Arsene Wenger has revealed that Thierry Henry will join Arsenal on loan, subject to paperwork. The French striker has been training with the North Londoners during the off-season from the MLS and is reportedly keen to don the red and white shirt again in what will be a two month deal.
Elsewhere in the news Kenny is keen for Liverpool not to be reliant on Gerrard; Capello wary of player theft, while Ancelotti in line for the PSG job.
News
United suffer new setback as defender faces prolonged absence
Tottenham receive injury boost
Romeu may return to Barcelona
Dalglish not reliant on Gerrard
Capello wary of ‘player theft’
Blackburn to move fast in window
Ancelotti in line for new job
Arsenal explore the loan option
Modric pledges his immediate future to Tottenham
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Transfer Talk
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Race for Cisse signature to resume in January as Spurs eye Freiburg striker – Daily Mail
Kean urges owners to land Johnson and Gunter ASAP – Mirror
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Alex: I’d settle for joys from Brazil – Sun
Chelsea agree fee for Bolton’s Cahill – BBC
Man United could miss out to Milan in race for Fiorentina star – TalkSport
Frimpong on McLeish’s radar as Villa boss battles Wolves for Arsenal kid – Daily Mail
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.”
Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti expects Frank Lampard to be fit for their next Premier League game against West Ham United.
The midfielder was forced to miss England's Euro 2012 double-header against Bulgaria and Switzerland following hernia surgery.
Lampard was substituted during the 2-0 victory over Stoke City on August 28 after reporting discomfort.
The Chelsea medical staff decided to send the 32-year-old for surgery during the two-week international break and Lampard is now expected to be fit for their next match on September 11.
"For sure, Frank will be fit for the West Ham game," confirmed Ancelotti.
However, the Blues boss has denied suggestions that it was always their plan to send Lampard for surgery during an international break.
The Stamford Bridge club have been accused of undermining England's Euro 2012 qualifying bid.
"No, we didn't decide at the start of the season to do this now," Ancelotti told the Daily Star Sunday.
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"After the Stoke game, Frank was in a lot of pain.
"So he decided, after talking to the club doctor, to resolve and remove the problem immediately."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Tottenham and Chelsea had to settle for a point after they failed to separate each other in a tightly contested London Derby at White Hart Lane.
With both side harbouring hopes of challenging for the Premier League title the meeting between third and fourth was always going to be an exciting one. Spurs, who have made their second best start to a season since the double winning side of the sixties, were boosted by the return of Gareth Bale from injury and his influence was felt in the early minutes crossing for Emmanuel Adebayor to poke home the opener. However they could only hold their lead for 15 minutes before the impressive Daniel Sturridge tapped home from close range following Ashley Cole’s cross from the left. Both sides had chances to win the game in the second half but failed add to the goals tally with Spurs boss Harry Redknapp the happier of the two managers. His side remain above Chelsea and only seven points behind second place behind Manchetser United with a game in hand. For their London rivals the result will see Andre Villas-Boas’ job come under increasing scrutiny once again with four points dropped in the last two games effectively ruling them out of the title race.
In fact they never looked like winning this game and had the task of coming from behind after Adebayor broke the deadlock after only eight minutes. The home side had started with plenty of vim and vigour especially with Bale back in the side and it was the Welshman who was once again the creator picking up the loose ball following Sandro’s tackle on Sturridge before crossing for Adebayor who nipped in front of John Terry to prod the ball home. Question marks will certainly centre around Petr Cech who should have done better to cut out Bales low cross. The goal proved to be the wake up call Chelsea needed and after absorbing a flurry of pressure from the hosts they finally sparked into life and levelled proceedings on 23 minutes. Didier Drogba flicked the ball into the path of the onrushing Cole who appeared to control the ball with his arm before crossing for Sturridge who turned the ball into an empty net with Brad Friedel stranded. Drogba then crashed a thunderous strike off the upright as the Blues threatened to go in front before seeing their momentum sapped by injuries to Branislav Ivanovic and Jon Obi Mikel.
The tempo certainly dropped after the break although the visitors did have two chances to score early on in the second period with Ramires denied by Friedel after he raced clear before the veteran American kept out Terry’s goal bound header. Adebayor then thought he’d scored his second of the game only for it to be ruled out for offside before Sandro glanced a header wide from Luka Modric’s corner as Spurs threatened to retake the lead. Still Chelsea threatened every time they came forward and Friedel needed two bites of the cherry to keep hold of Sturridges low drive before Cech was called into action at the other end clawing away Sandro’s deflected effort and turning Bale’s cross wide of the near post. Ramires then wasted a glorious chance to win the game with four minutes to go but could only head Juan Mata’s free kick wide despite being unmarked in the penalty area. The home side also had one last chance in them but Adebayor couldn’t find a way past Terry who had the last laugh ahead of his forthcoming racism charge.
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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.
I for one have never understood the mentality of football clubs that fail to improve their squads in pre-season, so to give new signings ample time to settle into their surrounds and build up some chemistry with their teammates ahead of a new campaign. It is surely counterproductive and does little to help the manager.
