England Team Tactical dissections Frank Rijkaard A curling free-kick
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Support the disclosure of the Hillsborough documents
18 August ~ The Cabinet Office is appealing against an order for it to release all government documents relating to the Hillsborough disaster. In response, a petition has been launched (https://submissions.epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/2199) urging the publication of these files, which include Margaret Thatcher's thoughts on the tragedy. To add your name and request Full disclosure of all government documents relating to 1989 Hillsborough disaster sign the epetition here (https://submissions.epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/2199).Update In reply a Cabinet Office spokesperson told WSC: We are appealing the ICO's decision. The Government's view is that it is in the public interest for the process that is underway through the Hillsborough Independent Panel be allowed to take its course. The terms of reference for that process includes the intention to disclose information to the Hillsborough families first. The Cabinet Office absolutely agrees with the principle of providing information to families about the Hillsborough stadium disaster, but we believe it is important that any release of information should be managed through the Panel's processes and in line with their terms of reference. The Cabinet Office is fully committed to the disclosure process in line with the Terms of Reference and is working with the Panel to achieve that. The Panel have had access to all the information covered by this decision notice.
How Do Promoted Teams Fare In The English Premier League?
How Do Promoted Teams Fare In The English Premier League? - originally posted on Soccerlens.com
How well do promoted teams fare in the English Premier League? What can fans of Swansea, QPR and Norwich City expect from the upcoming season?�The graphic below�plots the survival rates of teams promoted to the Premiership across the past decade and tells a stark tale. While Blackburn, Bolton and Fulham have survived – some would...
From Soccerlens.com - Football News
Tottenham defender David Villa Downing FC Liverpool Eric Cantona said
Football Weekly ... Extra: Real Madrid v Barcelona: was this the worst game of football ever?
Podcast: El Cl�sico goes in to hysterical overdrive as Mourinho cries conspiracy. Plus: that Wayne Rooney apology
England Team Tactical dissections Frank Rijkaard A curling free-kick
'Sizeable' ransom demand made for release of Mikel John Obi's father
? Chelsea midfielder's father was abducted in Nigeria
? Mikel intends to continue playing despite ordeal
A "sizeable" ransom has been demanded by the kidnappers of Mikel John Obi's father, the Chelsea midfielder's representatives have confirmed.
But the Sport Entertainment and Media Group denied reports that �80,000 was being sought for the release of Michael Obi, who was abducted in his native Nigeria last week.
SEM also confirmed that Mikel had made himself available for Chelsea's Premier League game with West Brom on Saturday, having also played in last weekend's game at Stoke after learning of his father's kidnapping.
The statement said: "SEM advises that reports from Nigeria of an �80,000 ransom demand is not true. We confirm that Michael Obi has been abducted and that the kidnappers have been in touch with the family and representatives of the family and that discussions for Michael's safe release have begun.
"A sizeable demand has been made but, for security reasons, we are unable to release details of the amount. Mikel would like to thank his family, friends, Chelsea FC and his agents for their support and, at this time, it is Mikel's intention to play for Chelsea this weekend, encouraged by his family to do so."
News that Mikel's father, who runs a transport company, had been kidknapped emerged on Friday after he failed to return home from work in Jos, the capital of Plateau State in central Nigeria.
Mikel appealed for information on his whereabouts on Monday and the family were then contacted by the kidnappers.
Mikel's brother Ebele Obi said: "Some people called my mum informing her that they have her husband in custody. My mum, while crying, pleaded with the abductors to release her husband."
Tony Obi, eldest son of Michael Obi, confirmed their father's car had also been retrieved.
"We got two calls from the abductors who confirmed that our father is in their custody. They told me where to locate my dad's car, which has been found."
In a direct appeal to the kidnappers, Mikel said on Monday: "Please just let him go. He's just an old man, he hasn't done any harm to anyone as far as I know and I don't know why he has been taken."
Mikel, 24, is not the first Premier League player to have a family member abducted in Nigeria. In July 2008, the elder brother of the Everton defender Joseph Yobo was kidnapped in Port Harcourt. Nornu Yobo was released after 10 days but it was never made clear whether a ransom was paid.
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Johan Cruijff New York Red Bulls Football Association director Serie A scudetto
Football Weekly Extra: Wayne Rooney v Sir Alex Ferguson
Podcast: Will Wayne Rooney ever play for Manchester United again? Last night's Champions League results and a weekend preview
Goalkeeping glove Leonel Messi Football Facts & Stats Training ground
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Football Weekly: Upsets aplenty in the Premier League
Podcast: West Brom stun Arsenal and Manchester City tame Chelsea. Plus, Gazza returns to management; Darren Bent: English goal machine; and round-ups from Italy, Germany and Spain
River Plate New England Revolution Fabio Capello ESPN/ESPN HD
Celtic re-sign Newcastle goalkeeper Fraser Forster on season-long loan
? Matthew Upson in line for Stoke debut against FC Thun
? Injury-hit Birmingham arrive late in Madeira for tie with Nacional
Celtic v FC Sion: Tonight 8.05pm
Celtic used the eve of their Europa League play-off visit of Sion to complete a Parkhead return for the goalkeeper Fraser Forster. The Newcastle United player spent last season on loan at Celtic and has agreed a deal until the end of this campaign. Neil Lennon, the Celtic manager, had been seeking a third keeper all summer after initially being rebuffed in an attempt to re-sign Forster. Celtic now hope to buy the 23-year-old next summer. "He has been the main target since the end of last season," said Lennon. "We did put a bid in but it was knocked back but we worked hard to try to bring him in so I'm very, very pleased. It has given myself and the squad a boost.
"Fraser was the one who was top of the list but there were other options that we could have gone for but we're thrilled that he's here now. We have three very good goalkeepers so there is great competition in that area, which is what we wanted." On whether he will face Sion, Lennon added: "We hope to have him registered in time. We will have to see his condition. The form of Lukasz [Zaluska] has been very good so we will weigh these things up."
