Win leaves AVB tactical quandary December 7, 2011 CHELSEA manager Andre Villas-Boas may have delighted in muting his critics by reaching the last 16 of the Champions League, but Tuesday’s 3-0 win over Valencia raised just as many questions as it answered. Villas-Boas ditched his previously stubborn adherence to playing a high line, instead telling his back four to sit deeper. He also [...]
RFU open talks with Kiwi World Cup winning coach Smith over England role December 7, 2011 NEW ZEALAND’S former World Cup winning coach Wayne Smith has been approached by the Rugby Football Union with regards to the vacancies at Twickenham. Smith was in the country last week working alongside Nick Mallet, one of the leading contenders to succeed Martin Johnson as team manager, coaching the southern hemisphere side for the Help [...]
Injured Moody could miss three months December 7, 2011 FORMER England captain Lewis Moody could miss up to three months of the Premiership season after undergoing shoulder surgery. The Bath flanker, who retired from the international game after leading England to the quarter finals of the World Cup in October, suffered the injury in last month’s defeat against Worcester. Bath coach Brad Davis said: [...]
Texas and Bahrain keep F1 races December 7, 2011 FORMULA ONE: Next season’s calendar will include races in Bahrain and the United States, despite ongoing doubts about the two dates. Civil unrest continues to jeopardise the Bahrain Grand Prix, due to take place in April, while a deal for November race in Texas remains in the balance after the initial agreement was scrapped. The [...]
McIlroy ‘more gifted than Tiger’ December 7, 2011 GOLF: English world No1 Luke Donald has branded Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy “more talented” than 14-time Major winner Tiger Woods. Donald is aiming to fend off US Open champion McIlroy’s late charge to pip him to the European Tour title at the Dubai World Championships, which tees off this morning. “In terms of talent I [...]
AVB FUMES, DROGBA BLOOMS December 6, 2011 Victory provides ‘slap in the face’ for Chelsea’s critics CHELSEA 3 vs VALENCIA 0 CHELSEA manager Andre Villas-Boas launched a blistering attack on perceived media “persecution” after swerving a premature Champions League exit and emerging as surprise winners of Group E. Two goals and a vintage performance from Didier Drogba, plus a third from Ramires, [...]
Blues manager has Roman’s trust December 6, 2011 HE’S FAR from out of the woods yet, but emerging from such a high-stakes match is a monumental boost to Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas. Elimination at the group stage would have represented the club’s worst ever Champions League performance, and would only have amplified calls for the Portuguese rookie to go sooner rather than later. [...]
MATCH ANALYSIS December 6, 2011 KEY MOMENT Tension swirled around this match during the build-up to this must-win clash for Chelsea, but it dissipated after less than three minutes. Daniel Sturridge swung the ball from right wing to back post, Juan Mata, playing against his former side, laid off to Didier Drogba and the evergreen Ivorian drilled past the hapless [...]
FROM LBW TO MBE | Cook’s Royal recognition December 6, 2011 ENGLAND batsman Alastair Cook admitted he was extremely “humbled” to have been presented with an MBE by the Queen yesterday. The 26-year-old was recognised for his outstanding contribution during last winter’s Ashes triumph in Australia, during which he amassed 766 runs in just seven innings. He said: “It’s been a fantastic couple of years. For [...]
Euro naivety cost us dear, says Wenger December 6, 2011 OLYMPIACOS 3 vs ARSENAL 1 ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger admitted he was “annoyed” after watching his side’s unbeaten run in this season’s Champions League evaporate following an error-strewn performance in Athens. Already through and guaranteed of top spot in Group F, defeat still came at a cost with reserve goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski and first-choice left-back [...]