A wonder goal from Wayne Rooney sealed victory in the Manchester derby and extended their lead at the top of the Premier League. Elsewhere West Ham came back from 3-0 down to grab a point at the Hawthorns, while Tottenham’s 3rd win on the trot sees the North Londoners move back into the Champions League places.
In the papers this morning there have been a mixed bag of stories that include Fergie out to land his man this summer; Chelsea eye Arsenal’s chief scout to replace Arnesen, while Julian Dicks to join the Hammers coaching staff.
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Fergie out to land his man – Sky Sports
Chelsea want Arsenal scout to replace Arnesen – Daily Telegraph
Manchester United’s £1.8bn asking price a put-off for Qataris – Daily Mail
Dicks to join Hammers staff – Sky Sports
Spurs lead the way in summer fight for Ipswich starlet Connor Wickham – People
Massey walks line again – Daily Telegraph
West Ham to face Olympic Stadium fight over moving into Orient’s patch – Daily Mail
Roma lining up Ancelotti as Ranieri eyes Prem return – Mirror
Exclusive: FA Cup Final switches to 5.30pm start in 2013 – People
Baines focused on self improvement – Daily Telegraph
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West Ham are set to try and lure Liverpool striker Andy Carroll to Upton Park by offering him £100,000 per week, Mirror Football report.
The England international forward is thought to be surplus to requirements at Anfield, with Brendan Rodgers willing to part with the burly frontman.
The Hammers want to bring Carroll to London, but it is believed that the player rejected the opportunity to move to Sam Allardyce’s men on loan.
However, West Ham are not taking no for an answer, and will return with a transfer bid for Carroll, and will try to convince him to join by upping his current wages to £100,000 per week.
Meanwhile, West Ham are also closing in on a move for former defender James Collins, The Sun report.
The Wales central defender left the Hammers to move to Aston Villa, but is set for a return to the club in a £2.5 million deal.
A deal for Collins is thought to be on the verge of completion, with confirmation expected on Wednesday.
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QPR go into the game having secured their first Premier League win for over 15 years last week, whilst Wigan continue to search for their first three points of the season.
The home side play their third promoted team in a row but have yet to take anything more than a point away from both games. Boss Roberto Martinez will have to make sure his player’s concentration is at it’s maximum level if they are to avoid defeat against the Hoops. Hugo Rodallega has yet to open his account for the season and the Colombian will need to start firing if Wigan are to get an early head start in the race to beat the drop.
QPR on the other hand followed their opening day hammering at home to Bolton with a superb win away at Everton. Tommy Smith scored the solitary goal to give Neil Warnock’s side their first win of the season and send them hurtling into mid-table. Another solid defensive display similar to the previous week’s will be high on Warnock’s agenda who knows points will be hard to come by away from home despite the win at Goodison Park.
This game could go either way with Wigan desperate to secure their first maximum points haul of the season whilst QPR will be riding the crest of a wave after the win at Everton.
Key Players
[player_profile slug=”james-mccarthy” align=”left”]James McCarthy – A driving force in Wigan’s midfield McCarthy will be tasked with linking up with the attack to create and provide goals from the centre of the park.
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[player_profile slug=”daniel-gabbidon” align=”left”]Daniel Gabbidon – An outstanding performance last week at Everton reminded the Premier League just how good Gabbidon is and he’ll be key to securing a second consecutive away win.
Holger Osieck was left to rue missed opportunities after Australia fell to Japan’s extra-time goal in the final of the Asian Cup.
The Socceroos enjoyed plenty of chances over the course of 120 minutes at Doha’s Khalifa Stadium, but were unable to breach Japan’s defence.
A technically accomplished volley from Tadinari Lee in the second half of extra time proved the difference, and Australia’s German coach could only watch on helpless after his players failed to find the net.
“We had our opportunities and what is always encouraging is the way we play and we create opportunities,” Osieck said.
“However, it is crucial to convert them and later on in the game it backfired and that is a problem. We had to be more clinical in our finishing and it’s not enough to win a game if you don’t score.”
“I’m very proud of my players, their performance and their attitude. I give them credit and really feel sorry for the boys that they didn’t get the reward for their efforts.”
“You can imagine in our dressing room it’s not a great atmosphere, everybody’s really sad.”
“All in all, our team represented Australia in a great way.”
Sanfrecce Hiroshima forward Lee found himself unmarked inside the box to strike the late winner, but Osieck refused to point fingers after the lapse.
