With 11 league games left, Mick McCarthy and Ian Holloway know how vital Saturday’s match at Molineux is to both clubs.Wolves are bottom of the table on 25 points with a poor record against their fellow relegation strugglers.Blackpool, meanwhile, are 12th with 32 points having collected an impressive five away wins this season, one more than at Bloomfield Road.Wolves have little margin for error remaining as they prepare to meet a Blackpool side whose survival nerves were eased considerably by their emphatic 3-1 defeat of Spurs.Skipper Karl Henry knows full well the importance of the Molineux showdown and has warned the Tangerines to be aware of more surprises in store from set-pieces in the survival run-in.Henry played an integral role in Jamie O’Hara’s super strike at The Hawthorns from a free-kick that caught out Albion and earned Wolves a point.Henry was responsible for organising the manoeuvre that ended with O’Hara scoring his first goal for the club ? and the midfielder says there are more tricks up the Midlands side’s sleeve which could bring precious reward in the battle for points.”We are always looking to try something a bit different and I did explain to Jamie how the free-kick worked,” Henry told the Wolverhampton Express and Star.”In recent weeks when we’ve had free-kicks around the box we’ve maybe not been creative enough but we have got some in our locker.”Henry will be hoping for more surprises against Blackpool whose shock defeat of top-four challengers Spurs dampened Wolves’ hopes of a double dividend at Molineux ? a victory that would drag their opponents deep into relegation trouble.But it has not changed the importance of a Wolves win which Henry accepts, saying: “Blackpool play a very open game and in doing so it might be that there are gaps at the back which we have to capitalise on, especially when we are playing at home.””We need to force the issue and be on the front foot. We need to start the game quickly like we did at West Brom.””We need to produce the same sort of start against Blackpool and try and gain the initiative as early as possible.” Blackpool skipper Charlie Adam will miss the next two games after picking up his 10th booking of the season for a late foul on Spurs defender Michael Dawson.But Holloway put aside Adam’s absence to lavish praise on veteran striker Brett Ormerod who became the first Blackpool player to score in all four divisions when he scored the third against Spurs.Ormerod, 34, has been at the club for 14 years, an achievement that has impressed Holloway.”I don’t think there’s a player that I’ve ever managed that I’m prouder of or more pleased for than Brett Ormerod,” Holloway said.”He’s fantastic and he’s a credit to everybody, I’m delighted for him, it’s a monkey off his back, nobody else has ever done it and I don’t think anybody else ever will.” The Tangerines’ boss also suggested that his policy of rotation was working and that impressive performances for the reserves would be rewarded with first team opportunities.”If you play well in my reserves and score in my reserves then I’m going to put you in my first team,” he said.”My other lads have got to look at that and use it as an incentive to get in the side because if they do play well then they will get an opportunity, the reserves are playing again tonight and I’ll be watching that ahead of Saturday’s game.””The result (against Spurs) sets us up well for the final push, the points that we’ve amassed now would have kept us up last season and this year is a lot tougher.”
Barcelona will seek an immediate return to winning ways in La Liga after suffering just their third defeat of the season against Arsenal.
The Spanish champions went down 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday in the first leg of their Champions League round-of-16 tie.
The league leaders also dropped two points last week in a 1-1 draw away to Sporting Gijon, allowing Real Madrid to close the gap to five points at the top of La Liga.
By Barca’s own remarkably high standards, one draw and one defeat is more than a minor stumble and if they falter again at home to Athletic Bilbao on Sunday, Real could be back to within two points.
Barca are undefeated at home since September last year, but Bilbao have more reason for confidence than most teams ahead of their visit to the Camp Nou.
The Basque outfit went unbeaten over two legs of a Copa del Rey meeting with Barca earlier in the season, drawing 0-0 away and 1-1 at home to lose out on the away goals rule.
Joaquin Caparros’ side lost 1-0 away to Mallorca in their last league match, but had previously won three consecutive games and sit fifth in the table.
