Edin Dzeko came off the bench to score two late goals to earn and rescue 10-man Manchester City against West Brom at the Hawthorns.
Roberto Mancini’s men were heading to an unlikely defeat as they struggled to cope with the loss of James Milner in the first half after he received the first red card of his career.
Defeat was harsh on the Baggies who made their numerical advantage count but any fears over City’s title credentials were quashed to leave them third level on points with rivals United and four behind leaders Chelsea.
Milner’s dismissal in the 22nd minute for hauling down Shane Long following a mistake from captain Vincent Kompany was unquestionable and set the tone for a frustrating afternoon.
Mario Balotelli was also pushing his luck with referee Mark Clattenburg with a series of petulant fouls that saw him cautioned. That appeared to calm the Italian striker down and he almost produced a moment of divine brilliance to break the deadlock, taking on two defenders down the left before firing straight at Ben Forster.
The visitors continued to fashion out chances Yaya Toure heading over from close range when well placed. And against the run of play West Brom snatched the lead in the 65th minute. Peter Odemwingie produced a precise through ball for Long to turn Joleon Lescott and finish cooly past Joe Hart.
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Dzeko was thrown on in the 79th minute and barely 60 seconds later he had brought City level, climbing highest to head past Foster from a corner. Hart then made two crucial saves to keep his side level tipping Romelu Lukaku’s acrobatic strike over the bar just moments after beating away the Belgian strikers close range header.
And with time running out Dzeko popped up again to steer the ball home from he edge of the area to cap a memorable comebacl.
It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact moment when football shifted away from heroes on the pitch to mercenaries and those who were very much getting paid to do a ‘job.’
It’s also hard to think of who the stars of today are that will have bronze statues of themselves put up on the front lawn of some flash stadium. The statues that are up now are reminders of legends of the game, those who chased something more than a pay increase and many who stuck by their clubs.
The game seems to be filtering out the last few remnants of yesterday, only to be replaced by those who know their current position is a stepping stone to somewhere else. Everyone talks about playing for Real Madrid or Barcelona, as if there is no real preference for either. But where are the Matt Le Tissiers who turned away from the tempting advances of those a few steps up the ladder? Who are the current players that will remain captains of their teams from an early age such as Tony Adams and stay on to help oversee the newcomers who need to be taught the traditions of a club?
It’s all very well cheering for the big names that come through door, the transfers which were no doubt sensationalised with a background of fireworks as the mark of something new. But it never quite does it in the way that sports is supposed to. There’s no connection between supporters and players anymore. There remains an iron gate separating the two, as if worlds apart is something normal.
Some Americans talk about the joy they get out of watching college sports over the professional leagues. College basketball and football in America can garner equal levels of interest in some states as the NBA or NFL, yet there’s little in the way of money hungry mercenaries out for their own glory. The step up to the next level and to the major leagues takes focus for many of the best college athletes, and that’s natural, but it’s surprising what happens when you take money out of the equation and make it just about sports.
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That’s not to say fans don’t want a little slice of glamour, something that draws them to a stadium on a Saturday afternoon. But those aren’t heroes, not in the way they once were. It’s hard to find a role model in the game, with many taking actions that remind you what’s happened to the sport.
For clubs like Arsenal, for example, Robin van Persie is the type of player that should have become legendary in the eyes of many. So many have seen the pictures of him in an Arsenal shirt during his youth, while even more could not escape the idea of Dennis Bergkamp passing on the torch. But van Persie arrived at the peak of his powers in a time where money has seemingly taken the joy out of the game and replaced it with something that doesn’t quite sit right.
If it wasn’t enough that people are unlikely to look at footballers in the way they once did, it becomes another problem that there isn’t really any room for the everyday supporter. While players on the pitch are in another world, the gates to the stadiums are being manned by individuals demanding two-week’s wages to see a group of performers for whom there is no connection.