FC Thun v Stoke City: Tonight 6.30pm
Stoke's new signing Matthew Upson, pictured, is in line to make his Stoke debut after impressing manager Tony Pulis with his attitude since joining last week. The England international, who was a free agent, having been released by West Ham, signed a two-year deal at the Britannia Stadium nine days ago. Stoke face FC Thun on an artificial pitch in the first leg of their Europa League play-off in Switzerland. It seems likely that Jonathan Woodgate will not be risked on the harsh surface. That would open the way for Upson to come in, bringing his considerable know-how to what will be a difficult test.
So far, Woodgate and Upson are Pulis's only signings, but their arrival brings Champions League and international experience to the side. "Matthew is exactly the same as Jonathan, he just needs to play football," the manager said.
Nacional v Birmingham City: Tonight 7.45pm
Birmingham City's first foray into European football since 1962 has got off to an inauspicious start, after their plane broke down before leaving England, causing the team to arrive in Madeira for the first leg of their final qualifying tie against Nacional three-and-a-half-hours late. Chris Hughton and his players had to board another plane at Birmingham but because it was a bigger aircraft and Madeira is a small airport, they were forced to stop at Lisbon to change pilots. They arrived in Madeira at 5pm yesterday afternoon. The manager will be picking from a depleted squad, with Jordon Mutch joining Cameron Jerome (heel), Marlon King (knee) and Nikola Zigic (groin) on the sidelines. Mutch injured his ankle in training on Tuesday. Scott Dann is also expected to play no part. "We have got four games in two weeks and we've got to utilise the players we've got over that period of time," Hughton said.
NK Maribor v Rangers: Tonight 7.45pm, Setanta Sports 1 (Ireland only) 7.30pm
Rangers, who yesterday confirmed the signing of the midfielder Alejandro Bedoya on a three-year contract from Swedish side Orebro, face defensive problems ahead of their game against Maribor, both David Weir and Kyle Bartley being ruled out.
The captain, Weir, has failed to recover from the hamstring injury that has sidelined him for the last two weeks, while Bartley is out with a groin strain picked up at Inverness at the weekend.
Ally McCoist was already without Sasa Papac and Steven Whittaker through suspension but Lee McCulloch looks set to recover from a knee injury and Kyle Lafferty also travelled to Slovenia although he is unlikely to feature after a hernia operation. Steven Davis will be captain on a temporary basis in Weir's absence. "We've had a couple of good results now and we had a good performance at the weekend against Inverness so the boys are looking forward to the game," said Davis. "We are probably in better shape than we were against Malmo. Winning breeds confidence and the fact that we have had a number of competitive games means the sharpness is starting to show in the boys."
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Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Tuesday's quiz: Arsenal's Joel Campbell
Today's questions want to play for Barcelona when they grow up ...
England Team Tactical dissections Frank Rijkaard A curling free-kick
Monday, August 15, 2011
The Diary of a Football Punter.
In a new series on Talking Sports, I?m going to document the highs and, quite possibly, lows of a football punter looking to make a profit across the 2011-12 season.
Leonel Messi Football Facts & Stats Training ground Diego Armando Maradona
Are Arsenal heading for the Europa League?
Are the days when Arsenal could confidently expect to finish in the top four over?
Dimitar Berbatov Mark ‘Sparky’ Hughes Johan Cruijff New York Red Bulls
Real Zaragoza sign Franco Zuculini on loan from Hoffenheim
Real Zaragoza have confirmed the loan-signing of Argentinean international Franco Zuculini from German club Hoffenheim.
Zuculini has signed on a one-year loan from the Bundesliga side after spending last season at Genoa and Argentine side Racing Club, both of which were temporary deals.
After not making much of an impact in Italy, Hoffenheim sent him back to Argentina where he featured much more regularly for his boyhood club, appearing in 15 league matches, 11 of which were as a starter.
The Spaniards are understood to have the option to purchase the
River Plate New England Revolution Fabio Capello ESPN/ESPN HD
Man City 4-0 Swansea City
Sergio Aguero came off the bench to score two and create a third on a marvellous debut for Manchester City
Preamble: Good evening everybody and welcome to our minute-by-minute coverage of tonihght's ding-dong between Manchester City and Swansea City. Stuffed to the gunnels with ridiculously expensive talent, Roberto Mancini's side needs no introduction. Their opponents are less well-known: the Championship play-off winners from Wales, set off on their maiden voyage in the competition tonight, although let's not forget they did feature in the top flight back in the days before football was officially invented.
By their own recent standards, Manchester City have been relatively parsimonious this summer, spending just �50m, almost 80% of which was accounted for by the purchase of Sergio Aguero from Atletico Madrid. He's likely to start on the bench tonight, alongside his unsettled compatriot Carlos Tevez.
Comparative church-mice Swansea City have been busier, if not as spend-happy in the transfer market and will hand striker Danny Graham his Premier League debut. Brought in from Watford during the summer, he's the Swans record signing, despite costing 10 times less than the man they call Kun. Goalkeeper Michel Vorm, centre-half Steven Caulker, midfielder Wayne Routledge and striker Leroy Lita are other summer signings who may feature this evening.
In our recent series of Premier League previews, Danny Taylor's look at Manchester City and Scott Murray's salute to the new boys of Swansea City, seemed paerticularly popular amongst our readers, while this interview Paul Wilson conducted with Swansea City manager Brendan Rodgers for yesterday's Observer is also well worth a five minutes of your time.
Or 10, if you're a slow reader.
While we're waiting for some team news, here's an amusing quote that featured in yesterday's Said & Done column: "I really believe if you are a player who only thinks about money then you'll end up at Manchester City" - Gael Clichy, July 2009.
