Tag Futebol

The World Cup’s opening day excitement was reserved for events in Johannesburg, where the hosts South Africa scored the first goal of the tournament only to be denied a win by a late Mexico equaliser, but there was something momentous about the evening game in Cape Town between Uruguay and France too.

At the age of 31, a dozen years after making his international debut, Nicolas Anelka finally appeared at a World Cup. Over the course of his career clubs have paid a combined fee of just under £90 million to acquire the striker’s services, but his selection for France in their opening game of the tournament was Anelka’s first ever at this level.

Chief amongst the factors behind the Versailles-born forward’s intermittent international record is the trail of acrimony that he took back and forth across European football for a whole decade. Anelka left Arsenal under a cloud in 1999 and then endured a miserable year with Real Madrid before rejoining Paris Saint-Germain, the club he had left at 17 to move to north London. Still only 22, he moved back to English football for a loan spell with Liverpool but did not do enough there to convince his fellow Frenchman Gerard Houllier to sign him permanently. He joined Manchester City instead, where he enjoyed the most prolific scoring period of his career to date, but in 2005 the striker’s nomadic ways took him east to Fenerbahce in Turkey.

Anelka scored twice in a friendly against England at Wembley in February 1999 and, although the World Cup the previous year had come too soon for him, a long and successful spell of international football with France looked to be stretching out ahead. Inclusion in France’s European Championship-winning squad of 2000 followed but then his club form floundered and he was dropped by the new national coach, Jacques Santini. Anelka rejected a recall in 2002, saying that Santini would have to get down and beg, and he would remain in the international wilderness until November 2005.

Sidney Govou, the player who missed France’s best chance against Uruguay on Friday night, was chosen ahead of Anelka to replace the injured Djibril Cisse at the 2006 World Cup, but that summer Bolton broke their transfer record to bring the Frenchman back to England for his fourth spell in the Premier League. Anelka was on the move yet again at the beginning of 2008, when Chelsea needed another striker, but in west London he finally seems settled. In his first full season with Chelsea he was the Premier League’s top scorer and this year he won the league and cup double, as he did with Arsenal as a teenager in 1998.

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Anelka was withdrawn late on against Uruguay for Thierry Henry. Entering the fray in the 71st minute, France’s former captain was earning his 122nd cap and taking to the field at his fourth World Cup. Anelka is at last regarded as his country’s finest forward but, with Henry being only 18 months older than him, the player they used to call Le Sulk must surely covet the international record of his fellow former Arsenal striker.

Liverpool have rejected an offer of £17 million from West Ham for out-of-favour striker Andy Carroll, The Daily Mail report.

The England international has failed to live up to expectations after his £35 million deal to move to Anfield from Newcastle in January 2011.

With Brendan Rodgers now in charge at the Merseyside club, a more swift attacking style is expected and Carroll is thought to be surplus to requirements.

Following the signing of Italian striker Fabio Borini from Roma, the Northern Irish coach is ready to allow Carroll to leave the club, with a return to Newcastle or switch to AC Milan potentially on the cards.

However, Rodgers is eager to sell Carroll rather than send him out on loan, and the Hammers have made an offer for the frontman.

As Sam Allardyce looks to strengthen his squad for the Upton Park club’s return to the top flight, an offer of £17 million for Carroll is thought to have been rejected.

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By Gareth McKnight

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United’s great start to the season continues with a professional performance at Old Trafford. They say the sign of a good team is when you don’t play well but still pick up the points and Fergie’s men are certainly proving that.

At FFC this week we have seen a mixed bag of Manchester United blogs that includes Paul Scholes wide of the mark; Fergie’s transfer surprise, while Berbatov’s subtle brilliance lost on supporters.

We also look at the best Manchester United articles around the web this week

Paul Scholes wide of the mark, just for once

Something of a dying art in English football?

Manchester United star fast becoming a contradictory tale

Building him up to knock him down at Old Trafford?

United star’s subtle brilliance lost on many people

Can the Premier League be blamed for dealing with the devil?

A Manchester United manager in waiting?

Proving another one of Ferguson’s transfer surprises

Manchester United star’s outlook puts his counterparts to shame

Does size still matter in the Premier League?

Wenger and Fergie still keen despite Brazilian’s new deal

Fergie and Villas-Boas warned off January deal

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Best of WEB [divider]

How Has Sir Alex Ferguson Addressed The Challenge Set By Barcelona? – Red Flag Flying High

The boy is just a bit special – United Rant

Will Rio be afforded the same luxury as Rooney? – The Busby Way

Here’s Why Man City Will Always Have That Small Mentality – The United Religion

A Response to Leeds Fans – 7Cantonas

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Click on Roger Johnson’s misses below to unveil our current Premier League Wag XI

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If I said to you a few weeks ago that Fernando Torres would join Chelsea in the January transfer window, you probably would not have believed me. The Liverpool striker had always shown signs of loyalty and gratitude in playing for such a prestigious football club with some of the best fans in the World. However, a transfer request by Torres and a few improved bids by Chelsea saw a record transfer fee in British football as Torres was sold for £50 Million.

It’s no secret that Torres’ performances for Liverpool this season have been below par for a player of his standard, however, he did not look like the same world class striker we know during the World Cup for Spain either. He had been struggling to find his form after coming back from injury and with the growing pressure on Liverpool with Roy Hodgson’s poor start – it seemed a big uphill battle for Torres. With Hodgson’s departure and Dalglish’s appointment, Torres looked like he had more urgency and many people credited King Kenny’s man management skills. However, it’s important to note that his change in form came at the same time the transfer window opened which suggests Torres may have been waiting for his opportunity for a move away.