Real, meanwhile, have the opportunity to put Barca under pressure when they play a day earlier at home to Levante.
Jose Mourinho’s side battled to a 1-0 win over Espanyol in their last outing, despite being reduced to 10 men in the first two minutes at the Estadi Cornella-El Prat.
Also on Saturday, third-placed Valencia host Sporting Gijon at the Mestalla and struggling Real Zaragoza are at home to mid-table Atletico Madrid.
In Sunday’s other matches, bottom side Malaga have a daunting trip to fourth-placed Villarreal, while fellow strugglers Almeria – second-last in 19th place – are at home to Deportivo La Coruna.
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Osasuna must beat sixth-placed Espanyol away from home if they are to climb out of the relegation zone.
Getafe will expect to pick up maximum points from their home match against Racing Santander and Sevilla are also favourites to come out on top when promoted Hercules visit the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.
In Monday’s match, ninth-placed Real Sociedad play host to Mallorca, who are 10th.
The biggest deal that the Premier League has seen for years was Fernando Torres’ £50 million move in January from Liverpool to Chelsea. With the Premier League champions looking to reinvigorate their title hopes, they turned to the Spaniard and David Luiz to do just that. With Didier Drogba past his best and Nicolas Anelka struggling to find form consistently, Fernando Torres was seen as the man to fire the Blues back to the top of the Premier League table, but it hasn’t quite worked out like that.
In the half dozen or so games that Torres has played since he moved to Stamford Bridge he has failed to find the back of the net for Chelsea. While manager Carlo Ancelotti has insisted that he’s happy with the striker, it must be concerning the Italian that Torres has yet to score in a Chelsea shirt. The Spaniard has continued his patchy form that he displayed in the first half of the season for Liverpool and back in the 2010 World Cup for Spain and is nowhere near reaching the heights he’s previously set for himself.
With Fernando Torres’ goal drought continuing, the Spaniard is 12/1 for a Premier League blank for Chelsea. Torres is 12/1 with bet365 not to score a Premier League goal for Chelsea this season and even money to notch less than four goals. bet365 spokesman Steve Freeth says “Ancelotti is talking about it being just a matter of time before Torres ends his drought, but the only requests we’re getting are for the Spaniard’s barren run to continue until the end of the season.”
So is it unthinkable that Torres won’t find the net again this season? The longer his goal drought continues the harder it will become to score and the more pressure that he will be under. However, strikers of his quality are sure to break their duck eventually, just look at Tottenham star Jermain Defoe’s brace against Wolves last weekend. As soon as the first goal comes he might just hit his stride and have a fantastic end to the season, and it still isn’t out of the question that he can’t fire Chelsea to the Premier League title – you can get odds of 7/1 on that!
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%image% Spain virtually secured their place at the Euro 2012 finals with a 3-1 win over Lithuania in Group I on Tuesday. The world champions maintained their 100 per cent record with their fifth win but they did not have it all their own way.
Xavi’s deflected shot opened the scoring, before Marius Stankevicius levelled for the home side, but an own goal from Tadas Kijanskas and a strike from Juan Mata helped Vicente del Bosque’s side into a commanding position in Group I.
The first 20 minutes belonged to the world champions, and it was no surprise when they broke the resistance of the hosts.
Villa, looking lively after his double on Friday against the Czech Republic, combined with his Barcelona teammate Xavi, and the midfielder’s shot looped off the body of Andrius Skerla and flew into the net.
But the hosts struck a stunning equaliser on 57 minutes.
Indecisive defending from Raul Albiol saw the ball loop into the area, and Valencia’s Marius Stankevicius launched an unstoppable low shot that flew past Iker Casillas and into the corner. Just as Lithuania began to asset their authority, Spain regained the lead.
Xavi’s through pass found Juan Mata on the left, and his ball across the area looked for Llorente, but instead found the shin of the unfortunate Kijanskas, with his clearance flying into his own net.
The tournament holders sealed the win thanks to the move of the match. Xavi and Silva combined to play in Mata, and he calmly rolled the ball into the net.