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It’s incredibly difficult to find a comfortable place in the modern game with the direction money has taken it. Yes there are some short-term joys from football, but how many times do the majority of fans look to a time when the game seemed a little more simple, right across the board? The advancements in many aspects make the game safer for fans and players, yet it still doesn’t hold that same spark when you’re questioning a player’s performances. Is it for the club or himself? There’s always another motive for success of any kind and the desire to be somewhere better.
Everyone will remember the great moments of the recent Premier League years; the titles that were captured in breathtaking fashion, the goals that will forever be shown in a highlights package on ITV4 and the greats that glided across our fields. But are the modern greats legends for the fans in the real sense of the meaning? Not because that player who was around for two-years scored against your rival in his only appearance, but for the genuine bond he had with the club and supporters.
Fans never forget their place in the game and their role, but for players we’ve been cruelly reminded that for the large majority it is just a job. Not celebrations, just turning up and earning your pay.
Joe Cole is set to return for Liverpool as Brendan Rodgers rotates his squad for the Reds’ Capital One Cup clash with Swansea this evening. The former England International has been sidelined with injuries since returning from a season-long loan at Lille, but will now be given the opportunity by his boss to fight his way back into the first team.
Rodgers selected the former Chelsea and West Ham midfielder for his first competitive game as Liverpool manager when they took on FC Gomel back in August; however Cole was substituted after just 23 minutes with a hamstring injury. Since then, the 30-year-old has been struggling for match fitness, making just two sub appearances in the Premier League so far this season.
Rodgers has told reporters how it has been a difficult season for Cole, especially now that talented youngsters Raheem Sterling and Suso have broken into the first team at Anfield.
“It’s been difficult for him” said the Northern Irish manager. “Joe worked hard throughout pre-season, then he got injured and others have come in and done well, so I’m not going to throw them to the garbage because a senior player is available again.
“This game is an opportunity for Joe to come in and prove himself. He’s worked hard, there are no complaints there, and he’s very keen to be a success at Liverpool. We will take it from there.
“He doesn’t want to be picked on anything that he’s done before, it’s about where we are in terms of form now that is important. But Joe loves his training, loves playing games and wants an opportunity to show his qualities and that he has a future here” added Rodgers.
Rodgers is expected to make several more changes tonight in order to give some of his other marginalised players the chance to impress. It is believed Sebastian Coates, Jamie Carragher, Jordan Henderson and Stewart Downing will all start against Swansea, as well as youngsters Oussama Assaidi, Jack Robinson and Samed Yesil.
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It was all looking so bright for Andre Villas-Boas at the start of the season. With a victory against Manchester United at Old Trafford, a fixture in which Spurs had failed to claim all three points for 23 years, it seemed the former Porto boss had finally lifted a weight off the back of every Tottenham fan who has witnessed their side come-up short against the Premier League’s top teams throughout the club’s recent history.
The main concern for Tottenham fans is playing in the Champions League, but as an extension of that, there is the desire to beat top four clubs – this ambition cost Harry Redknapp his job at the end of last season. Spurs have now lost their last four out of five Premier League outings, including defeats to Manchester City and Chelsea as well as a humbling loss in the shambolic North London derby.
Tottenham have now slumped to 8th in the table, and will face stiff competition for fourth spot from Everton, West Brom and their old foes Arsenal. Currently, Steve Clarke’s in-form West Brom side occupy the league’s lowest qualification position for the Champions League with six points and a seven goal lead on Spurs in the table.
Today’s papers are claiming AVB will be handed £20million by Daniel Levy in January to turn his fortunes around, but is it enough? Or will it make any difference at all?
Mark Hughes this summer was handed £18.5million, the fifth highest net spend for the pre-season transfer window, but is yet to reap the rewards for the club’s investment as rock-bottom QPR continue the search for their first win of the season. Tottenham also had money to spend this summer, bringing in Moussa Dembele, Clint Dempsey, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Jan Vertonghen, Hugo Lloris and the permanent signing of Emmanuel Adebayor for a combined total of nearly £60million.
