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Football

Where will history place Liverpool’s Jamie Carragher?

By Stefano on February 9th, 2013
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He might not be Liverpool’s greatest ever defender, but he might be their most popular player ever says David Owens

It sums him up as a player, a man and his career… no nonsense, no airs and graces, straightforward. Jamie Carragher calmly announced his plan to retire at the end of the season when his Liverpool contract runs out – no big press conference, no massive announcements; just a statement to the point – job done.

So over the next few months, pubs across Liverpool and all over the Liverpool supporting world will be discussing and debating the question that will no doubt split opinion…… Where will history place Jamie Carragher in the pantheon of Liverpool greats?

I’ll say the answer now – that there is no doubting it will be very very highly…… Debating across the eras is one of the delights of the football fan’s life because we all have our opinions, and all base our thoughts on differing values and ideals. Of course you cannot really compare players from the different eras because it is a very different game now – as the 80s were compared to the 50s… and of course we can only base our opinions on what we have seen with our eyes…. Amazing to think we marvel over the Brazilian team of “the 70’s” or the genius of Pele based usually on the odd clip of a quality dummy of a keeper (when he missed the goal), a chip from the halfway line (which he missed), a header against Gordon Banks (which he missed), or a beautifully laid pass for Carlos Alberto (who scored)… all of which took place over 20 odd days in Mexico in 1970.

How different today – now we watch our greats over and over on TV – and you never can tire of watching Lionel Messi – or Ronaldo’s own goal last week!

Back to Jamie Carragher though….. Liverpool’s finest player? No, that in my eyes will always be King Kenny, but Stevie Gerrard is closing fast. Liverpool’s finest defender? Debatable but I think Alan Hansen just had a bit of something that sets him apart. Liverpool’s most popular player? Undoubtedly…. I would wager there are not many true fans of our game who do not admire Jamie Carragher, as a man, as an honest professional, and as a player who every fan can identify with as someone who in the modern era, and compared to any era, gave his all.

In a Liverpool fans eyes it is difficult to compare Carra to the likes of Hansen, Lawrenson and Emlyn Hughes, Tommy Smith, Rowdy Yeats, because not only are we comparing very different eras as already discussed – but the likes of Hansen, Lawrensen and Hughes et al played in successful championship winning sides who often had little defending to actually do. To be fair, Liverpool have been successful in the Carra era but not in the way the 70s and 80s team were… and it would be very fair to say that Carra and Steven Gerrard have pretty much carried the Liverpool team in the last 10 years or so.

Carra would be the first to admit he has never been as assured and comfortable with the ball as Alan Hansen, his pace has never been his best asset… but where Carra shines is commitment, determination, a never say die attitude, his ability to time a tackle, go in where it hurts, his desire and will to win. You’d want Carra in the trenches with you.

So what next for Jamie Carragher? Well, we’ll have more of an idea at the end of the season he says. My guess is, and it has been mooted, that a place in the BT Vision Premiership pundit panel awaits for the next 3 years… allowing him time to sort all his badges out for coaching which you ridiculously need these days. I cannot imagine Liverpool will let him leave the club totally – unless he wants to. It is fairly well known that Jamie is often at the Academy barking orders at the new generation – not in any official capacity, but because he wants to and he is made that way – he demands effort and commitment whatever the level… In truth, depending on the Liverpool board’s plans you wouldn’t find many fans who would be against the idea of Jamie becoming a future Liverpool manager. That is all for more speculation and the future. The here and now is that Jamie has 4 months of his playing career left, enjoy while you can because his like are rare.

Watch a video of him as a youngster in the 90s. Fascinating stuff

Pic from Wikipedia



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Football

Christian Benteke fancies a move to Arsenal

By Stefano on February 8th, 2013
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You have to feel sorry for Villa fans. They are in the midst of a desperate relegation battle, weren’t able to strengthen their squad in the window and now see others clubs circling like vultures around their star player.

Yep, The Mirror and The Star are reporting that Christian Benteke is ready to quit Aston Villa and that his preferred destination is Arsenal.

Benteke has been in scintillating form this season scoring 14 goals, and this in a team that’s not just low on confidence but really lacking forward firepower.

Arsenal have been linked with a series of strikers. The current favourite is apparently Stevan Jovetic, but David Villa is almost certainly still on the radar.