I’m certainly not going to criticise Daniel Levy as he has done an incredible job with the football club, however when it comes to transfers we do tend to drag our feet somewhat and more often than not we do miss out on players as a result. I know there is the school of thought that the longer you leave it the greater chance you have to secure a better deal, but the way I see it is that to ensure greater success on the pitch it is vital you move early to secure the targeted players early and more importantly give them a better chance to be fully prepared for the up and coming season. Look at the problems Pavlyuchenko faced in settling in; what chance did he really have to succeed given he was just thrown straight into the team?
The general feeling is that it is a slow market and other clubs are also struggling to secure players. That maybe true but if your manager has pinpointed the players that you wish to sign then why not make every effort to secure these deals early? Harry has hinted on occasions that we can’t buy players until we generate some funds, but shouldn’t a club that is on the brink of the Champions League group stages, and the riches it will bring, be looking to perhaps take the financial hit upfront and look to recoup it later in the transfer window, or in January? Shouldn’t Harry be given every opportunity to build on last season’s success? It seems to me we are subsequently going to get dragged into last minute deadline deals in order to improve the squad, which is (as history has proven) hardly the best preparation for a new season.
Written By Matt Wright
With the PL season nearly upon us, let’s see the WAGS that will be keeping the players on their toes. Click on image to VIEW gallery
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Gretar Steinsson and Bolton may be struggling as of late at the bottom of the Premier League table, but to keep Steinsson’s mind occupied and away from the threat of relegation is Icelandic beauty queen Manuela Osk Haroardottir.
The Icelandic full-back, who arrived at Bolton from AZ Alkmaar, has been an ever-present in Owen Coyle’s side. However, they’ve greatly struggled for form this season and have recorded only the one home win.
Steinsson married the winner of the 2002 Miss Iceland competition in 2007 in the Netherlands. The 28 year old also went on to compete in the 2003 Miss Universe competition in Panama City.
The couple currently reside in Bolton.
Click on Manuela below to see her gallery
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Click on the banner below for the ultimate Bolton prize!
%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.
Who will Johan Cruyff be supporting come Sunday? It’s definitely an interesting thought considering the emotional and ideological ties he finds himself caught in for both nations. On the one hand he embodies every quixotic notion that Dutch football has to offer and, on the other, he is very much responsible for the current Spanish contingent’s obstinate adherence to a possession-based philosophy.
It’s also a strange thing to hear such a polarised view about the Spanish national team. A majority of publications deal in terribly opaque rhetoric extolling the guile and craft of the Spaniards (failing to offer any insights on the actual football played and focussing more on the literary value that Spain’s precepts beget) whilst a small but vocal minority lament the ‘boring’, ‘death-by-a-thousand-cuts’, strangulating style that the team implements. I think that, much like the general tactics at this World Cup has proven, there is a blander middle ground being exhibited far closer to the truth – and Cruyff goes some way in representing it, whether he realises this or not.
For Dutch football there are few who can claim to be more influential than Johan Cruyff and I have spent far too many lines in the past few months dedicated to a man who I didn’t even have the good fortune to witness play. And in that admission lies the great danger of anything so widely recounted, reconfigured, and retold; my knowledge and experience of the early 70s Ajax team and Holland’s 1974 World Cup run is rooted in the aftermath of the event. The fact is forced, by the laws of physics and space/time, to be secondary to the interpretation of that fact. So everything I know, every facet of my understanding, is (at least) once removed from the actual event. And it is in this wall of mirrors that the truth becomes incalculably convoluted.
So imagine how Cruyff must feel? Constantly quizzed on the national team, he has been at pains to distance his own belief system from that on show at this World Cup – from the formation chosen to the players deployed; there is a tangible reticence in his dealings. But why do we, 36 years on, burden the weight of the gloriously unfulfilled past on the present Dutch team’s shoulders? It’s not only because there is an unresolved trauma surrounding the ’74 final for Dutch people but, more than that, there is a sordid and deeply romantic enjoyment to the epitome of the World Cup’s nearly-men in the wider football consciousness. We discuss them so widely, so heavily, and so passionately because they never won the ultimate crown. And on Sunday they have the chance to end this, to effectively trump Cruyff.
Germany have starred in seven World Cup finals and been serial iconoclasts in their toppling of Hungary in ’54 and Cruyff’s Holland in ’74 yet we never attribute anything near the cultural kudos to them. But with Holland, well, books have been written and many tears shed at the cosmic heartache felt at that team and that style’s captivating and almost-complete domination. Sneijder, Robben, Van Persie and co resemble the only universal truth in football and in life; it continues. Through tragedy or victory, it continues. Why do the Dutch play a 4-2-3-1 instead of three forwards? It’s because 2008, despite the same criticisms being levelled at Van Basten before the tournament, saw them beautifully entertain before being tactically outfoxed by Russia’s attacking fullbacks. And because, unlike club level (or the anomalous talent pool of ’74 and similarly this current Spain team), you are dealt your hand in the national team. I don’t think it’s a disrespect to say that this Spanish team possesses greater potential and talent than the Dutch but, equally, I don’t think it’s a disrespect to say that van Marwijk’s pragmatism has carved out a team of mental strength and discipline. It comes down to a single match on one day and there is a palpable chance here for victory but I fear that, instead of making history, this team will succumb to it.
