Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admits he was impressed with goalkeeper Vito Mannone’s performances against Stoke City and Liverpool, according to the club’s official website.
The 24-year-old is normally third choice at the Emirates, but deputised for the Gunners after injuries were sustained to the Polish duo of Wojciech Szczesny and Lukasz Fabianski.
Despite this, Szczesny is expected to return to the starting line-up when Arsenal entertain Southampton tomorrow following a rib injury.
However, Wenger admits he has been impressed by Mannone’s application and attitude, “He has done really well. Vito was allowed to move at the start of the season to play somewhere.” Wenger added, “Now he has been No. 1 for two games and has at least moved into being a serious candidate to be fighting for the place. At the moment, Wojciech is there but there is a fight and it is interesting.”
The Arsenal boss says that he sees competition for places in the goalkeeping department as healthy for any side, “We have three goalkeepers who have the talent to play in the Premier League and to fight for the No. 1 place.”
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Six games have now come and gone in the Championship, and if the early season performances are anything to go by this will be another long season for Millwall.
After six games the Lions sit 21st, just above Charlton Athletic, on 6 points.
We have also suffered four defeats, and in most of them the Lions have played well and controlled some of the game, but it does show the fine lines between success and defeat in this tough division. But problems are starting to show within the Lions team, one is the formation.
The Lions have mostly played 4-3-3 with central midfielders Liam Trotter, Josh Wright and Jimmy Abdou filling the midfield three, with James Henry one of the strikers role. Despite the three in attack we do not have a lot going forward, the centre midfielders sit back, plus no left winger playing means a lack of width.
Playing three in the middle of the park is simply not working and surely has to be changed. Despite his pre-season fine form, Chris Taylor has not been started or played at all this season, surely he deserves a chance?
Liam Trotter won’t be dropped due to his “ability”, Josh Wright won’t due to his passing and movement and Abdou won’t due to his defensive play, it almost seems like Kenny Jackett is scared to drop Liam Trotter, the best form of last season after all, was when Wright and Abdou were the centre midfield pairing.
Another problem that is evident is the amount of goals conceded by a leaky defence. The Lions have averaged letting in more than two goals a game so far. Fans will be hoping this is just because of the injuries to Paul Robinson and Jack Smith but I’m not sure. Ex Brentford Karleigh Osborne was meant to be challenging for the centre back positions but after six games he simply doesn’t look good enough, yet. He doesn’t look the part at Championship level, I’d much rather be playing Danny Shittu for his experience.
Players such as Osborne haven’t adapted as yet, but Scott Malone has risen to the challenge, not the best defender but a strong attacking player, the type of player KJ wants for his “Passing football revolution”.
For the next game against Brighton, one of the best squads in the division, there has to be some changes. I would drop Osborne for Shittu. Osborne doesn’t look ready and Shittu is a experienced player at this level, I believe this will calm down the defence. Plus the 4-3-3 has to go, we seem exposed on the left wing, so go 4-4-2 with Taylor on the left and drop Liam Trotter, but in all honesty I can’t see that happening. Plus I would also like to see Chris Wood start with Andy Keogh.
My team for vs Brighton
Taylor
Dunne Shittu Lowry Malone
Henry Wright Abdou Taylor
Keogh Wood
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Roy Hodgson has announced his latest England squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against San Marino and Poland.
The big surprise is that Ryan Shawcross wins just his second call-up to the side, following Fabio Capello’s squad selection for the friendly against Egypt in March 2010.
Stephen Caulker who had been widely tipped to take the place of John Terry, takes his place in the Under-21 squad for the European Championship play-off against Serbia.
Jack Butland has also been drafted in by Stuart Pearce, after being involved with Hodgson’s squad at Euro 2012 and the previous qualifiers against Moldova and Ukraine.
Celtic’s Fraser Forster has replaced the talented 19-year-old stopper and is a rare choice from north of the border.
Meanwhile, Aaron Lennon’s international career has been resurrected, receiving his first call-up to the side since the 2010 World Cup after some impressive Premier League performances; and Arsenal’s Kieran Gibbs has been rewarded for his solid start to the season, taking the place of Chelsea’s Ryan Bertrand.