Team news: Even by his own standards of conservatism, this is some statement of intent by Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini. Despite playing the opening league match of the season at home against most people's favourites for the drop, he's picked a line-up that couldn't be much more defensive if he sent out eleven bricklayers to block up Joe Hart's goal.
Man City (8-1-1): Hart, Richards, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy, Toure Yaya,
De Jong, Barry, Silva, Dzeko, Johnson.
Subs: Taylor, Zabaleta, Milner, Kolarov, Savic, Aguero, Balotelli.
Swansea (4-4-1-1): Vorm, Rangel, Caulker, Williams, Tate, Britton,
Dobbie, Agustien, Dyer, Graham, Sinclair.
Subs: Moreira, Orlandi, Routledge, Lita, Moore, Allen, Gower.
Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral)
Auto-refresh news: Apologies, but there isn't one, because we're not allowed have one at the moment. It's because of this nonsense.
The teams are in the tunnel, so not long now: If Sky's fancy graphic is anything to go by, Swansea City will line up in a 4-4-2 with Scott Sinclair and Scott Dobbie on the left and right of a midfield anchored by Leon Britton and Kemy Augustien. Danny Graham will lead the line, with Nathan Dyer off his shoulder. Can they get a result? The romantic in me is tipping them to prevail 2-1.
An email from Danny Last, who runs this excellent website: "If the game gets dull tonight, then you can mention the fact Man City gave away free shoe-laces with their season tickets this year," he says. If Mancini continues sending out his preposterously expensive and talented charges to play with the hand-brake on, City season ticket holders will be able to string themselves up from the rafters of the Eastlands stands once the tedium gets too much.
Good news! It turns out we are allowed to use the auto-refresh tool. It's there in the standfirst, so get clicking.
1 min: Swansea kick off and City immediately go on the front foot. David Silva jinks his way down the left and pulls the ball across the edge of the penalty area, where Yaya Toure pulls the trigger. His surface-to-air screamer is blocked by a desperate lunge from one of Swansea's defenders, who hurls his body between ball and goal.
3 min: Scott Sinclair, who I'm tipping for big things this season, gets his first touch, tries to slalom down the left wing , but runs down a blind alley and is forced to beart a retreat and pick out Stephen Dobbie, behind him in support.
4 min: Most Swansea City players have had a touch by now, which should help ease any early jitters among the new boys. They're a nice footballing side, whose manager prefers them to play the ball out from the back and keep it on the deck rather than Stokeing it long.
8 min: A long spell of possession for Swansea ends with them winning a corner, which is played short along the ground. Nothing comes of it and Joe Hart throws the ball out.
9 min: A poor pass from Gael Clichy puts David Silva under pressure, allowing Stephen Dobbie to pounce. He gallops down the right flank and sends a cross towards Danny Graham, who'd peeled off his marker and was waiting in space. Vincent Kompany times his leap to perfection, nodding the cross out of harm's way.
11 min: Danny Graham wins a free header in midfield and the ball skims off his head, well into Manchester territory and towards the left touchline. Scott Sinclair does well to keep it in play and wins a throw-in, but the Swans fail to capitalise.
13 min: "In fairness (and surely fairness is the modus operandi of the MBM just as it is for Joey Barton), Mancini did pick Silva as well as Johnson so shouldn't that Citizenry formation read 8-2-1?" asks Lou Roper. "But would it really have hurt to play Balotelli from the start?"
13 min: With just under a quarter of an hour gone, it's Swansea who are looking like the home side here; they're calm in possession and happy to take the game to Manchester City. Yaya Toure's early chance aside, City have been fairly poor
16 min: Gael Clichy swings in a cross from the left flank, but it's a mit too high for Edin Dzeko, who was in space in the centre.
17 min: Micah Richards gets caught in possession deep inside the Swansea City half by Scott Sinclair, who sets off on a lightning fast counter-attack. Richards showes an astonishing turn of pace to chase him down and regain possession. That's great work by the City defender.
17min: "Does anyone feel like any player on the MCFC team actually enjoys playing any more?" asks John Willoughby. "Mancini strikes me as the sort of manager who eliminates all enjoyment from the game."
19 min: No real chances of note, yet, but it's a fairly absorbing match so far. Both defences are looking fairly shaky under pressure, despite not having been tested by anything particular difficult yet. Swansea's gets caught out by a through-ball from Edin Dzeko, which David Silva tries and fails to chase down. The pass wasn't weighted well enough and ran through to Michel Vorm in the Swansea goal before Silva could get to it.
22 min: Silva and De Jong exchange short passes in midfield, before the former short-changes the latter, forcing him to poke the ball back to Joe Harte in the Manchester City goal. Thrilling stuff.
24 min: Smashing save from Michel Form, who does excellently to fling himself to his right and keep out a curling effort from Silva. Moments later there's a shout for a penalty when an Edin Dzeko effort takes a deflection off Swansea centre-half Ashley Williams.
26 min: A shout for a penalty that was turned down, I hasten to add. The ball hit the defender's hand as he dived in to try and block a cross. After their promising beginning to this match, it's starting to look ominous for Swansea City.
29 min: City are really turning the screw now. After another flowing passing move in which they cut through the Swansea defence like a hot knife through butter, David Silva got on the end of a low cross from Adam Johnson and rattled the crossbar with a rasping drive.
33 min: Applause ripples around Eastlands, or whatever City's stadium is called these days, as Sergio Aguero goes for an ego-boosting jog up the touchline. He returns the applause to the City fans, clapping his hands above his head in that half-hearted way footballers do.
34 min: "The odd thing about it is that Mancini seemed to play with a lot of joy," writes Jim Bach. "Your podcast comment about the wildest kids being the strictest parents was probably correct in his case," he continues, doing a bit of ego-stoking of his own.
8.35pm: Gael Clichy, whoi has looked a constant threat down the left flank, drills in a low cross to YaYa Toure, who makes a pig's ear of his efforts to steer the ball goalwards, getting it tangled under his feet then allowing his marker to hack clear. He hasn't been particularly impressive tonight, has Yaya. He looks a bit ring-rusty and keeps giving the ball away.