The Czech Republic recorded their third victory with a 2-0 win over Liechtenstein.
Veteran striker Milan Baros opened the scoring after three minutes when he produced a convincing finish after being played through by captain Tomas Rosicky.
It was the Galatasaray striker’s 39th international goal.
Coming into the game having lost all of their qualifiers for next year’s finals in Poland and Ukraine, Liechtenstein were fortunate to be only 1-0 down at the break after the Czech Republic’s Jan Moravek saw his powerful close-range shot rebound off the bar.
But the Czechs did manage to add to their slender lead with 20 minutes remaining when defender Michal Kadlec rose highest in the penalty area to head home.
Goalkeeper Jens Lehmann made a dramatic return for Arsenal as the Gunners took all three points in a thrilling clash at Blackpool on Sunday.The German veteran was drafted in for his 200th appearance for the club after Manuel Almunia injured a knee in the warm-up at Bloomfield Road.
And the 41-year-old played his part to help his side to a crucial 3-1 victory that cuts Manchester United’s lead at the top of the English Premier League to seven points.
The Gunners scored a quick-fire double midway through the first half through Abou Diaby and Emmanuel Eboue.
But they had to survive a brilliant fightback from Blackpool, with Gary Taylor-Fletcher’s goal early in the second half sparking a revival.
Lehmann was forced to make several crucial saves before striker Robin van Persie killed Blackpool off with Arsenal’s third goal in the 77th minute.
The defeat leaves Blackpool a point above the drop zone and grateful that the teams below them all lost on Saturday.
Ian Holloway’s men had started energetically and pushed for an opener without seriously testing Lehmann, with Arsenal’s defence coping with Charlie Adam’s dangerous set pieces.
And they were stung when the Gunners took the lead against the run of play in the 19th minute, when van Persie broke the offside trap and squared to Diaby for a simple tap-in from six yards.
The second followed three minutes later, when Arsenal’s slick passing cut through the Blackpool defence for Eboue to finish convincingly past Richard Kingson.
Arsenal looked like they might run riot with Samir Nasri missing two golden chances. First, he fired straight at Kingson from 10 yards before moments later hitting the post from van Persie’s clever pass.
But after spurning another hatful of good chances, Arsenal were given a warning before the break when Blackpool striker DJ Campbell just failed to squeeze the ball over the line from two yards.
And the Tangerines did get the breakthrough seven minutes after the restart when Campbell was brought down rounding Lehmann, but referee Lee Mason waved play on and Taylor-Fletcher put the ball in the back of the net.
Mason elected not to sanction Lehmann for the challenge on Campbell, with Arsenal without a goalkeeper among the substitutes should the referee have shown the German a straight red card.
Taylor-Fletcher then had a penalty claim turned away after a scything tackle from Laurent Koscielny before Adam failed to connect with a near-post header.
But Arsenal survived the Blackpool onslaught and finally got a third when substitute Theo Walcott raced onto a long ball out of defence and crossed for van Persie for another simple finish.
Even then, Blackpool refused to give up, and Lehmann was called on to make another fine save from Campbell.
His men’s Serie A title rivals Inter Milan may have slipped up, but AC Milan boss Massimiliano continues to preach caution.Allegri watched his side beat Sampdoria 3-0 at the San Siro on Saturday, with Inter slumping to a 2-0 defeat away to Parma.
The results leave Milan eight points clear of third-placed Inter, but with Napoli still within touch distance, Allegri urged his side not to let up.
“We’ve got to keep an eye on Napoli,” Allegri said.
“Admittedly eight points with only 15 available is a very tough ask, but rather than celebrate Inter falling behind, I’d keep an eye out for Napoli.”
“We struggled tonight in the first half. Sampdoria defended well in an orderly fashion and we had problems but in the second-half our pressure told and I think it was a great win.”
“After the break we put more pressure on and it went well for us.”
