It promises to be a busy weekend with the FA Cup 4th round and the final days of the transfer window. It is fair to say that the perennial silly season hasn’t really got going this season with the transfers of Darren Bent and Edin Dzeko the only transfers of any note.
In the papers this morning there has been a mixed bag of stories that includes Fabio Capello looking to give Jack Wilshere the Makelele role; Keys and Gray already lined up for TV return, while Blackpool would reject Holloway resignation.
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Sky rotates roster as it seeks new anchor – Guardian
Keys and Gray already lined up for return to TV – Mirror
Man Utd cut list of goalkeeper options to three – Guardian
Fergie may not need Roo after all – Sun
Capello to audition Wilshere in ‘Makelele role’ – Daily Telegraph
Liverpool turn down Chelsea’s £35m bid to sign Torres – Guardian
Niang admits Liverpool lure – Sky Sports
Sort out your private life, Capello warns Manchester City star Johnson – Daily Mail
Inter to make £40m raid for Bale – Guardian
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Blackpool would reject Holloway resignation – Daily Telegraph
%image% Palmeiras moved back to the top of the Campeonato Paulista table with a 1-0 home victory over Americana on Saturday.
The match at the Estadio Municipal Paulo Machado de Carvalho was highly anticipated, with two of the top-three sides on the table in action.
But Palmeiras proved why they are considered one of the favourites to win the title, leapfrogging Santos into first despite the latter’s 2-0 win on Friday.
After the first half yielded no goals, Luiz Felipe Scolari’s side came out firing in the second half and snared the all-important goal when striker Kleber produced a 54th-minute finish.
Neither could find the back of the net for the remainder of the match, giving Palmeiras a valuable three points.
In other matches, Botafogo SP condemned relegation-threatened Santo Andre 2-0 to defeat in Sao Paulo, with first-half goals from Augusto Fassina and Anselmo ensuring they gained all three points.
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Gremio Prudente climbed off the bottom of the table with a 1-0 away win at Linense, who are also in the bottom four.
Saldanha scored the game’s only goal after 30 minutes – his third in two games – to lift Gremio Prudente above Sao Bernardo and into 19th on the table.
This weekend sees the first-ever Premier League meeting between Wolves and West Brom. It’s a date that has been marked in the diary of both sets of fans and, despite the best attempts of the weather, we finally get to see our first Black Country derby in the top flight!
It’s hard to believe that both clubs have spent time in the top flight over the last few years and are yet to face each other there. We’ve both had the other games against the likes of Villa, Blues and Stoke, but I don’t think they hold the same passion as a Wolves v Albion game.
To get everyone in the mood for the big game on Sunday, I’ve had a look back over the last few meetings to pick out some of the more important derby matches. The likes of Bull and Ndah, Phillips and Clement all feature, so you know they must have been pretty good games!
15/9/1996 – West Brom 2-4 Wolves
The highest scoring meeting since the early 70’s saw Wolves triumph at the Hawthorns – a feat which has not been managed since. A Iwan Roberts hat-trick and a strike from Steve Bull saw Wolves move to third in the table. However, despite recording a double over the Baggies that season, Wolves went on to lose to Crystal Palace in the play-offs and again miss out on promotion.
18/3/2001 – Wolves 3-1 Albion
Without a Black Country derby win in seven attempts, Wolves were in desperate need of local bragging rights. West Brom, who were sitting seven places ahead of their rivals, arrived at Molineux as favourites. However, a brace from George Ndah and a Ludo Pollet strike put the home side 3-0 up. A late Neil Clement goal proved only consolation for Gary Megson’s side.
2/12/2001 – Wolves 0-1 Albion
With Wolves sitting in top spot, six points clear of West Brom in fifth, the odds looked to be in the home side’s favour. However, a second-half Jordao strike was enough to clinch three vital points and push Wolves into second. Subsequently, Albion went on to finish the season as runners-up and gain promotion to the Premier League for the first time. Wolves, who had been odds-on favourites to win promotion, ended up finishing third and went on to lose to Norwich in the play-offs.
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28/1/2007 – Wolves 0-3 Albion
After a 3-0 win at the Hawthorns earlier in the season, West Brom visited Wolverhampton for an FA Cup fourth round tie. The mood at Molineux was already a sour one, after the club decided to allocate the South Bank to the visiting supporters. Compensated with a pie and a pint, the usual occupants of the famous Molineux South Bank were scattered around the ground. Without the familiar home support, Wolves were emphatically beaten. Goals from Diomansy Kamara, Zoltan Gera and, the man Wolves fans love to hate, Kevin Phillips, helped Albion to their second Black Country win of the season.