36 min: Manchester City attack down the right flank, with Adam Johnson charging into the space behind full-back Alan Tate before sending in a cross. In the Swansea goal, Michel Vorm claims.
38 mins: I spoke to soon, Yaya Toure charges past two defenders to the edge of the Swansea penalty area, before unleashing a rasping drive that's put out for a Man City corner. From the ensuing inswinger, Toure tees up David Silva, who fires over the bar with the goal at his mercy. He could have had a hat-trick by now.
39 min: "Re: your comments on 29 mins," writes Hugh Collins. "It's usually best to turn a screw with a screwdriver, rather than with a hot buttery knife. You're mixing your metaphors like a jack of all trades spoiling the broth."
40 min: As strong as an ox, Yaya Toure stumbles and barges his way through two tackles before laying the ball off to Silva on the edge of the area again. The Spaniard is dispossessed before he can turn.
44 min: Despite the pressure they're under, Swansea City continue trying to play the ball out from the back, with goalkeeper Michel Vorm demonstrating feet as nifty as his hands. The palms on said hands get stung again, when he's forced to put them in the way of a rising drive from Edin Dzeko.
44+ 1min: That's another fine save from Vorm, who's quick off his line to stop Dzeko opening the scoring in first half added time. The Bosnian was clean through on goal, having cut inside from the left, only for the Dutch goalkeeper to spread himself and stop his goalbound shot with an outstretched boot. Moments later, City win a corner after a low drive takes a deflection that could have flashed either side of the right upright. In the melee that follows, Dzeko hits the crossbar.
Half-time Having bossed the game for the opening 20 minutes, Swansea City will be counting their blessings that it's still all square. Only for their goalkeeper and the woodwork behind him, they could be five or six down at this stage. As things stand, though, they've played their first ever half of Premier League football without conceding a goal, although they've probably used up a season's worth of luck to do so. If they're to get anything from this game, they're going to need to come up with some way of containing David Silva, who has been buzzing around between the lines like a blue-arsed fly for the past half-hour, wreaking havoc among the ranks of Swansea defenders.
Half-time blather: " Re: wild kids and strict parents," writes Ryan Dunne. "Surely Kevin Keegan and Pep Guardiola (to pick two names at random) created teams in their own image, and you can even argue that the peerless Lord Ferg's swashbuckling Man Utd sides are not unrelated to his goalscoring feats with the Glorious Glasgow Rangers (25 goals in 41 games is hardly bad). That said, cheeky chappy Super Ally McCoist does, in support of your theory, seem to be pioneering a less efficient brand of 4-5-1 Walternaccio."
45 min: The teams return for the second half, with no changes on either side. In the Manchester City dug-out, Kun Aguero is fiddling with a roll of Gaffer Tape, which would suggest he's either (a) very easily amused, or (b) about to tape up his socks or wedding ring in preparation for making his Premier League debut.
46 min: Scott Sinclair wins a free-kick for Swansea in midfield, after getting clattered by Nigel De Jong. Swansea play the ball forward, before conceding possession to their hosts on the edge of the Manchester City penalty area.
47 min: Manchester City win the first corner of the second half after more good work from David Silva on the right-hand side of the Swansea City penalty area. He's proving a major handful. Nothing comes from the corner, apart from another blistering counter-attack in which Scott Sinclair leads the charge. He gallops from the Swansea left-back position, past the halfway line and on towards the corner flag, getting in a cross when it looked like the ball was gone out of play. Joe Hart claims.
50 min: On the right side of midfield, Ashley Williams gives the ball away to Adam Johnson, who slips a pass inside to Yaya Toure. Keeping the ball on the deck, he threads it between two defenders, into the path of Edin Dzeko, who only has goalkeeper Michel Worm to beat. Offside, but not by much. Another let-off for Swansea.
52 min: As Manchester City fans appeal for a penalty after a foul by Nathan Dyer on Silva at the edge of the penalty area, Scott Dobbie and three team-mates set off on a counter-attack. It's four on three as the Swans bear down on the Manchester City penalty area, but with passing options to his left and right, Dobbie elects to shoot from distance and Joe Hart is equal to the challenge.
55 min: Replays show that referee Mike Dean was correct to ignore the recent penalty appeals - Dyer's tackle on Silva may have been inside the area, but it was no foul.
GOAL! Manchester City 1-0 Swansea City (Dzeko 58) David Silva beats Leon Britton to a 50-50 ball in midfield and scurries forward, before playing a diagonal pass to Adam Johnson on the inside right flank. He sends in a cross, which Michel Vorm can only parry into the path of Dzeko, who slots home from about eight yards out.
59 min: KUUUUNNNNNNN!!!!!!!! Manchester City substiution: Nigel De Jong off, Sergio Aguero on. The Argentinian enters the arena to rapturous applause.
60 min: With Dzeko continuing the play up front, Yaya Toure drops back a bit to let Aguero slot in to position. Within two minutes, he has stamped his mark on the game, swivelling on his right foot to bring a good save out of Vorm with a left-footed drive, then wriggling his way past a couple of defenders and sending a looping cross to the far post from the byline. Sadly for him, there was nobody present to get on the end of it.
64 min: In the wake of the aforementioned left-footed drive, Yaya Toure slotted the ball past Vorm in the Swansea goal, but was correctly flagged for being offside.
65 min: Swansea substitutions: Leon Britton and Stephen Dobbie off, Joe Allen and Wayne Routledge on.
65 min: Swansea City win a free-kick in the Manchester City right-back position, which Scott Sinclair curls in towards the far post. Ashley Williams does well to keep the ball in play, but fails to get much power on his header, making it easy for Hart to claim the ball.