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The full squad is as follows: Hart (Manchester City), Ruddy (Norwich), Forster (Celtic); Baines (Everton), Cahill (Chelsea), Cole (Chelsea), Gibbs (Arsenal), Jagielka (Everton), G Johnson (Liverpool), Lescott (Manchester City), Shawcross (Stoke), Walker (Tottenham); Carrick (Manchester United), Cleverley (Manchester United), Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Gerrard (Liverpool), A Johnson (Sunderland), Lennon (Tottenham), Lampard (Chelsea), Milner (Manchester City), Walcott (Arsenal); Carroll (West Ham, on loan from Liverpool), Defoe (Tottenham), Rooney (Manchester United), Welbeck (Manchester United).
manager Alan Pardew has stated that club chairman Mike Ashley is the best that he has worked with.
The Magpies chief has received criticism from the club’s fans in the past over some of the deals that he has orchestrated, whilst he was also questioned for his sacking of Chris Hughton to bring Pardew to Tyneside.
Despite this, Pardew led the side to a fifth-placed finish last term, and has been rewarded recently with a new eight-year contract.
The coach has stated that he is pleased that he can go about his everyday business without having the chairman looking over his shoulder.
“He is the best chairman I have had in terms of letting me work,” Pardew is quoted as saying in The Daily Mail.
“He hardly ever bothers me and if he does, it’s about a decision involving the budget, questions like, ‘Was that a good move?’ or ‘Could we have paid less?’.
“But outside of the team, very rarely will he stop me and say, ‘Why did you sub him at that time?’ or ‘What’s the story with him? Why isn’t he playing?’.
“He trusts me and knows I am being fair. I am trying to get the best out of the team,” he concluded.
Newcastle take on local rivals Sunderland on Sunday, with the corresponding fixture last season full of aggression and heated moments.
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It is believed that key defenders Fabricio Coloccini and Steven Taylor are both close to making a return from injury, and will face late fitness tests ahead of the game.
Newcastle United defender Danny Simpson has come out and stated that he believed Sunderland were lucky to draw the Tyne-Wear Derby on Sunday.
The Black Cats pinched a late leveller thanks to a Demba Ba’s own goal, and the right back felt it was rough justice for his side.
It has been well known that Newcastle are yet to hit top gear this season but have showed a lot of grit and determination to grind out results.
This Sunday was another example of this resolution, especially in defence as the side seemed fairly assured holding Sunderland at bay, until they equalised with less than 10 minutes to go.
The Toon star was quick to draw upon the positives of the display and believes that Pardew’s men can use this result as a springboard to push on.
The former Manchester United star went on to tell the Newcastle Official website, “It gets to the point in a game when you do not think you are going to concede. You feel quite comfortable. Everybody seems to be doing their jobs and playing together.
For them it had to be something freaky like that. It was a fluky, lucky goal.”
The North East outfit don’t have lots of time to reflect on the result, with their next game coming up on Thursday against Club Brugge and Simpson will be looking to get another run out there.
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The full back has been out with injury recently and will be looking to return to full match fitness. The defender has also shrugged off reports that he is set to leave in the January transfer window with his contract due to expire at the end of the season.
As one of England’s three premier domestic competitions, the League Cup has been a cherished prize for many a manager in its 50-year history. For some new bosses, League Cup glory has helped to kickstart a new era of success at a new club. As we look forward to the next round of this year’s Capital One Cup, FootballFanCast chronicles a few of the managers who first tasted glory in the competition, and what they’ve gone on to achieve.
When a long-time assistant takes over from the man under whom he worked, it can often be difficult for him to achieve the results of his predecessor. Just look at Steve McClaren emerging from the shadows of Sven-Goran Eriksson’s England tenure and promptly missing out on the 2008 European Championships, or Sammy Lee’s disastrous stint as Bolton manager following the departure of Sam Allardyce, for example. So imagine the pressure of taking over the reins at Liverpool FC, at the time arguably the biggest team in football, from living legend Bob Paisley.
