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Jose Mourinho eyeing return to England in Man City or Liverpool

hydir@ymail.com (Ir. hydir) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 14:41:00 +0000

Jose Mourinho could be set for a Premier League comeback with Manchester City after hinting he wants to return to England.

The under-fire Inter Milan coach, who could be fired if the Italian giants to not reach the knockout phase of the Champions League, said: "I am ready for the next phase of my career. I want to work with a different perspective.

I love Inter and would love to build for the future here... but Italy is not the country for this.

"England is the country. And my football is English football."

City could well decide to bring the self-styled Special One home is Mark Hughes' side continue to stumble. They have drawn their last five matches and face a crucial month with matches against Liverpool and Chelsea in the League and Arsenal in the Carling Cup quarter-finals.

Liverpool could also be interested if Rafa Benitez fails to reach the Champions League knock-out stages.

International Friendlies: UAE 1-0 Man City

hydir@ymail.com (Ir. hydir) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:22:00 +0000

An eighth-minute penalty proved decisive as Manchester City slipped to defeat in their friendly match against a youthful United Arab Emirates side in humid conditions at Abu Dhabi's Zayed Sports City.

The key moment in the Emirates Foundation Cup match came when goalkeeper Stuart Taylor fouled UAE skipper Saeed Al Kasand and was beaten down to his right side by Mohamed Al Shihi.

Pablo Zabaleta, Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha were the only established first-team players named by boss Mark Hughes in an inexperienced City line-up.

After falling behind, the nearest the visitors came to scoring in the first half was when Paul Marshall's free-kick from 20 yards curled over the bar in the 25th minute.

Onuoha blocked a 44th-minute effort and City's night was summed up in the closing stages when their appeals for a penalty were unsuccessful after Kieran Trippier's cross appeared to be handballed, before Alex Nimely's low cross was sliced just wide by a UAE defender.

Ferguson hit with fine and ban by The FA (Yayy!)

hydir@ymail.com (Ir. hydir) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:32:00 +0000

Sir Alex Ferguson has been handed a touchline ban by the Football Association after admitting a charge of improper conduct.

The Manchester United manager has been hit with a four-match match ban, two of which are suspended until the end of the 2010/11 season, following a Regulatory Commission hearing on Thursday.

The suspended sanction will be automatically activated should Ferguson be found guilty of a similar charge over the next 18 months on top of any sanction imposed for that offence.

He has also been fined £20,000 and warned as to his future conduct following comments he made about referee Alan Wiley.

Ferguson described the official as 'unfit' following United's 2-2 draw with Sunderland last month, although he later apologised for his remarks.

Commission Chairman Peter Griffiths QC said "Each member of the Commission recognised Sir Alex Ferguson's achievements and stature within the game.

"Having said that, it was made clear to Sir Alex that with such stature comes increased responsibilities.

"The Commission considered his admitted remarks, in the context in which they were made, were not just improper but were grossly improper and wholly inappropriate.

"He should never have said what he did say."

Premier League rejected Celtic and Rangers join them

hydir@ymail.com (Ir. hydir) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:36:00 +0000

Premier League clubs have overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to allow Celtic and Rangers to join the English top flight.

A proposal by Bolton chairman Phil Gartside to include the Old Firm clubs was rejected as neither "desirable or viable".

Other suggestions put forward by Gartside including having a two-tier Premier League will be fed into the league's ongoing strategic review.

The Premier League said in a statement: "Bolton Wanderers submitted a discussion paper detailing ideas concerning the restructuring of the Premier League into two tiers with the inclusion of Celtic and Rangers.

"The clubs welcomed the additional input into an ongoing process, however, they were of the opinion that bringing Celtic and Rangers into any form of Premier League set-up was not desirable or viable.

"The other relevant ideas contained within Bolton's paper will now be taken forward as part of the wider strategic review being undertaken by the Premier League since November 2008 with the aim of providing recommendations before December 2010."

Debate: Who will push one of the "Big 4" out from the Champions League spot?

hydir@ymail.com (Ir. hydir) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:26:00 +0000

A single win in nine games is not a blip, it is a bust. It is no longer possible to talk about Liverpool’s run of form as an inconsequential phase because it has been running too long to be without significance.

We must now presume that the sale of Xabi Alonso was as debilitating as many, including Steven Gerrard, believed and that its effects will continue throughout the season.

And now it gets interesting because it is not only Liverpool who have been found wanting of late. Manchester City, the team it was presumed would fill the fourth Champions League spot were any of the elite to falter, are on a pedestrian run of five straight Premier League draws. A Carling Cup tie at home to Scunthorpe United aside, they last won a game in September.

So there is a chance, a very real chance, of change. If ever there is a season in which clubs such as Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, even Sunderland, should have an eye on the January transfer window and a tilt at greater glory in the second half of the season it is this one.

The dynamic of English football may yet be altered. Perhaps for one year only, perhaps for longer. Who can say? We will never know what would have unfolded had Everton not lost to Villarreal in the Champions League qualifying round in 2005-06, whether the financial boost of reaching the group stage would have left them better equipped to take on stumbling Liverpool and Arsenal teams in recent seasons, whether our big four would have become a big five.

So we can only speculate on what might happen if a cash-poor Liverpool fail to make it into the Champions League next season, and their place is taken by an upwardly mobile Villa or Tottenham.

With Manchester City continuing to throw money at the problem, the big four could quickly expand to six or maybe more, because once the hegemony of Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool is broken, the Champions League will seem considerably more attainable next season, and the season after that.

If ever there is a month that could define the ambition of a club it is January 2010. Martin O’Neill, the manager of Aston Villa, will hope he has got his first punch in early by securing the signature of England winger Stewart Downing in the summer when he was still injured. It seemed controversial at the time but does not look foolhardy now.

Meanwhile, Harry Redknapp will no doubt return to Daniel Levy, his chairman at Tottenham, with another appeal to add the one player, probably a centre half, who will make a difference (with Harry, there is always a final player needed, although this time he may be right).

