Tag Futebol

Manchester City this evening showed that they are serious contenders for the 2011/12 Premier League title as they swept away newly promoted Swansea with four second half goals. It will be £38 million signing Sergio Aguero who will steal all the headlines as the Argentinean international scored twice in a 30-minute second half cameo, and his second was a real stunner.

Swansea gave as good as they got in the first 20 minutes, as the Championship Playoff winners kept the ball for large periods without creating any real chances. Man City then started to exert their influence on the match and were unlucky not to go into the break with the lead, as first David Silva and then Gareth Barry hit the crossbar, and Swansea’s new goalkeeper Michel Vorm made a couple of decent saves.

In the second half Man City had more and more of the ball and it was only a matter of time before they broke the deadlock. They did that 10 minutes after the break, as Edin Dzeko netted the first, and after that it was the Sergio Aguero show.

Minutes after coming on he scored a tap-in thanks to a cross from Micah Richards and then turned provider as he set up Silva for City’s third. In between Vorm made a number of great saves, racking up 11 in total, but there was nothing he could do about Aguero’s second.

The little Argentinean most certainly saved the best till last, launching a rasping unstoppable shot from outside the area to make it 4-0. The scoreline didn’t flatter Man City, but was a bit harsh of Swansea considering the Welsh side’s first half efforts. They’ll be looking to bounce back against Wigan next week, while for City it’s onwards and upwards and a top of the table clash against Bolton.

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A host of Premier League clubs are chasing promising young Spanish footballer Oriol Romeu, according to reports in Spain.

The Barcelona midfielder has recently signed a new contract with the Spanish league leaders, but that hasn’t put off potential suitors Everton, Blackburn and Manchester United from making enquiries for the player.

Romeu has recently been promoted to first team affairs after playing 45 games for Barcelona’s B team. He has risen the ranks in a similar fashion with the Spanish national team, having played for the Spanish U-17, U-19 and U-20 sides.

It is thought that Arsene Wenger has also previously been interested in the services of the 19 year-old and sent scouts to watch him earlier in the season.

Romeu plays as a defensive midfielder, but can also switch to centre back if required.

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Blackburn’s new owners will be keen to get fans back onside with a big signing in January after the controversy of the Sam Allardyce sacking. The addition to the squad of an exciting Barcelona youth product could be just what is required at Ewood Park and could fill the hole left by the injury to Phil Jones. Everton will be hoping that they can agree a loan deal with Barcelona as their transfer budget is unlikely to be able to stretch far enough to sign the player permanently.

As the dust settles on a tumultuous week at White Hart Lane as Tottenham embark on the search for Harry Redknapp’s successor after he was sacked on Wednesday evening. It’s certainly been a torrid eight weeks for Redknapp after losing out on the England job to Roy Hodgson and seeing the Blues steal their spot in the Champions League despite guiding Spurs to a fourth place finish. That being said the 65-year-old’s demise was undoubtedly self inflicted. He seemed nailed on to take over the national team after Fabio Capello’s departure but fatally took his eyes off the ball and well… the rest is history. Their North London rivals crept above them into third and denied them an automatic seat on Europe’s top table. It proved to be the decisive blow. However Redknapp stated in the wake of his dismissal that even if he had delivered Champions League football he would have been ousted by chairman Daniel Levy sensationally claiming that none of the Tottenham  hierarchy didn’t like him. Whatever the reason it’s now up to Levy and the board to appoint the right man to succeed Redknapp and match his achievements at Spurs. It’s a decision that will ultimately define the clubs future.

This week on FFC did Redknapp unintentionally engineer his axing from Spurs and is David Moyes the man to fill his shoes in North London?

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Best of FFC

The TEN ‘Transfer Targets’ Tottenham should be looking at this summer

Where do Tottenham go from here?

The architect of his own Tottenham downfall?

The ideal man to fill the Tottenham void?

Facing up to another midfield renaissance?

Lack of Transparency Cost Harry his Job

Would Premier League Clubs Benefit From South American Affiliations?

FOUR possible Replacements Should Redknapp Leave Spurs

Premier League trio on alert as Heldt reveals £17m release…

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Best of WEB

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The Word on the Street – Spurs musings from Jimmy G2

From Inside The Lane – Harry Hotspur

Harry Redknapp. Thank you and goodbye. – Dear Mr Levy

Spurs Hunt For Tactician After Redknapp’s Outdated Approach – Transfer Tavern

Luka and ITK mathematics – Dear Mr Levy

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Goodbye & Good Riddance – Harry Hotspur

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Quote of the Week

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We finished fourth and were unlucky at the end, but I think the same outcome would have happened. It’s always disappointing but that’s football.