You can see why the Benteke rumours make sense in that unlike Stevan Jovetic and David Villa Benteke has already shown he capable of scoring a lot of goals in the Premiership.

He would probably cost less than the other two as well.

It sounds too like Paul Lambert is already thinking about fending off bids from rivals.

He said at the morning’s press conference

“He’s only 22 and he’s got years and years ahead of him. He’s not at his peak, but what he’s done for me and for the club is fantastic. If someone wanted to buy Christian, they’d better have a few quid in their pocket. He’s not just going to walk out of here for the value he came for (£8 million), that’s for sure.



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Football

Patrick Vieira and Dennis Bergkamp on their way back to Arsenal?

By Stefano on February 8th, 2013
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Huge news for Arsenal fans. It seems that a club legend is on their way back to the club possibly to take over the youth development role that will be vacated by Liam Brady in the summer.

However which legend is it? Take your pick.

The Daily Mail has run with the story that seems very plausible that Arsene Wenger has been sounding out Patrick Vieira about a return to the club that made his name.

Vieira has been Manchester City’s football development executive for two years now much to the chagrin of Arsenal fans. The issue for Vieira is whether he fancies a return to a hands on role in developing young talent over than rather more ambassadorial role he has at City.

Meanwhile Goal believes that the youth team job will be an internal promotion but that another Arsenal legend could be back in the fold in a different guise.

It says

The Gunners’ academy No.2 David Court, Under-18s manager Steve Gatting and Under-21s manager Terry Burton are the leading contenders to replace Brady, who has run the academy since 1996.

Club legend Bergkamp has also been considered to take over at the Hale End base but the Ajax assistant manager is being targeted for a senior role in Arsenal’s first-team set-up.

David Court played for the Gunners in the 1960s and has been working closely with Liam Brady since 1996 and in many ways is a sensible promotion.

As for Bergkamp he is assistant manger at Ajax and is looking to manage in the Premiership at some point. His arrival would give more fuel to those who believe that Arsene Wenger will soon be installed in a less hands on role with one of his proteges replacing him as manager.

At Ajax Bergkamp headed the youth system before being promoted to work with the first-team under current manager Frank de Boer in June 2011.

Pic Wikipedia



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Football

Chuba Akpom – could he be Arsenal’s long term striking solution?

By Stefano on February 7th, 2013
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Over the years the Arsenal academy has delivered some great players. Ashley Cole, Jack Wilshere, Wojciech Szczęsny, Tony Adams to name but a few.

Oddly though the academy hasn’t delivered many great strikers. If you think of the cream of Arsenal’s forward talent – Ian Wright, Thierry Henry, Robin Van Persie – they have all been bought from other clubs in their early to mid twenties.

Might that be about to change though with the massively exciting prospect that is Chuba Akpom. The 17 year old from East London signed professional terms with Arsenal at the end of last year a reward for some superb perfomances for the Gunners’ academy team.

And it isn’t just Arsenal fans who have noticed what potential they player has. Check out the video of Akpom scoring twice for England’s under 19s this week against Denmark. In the first time he was in the right place at the right time to punish a defensive error. For the second, his pace left the defender for dead creating an opportunity that he took superbly.

Arsene Wenger is obviously a massive fan of the player, he told the club’s offcial website in December after putting the striker on the bench for the Champions League trip to Olympiacos.

“He has personality [and] he has quality. I wanted him to be with the first team, taste what it is [to be involved] in a Champions League game, and hopefully he will join us very quickly. It could happen very soon.

“He’s more a guy who likes to participate in the build up, a guy who is brave, a guy who makes good runs and is not a typical goal chaser.

“Where he must improve is to finish things off. But he creates for others, he creates for himself, and just needs to be a bit calmer for the finishing. That’s something he will get easily.”

Akpom is still very much a raw talent, but his power and physical presence along with awareness of those who play upfront with him mark his as a bit special.

What Giroud doesn’t offer at the moment is what RVP had in spades – an awareness of the the right place to be in the box and a foot or two that are clinical when they get the chance.

These are qualities that given time we might come to associate with the youngster. The key though is that he gets his chance. It would be a gamble to push Akpom into the first team squad when he is barely seventeen. But I think he may have the raw talent to succeed and play a role in Arsenal’s push for Champions League Qualification. Who knows maybe current apparent Wenger’s keenness for Villa and older more experienced strikers is also because they can help develop Akpom to become an Arsenal great.



