Sunderland’s last home game of the Premier League campaign ended with a 3-1 loss to relegation-threatened Wolverhampton.For the second home game in a row Sunderland conceded three goals and at the final whistle, Wolves, the lowest scorers in the division, had succeeded in knocking six goals past the Black Cats in their two encounters this campaign.
Just as they did against Fulham in their last game at the Stadium of Light, Sunderland started the game brightly and played some delightful football in the first half.
But once again they went down to the sucker punch when Stephen Hunt’s 22nd-minute cross from the left was volleyed home by defender Jody Craddock at the far post.
Sunderland bounced back when Stephane Sessegnon acrobatically converted Bolo Zenden’s corner in the 33rd minute and the teams went in the break on level terms after an open 45 minutes in which Zenden hit the post for the Black Cats and Jamie O’Hara for Wolves.
Another 40,000-plus crowd at the Stadium of Light would have hoped their team’s better football would prevail.
But Sunderland were dreadful in the second half and slipped behind in the 53rd minute when Steven Fletcher found it all too easy to head home Matt Jarvis’s cross.
And the Wolves made certain of the three points when defender George Elokobi headed home O’Hara’s free kick in the 80th minute.
Victory took Wolves to the magic 40-point mark, just four points adrift of Steve Bruce’s sadly under-performing side.
Liverpool's Dirk Kuyt and Daniel Agger look set to miss Sunday's Merseyside derby after picking up injuries while on international duty.
Kuyt landed awkwardly during Netherlands' 4-1 victory over Sweden in Amsterdam and appeared to pick up a serious ankle problem.
The forward has only just returned to club action following a shoulder injury.
Meanwhile, defender Agger was substituted in the first half of Denmark's 2-0 victory over Cyprus after suffering a recurrence of a groin injury.
Both will be assessed at Liverpool's Melwood training base before manager Roy Hodgson names his squad for Sunday's derby against Everton at Goodison Park.
Speaking about Kuyt, Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk explained:"Dirk wanted to play on but our doctor prevented that and told me to substitute him.
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"He is now in a hospital but following the doctor's first opinion it could be very serious and keep him sidelined for a long time."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
This week saw the removing of the famous St James’ Park sign proudly marking the façade of the Milburn Stand, and Newcastle United’s 120 year association with the renowned old name.
Step forward, the Sports Direct Arena. Rolling off the tongue like a sharp razor blade, football’s conglomerate powers have reared their ugly head once more.
The name change has been at large since last year, but removal of the former insignia this week has truly choked staunch Magpies fans and football traditionalists alike.
Would it have been so bad to keep that little snippet of history for Toon Army fans?
St James’ is the latest football ground to reluctantly part with its distinct appellation in resigned succession of a sponsor clad label. Leicester City’s King Power Stadium will always be regarded as former sponsor; The Walkers Stadium and York City’s once KitKat crescent will always be truly viewed as Bootham Crescent.
But as the saying goes, out with the old and in with the new, Mike Ashley has swooped ruthlessly to stamp his mark all over the stadium in which he decided to rebrand.
If Ashley hopes to hear nattering Geordie accents around the city fondly chatting about a jaunt up to the ‘Sports Direct Arena’ then he is most definitely mistaken. It is a battle he is never going to win. Who is one Buckinghamshire millionaire to tell the Geordie nation otherwise? Long live St James’.
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Magpies fans have been around a much longer time than their owner, and to undermine their connection to the club in such a thoughtless way again demonstrates the widening gap between a club and the most important ingredient; its supporters.
Yes, as managing director Derek Llambias stated whilst
“Stadium rebranding offers a lucrative way for clubs to secure significant additional income”
Understandably, a staple part of Newcastle’s future, the club cannot overlook its past and where it all originated.
Modern conglomerate football takeovers are part of football, whether we like them or not, but erosion of club traditions should not be.
Some may say it’s just a name, but for Newcastle supporters St James’ Park means so much more than three syllables. Famous names of Milburn, MacDonald and Shearer have all trod the hallowed turf and giant soulless Sports Direct logos simply signify the contemporary regime; they have no more impact than to merely remind the football world of who’s in charge. It will forever be St James’ failing meaningless media mentioning’s to adhere to modern records.
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A man was charged this week following his graffiti instalment of the words ‘St James’ following the signs removal representing the palpable dissent on Tyneside; something which Newcastle have been famed for over the years from onlookers across the rest of the nation.
Whilst Alan Pardew’s side continue an impressive campaign, fans will remain to turn up in their droves to their true home; St James’ Park and blank exclamations of the Sports Direct Arena.