GOAL! Manchester City 2-0 Swansea City (Aguero 67) After yet another slick passing move, which Swansea's players can only stand and admire, Micah Richards picks out Sergio Aguero at the far post with a low cross from the right and the Arbgentinian prods the ball inside the post and over the liune to open his account in England after less than nine minutes on the field.
GOAL! Manchester City 3-0 Swansea City (Silva 70) What a goal! Aguero chases down Steven Caulker as the Swansea defender tries to control a kamikaze pass from a team-mate inside his own penalty area. As Vorm rushes out of his goal, Aguero lobs the ball over him, chases it to the byline and keeps it in play by hooking it hopefully over his shoulder where the ever alert David Silva was on hand to sweep it into the goal.
72 min: You fear for an increasingly weary and demoralised Swansea City side, now that City have put some numbers on the board and have Aguero and Silva gadding about up front. That was a truly marvellous bit of opportunistic play by Aguero, from the initial decision to harry Caulker to his relentless pursuit of what looked like a hopeless cause as the ball looked to be sailing out of play. He hooked the ball back over his shoulder more in hope than expectation, but it was no surprise that Silva was wise to his wheeze and in the right place to capitalise on his team-mate's industry. Awesome.
76 min: Another magnificent save from Swansea goalkeeper Vorm, who shows great reflexes to get down quickly and save one-handed when a Yaya Toure free-kick fizzed under the wall and threatened to sneak in the bottom right-hand corner. Although it could be argued he was at fault for Manchester City's first goal, Vorm has been splendid tonight in his first game of any kind for Swansea.
80 min: Swansea substitution: Nathan Dyer off, Leroy Lita on. Manchester City substitution: man of the match (so far) David Silva off, James Milner on. Manchester City substitution I forgot to tell you about earlier: Adam Johnson off, Stefan Savic on.
84 min: I wonder what Mario Balotelli makes of tonight's events? He was poker-faced when the camera cut to him warming up on the sideline after after Aguero had set up Silva's goal, but he must be wondering where he's going to get a game when Dzeko, Aguero, Silva, three holding midfielders, four defenders and a goalkeeper are likely to be ahead of him in the penalty area.
87 min: Manchester City win a free-kick a few yards outside the D on the edge of the Swansea penalty area for an Ashley Williams foul on Edin Dzeko. James Milner fancies his chances and hits the target, but his effort doesn't trouble Michel Vorm.
GOAL! Manchester City 4-0 Swansea City (Aguero 90) What a player! What treats we're in for this season! The ball drops to Aguero about 35 yards out, a bit right of centre. He looks up, advances a couple of yards and then rifles a powerful, dipping drive into the bottom left-hand corner. That's a wonderful strike from a super player. A Manchester City star is born.
Peep! Peep! Peep! It's all over - after a slow start, Manchester City win at a canter, due in no small part to the show-stealing contribution of debutant Sergio Aguero, who scored two and created a third after coming off the bench for the last half hour. For a man who isn't fully fit, his contribution was astonishing.
Swansea City were ultimately hammered but far from disgraced and can take heart from the fact that they won't be facing opposition this strong every week. They played quite well in spots and had plenty of possession without doing much with it. We'll get a better idea of how well equipped they are to stay in the Premier League once they play a couple of teams that don't boast superstars of the calibre of Kun Aguero and David Silva.
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Novak Djokovic wins Rogers Cup with victory over Mardy Fish in final
? World No1 becomes first player to win five ATP titles in a year
? Victory in Montreal is Djokovic's ninth title win of 2011
Novak Djokovic won his ninth title of 2011 with a hard-fought win over the American Mardy Fish in the final of the Rogers Cup in Montreal.
The 24-year-old Serbian, who has won 53 of the 54 matches he has played this year, beat Fish 6-2, 3-6, 6-4. He broke Fish's serve in the fifth game of the deciding set and held on to that advantage to the end.
With this success Djokovic, the world No1, has become the first player to win five ATP Masters events ? tournaments at the level just below the four majors ? in the same season.
"History-making, of course it's special," Djokovic said. "Of course, it's an honour and privilege to be part of the history of the sport that I love and that I play.
"I'm still 24. I still have lots of desire to win all the tournaments that I play."
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Sunday, August 14, 2011
Stoke City v Chelsea - as it happened | Jacob Steinberg
Chelsea were unable to break down resolute Stoke and were aggrieved at having a number of penalty appeals rejected
So can Andre Villas-Boas do it on a dry, warm Sunday afternoon in Stoke? There are probably better places than the Britannia Stadium for the manager ? who is 33 years old and used to work for Jose Mourinho ? to get acquainted with English football. In this fixture last season, Stoke gave Chelsea a good going over and were desperately unlucky not to come away with all three points, the match ending in a 1-1 draw. There shouldn't be too many surprises from Stoke: no-nonsense defending, set-pieces, a reliance on Matthew Etherington to provide the creativity, plenty of long balls and no end of endeavour from their two attackers. It sounds simple, but then Adrian Mole thought Animal Farm was a pleasant novel about a group of animals on a farm.
Although Chelsea have a new look in the dug-out, not much has changed on the pitch. In fact, three years after Sir Alex Ferguson suggested that Chelsea were too old to win the title, there squad largely remains the same from then, barring a few tweaks here and there. The days of big spending at Stamford Bridge increasingly appear to be over, the splurge on Fernando Torres and David Luiz in January the exception rather than the rule. From 2003 to 2006, Chelsea bought the likes of Hernan Crespo, Juan Sebastian Veron, Didier Drogba, Arjen Robben, Michael Essien, Petr Cech, Ricardo Carvalho, Michael Ballack and, er, Andriy Shevchenko. This summer, they've bought Oriol Romeu and Thibault Courtois, with Romelu Lukaku on the way. Not quite the same, is it?