Clarence Seedorf, Antonio Cassano and Robinho all got on the scoresheet for Milan, but Allegri could be facing a striker shortage in the coming weeks with Alexandre Pato and Christian Abbiati both limping off injured and Zlatan Ibrahimovic serving a three-match suspension.
“We hope to get Pippo Inzaghi back before the end of the season, as he is training well and working really hard,” Allegri said.
“At this point there are no big problems. We are leading and we have to keep going to the end. We still have Robinho and Cassano upfront. We are monitoring Inzaghi week by week and his recovery is going well but he has been out for over four months.”
When I decided to choose my own Premiership Team of the Year, I thought it would be a breeze. I’ll be done in 20 minutes. Three days and two migraines later, I realised how difficult it is. I watch a lot of football, too much- but there are still many teams that I haven’t seen quite enough of to give a definitive judgement. But eventually I got there, though if you ask me tomorrow I’ll have changed half the team. I have tried to be totally unbiased, and have also considered all performances for their club team, not just Premier League games. I also was boring and went for a conventional 4-4-2, whilst shoehorning players randomly into midfield, perhaps picking more of a team of the top performers rather than a team that would work the best together. A little artistic licence should always be allowed.
Goalkeeper: Edwin Van Der Sar.
Seems to be having his best season in his final season. Admittedly not the most overworked keeper in the division, but a season of few mistakes and some crucuial saves sees him get the nod. One of a number of big holes that Alex Ferguson will soon have to fill.
Left Back: Leighton Baines.
An underwhelming season for some of the big-name left backs. Ashley Cole and Patrice Evra have hardly set the world alight, also making plenty of headlines off the field for all the wrong reasons. Baines though has been a model of consistency in a team that had a difficult season, and has shown himself to be a great crosser of the ball, and all-round striker of the ball. Inevitably will be linked to other clubs over the summer having notched 11 assists so far this season. Newcastle fans might argue Jose Enrique is even better though.
Central Defence: Vincent Kompany.
Mark Hughes had his uses. Bought from Hamburg for a mere £6m in 2008, he should be on all shortlists for player of the year. Hampered slightly by injury last season, he has come of age this season, and should be an integral part of what could be a very exciting Belgian national team over the next decade or so.A cool, calm, collected and classy defender, surely a future Manchester City captain, and a great ambassador for the club off the pitch too.
Central Defence: Nemanja Vidic.
Once more a rock in the centre of defence for Manchester United, an even more vital cog now that Rio Ferdinand’s back is slowly getting the better of him. Tough and uncomprimising, with the added ability to get away with fouls, a bonus for any manager! You know the rest….
Right Back: Bacary Sagna.
No outstanding candidates that I could think of in this position. Was tempted to plump for a rejuvinated Stephen Carr, but not seen quite enough of him to be sure. Arsenal’s defence is regularly criticised, but the blame surely lies more centrally, and they haven’t conceded quite as many as some might think. Solid season, gets up and down the pitch, compliments the midfield and attack well, athletic, not done much wrong from what I have seen.
Continued on Page TWO
Midfield: Samir Nasri
Great season undoubtedly, having muscled up to cope with the strains of the Premier League. Some great goals, great link up play, a classy player that fits in perfectly with the Arsenal ethos. However I have read a few Arsenal fans question his effectiveness against the top teams, and he has faded a little recently along with the rest of the team. Great goal against Spurs though, and at his age a great career awaits.
Midfielder: Luka Modric
The true star of the Spurs midfield. Forget Bale’s one league assist or Van De Vaart’s explosive three-month spell, the biggest talent in the Spurs midfield is Modric right now. Brilliant control of a football, great passer, the type of footballer like David Silva that you’d pay good money to watch. Van de Vaart and Bale produced a total of 3 goals and 2 assists between them from January until mid-April in 2011, so they miss out.
Midfielder: Scott Parker
Sean Custis at The Sun thinks Parker has stood out this season because of the dross around him. But surely it is harder to perform when surrounded by poorer players? A stand out season, England recognition once more at long last, he has dragged the West Ham team forward through many matches, though it may well be to no avail. The Football Writers’ Player of the Year.
