Newcastle United took little time to react to Joey Barton’s latest outburst by releasing him on a free transfer. The club has simply lost patience after a series of criticisms and bust-ups, with the club are happy to take the financial hit of a potential fee this summer in order to remove him from the books.
In the papers this morning there have been a mixed bag of stories that include Arsenal’s pursuit of Juan Mata hits a snag; Spurs turn to Llorente, while Paul Scholes’ tells of his admiration for Wesley Sneijder.
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Newcastle tell Barton to leave on a free after Twitter outburst – Guardian
Arsenal’s pursuit of Mata hits a snag – Guardian
I don’t like Manchester, admits Balotelli – Guardian
Capello to monitor McEachran form – Daily Telegraph
Champions League or bust! Liverpool owner Henry delivers strong warning to Dalglish – Daily Mail
Modric has his price, says Spurs No2 – Guardian
Spurs turn to Llorente as striker search gets frantic following Vucinic snub – Daily Mail
Scholes is a big fan of Wesley – Sun
City back in for £22m Nasri – Sun
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Potters plot record £9million Bendtner swoop – Mirror
Skysports.com understands that Arsenal, Tottenham and Stoke have made enquiries about Newcastle’s Joey Barton.” href=”http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_7076344,00.html” data-lasso->Trio tracking Barton – Sky Sports
Stoke have had a busy transfer deadline day, adding Peter Crouch, Wilson Palacios and Cameron Jerome to their squad before the window closed.
Tony Pulis has long been an admirer of Crouch, who will suit The Potters’ direct approach, and has signed from Tottenham on a four-year contract for a club record fee of £10 million. The England striker had an inconsistent campaign for Spurs in 2010-11, and despite scoring valuable goals in the Champions League, struggled domestically.
Palacios failed to live up to expectations following his move to London from Wigan in January 2009, and fell behind Tom Huddlestone and Sandro in Harry Redknapp’s preferences last term. With Tottenham signing Scott Parker from West Ham, the Honduras international was deemed surplus to requirements, and has moved to the Brittania Stadium for £8 million.
Finally, Birmingham striker Cameron Jerome has also been snapped up, with the attacker also signing a four-year contract.
Club chief executive Tony Scholes is excited to see the new men move to the club.
“These fantastic deals are a statement of this football club’s intent. The club has made incredible strides forward over the past five years and to attract players of this calibre shows our ambitions as we look to continue that progress this season and beyond that,” the supremo stated to the side’s official website.
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Damien Comolli has stated this week that he believes the Liverpool squad is complete and that they are not looking to strengthen any areas of the side in January. Is this just a public front, or are Liverpool really the finished article?
If you look at the Liverpool side, in comparison to how it looked this time last year, the changes have been dramatic. They have a lot more strength in depth and probably the strongest squad they have had in years, with most positions covered by two or more players fighting for the role. With most of the deadwood now moved on, and the fresh new players bought by Fenway Sports Group, Liverpool have certainly done a huge amount to turn around their fortunes.
The players that Liverpool have acquired over the past 9 months have undoubtedly made them a much stronger side, but to say they are complete is an over-exaggeration. Only time will tell how complete they will become, as it is entirely up to the players and how they fit together, and how youngsters like Jordan Henderson, Andy Carroll and Sebastien Coates grow and fit within the side. Let’s not forget that a lot of this side is being built for the future, so we might not see the best of them for a while yet.
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In terms of their aim this season of getting back into the top four, Liverpool do look a complete enough side to achieve that. Without Champions’ League football on offer at Anfield this season, their side is nearly as complete as it could be, as the bigger names were unlikely to be attracted to them this year. That could change if they regain entry into the Champions’ League next year though.
Liverpool have certainly made improvements but they are yet to look strong enough for a title challenge. There are still problem areas of the side, and parts of any side can be improved by bringing in better players. It’s difficult to see whether a club can ever fully be called complete anyway, as surely they must constantly evolve to stay fresh and ahead of the rest of the competition. You can always buy better players and improve on your squad – even Barcelona still seek to improve on their current squad, and that is how a club stays ahead of the competition.
