With the season about to start I wrote an article about the possible gamble of a Premier League club choosing to buy Hatem Ben Arfa. The French forward had been linked with a number of clubs, both here and abroad, and was almost certain to leave Marseille for pastures of the greener variety. The abilty that Ben Arfa has is not the sticking point; he is good enough to make in the Premier League, good enough to make it in any league he chooses. But it is the petulant baggage that he carries on his shoulders which may have deterred clubs from making their move.
Newcastle have not been deterred. The canny piece of the deal in which they have done, is that Ben Arfa has arrived on loan, thus if there are any reoccurrences of the misdemeanours that have blighted his career, then Newcastle can wash their hands of him, without any real financial loss.
Newcastle did well to come away from Goodison Park on Saturday with a win. Although Everton are far from their best at the moment, for Newcastle to go away and get three points is a massive boost for the team. There were a few players in particular who shone for Newcastle; Joey Barton continues to impress and rehabilitate, and leading man Any Carroll was good without being spectacular, but it was Ben Arfa, making his first start for the club, who really caught the eye.
The former Lyon and Marseille man, and Clairefontaine graduate, is unerringly comfortable on the ball. Whether it is staying out wide on the left and heading to the by-line, or drifting inside from his flank to get more of the ball, he can be potent in either fashion. His pace and close control make him tough to dispossess, and as Tim Howard is now more aware of, has a fierce strike to add to the heady mix.
It appears Ben Arfa could fill a creative gap that may be lacking at St James Park. As mentioned above, Barton is having a really good season, and Kevin Nolan is a key figure in support of the lonesome Carroll, but Ben Arfa could really make the left-handed berth his own. And for Carroll, having Newcastle’s newest recruit on the left, a rejuvenated Wayne Routledge on the right and Nolan just behind, could provide him with both support and ammunition.
It is easy to see Geordie fans falling in love with Ben Arfa, he is just their sort of player. What money on him running Stoke ragged next weekend in front of the home fans? The only question mark is over his temperament. Joey Barton has obviously had his problems (seemingly all in the past), Andy Carroll is not retreating flower and there is still the Steven Taylor contract dispute rumbling on. Things seem to be going well for Newcastle at the moment, and a disruptive influence is not what they need. Ben Arfa has had scuffles and bust-ups with opponents, teammates and his managers at both his clubs in France – Chris Hughton will have to keep him in check.
Should the promising start to turn sour, then Hughton and Newcastle will be able to move on, and let Ben Arfa head back to his parent club. If his performance at Everton was merely a glimmer of what he will produce this season, thenNewcastle have pulled off a transfer coup.
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Hatem Ben Arfa has been awarded Goal of the Week for this stunner:
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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Fourth-placed Villarreal kept up the pressure on Valencia with a hard-fought 1-0 win at home over Real Zaragoza on Monday.The result cut third-placed Valencia’s buffer over Villareal to six points with six games remaining as the two sides chase the third and final automatic Champions League place in La Liga.
A fourth-placed finish would see that side be forced into the qualifying play-offs for Europe’s richest club competition.
American-born Italian international Guiseppe Rossi scored the decisive goal of the match from the penalty spot with 20 minutes to play after he was upended by a crude challenge from Argentine midfielder Leonardo Ponzio.
The match itself was a spiteful affair, which saw seven players booked and Real Zaragoza’s Nigerian striker Ikechukwu Uche sent off for a second caution in the fourth minute of stoppage time, when referee Javier Turienzo Alvarez booked him for diving.
The loss leaves Zaragoza in 17th place, with only goal difference separating them from the relegation zone.
After the drama of transfer deadline day the obligation of Premier League clubs to name a 25-man squad, which cannot include more than 17 overseas players passed by virtually unnoticed yesterday. Managers such as Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger labelled the new regulations as “ridiculous,” arguing that it will harm those who have to play games in European competitions. But with Arsenal’s staggering number of under-21 players who are not subject to the new restrictions, they boast a squad of 70. For all the scare mongering and dire predictions, prominent players including Owen Hargreaves and Roque Santa Cruz did make their respective squad lists. Whether through injury, inexperience or poor form below is a list of those who will be ineligible to play PL football at least until January.