The most intriguing element will be if a club such as Sunderland are still in contention. The owner, Ellis Short, has traditionally backed his managers with enough money to survive but set his sights on a top 10 finish before the season started. Will he have the resolve for a final push if Steve Bruce can take this team even higher?

Roy Hodgson at Fulham could also be in the frame, but it is doubtful whether his club can financially sustain a tilt at the top four, considering qualification for the Europa League has already caused problems.

The cynic inside us predicts the same top-four finish as there has been since 2005-06, with not even Manchester City capable of breaking that stranglehold.

Yet nothing in the way Liverpool are playing suggests a team capable of nonchalantly
shrugging off this malaise. They are already fragile but, even when their form picks up as it surely will, it is hard to imagine the remainder of the season running faultlessly.

There is a real opportunity for an outsider this season and, more importantly, if not now, when?

Lionel Messi awarded Trofeo Alfredo Di Stefano

hydir@ymail.com (Ir. hydir) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:33:00 +0000

Barcelona ace Lionel Messi has won the Trofeo Alfredo Di Stefano, and picked up the award in a ceremony on Wednesday evening.

The award was presented to Messi by Alfredo Di Stefano and Argentina coach Diego Maradona, and he was delighted to receive it from two of his idols.

"I'm prouder than ever to be beside Maradona and Di Stefano and very happy with what they have given me," Messi gushed to Marca.

Eduardo Inda, the director of Marca, revealed that "Messi has won like Barcelona won their games - by a landslide." Xavi, Diego Forlan and Andres Iniesta were among the other nominees.

Inda held a few words of praise for Di Stefano and Maradona, adding, "never have so few made so many happy".

The trophy is awarded by a jury selected by Marca to the best player in Spanish football, recognising achievements in the league, the Copa del Rey, continental competitions and the Supercopa.

The jury was made up of some of the great and good of the footballing world, including Di Stefano, Jorge Valdano, Andoni Zubizarreta, Fernando Hierro, Emilio Butragueno, Luis Aragones, Luis Suarez, Johan Cruyff and Zinedine Zidane.

Germany cancel friendly against Chile in respect to Robert Enke

hydir@ymail.com (Ir. hydir) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:11:00 +0000

Germany have called off their friendly with Chile in Cologne on Saturday following the suicide of goalkeeper Robert Enke.

Enke, who had been suffering from depression, was struck by a regional train travelling between Norddeich and Hanover at a railway crossing in Neustadt am Rubenberge on Tuesday evening and died at the scene.

The 32-year-old Hannover keeper had only recently recovered a mysterious bacterial infection and had been omitted from the squad for their upcoming friendlies against Chile and the Ivory Coast next Wednesday.

The German FA confirmed the news on their official website, www.dfb.de.

Earlier on Wednesday Enke's widow Teresa and his psychologist Dr Valentin Markser appeared at a press conference at Hannover's AWD-Arena this afternoon to explain the background to his death.

Enke was first treated for depression during his time at Barcelona, for whom he made only one Primera Division appearance.

His widow revealed he feared that their adopted daughter Leila would be taken away if the illness became public knowledge.

The couple adopted the eight-month-old in May. They lost their biological daughter Lara in 2006 when she died of a rare heart condition at the age of just two.

Teresa Enke said: "I tried to be there for him, said that football is not everything. There are many beautiful things in life. It is not hopeless.

"We had Lara, we have Leila. I always wanted to help him to get through it. He didn't want it to come out because of fear. He was scared of losing Leila."

No bids for Palermo's Kjaer

noreply@blogger.com (FootballNewsBlog) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:52:00 +0000

Simon Kjaer has attracted a lot of interest from other clubs due to his stand out performances for Palermo, and has continually been linked with a move away from the club, however no bids have been put in for the 20 year old defender and his club preseident Maurizio Zamparini is hoping to hold on to his star player.

Kjaer signed for Palermo from Danish side FC Midtjylland in July 2008 and has very quickly established himself as a top class defender for the club with the likes of Inter Milan, Juventus, Fiorentina, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Manchester City and, more recently Manchester United being linked with a move for the player.

Kjaer has a 12 million euro release clause on his contract, which wouldn't be much of a problem for the top clubs interested in his services but the Palermo president s trying to get this clause removed from the players contract.

“Neither Manchester United or other teams have contacted us specifically regarding Kjaer,” said Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini.

“There are only incorrect movements from his agent who is offering the player the teams most important for a personal profit.

“If one club wants Kjaer they have to pay €12m cash. But the clause is not valid for January, only for the end of the season.

“And we are trying to eliminate this clause, discussing with the player, even if – I repeat – there are some problems with his agent.”

Throughout the speculation the player has kept quiet over his ambitions if he would be interested in a move to a bigger club, however it seems to only be a matter of time before one of the top teams coming knocking on Palermo's door and test their resolve to keep their star defender.

Written by Danny Watson, a sports writer who blogs about cheap football shirts

FA will use video to ban cheats like David Ngog

hydir@ymail.com (Ir. hydir) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:15:00 +0000

David Ngog's outrageous dive against Birmingham City could lead to a major change in the way the English game is governed.

The Football Association are ready to act after a series of damaging incidents - highlighted by Sportsmail’s campaign against diving cheats.

the FA are now looking to make a significant change to their own rulebook, allowing them to take action against players such as Ngog.

At present, the FA follow FIFA’s regulations in refusing to punish players retrospectively who are shown to have cheated through diving.

The Liverpool striker won a crucial penalty on Monday night when he went down as
Birmingham midfielder Lee Carsley slid in to challenge. His action, which led to Steven Gerrard converting the penalty to earn under-pressure Liverpool a 2-2 draw, has been condemned across the game.

FA officials recognise the damage such incidents inflict on the sport and are mindful that UEFA have banned cheats on the basis of video evidence. Europe’s ruling body banned the Arsenal striker Eduardo after he dived against Celtic, before reversing the decision.