Adaptation is always cited when a player comes in from another country to ply his trade in the Premier League . The physical nature of English football, with its high tempo and crunching tackles, has been a major cause of some player’s failing to perform in one of the best leagues in the world. It is said, that to make it in England, you have to have certain characteristics to adapt to its style. Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish said this about Luis Suarez this week:
“He’s a good person. He’s bubbly and just loves playing football. For the style he is, both as a player and a person, I don’t think he’d find it difficult to fit in anywhere. That’s great credit to him.”
It is a fact that is clearly evident from the Uruguayan’s performances so far that he has seemingly needed no time to adapt whatsoever. Even those with the most ideally designed characteristics for the rigours of English football, it is said that it takes most players at least 6 months to adapt to the tempo and speed of thought necessary to play at the top of your game week in, week out in the Premier League. For some, less ideally suited to the style, it takes even longer to adapt, and for others, the adaptation never takes place at all.
Many of those who failed to adapt came from the lesser leagues of Europe, especially Holland. For every Ruud van Nistelrooy and Sami Hyypia, there is a Mateja Kezman and Alfonso Alves, and for that reason, I certainly wasn’t the only one who was thinking that spending £22.5million on Luis Suarez could have been a risk. Spending more money than we did on Fernando Torres to land the player, could have obviously back fired, but as you can tell from King Kenny’s comments, he never expected the Uruguayan to fail. Both himself and Damien Comolli had done their homework, and knew what they were getting.
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Back in January I was fully expecting that I would have to write an article before the end of the season that would have to defend Suarez against accusations that he couldn’t cope with the rigours of the Premier League; that he needed time to adapt. It was clear from the first minute of his debut however, that he would take to the Premier League very quickly indeed.
Everyone was aware of Luis’s qualities when he starred for Uruguay at the World Cup. Great with the ball at his feet, he had a turn of pace and the ability to ghost past defences with his skill and trickery. He was a very awkward to mark as Uruguay more or less afforded him a free role to move from the left flank to right or through the centre. No doubt these qualities would come in use in the Premier League , but how would he cope with the change in tempo? In Holland, there is a greater time on the ball and a lot more time to think. In England however, Suarez has found that the greater pace of play has provided him with larger amounts of space to play in, which he can exploit:
“The pace of the Premier League is completely different to where I’ve played before. It’s unlike the Netherlands, it’s unlike Uruguay and it’s unlike playing in the World Cup. This is a big league and it’s got its own way of doing things.You have to be strong and be able to play very physically. You have to be able to adapt to the way the game is played. In other leagues defences play very tight but here you get space. I’m enjoying it.”
He is stated yesterday that he firmly believes that playing in England can help him become a better footballer and I have no doubt it will. Although he is still use to having more time on the ball, Suarez may sometimes give away possession too easily as he tries to make something happen, but he great thing about the Uruguayan is that he is always lively. He is always looking for space, looking to create opportunities and open defences. Unlike Raul Meireles or Alberto Aquilani, there is no need to state that he needs time to adapt. This is the most surprising thing about Suarez so far, and hopefully this rich vein of form he is in will continue long into his Anfield career.
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Read more of David’s articles at Live4Liverpool
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Everton boss David Moyes is determined to prove the doubters wrong after his side came under fire for their poor start to the new season.
The Toffees have taken just two points from five Premier League outings, while in midweek they were knocked out of the Carling Cup by League One Brentford.
With a trip to Fulham next on the agenda, Moyes told reporters:"We started the season with the belief, coming off two defeats in 24 last year, that we would start the season well.
"It didn't happen and that affects your confidence. It's disappointing because I didn't expect this. We expected to start better after the good run we had last year.
"We want to do better and nobody cares more than the players, I can see that by their attitude and the way they are training.
"Football pressure is what I do, it is what the players do. It is why we are in the business and we will get on with it.
"I wouldn't say you want to prove people wrong, but I have been in this situation quite a few times now and it is always the same kind of people who come out and say things.
"We turn it around and they come back again when we don't start the season well.
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"But it's a difficult run. Five of the opening nine were away and two of the four at home included Manchester United and Liverpool.
"I knew this start was going to be quite a hard one if we didn't get off to a good start against Blackburn and Wolves."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
According to Football FanCast sources, Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Mousa Dembele is on the verge of signing for Chinese Super League outfit Beijing Guoan.
The Belgium international only has a year remaining on his contract with the north London outfit, and rather than see out the final 12 months Football FanCast sources believe the player is set to choose a move to Asia, having wanted the transfer since last summer.
