David Moyes has praised Leon Osman’s recent form, after the winger scored the only goal in Everton’s 1-0 win over Swansea on Wednesday night.
Osman headed home Royston Drenthe’s corner on the hour mark to down the Welsh side, and Moyes was pleased with the victory.
“He is playing well at the moment Leon Osman, wherever we play him,” Moyes told Sky Sports.
“He is beginning to get back to a bit of form, he wasn’t quite there at the earlier part of the season but at the moment he is playing really well.
“Swansea are a good team, they have done really well and they pass the ball as well as anybody. They have not conceded that many goals this season and we haven’t scored that many so we knew it was going to be tough.
“Overall, except for the chance in the second half I thought we controlled most of the game. I thought we were in control with what we were doing, we limited them to a few chances and made a few ourselves.
“It was a tight game but I thought we deserved the victory, we played well enough, made enough chances to score and I was pleased with the players’ performance,” he concluded.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Roman Pavlyuchenko came off the bench to score the winner as Tottenham saw off a spirited Sunderland side to move up to third in the Premier League.
Despite spending much of the season consigned to twiddling his thumbs on the substitutes bench the Russian proved he hasn’t lost his sharpness in front of goal cooly slotting the ball past Kieron Westwood secure all three points for the home side. It was an afternoon of frustration for Spurs who were constantly thwarted by the Black Cats as they threatened to leave White Hart Lane with a well earned point. The effect Martin O’Neill has had on the Weasiders was there for all to see in North London as they looked to win for the second consecutive week after beating Blackburn at the death last Sunday to move away from the drop zone. However they missed the chance to put more distance between themselves and the bottom three as Harry Redknapp’s side snatched a deserved victory to keep themselves on the fringes of the the title race.
With Jermaine Defoe and Gareth Bale sidelined with injury the home side were shorn of two of their key attacking players that took the fizz out of their usual vibrance in the final third. Aaron Lennon also limped off midway through the first half leaving the creative duties to Rafael Van Der Vaart and Luka Modric who both showed flashes of their brilliance in the centre. The former should have opened the scoring but could only deflect Benoit Assou Ekotto’s cross wide before Sandro scuffed a shot wide after being played in by the Dutchman. Sunderland gradually grew in confidence and were unlucky not to take the lead with Kieron Richardson and Sebastian Larsson testing Brad Friedel from range.
David Vaughan was also denied by the 40-year-old keeper producing another top save to deny the Welsh midfielder as he single handedly kept Spurs in the game. It proved to be vital as the hosts found themselves back on top once again as they took the lead just after the hour mark with Pavlyuchenko doing brilliantly to fire across Westwood and into the corner after being found by Van Der Vaarts brilliant superb pass. That lead should have been doubled soon after only for Modric to lay down his claim for miss of the season blasting over an empty net from 12-yards after Emmanuel Adebayor’s shot was pushed into his path by Westwood. Sunderland faded in the latter stages with substitute Nicklas Bendtner having a late chance that he blazed well wide after a neat one-two with Stephane Sessegnon.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Patrice Evra has been backed by former Manchester United player Viv Anderson to play against Liverpool this Saturday, who feels that any abuse from the Anfield crowd will not affect the veteran defender.
Evra was the subject of racist abuse from Reds’ striker Luis Suarez the last time the Premier League giants met, and rumours dictated that the France international would not feature on Merseyside in the FA Cup clash.
However, with Evra looking increasingly likely to play against Kenny Dalglish’s men, Anderson feels that the left-back will take the occasion in his stride.
”Patrice should definitely play, 100 per cent,” England’s first black international told The Telegraph.
”There will be a backlash, but he did nothing wrong, so why should he not play?
”He is experienced enough and old enough to deal with it. It won’t be the first time he’s been verbally attacked. If you cannot deal with it then you are never going to make a career for yourself.
”Patrice is at Manchester United playing in the Premier League and is a French international.
”He has proved he is able to stand up to all the outside pressures that have been heaped on him as he’s built his career.