Jonathan Woodgate
News reports have inferred that the last minute arrival of Rafael van der Vaart at White Hart Lane squeezed Woodgate out of Spurs’ 25-man squad. The 29-year old defender has been plagued by a persistent groin problem. Having not played since last November it is believed that one last ditch attempt at surgery may provide a cure. Harry Redknapp has said, “It’s so sad for Jonathan. He’s such a good player and a great lad as well.”
Ben Alnwick
Woodgate’s colleague at Tottenham, Alnwick has additionally been left out of their squad. The 23-year old goalkeeper who joined from Sunderland in 2007 made his PL debut on the final day of last season at Turf Moor. Although categorised as a senior home-grown player his place was effectively made redundant after Stipe Pletikosa joined on loan from Spartak Moscow.
Luke Daniels
Another young English goalkeeper who has been omitted from a PL squad is West Brom’s Daniels. The keeper has suffered from a back injury which scuppered his proposed loan spell at Bristol Rovers. He is expected to recover in the coming months but would have faced stiff competition from Scott Carson, Boaz Myhill and Dean Kiely. Daniels will be hopeful of a chance to feature in the Carling Cup of for the Baggies reserve team.
Luke Moore
A slightly more surprising omission at the west Midlands clubs is that of striker Luke Moore. The 24-year old who cost the club £3.5 million from Aston Villa in 2008 has been deemed surplus to requirements. The forward who once won the FA Youth Cup at his former club is expected to seek a loan switch to a Championship side.
Michael Kightly
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The 24-year old winger has not featured for Wolves since last November having suffered a patella tendon injury. He has faced further set-backs in his rehabilitation and is being tipped to go out on loan once he returns to fitness. The midfielder who scored 8 times during the club’s promotion winning season has been earmarked for a return to their PL squad in January.
Mamady Sidibe
The burly striker’s season and hopes of making Stoke City’s squad were cruelly dashed after he snapped his Achilles tendon during the home defeat to Tottenham. Stoke boss Tony Pulis has claimed that the Mali international may be back sooner than first thought but the Welshman and Peter Coates have been industrious in the transfer window. The club signed four players on transfer deadline day including former Barcelona forward, Eidur Gudjohnson and Jermaine Pennant.
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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Mexico sealed a CONCACAF Under-20 Championship semi-final berth in style on Tuesday, with a 3-0 win over Canada in Guatemala.The win also secured Mexico’s place in this year’s Under-20 World Cup in Colombia, after they failed to qualify two years ago.
Mexico dominated throughout and created a host of good chances, but found Canada goalkeeper Julien Latendresse-Levesque in fine form.
The deadlock was eventually broken in the 33rd minute with a brilliant long-range strike from Kristian Alvarez.
Canada’s defence was carved open repeatedly by the surging Mexicans, and they had Latendresse-Levesque to thank for keeping them in touch until late in the match.
But with 18 minutes remaining, Mexico extended their lead with another superb goal when Diego De Buen crashed home a volley from long-range.
The rout was completed deep into second-half stoppage time by a 20-yard thunderbolt from Jorge Mora.
The win was Mexico’s third-straight victory without conceding a goal, and they remain on course for an 11th CONCACAF Under-20 title.
Elsewhere, Costa Rica routed Cuba 6-1 to book their spot in the last four.
The Cubans got off to the perfect start with a goal to Yaudel Lahera after just three minutes, but it was downhill from there on for the visitors.
Joel Campbell equalised from the penalty spot on 29 minutes, before another spot kick from Marlon Escoe had the hosts 2-1 up at the break.
Campbell went on to complete his hat-trick after the interval, with Joshua Diaz and Bryan Vega also getting on the scoresheet as the Costa Ricans ran riot.
Sunday 27th June 2010. Bloemfontein, South Africa. England 1 Germany 4. The day the illusion died and the post-mortem began. England’s Golden Generation had been shown to be nothing more than average on the world stage. They had been stung by Schweinsteiger. Overwhelmed by Özil. Murdered by Müller. For the first time since the advent of the Premier League in 1992, there was a universal opinion that something had to change. If it didn’t, the national team would be arbitrarily condemned to a spectacular, humiliating and terminal decline. The new squad rules for this season may, therefore, come as a welcome change to many a patriotic Englishman desperate to see top managers ‘give the kids a chance’. After all, not since the footballing baptisms of Beckham, Butt, Scholes and the Neville brothers has a team made up mainly of young Englishmen had resounding domestic success. Aston Villa and Tottenham have come close in recent years but as England discovered in South Africa, being good and being brilliant are incomparably different.
