Manchester United just never know when they are beaten and a stunning comeback saw Fergie’s men go 5pts clear at the top of the Premier League. Sir Alex believes that the result could galvanise United’s title push and on this second half showing you will be a brave man to back against the Red Devils in claiming a record 19th title.
In the papers this morning we have seen a mixed bag of stories that includes Dalglish claiming the return of Gerrard will give the Reds momentum; Fabregas desperate for silverware and John Terry fights back for southern softies.
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Dalglish says return of Gerrard will add momentum – Guardian
New clip leaves Richard Keys in firing line – Daily Telegraph
Spurs plan to leave N17 even if bid fails – Guardian
Fabregas desperate for silverware – Daily Telegraph
Fabio Capello: I trust women officials to rule over the game – Daily Mail
Terry fights back for ‘southern softies’ – Guardian
Chelsea’s £52m swoop KO’d – Sun
Football ruled out by Olympic board in 2006 – Daily Telegraph
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Villa to launch bid for Jenas – Sun
Wenger cools Chamberlain talk – Sky Sports
Hart has to pull his finger out – Capello – Mirror
Blackpool manager Ian Holloway was relieved his side could halt their run of five losses with a 1-1 draw at home to Aston Villa.
The Seasiders had the chance to clinch the game late on when Villa’s Jean Makoun was dismissed, but Holloway said he was satisfied with his side’s fourth point in 2011.
“I suppose I’ll have to be happy (with a point). We had a bit of a nervous opening quarter of an hour,” he said.
“It was the first time we looked like that all season and they got an absolute classic counter-attacking goal.”
Holloway said his side put forward their usual aggressive tactics but were denied a winner by a stern Villa defence.
“We threw everything we had at them and they defended resolutely. Hopefully, we’ve seen a change of the tide. They broke away in the last minute and they didn’t score, which has been happening to us of late,” he said.
Villa boss Gerard Houllier agreed that referee Howard Webb’s decision to send off Makoun midway through the second half was the correct one.
“I don’t think my opinion (on the sending off) would change things,” the Frenchman joked.
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“I think first of all the sending off was a reckless tackle. I know it was not malicious, I know it was not to hurt, but this one, his feet were off the ground. I know he got the ball, I know it was a good tackle but the rules are simple. When you have got your feet off the ground, it’s a direct red.”
“Obviously, 20-25 minutes, it’s a different game. Down to 10 men, you have to show different qualities. I’m pleased that we were resilient, we showed some resolute defending. We were disciplined, and I was very, very satisfied, very proud of the effort of the players because they really fought hard to keep the point.”
Everton manager David Moyes has urged his side to remain focused ahead of their FA Cup fifth-round clash with Reading on Tuesday.After a thrilling penalty shoot-out win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in a fourth-round replay, there is a danger Moyes’ men may feel a bit of a letdown coming up against Championship opposition.But with Brian McDermott’s side having already accounted for English Premier League opponents West Brom in the third round and knocking out Liverpool in last season’s competition, Moyes has urged his troops to be on their game on Tuesday.”It’s the FA Cup, you never know what is going to happen. Throughout the years, there’s always been results that you didn’t expect,” the Scot said. “We’ve got to make sure that this is one that we do expect in trying to get Everton through.” “I think Brian McDermott has done a great job down there with his team. He’s steadied Reading and it wasn’t too long ago that they were a Premier League team so we’ve got to be wary of that and mindful. They’ve had some good results themselves.” Everton have endured a difficult league campaign and are in 10th place in the table – just five points clear of the relegation zone – and Moyes feels they have played without luck for much of the season.”I think we’ve played well all season without getting the results,” he said.”It’s beginning to look as if we can score a few goals which early on wasn’t the case.””We beat Blackpool and scored a few against Blackpool. We had a bad day at Bolton, but we’ve been to Chelsea and sorted it out. And we’ve won against Sunderland, so I’m hoping that we’re beginning to find a bit more consistency.”