”It is not right you have to put up with racial abuse, but I am sure it has happened to him in the past. I don’t think playing at Anfield after what has gone on will bother him.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
”There will always be something else around the corner, and if you keep worrying about something then you will fold and disappear,” he finished.
Somewhere, right at this very moment, there is a Newcastle fan staring intently at the Premier League table. A broad smile sweeps across their face as they notice the Magpies nestled comfortably in fifth place, just a point behind Chelsea and nine ahead of rivals Sunderland.
Even the most optimistic member of the Toon Army couldn’t have foreseen the inspired rise up the table after last seasons mid-table finish. Their uprising was ironically set in motion by the sale of the highly popular Andy Carroll, as Alan Pardew’s retention football coupled with his shrewd signings has gradually transformed St James’ Park back into a revered fortress.
The club appears to have emerged unscathed from a difficult period in their history. Their loyal army of supporters have stood by them despite their descent into the Championship and now that certain expectations have been achieved, do they dare dream of more famous nights in Europe?
Only time will tell if Newcastle will be able to cement their place in the European qualification spots come May. What’s more intriguing however is whether they can establish themselves as one of the current crop of ‘big clubs’. Not big in terms of stature but rather their ability to consistently compete at the top of the table. Tottenham and Manchester City have burrowed their way into the coveted ‘top 4’, why can’t Newcastle do the same?
Under Pardew’s leadership Newcastle have seen their direct style of play renovated by a philosophy that focuses on patient build up and maintaining possession. At the heart of this, core midfield players such as Yohan Cabaye and Danny Guthrie have been influential in aiding this transition. The change in mentality will mean fewer goal gluts but it’s proving to stem the flow of goals conceded at the other end of the pitch. This new approach seeks to adopt the mantra of many top European sides like Valencia and AC Milan, with whom Newcastle will soon hope to emulate.
The fortunes of the football club, for this season at least, will revolve around the prolonged good form of striker Demba Ba. The ‘smiling assassin’, as he’s known on Tyneside has announced he is happy at the club despite continued reports of a move away and has spoken of his joy playing alongside Senegalese compatriot Papiss Cisse.
With the transfer window now firmly shut until the summer, the major concern regarding Ba will perhaps surround his troubled injury past. Tony Pulis notoriously cancelled Ba’s impending transfer to Stoke after describing his knee as a “ticking time bomb”. The player himself admitted, “The knee isn’t 100%,” after his transfer to West Ham but has insisted “It’s fine. I can play football; I know how to manage it.” (Guardian)
[ad_pod id=’unruly-2′ align=’left’]
At present the fans seem content with Mike Ashley’s ruling at Newcastle. After making a number of questionable decisions throughout his reign, he should be praised for ensuring a swift return to the top flight. Ashley strikes me as an incisive businessman despite his desired portrayel as a supporter and the £35m sale of Andy Carroll has proved to be an inspired decision. In order for Newcastle to progress however, it is vital that they maintain their nucleus of new household names. The likes of Tim Krul and Cheick Tiote have attracted envious glances from rival managers and it’ll be an intriguing test of Ashley’s resolve as to whether they remain at the club beyond this season.
Aside from the inevitable flurry of incoming bids, it’s crucial that Ashley continues his investment in the rapidly evolving transfer market. It’s fair to point out that Newcastle do not currently possess a prominent ‘star’ player who is renowned on the world stage. Whilst this maybe an ingredient to their current success, with the team benefiting their much publicised team spirit, it’s important that a club like Newcastle can attract players of the highest calibre. Could Newcastle realistically attract the likes of Emmanuel Adebayor and Rafeal Van Der Vaart, as Spurs have done?
We’ve seen many surprising teams surpass expectations and clinch a European spot in recent years, but very few have been able to sustain their dominance. Everton are a club currently wilting under a lack of investment with the club’s transfer policy resembling a top nightclub, one goes in only when another heads out.
