make the difference in major matches, an argument that has been fuelled by the Brazilian’s failure to secure a win over United, Arsenal or Liverpool since he arrived in England last July.

Given his coaching pedigree, that kind of criticism inevitably causes Scolari to bristle a little.

"I didn’t win only the World Cup, I won two Copa Libertadoes and many things in Brazil," he reminded his critics, before endorsing Ferguson’s assessment of this encounter as a potentially pivotal meeting.

"We need to win because this is a game that if they take three points it is difficult to recover after," the Brazilian acknowledged.

"If you draw you lose two points and so did the opponent but if you lose it is difficult.

"In our position, we need to think only about winning. We are only four points ahead of them and they have two games in hand. If we don’t win it is not in our hands."

Both sides will be close to full strength with John Terry and Michael Ballack, for Chelsea, and United’s Patrice Evra all returning from suspensions while Rio Ferdinand has recovered sufficiently from a back problem to make his first start in almost a month.

"You always benefit from having your best players available and Rio’s one of the best in the world," said Ferguson, who will have been relieved that he will not have to rely on the inexperienced Jonny Evans at centreback for a match which could see Chelsea deploy both Nicolas Anelka and Didier Drogba in attack.

United had the better of the contest when the two sides met at Stamford Bridge earlier in the season but Salomon Kalou’s late equaliser rescued a point for Scolari’s men.

Away from home, Chelsea have been far more incisive however, as Ferguson recognised.

"Normally you are talking about Chelsea being unbeaten at home," he said. "But this season it is their away record that has kept them at the top. It is absolutely outstanding."

United’s home form has been equally impressive — seven league wins in succession since Newcastle claimed a point on the opening weekend of the season — so something will have to give on Sunday.

Written by: AFP