Despite the spending spree, Spurs are yet to fill the gap left by Luka Modric and Rafael Van Der Vaart, as the cheaper signings of attacking midfielders Dempsey and Sigurdsson have failed to impress. Belgian international Moussa Dembele looked to be in good form at the start of the year but has since been held back by injury.
AVB’s shortlist includes the likes of Willian and Christian Eriksen, who will be available if the price is right. Shakhtar coach Mircea Lucescu informed Europe’s top clubs that if they want his Brazilian midfielder they can pay his buy-out clause of £28million, whereas Eriksen has made his intentions to leave Ajax clear as he refuses to extend his contract past summer 2014.
Another option is rekindling a deal to bring Portuguese playmaker Joao Moutinho to White Hart Lane, who was an integral cog of AVB’s Porto team which won the Primera Liga undefeated and also lifted the Portuguese Cup, Portuguese Super Cup and Europa League trophy in the same year. CSKA Moscow’s Alan Dzagoev and Miralem Pjanic are also on the North-London club’s radar.
However, will £20million be enough for any of these targets considering the shortlist seems more like a Christmas wish list of Europe’s rising stars? They all have bags of potential, and have been linked to many of Europe’s elite clubs. In the summer, Spurs and Porto reached a financial agreement over Moutinho, but failed to seal the deal. It is doubtful the Portuguese champions will allow their star player leave half way through the season, and the kitty to be given to AVB is £8million short of Willian’s contract clause. Furthermore, will any of the desired personel be willing to risk missing out on Champions League football and join a team that has only made it once into the European tournament?
Villas-Boas also wants some improvements in defence, with Michael Dawson expected to be shafted against his wishes, and William Gallas being firmly into his twilight years, but will surely not be able to bring in players to raise the quality in two key departments. £20million will be not enough in the January transfer window, better known for huge fees such as Andy Carroll’s £35million move to Liverpool and signing what you can as oppose to what you want.
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Daniel Levy has often been generous in terms of funds available to his managers. But considering the vast amount of money Manchester City have spent year upon year to improve the team, an estimated combined total of £970million, and have still proved they are way behind Europe’s other big teams following their failure to make it out of the group stages in the Champions League, money certainly doesn’t guarantee success. Many of the City signings have failed to live up to their price-tags; Roque Santa Cruz (£17million) Robinho (£32million) Wayne Bridge (£10million) for example, whilst others who have been good servants to the club came with transfer fees that seem excessive to say the least; Milner (£24million), Lescott (£24million), Kolarov (£16million) and an ageing Craig Bellamy (£14million).
The case of Man City has many differences between that of Tottenham. City were a club in the middle to lower table wilderness who made a bid for the Premier League title. Tottenham have always been a team of relative success but have been striving to take the next step. At the end of last season, Spurs were a single point away from qualifying for the Champions League, but that single point difference is completely unquantifiable in monetary terms.
There is little doubt that any of the names on AVB’s shortlist will improve his team, and would make exciting additions to the Premier League, but can a £20million cash injection alone come anywhere close to guaranteeing a Champions League spot for the North Londoners? It seems unlikely. Until AVB can take points from the Premier League’s big boys, Spurs fans can consider the promised land of the Champions League a far-away destination.
Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert has warned clubs monitoring Christian Benteke that he will not be sold, according to the Daily Mail.
The 21-year-old Belgian has been a big hit following his summer move to the Premier League side, dislodging former captain Darren Bent as the club’s centre-forward and becoming the focal point of their attack.
This has led to whispers that a number of top teams are tempted to make a move for the ex-Genk forward, but Lambert stated that he will be going nowhere:
“Christian has been excellent for us. He is a big strong lad but he can also play.
“If he keeps progressing the way he has so far, he will be an incredible player.
“I have to hold onto Benteke. He’s going nowhere.”
He went on to claim that Benteke will get even better:
“I have run out of things to say about Christian. He is not the finished article but he has been excellent for us and a fans’ favourite.
“You have to be a good player to get into the current Belgium side and he has scored plenty of goals for them already.