“The people who run the football club have to make decisions that they think are right and that’s their decision. You know I abide by it. I don’t spend my life holding grudges, thinking about what could have been. That’s life, we all move on.” Harry Redknapp believes he would have been sacked even if he had secured Champions League qualification for Tottenham

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Harry Redknapp sacked by Spurs

Nothing epitomised West Ham last season better than the match they were relegated in. At the beginning of the season the fans were optimistic that new manager Avram Grant would be able to move the club forward after having narrowly avoided relegation the year before. They weren’t able to climb the league, but going 2-0 up away to Wigan meant they still had a chance of keeping their place in the Premiership.

And then they blew it. 3 goals without reply for the Lancashire club and West Ham dropped out of the basement. It had been a horror year for the Hammers, and not even Scott Parker’s Captain-Fantastic-performances or the return of Thomas ‘Der Hammer’ Hitzlsperger could turn it around.

Now facing up to the prospect of a spell in the Championship, new manager Sam Allardyce has a lot of work to do to bring the London club back up to the promised-land of the Premier League. His brief is to do this at the first time of asking, which is generally what is hoped for when a team is relegated. But his strategy for doing this, questioned in some quarters, appears to be a somewhat high-risk, if not completely kamikaze, policy of signing players on Premier League wages to get the job done.

But is this the right way of securing a way out of the second tier of English football, or a doomed path to further embarrassment?

It seems wrong to argue with Big Sam (after all, he could easily have managed Real Madrid) because his track record with struggling clubs is impeccable. Most people would agree that if Allardyce had still been in charge at Blackburn then they would have found themselves much higher up the league than they eventually did; scrapping for survival on the last day of the season just wouldn’t have happened. His time at Newcastle was ill-fated, that is for sure, but maybe fans expected too much, and only being given half a season is no way to tell if a manager will be successful or not in the long-run.

He has so far brought in Kevin Nolan for an undisclosed fee and Abdoulaye Faye on a free transfer. But the issue is not with the amount he pays for them, but the amount they are paid in their contracts. Nolan’s £50,000 per week is a lot of money for a team in the Championship to splash on the wages of just one player. And with West Ham having been linked with moves for Eidur Gudjohnsen (although this proved to be a failed effort), Matthew Taylor, Andy Johnson and even Joe Cole, he might not even be one of the highest earners at the club. If they were to fail to get the promotion they crave, West Ham could be plummeted into further financial difficulties, something the team and the fans will not want to have to experience again.

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So is Allardyce right to pin so much on the ‘bouncebackability’ of his team? In a word, yes. Newcastle, Birmingham and West Bromwich Albion are some of the few teams that can boast immediate returns to the Premier League, whilst the likes of Leicester, Sheffield United, Derby County and many others have become bogged down in the lower leagues. This is mainly because the Championship has been getting more and more competitive over the years, and this year looks to be one of the most challenging ever. West Ham will need the kind of quality that Allardyce is looking to bring in, and the fact that he has managed a lot of the players before should mean that he knows how to motivate them.

The target of 1 season, 1 promotion is also important as the move to the Olympic Stadium approaches. The likes of Tottenham and Leyton Orient don’t need any more ammunition to throw at the Olympic Park Legacy Company as evidence of the Hammers’ undeservedness. Whether or not Big Sam can hold off the hits and deliver on his promise remains to be seen, but he is certainly building a squad capable of cashing on the return tickets he has issued.

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Who’s your tip for the Championship next season? Let me know on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/_tomclose

Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has returned to the Emirates in order to maintain his fitness, following the conclusion of another MLS season. Surely the homecoming of one of Arsenal’s greats can only have a positive effect on the current squad?

The 33-year-old arrived at the London Colney base on Monday where he has been training with Arsene Wenger’s squad. The new MLS season begins in March, and although the deal is short-term, Henry will use his time at his former club to stay fit, as well as lend a helping hand to Arsenal’s attacking players.

Although Arsenal are the Premier League’s top goal-scorers, recently, the Gunners have found it hard to find the net, and most importantly, convert their countless chances into goals. Henry’s advice would unquestionably be beneficial to those who lack the killer instinct in front of goal. Not only the ability to finish, but the Arsenal legend could teach the younger members of the squad how to employ their movement and speed in the correct way.

