Arsenal have drawn 0-0 with Marseille in the Champions League on Tuesday night, as Arsene Wenger’s side lacked the necessary guile to break down a stubborn French defence.
The Emirates outfit rested star striker Robin van Persie for the fixture, with South Korean forward Park Chu-Young partnering Gervinho in attack.
Despite not getting maximum points, Gunners boss Arsene Wenger was generally pleased with the performances in the two games against Didier Deschamps’ team.
“Overall, I must say, we took four points from Marseille in the two games. So now we want to win the Dortmund game at home and then we are in a strong position,” he told Sky Sports.
“But, of course, it is good that we didn’t concede tonight because it was difficult to score in the second half.”
On the plus side, Thomas Vermaelen returned to the starting line-up for the North London team, and managed to play the 90 minutes after returning from injury.
In the other Group F game Borussia Dortmund beat Olympiacos 1-0 at Signal Iduna Park, with an early strike by Kevin Grosskreutz proving the difference between the sides.
Arsenal still sit on top of the group, a point ahead of Marseille, with a trip to face Olympiakos and a home game against Dortmund still to be played.
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Stoke have secured progression to the knockout stages of the Europa League after drawing 1-1 with Dinamo Kiev at the Britannia Stadium on Thursday night.
A Matthew Upson own goal in the first half gave the Ukrainian visitors the lead at the interval, but a late Kenwyne Jones strike ensured that the Potters will be in the draw for the last 32.
With Tottenham, Fulham, Birmingham and Celtic struggling to progress past the pool stages, manager Tony Pulis is proud of the achievements of his team.
“We were off the pace in the first half but they’re a good side. There was one change from the side that knocked Manchester City out last season,” he told Mirror Football.
“What we’ve done is fantastic and we’ve qualified from what I think is the toughest group.
“That’s nine games in Europe and nine games unbeaten. It’s a great, great achievement. It’s very difficult for Premier League teams to play in the Europa League because you come back and every game is like a cup final.
“You can look at other European leagues and the strength in depth isn’t as great. It’s a real struggle in that respect but we want to do well.
“It’s the first time we’ve been in Europe for more than 30 years. You can wash it away, but I don’t want to wash it away, I want to enjoy it, I want the supporters to enjoy it, I want everybody at the football club to enjoy it because we might not get it for a while again.
“It’s the first time this football club’s ever achieved this, so it’s another milestone and is testimony to everything we’re trying to do,” he concluded.
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Stoke now take on Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday, and will look to replicate their European form domestically.
I think it’s fair to say that Arsenal fan patience with Russian International Andrei Arshavin has finally run out. His completely ineffectual cameo against City on Sunday could well prove to be the kiss of death for his Premier League career. All the talent in the world means naught if you don’t have the fitness levels to back it up in combination with the will and mentality to see out a game.
It’s telling that the last two meaningful Arsenal shots on Joe Hart’s goal came from Thomas Vermaelen, a man with a genuine never-say-die attitude. All I can remember from Arshavin is a dirt poor cross, which had the delivery been better would likely have resulted in a goal.
With Gervinho off to the African Cup of Nations and Chu-Young Park not offering a real alternative, I think it’s fair to say that Arsenal ought to bring somebody else in.
Some may suggest promoting the likes of Tomas Rosicky , Yossi Benayoun or Oxlade-Chamberlain, but they are all either too old or too raw. What’s really needed to replace Arshavin is a player as influential as the diminutive Russian was when he first arrived at the club.
The usual names will be tossed out: Lukas Podolski (yes please), Eden Hazard (we can dream) and Goetze (who can play on the wings as well as in the centre of midfield) but I think Wenger should also give heavy considerations to Xherdan Shaqiri.
Shaqiri has come on leaps and bounds during his time at FC Basel and his rise to prominence culminated in him providing the two assists that saw Man United tumble out the Champions League. At just 5”7 he certainly wouldn’t add any height to this Arsenal side, yet neither did Arshavin. What’s needed is his direct running, dynamism and his eye for a pass.
Indeed, he strikes me as the perfect antidote to Arshavin. What impresses about Shaqiri at just 20-years-old is his hunger and work-rate. He’s like a grass-powered dynamo, fizzing across the pitch, eager to make things happen. It’s all a far cry from Arshavin’s tepid, effort-free approach to the game.