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The latest Barcelona player to be linked with a move to the top flight is forward Alexis Sanchez, and while for many it seems something of a long shot in the upcoming January transfer window, he remains a likely transfer target of clubs such as Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea in the summer – but would he fit in?
The 23-year-old has struggled for his best form since moving to the Camp Nou last season from Italian outfit Udinese for an inflated fee of €26million, plus a further €11m in add-ons and it quickly became clear that he was to play a vital part in Pep Guardiola’s side. By the end of last campaign, with the much-vaunted coach doing his best to eradicate out-and-out strikers in his team, alongside Lionel Messi, he was their most potent attacking threat and finished the term with 12 league goals in 25 games and 15 across all competitions. It was far from the blistering form which we had become accustomed to seeing from him in Serie A, but considering the team’s struggles, he did reasonably well by all accounts.
Nevertheless, the departure of Guardiola appears to have hit Sanchez harder than most and the rise of Christian Tello and resurgence of Pedro have seen him slide down the pecking order at the club under new boss Tito Vilanova to the extent that he’s no longer assured of a starting place. He remains goalless in 10 injury-disturbed league outings this season and has just one goal in 18 across all competitions. All is clearly not well, but where has it gone wrong?
The main problem comes with the team’s possession-based game in that it grants Sanchez less space in behind the opposition’s defence to stretch his legs and use his exceptional pace. Starting predominantly on the right, a lot of the team’s play down that flank is revolved around getting the best out of Daniel Alves, while the Brazilian can often be found linking up regularly with Lionel Messi, who drifts out wide from a central position.
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It seems as if the league’s style of play has had an effect on his confidence and he’s garnered a reputation as something of a diver, which in Spain, is no mean feat. He can usually be found drifting in and out of matches, failing to impose himself and while his conversion rate has never been anything other than solid, the goal have dried up enough to warrant closer inspection of what else he does to contribute to the team.
Barcelona have opted for a far more direct approach this season, especially away from home, with the majority of their play coming down the flanks rather than through the middle, and while in theory this should suit Sanchez, he’s been unable to strike up a partnership with either Martin Montoya or Alves in the same way that he did with Mauricio Isla at Udinese and he’s simply not as comfortable playing with his back to goal than he is running into space behind.
The floating role that Messi occupies in the middle means the Chilean international lacks a fixed reference point and their understanding, while occasionally decent, is nothing like what the Argentine shares with his other attacking team-mates, most notably Cesc Fabregas. His role is to drag markers away from the middle, allowing Messi more space to exploit; it’s a selfless, somewhat sacrificial role much to the detriment of his overall impact on the side and he’d arguably suit Real Madrid’s counter-attacking style much more than Barcelona’s at the moment.
This has opened the door for a potential future switch to the Premier League, and while talk of a switch to Liverpool is fanciful to say the least given their recent standing in England, the possibility of both Manchester clubs and Chelsea being interested is a very real one.
The player’s agent Fernando Felicevich has ruled out a move for his client in the near future, telling todomercadoweb.es: “In no case will Alexis leave Barcelona. He has returned after injury and played well. Alexis stays in Barcelona.
“Has no reason to leave. He is at the best team in the world. In addition to that Barca has Messi, a player that everyone can learn from.”
Barcelona are not a club that you walk away from in a hurry, even if you are struggling, but should the rumours coming out of Old Trafford regarding Nani’s future come to fruition and the Portuguese winger be allowed to leave, then all of a sudden a spot has opened up in the side, with the jury still well and truly out on Ashley Young, while Manchester City’s lack of creativity from wide areas is well-documented.
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Chelsea on the other hand, could perhaps do with another player to supplement their 4-2-3-1 system, with a heavy reliance on all three of Juan Mata, Eden Hazard and Oscar to start to have any sort of impact, and Marko Marin seems to have disappeared at Stamford Bridge since his surprise summer move.
It would be a great shame if Sanchez were to be dubbed a failure at Barcelona because he has the potential to be a world-class player when he matures, but his fragile confidence has played a part in making him an increasingly square peg in a round hole.