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Dann, a lifelong Liverpool fan, said: ‘The only way you can stop it is to suspend cheats and it is up to the FA to sort it out.

‘Rules can be changed to clean up football and this is something that needs to be addressed and people have to be punished heavily. Everyone who saw it knew it was a dive. It was so obvious.’

Match referee Peter Walton will be asked to explain his decision to award the penalty at a special meeting of referees called to deal with what is a growing crisis in the game.

Referees’ chief Keith Hackett said: ‘I will be sitting down with Peter on a one-to-one basis, as well as in a group format, to see how we can best deal with this problem so that errors are reduced.

‘We will go through what the referee could have done to avoid this error.’

Real Madrid's Manuel Pallegrini on the way out after cup exit?

hydir@ymail.com (Ir. hydir) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:31:00 +0000

Real Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini faced calls to resign as a side including Kaka were knocked out of the Copa del Rey by third division Alcorcon.

Real failed to overturn a 4-0 deficit from the first leg, winning just 1-0 in front of 70,000.

Real's director general Jorge Valdano claims the Chilean coach receives the full support of the Bernabeu hierarchy, despite the 4-1 aggregate to the tiny Segunda B team in the last 32.

'I understand the mood of the fans and their emotions but the club cannot act on emotions,' Valdano told Spanish TV.

'We remain calm. There is absolute confidence in the coach. We know we have to keep working intensively and with humility so we don't suffer any more surprises of this nature.'

Chants of 'Pellegrini quit' rang out around the Bernabeu for around 20 seconds when the 56-year-old took off midfielder Lassana Diarra in the second half and replaced him with defender Marcelo.

Pellegrini dodged questions about his future and said he took Diarra off because the player had missed a week's training recently for family reasons and he did not want to risk him getting injured.

'Of course being knocked out of the King's Cup by a side from Segunda B cannot be considered a success,' Pellegrini said.

'We are in the middle of a campaign I am sure will end on a successful note, whatever has happened here today. I am thinking more about the team than myself.'

Copa del Rey 09/10: Real Madrid dump and round-up

hydir@ymail.com (Ir. hydir) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:07:00 +0000

Real Madrid suffered one of the biggest embarrassments in their history as they were dumped out of the Copa del Rey fourth round by minnows Alcorcon at the Bernabeu.

Valencia only squeezed through to the next round after drawing at home to local side Alcoyano, Atletico Madrid hammered Marbella, Villarreal beat Puertollano and Sevilla thrashed Ciudad de Lorqui.

Celta Vigo eliminated Tenerife, Deportivo La Coruna squeezed past Real Murcia, Malaga defeated Real Zaragoza on away goals, Osasuna progressed against Xerez and Recreativo Huelva downed Sporting Gijon on penalties

Manuel Pellegrini's big-spending Real Madrid were jeered off by their own fans after only managing a 1-0 fourth round second-leg win over Alcorcon.

Rafael van der Vaart's 81st minute goal gave Real the victory on the night, but it was not enough to save the home side following their heavy first-leg defeat.

Barcelona ease to the next round as they beat Cultural Leonesa 5-0 at Nou Camp. Goals from Bojan(2), Pedro, Messi and Xavi completed the rout with aggregate win 7-0.

Valencia made hard work of progressing after drawing 2-2 with Alcoyano, progressing with a 3-2 aggregate win.

The Primera Division side had led through goals by Carlos Marchena and Nikola Zigic but, after Victor Curto pulled one back, Alexis' sending off paved the way for Carpio to level the scores. However, Unai Emery's side held on to edge through.

Atletico Madrid had no such concerns, hammering Marbella 6-0 to go through 8-0 on aggregate as Maxi Rodriguez hit four.

Villarreal beat Puertollano 1-0 at El Madrigal to advance, with Giuseppe Rossi scoring the decisive goal 14 minutes from time, after a 1-1 draw in the first leg.

Sevilla hammered Ciudad de Lorqui 5-1 for a 9-3 aggregate victory.

The Andalucians, however, had to come back from a goal down and scored all of their goals in the second half, with Jesus Navas, Fredi Kanoute, Luis Fabiano and Jose Carlos (2) on the scoresheet.

Deportivo La Coruna kept their tournament hopes alive with a goalless draw against Murcia at the Riazor to win 1-0 overall.

Celta Vigo won 1-0 at Primera Division side Tenerife to win 3-1 on aggregate following the 2-1 first-leg win in Galicia.

Malaga went through at Real Zaragoza's expense, drawing 0-0 at home after a 1-1 draw away was enough to secure their place in the next round.

La Liga strugglers Xerez lost out at Osasuna, the Navarran outfit winning 1-0 at home after a 2-1 victory in the first leg last month.

Recreativo got the better of Gijon as a 4-2 penalty shoot-out win followed a 1-1 draw in normal time.

Debate: Can Real Madrid make a great comeback against Alcorcon?

hydir@ymail.com (Ir. hydir) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

The truest test of character is evidenced by the way in which one reacts to adversity. Where the weak lose their fighting spirit, shy away from pressure, and surrender to obstacles - be they tangible or intangible - standing before them, those with a reservoir of strength grit their teeth and fight back with even more determination, zeal, and a stronger will not to fail than before.

This season, Madrid have responded to adversity in much the same fashion. Subjected to a humiliating 4-0 drubbing to Segunda B outfit Alcorcon in a match that could easily have finished with a far more embarrassing scoreline, criticism (and the instability that comes with it) surrounded the club. Fans were calling for a coaching change, the press was screaming bloody murder, and Florentino Perez’s €254 million project was very harshly criticised as nothing more than a marketing campaign.

But as has become wont from the Men in White over the past few years, they responded with results. Limited to ten men in the 27th minute of their match against Getafe, the Merengues went on to dominate Los Azulones, scoring two goals through Higuain whilst rarely being threatened by the southern Madrid side. In European competition, Los Blancos took control of AC Milan in the San Siro and, while the second half afforded the Italians more chances, the draw was widely considered an impressive point of improvement.