“It was late into extra time and there was fatigue and it was probably the only positional mistake that we made,” he said.
“It was a very costly one and I don’t want to blame anyone. It was definitely not our regular defensive positioning but to have a go at any of the players is inappropriate.”
“We had six games in an intense tournament and twice we had to go into extra time so if there was no fatigue, then the players must be robots.”
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Australia captain Lucas Neil echoed the thoughts of his coach after seeing the team’s efforts undone by a single, costly error.
“We didn’t punish Japan when we had the half-chances and then one lapse in concentration punished us,” Neil said.
“It was probably due to fatigue in extra time but at this level it’s probably only going to take one mistake to win or lose the game.”
New Tottenham signing Gylfi Sigurdsson has admitted that a conversation with Andre Villas Boas was enough to convince him to sign for the north London club.
The Icelandic midfielder impressed last term on loan at Swansea, and has been the subject of a transfer wrangle between the Welsh club, Liverpool and Spurs this summer.
Despite this, the talented playmaker has agreed to move to White Hart Lane, and has revealed that a conversation with new club boss Villas Boas swung his decision.
“I like him (Andre Villas-Boas) and the ideas he has,” Sigurdsson told mlb.is, translated to English by Sky Sports.
“He has faith in me and I’m looking forward to working under his leadership.
“I enjoyed playing under Brendan and I am grateful for everything he has done for me, but after careful consideration I liked Spurs best.
“The team has world-class players in their ranks and they play good football, which I like.
“I was impressed with the club’s plans for next season and the coming years. There is clearly great ambition at Tottenham and the club intends to do big things.
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“It is a pleasure to see that Gareth Bale has signed a new contract. There are top players in the team and the club is getting a new training ground,” he concluded.
When former England international Joe Cole left Chelsea last summer after seven years it was seen as a surprising move but definitely not the end for a player blessed with fantastic skill and technique. Liverpool promptly snapped him up on a four-year deal but now only a year later, Cole is on the outside at Anfield as he looks set to try and resurrect his career at a new club.
Cole’s enjoyed many successful years at Stamford Bridge, winning three Premier League titles and two FA Cups. His time in London came to an end after injury problems and being restricted to substitute appearances in his final season. Liverpool’s capture of Cole on a free transfer was seen as a coup for the Reds with many other clubs linked with the player and it was a chance for Cole to continue to make an impact in the Premier League.
But under Roy Hodgson and then Kenny Dalglish Cole has been on the periphery at Liverpool, limited to substitute appearances as a lack of form and injuries hampered his first season at Anfield. He recorded a reasonable 32 appearances last season but during that time he only made nine league starts, scoring a total of three goals. Despite experiencing a torrid time on Merseyside, 29-year-old Cole is surely still a possible bargain yet to be considered properly this summer.
Despite figuring in the club’s pre-season and assistant manager Steve Clarke’s comments that he has a contribution to make, the significant investment in Liverpool’s midfield this summer means that Cole’s chances to make an impact in his second season with the club look limited. Premier League new boys QPR have been linked with a loan move for Cole whilst Tottenham and PSG have also reportedly shown an interest in the player. But why hasn’t anyone taken a chance on a potential bargain of the summer?
The problem for Cole is that we said the same about him last summer. After his release from Chelsea Cole was a real bargain, a player with bags of experience who seemingly just needed a new challenge. He got that opportunity with Liverpool but looked horribly off the pace when he did feature for the Reds. Teams like Tottenham or QPR would again be taking a risk on Cole and unfortunately this one poor season on Merseyside may have left a lasting impression on potential suitors as a warning that Cole is not the player he once was for Chelsea and England.
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However a season-long loan deal to Loftus Road would present Cole with the opportunity of regular first-team football and as Liverpool signed Cole for a free, his loss without gaining a fee would not be a big blow for a club desperate to cut out the deadwood in their squad. Although a move to Tottenham would see him reunite with former boss Harry Redknapp, Cole would not be guaranteed first-team football at Spurs with their wealth of midfield talent and he desperately needs a run of games to try and regain some form. Moving abroad to a team like PSG would also allow Cole to make a fresh start away from the glare of English football.
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Whilst his move to Liverpool has turned into a bit of a nightmare for Cole, he still has plenty to offer the Premier League if given the chance. His one season at Anfield may have had a lasting effect but all could be forgotten if the old Joe Cole can regain the sort of form that made him one of the most skillful and talented English players to grace the Premier League in the last decade.