A player that could really profit from Henry’s presence is Theo Walcott. I expect the 21-year-old to spend a lot of time with the former Arsenal skipper, as the Englishman is likened to the New York Red Bull striker. Primarily, Walcott is a striker, but Wenger has decided to utilise the speed merchant on the wing since his arrival in 2006.

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Wenger signed Henry from Juventus in 1999, who at the time was a winger. However, the speedy Frenchman was successfully converted into a striker during his time at Arsenal, which resulted in Thierry Henry becoming one of the Premier League’s top strikers. Undeniably, Arsene Wenger will be hoping to do the same with Walcott in the near future.

Walcott clearly has the ability to become a great forward for the Gunners, but his decision-making has been questioned on a number of occasions. However, with the tuition of Henry (even for a few weeks) Walcott could add that killer instinct that has been lacking.

Henry spent eight highly successful years at Arsenal, where he managed to win two Premier League titles, two FA Cups and become the clubs top goal-scorer of all-time with 226 goals in 370 appearances.

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Personally, I’m glad to see Henry back home, even if it’s for some training. The man is a legend, who deserves acknowledgement for what he did whilst at the North London club. I hope that his personality rubs off on the team, and more importantly, gives the squad a positive energy whilst he’s here.

This article was first published on Gunnersphere.com – you can follow Tony Merakli HERE on Twitter

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Manchester City playmaker David Silva has stated that he is happy at the Premier League side, and has no plans to leave the club.

The Spain international is one of Roberto Mancini’s key men, and after spectacular performances for the Etihad Stadium side has been linked with a move back to his homeland.

However, Silva has admitted that he is only concentrating on the job at hand.

“What I’m thinking about is the next match on Sunday,” he told The Guardian.

“I’ve got two years left on my contract and I’ve always said I’ll be happy to stay here. I’m not thinking of an extension to my contract at the moment.”

Silva has suffered a slight dip in form in the second half of the season, but the attacking midfielder has revealed that he has been carrying an ankle injury.

“I’ve been quite unlucky in the second half of the season because not only have I been knocked and knocked and knocked on the same ankle that’s caused me a lot of trouble but just at the moment when I felt the worst physically we had a dip in form as a team.

“That seemed to show up even more what was happening with my ankle. But we’re finishing strongly as a team and I’m concentrating on finishing this season.

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“My ankle is feeling slightly better but the team is also playing better, which helps. I’m just having a lot of physical treatment, getting a lot of movement in my ankle. As you know I had an operation in that ankle years ago and it’s just a question of keeping the movement going,” he concluded.

By Gareth McKnight

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Copa America hosts Argentina must win their final group game against Costa Rica on Monday to guarantee their spot in the quarter-finals of the competition.Sergio Batista’s side have endured a frustrating start to the tournament on home soil, drawing their opener with Bolivia 1-1, followed by a goalless draw against Colombia.

They are third in Group A, one point behind second placed Costa Rica and two back from group leaders Columbia.

The two best third-placed nations will progress to the quarter-finals, but Argentina know anything less than a draw will leave their fate in the results of others.

Wednesday’s stalemate saw Argentina fans turning their backs on the players and booing them off the pitch in Sante Fe.

“No football player likes it when a game ends and you leave the fans with a bad feeling and a bad feeling with ourselves for not playing how we’d like,” Argentina captain Javier Mascherano said.

“Also when the fans insult you or sing aggressive songs, no one likes that.”

“But it is their right and I repeat, we are aware of the situation, and we are also aware that it is on us to change it.”

“And starting Monday we have to start a new Copa America.”

World players of the year Lionel Messi has received the brunt of the criticism in Argentina, where fans had hoped to see their star player fire the team to Copa America glory for the first time since 1993.

The Barcelona man has had a limited influence in the hosts’ first two matches, but club and national teammate Mascherano and the rest of the squad have been quick to defend him.

“Really, on an individual level we are all not performing our best,” Mascherano said.

“And this obviously is affecting the entire team.”

“But that doesn’t mean it is Messi’s fault that Argentina is playing poorly.”

“On the contrary, I think collectively we have been affected by the poor individual performances.”

Argentina meet Costa Rica in Cordoba on Monday, while Colombia take on Bolivia in Sante Fe.

It’s difficult to know quite what to make of this.

Part Alan Partridge, part Fast Show, part QVC.

