Former Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas has backed Arsene Wenger to lead the club to success this season.
The Barcelona star has hailed the experienced French manager and stated that he hopes the Gunners can win silverware in 2012-13.
“Arsene Wenger is amazing and I’m sure he will prove it again this season,” the Spain international stated in an interview with The Sun.
“He always finds the best young talent in Europe and has the courage to bring them in and give them their chance.
“That is his special talent, the way he works with a player to build their confidence and encourage them to play, to perform at their best.
“That’s why I’m confident that Arsenal will again be up there challenging. I hope so. I watch them every weekend because Arsenal still mean so much to me.
“It was a privilege for me to spend eight years at such a magnificent club.
“But now is a new chapter at Barcelona and I said when I signed here that it was going to be the most exciting and difficult challenge of my life.
“I knew I was coming to compete for a place against the best players in the world. But I like big challenges.
“If I didn’t I would have stayed at Arsenal where I was the captain, where I played every game and where I was treated so well.
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“I have a big heart, a strong character and I have the courage to carry on competing for my place,” he concluded.
Arsenal beat Southampton 6-1 at the weekend and take on Montpellier in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Chelsea defender Ashley Cole’s latest outburst, this time aimed at the crinkly suits that run the Football Association, was depressingly familiar, not only due to the player in question being involved, but in terms of the way the game has been heading for some time, which makes you wonder, what is it exactly about modern players that we dislike so much?
The 31-year-old left-back is one of the finest full-backs that you’re ever likely to see, a truly world-class player on the pitch but an odious little squirt of questionable character and morals off it. Being found guilty by an independent panel of fudging his evidence to suit team-mate John Terry’s defence over the whole Anton Ferdinand racism case, his vitriolic, expletive-laden outburst via Twitter hardly came as a surprise.
Cole has been a player dogged by controversy ever since nearly losing control of his car on the motorway at being just offered the insulting sum of £55,000 per week by former club Arsenal in his new contract, his reported philandering while ‘national treasure’ Cheryl Cole waited at home and shooting a youth-team player at Chelsea with an airgun rifle.
While you may be able to respect him as a player on the pitch, for his is practically without peer throughout Europe in his position and has been consistently excellent for nearly a decade now, it is equally as reasonable to have little to no respect for him off it, but he is just the latest case in point of how detached the modern day player has become from the fans that they purport to represent on the pitch.
It’s not just the poor judgement of people like Cole, for it obviously takes nothing for him to issue a disingenuous apology through his solicitors the moment he realises that he’s gotten himself into hot water, it’s the sheer juvenility of it all which shocks the most. This is a grown man we’re talking about here and while we all know that footballers live in a bubble, cut-off from the real world and everyday problems, it’s the lack of thought for the consequences of their own actions which makes them so easy to dislike.
Of course, if you make footballers out to be role models from which your children can look to learn from, then you are seriously setting yourself up for disappointment. They are merely regular people, or they were once upon a time at least, who happen to be extremely talented. More often than not they lack intelligence because they’ve never had to rely on it, mollycoddled from a young age and handed everything to them on a plate.
However, a large degree of responsibility must be put down to the media, with this weekend’s action serving as a fine case in point. Luis Suarez was stamped upon by Robert Huth early on in the game, but this was overshadowed by a clear dive later on in the same fixture. The dive was given the full treatment, in terms of columns, coverage and faux outrage, with FIFA vice-president Jim Boyce referring to it as a ‘cancer within the game’, but little to no attention was given to the far more serious incident of foul play and aggressive, bordering on violent behaviour.
The reason for this is solely because Huth is not a pantomime villain and his lack of standing within the wider world means there’s little to no point wasting their time dissecting his stamp and the wider implications it could have had. Suarez, though, is a different story altogether – everyone will have heard of him, so we are force fed this one-sided version of events that regards a dive, albeit an act of cheating, as equal if not more scandalous than someone stamping on someone.