I know it seems like we’ve talked this issue to death, but after watching Chelsea dismantle Copenhagen with ease and then over-power Manchester United, I started to wonder about Ray Wilkins. The former assistant to manager Carlo Ancelotti sat in the Sky Sports studio reflecting on Chelsea’s announcement that they are not quite over-the-hill yet. He offered a diplomatic response whilst still showing unwavering affection to the team who sacked him three months previously for no real reason. The question has to be asked what could have been for Chelsea this season? They were flying at the start of the season and looked untouchable. Surely Wilkins’ dismissal and the Blues’ drop in form wasn’t just some coincidence, was it?
Many may have questioned what all the fuss was about when it was announced Wilkins would leave Stamford Bridge. After all, it wasn’t the manager of Frank Lampard being ushered away from West-London. But I think the role of assistant manager is undervalued. Take Manchester United for example. Sir Alex Ferguson is obviously very good at what he does, but United have been most successful when they’ve had a strong man behind him. In 1999, Steve McClaren joined and United went 33 games unbeaten en route to winning the treble. I’m not saying that Chelsea would have continued to win every game with Wilkins still in place, but I’d argue that they would be better off than fourth in the league with only the Champions League left to play for.
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He’s a football man but more importantly, he seems a man’s man. How difficult must it be for a group of players who have to deal with managers coming and going? Stability is imperative to a successful side, even more so when a club has an owner like Roman Abramovich, who likes to freshen things up every couple of years with a complete overhaul of the management system. David James recently blogged that an assistant manager can bridge the gap between the players and the manager. Since 2008, I’d say Wilkins had done that (among other things) quite well at Chelsea, especially with all three managers being foreigners during his time at the Bridge. I know a lot of Chelsea’s squad are also from outside the home nations, but who are the most important players at Chelsea? John Terry? Or Frank Lampard perhaps? So who now has the job of effectively conveying the concerns Chelsea’s top boys have? Well, Michael Emenalo, obviously! The head opposition scout. It all makes perfect sense now…
I’m being facetious, of course. It doesn’t seem to be a move which has paid off, not until now anyway. Chelsea spent heavily in January to dig themselves out of a hole which it would seem they made for themselves. If Wilkins was still there, doing what he was so successfully doing, Chelsea could have maintained the consistency and may well be in with a shout of reclaiming the Premier League trophy. Combine the early-season Chelsea with Ray Wilkins and add David Luiz and Fernando Torres on top of that. Sounds frightening, doesn’t it?
Chelsea have identified the importance of an assistant manager, not just to the man in charge himself, but to the rest of the squad. Ancelotti et al can argue until they’re Chelsea-blue in the face that their poor form was not down to Wilkins’ departure, but really – who are they trying to fool? Ray Wilkins seemed to be the heartbeat of Chelsea. They won the league last season, so why change it?
Maybe one day we will hear the truth, because there has to be more to it. For now, Chelsea have fired a warning shot to any other club thinking that they can cut corners by getting rid of their assistant manager: Do so at your peril, Wilkins is the proof. Actually, forget that. It was just a coincidence. Right?
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Three weeks ago we learned that the Championship’s runaway leaders Queen Park Rangers will face disciplinary action from the FA for breaches pertaining to the transfer of Argentine midfielder Alejandro Faurlin. Prior to that, Manchester City defender Kolo Toure was suspended after failing a drug test.
The charges facing QPR relate to third-party ownership, use of an unlicensed agent and providing false information to the FA.
Third-party ownership is an increasingly prevalent practice in football, particularly in South America. It is however, prohibited in English football. The FA introduced regulations in 2009 preventing clubs from “enter[ing] into a contract which enables any other party to that contract to acquire the ability materially to influence its policies or the performance of its team” following the infamous Carlos Tevez affair in 2007.
Given the controversy and intense publicity surrounding the Tevez affair, it is staggering to learn that QPR acted so carelessly in the acquisition of Alejandro Faurlin.
However, the Loftus Road side may be able to take solace from the Tevez affair. The FA has a discretionary range of punishments at its disposal. When punishing West Ham United in 2007, the FA decided that docking points was “not proportionate” and instead opted to issue a £5m fine.
Whilst QPR may have mitigating factors working in their favour, it is hard to feel any sympathy for Kolo Toure. Toure’s recklessness in failing to check whether his wife’s diet pills violated doping rules was inexcusable.