That was the challenge facing Joe Fagan when he took charge on July 1, 1983. Monumental task though it undoubtedly was, Fagan proved more than up to it – winning a treble of League Cup, First Division and European Cup in his first year as manager and following it up by reaching the European Cup final again the following season, only to be beaten by Juventus after the Heysel tragedy.
Following Paisley’s era of success, in which Liverpool won six First Division crowns, three League Cups and five continental trophies, Fagan was under immense pressure to keep the culture of winning alive at Anfield, and he did just that in March 1984 when the club sealed their fourth consecutive League Cup triumph in a replayed final against arch-rivals Everton. Having seen the first match tied 0-0 after extra time, the Reds took an early lead through captain Graeme Souness in the replay before seeing off the Everton threat for the rest of the game.
Having demolished Brentford by an 8-1 aggregate score in the second round, Fagan’s side, who were enduring a shaky start to the defence of their First Division crown, needed two replays to squeeze past Fulham in the third round (eventually going through thanks to a 1-0 win at Craven Cottage).
Another replay was required to see off First Division strugglers Birmingham City in the fourth round in December, before Liverpool yet again failed to see off their opponents at the first opportunity in the quarter-finals, Sheffield Wednesday this time taking Fagan’s men to a replay. The semi-final – which was two legs anyway – saw them progress past Third Division minnows Walsall after a 2-2 scare in the first leg at home. Including the replayed final, Liverpool played 13 matches in the 1983-4 League Cup, the most played by any team in the history of a competition which, for top-tier teams, comprises a maximum six rounds.
Fagan clearly valued the competition, however, as was displayed by his squad selections. Four of Liverpool’s starting lineup – goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar, defender Alan Hansen and midfielders Alan Kennedy and Sammy Lee – featured in all 13 League Cup fixtures on their way to an astonishing 67 appearances in the season overall. Many other first-team regulars, Mark Lawrenson, top scorer Ian Rush and Souness among them, featured in 12 of the games. Overworked as the Liverpool squad was that year, Fagan wasn’t prepared to compromise his chances of collecting some silverware.
With the League Cup safely returned to Anfield for a fourth consecutive summer, Liverpool went on to retain their First Division title and claim their fourth European Cup, with a victory on penalties over Roma in the final, held at Roma’s home stadium, the Stadio Olimpico. Following Souness’ departure to Sampdoria in the summer, however, the club struggled the following season and, having finished the year trophyless, Fagan announced he was retiring hours before the Heysel Disaster which overshadowed his second European Cup final, which ended in defeat to another Italian side, Juventus.
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Fagan died in 2000, a Liverpool coach for almost 20 years and a deservingly well remembered manager who, in his brief time at the helm, continued to steer the club on its path to near-perpetual success. He was the first manager to win the Treble, and to do so in his first season as a manager is an extraordinary achievement. The League Cup will always be remembered as part of Fagan’s legacy.
There’s a feeling that Andre Villas-Boas is damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t at the moment. Despite a relatively prosperous start to life at White Hart Lane he is still the subject of intense criticism from some quarters of the fan cbase. Last week the Portuguese coach was roundly booed for replacing Jermain Defoe with Emmanuel Adebayor as Spurs chased a one goal deficit at home against the Latics – a game they would eventually lose. Complaints about Villas-Boas’ tactics, philosophy, summer recruitment efforts and handling of certain players have all come under the microscope. From the outside looking in it appears as if the same pressure and expectation that ultimately defeated him at Stamford Bridge. Are the clubs supporters really that impatient?
This week on FFC should Emmanuel Adebayor be given more first team opportunities and which Dutch defender is on Villas-Boas’ wanted list?
[divider]
Best of FFC
Why he must take his share of the blame at Tottenham
Why the time has come for Andre Villas-Boas to unleash him
Arguably The Top TEN ‘Terrace Heroes’ at Tottenham
To boo or not to boo at Tottenham
Arthur Rowe: A Lost Tottenham Hotspur Hero
Why Daniel Levy has to deliver the transfer goods
Did it expose the real problem at Tottenham Hotspur?
