Barcelona assistant Tito Vilanova was full of praise for his side’s gutsy 1-0 La Liga win over third-placed Valencia at the Mestalla on Wednesday.Vilanova – speaking in the absence of manager Pep Guardiola, who had been admitted to hospital with a back problem – said they were relieved to take all three points from a fellow top-four side, despite not being at their clinical best.”We know that there are many games to go, both away and at home. We always know that we can draw or lose, because this can happen against any team in this league,” he said. “We knew that this was one of the difficult grounds, and we hadn’t been able to win here in two years. We had many chances in the first half, especially for (goalscorer Lionel) Messi. We knew that anything could happen, and that is why we celebrated so much.”Vilanova said the La Liga champions were expectant of victory at the Mestalla, but knew it was going to be a tough contest with their Champions League rivals.”We expected a good result, but not a 0-4 or 0-5 here. We knew that it would be hard, the result is great for us and we know that you can’t win every game by a landslide,” he said. “We made changes to be more attacking, not to be more defensive. We are happy, because in the first half we had more chances on goal than them. We are satisfied.””The minutes were ticking away and we had to risk a bit more. We put Pedro on as a goalscoring option, knowing that we could concede a goal as well.” “We saw that Valencia were a little more tired and that we had more of a chance. He played a good game and was good up front, which is what we hoped for. Sometimes you think about the effects of travel, but this isn’t the case.”
Ledley King’s World Cup dreams appears to be coming to an abrupt end before ever actually starting, after the defender suffered yet another injury whilst playing against the US this past Saturday.
The England centre-back managed to play only just 45 minutes before eventually being substituted for Jamie Carragher, which raises a few questions. Was Capello’s decision to include King in his final 23 man squad a correct one? Or has the Italian gambled, and evidently wasted a valuable space by taking the centre-back to South Africa?
King’s recent injury (although not connected to his long-term knee problem) would have no doubt reignited the debate of whether the defender should have been included in the squad in the first place by Capello. The England coach told the gathering media of the defender’s set-back:
“Ledley has a problem with his abductor muscle and will not play in the next game.”
The England centre-back has officially been ruled of the group C clash against Algeria this Friday, and recent reports suggest that the player’s groin injury may take up to three weeks to heal, which has left King’s World Cup dreams in on the rocks. The man likely to take his place, Jamie Carragher, told Sky Sports of King’s dismay:
“Losing Ledley is a blow. He is a top player and it is unfortunate because it is the same position as Rio. You can’t bring anyone else out now, so any injury is going to hurt the squad. But the manager (Fabio Capello ) picked five centre-backs in the squad because he knew there could be problems and his selections have been proved right.”
The Spurs man is not known to have a great fitness level, and as such, stuggled to get game time. Nevertheless, Capello decided to take him to South Africa as he is undoubtedly one of the finest defenders England have to offer.
Capello’s theory behind King’s inclusion was that the player would be a back-up option in the defensive department. Certainly King himself knew that when boarding the plane that he was only a contingency plan, should John Terry or Rio Ferdinand have been unfit, suffered an injury or stricken by a virus. Ferdinand did have fitness problems prior to the start of the World Cup, and unexpectedly suffered knee ligament damage during an England training session. Ferdinand was ruled out so King stepped in.
To be fair King did perform well against USA, but with every touch, run and tackle England fans and maybe even Capello were genuinely worried that the centre-back was going to pull a muscle and sadly he did…a gamble which backfired by the England coach? You better believe it.
Capello could have left King home and instead opted for either Gary Cahill or Ryan Shawcross. However, these two centre-backs are still very young and have only been capped at U-21 level for their country, so to take either one of them would have been a crazy decision by the Italian.
King was unfortunate to pick up yet another injury, although, it was pretty much written in the stars, wasn’t it? Taking all this into consideration, should King have been included in the England squad this summer, despite his injury-prone status? Yes. Secondly, did Capello waste a space on the England plane in regards to the defender? Not really. Thirdly and more importantly, were there better options available to the England coach to consider? Many would think not.
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Plymouth teenager Matt Lecointe could be about to become the Premier Leagues next young star with Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United all chasing his signature according to the Mirror.