His future is far from assured, even if his recent struggles are understandable, and a move to England, where his pace, crossing ability and tactical awareness would mark him out as a superb signing for plenty of top flight clubs, even if only the Manchester duopoly and Chelsea stand a reasonable chance of tempting him away.
Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has insisted winger Arda Turan will not be sold despite being linked with Liverpool FC, among others, talkSport reports.
The Turkish winger had been linked with moves away from the Vicente Calderon Stadium after expressing to CNN Turkey, his desire to play for a club “capable of winning the Champions League”.
However Atletico boss Diego Simeone denied the the claims, telling reporters:
“Arda isn’t going, definitely. I didn’t hear what he said but people have told me. Everyone has the right to say what he wants to, what’s important is what he does on the pitch.
“There isn’t a single Atletico supporter who wouldn’t say that Arda is one of the best players we have and that he gives his all in every game. He has a contract with the club, he’s ours, he’s an extremely important player for the squad and he demonstrates it when he has to.”
Turan, 25, signed for Atletico from Turkish club Galatasaray in 2011, and has become a key player for the Spanish side who are enjoying a very impressive league campaign. They currently sit second in the table, only behind Barcelona and seven points ahead of neighbours Real.
The Turkish international who also helped Atletico to triumph in the Europa league last season, has scored four goals in 16 appearances for them so far this term.
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Liverpool chief Brendan Rodgers has moved early in the winter transfer window, already securing the services of England forward Daniel Sturridge in a £12million deal, and is believed to be keen to add to his squad further.
Another weekend passes in the football calendar and Coventry come out of it pretty well. A hard fought point away to Preston as well as having an unwanted FA Cup record taken away from them.
The draw at Preston was never going to be a classic with their often ‘ugly’ style of football combined with the shockingly poor pitch conditions. It was a game however which produced 4 goals evenly shared between the two teams although Preston technically got three of them with an own goal from Robertson.
It was a game which on the face of it Coventry would find difficult however we adapted surprisingly well and based on the stats could have easily won the match on another day. City finished the game with 14 attempts on target compared to Preston’s 3 and that stat tells its own story.
Coventry are clearly the better footballing side of the two and in that respect a point seems slightly disappointing but given the conditions we have to be happy with it and look forward to what is a huge game on Friday night away to Sheffield United. They are a team who are in and around the promotion chasing pack and a victory against them would be a huge step towards reaching our playoff goal.
It will very likely be a similar game to the Preston match in terms of the football on show. They have similar philosophies and ones that I really am not a fan of. Sheffield united have been one of the kings of this type of football for a long time and it has brought them both success and failure, more recently failure. They are undoubtedly a big club and along with us and Portsmouth are probably the only other club in league one who on name alone feels as if they shouldn’t be there.
They are though and so are we and this is a vital game in our season. We have shown we can compete with Sheffield united having knocked them out of the Johnstone’s paint trophy and with their lack of form recently I do fancy our chances.
My main concern is that of the match which follows and whether the player’s minds will be on that one. It is of course the home leg of the area final of the Johnstone’s paint trophy against Crewe. News broke this week that the match is a sell out and this is almost unheard of for a Coventry match and this will only add to the anticipation of the game for the players. I hope Robins can focus the players on the task in hand on Friday night and get a positive result to keep our hopes alive for not one but a potential two trips to Wembley.
The other positive of the weekend was that of Luton Town’s victory over premier league Norwich. For 14 years now Coventry City have been the unwanted holder of the record of being the last top flight team to be knocked out of the cup by a non-league side. This unwanted record is now passed onto Norwich after what can only be described as an incredible victory for Luton.
It was a bit of FA cup magic though and it wasn’t the only bit with seven premier league teams now having been knocked out by lower league sides. Most notable for us Coventry fans was Aston Villa’s loss to Millwall which came only days after their capital one cup exit at the hands of league two Bradford. Villa are a club in turmoil and there is a distinct possibility of seeing them relegated to the championship.