The problem for Villas-Boas's predecessor, Carlo Ancelotti, during Chelsea's dodgy spell last season was a thin squad and that problem hasn't been rectified. Today Chelsea are likely to have a clutch of youngsters, squad players and Fernando Torres on the bench. Perhaps Luka Modric will be signed. Wesley Sneijder's available as well. Hint, hint. Right now, Chelsea do not have a team capable of keeping up with the Manchester clubs, let alone one that can harbour realistic hopes of winning the Champions League, the holy grail for Roman Abramovich. No pressure, AVB.
Some early team news for you. Fernando Torres starts for Chelsea. He suffered concussion during Spain's defeat to Italy on Wednesday, but is deemed fit to play. Well. That's a big vote of confidence in the Spaniard from Villas-Boas. Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka are apparently left on the bench.
Stoke (4-4-2): Begovic; Huth, Shawcross, Woodgate, Wilson; Pennant, Delap, Whelan, Etherington; Jones, Walters. Subs: Sorensen, Collins, Pugh, Diao, Whitehead, Wilkinson, Shotton.
Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Bosingwa, Alex, Terry, Cole; Ramires, Mikel, Lampard; Kalou, Torres, Malouda. Subs: Hilario, Ivanovic, Benayoun, Drogba, Ferreira, McEachran, Anelka.
Referee: Mark Halsey (Lancashire)
Everyone's been asking about what to expect from Villas-Boas. I've got no idea to be honest, having not followed the Portuguese league last season. I do know that he's 33 and worked for Jose Mourinho though.
The first email. "Did he?" asks Benjamin List of Adrian Mole. "He quoted from it in his impassioned argument about the Falklands, he must've had some knowledge, even if it was only an inkling, as to it's intended meaning. Anyway, 1-1. Lampard with Chelsea's, Woodgate for Stoke. But he'll injure himself in the process and it'll turn from triumph to tragedy." Chelsea won't have fond memories of Jonathan Woodgate as well.
Ray Wilkins, in the commentary box, makes a very good point about Drogba's absence from the starting line-up meaning Chelsea will be weaker when defending set-pieces. Good old Raymondo.
1 min: At a very loud Britannia Stadium - as if that needed saying - we're off. Chelsea, kicking from right to left, get us going. Fernando Torres doesn't mess up the kick-off, so he's already looking better than he did last season. "Going by the success of debutants so far I reckon Villas-Boas'll get manhandled by Shawcross and get red-carded," offers Oliver Lewis. Or he'll nick Tony Pulis's baseball cap. These youngsters get up to all sorts.
2 min: The first Rory Delap long throw of the season. The first of many. He hurls it in from the right and with some difficulty, Cech, flapping slightly, punches clear. Ramires hooks it out of the box, but Stoke keep the pressure up, Walters winning a corner on the left.
3 min: Pennant curls it into the six-yard box, but the whistle blows for a foul on Cech.
4 min: Whenever Chelsea get the ball, the Stoke fans boo loudly. And whenever they lose it, as Kalou did here as he tried to play Bosingwa in, they jeer loudly.
5 min: This game is being played at breakneck speed.
6 min: For the first time, Chelsea construct an attack worthy of the name. Kalou's quick feet on the right touchline got him clear and he then knocked a pass forward for Ramires. He managed to hold off a strong Stoke challenge, before aiming a cross to Torres, only for Shawcross to importantly head behind. Lampard's corner is cleared.
8 min: At that Lampard corner, Alex was caught in the face by a flailing arm by Huth, who has previous for this sort of thing, as his new team-mate Matthew Upson and Mario Balotelli will testify.
9 min: Chelsea are starting to get into their groove. Bosingwa forces Begovic into the first save of the match, the goalkeeper palming the right-back's mishit cross wide at his near post. He did well not to be caught out there. After a spot of pushing and shoving in the area, the corner is eventually taken, but Torres fouls Begovic as Terry heads over.
10 min: Shawcross, turned far too easily by Torres on the halfway line, brings the striker down and earns his first booking of the season. It won't be last.
11 min: Torres looks sharp. Unruffled by that clattering he took from Shawcross, again he spins away from his marker, this time in a far more advanced position. Having made the space, he looks to test Begovic from distance, but he doesn't catch the shot properly and it rolls a few yards wide of the left post.
12 min: The first glimpse of Villas-Boas on the touchline. He's wearing a club suit. No sign of a Matalan coat.
13 min: Kalou goes down in the area after a coming together with Whelan. He looks pleadingly at Mark Halsey, who waves play on. A harsher referee might have given a penalty, but it was more a case of Kalou losing his balance.
14 min: Delap with his third throw-in already. This time Cech can't get off his line but Huth, with his back to goal, glances a header just over the top.
16 min: Delap. Throw. This is getting repetitive. Stoke fans half-heartedly cry for handball against Terry but it went against his chest.
17 min: Chelsea play themselves into trouble by stroking the ball around between themselves at the back, and eventually Cech, under pressure, shanks his clearance out for a throw. Just get it in the mixer, lads, work the channels, play the percentages. None of this tippy-tappy nonsense.
18 min: "Fernando Torres is looking excellent, his old confident self. Dangerous, fast movement, excellent positioning," says Cecilia Marjakangas. "It's only a question of time when he scores. Hopefully in this game, but if not, then surely in the next. He's bossing defenders like in the olden days at Atletico and Liverpool. Great news for Chelsea fans, bad news for Drogba." He just needs to stay fit. When he is, he's the best striker in the league and arguably the best No9 in the world.
19 min: A throw to Stoke on the left. But instead of launching it into the box, Delap gives it the Ronaldinho eyes and just drops it to the feet of a team-mate standing a few yards away. And immediately the ball's launched high into the area, but Cech claims it.
21 min: Terry bumps into Jones on the right, conceding a free-kick in a similar position from where Stoke opened the scoring against Arsenal last season. Etherington curls the ball dangerously into the six-yard box, but Alex manages to head it up and into the air. At the far post, Shawcross heads it back into the fray, but Cech again dominates his six-yard box. He's having a very good game.