The 16-year-old’s has made 10 appearances for the Pilgrims despite his tender years and his performances on the right wing have caught the eyes of the top flight trio.
Scouts from all three clubs have cast their eye over the Plymouth born youngster with many comparing him to new Gunners midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain due his similar style of play.
With all three interested in securing his services it’s likely the teenager will command a sizeable fee that could provide a financial lifeline for the League two side who are battling to stay in business.
The Devon based side have endured severe monetary problems over the last few years surviving a winding up order before going into administration in March.
All that came before Peter Reid was sacked as manager at Home Park with midfielder Carl Fletcher being placed in temporary charge as interim chairman Peter Ridsdale attempts to engineer a takeover of the club.
Should Arsenal, Liverpool or United step up their interest the potential sum Plymouth could receive for Lecointe would go a long way to putting the club back on a firm financial footing and give him the chance to step up his development.
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Win tickets to Legends Lounge to see the titanic clash at Anfield
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Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho is hoping his homework will pay off as his side aim to end their Champions League jinx against Lyon.Ligue 1 giants Lyon have an unbeaten record over the Spaniards in European competition, and eliminated Real Madrid in last season’s first knock-out round.
The French side went on to reach their first ever Champions League semi-final, but were themselves defeated by eventual runners-up Bayern Munich.
“Ever since we drew Lyon, we have been studying and learning about them,” Mourinho said.
“It’s been years since Madrid made it (to the quarter-finals), and it’s because they have never beaten Lyon. I am not losing sleep over Lyon or any other team.”
Madrid striker Karim Bezema will once again return to his former club, but the the 23-year-old believes his current side have developed enough to quash Lyon’s record.
“If I’m lucky enough to play I will do everything I can,” he said. “This match will be different to last year. Our team has changed … I think we are going to defeat Lyon and win the Champions League.”
Lyon’s cause will not be helped by the absence of key striker Lisandro Lopez.
The 27-year-old Argentine has found the target eight times this season, but injured his hamstring during training this week.
“You have to respect the player,” said Lyon coach Claude Puel. “He is injured and it’s a handicap for us.”
However, goalkeeper Hugo Lloris remains confident that Lyon can get the better of Real Madrid yet again.
“Faced with a great team like Real, we know that by giving 200% we are not even sure of the result,” he said.
“They are a favourite for the Champions League. And we are an obstacle for Real. We hope to cause an upset.”
Birmingham City have completed the signing of Serbia striker Nikola Zigic from Spanish side Valencia.
The 6ft 8in hitman has joined the Blues on a four-year contract after the two clubs agreed an undisclosed fee believed to be in the region of £6million.
Zigic, who is part of Serbia's World Cup squad, has been linked with several moves to the Premier League in the recent past.
Valencia paid Racing Santander £13.5million to sign the striker back in 2007 but he struggled to hold down a starting place at the Mestalla.
He was loaned back to Racing last season where he scored an impressive 13 goals in 19 matches.
The 29-year-old has also scored 16 goals in 42 international appearances.
Speaking earlier in the month, agent Milan Calasan said: "He has always said would be interested in a move to England and if he was to go there it would have to be the right club that understands his characteristics."
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Zigic is the third new signing made by Blues boss Alex McLeish since the Premier League season ended.
He has paid a reported £6million for Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster and signed Spanish midfielder Enric Valles on a free transfer.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Carlos Tevez has been handed a two-week suspension by Manchester City chiefs while the club figures out how best to punish for his reprehensible attitude in the Champions’ League defeat to Bayern Munich. Tevez’ refusal to leave the bench during the second half of an abject performance by his team has drawn strong criticism from all quarters, and City boss Roberto Mancini will be looking to ensure that the club supports the hard line he took on Tevez’ actions in the post-match press conference.
Elsewhere in this morning’s headlines, there’s good news for Darren Bent as the Aston Villa striker nears a return from his month-long injury lay-off; more bad news for Bolton’s Stuart Holden, whose knee injury has not healed as expected – meaning the American is back on the treatment table; and an unrepentant Harry Redknapp plans to once again rest his big names for tonight’s Europa League showdown with Shamrock Rovers as he looks ahead to the weekend’s North London Derby.