In terms of the current Liverpool side, Jamie Carragher is not getting any younger and it will be interesting to see how Coates beds in at Liverpool as a long term replacement for him. The right side is looking problematic, in comparison to the newly energised left; Dirk Kuyt always puts a shift in, but he is not a natural winger, and doesn’t offer the width or delivery that a natural in that position could. Liverpool need a proper right winger, not just someone filling in out there. Another goal-scorer wouldn’t go amiss either. There is definitely room for improvement within this side, and many ways in which it looks far from complete.
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Liverpool have come a long way and are heading in the right direction, but there is a still a long way to go. Comolli is probably just playing up to the media and backing the squad in public to give them a boost, but privately I am sure Liverpool will have plans to strengthen in January. They are not yet the finished article or a ‘complete side’ but are definitely on the right path.
Do you think Liverpool’s squad is now complete? Let me know your thoughts below or follow me on Twitter @LaurenRutter
Mario Balotelli had to flee his home on Saturday morning after fireworks went off inside the bathroom of his rented home. The Manchester City striker suggested his friends were the ones responsible for leaving part of his home a smouldering wreck.
Elsewhere in the news Mata looks to follow in Zola’s footsteps; Theo Walcott urges contract talks, while Steve Kean vows to win over Blackburn fans.
Balotelli’s house set ablaze after fireworks shot from window – Guardian
I will get Rovers supporters on side just like Fergie did, claims Kean – Daily Mail
Spurs willing to offer Tevez escape route – Mirror
Theo Walcott urges contract talks – People
Blues new boy Mata balks at comparisons to Chelsea legend Zola – Daily Mail
Chelsea and QPR look for new homes – Guardian
Wenger believes Ramsey is finally showing his best after horror injury – Daily Mail
Boss Moyes tells Everton’s Jack Rodwell to man-up – People
Marouane Chamakh won’t be leaving Arsenal in January – Metro
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FA wants quiet approach to racism row – Guardian
Vidic can feel pressure mounting and it’s not just down to daunting derby – Independent
David Beckham is set to disappoint both QPR and Tottenham by moving to PSG at the end of his LA Galaxy contract. Officials at the Parisian club let slip that a deal was close, much to the disappointment of both Neil Warnock and Harry Redknapp.
Elsewhere in the news Arsene Wenger is set to nominate Arsenal’s successor; Mancini ready to enforce hard-line disciplinary action, while Damien Comolli says player contracts gives him sleepless nights.
Capello backs Rooney but England’s joy is tempered – Guardian
Craven Cottage set to be redeveloped – Guardian
Arsenal and Liverpool plotting January swoop for Kalou – Daily Mail
Spot of bother for Premier League players – Independent
David Beckham to disappoint Spurs and QPR – Metro
Wenger to nominate Arsenal successor – Mirror
Mancini ready to enforce hard-line disciplinary after Tevez sulk – People
Chelsea seek way to earn big bucks – Independent
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Capello: Phil Jones ‘born’ to play for England – Mirror
Damien Comolli says player contracts give him sleepless nights – People
Sunderland and Chelsea rewarded for good behaviour – Daily Mail
The Ballon d’Or, otherwise known as the European Footballer of the Year, nominees were announced on November 1st, with nobody surprised to find a list dominated by Barcelona players. No fewer than 8 Barcelona players were nominated, including Lionel Messi, the man who has won the award the previous two seasons.
The 23 players nominated are all masters of their own craft, from the lethal finishing of Samuel Etoo to the way in which Xavi conducts the orchestra that is the current Barcelona side.
However, one player in particular stands out, Lionel Messi. Widely acknowledged as currently the best player in the world, Messi is now being talked as one of if not the best players of all time. A player who can change a game in an instant, his contribution to Barcelona in recent seasons has been extraordinary.