Football has merely become Loose Women but for men, ramping up issues out of nothing, making mountains out of molehills but only when it suits them and when there’s an easy target to hit. For instance, Craig Bellamy for years was derided as a terrible human being by the press simply because of his misdemeanors on the pitch, completely ignoring the huge amount of work he does for charity off the pitch and the same could be said for most players.
Far too often the media only feeds the negative, rather than focusing on the good simply because it sells more, so we are treated to these extreme caricatures and this never-ending soap opera when most of us just like watching 22 men kick a ball around every weekend. It’s gone beyond ridiculous now. While I was at Stamford Bridge the other week to see them take on Wolves in the Carling Cup, John Terry, fresh from learning about his four-game ban for racially abusing Anton Ferdinand, was given a resounding cheer every single time he touched the ball – tribalism like that simply isn’t healthy for the game.
Another factor is obviously the wealth that comes with the game now which breeds a certain degree of arrogance amongst its own kind. While we’re in the midst of a double-dip recession, it seems to not have affected football at all, where even your average Premier League footballers is grossly overpaid for the job he does – breeding a level of contempt and jealousy that creates an even bigger divide between the stands and the pitch than it ever has before. The superstars you see before you on a Saturday don’t feel like normal people to you and it’s hard to really connect in a climate that increasingly treats you, the fan, like a customer.
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Footballers are not role models, they never have been, but the egos, money and disregard for the consequences of their own actions only serve to highlight how the wealth within the game is distorting the people which are a part of it from society. The media doesn’t help matters much, but if we continue to lap up the melodramas with such fervent consumption, can you really blame them?
The result has seen supporters lose touch with players, which in turn leads to both sides harbouring feelings of mistrust, which has led to footballers becoming widely disliked. I for one would just much rather focus on the game itself as opposed to all of the drama surrounding it.
James McFadden is expected to sign for Sunderland within the next week, on a short term deal, with Martin O’ Neill looking to bolster his striking options.
It was reported last month that the former Scotland International was on the verge of signing for the Black Cats. However, it wasn’t pushed through in time for the Tyne-Wear Derby.
Despite the deal not working out then, due to “communication issues”, O’Neill is still pursuing the move. The marksman is expected to put pen to paper on a deal which will keep him on Wearside till the end of the season, with an option to extend his contract further.
The Scotsman had a brief return spell at Everton before being released by David Moyes at the end of last season, and is hoping Martin O’ Neill will give him another chance to impress in the Premier League.
The fact that the player is versatile to playing as a winger or up front, is seen as a huge bonus for the Sunderland, who currently operate under a small squad it is believed that McFadden is also desperate to sign for the club.
A source close to the player told The Journal “James would still like the deal to be done. There’s no timeline on it at the moment and we’re not starting to look elsewhere or anything.
Obviously we’d like to have got the deal done a bit quicker but we’re still hopeful. We’ll just wait to see what happens now.”
McFadden did not feature in the Sunderland U21’s friendly against Hull City midweek, due to concerns over his injuries, and he is set to be eased back into action.
If any Sunderland fans are heading to the Stadium of Light on Tuesday night, then don’t forget to download the FREE Screach App and vote for your ‘Man of the Match’
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Arsenal are believed to be preparing a January bid for Lyon midfielder Yoann Gourcuff, according to The Metro.
The Premier League side attempted to sign the 26-year-old last summer, but were unable to conclude a deal.
However, it appears he may be available this winter, with the Ligue 1 club in financial peril.
Due to this, the club’s president Jean-Michel Aulas confessed a number of players may have to make way to balance the books:
“We’re planning to sell two or three players for a total of €30million.” Aulas said.
He also admitted that Gourcuff may be one of those sold:
“If he (Gourcuff) returns to the highest level and he wants to go, then there could be a transfer.”
This news will delight Arsene Wenger who has been tracking the Frenchman for the past few seasons.
Gourcuff was once regarded as one of the finest talents in Europe, but a succession of injuries have halted his development.
He shot to fame during the 2008/09 season with an impressive loan spell at Bordeaux.