Fulham have failed to recover from their defeat in the 2010 Europa League final and the subsequent departure of Roy Hodgson whilst Villa have also seen themselves spiral down the league after a combination of both suspended investment and the exit of a very astute manager.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
The mark of a great side is their capability to replace their existing stars with a new breed of players from the academy. Unfortunately, despite Ashley’s investment at youth level, very few players look likely of making the grade. Nile Ranger heads the list of local produce but his career has become so embroiled in controversy that it looks like he’ll leave the club under a Ravel Morrison shaped cloud.
Pardew remains unfazed by speculation linking him with the vacant England job and appears entirely focused on the job in hand. Much like Arsene Wenger, he seems capable of installing an exciting style of football in amongst a relatively average squad. Whereas Arsenal fans are slowly turning on their manager, I’m sure Newcastle fans would love to emulate the uniterrupted European qualification the Gunners have enjoyed over the past decade.
Agree or disagree. Send me your verdicts on Twitter @theunusedsub
Oh Fernando. All he wanted was to be loved. Throughout his 25-hour goal drought, he was the black sheep of the family, shunned by those he cared for. Every hour, every minute seemed to last eternally. I was so afraid Fernando. But then the evil Andre Villas-Boas departed. Roberto Di Matteo took over, and a hug and few nice words was all it took. Then came Leicester City in the FA Cup. There was something in the air that night, the stars were bright. Two goals and an assist. Fernando.
Sorry about that. So are we led to believe that all Fernando Torres’ problems were down to bad management? This seems to be his suggestion this week, saying that he finally had a manager who believed in him. So was having a manager who had doubts about him before making him play badly on the pitch? And was this the reason he performed badly for the previous manager too?
Fernando Torres is a player who has performed at the highest level, appeared in a World Cup Final (briefly), a Champions League performer, been in a title-pushing side, and scored the winning goal in Euro 2008. He has commanded a £50m transfer fee. And now we’re led to believe that he can’t perform without a manager with oodles of TLC.
Of course there is complete validity in the idea that managers can improve players by managing them well, reassuring them, saying the right things, and so on. Harry Redknapp’s biggest skill is said to be just this – man-management. I just find it incredible that Torres could see such a spectacular fall from grace just because his manager didn’t treat him well enough.
Some players need handling differently to others of course, but the mercenary/Judas/misunderstood (delete as applicable) Carlos Tevez is able to perform easily enough (should he grace us with his presence on a football field) despite falling out with everyone at some point or another.
And then there’s the old guard at Chelsea.
Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole were left out of the side for the first leg of their Champions League tie against Napoli, which they lost 3-1 in Italy. Lampard admitted he had told Villas-Boas what he thought of that decision, adding: ‘I wasn’t disrespectful. I just told him I thought I should be playing.’
The oft-peddled story in the papers about Villas-Boas freezing out the old guard was a complete lie. Lampard got plenty of time on the pitch – he certainly isn’t the club’s leading goal-scorer again this season by sitting on the bench every week. And the old guard were present on the pitch during plenty of bad results. Was it all down to bad tactics from the manager?
On the rare occasions the likes of Lampard or Drogba have been “excluded”, it was done for a good reason. They are reaching the twilight of their careers, and whoever the Chelsea manager is has to re-build the squad, easing them out and easing in new blood. Tough luck if they don’t like it. I’ve no problem with players wanting to play, it beats the likes of a Winston Bogarde or a Wayne Bridge, but my problem lies with the fallacy that the old guard were pushed out by Villas-Boas, or that a 33-year old being dropped once is somehow a cause for complaint, or worthy of him commenting to the press. It really isn’t.
[ad_pod id=’dfp-mpu’ align=’right’]
But the lies about the old guard being “frozen out” were peddled regularly by the most ignorant of Fleet Street. Shaun Custis in The Sun exclaimed after Chelsea beat Napoli 4-1:
‘That Didier Drogba – what a donkey, eh? John Terry? His legs have gone. And, as for Frank Lampard, there has been a space marked ‘Reserved’ for him for months down at the knacker’s yard. Well, that was the theory anyway – and it is one the sacked Andre Villas-Boas had signed up to. But the gang of three were not ready to stand aside this season. There was still far too much fight left in these proud men who refused to be pensioned off.”