Tottenham And Newcastle Join £8m transfer race
Liverpool and Tottenham keen on Dutch ace
Tottenham will need to pay ‘super fee’ to land Alderweireld
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Best of WEB
The (Boo) Boys are Back in Town – Spurs musings from Jimmy G2
Crisis Upon Crisis – Harry Hotspur
Turn up Tottenham – Dear Mr Levy
Are Everton Really Eyeing Up A Double Swoop For Spurs Duo? – Transfer Tavern
To sub or not to sub – Dear Mr Levy
The Blame Game Or ‘Why AVB & Levy Are A Pair Of Naffing Jokers’ – Harry Hotspur
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Quote of the Week
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“We needed the right reaction after the weekend and we certainly did that. The lads are delighted and we’ve got to maintain that form now going into the Premier League. This is another big game. We went there last season, gave them a good run for their money and probably should have won, but it wasn’t to be. We’ll go back up there full of confidence again after playing well against Maribor. We know it will be very difficult on Sunday and we’ll give it our all. We’ve played well away, we’ll prepare right and hopefully we’ll get the right result.” Gareth Bale wants Spurs to retain their confidence ahead of the meeting with Man City.
West Ham may have enjoyed an impressive return to the Premier League so far this season, but there are still many areas of the team that needs improvement if they are to maintain their good form.
With midfielder Kevin Nolan being the club’s top scorer with five goals and just four of their Premier League goals coming from strikers, an out-and-out goalscorer will be high on Sam Allardyce’s priorities.
Big Sam will also be looking for another winger, to help club record signing Matt Jarvis, and a goalkeeper to replace the ageing Jussi Jääskeläinen. A right-back will also be in his sights in order to strengthen a defence that is almost unchanged from last season’s Championship campaign.
Click on Jack Butland to see the ten players who will be on Big Sam’s January Transfer Window wishlist
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Joleon Lescott is considering leaving Manchester City during the January transfer window, which has alerted Everton, according to reports from The Guardian.
The England international has slipped down the pecking order at the Etihad Stadium, with manager Roberto Mancini appearing to favour summer arrival Matija Nastasic alongside captain Vincent Kompany.
This has left the 30-year-old as fourth choice, with Kolo Toure often being selected from the bench.
Lescott is thought to be unhappy at the defensive shift made by his manager and is keen to play first-team football to remain in the hunt for a position in Roy Hodgson’s England plans.
He maintains that he is willing to fight for his place, yet it is unclear as to whether this will be possible.
Everton are thought to be keen to bring back the central defender, whom they sold to City for £22m in 2009, during the winter transfer window.
However, with Toure set to depart for the African Cup of Nations in the New Year, Mancini may be against allowing his back-up man to leave for fear of injury to either of his first choice centre-backs.
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The Toffees could still press ahead with a bid, but will be looking to draft in Lescott for a reduced fee.
Meanwhile, striker Mario Balotelli has been urged to return to Italy by national team manager Cesare Prandelli
are believed to have lined up Loic Remy and Salomon Kalou as possible transfer targets this January.
Marseille striker Remy is already the subject of talks with Newcastle, who see the French international as a credible replacement for Demba Ba, should the Senegalese hotshot leave St James’ Park next month.
But West Ham appear keen to hijack the move, after Hammers agent Willie McKay held talks in London with Marseille president Vincent Labrune on Tuesday evening, The Daily Mail reports.
It is thought that a player-plus-cash deal has been discussed with the French giants that could see Modibo Maiga go the other way, just as Gabriel Obertan had been mooted as the player to join the Ligue 1 side in the event of a part-exchange deal with Newcastle.
QPR have also been linked with Remy but their lowly league position makes Rangers an unattractive destination for the 25-year-old.
Salomon Kalou is also on West Ham’s radar, The Daily Mail has reported. The former Chelsea forward appears keen on a return to England after failing to settle at Lille this season.
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The Ivorian left Stamford Bridge for free in the summer, but has managed only three goals in 17 appearances so far this season, as the double-winners of 2010-11 have endured a poor first-half to the campaign, currently languishing in 11th place, nine points behind the leaders, Paris Saint-Germain.
The Hammers had tried to sign the 27-year-old this summer, but were beaten to his signature by the French club.