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The move from parent club AC Milan was made permanent the following year and more impressive displays tempted Lyon to splash €22m for his signature in 2010.
Since then he has struggled with ankle injuries and lost his position within the French national set-up.
However, his creative quality is still evident which may tempt the North Londoners to make a January swoop.
While non-football fans spend their weekend being blinded by city nightlife, there’s a devoted majority whose bedrooms are illuminated by the warm glow of a last minute winner. Championship Manager or rather Football Manager as it is now known in the modern era, is perhaps the most addictive entity in existence with players losing hours at a time merely by uttering the phrase, ‘just one more game.’
Each new addition of the game sparks a frantic search for those hidden gems that will help inspire your team to glory. Sports Interactive are renowned for their commitment to realism, but everybody makes mistakes and in the world of Football Manager, these mistakes mean some players enjoy a meteoric rise to the top when in reality they never fulfil their potential.
With this is mind I have decided to collate 15 legendary figures of this mesmerising simulation, the players who dazzled on your computer but never on your television screen.
Click on Michael Duff to get the ball rolling
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You can’t help but feel a touch of sympathy for Papiss Cisse’s current plight up at Newcastle United. After a stunning introduction to English football in which he scored 13 goals in his first 14 Premier League appearances, expectations were always going to become a little unrealistic for the Senegalese international.
The chances of him being able to keep up the glut of goals was a somewhat unlikely scenario, in the short-term anyway, but things haven’t been easy for the ex-SC Freiburg man. A change of formation from manager Alan Pardew has seen an already struggling Cisse flounder in front of goal, defences have begun wising up to him and as if that wasn’t enough, a dispute with his national team saw him banned from playing in the 2-1 defeat to Swansea on Saturday.
His relatively meagre return of one Premier League goal in 10 appearances this season has led some to cruelly dub Cisse as something of a one-hit wonder. Although that seems reactive, despite not having things his own way this term, he certainly hasn’t looked like quite the player that burst onto our scenes following his move to Tyneside at the start of the year.
His aforementioned run of form since he first arrived in England has certainly acted as a double-edged sword, certainly in terms of the expectation placed upon him. No one expects him to score goals from another planet every week, a la that goal against Chelsea last season, but a return of only three goals in all competitions has left some slightly underwhelmed.
A lack of goals certainly isn’t through a lack of trying, but Cisse has looked a little clumsy in some of his play this season. After 11 months in the Premier League, he’s hardly an unknown quantity anymore and where as once defenders maybe weren’t entirely sure what they were up against, we’ve seen Cisse far more effectively marshalled this term. His tendency to get caught offside especially, suggests that while defenders have raised their game to play against the Senegalese striker, the man himself needs to find a way to mix his up, too.
The looming presence of his more prolific countryman and seemingly continuous man of the moment in Demba Ba, ensures that comparisons are always likely to be made between the two. But while it may seem like a fair enough comparison to make, merely reeling off the superior amount of goals that Ba has put away is a very superficial observation to make at best.
It may be the case that Ba has scored a superb 8 Premier League goals in 12 games, but that doesn’t necessarily tell the entire story. Because given the preferential tactical advantage Pardew has afforded to the former West Ham striker, it should come as no surprise that Ba is far outscoring his team mate.
While Ba may have not been a particular fan of being deployed on the left-hand side of Alan Pardew’s 4-3-3 formation, he wasn’t half effective. He may not have been scoring the goals at the very height of Papiss Cisse’s goal scoring run earlier this year, but he was a vital component in the Newcastle United machine that ended up finishing fifth in the Premier League.
Unsurprisingly, Ba wasn’t a particularly positive advocate of being played slightly further away from goal and earlier on this term, he made his feelings as clear as day to Pardew about what might happen if he continued to deprive him of a central role. Call it a coincidence, but since his outburst, Ba hasn’t strayed too far away from his preferred central role. The legacy of which has seen both Cisse and the team as a whole, struggle to recapture the magic of last term.