Do you think clubs should take a chance on Cole? If you want to read more of my bite size, 140 character views and thoughts follow me on Twitter @jennyk5
So whose place on the bench will Steven Pienaar warm?
For the first time in many years Tottenham have a wealth of talented midfielders at their disposal to more than cover every position. It seems an extremely strange signing unless Pienaar has been brought in to pave the way for the departure of one of Spurs first team players?
Pienaar by all accounts seems a model professional who has performed well under the guidance of David Moyes to become an integral part of the Everton team. The player was out of contract at the end of the season and offers are thought to have been tabled from top European clubs, in addition to Spurs and Chelsea. With such interest, the player must have been given certain assurances by Redknapp that he would be given a starting role in the Spurs line-up. Which poses the question, for whom?
On the left Bale has become a key figure in the Spurs midfield, as has Modric who has been a revelation in the central midfield role this season. Lennon has been much preferred to Kranjcar and Bentley on the right and VDV has cemented his place off of the main striker. So unless Redknapp intends to have the smallest, most vulnerable central midfield partnership in the league it would seem someone from the first team will be on their way.
For me Pienaar is a great player but a return of 12 goals from 132 appearances from an attacking midfielder suggests he is not an adequate replacement for any of these first team players. Pienaar is only a marginal improvement on the promising players Spurs already have at their disposal to come off the bench like Kranjcar, Gio, Sandro and Townsend whose first-team chances will now be even more limited.
What are your thoughts, will Pienaar be a bench warmer or does his arrival pave the way for the highly anticipated exit of one of Spurs most valuable assets?
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Holland coach Bert van Marwijk is confident his side can beat Germany and avoid early elimination from Euro 2012 when the pair meet in Kharkiv on Wednesday.
A shock defeat at the hands of Denmark in their opening game has left the Dutch teetering on the verge of an early exit from the finals but Van Marwijk believes his side can come out on top against the Germans who have been tipped to win Group B.
However the 60-year-old did admit his unhappiness with the treatment he and his players have got from the Holland media but insisted he is used to fielding criticism as he paid little attention to any negative questioning during his post-match press conference.
“I am used to it by now,” he said. “We are here preparing for one of the most important games in the last few years and so I don’t want to talk about other things.
“The Germans are very strong, but we can beat them, but I won’t tell you how we are going to do that.”
After beating Portugal 1-0 on Saturday night German boss Joachim Low knows a win will guarantee progression to the quarter finals and is debating over whether he should alter the side that won in L’Viv.
Low is aware that a draw or defeat wouldn’t be good enough to secure a place in the knockout stage and emphasised need to stay focused during a fixture that is brimming with historical undertones.
“We have got to ensure we qualify for the next round so it plays no role what their situation is,” he said. “We want to win the game and take a decisive step towards qualifying.”
“For me, the phrase ‘never change a winning team’ does not apply. There are always different situations in which, as a coach, you get the feeling that a change or two may do you good.”
Team News
Joris Mathijsen could replace Ron Vlaar in the Holland defence after returning to full training whilst Klaas Jan Huntelaar could start at the expense of Robin van Persie or Ibrahim Affelay.
Germany have a fully fit squad after Bastien Schweinsteiger came through the Portugal game unscathed despite nursing a calf complaint that kept him out of the pre-tournament friendlies.
Key Player
Arjen Robben
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Despite misfiring against Denmark the Bayern Munich winger is still a vital cog in the Dutch attack. Having operated from the right in the opening game it’s likely Robben pitched there again to keep Germany skipper Phillipe Lahm occupied and create space down the wing for full back Gregory Van der Wiel to exploit.
Mario Gomez
Whether he’s in the game or not Gomez is always a threat and he displayed against Portugal that he only needs one chance to make a difference for Germany. His winning goal against Portugal displayed all the all hallmarks of a top strike and came after a frustrating 72 minutes in which scoring opportunities were scarce justifying Low’s decision to play him ahead of Miroslav Klose.
Championship side Ipswich Town have acquired some more English Premier League talent – signing Arsenal midfielder Jay Emmanuel-Thomas.The England Under-19 international became the club’s second signing in the space of 24 hours, after they secured the services of Fulham goalkeeper David Stockdale on a season-long loan deal on Monday.
Emmanuel-Thomas said he wanted more game time at senior level after being starved of opportunities under Arsene Wenger, and he believed Portman Road was the place to find minutes on the pitch.