But the true test of mettle comes in an unlikely opponent on Tuesday as Real Madrid look to reverse their 4-0 deficit to AD Alcorcon in a bid to avoid an embarrassing elimination in the Copa del Rey and progress to the next round. Matches like this can define a season and Manuel Pellegrini’s side are in high spirits after finding their form in their last three outings. But is scoring at least four goals against the Segunda B minnows (and not conceding) a Mission: Impossible for Los Blancos?

In Tuesday’s Copa match, Pellegrini will be forced into a trade-off. Should he field his regular starting XI for this elimination match, there is little doubt that Los Blancos will be able to put at least four goals past Alcorcon in the Santiago Bernabeu and turn the tie completely on its head.

But having played three consecutive high-octane matches, his starters will be beginning to feel the effects of fatigue and the Chilean coach will be risking irreplaceable components of his team (Kaka, Xabi, and Lass, to name a few) to injury should he refuse to make changes to his squad.

Whether Madrid are able to overcome a four-goal deficit to beat Alcorcon without utilising their starting lineup is uncertain. But based on this team’s sense of determination over the past few years, drilled into them by Capello, there is little doubt that Madrid will be out for blood in Tuesday’s Bernabeu match, regardless of who is on the pitch.

Should they prevail, it could set the stage for them to take the next step toward becoming a squad that will compete for all three championships. Should they fail, while many Madridistas will dismiss it as ‘only the Copa del Rey anyway’ it could foretell a finish to the season that will only be able to be described as second best.

Robinho wants £34m January move to Barcelona (EPL doesn't need him!)

hydir@ymail.com (Ir. hydir) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:21:00 +0000

BRAZILIAN superstar Robinho wants to join Barcelona in January - but only on a permanent deal.

The Spanish giants are sending a delegation to Abu Dhabi this week to try to thrash out a £34m transfer.

And the Champions League holders are prepared to offer him a six-year, £5m per year deal.

Barcelona have even offered to take Robinho on a six month or 18 month loan with a view to a permanent deal after the Brazilian admitted publicly last month that he wants to quit Eastlands.

But unsettled Robinho has told his advisers and Barcelona that it has to be a permanent deal in January while City are insisting that the final decision lies with manager Mark Hughes.

After five successive draws, Hughes is anxious to buck the trend and get back to winning ways so may now be reluctant to let Robinho go even though Barca are desperate to get their man.

City are flying to Abu Dhabi to play a high profile exhibition match in front of Sheikh Mansour and the super-rich club owner is under no pressure to sell so Barcelona will have to do a lot of wheeling and dealing to land Robinho.

Meanwhile, City are monitoring Rio Ave’s Portugal under-21 defender Fabio Faria who is also being watched by Benfica.

Faria, 20, is rated in the £4m class by his club and his contract expires in 2011 with City keen to boost their squad, especially with promising young players.

EPL 09/10: Birmingham hold Liverpool at Anfield [Video Update]

hydir@ymail.com (Ir. hydir) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:24:00 +0000

Liverpool dropped yet more Premier League points as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Birmingham City at Anfield.

And it could have been so much worse for Rafa Benitez, whose side trailed 2-1 before captain Steven Gerrard - who started the match on the substitutes bench - slotted home a penalty which was highly controversial.

David Ngog, who had given Liverpool an early lead, look to have dived with Lee Carsley sliding in and making no contact - but referee Peter Walton awarded the spot-kick which allowed Gerrard to slot home.

Earlier Christian Benitez had headed The Blues level, before Cameron Jerome's stunning strike just before half-time gave Alex McLeish side the lead.

Gerrard, though, stepped up to slot home - but a draw will still be of huge frustration to Benitez - who is still yet to beat Birmingham in the Premier League.

The point means Liverpool remain in seventh, but some 11 points adrift of leaders Chelsea.

Bayern ready to cash in Ribery

hydir@ymail.com (Ir. hydir) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:38:00 +0000

Bayern Munich are ready to cash in on unhappy France winger Franck Ribery.

The struggling Bundesliga giants are disappointed with the 26-year-old's return this season and could accept about £30million for a player they wanted £80m for in the summer.

Bayern have reportedly already offered Ribery to Manchester City, Real Madrid and Barcelona, while Manchester United and Chelsea would also be interested for the right price.

Ribery seemed keen on a move to Madrid in the summer, but a resolute Bayern board, led by chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and president Franz Beckenbauer, resisted all offers.

Since then, Ribery has been struggling with a knee injury and has looked poor in his six appearances this season.

His only goal came in a 5-1 win at Borussia Dortmund, a rare highlight in a season that has seen Bayern stuggle in mid-table. They stand eighth of 18 in the League and are unlikely to get through their Champions League group.

Ribery is said to have a poor relationship with coach Louis van Gaal and has shown earlier in his career that he does not play well when unhappy.

The former Metz, Galatasaray and Marseille player has rarely stayed in one place too long, having played for seven teams already in his short career.

His contract ends in June 2011, meaning that, next summer, Bayern will be unable to command the kind of fee they have been looking for.

Debate: Defensive discipline shows Chelsea is title favorites after United match

hydir@ymail.com (Ir. hydir) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:08:00 +0000

Sir Alex Ferguson and Carlo Ancelotti linked arms as they meandered towards the dug-out before kick-off. That bonhomie may be doomed if Manchester United go on suffering at the hands of the Italian's Chelsea side. It was the sort of grinding, unsatisfactory match that often develops when leading teams meet, but the Italian prevailed.

There were overtones, too, of one of his predecessors. Chelsea had less of a commitment to attack and were ready to bide their time and that attitude would have earned applause from Jose Mourinho. United, as in former years, left Stamford Bridge trailing grievances behind them.

