All posts by h79snht.top

PSV Eindhoven’s sporting director Marcel Brands, has come out this week, stating that Tottenham Hotspur’s Brazilian goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes wants a return to the Dutch outfit, that he spent four years with before joining the Lilywhites. Gomes has had a mixed season for the North London side, mainly turning in solid performances but in the run in to the climax of this Premier League season the keeper has shown signs of returning to his error prone ways. Despite the clangers and the reports, Harry Redknapp is adamant that he is not looking to offload the shot stopper, but if these rumours were to become true, would Spurs really care absolute losing their current number one?

It would be easy for me to go “No, thanks for reading.” but obviously, there is more to any debate in football. A good goalkeeper earns you 6-8 points a season, yeah I know that’s only two wins but that would have meant this season that Newcastle would have finished eighth instead of twelfth and Wigan would have finished tenth as opposed to sixteenth, they are just some examples. Off the top of my head I’ll admit I’m struggling to see where Gomes has earnt Spurs points this season but when you consider that Tottenham have earnt 24 points this season from losing position, surely Gomes had a say in the keeping his side in those games?

Shall I list all the mistakes the keeper has made? We all know the cock ups,Chelsea, Real Madrid and most notably Blackpool. I say most notably Blackpool because that two penalties scenario, exemplified Gomes perfectly. An impressive penalty save, followed almost instantly with the bizarre decision to bring down Gary Taylor-Fletcher, for another penalty which Blackpool scored to take the lead; the do’s and dont’s of goalkeeping in one movement.

I think the real issue Spurs fans and ‘Arry face, is in their heart of hearts they know Spurs need to move Gomes on to pastures new, but who do they replace him with? Cudicini was always only ever going to be back up, and the best goalkeepers from Europe are all linked with Manchester United’s vacant goalkeeping spot. Ben Foster provides a option that, with all due respect to the Birmingham keeper, a Spurs of about five years ago would have happily signed, not this team, one chasing Champions League football. There is also Brad Friedel to consider and should Redknapp persuade the former Liverpool keeper to move to White Hart Lane, he would merely only be a short term option. Outside of those two options, who do Tottenham realistically sign to benefit their European aspirations?

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Spurs fans at the moment have a case of, ‘the best of a bad bunch’. Until Manchester United take their ‘pick’. Gomes will remain at Tottenham, with Spurs fans crossing their fingers that United don’t take up until two minutes before the transfer window closes to sign Edwin Van Der Sar’s replacement.

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Imogen Thomas Joins Paddy Power For a Champion Offer! They will refund losing Champions League Final bets if Man United lose the match Make your bets now!

Two sides with contrasting trajectories on the English Premier League table meet when Wolverhampton host Everton on Saturday.Everton has turned around their mid-season blues with a five-match unbeaten run, so far culminating in Saturday’s 2-2 draw at home to Aston Villa.

With little fanfare, the Toffees have climbed to seventh in the standings, four points behind their sixth-placed Merseyside rivals Liverpool.

Over at the Molineux, Wolverhampton could be forgiven for despairing after a weekend of unfavourable results conspired to keep them second-bottom on the table and a point from safety.

Of course, Mick McCarthy’s men have no-one to blame but themselves for their 4-1 shellacking at Newcastle United, but wins to Birmingham and West Brom and draws for Aston Villa and Wigan certainly did not help their survival plight.

With the season reaching the pointy end and an intriguing relegation battle unfolding between at least seven sides, a slip-up at home against Everton could be a critical error.

But the signs are still good for Wolves, who have lost just two of their last seven and look a vastly improved side from earlier in the term.

Wolves have made a habit of responding emphatically after disheartening defeats. Their Boxing Day loss to Wigan was followed up with victory at Liverpool, and a similarly poor showing at West Ham turned itself around at Chelsea.

McCarthy, something of an old hand at relegation scraps, is keenly aware of the need for cooler heads at the Molineux, and has warned his troops keep calm and consistent against Everton.

Over at Goodison Park, though, they might be getting a little carried away.