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Football

Bad news for Arsenal fans – Sebastian Squillaci could start on Saturday against Sunderland

By Stefano on February 7th, 2013
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Some rather worrying news for Arsenal fans. It seems possible that their old friend Sebastian Squillaci could start Saturday’s game against Sunderland partnering Per Mertesacker at the heart of the Arsenal defence.

Sebastian Squillaci hasn’t played for Arsenal in the Premiership this season (he has played just one game in the CL against Olympiacos), but with doubts over both Laurent Koscielny and Thomas Vermaelen his moment may have arrived again.

Koscielny picked up a calf strain during France’s 2-1 defeat to Germany on Wednesday night, while Vermaelen has an ankle knock.

There still sees to be a reasonable chance that at least one of them will be fit for the games against Sunderland but if not Squillaci is clearly in the frame. Wenger could also choose Ignasi Miquel who played a few times in the Premiership last season, and if memory serves me well did a fair job of marking Andy Carroll against Liverpool. The Spaniard has played well when given the opportunity, but the 20 year old’s slow progress does suggest that Wenger has concerns about playing him.

It underlines how annoying Arsenal’s failure to capture Etienne Capoue, who can play in both central midfield and the centre of the defence, in the transfer window was.

Pic Wikipedia



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Football

Etienne Capoue very much on Arsenal’s radar

By Stefano on February 7th, 2013
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It appears that Arsene Wenger hasn’t given up on the player who turned out to be his main target during the winter transfer window.

The Telegraph reports that Wenger has had scouts dogging the every move of one Etienne Capoue, the powerful central midfield player who is currently at Toulouse.

The Telegraph says

Capoue has been watched extensively and, as well as offering additional physical strength in central midfield, he would provide extra cover at centre-back. Arsenal did not directly replace Alex Song last summer, with Mikel Arteta being largely relied upon this season to perform the screening role in front of the defence.

The article then goes on to outline the club’s current financial situation reporting that Wenger could have a war chest of around £70 million in the summer.

Capoue was apparently player that Arsenal were chasing on the last day of the transfer window. Wenger acknowledged that a player had slipped through his grasp saying that ultimately the club didn’t want to sell the player and he couldn’t push the deal through.

The 23 year old 6 feet two inch player uses his physical presence to impose himself on games – something Arsenal with their smaller midfielders like Wilshere and Arteta are sorely lacking.

Capoue is also king of the long diagonal ball, a ploy that Arsenal don’t seem to be using much this season.

Here is more on the move for the player.

Pic from Wikipedia



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Football

Man City tracking Edinson Cavani – but likely to face stiff competition

By Stefano on February 6th, 2013
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Man City will be looking for a striker to replace Mario Balotelli in the summer transfer window and it seems that their number one target is Napoli’s extraordinary Edinson Cavani, a man who has scored 27 goals in 26 appearances this season.

Blues coach Angelo Gregucci recently told a Naples radio station – which was also reported by the Manchester Evening News - that Cavani was a target for the Blues but he acknowledged that they would face a tough battle to sign him.

Gregucci told the station:

“City will definitely have competition for Cavani, who is dominating the Italian league with his goals and sacrifices for the team and whose contract has a £55m buy-out clause.

“Edinson is scoring a huge number of goals this season, and it will be difficult for City to take him. The ten biggest clubs in Europe all have Cavani in their sights.”

The Blues secured at least £20 million for Balotelli, but will may need in the region of £50 million to land Cavani. Many top European sides including both Arsenal and Chelsea are said to be keeping an eye on the player.

In the past City have also been linked to Atletico Madrid’s free-scoring Radamel Falcao, a player who is also interesting Chelsea.



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Football

Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud on those David Villa/Klass-Jan Huntelaar rumours

By Stefano on February 6th, 2013
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Olivier Giroud, who is back in France as a member of Didier Deschamps’ French squad, has given a very revealing interview to French paper L’Equipe.

He talks among other things about his desire to do well at Arsenal and his overall form, but also about how the possibility of Arsenal signing another striker during the transfer window played on his mind.