All PFA members receive documents listing banned substances, and are able to use a website to check whether specified supplements or medicines contain any such substances. Toure, along with the rest of the Manchester City squad, was visited by PFA representatives earlier this season.
Although QPR and Manchester City compete in different tiers of English football, the timing and severity of the aforementioned incidents could prove to be crucial turning points in their respective campaigns.
QPR, who lead the Championship table by nine points with eight games remaining, could see their chances of automatic promotion to the Premier League dashed if the FA decides to punish the Hoops by way of a points deduction. Manchester City, on the hand, must now battle to secure FA Cup success and Champions League qualification without the services of their most experienced centre-back.
The fact that the stakes are so high for both clubs means that the carelessness of QPR’s hierarchy and Kolo Toure are extremely hard to fathom.
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Gianfranco Zola was sacked as West Ham manager at the end of last season. The Italian spent close to two years in the Premier League with the Hammers and in that time developed strong feelings for the club. Here’s Zola talking about his time at Upton Park…
So what have you been up to since you left West Ham?
Gianfranco Zola: I’ve been spending a lot of time with the family, and I’ve just focused on that. I’ve also still been working on my UEFA pro licence and watching a lot of games. I’ve decided to spend this time trying to improve on what I did at West Ham and get ready for the next adventure.
So when you say you’re still working on the pro licence, is that something you were working on at West Ham as well?
GZ: Yes it was part of the plan. When I joined West Ham I needed permission to manage from the Premier League and there an agreement made with the Premier League that I had to complete the UEFA pro licence within a certain amount of time.
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Looking back at your time as West Ham manager how do you reflect on your time there?
GZ: When I first joined the club, despite a difficult time at the beginning, we managed to find the right balance. We found a way, and everybody was performing at his best. The second year my plan was to try and build on what we’d done the year before. Unfortunately things didn’t work out like that. The West Ham fans were amazingly passionate and I am very proud to have managed the club.
How would you describe your style as a manager, in terms of how you treat your players and the kind of football you like to play?
GZ: I’m a manager who tries to make sure his team enjoys the football that they play. I believe that every single player plays more than anything for the fun of it, for the pleasure that they take from playing football. So I try to create an environment where the players are enjoying what they are doing and therefore they give their best. That’s my philosophy. That’s what I try to do all the time.
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You were a creative forward who tried to play attacking football, but not all managers are like that. A lot of managers who were strikers are defensive coaches or the other way around. Why do you think that is?
GZ: It’s just a philosophy, you know. Some people think they can give their best by thinking how can I score a goal, others think they can give their best by thinking how they can stop the opposition from playing. It’s just a matter of how your mind works. There’s no explanation, and I don’t think one is better than the other. You have to choose the one that suits you best.
Visit the Dugout www.yahoo.co.uk/dugout for new interviews every week with England’s top football managers
Antonio Valencia is receiving a lot of praise for his forty-minute spell as an emergency right back against Chelsea on Wednesday night.
The Ecuadorean was perhaps not the expected choice to fill in for the injured Rafael, with Park Ji-Sung’s famed energy levels and tenacity probably making him a more obvious candidate at the time.
However, Sir Alex Ferguson had decided to let a winger do a full back’s job only four days earlier against West Ham, when Ryan Giggs played at left back for the second half in place of Patrice Evra. The tactical switch worked very well on that occasion, and the results were just as satisfying at Stamford Bridge too.
If United’s back four has looked experimental at times lately then that is entirely understandable. Due to injury and suspension, defensive resources have been stretched. John O’Shea and Wes Brown both have vast experience at right back but were unavailable on Wednesday night; it was telling, too, that the beleaguered Jonny Evans, who has spent some time at full back, was overlooked from the bench when the need arose to replace Rafael.
Evans, of course, was sent off against Bolton in March, his last appearance for the first team, and his dismissal resulted in a defensive reshuffle then, with Michael Carrick moving to central defence for the last portion of the match.
