Local bragging rights can go to the Gunners November 18, 2010 ARSENAL vs TOTTENHAM TOMORROW, 12.45PM, SKY SPORTS EVERYONE was writing off Arsenal’s title credentials when they lost at home against Newcastle a fortnight ago, but two consecutive away wins and some dropped points by their rivals have seen them close the gap on Chelsea to just two points. They are normally very strong at the [...]
Red Rose set to continue momentum November 18, 2010 ENGLAND vs SAMOA TOMORROW, 2.30PM, SKY SPORTS DARE we say that Martin Johnson’s grand plans to mould England into contenders for the 2011 World Cup are finally taking shape? The scintillating attacking display against the Aussies last weekend suggests so, but we must wait until after tomorrow’s match against Samoa to gauge if that was [...]
What A Friend Sir Alex has in tomorrow’s Betfair Chase November 18, 2010 IT was nice to finally be back amongst the winners last week and I hope you managed to snap up some of the 15/2 available about Menorah early on Sunday morning. Long Run was a little disappointing in the Paddy Power Gold Cup, but all those who followed our each-way tip on Poquelin were in [...]
THE INSIDER November 18, 2010 FOR ME it really is back to getting the All Weather form sorted and trying to pick off some good value winners over the winter months. I like the jumps but I have found over the past few seasons that the flat offers some great value at this time of year. The races that catch [...]
FRENCH LESSON November 17, 2010 ENGLAND 1 vs FRANCE 2 ENGLAND manager Fabio Capello came out fighting after his decision to field an experimental side backfired on another desperately forgettable night for the national team. Goals in either half from Karim Benzema and Mathieu Valbuena hardly did justice to the gulf in class between the two sides, with Peter Crouch’s [...]
England mindset is: it’ll be alright on night. It won’t November 17, 2010 ON a soaking wet, wintry November evening some 85,000 people took the trouble to turn up at Wembley – and were given absolutely nothing to cheer about. It all felt so flat, and so did England’s performance. Fabio Capello’s men were very, very poor and never had France on the rack. What really worries me [...]
Easter gets armband as Johnson rings changes November 17, 2010 HARLEQUINS No8 Nick Easter will captain England in a Test match for the first time on Saturday after manager Martin Johnson resisted the urge to make wholesale changes for the visit of Samoa. With a final Test of the autumn against South Africa on the horizon, Johnson has shuffled his pack slightly by making four [...]
‘We knew we could play that way’ November 17, 2010 NORTHAMPTON lock Courtney Lawes may have played a pivotal role in transforming England into stylish world-beaters but has reminded his colleagues of the virtues of winning ugly. Lawes is one of a clutch of youngsters at the heart of Martin Johnson’s emerging outfit, along with Saints team-mates Chris Ashton and Ben Foden and Leicester duo [...]
Fergie: Rooney wasn’t greedy November 17, 2010 MANCHESTER UNITED manager Sir Alex Ferguson insists Wayne Rooney did not threaten to leave Old Trafford in order to engineer a huge wage hike. Rooney walked away from contract talks and demanded a move last month, flirting with rivals Manchester City and complaining about United’s lack of ambition. The striker performed a swift U-turn and [...]
Mika rips into Schumi slump November 17, 2010 FORMER world champion Michael Schumacher is a “tragic ex-hero” who is “dismantling his own legacy”, according to his one time rival on the track, Mika Hakkinen. The Finn clashed with Schumacher on several occasions during a career that saw him claim two world titles of his own. The 42-year-old has toyed with the idea of [...]