In an interview translated here by SportsWitness Giroud said about Arsenal’s winter transfer targets.

“Yes, Huntelaar, but also Villa. The English press speak a lot. The coach is not really conducive to buying in winter. It would be hypocritical to say that I did not think (about it). After, I always thought the coach would give me time, I do not see the grass growing under my feet.”

Although many Arsenal fans were pushing for the club to sign another striker, Giroud’s recent form possibly did enough to persuade Arsene Wenger not to push too hard for his targets.

Giroud says of his recent form

“A bad period for me without finding the way to the opponent’s goal (5 league games without scoring). Then there were discussions on the extension of Walcott who wanted to play at the top.

“Then, facing Newcastle, in the 7-3 victory… I am on fifteen minutes from the end, I scored two goals, missed the hat-trick. But, it’s going better.”

I wonder if the possibility of another striker arriving at The Emirates has pushed him to try even harder.

It will be fascinating to see how the rest of the season works out for the amiable Frenchman. He is playing in the knowledge that Arsene Wenger has a sizable war chest to spend on a striker liked Edinson Cavani if he feels it necessary. Giroud is also going to be constantly be compared with his predecessor Robin Van Persie whose form this season, like last, has been scintillating.

So is Giroud the new Van Persie? Or just a replacement for Bendtner? Only time will tell.



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Football

Ashley Cole reveals his debt to Arsenal legend David Rocastle

By Stefano on February 6th, 2013
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For reasons I am not going to go into here Ashley Cole hasn’t always been the most popular person at The Emirates.

There was a day though when Cole, who will celebrate getting his 100th cap for England tonight, was the toast of North London and one of only small group of Englishmen in Arsene Wenger’s finest Arsenal teams.

It sounds now that Cole is holding out a bit of an olive branch to Gooners too.

At a special event for England sponsors Vauxhall to commemorate his 100th international appearance, Cole revealed that the inspiration behind his career was Arsenal legend David Rocastle.

News 24 reports that he told the attendees that he had a five minute chat with Rocastle and that it was that conversation that spurred him on to become a footballer.

“I supported Arsenal at the time and he was someone I wanted to be like,” said Cole.

“After he spoke to me for those five minutes, it was all I wanted to be.

“Now I look back and think what a great career I have had but I will never forget speaking to him.”

Rocastle, who tragically died in 2001 after battling with non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, remains an Arsenal legend with the chorus of ‘Rocky, Rocky, Rocky, Rocastle’ still sung regularly at The Emirates.

Maye Cole, is not just saluting his hero but at the same time acknowledging the key role Arsenal played in his development as a player.

I met Rocastle once in the early 90s. We chatted for a lot longer than five minutes (he was a very genial person) though alas I never made it the Arsenal squad. He did tell me a bizarre story that he was a regular at White Hart Lane!? even when he had signed for Arsenal, and that apart from a bit of banter he even enjoyed hanging out with the Spurs fans. He clearly loved Arsenal though and I imagine that when he was sold a few years later he would have been crushed.



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Football

Liverpool CL game with Debrecen definitely under investigation

By Stefano on February 5th, 2013
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From the moment that Europol confirmed that a Champions League game played in England was on its match fixing enquiry list British football fans have been trying to work out which club and which game is under the spotlight.

It has now been confirmed which game is being investigation and it is a match that no one was talking about.

Sky Sports News has this

Hungarian club Debrecen have confirmed their Champions League match against Liverpool in 2009 was part of a match-fixing inquiry.

Liverpool, who won the game in question 1-0, are not suspected of any wrongdoing.

The Anfield club have told Sky there has been no contact from European enforcement agency Europol or governing body Uefa in relation to alleged match-fixing.

Apparently first to point the finger at Debrecen was Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet, whose allegation was then picked up by a number of British news sources. Interestingly the allegation centres around the club’s keeper Vukasin Poleksic who has already been banned for two year by Uefa for another incident.

So what do you think about the match fixing allegations now? Was the media frenzy which hinted that our game was much more corrupt than we thought justified? And Liverpool fans – does the allegation that your club was involved in the game – even though the club is not suspected of anything – worry you at all?



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Football

Bacary Sagna “100% devoted” to Arsenal – but do Gunners fans care?