Carlos Tevez suspended by Man City
Dirk Kuyt issues warning to rivals
Lampard want to play regularly
Oxlade-Chamberlain stars in Arsenal win
Darren Bent gives Aston Villa a welcome boost
Redknapp to rest big names again
Villas-Boas laments poor finishing
Bolton’s Holdon on sidelines for six months
Doyle signs new Wolves contract
Titus Bramble in hot water
Arsenal in Real fight for Hazard signature
Liverpool and Spurs set to go toe-to-toe for striker
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Three London rivals in fight to snap up Brighton wonderkid
Birmingham City will look to move further away from the relegation zone when they tackle Newcastle United at St Andrew’s on Tuesday.
Alex McLeish’s men, in 14th place on the table on 30 points but only two behind Newcastle, have proved difficult to beat at home this season.
They have lost only twice on home turf but the seven draws have proved expensive and may ultimately be costly in their hopes of grabbing a place in Europe next season.
In comparison, Newcastle’s away form has also been patchy but they did start 2011 impressively with a 1-0 win at Wigan Athletic, Shola Ameobi scoring the winner.
Amoebi will miss Tuesday’s match with a fractured cheekbone and, with Andy Carroll’s departure to Liverpool still a sore point on Tyneside, the pressure is mounting on Alan Pardew to find a goalscorer.
Former Newcastle marksman Obafemi Martins has the chance to shine against his former club but the man Toon will have to watch closely is in-form striker Nikola Zigic.
The Serbian international has scored in each of his last three league games, including the winners against West Ham and Stoke.
Saturday’s victory over Stoke was particularly pleasing for City fans – it was the first time the club had achieved back-to-back league wins in 14 months.
With City’s squad having one eye on the Carling Cup final against Arsenal at Wembley Stadium on February 27 – Martins is eligible – the competition for strikers is hotting up.
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Cameron Jerome, Kevin Phillips and Matt Derbyshire are the others in the mix to partner Zigic.
Defender Scott Dann’s absence through injury is something Newcastle will look to capitalise on.
Dann tore his hamstring in the Carling Cup semi-final first leg at West Ham and surgery has ruled him out for the remainder of the season.
Patrick Vieira is a serious candidate to replace Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, according to the Daily Mail.
What’s the word?
Wenger’s position at the Emirates has been up for debate for some time, with many supporters keen for the Frenchman to call an end to his two-decade tenure.
At the moment, the 68-year-old will not come to the end of his contract until the 2018-19 season concludes, but after another failed Premier League campaign, some fans want him out now.
The Gunners are expected to finish outside of the Champions League spots for a second consecutive season as they reside 13 points adrift of fourth place.
According to the Daily Mail, Arsenal will not sack Wenger, but they are looking for replacements to potentially succeed the Frenchman, and club legend Patrick Vieira is one of them.
The 41-year-old is currently in charge of MLS club New York City.
Would Vieira be a good option?
There is no doubt that the former midfielder is much-loved among the Arsenal fanbase for his nine years of service, which included three Premier League title triumphs and four FA Cup final wins.
Even though Vieira is very much part of the Wenger era, he often disagreed with his compatriot and could bring a no-nonsense approach to coaching.
However, the Frenchman’s coaching CV is limited to Manchester City’s reserves and New York City, which begs the question of whether he is ready for such a big step.
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Vieira will have the advantage of knowing the club inside out, but huge pressure will be placed on his shoulders; not only because fans will be expecting a revival following Wenger’s exit, but also because he is a legend at the North London outfit.
For both parties, it may be best at this stage to go down another route.
The 2014/15 campaign was a far from perfect one for Liverpool.
Struggling to cope with the departure of Luis Suarez, the continual injuries of Daniel Sturridge and the ageing decay of captain Steven Gerrard, the Reds found themselves eliminated from the semi-finals of both the FA Cup and the Capital One Cup before ending the season with a 6-1 thumping to Stoke City, leaving them in sixth place.
The Anfield outfit fanbase considerable improvements ahead of next term and that will require a strong transfer window from manager Brendan Rodgers, whose dire record in the market has come under huge scrutiny during the last few months.
So to ensure the Reds boss doesn’t make the same mistakes, we at Football Fancast have outlined the five signings that would give Liverpool the perfect summer transfer window – without delving into the realms of improbability, of course.