With justification, Ferguson bemoaned the 76th minute winner, complaining about Martin Atkinson's award of the free-kick for a supposed foul by the outstanding Darren Fletcher on Ashley Cole. The manager had recriminations left over for a protest that Didier Drogba had been off-side as John Terry headed in the Frank Lampard set-piece

His main reproaches will be made to his squad in private. He can admire the enterprise of a United line-up far from full strength, but that must make him all the more exasperated that they did not make more of the dominant spells. The visitors join Arsenal in being five points adrift of the leaders Chelsea.

Ancelotti's outlook, in truth, is not generally similar to that of Mourinho, but there was a patience and endurance at Stamford Bridge. Those traits were indispensible when some of the key characters in the Chelsea camp kept a relatively low profile. Lampard, despite taking the key free-kick, was no menace to United in open play. Drogba, the often irresistible striker, was well-marshalled, despite the fact that Rio Ferdinand missed the match through a calf strain and Nemanja Vidic was only in good enough condition to be an unused substitute.

The supposed weaknesses in the back four deepened a desire to take the play to Chelsea, but Dimitar Berbatov was absent through injury as well. Ferguson did not have the trust to pitch Michael Owen on from the start and, until the final moments, Rooney worked alone in attack.

Chelsea are expert at checking even the outstanding footballers and when Rooney had broken clear, in the sixth minute, he was wrongly given off-side. It would be churlish not to pardon United if they headed north feeling sorry for themselves. There had been openings, with Petr Cech turning behind a good effort from Rooney in the 69th minute.

by Guardian Chalkboards

None the less, Chelsea had a plan and it delivered the required victory. Ancelotti's side did not seek to force the issue and never seemed to panic when pinned back. In view of the make-up of that defence, it is logical that Ancelotti should feel there need be no rush to score. The Chelsea formation, with its midfield diamond and twin strikers, sound romantic and can deliver excitement, but it also allows for the team to get back in numbers, with even Nicolas Anelka happy to drift towards a midfielder's role at times.

A fixture of this sort is exciting in prospect, the initial placidity of the play, particularly from Chelsea, should not have baffled anyone. The visitors had the more recognisable intent to attack, but Ferguson might have engineered a throng in midfield even if every attacker on his books had been in condition to take part.

By and large, the match was innocuous before the interval. United had impetus, without looking as if they could reach a conclusion. Chelsea, for their part, seemed in no hurry. Half-an-hour had gone before Anelka produced an effort that called for a good save by Edwin van der Sar.

United's showing was superior to the one given at Anfield, but there is close resemblance to the outcomes. Ferguson's team also looked unlikely to hit the net when beaten 2-0 by Liverpool. While the manager did not have all his personnel available here, it does appear that the departed Cristiano Ronaldo will be missed for quite a while to come when there are fixtures of this sort to be faced.

Chelsea are in contrasting circumstances. At incredible expense, they have retained just about everyone they really want on the books. Barring a splurge in January or next summer, Ancelotti will continue to rely on a group that then grows old together. Not even the famed Milan sports science he has brought to London will entirely halt physical decline.

A sunnier view will maintain that the old guard is capable of continuing to succeed for such a prolonged period that they can gradually and painlessly make way for successors. No one in United ranks saw much evidence of imminent collapse. What is more, Chelsea had a resourcefulness of sorts.

It was scarcely anticipated that Drogba, who has probably been the most impressive character so far in the Premier League season, would make little impression on an improvised United defence. Whatever else keeps Ferguson awake at nights it will not be a horror that his men lack the appetite for a fourth title in a row.

His opposite number, all the same, has lost nothing in translation from Serie A. These encounters with United must continue to grip just as they did in his Milan years. Leagues are not necessarily decided by the clashes of the principal clubs, but there is an indication now that Chelsea will be as mighty a force as they were in the Mourinho era.

Source: Guardian

Alex Ferguson may face FA probe after rant on referee (again!)

hydir@ymail.com (Ir. hydir) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 04:58:00 +0000

Furious Sir Alex Ferguson is facing another FA rap after branding referee Martin Atkinson “absolutely ridiculous“ last night.

Manchester United boss Ferguson blew his top after claiming Chelsea captain John Terry’s late winner should have been disallowed because Didier Drogba was standing in an offside position

Ferguson, already on an FA improper conduct charge after claiming referee Alan Wiley was unfit, said: “The referee’s position to make a decision there was absolutely ridiculous. He can’t see it.

“There was a Chelsea player standing right in front of him and he doesn’t even move. It was a bad decision, but what can you do?

“You lose faith in the refereeing sometimes. That’s the way the players are talking in there. It was a bad one. That goal should not have been allowed.”

United striker Wayne Rooney could also face FA action after appearing to mouth “12th man“ at Sky cameras when the teams left the pitch.

But United boss Ferguson also admitted that his team should have taken more advantage of their superior possession after a defeat which allowed Chelsea to go five points clear at the top of the Premier League.

Ferguson added: “We’ve dominated the game and had great chances to win the match. And that’s our fault.

“Some of the football we played getting up to the box, and some of the chances in and around the box, and we should have finished them off, but you do need a break. We never got the break we needed.”

Serie A 09/10: Inter held at home, Milan climb to third and round-up

hydir@ymail.com (Ir. hydir) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 23:07:00 +0000

Inter Milan were held at home by Roma, while city rivals AC Milan climbed up to third in Serie A with victory at Lazio.

Sampdoria slipped from third to fifth after losing at Cagliari, while Fiorentina are up to fourth after beating Udinese.

Current Serie A leaders Inter were forced to come from a goal down to secure a 1-1 draw with Roma at the San Siro.

Roma took the lead through Mirko Vucinic's 13th minute header, but Samuel Eto'o salvaged a point for the champions three minutes after half-time.

Thiago Silva scored a goal at both ends as Milan continued their recent domestic resurgence with a 2-1 success at struggling Lazio.

The visitors were in front on 21 minutes when Thiago headed home Andrea Pirlo's free-kick and Alexandre Pato doubled the lead on 35 minutes when meeting Ronaldinho's cross.