So, these pensioned-off players had been excluded by Villas-Boas eh? Terry has made 30 appearances this season, and would’ve made more but for injury. Drogba has played in 24, missing a few games again because injury but also of course due to the small matter of the Africa Cup of Nations. And Lampard has appeared in 37 games. THIRTY-SEVEN.
As football365.com pointed out, these pensioners were involved in defeats to QPR, West Brom, Aston Villa and Bayer Leverkeusen.
And then there’s people like Alex, who think they know the whole situation, and that Lampard deserved special attention:
“I saw some comments of Lampard recently and I think he deserved more respect. It is true that a player knows he will sometimes have to stay on the bench, especially after reaching a certain age. That’s not a problem. But with Lampard’s history at the club, where he has more than 10 years, he deserves a word or an explanation from the manager. Fundamentally, it was a question of respect for everything that he represents for Chelsea.”
Of course Roberto Di Matteo will take a lot of credit for turning around Chelsea’s form with 4 victories in his first 4 games, but surely what this shows just as much is that the team were not performing to their full ability under Villas-Boas, and the manager cannot take all the flak for that, whatever his tactics. At least John Terry admitted this too:
“Sad for Andre, because unfortunately it falls on his head, when I think the players would hold their hands up and say, ‘Clearly, we’ve not been good enough and we all made mistakes together’.”
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
The fact is that player power is an unstoppable force at times. Managers live or die by results, and if the players don’t apply themselves as a group, if their form drops and the results suffer, it is the manager who gets the “bullet” (especially if Ashley Cole is nearby).
But Villas-Boas was moving towards his own Ides of March moment for many a month, let-down and stabbed in the back by many around him. Just look at the press leaks from squad members, and Abramovich and his cronies overseeing training sessions. As a Manchester City fan I have seen first-hand the underhand tactics that players (and playing staff) can take to get rid of a manager, to undermine him, after years of tabloid stories of dressing room bust-ups, training ground fights and poor little players being left to train with the reserves and not getting the love their huge egos demanded.
Chelsea’s old guard are hardly the worst-behaved footballers of recent years, but they did have the time on the pitch to rectify a difficult situation for their manager. Villas-Boas was always a dead man walking with Abramovich as his judge and jury, and he must take much blame for the real prospect of Chelsea not qualifying for the Champions League next season. But let’s not forget that players are the ultimate deliverers of results – it’s just a shame some of Chelsea’s biggest names didn’t stand up to be counted a bit earlier-or am I wrong and Villas-Boas enforced tactics that could never work in the English game?
[divider]
Take a look at the latest episode of the ‘Football Coffee Break’
It’s been one hell of a season for Fulham midfielder Clint Dempsey, with the American enjoying, arguably, the finest campaign of his career. Naturally with good performances comes interest from other clubs, with Arsenal rumoured to be looking at the man who has been pulling the strings at Craven Cottage. However, would the Texan be able to replicate his performances in West London at the Emirates stadium?
Dempsey has become a part of the furniture in the Premier League since his journey across the pond in 2007, endearing himself to fans across the nation with his frequent versatile and committed displays. Such consistency does hint at an ability to move up the Premiership’s food chain, but the ex-New England Revolution man should maybe take note of Andy Carroll’s situation at Liverpool, before opting to leave his current surroundings.
Although Carroll is completely different style of player, both in a positional sense and in terms of on-field approach, he stepped up, at the time, from a mid-table side to one of the nation’s biggest names. Since then the weight of expectation, and the differing system employed at Anfield, has seen the powerful Geordie struggle to adapt causing him to become the centre of much criticism.
In his time at Newcastle, the forward was the focal point of the team, thriving on the club’s more direct approach and tendency to utilise crosses from wide areas and set-pieces. This played to his strengths, allowing him to execute the skills that made him a threat on a regular basis, but his move to Merseyside has seen a change in playing styles, of which he is struggling to adapt to.