Certainly a send up, but my money’s on Raul Ferdinand and Bryan Giggs being in on it. If you can tell us where this came from, we’d appreciate it!

Enjoy?

https://youtube.com/watch?v=9nXC1HyaUEM%3Ffs%3D1%26hl%3Den_US%26color1%3D0x234900%26color2%3D0x4e9e00

Stunning photo of Manchester United legend Paul Scholes with the Premier League Trophy – personally hand signed by Paul Scholes at a private signing session for A1 Sporting Memorabilia on 12/11/2010 in Manchester £50.Approximate size: 16 x 12 inches – Get 10% Discount with the Promo Code TTT10

Leeds United announced on Wednesday that Bobby Kamwa had signed his first professional contract with the Championship club.

Kamwa, who has been in impressive form for Leeds’ Under-18 team this season, has signed a contract with the Whites until the summer of 2020.

Jack Clarke and Clarke Oduor have recently put pen to paper on professional contracts with Leeds, and now Kamwa has been handed a deal at Elland Road.

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It would be fair to say that the Leeds supporters have been a frustrated bunch in recent weeks due to the team’s poor form, but they have recently been boosted by the news that Spanish attacker Pablo Hernandez has opened contract talks with the club.

The fans have now been reacting to confirmation that Kamwa has penned a two-and-a-half-year contract with Leeds, and many are looking forward to seeing the 18-year-old in action for the first team.

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A selection of the Twitter reaction in relation to the contract news can be seen below:

Ho, ho, ho! Christmas is, almost, officially here, and like the rest of us, football managers are hoping for some lovely presents.Arsene Wenger is, perhaps, more in need than most of some thoughtful gifts, with Arsenal’s season having lurched from disappointment to disaster on a weekly basis so far.So what does the Frenchman need all wrapped up with a bow on top? Well, we’ve got a glimpse of his letter to Mr Claus, and here’s what we found…[ffc-gallery]

CLICK ON WENGER TO REVEAL THE FIVE

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Defenders

The fans know it, the pundits are calling for it and anybody with a fully – or even partially –functioning pair of eyes is aware of the issue. Arsenal need defenders. Nacho Monreal’s woes at centre-back and a horrendous list of injuries have ruthlessly exposed a lack of depth at the back for the Gunners, who have changed their backline more often that we’d care to mention this season, with predictable results.

Money is thought to be in place, with a £20m minimum kitty deep enough to land at least one extra pair of legs to bolster their rearguard. Winston Reid and Virgil van Dijk of West Ham and Celtic respectively are options, with the pair well within Wenger’s budget. But will he move for them?

First class travel…

Scenes as Wenger boarded the train after his side’s shock loss in Stoke were, erm… a little unfair. The Frenchman was ferociously booed by disenchanted Gunners fans, who truly ran out of patience with their manager after the latest slip. But had Wenger plumped for better seats, he may have been able to slip seamlessly from the first class lounge (if there is such a location in the Potteries) and onto the train without facing a barrage of abuse. Surely some fan will chip in for an upgrade? No? Oh…

Some crocked stars back in action

Arsenal’s injury list is frankly embarrassing. Jack Wilshere’s latest blow means that he’ll be out until Spring 2015, while a host of other players are keeping the Gunners’ physios inundated with work through the festive period. The perfect gift for Wenger would be a fully fit and firing Mesut Ozil, some defenders back in action and at least one of his experienced goalkeepers to be okay for 90 minutes of aerial bombardment.

A new coat…

Wenger’s barrier against the cold has been a long running joke. From his hilarious zip issues, to sleeping bag references, opposing fans have been given nearly limitless ammo to fire pot-shots at the Frenchman. Surely some Love To Shop vouchers can be dug out for a new jacket…

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Wins…

Football is a result business, and Arsenal simply haven’t been picking up the points they need. With all of the traditional top four rivals stuttering, the Gunners had a real chance, and still have a good the opportunity, to get their quest for Champions League qualification on track early on, yet shock losses and the surrendering of leads have cost them big time. It’s not too late though, with the festive period presenting games thick and fast and the chance to focus on the league.

Some luck in the Champions League

Second spot in Group D awaits for the Gunners, unless Dortmund slip up, making the draw next week a potentially dangerous one for the Gunners. Over the course of the last few years a failure to top their pool has forced Arsenal to take on some of Europe’s big boys, which has always ended in disappointment. The draw may be tricky again this time around, but a slice of good fortune may be what’s needed for the Londoners to make a long-awaited continental impact.