Of course, in all likelihood Wenger won’t buy this kind of player during the January transfer window. Maybe he’ll instead seek to address the Gunner’s full-back problem. Of course that wont stop fans dreaming of the possibilities and surely Shaqiri is one of the very best?
Article courtesy of Harry Cloke from This is Futbol
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The narrow minded attitude of the BBC has sparked plenty of criticism over the past month or so as two Football League Shows over the Christmas period were cancelled, suggesting that the show could be scrapped altogether. Rumours were flying about on social networking sites but it is still unclear whether the 72 football league clubs’ supporters will be able to watch action from their teams.
The BBC claim it is in negotiations over whether to recommission the Football League Show, which is in the final year of a three-year contract, but whether they are successful is still to be seen as the Premier League is once again showing its distance between the rest.
A BBC spokeswoman made a statement on the recent cancellations: “The Boxing Day and 2nd January fixtures are outside our contractual obligations,” she said. “Many factors come into play when planning the busy Christmas schedules and we were unable to schedule a programme for New Year’s Eve. To address the shortfall, we will be doing an additional programme later in the season.”
Football League Show host Manish Bhasin attempted to squash any rumours that his show will be no longer after this season is finished.
“Budget decision I’m afraid … but all the goals will be online on the BBC Football website,” he said on Twitter “The FLS has NOT been scrapped! It’s on till May and who knows maybe even longer … but …”
Whatever the decision come May, the nonchalant decision to not show crucial fixtures for waiting fans is a clear sign that the BBC have more interest in the Premier League than ever. The gap between the top two divisions in England is widely thought not to be a great deal in footballing terms, but financially and in people’s priorities it is now huge.
The funding for the Championship sides is decreasing consistently and clubs falling from the top division are finding it harder and harder to compete at the lower level due to financial restrictions and a shock to the system.
It is staggering to think that the Championship, League One and League Two clubs get so little TV time but yet I am confident that West Ham, Birmingham City, Southampton and possibly Cardiff City would not look out of place in the declining Premier League this season. The parachute payments are a ticking time bomb for clubs such as Blackpool who will take a long time to match the heights of Premier League football last season and without excellent owners will have that debt for a long time.
The Football League Show will return this weekend even though the BBC claim that this weeks’ Carling Cup games were more important than the Football League in recent weeks, but the timing of the show usually passes midnight and not all supporters will be able to watch it which once again shows priorities that are not welcomed in modern day football. I am interested in all levels of English football, not just the top 20 teams so why should I not be able to watch the rest because the BBC feel it is less important.
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Do you think the Football League Show is worth keeping on? Let me know on Twitter: @Brad_Pinard
It has been a common viewpoint over the past couple of seasons that Tottenham were just a top class striker away from being title contenders. The rest of the ingredients were there, the only thing that was missing was a man able to make the most of the chances that were being created in abundance from, perhaps, the most exciting midfield in the Premier League.
Emmanuel Adebayor has been that man this season, weighing in with 10 goals and assists already. The only issue for Spurs remains can they hold onto the Togolese target man beyond the summer, with his loan deal from rivals Manchester City due to expire at the end of the season.
Adebayor is rumoured to be keen to turn his loan into a permanent transfer at the end of the current campaign, thanks to his relationship with manager Harry Redknapp, who he says has recaptured his desire for the game. The striker told the Evening Standard:
“It’s always special to have a manager like this and I’ve got my confidence back and my life back,
“I came here to help the team get into the top four and I think I’m doing quite well at the moment.
“We all play football to gain money, too, especially as I’m from Africa and I have to give something back to my community. I’ve been doing a lot of charity work, I’m taking my own wages to do it and I will continue to do that until the end of my career.
“I’ll leave it to Harry Redknapp, Daniel Levy and (City chairman) Khaldoon Al Mubarak to find a solution among themselves.
“I have to enjoy myself on the pitch and they have to do the paperwork.”
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The 27-year-old currently picks up wages in the region of £170,000-per-week on his mega-contract at City, with Tottenham paying around half of that amount during his spell in North London. Spurs chairman Daniel Levy would be willing to continue with that figure to keep him at the club permanently, but it remains unclear as to whether the striker would be willing to take a 50% pay cut.
