Taming of the Shrews: Young Gunners avert a major crisis September 20, 2011 ARSENAL (3) vs SHREWSBURY (1) ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger called for his detractors to gain a measure of perspective after watching his side avoid a major Carling Cup upset at the hands of League Two Shrewsbury. For the first time during his tenure Wenger has been forced to field questions about his ability to take [...]
Spurs sunk in Stoke shoot-out September 20, 2011 STOKE (0) vs TOTTENHAM (0) Stoke win 7-6 on penalties TEENAGE midfielder Massimo Luongo missed in a sudden-death penalty shoot-out as Tottenham crashed out of the Carling Cup at the first hurdle. Roman Pavlyuchenko and Stoke’s Jermaine Pennant also failed to convert spot-kicks as the shoot-put ended 4-4, following a goal-less 120 minutes. Manager Harry [...]
Owen and Giggs roll back the years September 20, 2011 LEEDS UNITED (0) vs MANCHESTER UTD (3) MANCHESTER UNITED manager Sir Alex Ferguson claimed Michael Owen still has a vital role to play at the club after watching the England international roll back the years with a clinical brace in last night’s Carling Cup third round win at Leeds. Owen settled the tie with two goals [...]
Olympic chief Hunt buoyed by triathlon and beach volleyball September 20, 2011 BRITISH Olympic chief Andy Hunt believes he has seen evidence over the summer that Team GB is on target to achieve its goals after formally announcing the nation’s first athletes for London 2012. Three-time gold medal winner Ben Ainslie topped a bill of 11 sailors and windsurfers who Hunt yesterday revealed as the inaugural members [...]
McGrath tells Australia to go for Flower September 20, 2011 ENGLAND’S former Ashes tormentor Glenn McGrath has encouraged Cricket Australia to pursue the possibility of poaching Andy Flower from the ECB in the wake of Tim Nielsen’s resignation yesterday. Flower, who signed a new contract in May amid rumoured interest from India, has masterminded Australia’s downfall in consecutive Ashes series, led England to No1 in [...]
England pass summer exams but there are tougher tests ahead September 20, 2011 ENGLAND can be rightly satisfied with their summer exploits having fulfilled their lofty ambition of becoming the best Test side on the planet and hinting at a brighter future in the shorter format of the game. The execution of the plans laid out by the captain and management was first class, but must be tempered [...]
Waldrom shocked to be the recipient of Johnson’s World Cup emergency call September 20, 2011 LEICESTER No8 Thomas Waldrom admits he was stunned to receive Martin Johnson’s emergency World Cup call following an injury scare to Nick Easter. The 28-year-old Tigers star is en route to his native New Zealand to provide cover for Harlequins stalwart Easter, who is struggling with a back injury. Waldrom arrived at Leicester’s Oval Park [...]
THE BREAKDOWN | WORLD CUP BRIEFS September 20, 2011 CONTEPOMI COY ON SCOTS ARGENTINA captain Felipe Contepomi is staying tight-lipped on his hopes of facing Scotland in Sunday’s crucial Pool B showdown. The Pumas fly-half is being tipped to recover from a rib injury for a match that is likely to decide who joins England in the last eight. But Contepomi said: “If I’m [...]
Wenger’s not an idiot and won’t be fired, say Arsenal September 20, 2011 ARSENAL chief executive Ivan Gazidis has strenuously rebuffed talk of a crisis at the Emirates Stadium and insisted there is no chance of embattled manager Arsene Wenger being sacked. The Gunners have endured their worst start to a top-flight season for more than 50 years, with Saturday’s 4-3 defeat to Blackburn leaving them 17th in [...]
Qualifying is as tough as winning medal, says Ainslie September 20, 2011 BRITAIN’S greatest sailor Ben Ainslie admits qualifying for London 2012 was almost as tough as winning an Olympic medal. Ainslie, who will go for a fourth gold next summer, had to see off the world’s second best Finn sailor, Giles Scott, just to secure his place at the Games. Team GB only has room for [...]