11/3/2007 – Wolves 1-0 Albion
Nearly six years to the day that they had last won a Black Country derby, Wolves fans were finally given something to cheer about. West Brom again visited to Molineux for the third meeting of the season. Wolves, who had improved dramatically since the last meeting, were sitting just a place ahead of West Brom. The game looked to be pretty much over and both sides looked like settling for a point, until Jay Bothroyd jinked into the area and fired in a late winner to clinch a derby win.
13/5/2007 – Wolves 2-3 Albion
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As if three meetings wasn’t enough, the play-offs saw Wolves and Albion thrust into action against each other again. In the fourth derby of the season (starting to sound like Scottish football now, isn’t it?), Molineux played host to the play-off semi-final first leg. In a fantastic game, and probably the most memorable of recent years, the Baggies sneaked a 3-2 win. Kevin Phillips struck first to put West Brom ahead, but Jody Craddock and Seyi Olofinajana both scored to put the home side into the lead. However, Phillips notched another and Diomansy Kamara fired in late on to ensure the Albion took a one goal lead into the second leg.
West Brom went on to win the second leg 1-0, thanks to another goal from Phillips. The result saw them guarantee a place in the play-off final at Wembley. But, the season ended on a sour note for the Baggies, as they fell to a 1-0 defeat to Derby, thus missing out on promotion.
So there we have it. I think this goes to show that there is hardly ever a dull game between the two sides. With the first Premier League Black Country derby fast approaching, there have been many predictions as to what way it could go. But, looking back over the last few meetings, I’m at a complete loss to predict this one!
A lot is always made of the likes of Man United v Man City and Arsenal v Spurs. Let’s show the Premier League what a real derby looks like! Here’s to yet another cracking Black Country clash!
Frank Lampard hit two second half goals as Chelsea maintained their recent revival with a comfortable 3-1 victory at Bloomfield Road.Skipper John Terry headed Chelsea into a deserved lead midway through the first half before Lampard struck twice in four minutes – once from the penalty spot – to seal the victory.Jason Puncheon scored a late consolation for the Seasiders, who maintained their record of scoring in every home game this season.The only blip for Chelsea was that Fernando Torres again failed to find the target in his fifth game since making a 50 million pound switch from Liverpool.Blackpool were missing arguably their two most influential players, top scorer DJ Campbell and playmaker Charlie Adam, who were both suspended, while Didier Drogba started for Chelsea after his impressive cameo from the bench in the 2-1 victory over Manchester United.Both defences were on top in the opening exchanges with Blackpool keeper Richard Kingson doing well to beat Drogba as he threatened to latch on to Torres’ miscontrol, while at the other David Carney was twice muscled out when he took up good positions.The first meaningful chance led to the opening goal, Terry rising highest to head home Lampard’s corner in the 21st minute.They almost got a second within minutes when Torres’s turn and shot was blocked before Kingson tipped away Jose Bosingwa’s 20-yard curler as it headed for the top corner.Blackpool almost scrambled an equaliser on the half hour when Puncheon bulldozed through David Luiz and hit a low shot which Petr Cech was relieved to see come back of the post after he made a mess of what should have been a comfortable save.Drogba limped off shortly after the break and his replacement Salomon Kalou was soon in the action, drawing a foul from Ian Evatt to earn Chelsea a penalty. Lampard rolled the ball in from the spot sending Kingson the wrong way, and the midfielder got his second just four minutes later to kill off the game when he ran onto Kalou’s throughball and neatly sidefooted past Kingson.Torres then went close to his first goal for Chelsea but shot straight at substitute keeper Mark Halstead, after Kingson was taken off with an injury.Blackpool got a consolation goal four minutes from the end, Puncheon firing low across Cech minutes after Matt Phillips dragged a similar chance wide.
Spurs threw away a golden opportunity to close the gap on the top four after wasting chance after chance at White Hart Lane this afternoon. Jermain Defoe was the biggest culprit and Harry Redknapp will be hoping that the North Londoners don’t end up ruing these dropped points at the end of season.
At FFC this week we have seen a mixed bag of Tottenham blogs that includes a stroke of transfer good fortune for Spurs; Assou Ekotto deserves great credit, while it easy to see why Harry is keen on £6m credit.
We also look at the best Tottenham articles around the web this week.
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Is this the ‘Most Hated’ Premiership XI of all time?
Joining Tottenham would be the WORST possible move
A Champions League travel guide to Madrid for Tottenham fans
A stroke of transfer good fortune for Tottenham
Tottenham maverick deserves some credit
Would a move to Tottenham really be that unrealistic?
Easy to see why Harry’s keen on £6m Ivan
Is Gomes still a cause for concern?
Should Harry contemplate a transfer shake-up?