Thiago put through his own net on 64 minutes to give Lazio hope, but Milan held on for the three points to move up a place in the table.

Fiorentina also capitalised on Sampdoria losing by inching up to fourth in the standings after a battling 1-0 triumph at Udinese.

The only goal arrived six minutes from time when Juan Vargas fired home a free-kick to secure the points for the visitors.

Sampdoria are now down to fifth in the table after suffering a 2-0 defeat at Cagliari, who scored twice in the final five minutes.

Marius Stankevicius was sent off for Sampdoria three minutes before half-time following a foul on Jeda and the 10 men hung on until the 85th minute.

Daniele Conti headed home from close range for Cagliari and a minute from time Alessandro Matri repeated the trick to finish off Sampdoria.

Genoa are also in the mix for the UEFA Champions League spots after an exciting 4-2 victory at home to Siena.

The hosts were 3-0 up by half-time, with Hernan Crespo scoring after just two minutes and the Argentine striker grabbed the second on 18 minutes.

Raffaele Palladino notched Genoa's third on 35 minutes before Siena set up a tense finish when Michele Paolucci scored 10 minutes from time and Massimo Maccarone netted two minutes later.

However, Genoa made certain of the points in the final minute when Sergio Floccari found the back of the net.

Parma are also jostling for a Champions League place at this early stage of the season after a 2-0 home win over Chievo Verona.

On-loan striker Valeri Bojinov hit the post for Parma on 25 minutes before Cristian Zaccardo made the breakthrough four minutes from half-time.

The hosts wrapped up the points on 72 minutes when Davide Lanzafarme scored following a swift break.

Riccardo Allegretti's sixth-minute free-kick was enough to clinch a 1-0 win for Bari at home to lowly Livorno.

Bologna moved three points clear of the relegation zone as Marcelo Zalayeta scored a brace in a 3-1 home win over Palermo.

Zalayeta finished from Marco Di Vaio's pass on 42 minutes, but Palermo were level before half-time through Simon Kjaer.

The home side's lead was restored by Zalayeta four minutes after the interval and Di Vaio scored three minutes into stoppage-time to make certain of the points.

EPL 09/10: Terry put Chelsea 5 points clear at the top [Video Update]

hydir@ymail.com (Ir. hydir) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:19:00 +0000

A John Terry header proved the difference as Chelsea beat Manchester United to move clear at the top of the Premier League.

United set out with a gameplan to frustrate Chelsea's midfield diamond and exploit the space in wide areas, and for much of a game which contained few clear-cut chances, it worked.

Antonio Valencia had a shout for a penalty after a tussle with John Terry turned down, while Nicolas Anelka's curling shot at the opposite end forced a smart one-handed stop out of Edwin van der Sar.

The second half followed a similar pattern to the first with Chelsea keeper Petr Cech seriously tested for the first time in the 68th minute when Wayne Rooney's arcing effort from 25 yards was pushed away for a corner.

But Chelsea made the breakthrough 14 minutes from time when Frank Lampard fired in a disputed free-kick and Terry rose well to guide his header inside the far post, with United appealing for an infringement by Didier Drogba, who flicked a foot out towards the ball, but the goal stood.

The result means Chelsea are now five points ahead of the Red Devils and Arsenal, but Arsene Wenger's side have a game in hand.

EPL 09/10: Hull get a lifeline and round-up

hydir@ymail.com (Ir. hydir) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:02:00 +0000

Hull City came from behind to beat Stoke City 2-1 at the KC Stadium to ease the pressure on under-fire manager Phil Brown.

Many presumed that another defeat for Hull and Brown would have been sacked but having been given a vote of confidence from the board earlier in the day, the Tigers seemed refreshed.

However they fell behind just as they were beginning to stamp their authority on the game when Matthew Etherington got in behind Bernard Mendy to smash past Matt Duke in the Hull goal on 29 minutes.

That was the way it stayed until just after the hour mark when Seyi Olofinjana curled home from 25 yards to leave Thomas Sorensen with no chance.

Fulham stayed strong and held firm at Wigan to keep the Latics at bay and come away with a hard-earned point.

Roberto Martinez's side opened the scoring on 13 minutes when central defender Emmerson Boyce found himself in space in the penalty area, controlled Paul Scharner's knock-down and slotted the ball coolly past Mark Schwarzer.

The Latics were on top from thereon in and were unlucky not to add to their tally before the break - Schwarzer denied them on a number of occasions, most notably tipping a Charles N'Zogbia drive onto the crossbar.

But Fulham were awarded a penalty on the stroke of half time when Titus Bramble brought down Clint Dempsey with a clumsy challenge - the American stepped up and sent Chris Kirkland the wrong way from the spot.

Everton claimed their first league win in five attempts with a hard-fought 2-1 success at West Ham.

Louis Saha put the Toffees ahead in the 27th minute with a fantastic low effort into the corner from the edge of the box after being teed-up by Tim Cahill.

Dan Gosling then doubled the advantage on 64 minutes when slotting home from the rebound after Robert Green had saved his original effort.

But West Ham pulled a goal back a minute later when Tony Hibbert put the ball in his own net as he attempted to keep out Junior Stanislas' goal-bound shot.

The defeat - coupled with Hull's earlier victory over Stoke - dumps Gianfranco Zola's side back in the drop zone.

Hooliganism cemarkan Final Piala Malaysia 2009

hydir@ymail.com (Ir. hydir) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 02:32:00 +0000

Pasukan N.Sembilan berjaya membawa pulang Piala Malaysia setelah menanti selama 61 tahun dengan menewaskan Kelantan 3-1 pada perlawanan menarik di Stadium Bukit Jalil malam tadi.

Walaubagaimanapun, kemenangan tersebut dicemari oleh hooligan bolasepak tempatan apabila ada individu yang menyalurkan rasa tidak puas hatinya melalui melontar mercun, membaling objek dan membakar kerusi duduk setelah pasukan mereka ketinggalan.