“Obviously it came to the stage in my career at Arsenal where I needed to be playing games. I had a decision to make and Ipswich seemed the right place for me,” Emmanuel-Thomas told Ipswich’s official site.
“I was impressed with what (manager) Paul Jewell had to say – and the team he is building. I know he is looking to bring in more players and it is the club’s ambition to get in the Premier League.”
Stockdale has made the switch after making 13 appearances for the Cottagers, but should incumbent Mark Schwarzer fall injured, it is believed Fulham can recall their on-loan shot-stopper due to a clause in his loan deal.
Walcott is an excellent player who does not realise it.
Theo Walcott is quite simply the Marmite Man of the Premier League! 50% of football fans think he has quality attributes, whilst 50% see him as nothing more than a player who has a decent turn of pace. If you’re an Arsenal fan, you may agree when I say that Theo Walcott strikes me as an incredibly talented player lacking in self-belief. As you will also read later in the article, Walcott compares very similarly to Gareth Bale this season, but with one fundamental difference…
I’d like to initially highlight what I think Walcott does well; the clear strengths of his game. Walcott has lightning pace, which I feel he relies on too much at times. I have no doubt that Walcott’s pace both with and without the ball is a superb attribute to have in what is an increasingly fast paced game. It is difficult to name any players who are quicker than Walcott in the Premier League. He shows maturity on the pitch, perhaps something that has been instilled since his move to Arsenal in 2006. Whilst I do not mind admitting I dislike Arsene Wenger in many ways, his ability to spot and nurture potential in young football players is sensational. Walcott is good in possession of the ball; showing he can confidently pass the ball and maintain possession in keeping with Arsenal’s style of play.
There are a few key aspects to Theo Walcott’s game which if improved would put him right up with the best wide players in the Premier League. Firstly, Walcott’s final pass lets him down; when you consider the number of excellent positions he can get himself into. Walcott is equally happy coming deeper to collect the ball and beat a player, or playing on the shoulder and bursting into space in the channels. What often follows such scenarios is a poorly placed final pass that results in the goal scoring opportunity being lost. I do believe that this is something Walcott is improving. Two assists in the 3-0 victory over West Ham at the weekend shows that he can be composed in the final third when it counts.
Similar to my previous point, Walcott at times seems to lack composure and belief in front of goal. When you consider his pace and ability to craft scoring opportunities, 15 goals in 100 games is not an outstanding record for a player like Walcott. You get the feeling that Walcott is always looking to play somebody else in, instead of adding a ‘selfish’ side to his game; one I feel would drastically improve his success in front of goal.
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Whilst we could assess Walcott’s game in a deeper context, the main problem essentially comes down to one thing… consistency. The 21 year old can at times look unplayable, but can anyone honestly say that this happens anywhere near frequently enough? Walcott will follow an outstanding individual performance with a lackluster and frustrating performance; and I just wish we could see the best of Walcott week in week out. Whilst it may not be completely appropriate to compare Theo Walcott with Gareth Bale, the two players are expected to produce similar things. Both are expected to get chalk on their boots (play in wide positons). Both are expected to beat opposition full-backs and create chances in front of goal for themselves and others. Statistically in the Premier League, you can barely separate each of them this season. Walcott’s six goals are only one shy of Bale’s seven. Simiarly Walcott’s four assists are one better than Bale’s three this season.
However, one startling fact is that Walcott has played 1252 minutes LESS than Gareth Bale in this season’s Premier League. Considering the hype that has been made about Gareth Bale this season, the statistics show Walcott has has had an equally successful season having played an incredible 21 hours less football than Bale!
I do not think Walcott has reached his full potential yet, but I am an advocate of the fact that he could without doubt become the Premier League’s best and most threatening wide-man. I also think that so much is being made of Gareth Bale when he has achieved little more than Theo Walcott in this season’s Premier League. Granted, the hype surrounding Bale has also been based on his performances in the Champions League, but I do not think he is significantly better than Walcott, but simply has more belief in his own ability.
An injury-free Theo Walcott playing on a regular basis is something I cannot wait to see. I believe that Walcott will finish this season with better Premier League statistics than Gareth Bale, despite playing 21 hours less football. One thing is for certain; Southampton have produced and subsequently lost two of the most exciting wingers in the Premier League. Hopefully those who still think Theo Walcott is a waste of space can be persuaded to think otherwise!
Written By Danny Holliday
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