22 min: Ashley Cole somewhat fortunately escapes a booking for a foul off-the-ball on Etherington. The Stoke fans howl in anger, the memory of Shawcross's yellow card still fresh in the mind.
24 min: What a piece of defending from Huth to deny Malouda what surely would have been the opening goal. On the right side of the area, Lampard collected possession. Knowing he didn't have the beating of Shawcross, he bided his time, waiting for support and then dinked a delightful cross into the six-yard box, where three Chelsea players were waiting. Malouda looked certain to score but somehow Huth, facing his own goal, took it away from with a diving header.
25 min: Etherington's lovely flick on the right touchline catches out Cole, who'd gone to sleep, and releases Walters. He romps clear and towards the byline, but his cross towards Jones is palmed away by Cech. This match is very much in the balance.
27 min: "Does Torres just need to stay fit to be back to his best?" says Gary Naylor. "For two years, he didn't just look short of fitness, he looked short of desire - well, of the kind of desire required to play 50+ games per season close to one's best. It'll take more than 18 minutes to convince me that he's back." Yes, but how much of that was a consequence of playing with the likes of Christian Poulsen?
29 min: Chelsea need more creativity in the middle and more pace in the wide areas. That is all.
29 min part two: Malouda has just produced possibly the worst cross of the season. Freed by Torres on the left, he had time and space to pick out a team-mate in the middle, but instead he club-footed it into the stands, exhibiting the sort of technique that suggests he's never even looked at a football before, let alone kicked one. He looks ruefully at the pitch.
32 min: The wiry Ramires storms into the area on the right but from a tight angle, his shot across the face of goal fizzes all the way through the six-yard box. He's been one of Chelsea's more impressive players.
34 min: It's a match played with the best of intentions but both defences are on top. Neither side has managed to fashion a clear-cut chance. Blame it on early-season rust.
37 min: Stoke are increasingly being forced to play on the break, with Chelsea taking a firmer grip on the game.
38 min: Suddenly Stoke wake up again, and there's a huge appeal for handball against Terry in the area. Pennant chipped a clever ball over the top for Walters, who stuck out a foot in a bid to control it. He couldn't, but the ball was diverted on to the top of Terry's arm, but Halsey couldn't see it. In fairness, Terry knew nothing about it, but it could have been given. The ball isn't cleared, and Pennant stands up a cross towards Jones at the far post, Alex importantly heading behind.
39 min: After Terry puts the first corner behind, Stoke scream for a penalty again as the Chelsea captain comes together with Shawcross in middle. They were all over each other. Terry hasn't exactly got away with anything, but can Halsey reject a third appeal?
42 min: The ball certainly did hit Terry on the top of his arm, but I don't think it was deliberate and Halsey's view of it did seem to be obstructed as the players had their backs to him. However Terry was foolish to have his arms outstretched.
44 min: The Stoke fans cheer ironically as Terry is penalised for a push in the air on Walters 40 yards from goal. That was fairly soft, but as I said. Etherington curls the free-kick in, but Mikel gets his head to it and Bosingwa prevents the corner.
45 min: Cole takes a tumble under a challenge from Huth, but Halsey again decides it's not a foul. He's certainly taking a hands-off approach to this one.
45 min+1: Very nearly a marvellous individual goal from Torres. On the left, he twisted and turned this way and that inside the Stoke area, making fools of both Huth and Shawcross. He sold them several dummies but as he prepared to curl the ball with his right foot into the far corner from 10 yards out, Shawcross got a feathery touch on it, knocking it against Torres and out for a goal-kick. So unlucky.
Half time: Stoke 0-0 Chelsea. It's even.
Half time emails:
"The best league in the world," muses Alexander Netherton. Even better than the Lithuanian first division?
"On holiday in Rhodes," says Matthew Britton. "Had to take refuge by the pool as the bar is filled with men with Stoke shirts on grunting at the TV. Too scared to get a drink." Oh dear.
"'Terry foolish to have his arms outstretched'? I doubt it," says Gary Naylor. "They do research their referees you know. It's one of the charming innovations introduced to the
game that improves the spectacle for everyone."
"Stoke would do Barcelona," says Luke Stevenson. "Discuss." Do we have to?
46 min: And off we go again. Hopefully this will be better. Stoke start in positive fashion, Cole deflecting Pennant's cross behind for another Stoke corner. Etherington's corner is headed away at the near post. "Alan Curbishley thinks that AVB should make changes at the 60 minute mark," says Pavan Jeswani. "'Maybe throw Drogba on.' Managerial genius."
47 min: Stoke are very lucky not to have conceded a penalty here. Once again, Torres turned and skipped past Shawcross, who hung out a leg and brought him down. There was clear contact. It's a strange one. The leg that was tripped was in the box, but the rest of Torres's body was outside it. What happens then? Either way, Halsey ignored the appeals for a foul.
48 min: Whelan gives some ammo to those who claim Stoke are a rugby team by launching the ball into orbit from 30 yards out. That was even worse than Malouda's cross in the first half.
51 min: Ramires's pass, intended for Boswinga, is deflected back to him but his snapshot from 20 yards out goes wide of the right post. "Torres looks lively though, problem is delivery to him which will surely be the same with Drogba," says Oliver Lewis. "Surely Benayoun on for someone." They could do with his inventiveness.
52 min: Ashley Cole has just performed a one-footed scorpion kick on the left touchline. Kids, do try that at home, preferably in your living room.
54 min: Mark Halsey will not be giving any penalties today. Lampard sends in a corner from the left, which Terry heads down into the six-yard box. The ball falls to Torres, who tries to swivel and slam the ball into the net, but instead he collapses with Woodgate's arms wrapped around his torso. That looked like a penalty, although Torres did swing and miss at the ball.