Pihak polis dan petugas stadium terpaksa bertindak untuk mengawal keadaan bagi mengelakkan kejadian yang lebih buruk dari berlaku.

Tindakan diburukkan lagi dengan melontar batu ke arah jurukamera tv menyebabkan seorang jurukamera cedera di leher.

Terdapat juga penonton yang menggunakan sinar laser dan cuba menyilaukan mata pemain-pemain. Ini dapat di kesan melalui cahaya "hijau" yang dipancarkan ke muka dan juga badan pemain-pemain ketika permainan semakin ke penghujung.

Ini adalah memalukan bolasepak tempatan kerana kita tidak mahu budaya hooligan dari luar negara di bawa masuk ke negara kita. Tindakan segelintir penyokong ini memberi imej yang buruk kepada bolasepak tempatan.

Sementara itu, seorang penyokong Kelantan ditahan polis malam tadi.

Lelaki berusia lingkungan 30- an itu ditahan pada pukul 12.05 tengah malam berhampiran stesen LRT Bukit Jalil oleh sepasukan polis kerana dipercayai cuba mencetuskan pergaduhan di dalam stadium.

Lelaki itu kemudian dibawa ke balai polis berhampiran untuk siasatan lanjut.

Bagaimanapun, sejam kemudian lelaki terbabit dibebaskan selepas memberi keterangan kepada polis.

Benfica would sell Angel Di Maria to Chelsea or Man United

hydir@ymail.com (Ir. hydir) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 01:19:00 +0000

Manchester United and Chelsea have been put on red alert after Benfica revealed they are willing to sell star winger Angel Di Maria.

Argentine star Di Maria, 21, shone in Benfica’s two victories over Everton in the Europa League.

Chelsea sporting director Frank Arnesen has seen him in action, while United are also looking to strengthen their squad in January.

Di Maria would relish the chance to play at the highest level for one of the top clubs in Europe before the World Cup in South Africa.

Benfica president Luis Filipe Vieira admits they have already received several big offers.

Vieira said: “There are offers from several important teams. Our goal is to win the championship and we can only achieve this if we keep our best players.

“But I admit maybe we should sell the player.”

La Liga 09/10: Barca and Real Madrid win and round-up

hydir@ymail.com (Ir. hydir) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:23:00 +0000

Barcelona remain unbeaten and continue to lead the way, but Real Madrid are hot on their heels.

Malaga, meanwhile, remain in all sorts of trouble after their winless run was extended on Saturday.

Barcelona have yet to taste defeat in the league this season and bounced back from their midweek UEFA Champions League disappointment in Russia to see off Real Mallorca 4-2 at Camp Nou.

Promising forward Pedro got the goal-fest up and running after 11 minutes, but was shocked to see Jose Carlos Nunes level things up nine minutes later.

Pedro, though, restored Barca's lead on 41 minutes and there was still time for Thierry Henry to add a third before the half-time whistle went.

Lionel Messi stepped off the bench to convert an 87-th minute penalty, while Alhassane Keita added some respectability to the scoreline when he bagged Mallorca's second of the night in injury-time.

Real Madrid are just a point behind their Catalan rivals after they prevailed 3-2 in a thrilling derby contest against city rivals Atletico Madrid.

A stunning strike from Kaka edged Los Blancos ahead with just five minutes on the clock.

Marcelo doubled that advantage on 25 minutes and Gonzalo Higuain's fine form in front of goal continued as he notched a third on 64 minutes.

Sergio Ramos was then dismissed two minutes later, allowing Atletico a route back into the game.

Diego Forlan gave them hope with 11 minutes remaining and Sergio Aguero set up a grandstand finish when he slotted home on 81 minutes.

Quique Sanchez Flores' side were unable to find an equaliser, though, and continue to languish inside the relegation zone as a result.

Deportivo La Coruna have now won five of their last seven Primera Liga fixtures after overcoming Getafe 2-0 with nine men.

Mista put them on their way after 14 minutes, before Riki became the first man to see red when he was shown a second yellow card on 27 minutes.

Depor, though, made light of their numerical disadvantage and doubled their lead through Luis Filipe on the hour mark.

They then ended the game two men light after Sergio Gonzales was given his marching orders 17 minutes from time.

Malaga continue to prop up the table after they were held 2-2 at Tenerife.

The hosts appeared set to take maximum points after racing into a 2-0 lead, with Roman Martinez (18) and Alejanrdo Alfaro (27) getting them off to the perfect start.

Malaga, though, showed commendable resolve as goals from Edinho (29) and substitute Javi Lopez (77) saw them rescue a share of the spoils.

EPL 09/10: Arsenal ease past Wolves, City held and round-up [Video Update]

hydir@ymail.com (Ir. hydir) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:09:00 +0000

On a day when Aston Villa and Tottenham made their UEFA Champions League aspirations clear as they picked up home wins, Manchester City were held to a fifth successive draw as they played out a six goal thriller with Burnley and Arsenal hammered Wolves to go second.

At the foot of the table Blackburn's impressive home form was enough to see off basement dwellers Portsmouth 3-1, while it was a case of cruise control for Villa as they thumped a dismal Bolton 5-1 in the Midlands.

Burnley's away day hoodoo appeared to have struck at City when they threw away a two goal lead to trail 3-2, only for Clarets substitute Kevin McDonald to net a dramatic late leveller.

Darren Bent endured an afternoon of frustration as he missed a penalty for Sunderland, as Tottenham secured a 2-0 victory at White Hart Lane that flattered them greatly.

Free-scoring Arsenal moved to within two points of leaders Chelsea courtesy of an emphatic 4-1 victory at Molineux, with Wolves' resistance subsiding after a bright opening 20 minutes.

There was a fair amount of fortune about the opening two goals as Ronald Zubar inadvertently turned a Cesc Fabregas corner into his own net on 28 minutes before Eduardo's audacious chip took a decisive deflection off Jody Craddock seven minutes later.

Fabregas then fired in a third after a typically slick move on the stroke of half-time and Andrey Arshavin got in on the act midway through the second period with a well-struck effort from outside the area.