Fresh from swiping seventh place from Bolton, Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard has warned Liverpool to watch their backs as David Moyes’ men look to “get some more results and push even higher”.

But the Premier League is a fickle competition, and with the Toffees a mere three points away from Sunderland in 12th it would be hasty to focus on anything other than Saturday’s match.

On the injury front, Tim Cahill is in doubt to front up for Everton as he continues to nurse a foot injury, joining Louis Saha, Mikel Arteta, Jack Rodwell and Marouane Fellaini on the sidelines.

Wolves have no new injury concerns, and could be welcoming back Stephen Hunt to the first team after the Republic of Ireland international got through a reserves clash against Manchester City on Monday.

Fellow midfielder Adlene Guedioura is also available after recovering from a broken leg, with McCarthy indicating the Algeria international may get a run on the weekend.

Manchester United failed to follow in the footsteps of the three other Premier League teams in the Champions League last night, but Sir Alex Ferguson’s men did earn an away draw and will be heavy favourites heading into the second leg at Old Trafford next month. Elsewhere Arsenal scraped past Stoke in the Premiership, but it came at a cost as both Cesc Fabregas and Theo Walcott suffered injuries, with the latter certain to miss the Carling Cup final against Birmingham at the weekend.

In the newspapers this morning it is being reported that Arsenal are lining up a £15 million bid for Lorient striker Kevin Gameiro, Kenny Dalglish is set to hand a chance to Joe Cole in the Europa League tonight and West Ham are preparing to start legal action against the FA in regards to compensation for the injury to Dean Ashton.

Walcott out, Fabregas in race against time – Guardian

Cole to be given chance to kick-start Liverpool career – Telegraph

Arsenal prepare £15 million bid – Daily Mail

Chelsea outcast set to leave Stamford Bridge – The Sun

West Ham ready to take legal action against the FA – Guardian

Dawson: Tottenham now Premier League’s most wanted – Telegraph

Scholes set to extend United career – The Sun

Villa target West Ham ‘keeper – Mirror

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New takeover bid for Manchester United – Daily Mail

Premier League target not for sale – Mirror

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Brazil international Neymar has expressed his desire to one day play for Chelsea in the English Premier League.Fresh from a match-winning brace in his country’s 2-0 friendly victory over Scotland at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, the 19-year-old Santos forward said a move to move to London sometime in his career is on the cards.

“Chelsea’s a great club. It’s a dream of every player to play at Chelsea. If one day it happens, I will be very happy to come,” Neymar told Sky Sports.

“When the moment comes we are going to sit with my family. We are going to think about it and discuss the options.”

The teenager was sought after by Chelsea’s recruiters prior to the the 2010/11 English Premier League season, but told the club he was not yet ready to move so far away from his South American home.

“Last year, when Chelsea came, we sat together and we thought it wasn’t the time yet. If it happens this year, we are going to sit again and going to discuss about it,” he said.

A product of Santos, Neymar is content to stay at the Brazilian powerhouse. He claimed that divine intervention would help him decide on whether he one day plays for Chelsea, which is currently home to three of Neymar’s countrymen: David Luiz, Ramires and Alex.

“I am happy there (at Santos) and, when the time comes, God will make me take the right decision and things will happen.”

Chelsea host Newcastle for the second time at Stamford Bridge this term, after the boys from the North took the spoils at their last visit.United won 4-3 in a thrilling Carling Cup encounter in West London last year, with Shola Ameobi netting twice in the upset result over Carlo Ancelotti’s men.

A lot has changed at St James’ Park since, with notable differences to the first-team squad being striker Andy Carroll and manager Chris Hughton – both being moved on respectively.

Both sides fielded second-string outfits in United’s entertaining win in September, and both Ancelotti and Alan Pardew could look to do the same, with Chelsea’s title hopes all but gone after their 2-1 loss to Manchester United last start.

Should Sir Alex Ferguson’s men earn a point or more at Blackburn on Saturday, this match will be rendered a ‘dead rubber’ for both sides, and a chance for some youth to be injected with an eye to the future.