Keeping Adebayor is a must for Spurs if they are to signal their intent at a title push next season. He has been a key part of the attacking set-up at White Hart Lane, getting the best out of whoever he partners, and giving the team a physical presence in the final third. The striker has been paired with Jermain Defoe, Roman Pavlyuchenko and Louis Saha this term, linking with each to great effect, as well as being adept as a lone front man with Rafael van der Vaart in support. Allowing him to leave would be a backward step for the club, who would struggle to find a proven replacement for a similar transfer fee over the summer.
Another issue could be ‘Arry’s long-term commitment to the club, in light of the availability of the England job. If offered the position, it’s likely that Redknapp would find it too tempting an offer to refuse, placing doubt over Adebayor’s willingness to commit to a permanent deal. He has already stated the effect that his new coach has had on his game, and the threat of a another manager and new system could deter Adebayor.
The Togo International will not be short of potential suitors this summer due to the quality of his performances. The Qatari backed duo of Malaga and Paris Saint-Germain are rumoured to be interested in the front-man, and would be able to match his current payload, plus there is supposed interest from some of Italy’s big clubs.
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Spurs face a battle to keep hold of their on-loan striker, but if they are willing to put their money where their mouth is, it would almost certainly be a wise investment, with the Togo man enjoying his football at White Hart Lane.
Chelsea boss Andre Villas Boas has been assured by club owner Roman Abramovich that he will not be sacked, even if the English side are eliminated from the Champions League.
The Stamford Bridge side have had an inconsistent 2011-12, with their season hanging in the balance currently; they take on Napoli in Italy in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie on Tuesday night.
Despite the media speculation regarding the Portuguese manager’s future, Villas Boas has revealed that he has been backed by the club’s Russian owner.
“There is full belief from the owner in what we’re doing,” Villas Boas told Sky Sports.
“From the message received from the club recently there is a clear indication that there’s a change in the way we approach the projects of the future.
“There is a belief in what we are going to do next year, setting out a team to win the biggest amount of trophies we can.
“That doesn’t undermine the responsibilities that we have this year. So bearing in mind those responsibilities this year, and the results we’ve been having, speculation is normal based on the cultural past of this football club.
“But we’ve got to understand sometimes there is a different perspective and I think that time is now.
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“With full confidence from the owner I will continue to do my job and my job is this year and next year,” he concluded.
As the Premier League celebrates 20 glorious – well certainly lucrative – years, it’s worth remembering the bloke whose brainchild it all was. He was also the fella who gave the world Roland Rat – my former boss at TV-AM , Greg Dyke.
Back in 1990, Greg, who was managing director at London Weekend Television, gathered the main men from England’s five biggest clubs of the time around a dinner table and told them the topflight should break away from the Football League.
Always regarded as a visionary in the television industry, Greg was also canny with cash. I still remember when he called me in and offered me a job at the ailing TV-AM – “Only one catch, Jim,” he said, “we won’t be able to pay you!” It shows just how good his powers of persuasion were that I accepted.
A few months later they did start to pay me and, after Roland Rat came along to save the breakfast-time broadcaster, I went on to I recall to a enjoy 10 years there. Much of that time was spent watching a bloke called Dave Claridge hiding behind a sofa with his hand up Roland Rat’s backside.
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While boss at LWT, Greg was hoping his own company would be beneficiaries of the breakaway Premier League he envisaged. Ian St seeing hatred, massive presence, crumbling stadium game was So he got together with Martin Edwards of Manchester United, Noel White of Liverpool, David Dein of Arsenal, Philip Carter of Everton and Tottenham’s Irving Scholar to sow the seeds of the breakaway. Yet even though he was a man blessed with foresight, not even Greg could have predicted the scale of the revolution he was setting in motion.
Football was at a terribly low ebb when he chaired that initial meeting back in 1990. I recall going to a match with Ian St John – I think it was at Goodison Park, but it could have been anywhere – and seeing the abuse and hatred between supporters, th i li li the massive police presence, the crumbling stadium and getting the general feeling that the game we loved was dying on its arse. You wouldn’t want to take your kids to a football match back then, so we have certainly come a long way since those dark days.
The Taylor Report into the Hillsborough disaster would have transformed England’s football grounds, with or without the advent of the Premier League, but it all became part of the same process, as change swept through the game. Foreign players soon became commonplace – the likes of Dennis Bergkamp, Eric Cantona and Gianfranco Zola were magnificent arrivals, even if quantity began to outweigh quality when the next wave of overseas players came along. And, of course, the most astonishing changes have come in terms of football’s finances.