Midfielder: Nani
With a heavy heart I include Nani. Without a trace of bias, everything I hate about modern footballers is encapsulated in this man. Infuriates his own fans much of the time, but has undoubtedly had his best season, bringing a greater influence to proceedings on the pitch, with some great long range strikes, dribbling and ball control, and his 18 assists and 10 league goals cannot be ignored.
Continued on Page THREE
Forward: Carlos Tevez
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One of the easier choices. By his high standards has been off the boil recently before hit by injury, but his influence on the Manchester City team cannot be underestimated, City often over-reliant on him, focusing play around the Argentinian. Second highest Premier League scorer, he is selfish like most top strikers, but obviously knows where the goal is, and is a phenomenal workhorse, always giving his all on the pitch whatever may be happening off it. Will be hard to replace if, as expected, he leaves City in the summer.
Forward: Peter Odenwingie
The first thought for the final berth was Javier Hernandez, a scoring machine who has settled instantly in the Manchester sunshine. But is Odemwingie’s achievement not better? Crucial to securing Premiership football for the Baggies next season, 13 league goals in a promoted team is a wonderful achievement. Born in Uzbekistan, but a Nigerian international, a bargain buy for just £1m, he has had a successful debut season, scoring some crucual winners, and his goal against Spurs this week made him West Brom’s top goalscorer in a single Premier League season (the game was still played at an amateur level before 1992).
So there it is. I already doubt three of the choices. No, four. What of those that just missed out? Hernandez and Carr have been mentioned. A full season for Hernandez would undoubtedly have seen him in. No Chelsea players either, possibly a big oversight as much of their defence could have a case for inclusion. Sub keeper would be Wigan’s stopper Ali Al-Habsi, or an ever-improving and maturing Joe Hart. Injury once more hampered Van Persie. Berbatov as top Premier League goalscorer looks like a glaring omission, but he has scored only 4 goals in the league away from Old Trafford, scores in clumps (flat-track bully sometimes?), and even his manager seems to distrust him now. Jack Wilshere has a wonderful career ahead but I think he has been slightly overhyped for now. Ditto for Gareth Bale. He hasn’t performed every week, and is remembered for a couple of world-beating performances rather than overall consistency – the world is his oyster though, and all that. Van De Vaart’s energy fades during matches, and faded this year a bit too. You could still argue for his inclusion though. David Silva could easily replace Modric – I expect even more from him next season, plus a few more goals, once he has adjusted to English weather. I already love him though. De Jong should really be in there, and would have been in a 4-5-1 formation. Forget Kompany, Tevez, or Silva. De Jong is City’s most important player. He makes the team tick, and protects the defence as if his life depends on it. With him on the pitch City have conceded every 117 minutes, With him off it, every 63 minutes.
Kevin Nolan misses out for his chicken celebration, Joey Barton because he is Joey Barton, Andy Carroll wasn’t far off, nor Gary Cahill, Robert Huth (for goalscoring alone!) and maybe Charlie Adam too, though the January transfer window shenanigans seem to have done him no favours.
Either way, it is an impossible team to decide definitively. Football is not that simple, and picking teams certainly isn’t. Still, at least the migraine has gone now.
Everton can bolster their Europa League hopes for next season when they meet Champions League-bound Manchester City on Saturday.The Merseysiders, who recorded a 1-1 stalemate with relegation-threatened Wigan Athletic last Sunday, are ruing their typically slow start to the 2010/11 season, especially given they are only seven points from fifth – currently occupied by Liverpool – which carries a Europa League place.
David Moyes’ men – who have racked up 48 points so far – realise usurping Liverpool is unlikely, but have made clear their intentions to hold onto seventh place, and build on it next season.
England international defender Phil Jagielka is determined to make life hard for the Citizens, who are not yet fully guaranteed of Champions League action for next season.
“They’ve got Champions League football on their minds and we want to stay in seventh at the very least,” Jagielka told BBC Radio.