“I am Dutch”, Cruyff writes in a Catalan newspaper, “but I support the football that Spain is playing.”
Spain enter Sunday as favourites but I also sense a greater confidence from them; one rooted in realising something which has been two decades in the making. Cruyff transformed Barcelona with four successive La Liga titles and a maiden European success and this Spain team adopts a similar approach to the game (and it’s plain to see that he loves it). It’s both creative and stifling, causing the mixed reviews from football fans. Some fall too easily by saying they are the creative apogee of football but 1-0 victories against Germany, Paraguay, and Portugal debunk this (statistically speaking).
And the other extreme is that ball retention is actually the reconfigured catenaccio. What’s so bad about that? I don’t think it’s a coincidence that having taken the lead, Spain have performed far better and thus systematically shut out the match. So the truth is a middle ground: they remain a supremely talented, perhaps unparalleled, creative group (watching Alonso has been a personal enjoyment at this tournament) who have not ‘clicked’ as many would have expected. But not compromising their style has led them to the final and to unexpected praise (or condemnation, depending on your outlook) as being defensively sound when in the lead – but this is the same ethos serving a dual function.
I think Spain survived a mini identity crisis. There was a period of a few matches where the balance of the team was certainly not right and an over reliance on Villa cutting in from the left materialised. But, in the game where it mattered most, Del Bosque proved his allegiance is with the ideology that has propelled Spain to something close to greatness; only one more match remains. And as for Cruyff, I think it’s far more interesting to note that his own national team distance themselves from everything he stood for (because it has become a burden) whilst he simultaneously associates himself with the team they face – a team who he believes he has much more of an ideological bond with.
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Click on image below to see the PORTUGAL babes at the World Cup
Partick Thistle manager Jackie McNamara is turning the events of his career into a sitcom. The former Scotland international has been working with actor and comedy writer Francis Gilhooley to pen “The Therapy Room” and the pilot episode was screened in an Edinburgh cinema last week in an attempt to gain a broadcasting contract.
The 38-year-old’s brother Donny will play a footballer who makes the mercurial rise from amateur football to Premier League player, with the team manager being played by Billy Elliot’s Gary Lewis.
McNamara told the BBC: “They were just things I had in my mind for a long time, playing football,”
“I think a lot of players had a lot of stories over the years and it’s just my way of putting them into a comedy and making characters up.
“Some people go and do a book or an autobiography. This is my way of doing things.”
With the ex-Celtic player’s decision to try his hand at TV writing, we look at other possible football related TV shows.
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Monitoring Mario
Following the life of the world’s most entertaining footballer, this show would always be worth a watch. It could be a reality TV show although it may be better as a sitcom because nobody would believe that someone would do the outrageous things that have now become a regular occurrence.
The biggest problem would be where to begin. Wearing the shirt of your biggest rivals? Holidaying on a boat owned by the Italian mafia? Throwing darts at a youth team player? Or setting off fireworks in your own bathroom?
This show would definitely become a guilty pleasure.
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Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner- Carlos Tevez
With the striker now seemingly on strike after refusing to return back to Manchester, his hideaway antics resemble the Looney Tunes cartoon. Despite the best efforts of the City, they just cannot catch the Argentine who looks like he is totally unaware of the furore surrounding him. Like Wile E. Coyote they know where to find their prey, but catching him is a totally different task.
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I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here- Manchester City
The club has such a vast array of talent that outside of the first team there are a lot of unhappy players not getting a game. Many of them will want to leave and what better way than making them do ridiculous tasks and voting one out at the end of each week. It’s much easier than finding someone to pay their wages and the transfer fee.
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Boot of Fortune- Manchester United
A show to kick-off Saturday nights, the players enter the changing room where a pile of kit is lying in the middle. A boot is randomly placed in their before the boss arrives and viewers can ring in to place bets on who will be the unfortunate victim to receive a stud to the face. One kick, one recipient, one prize, one winner. Definitely better than the Cube.
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1 v 100- Chelsea
Villas-Boas thinks that referees have it in for his team, so in a twist to the pre-lottery show the Scot would face 100 officials and answer a series of questions based on these situations. May well turn into Jerry Springer after a few differences in opinion.
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Mr Benn- Emmanuel Adebayor
The Togo international walks into the local JJB Sports and the moustachioed shop assistant hands him a football shirt. He walks into the changing room and is transported to the board room of a different ground and a contract is in front of him to sign. The adventure continues as he joins the team and continues until he gets bored and visits another JJB store to begin the next episode. Loosely based on real life.
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Managerial Merry-go-round
Another game show for any manager in-between jobs. They sit on the traditional fairground ride which then begins to spin. A post bearing a contract for an available manager’s position is put up at the opposite end of an obstacle course. The contestants must get from the ride, across the course and be the first to reach the contract.