Scorelines didn’t do justice to Bayern and Barca’s dominance against Arsenal and Man City, but these charts do February 20, 2014 English clubs came off a resounding second best in the Champions League this week, even if the 2-0 defeats suffered by the 10 men of Arsenal and Manchester City barely did justice to the dominance of Bayern Munich and Barcelona. But where the scoreline, and the shooting boots of Mario Mandzukic, failed, these passing [...]
Football Comment: English teams are too tired to cut it in Europe February 19, 2014 WHEN Arsene Wenger woke up this morning I hope he was thinking about the Premier League rather than the Champions League. Because it’s time for him to change his priorities this season. Arsenal are not going to come back and win in Munich. For a team who has spent so much of this season at [...]
Robben backs Arsenal to end wait for trophy February 18, 2014 BAYERN Munich winger Arjen Robben believes Arsenal are sufficiently equipped to finally end their nine-year trophy drought this season. Arsenal host Bayern at the Emirates Stadium in the first leg of their last-16 clash and are also fighting for the Premier League title as well as the FA Cup, having reached the quarter-finals at the [...]
City only team in Manchester, says Pellegrini February 17, 2014 MANCHESTER City manager Manuel Pellegrini has dismissed rivals Manchester United as a realistic threat, claiming his team have become the only club in the city. Barcelona, dubbed “the most important club in the world” by Pellegrini, visit the Etihad Stadium tonight in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 clash, as City’s bid to [...]
FA Cup: Mourinho is embarrassing for Chelsea, says Wenger February 16, 2014 AT EMIRATES STADIUM ARSENAL 2 vs LIVERPOOL 1 ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger last night labelled the recent jibes fired his way by Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho as “silly” and “disrespectful”, after watching the Gunners battle their way into the FA Cup quarter-finals. Goals either side of half-time from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Lukas Podolski proved enough [...]
Rooney to end career at United February 16, 2014 ENGLAND striker Wayne Rooney is expected to sign a new contract this week that is likely to keep him at Manchester United for the rest of his career. Rooney, 28, is believed to have agreed a five-and-a-half-year deal that will expire in the summer of 2019 – just a few weeks short of his 34th [...]
Sport Comment: Recreate sheen of FA Cup in Sir Tom Finney era February 16, 2014 HAD Sir Tom Finney lived to see the weekend’s football, you wonder what he’d have made of it. Swathes of empty seats as the FA Cup supposedly reaches its serious stage, weakened sides being selected by various clubs, and one of the “best” examples of simulation in recent times that earned Stevan Jovetic a booking [...]
Gunners to host Everton in next round of the cup February 16, 2014 ARSENAL face another tie against top-half Premier League opposition in their bid to get to Wembley this season, having drawn a home match versus Everton in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. The Gunners overcame rivals Tottenham and Liverpool on their way to the last eight, either side of a fourth-round victory over League One [...]
Morrison set for loan move to QPR February 16, 2014 FOOTBALL: Ravel Morrison is expected to cross London and join QPR on a 93-day loan from West Ham this week, as manager Harry Redknapp looks to boost the Hoops’ bid for promotion back to the Premier League. The 21-year-old joined West Ham just over two years ago and scored five goals for the Hammers this [...]
Stadium green light is boost to Man City coffers February 13, 2014 MEGA-RICH Manchester City stand to strengthen their position further after being formally granted permission to make the Etihad Stadium the second biggest ground in English football. The Premier League title favourites plan to add a total of 14,500 extra seats, taking capacity to more than 62,000, in time for the 2015-16 season. Only Old Trafford, [...]