When he’s removed from the role of lone ranger up front, Cisse has looked an uncomfortable fit within this Newcastle United side. He doesn’t have the wider talents of Ba to be an effective option on either flank in a 4-3-3 formation and his showings there when he has asked to play the role, has left much to be desired. The perceived compromise seems to be a flat 4-4-2 to accommodate both Ba and Cisse and although it’s been far from a resounding failure, the Senegalese duo haven’t felt like a particularly fluid fit as a traditional attacking pairing.
The biggest beneficiary has of course been Demba Ba, who looks as if he could be on course to rack up a 20-goal season at this rate. But far from just damaging Papiss Cisse’s role in this Newcastle team, it’s looked to have affected the balance and dynamic of the entire XI. It goes without saying that fans would rather finish fifth again with a healthy mix of goalscorers, rather than in eighth or ninth but with a Demba Ba golden boot to their names.
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Papiss Cisse’s struggles serve Alan Pardew up something of a dilemma at St. James’ Park. Although by his own standards he’s not been on top of his game so far this season, Cisse is a player who is capable of scoring a hatful of goals for the Magpies, but he’s not going to be able to do that playing alongside Demba Ba in a 4-4-2. Yet Pardew knows only too well the doomsday scenario that comes along with playing Ba on the left hand side.
While Papiss Cisse has had his troubles getting out of first gear this season, his goal drought tells a far bigger story than one of personal struggles. Something has to give up front for Newcastle sooner or later. Just who and what that is, could have very important consequences for the rest of their season.
What would you do about the Cisse/Ba dilemma up front for Newcastle this season? Join me on Twitter: follow @samuel_antrobus and tell me what you think.
Tottenham won for the third Premier League game running, beating Fulham at Craven Cottage to move back into the top four.
Home victories over Aston Villa and Liverpool on home turf had eased the pressure on Andre Villas-Boas’ shoulders and put their Champions League ambitions back on track with all three points on the Thames.
Winning has become something of an alien concept for the Cottagers who haven’t tasted a league success since mid-October and dropped into the bottom half after a bright start to the season.
Gareth Bale, who later went off for a suspected hamstring injury, was booked for diving in the 24th minute following a challenge with Steve Sidwell.
It turned out to be the most notable moment of a drab first half that saw several players line up against their former employers, Tottenham pair Clint Dempsey and Moussa Dembele lining up against Fulham for the first time while ex-Spurs boss Martin Jol included erstwhile White Hart Lane star Dimitar Berbatov in his starting lineup.
Berbatov was uncharacteristically quiet on an afternoon where nothing went right for the hosts and it was no surprise when Sandro beat Mark Schwarzer with a low strike from range to break the deadlock for Spurs in the 55th minute.
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Having lost captain Michael Dawson to injury in the 17th minute Bale hobbled off just after the hour, but it made to difference as the Welshman’s replacement Gylfi Sigurdsson set up Jermain Defoe to score from close range in the 72nd minute and make the game safe.
Defoe struck again five minutes later, latching on to Dempsey’s weight through pass and cooly finish past Schwarzer to continue his excellent scoring run. Fulham mounted a feeble effort to save the game but Hugo Lloris was on hand to deny Mladen Petric.
Inter Milan are set to offer Marouane Chamakh a route out of Arsenal with a six month loan deal, according to The Metro.
West Ham have already reportedly enquired about the Moroccan striker in regards to a January loan move but the lure of Inter may be too much for the forward.
Chamakh has definitely failed to settle at Arsenal after the Reds went to great efforts to seal the deal, with the Hammers also interested in signing him before the Gunners jumped in last year.
No club seems set to match the £3million asking price that the Gunners have set but both Inter and West Ham would be able to match the £60,000 a week wages.
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The player has claimed that he would prefer a move back to France but with that not an option at present he may have a big decision to make in the January transfer window.
“Manchester United have reached the promised land.” The line Clive Tyldesley famously delivered during his commentary on the historic night Manchester United clinched the Champions League and completed the treble. It is a night that will remain in the hearts of United fans, and in my opinion was one of the most memorable moments in sporting history.