If relegation to the Championship were to happen then this is even more motivation to get promoted as that would create the chance for a local derby that has not happened since Villa beat City on the 5th May 2001 to condemn Coventry to relegation from the premier league. Relegation was inevitable but for Villa to be the team to confirm it made it hurt just that little bit more. A rematch has been a long time coming and I for one am hoping that it can take place next season in the championship.
That is next season though and what’s happening right now is the January transfer window is coming to an end. Coventry have already been busy doing business with the most recent being Cody McDonald leaving on loan to join the club in which he had the best spell of his career so far. He clearly hasn’t been showing what he can do in training and Robins has taken the chance to hopefully get him back to scoring goals and then there is every chance he could return full of confidence and be like a new signing for us.
Another player on his way out is Roy O’Donovan well that is if we can convince anyone to take him. He has never looked like he could cut it for us and if he does go that will leave us with only two fit recognised strikers in Clarke and Elliot. There are rumours going around that Robins does want some new blood in the squad and that a new striker is his top priority. This will only happen with outgoings freeing up wages though and it is looking pretty bleak on that front at the moment.
Names like Scotland and Earnshaw have been bandied about but neither of these were ever realistic in my opinion. I am actually drawing a blank when it comes to other potential names but one player who is currently on trial with the club is ex Chelsea and Sheffield united player Danny Philliskirk. At the age of 21 he is still young and I hope Robins takes a good long look at him before making his decision. There is clear potential there but what we don’t need is another player on the books who is not going to be involved in the squad.
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It could and should be an interesting last few days of the transfer market for us Coventry fans and let’s hope someone who can help our push for promotion can be drafted in.
Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino is surprised by Rickie Lambert’s lack of Premier League experience.
The Saints icon is currently the league’s top scoring Englishman, having netted 11 goals in his first campaign in the top tier.
Before joining the South Coast club he gained a reputation for being a lower league goal getter, performing admirably for Bristol Rovers, Macclesfield, Stockport, Blackpool and Rochdale.
He has carried this form into the top division, and his manager believes that he is one of the best front-men in the Premiership:
“For me, he’s an extraordinary footballer. When I see his career, I’m surprised he hasn’t played longer in the Premier League.” He is quoted by The Mirror.
“He has many qualities and none are outstanding over the others. It’s well known he’s a good player, he can shoot well and he’s skilful, what surprised me is his mentality.”
Lambert has performed well under Pochettino, who recently took charge of Southampton after Nigel Adkins’ controversial dismissal.
The Argentinian, whose team beat Manchester City on Saturday, is happy with the way they are playing:
“We have a methodology and philosophy and the players have shown a great -willingness to accept it.
“The players have a great capacity for assimilating ideas, a great ¬intelligence and have also adapted very, very well.”
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The Saints are now four points clear of the relegation zone having secured six wins from their opening 26 games.
One issue has been a leaky defensive line, which has been breached on more occasions than bottom of the table QPR.
Manchester City are preparing to launch a £10m bid for Leeds United teenager Sam Byram, according to reports in the Daily Mail.
The 19-year-old right back impressed City manager Roberto Mancini when Leeds met the Sky Blues in the FA Cup, and has since been short listed as one of the English players Mancini would like to sign in the summer.
The package deal would include £6m upfront, as well as add-ons and the possibility of the teenager returning to Elland Road on loan to continue his development.
The energetic youngster has registered interest from West Brom, Stoke and Wigan in recent months, but given the weighty deal Mancini is prepared to offer, City are the favourites to sign the right back.
As the current league champions arrange their deal for Byram, the club faces injury trouble at the Etihad, after David Silva confessed that he fears he may not be fit for City’s FA Cup semi-final match against Chelsea on Sunday.
Silva is scheduled to have scans done today to assess the hamstring strain he sustained during the Manchester Derby on Monday.
Of the injury, which caused him to limp out of the match, the Spanish forward said: “I felt it then and I feel it now.
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“It will be a big blow for me. It’s a game that everyone wants to play.”