Why Tottenham can do without this sort of ‘attitude’
The secret behind Harry Redknapp’s success at Tottenham
Lucrative DEAL but what do Tottenham fans make of it?
Rafael van der Vaart puts his teammates to shame
How do Tottenham stand with regards to UEFA’s pending ruling
*Best of Web*
Not a bad result at all really. – Spurs Musings From Jimmy G2
Grit and Glory – Tottenham On My Mind
Referendum for Spurs fans – Martin Cloake Online
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Now that the dust has settled… – Dear Mr Levy
Aaron Lennon In ‘Lady’s Bottom’ Shocker – Harry Hotspur
After Liverpool midfielder Raul Meireles’s goal scoring exploits in January and February, there was justifiable praise for the Portuguese international’s performances. He scored some important goals in the Merseyside Derby against Everton as well as the winning goal against Chelsea away from home. After not scoring at all since his arrival from Porto in the summer, his goal against our Merseyside rivals was a start of a hot streak in front of goal which got many praising his contribution to the team.
Since then however, many Reds fans have noticed that the Portuguese star has gone off the boil slightly. Considering Meireles has never been a prolific goalscorer in his career, he was never going to become a 15 goal a season man overnight despite his good form in front of goal, but it has led some to ask what else does he contribute to the team other than goals?
I have heard suggestions that as he doesn’t tackle as well as the best defensive midfielders, or pass as well as Xabi Alonso used tp, he might not be as useful as some have stated over the past couple of months. I disagree with this assessment though as Raul has one fantastic attribute which will hold him in good stead for his entire Anfield career: his ability to make forward runs.
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You may say, well doesn’t every midfielder make forward runs? Well, no. Although there are many midfielders who like distributing the ball from deep with their passing range, or to run at opposition defenders with the ball, the ability to make a perfectly timed run from deep to carve open an opposition defence is a fine art, and Raul just has that knack. He will never control the midfield area with his passing range or go in with crunching tackles but he will always be a threat around the opposition penalty box.
Useful one-two passes, runs late into the box, venomous long range shots; he is in many ways similar to Steven Gerrard and it has caused a problem all season in my opinion as to where to play the pair. It hasn’t always been a problem this campaign as both have had injuries but when both are fit, Dalglish has tended to play Gerrard deeper while Meireles has played more advanced. Of course, this is when both players have played centrally as Meireles has invariably been moved wide right, and even wide left against Sunderland to ensure the midfield has enough midfield bite.
Especially with the return to fitness of both Suarez and Carroll, the temptation will be to play them as a pairing, leaving one less place in midfield. Against Sunderland, Meireles was moved wide left so he could be accommodated into a 4 man midfield, but he was noticeably less effective. The question in the long run will certainly be how to fit Gerrard, Suarez, Carroll and Meireles into the team without sacrificing their best attributes. The problem may become especially apparent if, as expected, Kenny Dalglish looks for wingers in the summer
I am big fan of Meireles and believe he will only get better with every game as he slowly adapts to the Premier League in his first year. We may begin to see the best of him next season, but the question remains that if he doesn’t play in the position that bests suits him, as an attacking central midfielder, will we actually see him at his best?
Read more of David’s articles at Live4Liverpool
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LDU Quito booked their place in the Copa Libertadores last 16 with a 2-0 win over Godoy Cruz on Tuesday, while Independiente fell short.Quito, the reigning Ecuadorian champions, finished on top of Group Eight with 10 points courtesy of second-half goals to Luis Bolanos and Hernan Barcos.
Bolanos struck two minutes after half-time on a swift counter-attack, the former Internacional striker making no mistake after being picked out at the far post.
Barcos, who scored 22 goals in his 32 appearances in his first campaign with Quito last season, made it 2-0 with a bit of individual brilliance 11 minutes later.
The Argentinean collected the ball at midfield, sprinted up the left flank and somehow bullied his way around two defenders before firing into the roof of the net on a tight angle.
Godoy Cruz midfielder Carlos Sanchez saw a straight red for his tackle on Ezequiel Gonzalez in the 62nd minute, leaving the Argentinean club with no hope of claiming the win they needed to advance to the quarter-finals.
Elsewhere, Argentine giants Independiente saw their slim hopes of progressing in the South American tournament fade despite a 1-0 win at Uruguayan side Penarol.
Striker Facundo Parra nabbed the lone goal in the 33rd minute for the visitors and then spent a nervous seven minutes in goal after Independiente goalkeeper Fabian Assmann was dismissed for pushing Penarol striker Juan Manuel Olivera.
Assmann’s foul was prompted by Olivera head-butting Ivan Velez, for which the striker was also sent off.