By Stefano on February 5th, 2013
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Amidst all the talk of contract renewals for Robin Van Persie and Theo Walcott in the last twelve months very little has been written about the contract situation of another senior member of the Arsenal squad – one Bacary Sagna.

The right back’s contract will run out in summer 2014, which in theory will make him a top target for European clubs come the next transfer window.

Today Sagna moved to quell speculation that he would be leaving The Emirates. Saying that he was “100% devoted” to their club Sagna told French paper L’Equipe (which has been reported widely including by ESPN) he is happy at Emirates Stadium.

“I’m 100% devoted to my club. I’m only thinking about defending Arsenal’s colours until the end of my contract. The supporters are annoyed with me when they hear my name linked to PSG, but I haven’t got anything to do with that. I’ve had no contact whatsoever.”

Sagna also said that he had “tears in [his] eyes,” when he was called up for the French squad – the first time he has been included in a year and a half.

So Arsenal fans, the 29 year old wants a new contract? But does he deserve one? Sagna’s form this season has been inconsistent. There have been games where he has been sublime, yet in others his distribution poor and his defending second rate. Waiting in the wings is young Englishman Carl Jenkinson who in December signed a long term contract with the club. He has continued to look sharp and capable each time he has deputised for the Frenchman this season.

So do Arsenal need to renew Sagna’s contract? Personally I think it might be time for Sagna to move on. Arsenal would get a reasonable sum for the player in the summer and that money could be invested elsewhere – maybe a commanding central defender in the Mats Hummel mould would be ideal. In Hector Bellerin, a product of the Barcelona youth academy Arsenal have a ready-made understudy for Jenkinson.

So is time to cash in on Bacary?



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Football

Will Arsenal lose out on David Villa if they don’t quality for the Champions League?

By Stefano on February 5th, 2013
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As Arsenal fans don’t need reminding they are currently in sixth in the Premiership and are four points behind Spurs in fourth. Yet many supporters share Arsene Wenger’s confidence that the club will once again qualify for the Champions League.

Many pundits are backing the Gunners too with Mark Lawrenson also confident that Arsenal will see off their rivals.

The penalty for not qualifying would be primarily financial – Arsenal could lose out on £20 million plus of revenue – however it will also affect the club’s ambition to attract big name players, and this in spite of the new tranche of sponsorship money they have secured.

The club are mulling over a bid for Barcelona’s David Villa in the summer. But will he come if there’s no guarantee of Champions League Football? As Spanish paper AS (picked up by Sports Witness here) points out today he could join Atletico Madrid (as a replacement for Falcao who is expected to leave the club in the summer) be guaranteed Champions League football and keep his young family in Spain.

AS journalist Juan Casanez confirms that there was contact between Arsenal and David Villa this winter but says that now that deal didn’t happen there are more options on the table. Atletico Madrid will likely be looking for a Falcao replacement and Villa will be a much cheaper option to Luis Suarez, or even Edin Dzeko. The newspaper says that Atletico sporting director Jose Luis Caminero was in contact with Villa’s agents during the transfer window, with a view to the summer.

Not only are Atletico more likely to qualify for the Champions League, they are also able to offer Villa the chance to stay in Spain with his young family. His wife recently gave birth to the couple’s first son and they have two young daughters, the attraction of remaining in the country is something that AS think will be another advantage.

Arsenal might also find themselves chasing players who are also fancied by Spurs and if Tottenham have the CL slot then they will clearly have an edge over their North London rivals. For example would world class centre backs like Mats Hummels and Fernando Amorebieta join the club? Probably not.

It is worth pointing out that both Liverpool and Spurs have signed world class players without a CL qualification (Suarez being the classic example) but when it comes to top stars, or players in the twilight of their career like David Villa, CL qualification is a given.

 



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Football

Arsenal would be second in the Premiership – if only the second half of games counted

By Stefano on February 4th, 2013
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Really great stat from the people at TalkSport who have put together the table showing who would be where if only the second half of games counted.

It turns out that Arsenal would be second in the league behind Man City on goals scored. Man United, in spite of their many late goals this season, would be five points adrift and Chelsea would be down in eighth place.

Well Arsenal fans have been painfully aware of how poor they have been in the first half of recent games and how much better they have played as the game has gone on.

In some games at The Emirates at least it appears that the team only start trying after they have quaffed their half time cuppa (or it more likely sports energy drink these days).

