Branislav Ivanovic calls on Chelsea players to stick together following consecutive league defeats September 25, 2016 Defender Branislav Ivanovic has urged the Chelsea squad to stick together after their early-season wobble continued with Saturday’s 3-0 defeat at Arsenal. The result condemned the Blues to consecutive Premier League losses, following last week’s 2-1 reverse at home to Liverpool, and came after a midweek EFL Cup scare at Leicester. “I know it’s very [...]
Freddie Ljungberg interview: Former Arsenal midfielder looking to Wenger as he plots his new life in coaching September 22, 2016 If the past really does dictate the future then former Arsenal midfielder Freddie Ljungberg has a notable back catalogue to consult as he plots his ascendency to the upper echelons of the coaching world. A member of the Gunners’ Invincibles who went the entire 2003-04 campaign unbeaten, Ljungberg, who won five major trophies in nine [...]
English Football League clubs reject proposals to incorporate Premier League B teams and Old Firm in overhaul of competition September 22, 2016 Premier League B teams and Scottish giants Celtic and Rangers have been ruled out of a revamped English Football League (EFL) structure following opposition from clubs to the proposals. It means that the extra eight clubs needed to make up a fifth tier of 20 teams – with the working title of League Three – [...]
Chelsea can topple Arsenal in another fiery London derby September 22, 2016 PLENTY has happened at Chelsea since they were last beaten in the league by Arsenal. Since 29 October 2011, the Blues have been through five managers, won as many trophies, gone from champions to tenth, and even had time to sell David Luiz to PSG before buying him back. Change hasn’t been as quick at [...]
Manchester City form is no surprise but Leicester can still catch them, says Claudio Ranieri September 22, 2016 Bullish Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri insists it is too soon to declare Manchester City as the Premier League’s champions-elect and is adamant the Foxes will defend their title to the bitter end. Leicester, who made a mockery of their status as 5,000-1 outsiders last term, have made a modest start to the campaign having won [...]
Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote wants to buy Arsenal FC and “turn it around” September 22, 2016 Africa's richest man Aliko Dangote wants to buy Arsenal within three to four years and turn the club's fortunes around. The Nigerian cement magnate, worth an estimated £8.4bn, says he has no doubt he has the capital to complete a full takeover of the Premier League. And the Arsenal fan believes he has the business [...]
EFL Cup round-up: Slaven Bilic urges West Ham to use last-gasp win as leverage to escape wretched start to season September 21, 2016 West Ham manager Slaven Bilic has urged his side to use their last-gasp 1-0 victory over League Two Accrington Stanley in the EFL Cup third round as leverage to escape their wretched start to the campaign. The clash looked certain to end goalless and head into extra-time before substitute Dimitri Payet curled home a sumptuous 25-yard [...]
Tough on counties but ECB right to rest England players for final Championship fixtures September 21, 2016 I fully appreciate how disappointing it must be for counties and their supporters that their international players are not playing in the final round of Championship fixtures but on balance I believe the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) are right. Of the eight Division One teams in action this week, six have something to [...]
From virtual reality to socks to the “Netflix of sports” — these nine companies are changing football through technology and innovation September 21, 2016 Modern football has become a magnet for cutting-edge technology and innovative ideas. The ever-increasing sums of money sloshing around in the sport have raised the stakes, forcing clubs to seek out the next marginal gain through state of the art software and brilliant minds, as well as providing ample business opportunities for enterprising fans. These [...]
Jose Mourinho is in a crisis at Manchester United and he has brought it on himself September 20, 2016 Let’s be brutally honest: three defeats in a row mean that Jose Mourinho is already in crisis just a few weeks into his reign as manager of Manchester United. I know what it’s like at a team where you’re expected to win every game. When I played at Rangers one defeat was a crisis; two was a [...]