Messi has already scored over 200 goals for the Catalan club, yet the player remains 8 months short of his 25th birthday. Messi will undoubtedly continue to break records throughout his career.
Yet, last week last year’s French Ligue 1 player of the year Eden Hazard stated that while Messi is undoubtedly the world’s best, he lacks the elegance that characterised two former Ballon d’Or winners, Zinedine Zidane and Michel Platini.
Hazard was quoted as saying ‘One thing is clear; Messi is the best player around at the moment. However, in my opinion, he does not have the elegance that Zidane and Platini had.’
Hazard has been tipped to play for one of Europe’s top sides in years to come, with a style that has been compared to Messi himself. His comments posed the question, how important is style?
Some managers may see it as fundamental. Others may see it as insignificant in comparison to substance, in other words a player’s contribution in terms of goals and assists.
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Now let’s be clear, Hazard is hardly criticising Messi, indeed, criticism of the man is nigh on impossible right now. Yet, clearly his style is markedly different to Zindedine Zidane and Michel Platini, two former players who were acknowledged as the world’s best at points in their career.
Messi is a joy to watch, his game is about pace, close control and off the ball movement and he draws comparisons to Diego Maradona for his low centre of gravity. Zidane and Platini were players who acted as the central point in a side, who would glide past players through power and deception rather than raw pace.
A few years back, Thierry Henry and Ruud Van Nistelrooy were considered to be two of the best strikers in the Premier League, perhaps the best. Yet, in style they were fundamentally different. Thierry Henry would score goals from everywhere, 20 yard curlers, 30 yard thunderbolts and goals where he would breeze past defenders as if they weren’t there before finishing exquisitely.
In comparison, Van Nistelrooy was almost famed for the percentage of goals he would score from close range. He was the prodigious poacher of his time, from the same school as Filippo Inzaghi or Javier Hernandez.
Van Nistelrooy was marginally more prolific, yet Henry received more plaudits domestically and internationally, likely due to him being a more enjoyable player to watch.
The argument can be carried over to the differing styles employed by teams. Some manager’s will look to build a solid defensive base and look for clean sheets. Think of Jose Mourinho’s sides while at Chelsea and Inter Milan. While other manager’s adopt a much more attacking approach, think Kevin Keegan with his Newcastle side, an ‘if you score 3, we’ll score 4’ attitude if you will or the current Barcelona side.
Style and substance is something that people will always disagree on. Some will accept seeing a player go past 5 on a brilliant run before missing the target, while others will crucify that player for not sliding the ball sideways to give his teammate a tap in.
It’s the same with the playing style of different teams, some people will accept seeing their side lose 4-3 away from home if they witness 90 minutes of entertainment, others would rather see their side involved in a drab 0-0 draw for the point it brings.
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The joy of football is this disagreement, we will all have our favourite formations, playing styles and we will all have our favourite players. Messi is undoubtedly the world’s best, perhaps the best player ever. Yet, it is a good thing that the likes of Eden Hazard remember and prefer the elegance of Zidane and Platini.
After all, if everyone agreed the debate would soon fizzle out.
As a Manchester native – although with little affection for either the red or blue half of the City – last night was still shocking and sad to witness. The sound of a pin could be heard in the City after the respective full time whistles had blown, and the customary jokes began doing the rounds on twitter – Manchester releasing Channel number 5 perfume in time for Christmas being the best of the bunch – but on a more serious note, do either side need to panic now?
From a City point of view – quite simply no. They do not, top of the Premier League and in the Carling Cup semi, they are progressing well, and were in the group of death becoming the first team since Bremen in 2005/2006 not to qualify second with a total of ten points. Trophies are to come for City this season, and next year that extra experience will serve them well in the Europe.