Independiente needed to score eight goals in Uruguay and hope that LDU Quito and Godoy Cruz drew in order to reach the next round.
Instead, Penarol will progress after finishing second in Group Eight with nine points.
Finally, Chilean outfit Colo Colo moved to the top of Group Five with a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Deportivo Tachira.
Edgar Perez-Greco put the visitors ahead with a goal on four minutes, but a brace to 17-year-old striker Diego Rubio ensured Colo Colo would move within a point of clinching their last-16 berth.
Rubio has scored five goals in his past three appearances for Colo Colo.
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce insists Fraizer Campbell is “mentally tough enough” to bounce back from his latest injury setback.The Black Cats striker is set to be out for 12 months after surgery on Wednesday to repair knee ligament damage and an Achilles tendon.
The 23-year-old has already missed most of this season after picking up the injury during a 1-0 win over Manchester City in late August.
He aggravated the problem during training earlier this month, and news of a further year on the sidelines have raised doubts over the likelihood he will fulfil his potential.
Bruce, however, is confident Campbell has the “strength of mind” to overcome the injury.
“Fraizer gets operated on today, he’ll be out for 12 months,” Bruce said.
“He was out on the training ground yesterday having a bit of banter with the players. He’s taken it OK because he’s strong mentally.”
“We’ve missed him. He came in at the start of the season and even the back end of last season and he was terrific.”
“When you’re up against it you want people like him in the team.”
“Thankfully, with his strength of mind we think he’ll be okay, I hope he will be. If there’s anyone mentally tough enough, it’s him.”
With Danny Welbeck rated only 50-50 to return against Wigan Athletic on Saturday following a hamstring strain, Bruce added: “The injuries to Welbeck and Campbell have killed us.
“Up front is the one area of the pitch where, for me, we were better than most at the start of the season with Darren Bent, Asamoah Gyan, Welbeck and Campbell.
“To go from what we started the season with to only having one striker now has made it really difficult.
“We’ve got to try and overcome that as well as we possibly can. It also puts a bit more pressure on us for next season.
“Going forward as a club we have to look to get over it because in the summer we’ve got one striker.”
Campbell’s operation is the second a Sunderland star has required this week, with Craig Gordon having also undergone knee surgery on Monday.
Bruce had hoped the 28-year-old could avoid going under the knife and revealed Gordon now faces up to six months out of action.
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But the Black Cats boss has no fear that Belgian keeper Simon Mignolet can continue to deputise despite his mistake for Birmingham City’s first goal in Saturday’s 2-0 defeat.
“Simon’s done fantastically well in his first season,” said Bruce, who has recalled Trevor Carson from a loan spell at Brentford to provide cover for Mignolet.
“He made a mistake. Outfield players have been making mistakes for weeks. When you’re a goalkeeper, it gets highlighted.
“But I’ve watched him in training all week, I’ve worked with him now for eight months and he’ll be OK.
“He’ll have to recover but I think he’s strong enough to deal with it.”
Schalke goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has moved a step closer to joining Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich after ‘constructive talks’ between club officials.Neuer, 25, has already announced his intention to leave boyhood club Schalke at the end of the season.
The Germany international had been linked with a move to join English Premier League leaders Manchester United, but the player has insisted his preferred destination is Bayern.
The Bavarian giants were reportedly struggling to match Schalke’s valuation of the shot-stopper, with newspaper Bild claiming a fee of close to 25 million euros would be necessary to secure Neuer’s services.
But according to Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, talks held with Schalke’s director of sport Horst Heldt and board member Peter Peters on Tuesday were productive.
“It was a very constructive and fair talk,” Rummenigge told Munich’s Tz newspaper. “We now have a basis to work on.”
“I have always said that it would not be easy to find a price that both sides can accept in the end, but after this meeting, I am cautiously optimistic that we have found a price.”
“It is now up to our colleagues from Schalke to discuss it with their board.”
Tottenham Hotspur look set to be the latest club to have made a move for Aston Villa goalkeeper Brad Friedel. The veteran American has been offered a two year deal by Liverpool but would act as understudy to first-choice Pepe Reina.
With Heurelho Gomes reportedly on his way out of White Hart Line with former club PSV keen, Friedel would fight it out for the goalkeeping jersey with Italian Carlo Cudicini who signed a year-long contract extension this week.
The 40-year old former Liverpool player has been in fine form playing in all 38 of Aston Villa’s league games. Friedel played 31 games for Liverpool in a disappointing three-year spell between 1997 and 2000 before spending eight years at Blackburn Rovers.
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He moved to Aston Villa in the Summer of 2008 for £2.5 million and the club have offered the player a new deal. West Brom have also tabled an offer but whether Redknapp will be successful in his last-ditch move remains to be seen.