While necessity has been the mother of invention, then, in terms of the recent successful deployment of Giggs and now Valencia at full back, it’s also worth remembering the recent FA Cup tie against Arsenal that saw Rafael and Fabio line up as wingers. The personnel United have used in wide areas has been particularly interesting for several weeks now. In fact, it reminds me of an article that Jonathan Wilson, the Guardian’s resident tactical expert, wrote for the newspaper’s website last October.
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Wilson’s topic was Barcelona’s full backs and how far they push up the pitch. His theory was that, with the forward pressing of Dani Alves, in particular, being both a primary source of attacking width and also an effective way of countering teams that sit deep, the Spanish side’s formation was morphing into a curious throwback to a system supposedly consigned to history. With Vittorio Pozzo in charge, Italy’s two World Cup wins in 1934 and 1938 were achieved with what was known as the W-W formation, essentially a 2-3-2-3. With the two wide defenders playing higher up the pitch than where modern full backs would traditionally operate, alongside a deep-lying midfielder they would form a floating trio in front of the centre backs. The deep-lying midfielder was the hub of the team, dropping almost into defence to receive the ball as the full backs pushed on.
This might all sound a bit theoretical. It makes more sense when players’ names are added to the equation. In Barcelona’s case, as Wilson explained, the deep-lying midfielder who practically becomes another centre-half is Sergio Busquets. For United, the equivalent player would be Michael Carrick. Given his vastly improved performance on Wednesday night – his best for two seasons at least – it is particularly exciting to consider the possibility of a prolonged return to form for the United midfielder alongside the potential shown by two of our wingers at full back recently.
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Giggs and Valencia are clearly not long-term options in wide defensive positions, but Patrice Evra was bought with a reputation as a left-sided defender who could also play on the wing and nobody would doubt Rafael’s willingness to go forward either. If United’s regular full backs were encouraged to attack even more than they already do then Michael Carrick, with some experience in defence himself, would be the ideal covering midfielder in, potentially, our very own W-W.
You can follow William Abbs on Twitter @WilliamAbbs
Read more of Willam’s articles at the excellent ‘Red Flag Flying High’
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Can Fergie complete a double this weekend? His horse What a Friend is 11/1 to win the Grand National. Make sure you don’t miss out on the biggest betting event of the year!
Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain hit a hat-trick in their 6-3 thrashing of Valencia in La Liga on Saturday.Jose Mourinho’s side was in devastating form as they held a 4-0 half-time lead at the Estadio de Mestalla, although they failed to make up any ground on first-placed rivals Barcelona, who also had a win.
Higuain was the provider of the first in the 23rd minute as his pass led to Valencia goal-keeper Vicente Guaita palming into the path of Karim Benzema, who hammered home into an empty net.
The Argentine got his first goal of three in the 31st minute with a tight finish, before setting up Kaka for the team’s third six minutes from half-time.
The Brazilian returned the favour twice to Higuain, either side of the interval, as Real Madrid led 5-0 after 53 minutes.
Valencia striker Roberto Soldado pulled a goal back on the hour mark before Kaka completed his brace after an assist from Benzema two minutes later.
Substitutes Jonas and Jordi Alba provided some respectability to the scoreline with goals in the last 10 minutes as the third-placed Valencia crashed to a heavy defeat.
Barcelona maintained their eight-point lead at the top of the table, however, with a hard-fought 2-0 win over Osasuna.
Goals from David Villa and his second-half replacement Lionel Messi ensured Pep Guardiola’s team kept their buffer at the top.
Villa finished smartly in the 24th minute after benefiting from a slick team move that led to a superb pass from Jeffren in his direction.
Messi wrapped up the points two minutes from time with a neat finish after Dani Alves slid him behind the Osasuna defence.
The loss continues Osasuna’s nervous finish to the season, still sitting two points above the drop zone.
There is no longer a revolution underway at Anfield, it is well and truly complete as Liverpool now occupy fifth place in the Premier League and although it is probably too late to catch Manchester City for the Champions League berth, this season has been well and truly rescued by Kenny Dalglish and his team. Liverpool spent big and boldly in the January transfer window in order to try and salvage their season and despite Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez (especially) having performed well for the Merseyside outfit since their arrival, it has been ‘King’ Kenny’s faith in the youngsters that has been the real positive from this season.
