How Chelsea have outsmarted their Premier League rivals by putting defence before attack March 20, 2014 What’s the most important ingredient for a title-winning team? A dead-eyed 20-goal-a-season marksman, a quicksilver midfield playmaker, or a nimble giant of a goalkeeper? The answer is, perhaps surprisingly, none of those. The Premier League table and data from Kickdex show that a robust, sleeves-up back line goes further than flair in other positions. Take [...]
Champions League: United capable of Euro glory, insists Moyes March 19, 2014 MANCHESTER UNITED 3 OLYMPIACOS 0 (Manchester United win 3-2 on aggregate) MANCHESTER United can win the Champions League, according to manager David Moyes after his team gave the suffering Old Trafford crowd a night to savour by storming through to the quarter-finals. Trailing 2-0 from a disastrous first leg in Greece, striker Robin van Persie [...]
Murray’s thanks for Lendl as pair split after two glorious years March 19, 2014 WIMBLEDON champion Andy Murray has vowed to take his time searching for a new coach after he and Ivan Lendl surprised the tennis world yesterday by announcing the end of their hugely successful two-year alliance. Murray, who ended his wait for major honours by winning the US Open, Wimbledon and an Olympic gold medal under [...]
England fans face early start as sevens hit land of the rising sun March 19, 2014 NERVE-SHREDDING rugby did not end last weekend with Brian O’Driscoll and Ireland’s Six Nations triumph, as the HSBC Sevens World Series fires back into life on Saturday in Japan. Now in its third year, the Tokyo Sevens paves the way for the main event of the calendar, the Hong Kong Sevens on 28 March, followed [...]
Sherwood hits out at Van Gaal over interest in his Tottenham job March 19, 2014 TOTTENHAM manager Tim Sherwood last night made plain his displeasure at comments from Holland coach Louis van Gaal stating his desire to manage in the Premier League next season. Sherwood signed an 18-month contract in December, but has failed to reinvigorate Spurs’ season since succeeding Andre Villas-Boas and Van Gaal is favourite with the bookmakers [...]
Morgan bullish about batsmen despite seventh T20 loss in eight March 19, 2014 STAND-IN captain Eoin Morgan insists England possess enough batting firepower to win the World Twenty20 despite suffering a seventh defeat from eight matches in the format yesterday. England lost their final warm-up for the tournament in Bangladesh by 20 runs to India, after a promising start to their run chase faded to a final 158-6. [...]
Weightlifting has funding restored March 19, 2014 OLYMPICS: Weightlifting had £894,000 of its Olympic cycle funding restored by UK Sport yesterday following a successful appeal, but cuts for six other sports, including water polo and basketball, remain in place.
Henao pulled out over blood results March 19, 2014 CYCLING: Team Sky have withdrawn rider Sergio Henao from competition after abnormalities were found in blood tests carried out at altitude. The Colombian rider will now be subject to an altitude research programme.
Champions League: Chelsea spoil Drogba return and cruise to quarter-finals March 18, 2014 CHELSEA 2 GALATASARAY 0 (Chelsea win 3-1 on aggregate) CHELSEA manager Jose Mourinho felt spoiling Didier Drogba’s homecoming was key to reaching the Champions League quarter-finals last night. Drogba, who scored 157 goals in eight years at Stamford Bridge, received a hero’s welcome from Blues fans, but failed to have a sniff at goal with [...]
Moyes confident he can deliver glory at United March 18, 2014 DEFIANT Manchester United boss David Moyes does not fear for his future and believes the board back him to return the club to the all-conquering force they were under predecessor Sir Alex Ferguson. Moyes has endured a testing first year in charge of the Premier League champions, who are seventh in the table and on [...]