Would these FIVE be the ideal summer signings on Merseyside?
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ASMIR BEGOVIC
Liverpool have been linked with Championship shot-stoppers Adam Bogdan and David Marshall over the last few weeks as potential understudies to Simon Mignolet, but most at Anfield would prefer to see a goalkeeper who can truly dislodge the hap-hazard Belgium international from his No.1 berth arrive this summer.
A lack of Champions League football probably puts Chelsea’s Petr Cech out of reach, but Stoke City’s Asmir Begovic provides a realistic alternative.
The Bosnian international is well-proven in the Premier League, enjoying five sturdy campaigns as the Potters’ No.1 and in that time winning the club’s Young Player of the Year, Players’ Player of the Year and Player of the Year awards – so there’s no doubting how highly he’s rated at the Britannia.
Begovic knows how to use his lofty 6 foot 6 frame and rarely loses his composure – which should ease some of the pressure on the Reds’ ever-chaotic defence.
With his contract set to expire at the end of next season and negotiations over a new deal yet to get underway, the tabloids believe Stoke could be forced to sell for just £8million this summer.
NATHANIEL CLYNE
Replacing England’s first choice right-back of the last eight years with potentially England’s first choice right-back of the next eight years seems like a simple enough solution on Liverpool’s part.
Veteran defender Glen Johnson will leave Anfield upon the expiration of his contract this summer and Southampton’s Nathaniel Clyne has been billed as his likely replacement.
In addition to muscling his way into regular Three Lions reckoning, the 24 year-old has just ended an impressive season at St. Mary’s, averaging 3.3 tackles, 1.8 interceptions and 0.8 successful dribbles per match as part of a Saints defence who boast the second-healthiest goals conceded column in the Premier League after title-winners Chelsea.
An athletic defender with quality on the ball and real tenacity off it, the former Crystal Palace youngster suits Liverpool’s style of play under Brendan Rodgers perfectly.
Clyne’s contract at Southampton will expire at the end of next season and without a new deal in sight it’s looking increasingly likely Ronald Koeman’s outfit will have to sell this summer.
Liverpool launched a £10million bid last month which was flatly rejected, however, and recent reports claim Brendan Rodgers is reluctant to increase his offer.
MATEO KOVACIC
Liverpool need a talismanic replacement for MLS-bound skipper Steven Gerrard and their preferred choice appears to be Inter Milan midfielder Mateo Kovacic.
The former Dynamo Zagreb youngster has continually impressed since his Serie A debut in 2013, this season bagging five goals and three assists in 35 league outings whilst averaging 1.6 tackles, 1.8 chances created and 2.6 successful dribbles per match.
He’s proved himself equally adept at No.10 and as a deep-lying midfielder, whilst 20 caps for the Croatian national team at just 21 years of age further underlines Kovacic’s enormous potential.
According to The Express, Liverpool have already agreed personal terms with the prodigious playmaker but are still yet to confirm a price with Inter Milan, having seen their previous £15million bid rejected.
ROBERTO FIRMINO
Liverpool have been linked with Hoffenheim star Roberto Firmino for some time and will be expected to revive their interest again this summer after another strong campaign from the versatile attacker.
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The 23 year-old boasts 23 goals and 21 assists in his last 66 Bundesliga appearances, in that time proving potent in a variety of roles across the midfield and the front-line. This term, he also averaged an impressive 2.9 shots, 2.1 created chances and 4.2 dribbles per match.
That’s seen Firmino ascend to starting status within the Brazil national team fold, netting twice in five appearances since his debut in October.
Resultantly, however, some new suitors have recently emerged on the scene. Along with Liverpool, Manchester City are reportedly considering a £20million bid.
CARLOS TEVEZ
Carlos Tevez may be 31 years of age but he’s still proving himself to be one of the best in the business, firing Juventus to consecutive Serie A titles and this season’s Champions League final.
Liverpool have been linked with the Argentina international and although he don’t fit the usual criteria of the FSG model, he could well be the direct replacement for Luis Suarez Liverpool failed to find in the transfer market last summer, boasting a similar blend of flair, netting prowess and tenacity.