The new rule change is designed to represent a change from the norm, with eight ‘home grown’ players required in each squad of 25. The theory, its supporters will tell you, is that the top teams can no longer gain success by filling their squad with expensive foreigners. Young, talented Englishmen, they will claim, will have to be given a chance by top teams. The pinnacle of their careers no longer needs to be a passionate relegation clash between Hull and West Ham or a flukey if heart-warming cup run. They can look forward to Champions League experience and challenging for the Premier League title, and in turn they will develop into world class players, capable of following in the footsteps of Bobby and the lads and bringing glory back to our tiny island. That’’’ be the result of the new rules, the supporters will say. In reality, the consequences may not be so beneficial…
Under the new rules, each squad can only use a squad over 25 players who are over the age of 21. Essentially, a maximum of 17 of these players can be ‘foreign’. The other eight players must be ‘home grown’. If a team only has six ‘home grown’ players, they can only name a squad of 23. Players under the age of 21 can be selected but do not need to be included in the squad. Clearly this adds great value to ‘home grown’ players, but could have a hugely negative impact on their careers. Take Michael Mancienne, seen by many as a future England regular. Chelsea currently have just five home grown players, so their squad size would be limited to 22, hardly enough to compete on two fronts in England and Europe. Therefore, the Blues will undoubtedly be desperate to add ‘home grown’ players to their squad – and prevent those already there leaving. Mancienne had a fine season at Wolves last year, and would undoubtedly have benefited from another season on loan with a mid-table Premiership club. While he is not yet good enough for the Chelsea first team, at 22 he has the potential to become a star for club and country. However, the new squad rules leave Mancienne’s career in danger of stagnating. Carlo Ancelotti will undoubtedly want to keep him to make up the numbers next year but he is unlikely to get a great deal of top-level game time unless a severe injury crisis hits Stamford Bridge. After all, there is no quota on the number of ‘home grown’ players in a team’s starting eleven or even their matchday squad of eighteen. In the past, Chelsea could have sent Mancienne out on loan again to aid his development, replacing him in the squad with an ageing foreigner in the mould of Sotirios Kyrgiakos at Liverpool. Mancienne could have come back when he was ready to challenge for a first team place. Under the new rules, however, he is likely to be a bench warmer at best.
Many feel that the new rule will give chances to younger players in particular. After all, in a squad of 25, it only takes a few injuries before some of the under-21s are required in the match day squad. However, the concept of under-21s are in the squad is not in itself necessarily beneficial to the England team. After all, apart from a few notable exceptions such as Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott at Arsenal among others, many of the under-21s who play a role, particularly in the tops sides, will be foreign. Kiko Macheda looks set to get a chance at Manchester United this season, while the equally talented Danny Welbeck will be shipped out on loan, playing a lower standard of football. At Manchester City, meanwhile, it is hard to see any under-21s making an impact at all unless Mario Balotelli completes his protracted switch from Internazionale. Even at Liverpool, with Englishman Roy Hodgson at the helm, only Jonjo Shelvey is likely to play a role in the first team this season, and even he may be surpassed by Daniel Pacheco. Yes, young players probably will get a chance, but how does it benefit the future of the England team if they aren’t even English?
But the problem isn’t merely restricted to under-21s. To be counted as home-grown, players must have been trained in England in three years before the age of 21. It seems a laughable criteria. Owen Hargreaves, if he overcomes his injury problems, will be a ‘foreign’ player in the Manchester United squad, despite the fact that his inclusion is quite clearly of benefit to Fabio Capello’s England team. Arsenal currently have seven ‘home grown’ players, but it is hard to see how encouraging their selection will benefit the Three Lions in Brazil in 2014. Their names? Fabregas, Bendtner, Clichy, Denilson, Djourou, Mannone, Song. ‘Home grown’ implies English, In fact, on paper it means something altogether different, and it seems that the FA may have spectacularly missed a trick when selecting the definition.