The trend was once again show on Saturday against Stoke when the club had an indifferent first half but created a great deal more in the latter part of the game culminating in that Podolski free kick goal.

It also adds a bit more firepower to those who still proclaim that ‘Arsene Knows’ in that his substitutions have had a very significant in pact in a number of games this season.

As for other surprises in the table – Liverpool in at fifth are higher than you’d expect. No prizes for guessing the bottom two – Newcastle and Aston Villa neither of whom seem to be able to hold on to a lead. Well not until the Geordies got their latest French imports in anyhow.

The table is here.



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Football

A Champions League games in England ‘was fixed.’ Which team was involved in that game?

By Stefano on February 4th, 2013
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In case you haven’t heard yet shocking news from the BBC and others. Apparently a Champions League game in England has been implicated in a huge European match fixing investigation. Europol, who are the European Police agency, have fingered more than 380 dodgy games including a CL one played in England.

Admittedly most of the investigations are nothing to do with Premiership clubs. The biggest links appear to be between Asian betting syndicates and German clubs. However the Champions League accusation will send shock waves throughout the British footballing community.

As of yet we know nothing of the details. The BBC has this

Asked specifically about the allegations surrounding the Champions League tie held in England, Rob Wainwright, director of Europol, declined to identify the match because of “ongoing judicial proceedings”.

However he did say it happened in the last three to four years, adding: “The focus has been on other countries, not the United Kingdom. However we were surprised by the scale generally of the criminal enterprise and just how widespread it was.

“It would be naive and complacent of those in the UK to think such a criminal conspiracy does not involve the English game and all the football in Europe.”

However only six English teams have played Champions league games in the lasts few seasons: Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham, Manchester City and Chelsea.

Also there’s no implication that an English club were involved in direct bribery. It could merely be that one of their opponents received a bribe and that the English team knew nothing of it.

Anyhow cast your mind back. Which Champions League games in the last few years struck you as a bit odd and why and let us know in the comments.



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Football

Arsenal update: Where does the Monreal signing leave Kieran Gibbs?

By Stefano on February 4th, 2013
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There’s no denying that Arsenal are looking a much stronger side than they did a few months ago. And while part on this is down to the scintillating form of Waclott, the ever growing confidence of Wilshere and the attacking flair of Giroud the defence has also played its part.

And in particular Arsenal’s key defender this season has arguably been Kieran Gibbs. At the start of the Liverpool, game Gibbs’ Arsenal future looked assured. Not only was he playing well and had signed a new long term contract, but after a series of disastrous performances no one believed that Andre Santos posed any real thereat to his position.

Then disaster – yet another injury- this time to the thigh – and Gibbs is out for over a month and Arsene Wenger – in old school parlance – got his cheque book out.

Nacho Monreal then looks like a superb signing. Against Stoke, a baptism of fire if there ever was one, he looked assured, always in control,  tough in the tackle and imaginative going forwards. Pretty much everything you’d want from a  left back. And it was clearly  no fluke. Take a peek at these these stats here. Monreal has been Malaga’s Mr Consistent. No wonder that Malaga manager Manuel Pellegrini said that he was very sad to see him go.

The big question then is what happen when Gibbs returns to full fitness? Will he be straight back into the team? Sadly the answer is probably no. As accomplished a player as Gibbs is he has never managed a run of more than half a season without an injury and I think that pushed Wenger to move for a number one left back.

There were rumours that Wenger had decided he was going to sign Monreal in the summer anyhow and just pushed the deal forward. This might be true, but had Gibbs been injury-free for the season and Meade started to emerge as a potential replacement then I am not so sure that a left back would have been high of Wenger’s targets.

Wenger has gone on record as saying that he sees Monreal as one of the five best left backs in the world. I am not sure he would rate Gibbs quite as highly.

So I fear for the Arsenal future of Kieran Gibbs. For me he is a superb left back and way too good to be anyone’ s understudy. Who knows what the next six months will bring and maybe Wenger will give Gibbs the nod when he is fully fit.

But I think like Carl Jenkinson, this young Englishman is destined for a season or two not playing anything like as much football as he hoped.

More Arsenal

Who has the best squad Arsenal or Spurs?

Who else did Arsenal try and sign in the transfer window?

 



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