Furthermore, Tevez is more than proven in the Premier League. He won three Premier League titles and the 2008 Champions League title throughout his spells with West Ham, Manchester United and Manchester City, amassing a haul of 84 goals in 202 league outings.
With his contract set to expire in 2016 and Juve linked to a host of replacement front-men, including Gonzalo Higuain and Edinson Cavani alongside new signing Paulo Dybala, the feisty South American will likely leave Turin on the cheap this summer.
With Arsenal struggling to secure Champions League football, manager Arsene Wenger will be looking to strengthen his squad in the summer. With Olivier Giroud currently the only real striker at the club, the French manager could be set to bring in another attacking option when the transfer window opens.
The Sun are reporting that Wenger will go in for Fiorentina striker Stevan Jovetic in the summer, despite the forward’s £25million price tag. A big fee for a 23-year-old, who has only managed 12 Serie A goals this season, just one more league goal than Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott have both managed this year. But with Santi Cazorla being the Gunners’ top scorer this campaign, it seems Wenger has relied too heavily on his midfield and wingers, and needs a more prolific scorer.
But is Stevan Jovetic really the man for the job? The Montenegro forward has scored nine goals less than the Serie A top-scorer Edinson Cavani, who has been linked with a move to Arsenal’s rivals, Chelsea. But at the young age of 23, Jovetic has plenty of time to develop and grow. Especially under the guidance of someone like Arsene Wenger, whose famous attacking philosophy could lead to Jovetic becoming a 20 goals-a-season striker.
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Arsenal have always looked to the future with Arsene Wenger, signing young players with fantastic potential. But with eight years without a trophy, it could be time for Wenger to stop taking the risk of signing young, unproven players, and instead bring someone established and experienced into the club. Something they had last season, with Robin van Persie. The 29-year-old was prolific last campaign, scoring 30 goals in the Premier League. And although van Persie’s replacement, Olivier Giroud, has scored 17 goals in all competitions in his debut season, the Gunners need a player capable of scoring more than 20 league goals during the campaign.
Despite Edinson Cavani being priced well out of Wenger’s financial range, the Frenchman still has plenty of options around Europe. Roberto Soldado has scored 17 goals in La Liga this season, helping Valencia to 5th place in the league table, just two points away from a Champions League qualifying spot. Nearing his 28th birthday, Soldado has impressed for Valencia, both in the league and in Europe, scoring four goals in his seven appearances in the Champions League this season. A striker that could bring experience and goals to the Emirates.
Another La Liga striker that possesses the experience Arsenal need is Alvaro Negredo. The Sevilla forward boasts 18 league goals to his name this season, and has been heavily linked with Arsenal’s neighbours Spurs. With Sevilla struggling to finish in the top half, the former Real Madrid star could be happy to move to a club offering Champions League football next season. At just 27-years-old, Negredo’s pace and finishing could push Arsenal closer to a top two spot in the league table.
Germany could also possess the answer to Wenger’s attacking woes. Stefan Kiessling has been in stunning form this season for Bayer Leverkusen, scoring 21 league goals with four games to spare. The 29-year-old has scored more than a third of Leverkusen’s goals this season in the Bundesliga, as they look set to claim a Champions League qualifying spot. Scoring only two goals less than Robert Lewandowski, Kiessling has proved his ability to win the ball in the air and score goals.
Three top strikers, all of which have proved their value and ability over time. With a combined total of 53 league goals this year, there can be no doubting their quality as top class strikers. The only thing not on their side is time. With the general belief that a player starts to decline in their early thirties, none of these players are long-term investments for Arsenal. However, Sir Alex Ferguson signed 29-year-old van Persie this season, who was key to Manchester United winning the league, suggesting perhaps it’s not all about the future.
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So Wenger has a choice to make. Does he stick with his blueprints and sign a young striker full of potential like he’s done in the past? Or does he sign an experienced, proven goal scorer capable of getting over 20 league goals in a season? After all, Jovetic is a big gamble.
Scoring just 12 goals in Serie A doesn’t mean you can score many goals in the Premier League. And with Arsenal falling closer and closer to 5th place every year, now might be the perfect time to bring in some solidity into the side, and sign a player who has scored on average every other game. But when you sign a big risk like Jovetic, sometimes you get a big payout in the future.