Striker Fernando Torres should have the chance to add to his lone goal for Chelsea, should Ancelotti start with the Spanish World Cup winner.

The Italian boss opted to start proven front man Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou in their most recent English Premier League clash, against Manchester United.

Chelsea have no fresh injury concerns going into Sunday’s affair, while United will be minus long-term absentees Hatem Ben Arfa, Stephen Ireland, Alan Smith, Dan Gosling, Leon Best and Mike Williamson.

The controversial plan to unite Argentina’s first and second divisions into a 38-team national championship from next year has been scrapped.”The AFA resolved tonight (Monday) to suspend consideration of the proposal,” the sport’s national governing body said in a statement on its official website, while not ruling out looking at it again at a later date.

Players, coaches, fans, club directors and media slammed the idea, made public last week, which would have been introduced in the 2012-13 season.

Fans called for a demonstration at AFA headquarters in Buenos Aires.

The plan to include the 20 first-division sides and 18 from the second-tier Nacional B was regarded by many as a means of helping relegated giants River Plate return to the top flight as quickly as possible, while also ensuring other big teams did not risk the drop.

Reports also suggested it might have been a plan for the government, which controls broadcasting of first-division matches, to expand into the Nacional B, which is televised by a private channel.

The Apertura championship, first of two in the Argentine first division season, kicks off this weekend.

The Nacional B is a single championship, with River set to compete in it for the first time after being relegated in June.

The agent of Benfica midfielder Javi Garcia has stated that two anonymous Premier League clubs have stated an interest in his client, but that no official offers for the Spaniard have been made as yet.

Manchester United have in the past expressed an interest in Garcia, while both Arsenal and Liverpool have been credited with an interest in the midfielder.

Garcia has been a key man for the Estadio da Luz outfit this season, and played a part in leading the Portuguese club into the Champions League knock out rounds.

He could well be on his way out of the club in the summer, and Manuel Garcia Quilon has stated that Garcia has suitors all over Europe.

“There are not and there have never been any concrete offers,” the representative told O JOGO, translated into English by Sky Sports.

“But I can tell you that there are several clubs following him very carefully, especially two Premier League clubs. Then there is also one Bundesliga and one Serie club.

“But the player is calm and is now only focused on his work with Benfica and to win titles.

“Nothing has been discussed with [Benfica] president Luis Filipe Vieira, but if a good offer for the club and Javi arrives at the end of the season, we will analyse it and then we will see,” he concluded.

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The midfielder is thought to have a buyout clause in his contract set at the amount of €30 million (£25.1m).

By Gareth McKnight

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The old chestnut is that football is a gentleman’s game played by thugs, while rugby union is a thug’s game played by gentlemen. Some have ventured to suggest that rugby league is a thug’s game played by thugs… but I couldn’t possibly comment as I’m due to travel north at some point in the future. But as a former footballer and a keen fan of the egg-chasing, I’ve always been willing to accept that while rugby union players might not always be more intelligent or better-bred than us, they’re generally a hell of a lot more dignified. That was, of course, until these last six weeks and what must surely rank as England’s most disgraceful World Cup campaign in ANY sport.

After the dwarf-throwing, carousing and leaping off ferries, as well as several pretty disreputable on-field performances, I have to say that I feel sorry for Martin Johnson. When England’s footballers flopped so badly at the World Cup in South Africa last year, I firmly believed Fabio Capello was wrong to lock up his players and leave them in isolation. So I can hardly say now that I disagree with Johnson’s approach of treating his players as adults and allowing them to go out for a drink. If Johnson keeps his job – and I can’t see many coaches banging on the RFU’s door demanding to replace him – then he will be left with a major dilemma on future tours because he has been let down badly.

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For the 1966 World Cup, we were away together as a squad for – as my missus always remembers – a total of 14 weeks. And I can honestly say that, while we enjoyed the occasional lively night out on the beer, nobody ever over-stepped the mark. There was always the feeling that we were there to do a job, that we had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do something really special and win the World Cup. It was a sense of duty and a pride in our country that I believed our rugby players possessed. Sadly not.