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This was where Greg missed the boat, as LWT were blown out of the water by Sky, with Alan Sugar – who was busy flogging satellite dishes at the time – insisting that TV going match with John, the the police the rights for football were going to go through the roof. Yet if Sugar knew as much about business as he tells us, he would never have sold Spurs.
Interestingly, none of the five movers and shakers assembled by Greg Dyke has any real involvement at their clubs any more. Liverpool, Man United and Arsenal are all under American ownership, Spurs are bankrolled from the Bahamas and Everton – still under British ownership – are struggling to keep up.
I’ll never be one of those ex-players who begrudges the fact that average Premier League footballers now earn far more than I ever did. I’d never criticise anyone for making as much money as they can for their families. But I do wish I’d been born 50 years later. Greg Dyke never did pay me footballers’ wages for sitting on that TV-AM sofa.
Turkish club Besiktas are thought to be interested in Chelsea’s Salomon Kalou and Arsenal’s Nicklas Bendtner, according to The Daily Mail.
The eastern European club are believed to have sent a delegation to London last week to discuss a potential summer move to Turkey with Kalou’s representatives, with a bumper pay packet on offer.
The Ivory Coast international is out of contract at the end of the season and has also attracted interest from Tottenham and a number of other clubs.
Chelsea are thought to be eager to keep the attacker, but as yet there has been no hint of whether a new contract has been offered.
Meanwhile, Besiktas have also earmarked Nicklas Bendtner as a potential new signing.
The Turks tried to ensnare the Denmark international last summer but the striker rejected a move to the Super Lig club, but after a season on loan at Sunderland, the forward’s future remains unclear.
It is evident that Bendtner does not have a role to play in Arsene Wenger’s plans, and it is rumoured that the Black Cats will not take up their option to sign him on a permanent basis.
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It’s not even been a week since West Ham secured promotion back to the top flight, but already Big Sam has been busy.
This week the Hammers boss has already let six players leave, and has conducted his transfer wish list. Big Sam has always been good in the transfer market, he has always attracted good players and big names and he is hoping to continue this trend in this window. In fact, Allardyce has 32 names to mind.
Already four enquiries have been made for four players. These four players all come from the Championship with Big Sam and the club keen to take young, fresh players from the league below.
Below are Big Sam’s top four targets from the Championship.
Robert Snodgrass:
Top of West Ham’s list is Leeds talisman Snodgrass. The Hammers attempted to sign the 24 year old in January but were unsuccessful with a bid.
The club will continue to pursue the Scottish international this summer and where a deal will look more likely. The player has already rejected a contract from Leeds, and with Leeds short of money a bid in the region of £3m should be enough to bring him to Upton Park.
Snodgrass has reportedly said he wants to be in the Premier League next season and he would love to join the Hammers.
If West Ham capture Snodgrass it will be a great signing. He would fit the bill in Big Sam’s 4-3-3 formation, playing on the left hand side.
Being left footed he would offer great balance to the side and with Vaz Te on the other flank, it would be a force that would certainly create chances and score goals.
Nathaniel Clyne:
With Big Sam releasing Faubert, and Demel injury, the West Ham boss is hoping to bring in a top quality, young right back.
Top of Big Sam’s wish list at full back is Crystal Palace right back Nathaniel Clyne.
The 21 year old has turned into an integral part of the Palace team and has performed with great maturity all season. He is certainly a cut above the championship.
He is an attacking full back but can certainly defend. His performance in the Carling Cup against Manchester United was highlight.
But, with his huge potential other top Premier League sides will be going in for him, and West Ham could face competition from the Likes of Arsenal and Manchester United.
The club are however, confident of landing him as they can offer him first team football. Clyne could be signed in the region of £5m.
Wilfired Zaha:
West Ham have already sent an enquiry in for Zaha, and are hopeful of signing this great prospect.
Zaha won Championship young player of the year last campaign and set the division alight with a string of superb performances.
At only 19 he is already thought of as one of the brightest prospects in English football.
He is reportedly interested in joining West Ham, due to the chances he will get to play in the Premier League, and with him only having to move a short distance across London this is a deal that could be done.
The youngster can play either upfront or on the wings, and like Snodgrass he will be the perfect fit in a 4-3-3 formation and give great competition to others in the squad,
Zaha possess blistering pace and bags of skill, but he also has an end product. He can pick out a good pass as well as find the net.
Zaha could be signed for around £8m.