Although Dempsey is a totally different prospect to Carroll, he currently finds himself in comfortable surroundings, playing in a system he understands, alongside players of whom he is used to. The styles of play employed by Arsenal and Fulham differ, and if the American were to be thrust into the Arsenal midfield, he would likely struggle to adapt immediately to the pace and expectation of his teammates. Carroll has time to adapt, and one poor season at his current age is not catastrophic, but for Dempsey it’s a different set of circumstances. Next season the midfielder will turn 30, marking the beginning of the end for the majority of professional footballers, so as a result every minute counts, and a season of adaptation would be detrimental.
Although he is unlikely to compete for major honours at Fulham, Dempsey is a key cog in a relatively successful Premier League unit. First-team football is a virtual guarantee, and with current captain Danny Murphy’s playing days ticking toward their close, becoming skipper of the club is not out of the question, especially with his status as a crowd favourite.
He may well fit at Arsenal, but any move in the world of football presents risks, and Dempsey should be aware of these. The current system at Fulham suits his style of play, allowing him to focus on what he does best, yet at Arsenal it may be a different story. Competition at the club would be fierce, with Arsene Wenger already struggling with the wealth of options at his disposal, and if the midfielder were to be a slow starter, his playing time would be limited. Some may say it would lack ambition to stay put, but Dempsey’s best option may well be to remain at Craven Cottage.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
What should Dempsey do? Comment or follow @Alex_Hams to have your say
Manchester United have suffered a shock 1-0 defeat to relegation candidates Wigan at the DW Stadium on Wednesday night.
Shaun Maloney scored the only goal of the game in the second half to give Roberto Martinez’s men a historic win and lift them out of the relegation zone and up to 17th place.
Despite claims that United should have had a penalty, Sir Alex Ferguson believes that the Latics were good value for their win.
“It was a disappointing night for us, in the first half we were totally dominated by Wigan,” he confessed to Sky Sports.
“It was of those awful nights that you sometimes get in football and it’s unavoidable sometimes.
“I think Phil Dowd had a disappointing game tonight but doesn’t take away from the fact Wigan were the better team and deserved to win.
“They play terrific football, are underrated, in a false position and really deserved the win tonight.
“The kind of football they play considering their position is a credit to their manager.
“Some of the football they play is outstanding, so we weren’t under any illusions, but the thing is we just didn’t cope with it,” he concluded.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
The defeat sees United’s advantage at the top of the standings cut to five points; the Red Devils face Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday.
On 30th March this year, former Millwall defender Barry Kitchener died at the age of 64 after a short battle with cancer.
To followers of top-flight English football, he may not be well-known, but in the lower leagues, he was something of a legend. As centre back, he was the epitome of reliability, tenacity and composure. He was strong in the air and confident and assured with the ball on the ground. He even had the occasional eye for goal, scoring a 30-yard screamer against Sheffield United in only his second game for the club. He was the centre back that all managers dream of.
But his most endearing quality was his dedication to Millwall FC. He started and finished his playing career at the Den, amassing a club record 602 appearances between 1966 and 1982. This included an astonishing 244 consecutive appearances, a feat almost unheard of for an outfield player. Despite never playing in the top-flight, and suffering relegation to the third tier of English football on two separate occasions, Kitchener always stuck with Millwall.
For a player to represent only one club throughout their career is very rare these days, especially outside the Premiership. It is only down to playing for the powerful, wealthy clubs that the likes of Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Tony Adams and John Terry have been able to stick by the club that they love. But in the lower leagues, where financial insecurity is a constant burden, it is almost impossible for a player to stick with one club for more than two seasons, let alone an entire career, regardless of their love and devotion to that club.