I always thought Mike Tindall was a bright lad. When you’re the England rugby captain, in the most rugby-mad nation on Earth and you’ve just married into what is New Zealand’s Royal Family as well as our own, you really ought to know better. Tindall is worthy of that harshest of condemnations: he acted like a footballer. Footballers have realised for a long while that camera phones and CCTV have changed the game. Every drinker in every pub is now a potential photo-journalist. Our rugby players are learning this the hard way.

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Nightmares

I’ve always admired the hell out of rugby players. They put themselves through the sort of physical punishment that footballers could not imagine in their worst nightmares. When you compare it to footballers diving around as if they’ve been shot in the head, when they’ve actually just stubbed their toe, it really is laughable. Yet everything about rugby union seemed far more civilised than in my own sport. I went to Twickenham last year to see England play the All Blacks and enjoyed the lack of segregation and the mutual respect between rival fans.

On the pitch, self-discipline and respect towards referees are things that rugby players have long been rightly proud of. Yet dissent is gradually creeping its way into the sport and you fear rugby will end up going the same way as football in the long run. Rugby players used to enjoy the moral high ground over footballers – but that has now been lost. And this thug can tell rugby’s gentlemen that the high ground will not be easy to regain.

Wolves defender Richard Stearman hopes his new deal at Molineux will help his international aspirations.

Stearman, 23, recently signed a new three-and-a-half deal with the Premier League strugglers after being rewarded for his consistency under manager Mick McCarthy.

The former England under-21 representative was delighted with the deal and hopes that his international career can kick on now that his future is secured.

“I’m delighted to have got something signed,” Stearman told the club’s official website.

“It’s been in the back of my mind for a while now that my contract was running down and it’s great to have got something agreed with the club. Now I can just concentrate on my football.”

“I want to continue playing for Wolves in the Premier League and I’ve got international aspirations as well. But the main thing for all of us at the moment is making sure we are still in the Premier League at the end of the season.”

Stearman believes regular games in the heart of defence has helped him develop and says he is pleased with the side’s form, despite the fact Wolves sit second last on the Premier League table.

“This is the first time I’ve had a sustained run in the Premier League in my natural position of centre half,” he said.

“It’s great to be back in there and I hope I’m rewarding the gaffer for keeping faith in me. Personally I’m delighted with the way things have gone in recent weeks and as a team I think our form has been good despite losing at Liverpool.”

“We’re just looking now to trying to get through to the next round of the cup on Sunday and kick on in the league.”

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Stearman praised the playing squad’s ‘spirit’ and is hopeful that the club can progress in the FA Cup – where they meet Stoke in the fourth round on Sunday – despite the potential distraction a cup run could pose to a relegation battle.

“It’s about getting in a winning habit. We haven’t won too many this season so any win is good for boosting confidence,” Stearman said.

“We did well in the last round by winning the replay 5-0 which gives us good confidence going into Stoke.”

“We know it’s going to be a tough game but we want to make progress if we can.”

The transfer window is well and truly open with a flurry of bids and rumours taking place. Liverpool have seen a bid of for Stewart Downing rejected; Wenger is looking at Motta, while Modric heads for Spurs talks with both Manchester United and Chelsea waiting in the wings.

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Man City tell Tevez they must get £50m or he is not leaving – Guardian

Clichy: I’m over the Blue Moon – Sun

Gerrard set to miss the start of the season – Mirror

Fábregas frustrated over haggling – Guardian

AVB to show ‘watch and yearn’ video to Chelsea stars – Mirror

Newcastle defend use of £35m Carroll fee – Daily Telegraph

Villa reject Liverpool bid for Downing – Guardian

Sneijder to snub Chelsea and United as Inter boss backs his star to stay – Daily Mail

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Wenger: We’ve gotta get Motta – Sun

Modric heads for Spurs talks as Chelsea and United prepare to pounce – Daily Mail

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