Personal terms have been all but agreed and it now just a transfer fee that needs to be sorted between the two parties before a deal goes through, as manager Mauricio Pochettino, who has been urged to sign a £22.5m 2018 World Cup attacker after his opening display in Russia, begins a summer overhaul of his squad.
So, how would selling the Belgian truly impact Spurs? Football FanCast take a look at the potential consequences of the major summer deal for Tottenham…
He could lead an exodus of the old guard
If Dembele does leave Tottenham this summer he could lead an exodus of some of the old guard, with Toby Alderweireld, Moussa Sissoko and Victor Wanyama all potentially following him through the exit door for the right price if reports in The Mirror are to be believed.
While Dembele, Alderweireld and Wanyama have been key players for them in the past, it seems as though Pochettino is ready to start looking to the future in his bid to lead the north London outfit to glory and trophies, and the move into their new stadium could begin a new era in more ways than one.
Tottenham sign Ndombele
If Dembele does go, it seems certain that Pochettino will bring in a top replacement for him, and he has been heavily linked with a move for Lyon’s Tanguy Ndombele.
The 21-year-old is set to join the Ligue 1 club permanently this summer following a season-long loan spell from French rivals Amiens, but they may struggled to hold on to him following some brilliant all-round midfield displays last term.
L’Equipe report that Lyon could be tempted by a €60m (£53m) offer for the France U21 international, and it might be a price the north London club pays if they bring in good money for the players they are open to selling.
Harry Winks wants out
Following a frustrating 2017/18 campaign because of injury issues and struggling to get into the starting XI ahead of the likes of Dembele and Eric Dier, the 22-year-old would have been hopeful of his chances of getting more minutes on the pitch this season if indeed the Belgian and some of his midfield teammates go.
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However, the links to Ndombele, who would almost certainly be a starter, and Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish suggest that his situation could be unchanged, and it could lead to him becoming frustrated and leaving in search of regular first-team football – whether only on loan or on a permanent basis.
So, Tottenham fans, is Pochettino making the right decision by selling Mousa Dembele? Let us know by voting below…
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When a team performs so well as a collective, it’s always difficult to single out an individual for praise. But that’s the task we gave to Tottenham fans earlier today following a 1-0 win over Arsenal in the North London Derby, which could and probably should have ended up being decided by a far greater scoreline.
But it appears Spurs supporters have decided on a verdict for the Man of the Match award – and it didn’t go to goalscorer Harry Kane, who had to settle for second place.
Rather, Tottenham fans who took part in our poll gave midfielder Mousa Dembele the highest average rating for his performance vs Arsenal, an incredibly impressive 8.8 out of ten.
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It’s hard to argue with that conclusion. After all, Saturday’s North London Derby was very much won and lost in midfield; while Dembele and Eric Dier controlled the middle of the park, Arsenal’s lightweight trio of Jack Wilshere, Granit Xhaka and Mohamed Elneny struggled to keep up – and when the latter was subbed off for a more attacking player, Dembele really came to the fore.
Paul Scholes wasn’t too far off with his assessment of Jack Wilshere, the assessment that led the Arsenal midfielder to track down the Manchester United great and attempt to clear the air.
Jack Wilshere hasn’t kicked on from his first full season in the red of Arsenal. He hasn’t kicked on or left a mark on the game, the kind that tells us this is a youngster who’s set for a lofty career at club and international level.
How far can we go with the excuse of injuries? Sure, it derails plans and hampers the development of young players. It can mentally scar players for longer than their time on the sidelines. Wilshere has moved on from that period of uncertainty, when no one at Arsenal appeared brave enough to set a marker for the midfielder’s return. But on the pitch, when fit, he still leaves a lot to be desired.
You’d have expected a player of his undoubted talent to assert himself with much more regularity in the Premier League. As it stands, there is no feverish demand for Wilshere to inserted into Arsenal’s starting XI, quite plainly because we don’t know what we’re going to get from him.
Even his inclusion in England’s World Cup squad brought sporadic criticism: has he actually earned a place in the 23-man squad this summer?
Off the pitch, Wilshere speaks with a maturity that no doubt stems from the responsibility afforded to Arsenal players by Arsene Wenger, particularly the younger group who have seen most of their career at the Emirates, but also through the responsibility of being a parent. It’s a far cry from Wilshere’s youthful, disjointed interview in the early stages of his career in the Arsenal first team.