Moments such as that, Liverpool’s magnificent comeback against Milan, and Chelsea’s penalty shootout triumph last season to claim Europe’s biggest prize are what football is all about. Everyone longs for instances like these in sport, and the passion and euphoria they provide.
Patrice Evra has been vocal in praising the current crop at Manchester United, likening them to that of the 1998/99 season treble winning side and believes they have what it takes to deliver another of these moments by repeating the epic feat of 14 years ago.
While Sir Alex Ferguson will be confident he has the squad to be able to manage the busy schedule of games, maintaining a challenge on several fronts is a task that is becoming more and more difficult. I am not so sure they, or in fact any of the other Premier League sides had they been in a position to, currently have what it takes to pull off the magic Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League trio.
For starters, in my opinion the current squad isn’t as strong as that of 99′. Peter Schmeichel was a world class goalkeeper at the top of his game, the back four had the ever consistent Gary Neville and Denis Irwin, and the towering presence of Jaap Stam, while Giggs, Keane, Scholes, and Beckham were formidable in the midfield, with the dynamic duo of Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole up front.
Albeit some of those first choice starters were actually missing for the Champions League final itself due to injury and suspension, but they had an experienced squad with players such as Ronny Johnson, Nicky Butt, and Teddy Sheringham.
Experience is vital when it comes to the business end of the season and winning the major honours. Luckily and extraordinarily for the current United squad, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes are still around to help guide the younger players, but there is only so much they can do for them once it comes to producing the goods in pressure situations.
The Red Devils are still alive in the three competitions that they were in their treble winning campaign, currently leading the Premier League by five points. I believe the league has become more competitive and difficult to win in the current day and age. Whether that’s down to the top teams dropping in standard or the less a team’s improving is up for debate, but overall more teams seem capable of beating each other.
If United are to continue to get further in the Champions League and FA Cup then they are unlikely to have the luxury of having the title wrapped up early and will possibly face similar circumstances to those of 99′. Manchester City are out of Europe, like Arsenal were, and will have full focus on retaining their title. After it looked like they were fading from the race, they have put themselves right back in contention with a strong run of form.
In the Champions League, despite qualifying for the knockout stages with two games to spare this season, United were far from convincing and will vastly have to step up their game when they entertain former club hero Cristiano Ronaldo and his Real Madrid teammates in the last 16.
As polished and consistent a players as Tom Cleverley and in particular Michael Carrick are in the Premier League, whether they have the ability to go and control a game against the top sides in the latter stages of the Champions League is another question. We have seen the United midfield overrun by the likes of Xavi and Iniesta in seasons gone by, and even against Atletic Bilbao in the Europa league last year and that’s where I feel may be United’s biggest problem.
Obviously the defence is an issue and the lack of a commanding goalkeeper, but I feel if the midfield still had a Roy Keane in his prime for example, and Scholes dictating games then it would help cover some of the cracks in the backline. United have looked stronger defensively since the return of captain Nemanja Vidic, and it is vitally important they continue to improve in this aspect.
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The area of the team they will be most confident about is the forward options at their disposal. With players like Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney who can produce a moment of magic out of nothing, you always stand a chance. What Van Persie in particular has given them, is a truly world class performer who produces consistently and in the big games as well. Something I feel the squad have been lacking since the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo.
While I don’t believe the class of 2013 is strong enough to repeat the treble, stranger things have happened and it is a case of so far so good for Ferguson’s men.
The January transfer window is often, justifiably, referred to as the ‘silly season’ for the panic it inspires in owners, chairman and managers up and down the country as the clock ticks down until the close of the window on Thursday evening, with plenty of twists and turns still left to go.
Nevertheless, as Nikica Jelavic, Papiss Cisse and Steven Pienaar all proved last season, there are quite a few bargains to be had if you scour the Premier League, or indeed globe well enough and for those bosses that thrive under the pressure of a deadline, in a negotiating game of chicken, the last-minute deal is not always one to be sniffed at.
Click on Danny Graham to see some of the best last-minute deals around at the moment
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