It is United who will draw most of the criticism and the inevitable ‘crisis’ talk. How the media must have been panicking when AVB’s Chelsea finished top of their group and beat Newcastle previous to that – who would they use as their ‘team imploding’ now?
Cue Fergie and United to willingly step up to the plate, with not just last night’s performance in Europe, but throughout the whole campaign. Frankly, they were in a straight forward group and failed to do the job on any occasion. A 3-3 home draw and an away defeat to Basel and they don’t deserve their place amongst Europe’s elite.
I am not willing to even entertain the notion of it being ‘Fergie’s time to go’ or that United are a poor side – they are not. Think back to the last time they failed to get out of the group with Benfica being their final conquerors this time, and Fergie responded accordingly, using that season to rebuild and go on to rule Europe and the Premier League after Chelsea dominance.
It is this that we will see happen again, yet it is doubtful if multiple signings are needed in the January window – for one reason prices are inflated and panic buying is never advisable – and also the fact of the matter is players like Jones, Smalling and Young are inexperienced and have the quality to become United players and rise to the big occasions – this season may have been just one too soon.
Even when looking at young David De Gea, there is masses of potential there, and the criticism has been harsh on the Spaniard, with time being needed to really develop into the player he can.
One thing United are in dire need of is a spark in midfield. Yes, Cleverley looked brilliant before injury but he cannot be expected to be a ‘big name player’ so soon and so young. Fergie may well regret not pushing harder to sign Sneijder this summer with the player certain to stay at Inter until at least the summer – after all they can offer Champions League football – and the quality of Basel’s creative midfielder Shaqiri will not have gone unnoticed by Fergie.
A creative, world class midfielder is something that United have to break the bank for, yet how much will be available to them in January now after such a costly exit from the Champions League is doubtful, and it may have to wait until the summer for such a big money signing to be made.
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The fact of the matter is no team can win everything all the time, and yes it is such a let-down for the fans to crash and burn before Christmas, but United will come back, as they have done multiple times in the past, probably better and stronger than before. At least now they can get revenge on Barcelona in next year’s Super Cup final – every cloud and all that!
Sir Alex Ferguson has been told that he has money available to strengthen his squad this January, as the Premier League holders’ title ambitions have taken a dent over the last week.
With back-to-back defeats against Blackburn and Newcastle the Old Trafford side have seen arch enemies Manchester City open up a three-point gap at the top of the English top flight, much to the despair of the club’s owners.
The Telegraph report that despite United sizeable debt, which currently stands at £433 million, Sir Alex has been told that money is no object in buying players over the next month should he so desire.
The newspaper also indicates that the Scottish coach is reluctant to spend in January however, as his previous track record sees him very rarely splurging money in the mid-season transfer window.
The likes of Benfica’s Nicolas Gaitan and Inter Milan’s Wesley Sneijder have been linked with a move to the English champions, but as yet there have been no developments since the window opened.
Meanwhile, The Daily Mail have run a story detailing that Sir Alex will make a spectacular move to bring Frank Lampard to the club.
The veteran England midfielder has been used in a squad rotation system by Andre Villas Boas this season at Chelsea, and with United struggling for fit central midfielders Sir Alex is believed to be readying a surprise bid.
By Gareth McKnight
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Chelsea defender John Terry pleaded not guilty to a charge of racism at court on Wednesday, and will now undergo a full trial in July.
The England international was accused by Anton Ferdinand of making a racist remark in The Blues’ 1-0 defeat to QPR back in October at Loftus Road.
Terry was not present at the hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London, but his lawyer pleaded his innocence, sending the incident to trial.
The court date has been set for July 9th, which falls after the completion of Euro 2012, and before the start of the 2012/13 Premier League season, Sky Sports reveal.
Terry has maintained his innocence throughout the investigations, and has been backed by Andre Villas Boas and Chelsea as being wrongly accused of the claims.
The centre back did not feature in his side’s 1-1 draw with Swansea on Tuesday night, and Villas Boas has admitted that the skipper will be given leave away from the club if so required as the court proceedings continue.