The rule change, it seems, were envisioned as a step that would benefit the English national team. Tragically, it appears to have been a misguided step. The intention was to encourage opportunities and development for young English players. In reality, it simply encourages clubs to ‘buy foreign’ earlier. More and more clubs will seek to find Fabregases and Machedas who they can sign at 16, exploiting the restrictions put in place due to their being classed as ‘home grown’ by the age of 19, whatever their nationality. The results could be disastrous. Many English players will be released earlier and replaced by top players from abroad. They will receive worse coaching for a greater proportion of their career and as a result could end up playing at an even lower level than before. Only the extremely gifted English youngsters (think Wayne Rooney, Joe Cole) will survive to be professional at Premiership clubs. The FA has made a grave mistake in the rules it has created for the 2010-11 season. Reforms have been required in England for years, but the reforms should have started at the bottom. In an ideal world, if we really want to produce a great England team in the future, we must concentrate on youth. Our clubs should be banned from signing foreign players under the age of 18. There should also be some kind of quota on English players in starting lineups. This may seem extreme, but at the very least the definition of ‘home grown’ must be altered so that it includes only players eligible for the England team. If necessary, the FA could gives clubs a few years to restructure their squads. The benefits in the long run would still be huge.
The dream is an England team where every player plays in the Champions League. Without changes, it may not be long before we have and England team where every player plays in the Championship. That really would represent the sounding of a death knell for English football.
Written By Gareth Roberts
With the PL season nearly upon us, let’s see the WAGS that will be keeping the players on their toes. Click on image to VIEW gallery
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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!
Tottenham’s reward for getting past Inter Milan in the last 16 of the Champions League is a trip to the capital of Spain to face Real Madrid. There will be high demand for tickets, flights and accommodation in Madrid, so here is all the information you need to make sure you beat the crowd!
The Spanish capital Madrid is a great destination to visit and Real Madrid’s stadium the Santiago Bernabeu is a great arena to watch football in. The 80,000 capacity stadium is one of the world’s most famous football venues and is located in the north of Madrid.
The all-important date of the first leg in Madrid is Tuesday 5th April!
Flights and Hotels:
Madrid-Barajas Airport is located to the north-east of the Spanish capital. There are plenty of flights available from London to Madrid, with return flights for under £100. The main airline that flies to Madrid is easyJet, as they depart from London Gatwick and Luton and the journey lasts for a little over two hours. There is also the option to fly with Air Europa from Gatwick or British Airways from London City Airport, although the price of these flights, especially the latter, is generally higher.
For travellers with a reasonably small budget, the two-star accommodation offered by Hostal Maria Alcanzar II could be ideal. Accommodation is available for as little as £25 per night and its city centre location makes it perfect for exploring the city before or after the footy.
Football fans with a little more cash to spend will want to take a look at the Best Western Arosa. The four-star hotel has 126 air-conditioned guestrooms, and the hotel bar is ideal for a post-match drink. Rooms are available from around £65 per person per night, for the hotel located in the heart of the city.
If you have a large budget to dip into, then another Best Western hotel, the Best Western Atlantico is well worth considering. Also offering four-star accommodation, the hotel has 114 rooms spread over 9 floors. Ideally located in the north of the city centre, prices top £100 for a one-night stay in this hotel.
So there’s all the Madrid travel info you need, now buy you tickets by clicking the link below…
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Buy Real Madrid v Tottenham Champions League tickets here!
Former manager Roy Hodgson has backed new boss Mark Hughes to be a success after he took charge at Fulham.
Hughes has agreed a two-year contract with the Cottagers, following Hodgson’s move to Liverpool earlier this summer and the new Reds chief is confident that the former Wales, Blackburn Rovers and Manchester City manager is a good appointment.
Hodgson told reporters: “It is a good appointment. I am very pleased for him and Fulham Football Club.
“I think Mark is a very good manager and he has proved his worth many times. It is good Fulham have got such an experienced man to take over.
“I think he will enjoy working at Fulham, because it is a fantastic club with fantastic people and magnificent players.
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“I wish him well, but not too well when he plays against us – but I know he will do well.”