Craddock nodded in a late consolation for Wolves but Arsene Wenger will have been delighted with another impressive Arsenal performance that again underlined their title credentials.

Villa started brightly at home to Bolton and some neat play was rewarded in just the fifth minute when after Jussi Jaaskelainen had brilliantly repelled John Carew's towering header from James Milner's cross, Ashley Young was the first to react to prod home his second goal in as many games.

The home side's superiority was underlined two minutes from the break when Gabriel Agbonlahor doubled Villa's advantage. Villa old boy Gary Cahill was at fault as he tried to usher the ball out at the by-line only to be robbed of possession by Carew. His pull-back found Agbonlahor with time and space eight yards out and with unnerving composure he slotted through the legs of Jaaskelainen.

Cahill partially atoned for his error of judgement on the stroke of the break when in an advanced position his deflected shot came back off the post and fell fortuitously to Johan Elmander to tap in from no more than a yard.

Carew was in a bullish mood all afternoon and got the goal his exertions deserved in the second half when poor defending from another ex-Villa man Zat Knight was matched by the unfortunate Cahill, allowing the Norwegian to brush off meek challenges before beating Jaaskelainen.

Milner grabbed Villa's fourth when after his penalty had been saved by Jaaskelainen and Steve Sidwell had somehow struck the post when presented with an open goal, the ball fell invitingly for him to convert.

Bolton's misery was capped by Carlos Cuellar's fine flick header from Milner's pinpoint delivery.

Burnley made the short trip to Eastlands with the most unenviable of away records but silenced an expectant crowd as they took a deserved two-goal lead against a disjointed City side.

Questions have been asked as to whether City's defence is good enough to provide solid foundations for a Champions League push and on this evidence clearly it is not. Joleon Lescott was the architect of City's downfall in the 19th minute when from Tyrone Mears' right wing delivery he left a trailing arm dangling to give Burnley a penalty.

Spot-kick specialist Graham Alexander made no mistake from 12 yards for his fourth goal of the season before Chris Eagles got in behind a snoozing City backline to roll the ball into the path of an unmarked Steven Fletcher for the simplest of finishes.

With the natives restless Shaun Wright-Phillips injected a bit of life into an out-of-sorts City when his deflected strike just before half time found its way past Brian Jensen.

If City's defence is suspect, Burnley's is wafer thin. City needed just ten minutes to find a leveller as Kolo Toure was on hand to convert Lescott's pull-back on the stretch from Gareth Barry's free-kick.

And it got even better for the home side just a few minutes later, the 58th of an entertaining derby, as Craig Bellamy finished Wright-Phillips' low cross smartly for his 100th league goal in English football.

City's cheers proved to be premature though as substitute McDonald was given time and space to lash home Fletcher's header into his path from substitute David Nugent's ball in.

Sunderland will wonder how they went into the half-time break trailing Tottenham at White Hart Lane, as for long spells they dominated in North London. Tottenham's opener came from Robbie Keane as the Irishman bundled home from close range Peter Crouch'stowering header back across goal from Benoit Assou-Ekotto's lofted delivery.

Former Spur Andy Reid struck a post as Sunderland knocked on the door for an equaliser as Tottenham left the field to boos such was the away side's dominance.

Bent had an ideal opportunity to get one over Harry Redknapp after half-time when he was felled in the box after rounding Heurelho Gomes. The Brazilian was fortuitous to escape with just a booking and then exacerbated Steve Bruce's wrath on the touchline as he brilliantly saved Bent's low spot-kick.

The game's finest moment belonged to Tom Huddlestone though, when from Jermain Defoe's lay-off he drilled a missile of a strike past Craig Gordon, via the underside of the bar, to secure Tottenham a three-point haul.

At Ewood Park the battle at the basement saw Portsmouth take a first half lead through on-loan midfielder Jamie O'Hara as he was given acres of space to drive forward and beat Blackburn goalkeeper Paul Robinson from range.

Blackburn's home form is the enviable of many though and on 53 minutes they were level courtesy of substitute Jason Roberts' clever finish from close range after Ryan Nelsen had headed David Dunn's corner into his team-mate's path.

The comeback was complete courtesy of another set-piece as Nelsen went from provider to goalscorer as he headed home unmarked.

It was substitute Benni McCarthy and Roberts that combined for Blackburn's third as the former's devilish delivery from the left was finished expertly from close range.

Final Piala Malaysia 2009: N. Sembilan Juara 2009! [Video Update]

hydir@ymail.com (Ir. hydir) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:05:00 +0000

Negeri Sembilan menjadi juara edisi ke-84 Piala Malaysia apabila menewaskan Kelantan 3-1 di Stadium Bukit Jalil malam ini.

Negeri Sembilan mendahului 1-0 pada minit ke 18 apabila Shahurain menjaringkan gol yang cantik terus ke penjuru gol. Halim Napi cuba menyelamatkan tetapi tidak dapat menghalang gol tersebut.

Sebaik sahaja babak kedua bermula, Hairudin Omar berjaya meloloskan diri dan mudah menewaskan Halim Napi untuk gol kedua pada minit ke-45.

Shahurain sekali lagi menjadi duri kepada pertahanan Kelantan apabila lariannya ke dalam kotak penalti di halang oleh pertahanan. Pengadil tidak teragak-agak memberi sepakan penalti. Aidil Zaquan Adha mudah menyempurnakan penalti pada minit ke-60 dan memberi N.Sembilan mendahuli 3-0.

Penyokong Kelantan mula membaling objek ke tengah padang dan beberapa kursi penonton dibakar. Polis terpaksa bertindak untuk meredakan kemarahan penyokong Kelantan.

Di masa kecederaan, Indra Putra menghasilkan gol yang cantik melalui sepakan percuma. Namun gol tersebut tidak mengubah apa-apa kepada keputusan perlawanan.

Tahniah kepada pasukan Negeri Sembilan!