So, as a tribute to players like Barry Kitchener, here are a just a handful of ‘one-club men’, who dedicated their careers to the team they love:
John Trollope – Swindon Town (1960-80, 886 appearances)
Wiltshire born and bred, left-back John Trollope currently holds the record for the most number of league appearances for one club, with 886 appearances in all competitions for Swindon, including 368 consecutive matches. Swindon spent the majority of this period in the second and third tier of English football and Trollope never experienced the joys of playing top-flight football. Despite this, he was part of the Swindon team that won the 1969 League Cup, their greatest achievement to date.
Colin Cowperthwaite – Barrow (1977-92, 704 appearances)
While Kitchener and Trollope never played in the top-flight, Cowperthwaite never even got to experience playing in the Football League. He started out with Barrow five years after they were relegated from the Football League. He helped them win two Northern Premier League titles, and the FA Trophy in 1990, scoring in the final at Wembley. He also holds the record for the fastest goal in English football, scoring after just 3.5 seconds against Kettering Town.
John Askey – Macclesfield Town (1984-2003, 698 appearances)
Like Cowperthwaite, Askey spent the majority of his career in Non-League football. But during his spell, he helped guide Macclesfield to the Northern League title in 1986 and the Conference title in 1994 and 1997. He was part of the side that won back-to-back promotions in 1997 and 1998, which saw the club reach the third tier of English football for the first time ever. Askey scored in his final match for the Silkmen in a 3-2 win over Rochdale. He is currently manager of Macclesfield’s youth team.
John McDermott – Grimsby Town (1987-2007, 754 appearances)
At the peak of his career, McDermott was regarded as one of the most respected defenders outside of the Premier League. He was linked with Premiership moves to Sunderland and Ipswich Town, but chose to stay with his beloved club. McDermott experienced promotion and relegation on nine separate occasions with Grimsby, with his biggest success coming in 1998, when he helped them win the Auto Windscreens Shield (now known as the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy). McDermott was once quoted as saying: “If someone would rather sit in the reserves at a big club and drive around in a Ferrari rather than going out on-loan and playing, then I think it’s a sad day.“
Alan Knight – Portsmouth (1978-2000, 801 appearances)
Alan Knight currently holds the record for the most appearances for one club by a goalkeeper, beating the previous record held by Peter Bonetti at Chelsea. Unlike the others on the list, Knight did play in the top-flight, when Portsmouth won promotion in 1987. However, they were relegated the following season. His greatest success with the club was winning the Third Division title (equivalent of League One today) and helping Pompey reach the semi finals of the FA Cup, losing on penalties to the eventual winners, Liverpool. He was awarded an MBE in 2001 for his services to football.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
It’s sad to say, but thanks to the strains of modern football, players like these are a dying breed. There must be thousands of professional footballers out there who would want nothing more than to play for the club that they love, and no-one else. But it is getting more and more difficult for clubs to justify holding on to their most dedicated players for this length of time. In this sense, players like Kitchener were privileged.
Kitchener played in an era when money was not the significant influence that it is today. Nowadays, the consensus is that if you play for a lower league club, play well for that club and show 100% dedication, you then look out for bigger and better things. With the opportunity to earn crazy amounts of money, it’s no wonder that players like this don’t exist anymore.
This did not influence Barry Kitchener. He played for his club through thick and thin. He never set his sights on playing for a ‘bigger’ club or vehemently pursuing titles and trophies. He simply played for the love of football and for the love of his club. It is because of this that he was and will always be a legend in the hearts of Millwall FC.
In April, Barry Kitchener’s daughter, Nikki, set up ‘The Big Kitch Appeal’ in a bid to raise money and awareness for local cancer charities. Nikki and other supporters will be taking part in a 134 mile bike ride from Gorleston in Norfolk to Millwall FC in memory of her father. For more information about this very worthwhile cause, or to make a donation, please visit www.bigkitchappeal.co.uk, or follow them on Twitter (@BigKitchAppeal).
England’s preparations for Euro 2012 were given another major boost after seeing off Belgium at Wembley to give Roy Hodgson a second win in as many games as manager.