“There are points to play for. We’ve had a decent run against them especially away so it’ll be interesting to see how we get on at home.”
Jermaine Beckford, who has came into the side following Louis Saha’s untimely injury, has netted seven goals this term, and will provide the Toffees their attacking spark up front at Goodison Park.
Influential Australian Tim Cahill and silky Barcelona-trained midfielder Mikel Arteta returned to the starting 11 last week after recovering from respective injuries, and should provide much of the attacking impetus on Sunday.
Manchester City, meanwhile, are relishing the prospect of Champions League football next season, currently occupying fourth place on the table.
Boss Roberto Mancini has overseen a three-match winning streak – including a galvanising 1-0 FA Cup semi-final defeat of arch-rivals Manchester United.
But despite their 2-1 win over basement side West Ham, Mancini warned his troops their ticket to the Champions League was not yet assured.
“I think after what we have done, we deserve to be in the Champions League, but we have another four games – it is not finished,” he said.
City are seven points clear of their nearest rival, Liverpool, and will not want a repeat of the two sides’ clash in December when goals from Cahill and young gun Leighton Baines denied them victory.
And given they still have a potentially taxing FA Cup final encounter against Stoke a week later, they will be eager to consolidate their position with a win over Everton.
The game also represents the first time Joleon Lescott has returned to Goodison Park – and the first time he faces his former side since his big-money transfer to Eastlands in 2009.
FIFA have suspended Mohamed Bin Hammam and Jack Warner from all football-related activities after ruling they had a case to answer over bribery allegations.But allegations of corruption against FIFA president Sepp Blatter were dismissed at a news conference in Zurich by Namibian judge Petrus Damaseb – a FIFA ethics committee member.
FIFA also insisted they would press on with their planned presidential election on Wednesday, and claimed they would launch a full inquiry into the accusations.
Asian Football Confederation president Bin Hammam had been due to take on Blatter in the election, but he pulled out on Sunday.
Bin Hammam and CONCACAF president Warner, both members of FIFA’s executive committee, are alleged to have tried to bribe members of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) to vote for Bin Hammam in the election.
Bin Hammam responded by claiming Blatter was aware of corruption within the organisation but failed to report it, which in itself is a breach of FIFA’s code of ethics.
“We are satisfied that there is a case to answer against (Bin Hammam and Warner),” Damaseb said.
“There is going to be a full inquiry.”
“No investigation against Blatter is warranted.”
“The committee is satisfied there is a case to answer, therefore a case will be held in due course where they will be expected to answer the charges against them.”
Despite the cloud of corruption surrounding the organisation, FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke said he could see no reason to postpone the election.
“The allegation against Blatter has been cleaned by the committee,” Valcke said. “Why should we postpone the election?”
It was estimated the hearing into the bribery allegations against Bin Hammam and Warner will last for around 30 days.
Diego Maradona has blasted world football’s governing body FIFA, saying it is run by people who do not understand the game.The Argentine legend – now manager of Dubai club Al-Wasl – slammed the unopposed re-election of president Sepp Blatter, stating he wanted no part in the organisation.
“They have invited me to be part of the FIFA family. And I ask, ‘What family?’,” Maradona said.
“This is not a family if no one plays soccer. No one is asking what can be done to improve soccer. There are motorcyclists, swimmers, race car drivers, but there is not one soccer player that can give advice. (There is) so much power and so much stupidity in FIFA. Every day, it’s a different scandal. And this, the soccer players don’t deserve this.”
Maradona, 50, was revealed as United Arab Emirates Football League outfit Al-Wasl manager in May, but was officially unveiled in Dubai on Saturday.
He had been out of football since Argentina’s quarter-final exit in at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Press speculation in the Middle East has put the value of his two-year contract at close to US$10 million.
With one more game of the 2010/11 season remaining, Al-Wasl sit fifth in the league and are on the verge of qualifying for next season’s AFC Champions League.
Maradona takes over in September ahead of the 2011/12 season, replacing Costa Rican Alexandre Guimaraes.