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Jay Rodriguez:
The Hammers have already enquired about Rodriguez and are hopeful of capturing the Burnley man.
The young striker has enjoyed a great season with Burnley but now wants to step up to the Premier League.
The forward has scored 21 goals in 42 league games this season. He has the ability, pace and skill to play up front on his own and would offer great competition to Cole and Maynard.
However, Rodriguez is in high demand. Newly promoted Southampton have had a £6m offer turned down for the striker. Burnley know the potential Rodriguez has and will only sell for what they believe is a good price.
It’s unclear whether Saints will bid again, but West Ham would be happy to bid more than £6m and would even offer a player swap, with either Baldock or Sears potentially going the other way.
They are Big Sam’s top targets from the championship but other players he is interested in include: Richardson, Lansbury, McCartney, Seedorf, Berbatov, Olson, Dann, Samba, Simpson Lukaku plus others.
As with most things in life which restrict our actions, we will forever strive to find a way around it, a loophole which allows us the freedom to do what we want. It is human nature to rebel against the controlling influences which limit our liberty. Though football is wildly removed from wider society, the rules of human nature still apply; football clubs and those who run them will always endeavour to ways of initiating gain in spite of regulatory legislation.
With UEFA’s Financial Fair Play rulings imposing a deeper sense of financial caution, clubs are increasingly seeking new avenues of income to counter the restrictive but necessary regulations. Though at times appearing a legal maze of complications, at the heart of Financial Fair Play is the notion that a club’s ‘football-related expenditure’ must be assessed in relation to revenue; it is this choice of terminology which clubs are looking to best exploit.
In fact, although UEFA’s policies look at first glance to be taking a rugged approach to excessive spending, the wording of the body’s official legislation presents clubs with a viable opportunity to capitalise upon UEFA’s vagueness. Essentially, ‘football-related expenditure’ is what clubs spend on wages and transfer fees. Any other money spent on academies, stadium improvements or other such ventures is discounted. Perversely, however, this is measured against all forms of income.
As a result, no longer able to rely upon the bankrolling of sugar daddy owners, Europe’s elite have sought alternative revenue streams – and found them. In the cases of Tottenham, Manchester City and Manchester United, innovative decision making has detailed the ease with which clubs can placate UEFA’s rulings.
At Manchester City, the much publicised stadium deal with Etihad Airways has been the subject of much chagrin in footballing circles, as the eclipsing deal further lengthens the ever-widening disparity between England’s top clubs. Though figures of £400million are somewhat debatable, there is little doubt that the sale of naming rights and sponsorship has gone a long way towards balancing City’s gigantic losses.
Over the past two seasons at White Hart Lane, though perhaps not instantly noticeable, Tottenham have been playing with separate sponsors split between league and cup competitions. Overall, this is estimated to have brought an estimated £20million in revenue for the club. Not at all suspicious, merely a simple piece of financial engineering.
In much the same way, you may recently have seen an advertising campaign from DHL proclaiming the company to be Manchester United’s ‘official logistics partner’. Signed at the start of the season, the partnership ensures an additional £10million per year for United with DHL receiving sponsorship rights on training gear. In a slightly less glamourous venture, Malaysian Food Manufacturer Mamee Double Decker recently struck a deal for their Mister Potato brand of crisps to be United’s ‘official snack partner’.
Each of these three examples highlights an alarming and unnerving trend in the realm of football sponsorship. Increasingly, clubs are attempting to emulate a U.S form of branding which maximises profit potential yet compromises the ethical composition of the English game. In the United States, limited legislation on sports sponsorship provides opportunities for franchises to benefit from multiple backers. As UEFA Financial Fair Play pushes clubs to obtain extended forms of income, there is the real risk of English football shifting towards an American style system whereby every inch of available advertising space is occupied. Shirts appear less a representation of club ideals and begin to resemble a sticker strewn suitcase of a frequent traveler.
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Though there is nothing particularly illicit about the activities of clubs wishing to acquire greater sponsorship, there must come a time in which we say enough is enough. Many are able to pacify UEFA’s Financial Fair Play rulings through shameless exploitation of any revenue means necessary. We have now reached a point where Manchester United list a total of 28 sponsors on their official website, from ‘Official Office Equipment Partner’ to ‘Official Communications Partner in Bulgaria’. Clubs have a right to explore new avenues of income, but English football has now reached ludicrous levels of capitalisation.