John Flanagan, Jack Robinson, Jay Spearing, Jonjo Shelvey and Martin Kelly have all made great strides under the Kop Hero and have slotted in comfortably to aid Liverpool through their injury troubles, with all of them turning in performances that belie their years. Dalglish’s belief in the youngsters has been a breathe of fresh air in a league that sees the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City mainly ignoring home grown talent and preferring to spend big abroad, but with a reported major summer overhaul of Liverpool’s squad, will the promising starlets be lost amongst pound signs and foreign imports?
Since the end of January, Liverpool have only let in 8 goals, a remarkable feat by a defensive unit. Martin Kelly, can play all across the back line and prior to his injuries the young England Under-21 international’s performances have even forced Liverpool and England’s first choice right back Glen Johnson to play at left back several times this year. But with both these full backs out, along with Fabio Aurelio, up stepped Jack Robinson. The young Englishman put in a sublime performance in the recent 1-1 draw with Arsenal, where he had Samir Nasri and Theo Walcott in his ‘back pocket’. With such talents emerging in the full back positions, should Liverpool really look to be adding someone like Newcastle left back Jose Enrique to their squad?
Jay Spearing epitomises that iconic FIFA 2010 saying “bulldog-like approach” and has been hugely impressive in the absence of Steven Gerrard. Despite the much improved performances of Lucas and a returning Aquilani, if Liverpool were to partner the young Englishman with Stevie G next season, he would only get better, which is a scary thought considering Spearing’s incredible determination and work rate already at just 22.
The future is bright down Anfield Road and if Kenny Dalglish sits tight, he will reap the rewards from his young stars next season, and with the money saved on transfers perhaps Kenny can afford a different haircut after 30 years.
Perhaps the time has come for a Red Dawn.
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Just hours after tasting success in the Europa League, Porto boss Andre Villas-Boas has already set his sights on more European glory.Villas-Boas became the youngest manager in history to lift a European trophy after Porto battled to a 1-0 win over Sporting Braga in Dublin on Wednesday night.
Radamel Falcao’s 44th-minute header – his 17th goal of the tournament – proved the decisive moment for the club, with the win taking them a step closer to an historic treble.
Porto wrapped up the Liga Sagres title with five matches to spare and they now just need to defeat Vitoria Guimaraes in the Taca De Portugal final on Sunday to seal a hat-trick of major trophies.
And the 33-year-old Villas-Boas – who will be in high demand as a manager – is committed to taking Porto to even greater success.
“I think we have to not focus on my ambitions, that’s not what is important. The most important thing is that Porto has the UEFA Cup in its trophy cabinet again,” he said.
“This is something very, very important for us. It reflects the quality of the work we do. After 2003-2004 it’s something very, very special to get it again. This is something that means a lot to us people of Porto and we are very close to another moment of joy, so let’s focus on beating this number of titles which is something we can be proud of.”
While the match did not live up to the hype of a final as the normally free-scoring Porto were somewhat subdued, Villas-Boas was thrilled to lift the trophy.
“I do feel just a little sad, because both teams could have been better,” he said.
“Both teams found it hard, but that is nothing new in a final. Braga are always very aggressive and very compact, which makes our work very hard.”
“But there is a great joy in winning the trophy.”
Striker Falcao is also likely to come in for some attention but Villas-Boas said he hoped high release clauses would stave off any potential suitors.
“Speculation is normal with managers and football players all around the world, it’s nothing new. Porto has had an incredible year, and people will speculate a lot with the exits. I can only tell you that Porto has the highest release clauses in the market so it’s not easy for any of this talent to run away from us and we would like to keep as much talent as possible for the year after,” he said.
For his part, Falcao could not hide his delight at sealing the title.
“I am very, very happy – I lived for a moment like this – but this is especially for the team,” Falcao said.
“I thank God and Porto to be in a position like this. Being the top-scorer is just an extra, what matters is the victory.”
Goalkeeper and Porto skipper Helton had extra reason to celebrate as he kept a clean sheet on his 33rd birthday.
“Besides being very heavy, this trophy is a wonderful birthday gift,” Helton said.
“We knew it would not be easy and that is how it proved.”