55 min: Incredible! Memories of Chelsea's game against Barcelona in 2009 will be flooding back here. Now Lampard has gone down in the box as he tried to reach a loose ball. Then moments later, Mikel hits a volley goalwards from 30 yards out and Begovic punches the ball over the top. Chelsea are turning the screw.
59 min: I can't make my mind up about the Lampard incident. It looked like there was contact as he nicked the ball around Shawcross, but he seemed to be going down before he was touched. Who'd be a ref?
60 min: Torres jinks inside from the left again, but his curler towards the far corner is blocked. While that attack was going on, Stoke's fans were screaming for Chelsea to put the ball out as Etherington was down injured. Now he'll get some treatment.
61 min: From one angle, it looks like Lampard was going down before he was touched. From another, it looks like it was a clear penalty. As for Etherington, he's hurt his shoulder after a collision with Kalou. He's probably dislocated it and walks off wincing.
62 min: Dean Whitehead comes on for the injured Etherington. That's a huge blow for Stoke. "I'm curious about the import of Oliver Lewis's note that 'Torres looks lively though, problem is delivery to him'," says Paul Taylor. "Does this mean that Chelsea, surely one of the top dozen or so clubs in the world, does not have people who can supply decent balls to the strikers? I can't believe there aren't enough of them in the world to fill the ranks of the good teams. Or is the average tenure of a Chelsea player too short (wonder why) for anyone to make a difference?"
64 min: On reflection, I reckon it was a dive by Lampard. Which is a strange decision from him, because if he'd continued, he was clean through on goal. Back to the action, Malouda lines one up from 25 yards out but his drive is straight at Begovic.
65 min: Interesting. Chelsea make their first change, but it's not Didier Drogba coming on. Instead Nicolas Anelka is introduced for Florent Malouda.
66 min: Ashley Cole is booked for a late tackle on Pennant.
67 min: Pennant's volley from the edge of the area is blocked bravely by Cole, the ball spinning out for a throw on the right. Delap launches it into the middle and Cech, challenging Huth, spills it. The ball comes to Walters but with Cech out of his goal, the ball wouldn't come down for the striker and the chance is gone.
69 min: I'm looking forward to hearing what Jamie Redknapp has to say about Lampard's dive.
70 min: Delap is down, clutching his hamstring. Stoke do seem to suffer a lot of injuries.
71 min: Danny Pugh replaces Rory Delap. Stoke have lost their two biggest attacking weapons in the last 10 minutes.
72 min: Begovic saves Stoke twice in quick succession. First, over on the left, Anelka cut inside and then bent a superb shot towards the far corner, only for Begovic to tip it on to the face of the bar. The ball came out too quickly for Torres to head it into the empty net. Then, with Chelsea pinning Stoke back, Torres places a cross perfectly on to the head of Kalou, but from eight yards he puts the his powerful header too close to Begovic, who shouldn't have been given a chance.
74 min: As Kevin Keegan might say, only one team's going to win this now.
75 min: "Actually, almost every big team that plays against packed defenses cries out for an Ozil or the Kaka of 5 years ago," says Brendan Wirth. "There's a shortage of that attacking midfielders to turn second pass out of defense to an attacking move or slip the killer pass around edge of the box." I hear Cesc Fabregas is available.
76 min: Chelsea now have an embarrassment of riches up front: Anelka, Torres and Didier Drogba. Salomon Kalou goes off.
77 min: Glenn Whelan drops the shoulder to evade Alex and then places a curler straight at Cech from 25 yards.
79 min: Torres goes on another direct run up the left flank. He's been excellent and Stoke have had their hands full dealing with him. This time he wins a corner off Pennant, but it comes to nothing.
79 min: Wilson is booked for a cynical bodycheck on Bosingwa.
80 min: "Further to recent Knowledges about bizarre nicknames given by Latin American commentators to footballers, I am watching this game in Argentina where Danny Pugh has been called 'Winnie Pooh' since he came on, sometimes in a squeaky voice 'for the children'," says Ben Hendry. "It's one of the strangest things I've ever heard."
82 min: Pugh trips Ramires around 30 yards out. It's in a central position, but Drogba sends his shot straight at Begovic.
86 min: With Chelsea getting nowhere with some slow passing outside the Stoke area, Alex suddenly marauds forward and belts one high and wide. Shortly afterwards, Stoke make their final change, Ryan Shotton on for Kenwyne Jones.
87 min: Frank Lampard is booked for throwing the ball away after a decision went against him.
88 min: Barcelona have La Masia, where they teach youngsters how to pass and pass and pass. At Stoke, they teach youngsters how to do throw-ins apparently. With Delap off the pitch, long throw duty is passed over to Shotton, 19, but there's a foul on Cech. Benayoun comes on for Torres, who shakes Villas-Boas's hand as he goes off.
89 min: Benayoun's first touch is to deflect a thunderbolt from Bosingwa wide. That one was travelling at quite some speed. Benayoun was offside as well.
90 min: There will be five more minutes of this.
90 min+3: On the ground, Drogba somehow manages to wrap his legs around the ball, whip it away from Woodgate, spin around and get up, only for the defender to bring him down. Danger for Stoke. It's only 25 yards out and in a central position. Drogba's standing over it.
90 min+4: Drogba cracks it straight into the wall. Alex and Drogba then get in each other's way as the ball rebounds back, before Ramires smashes a shot miles wide from 40 yards out.
90 min+5: And now Stoke have a late free-kick, Cole pushing Walters over on the right flank.
Peep! Peep! Peep! Pennant's free-kick is headed away and with that, Mark Halsey blows his final whistle. Chelsea won't be happy with some of his decisions. They'll feel they should have been awarded one or two penalties, but overall a point at Stoke is not a bad result. Torres's display will have encouraged Andre Villas-Boas as well. Stoke are delighted with the point, their fans cheering lustily at the end. They'll certainly be fine this season. None of the top six from last season have won yet. Over to Manchester United.
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