Danny Welbeck’s first half strike proved to be decisive as the Three Lions signed off with another morale boosting victory ahead of their opening Group D game with France on June 11th. And whilst it wasn’t a performance that tickled the imagination it provided an insight into the impact Hodgson has made during his short time in the dugout. A disciplined and organised display from England bore all the hallmarks of their managers preferred defensive strategy as he rung the changes for the visit of Marc Wilmots’ side who failed to qualify for the European Championships.
Most notably Danny Welbeck replaced Andy Carroll in the lone striker role whilst 18-year-old Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was given his first international start after making his debut as a substitute last week against Norway. With seven alterations to the starting lineup it was no surprise that England lacked cohesion in the opening stages as the visitors seized control of the game and much like the sluggish ending in Oslo seven days ago Hodgson’s men struggled to get going in the early exchanges.
Inevitably all eyes were focused on Chelsea’s latest acquisition Eden Hazard as he gave supporters a taster of that they can expect at Stamford Bridge next season. But for all the space he and his teammates were afforded they failed to suitably test Joe Hart in the England goal. Naturally their inability to break down the hosts would come back to haunt them as the Three Lions sprung into life 10 minutes before the break to snatch the lead courtesy of Welbeck first goal for his country.
Despite having not played for Manchester United in around five weeks the 21-year-old justified his selection ahead of Carroll precisely beating the Belgian offside trap to latch onto Ashley Young’s exquisite defence splitting pass and calmly lift the ball over the onrushing Simon Mignolet. The ascendency was now in England’s possession as they ended the half on top and could have doubled their advantage just before the half time whistle only for Steven Gerrard to see two efforts blocked in quick succession by Timmy Simons and Guillaume Gillet.
Sadly for supporters that sparkle and tempo died out after the break despite a flurry of crosses into the Belgium penalty that amounted to nothing. Clear cut chances were at a premium for both sides although the visitors almost snatched a late equaliser when Gillet hammered a 25-yard screamer off Harts post before the keeper got into a muddle in his own penalty area soon after that was almost punished by Romelu Lukaku. England also hit the woodwork in the dying embers as substitute Jermaine Defoe saw his effort agonisingly come back of the upright just minutes after entering the fray before Jan Vertonghen wasted a glorious chance to level the contest heading over the bar from six yards.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
On reflection it was another tactical triumph for Hodgson who’s moulded England into a organised unit just a month after being appointed as Fabio Capello’s successor. His focus on staying disciplined off the ball has benefitted the national side as they learn how to soak up pressure during games and use it to their advantage when an attacking opportunity arises. Two wins and two clean sheets pays testament to his ability as a defensive coach and will certainly benefit the Three Lions as they head to Poland and Ukraine aiming to restore some tournament pride that has been in short supply over the years. However injury worries over Gary Cahill, Joleon Lescott and captain Gerrard will have him sweating after losing Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry in the past week. Things never run smoothly for England do they?
Following the unveiling of their new signing Olivier Giroud on Tuesday, Arsenal have reaffirmed their intentions to shift their underperformers in order to slash the clubs wage bill reports the Daily Mail this morning.
The capturing of the 25 year old took their summer spending to £24 million so far, so the need to shift those high earners who are not up to scratch at the Emirates is now even more apparent.
Sebastien Squillaci is still in negotiations with Bastia after talks fell through last week, and plenty of last season’s loanees are also set to be on their way out of North London permanently, including Andrei Arshavin, Carlos Vela, Denilson and Nicklas Bendtner.
With a high volume of players set to leave, it is hoped that Arsenal will then have the funds available to raid the transfer market once again, as they look to strengthen even further.
Other players likely to make up the Emirates exodus are Marouanne Chamakh, Park Chu Young, and Johan Djourou.
Chief executive Ivan Gazidis spoke of the Gunners plans to restructure their wage bill, ‘we have inefficiency of spending in our squad but we are moving towards as efficient a model as possible.’
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
The clearing of the wage bill will see Arsenal making up for the £24 million they have already spent this summer.