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Plugging a gap for the season ahead or merely just borrowing to boost a meagre squad, the value of a loan signing should never be glossed over. Players tired of picking splinters from their backsides after a frustratingly sustained period on the substitutes bench, wild-eyed youngsters hungry for a taste of first team action and the golden oldies attempting to prolong their career at a level that was beyond them years ago. Loan signings come in all shapes and sizes but no matter what their appearance or age there is still a slow burning debate that hangs around their necks. Should they be permitted to play against their parent clubs?
Before football became riddled with trivial rules and regulations loan players could take to the field against their parent club and no one would bat an eyelid. Obviously in those days the two sides would either come to a ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ that would see said player remain on the sidelines when they came head to head or simply let him play. Nowadays the ruling (section 7.2 of rule M.6) forbids a loan player to go up against the club that holds his registration. What this means is that clubs can send a member of their squad out on loan and potentially watch him wreak havoc on their rivals. It’s a tactic that has been employed to great effect by Sir Alex Ferguson many times over the years.
Still, the question remains; should they be allowed to play against their parent clubs and is it unfair on loan clubs and adversaries? Looking at it from the parents’ point of view it’s glaringly obvious why they don’t want their player performing against them. As a Newcastle fan I’m well aware of the potential ramifications of that happening. Coming towards the end of the 2003/04 season Lomana Lua Lua was sent on loan to Portsmouth and consequently went onto score a vital equalizer against the Magpies that ultimately cost them a place in the top four that year. I recall my mood at the time was one of anger that Sir Bobby Robson had turned down the chance to keep Lua Lua well way from the Fratton Park pitch that fateful afternoon. But in my haze of anger there was a sense that because Portsmouth had paid to loan him then they should have the right to play him regardless. In this day and age no loan deal passes without a few bundles of cash being exchanged a share of a player’s salary being discussed. In the case of a loan club the reasons as to why their short-term acquisition should be authorized to compete against their parent club is crystal clear.
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If they’ve paid for the services of a player, whether it be six weeks or six months, the loan club should be permitted to turn out against the parents. My opinion is it puts the parents’ rivals at a disadvantage when competing against the loan club. The game between Manchester City and Tottenham last Sunday offered one a flagrant example of why this rule is fundamentally flawed. Emmanuel Adebayor, on loan at Spurs from City, was forced to sit out the game at the Etihad Stadium because of that exact rule. That forced Harry Redknapp into a reshuffle playing the slightly smaller Jermaine Defoe in Adebayor’s usual lone striker role. Despite scoring Defoe was unable to physically impose himself on City’s colossal back four also missing two chances after being unable to reach the ball due to his 5ft 7in frame. What is the likelihood that the 6ft 3in Adebayor would have been able to offer more of a presence in the Spurs final third and connect with the opportunities that Defoe couldn’t advantage of? Both the opportunities could have put Spurs ahead in the game and had a huge bearing on the Premier League title race. Adebayor’s absence gave Roberto Manicin’s men a comprehensible advantage that hasn’t been afforded to their rivals in the top half of the league.
Looking at his contributions over the entire season the he has scored nine goals in 19 games during his time at North London being involved in 14 wins and only one defeat. In the six matches he has scored in Spurs have won four striking twice in the 4-0 win over Liverpool. He was also on target in the 1-1 draw against Chelsea whilst two of his six assists came against Arsenal and Newcastle all of whom are challenging in the top six. Is it fair that Adebayor is allowed to have a negative impact on City’s rivals but when it comes to facing them he has to sit in the stands? In the interests of fairness the problems that exist within the loan system and the ‘parent club rule’ need to be revised. It could cost teams the chance to fight for titles, qualify for Europe and could even be the difference between promotion and relegation. One thing is for sure; Tottenham aren’t the first and certainly won’t be the last team to be stung by such a prejudiced ruling.
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