Bogeymen to leave Spurs beaten at the Bridge again March 6, 2014 SINEAD O’Connor was top of the charts with Nothing Compares 2 U the last time Tottenham won at Stamford Bridge and, just like the Irish popstar in the song’s famous video, Spurs fans have often been reduced to tears in the intervening years. A winner from Gary Lineker secured the points that day, on Saturday [...]
Wilshere out, Huddlestone in: How the stats say England’s World Cup squad should look March 5, 2014 One glance at Roy Hodgson should tell you that the England football manager is no slave to fashion. Yet statistical analysis of his latest squad selection suggests some players at less glamorous clubs might be being unfairly overlooked. Take Tom Huddlestone (Roy seemingly won’t). The Hull City midfielder is playing well enough to be in [...]
Liverpool toast progress despite filing £50m loss March 3, 2014 LIVERPOOL managing director Ian Ayre believes the club have distanced themselves from the “dark days” off the field, despite revealing losses last night of almost £50m for the year ending May 2013. Since the Fenway Sports Group completed its takeover of Liverpool from George Gillett and Tom Hicks in October 2010, debts have been reduced [...]
Premier League: Sherwood hopes Spurs can ruin league title race March 2, 2014 AT WHITE HART LANE TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1 CARDIFF CITY 0 TOTTENHAM boss Tim Sherwood hopes his side can play the role of party-poopers and make a late surge for Champions League qualification as they prepare to take on the Premier League’s top three teams this month. Roberto Soldado’s first goal since the turn of the [...]
Premier League: Palace hit back to deny 10-man Swans and boost survival hopes March 2, 2014 SWANSEA CITY 1 CRYSTAL PALACE 1 CRYSTAL Palace forward Glenn Murray struck his first Premier League goal yesterday as the Eagles boosted their hopes of avoiding relegation with a late point at fellow strugglers Swansea. Dutch midfielder Jonathan de Guzman finished a swift attack to put the hosts in front after 25 minutes, but Palace [...]
Hodgson: Carroll could still go to World Cup February 27, 2014 ENGLAND manager Roy Hodgson insists West Ham striker Andy Carroll could yet go to this summer’s World Cup in Brazil, despite yesterday’s omission from the 30-man squad to face Denmark at Wembley Stadium on Wednesday. Highly-rated Southampton left-back Luke Shaw is the only uncapped player selected by Hodgson for the last friendly before the end [...]
The Black Cats won’t block City’s path to cup success February 27, 2014 BEN CLEMINSON AND BILL ESDAILE WITH THE BEST FOOTBALL AND RACING BETS FAILURE is unthinkable for Manchester City in Sunday’s Capital One Cup final against Sunderland – but they know as well as anyone that favourites don’t always win at Wembley. Last season’s FA Cup final is a perfect case study of David toppling Goliath after Wigan’s shock 1-0 victory [...]
Charts: Man Utd stars are playing 18 per cent worse under David Moyes February 27, 2014 Manchester United’s season is littered with statistics to make even ashen-faced manager David Moyes grimace, but these may be the most damning yet. A comparison of how players have performed relative to last season, using Kickdex, shows that United’s first-team regulars are on average 18 per cent less effective under Moyes than they were in [...]
Sherwood: Soldado’s time is now February 26, 2014 TOTTENHAM boss Tim Sherwood has challenged misfiring Roberto Soldado to fill the Jermain Defoe-sized hole at White Hart Lane, starting tonight against FC Dnipro. A hamstring injury leaves Defoe unavailable to help Spurs overturn a 1-0 deficit in their Europa League last-32 second leg, so the England striker will say farewell to supporters at half-time [...]
Ticket row latest blow to United but club resist calls to axe Moyes February 26, 2014 MANCHESTER United were forced to defend their ticket policy last night after fans complained of being threatened with bans unless they bought seats for next month’s return leg against Olympiacos. Some season-ticket holders received messages warning they would be barred from the Premier League derby against Manchester City at Old Trafford on 25 March if [...]