But he must apply himself to becoming a better player on the pitch and understanding for himself where his best position lies. Wenger sees him as No.10, yet Wilshere has played in the centre of midfield alongside either Mathieu Flamini or Mikel Arteta this past season as well as next to Steven Gerrard for England. His tenacity and skill on the ball indicates that perhaps he is best suited to a position deeper in midfield, yet on the evidence of games such as the losses away to Manchester City and Liverpool, you do question whether he has the know-how for that kind of role.
The disappointing truth in Scholes’ critique of Wilshere is that he hasn’t actually developed much from when he was in his teens. Or at least he hasn’t shown much. Think back to that season alongside Cesc Fabregas and Alex Song and then to how much those two players had developed from their teen years to their early twenties. In the case of Fabregas, it’s accurate to say he’s a one-off, a complete freak of footballing brilliance who ran Arsenal’s midfield from the age of 18. But even to compare Wilshere to Song, who had a remarkable turnaround in his career, and you’d struggle to understand why so little has been achieved from a personal point of view.
I have no doubt that Wilshere has the talent to become a modern great for Arsenal, though the comparisons to Liam Brady would be both incongruous and foolish at this point. The smart thing for Wilshere to do is learn from teammate Aaron Ramsey. The Welshman went back to basics, found his comfort zone on the pitch, restored his confidence, and has now become an integral part of this Arsenal team. Their pasts are oddly similar, not just with injuries but in their projection. There were extremely high hopes for both players upon their arrival in the first team.
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Wilshere has come away from his conversation with Scholes with a better understanding of his game. It may have only been snippets of advice, but it taking on advice from ex-players of the calibre of Scholes can be invaluable.
Andre Santos says it is important that the Gunners share the goalscoring responsibilities ahead of tomorrow’s Champions League fixture against Schalke.
Arsenal have struggled since Robin van Persie, who was the highest scorer for the club last season, left for Manchester United this summer.
However, Santos says that the team cannot rely on just one player to score goals.
Talking to Arsenal Player, the Brazilian said: “It is very important that a team has goals from different players. Sometimes to depend on only one player is very difficult and puts a lot of pressure on him, so it’s important to have the collective responsibility, which we have here at Arsenal.
“It’s important that the team relies on every player to help in every aspect, to mark, to create chances and even to score goals. The Champions League is a tough competition and we have to share those responsibilities, and that’s what we’re doing at Arsenal.”
Santos also feels confident that Arsenal have a chance to win this season’s Champions League title.
“The earlier we qualify in the group stage, the better – and this will boost our confidence for the knockout stages. We are in a very strong position with the good start, but we are not qualified yet.
“We have to play a very strong team in Schalke twice yet, so we have to keep focused. But if we play to our potential, we are confident we can challenge for the trophy this year,” he added.
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No less than 10 different players from Arsenal’s first team have scored across all of the competitions so far this season. Arsenal currently lead Group B in the Champions League.
According to reliable West Ham United club insider @ExWHUemployee on his latest West Ham Way blog, the east London club are considering making a summer move for Stoke City centre-back Ryan Shawcross following the Potters’ relegation to the Championship.
What’s the word, then?
Well, @ExWHUemployee says that new Irons boss Manuel Pellegrini wants at least one, and possibly two centre-backs this summer, and Shawcross is one target that they have been monitoring.
@ExWHUemployee claims that the Hammers, who must move quickly to sign a 6ft 4in England international if Chelsea complete huge £45m deal, like the 30-year-old because he is British, brave and a leader, and they feel that he could potentially replace James Collins following his official departure at the end of this month when his contract is due to expire.
How did Shawcross do last season?
It was a tough campaign for the 6ft 3in tall centre-back as the Potters struggled down the wrong end of the division, while he also suffered from a few injury knocks.
The 30-year-old made 27 Premier League appearances in total, scoring one goal and providing a further assist, but he often looked a shadow of his former self from a defensive point of view as his team ended the campaign with the joint-worst – with West Ham – top flight defence having conceded 68 goals in their 38 games.
Would he be a good signing for West Ham?
He certainly wouldn’t be.
The Irons already have a similar player at a similar age in Winston Reid who looks to be on the decline, and they surely need someone a little younger with potential to improve.
While he may be a leader, if he lacks the quality then it doesn’t matter and if Pellegrini wants to strengthen a leaky backline this summer, it is difficult to see how the 30-year-old would be a good addition given Stoke’s defensive record last term.
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Bringing the centre-back to the London Stadium would ultimately be a mistake, and would signal a calamitous start to Chilean manager’s reign with the east London outfit.
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