Ex Liverpool players Phil Thompson and John Aldridge have branded Torres as a mercenary, saying he has just gone for the bigger wage. It wouldn’t be the first time a player has done this to a club, in particular Liverpool, remember when Michael Owen moved to Real Madrid despite his Liverpool past going back to the youth set up. Perhaps, non-Liverpool fans can understand Torres wanting away from the club that have been in free fall for the last 18 months. A player of his ability will want to play in the Champions League every season and his move in the January window will see him play in the biggest club tournament in football in a matter of weeks. Can you blame him?

Yes you can, considering the timing of Torres’ transfer request towards the end of the transfer window caused a shock around Anfield for a player that, despite performances, seemed happy and content to stay at the club and help them get back into the top four of the Premier League. It was a selfish move that put Liverpool in a position to only accept and say ‘yes’ – ironically just like Andy Carroll at Newcastle which the whole Torres situation caused.

In recent history we’ve seen other top players do the same like Emmanuel Adebayor at Arsenal and even more famously Nicolas Anelka when also at the Gunners. This season, Wayne Rooney handed in a transfer request back in October that shocked Manchester United – whereas United and Rooney’s future have been resolved, it’s another sign of a player making a u-turn on a club he’s committed to. Player contracts might be signed for three, four or five years but if they decide they want away then there is just no stopping them.

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As Sunderland return from an eventful preseason tour of South Korea focus now turns to their impending transfer business as manager Martin O’Neill looks to reinforce his striking options ahead of the new season. With his delayed transfer business becoming the main topic of debate in the North East, the Northern Irishman has announced this week that he will be looking to strengthen his side’s front line.

Names like Steven Fletcher have perennially linked with a move to the Stadium of Light but such is the coy manner with which O’Neill undertakes his transfer business that no Sunderland fan has any inkling of who is being targeted. In fact their supposedly inexperienced forwards look to be coming of age as three of them scored in a 3-2 win against Groningen on Sunday so the club flounders in their attempts to bring in established talent, perhaps the answer is lying right under the their nose.

Fraizer Campbell, Connor Wickham and Ryan Noble may not be a strike force that sends shudders down the spines of Premier League defenders, neither does Ji Dong-Won, but the variety of talent they possess as a group makes them a useful quartet that could save the Black Cats precious pennies in the transfer market. Campbell is fast and agile with a decent eye for goal, similar in many ways to Noble who is a few years behind the former Manchester United striker but has an outstanding record at reserve team level and has impressed in brief loan spells away from the club. If both players were given a decent run of games then they could easily become the Darren Bent replacement fans have been craving. Wickham and Ji may not be as nippy as their counterparts but their height offers the more physical approach favoured by O’Neill and they both have good technical ability as well. Both could be excellent foils for Noble and Campbell and were it not for their obvious inexperience, Sunderland could potentially have two little and large pairings already on their books. With so much nostalgia shaped around the success of Kevin Phillips and Niall Quinn, perhaps they do not need to sift through the overinflated fees being demanded by their rivals and should instead look to blood their current youngsters.

After all both Ji and Wickham played bit part roles last season when the club’s options were limited and only Nicklas Bendtner represented an established option. The Dane’s loan spell was inauspicious at best and bar a handful of classy moments, never persuaded anybody at the club to make his move permanent. In hindsight Wickham and Ji’s development would have been aided by greater involvement last season but instead of starting this season raring to go, both are still untested and unconfident playing at the highest level. Noble is equally inexperienced and Campbell, the club’s most senior forward, has been through such an injury nightmare that little is expected of him. It means Sunderland are now left with lots of potential but very little substance and thus O’Neill is searching far and wide for experienced forwards. The problem is any fee for their supposed main target Fletcher is thought to be over £10m and Sunderland attempts to find striking power elsewhere have been met with similarly overpriced demands from teams who are fully aware of their goal shy predicament. While fans have little faith in the club’s current forwards, there must be an element of consideration given to their potential development and despite many believing they need at least two front line strikers, the reality is it could easily cost them around £20m, the same as the money spent on Wickham, Ji and Campbell while hindering those player’s progress.

It was a difficult juggling act for O’Neill last season as his main focus was understandably based on keeping the club in the Premier League therefore he couldn’t risk the involvement of inexperienced rookies. This season will be even more difficult because he has the same inexperienced players who have made little progress during his tenure and are still a risky inclusion. Does he admit he’s unwilling to nurture them into the side and would rather invest in a better guarantee or does he appreciate the lack of value in the transfer market and see it as a reason to throw his youngsters in at the deep end?

As it stands Sunderland realistically need one striker, not two. Should they bring in two or more forwards then it will hinder the progression of their current starlets and render the money spent on them as being wasted. The potential they possess is exciting but unproven and top ten aspirations cannot be maintained while spoon feeding youngsters so the club must find a strong enough character to lead the line while also imparting his wisdom on the rest of the squad. If O’Neill can find value for money in a competitive market while also progressing the development of his young up and comers then he will be able to invest in a number of areas to compliment his squad and the future at the Stadium of Light could be extremely bright.

Does Sunderland need more experienced forwards? Can O’Neill afford to give his youngsters a chance to prove themselves?

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Let me know your views and opinions by following me on Twitter – Tweet me @Alex_Churcher

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In light of the launch of the new football gaming phenomenon that is ‘Goaldash’ I decided to look at the six greatest solo goals of all time.

Footballers around the world have graced the game with many fantastic solo goals. Most include mesmeric runs around defenders who just fall at their feet whilst others may include one or two slices of luck. But these are all goals that fans will never forget…

1.  Diego Maradona

This stunning effort in the 1986 World Cup is a goal few fans will ever forget, especially the English who were on the receiving end of a goal that often tops the ‘best of’ charts. Whilst the Argentine may also be remembered for another infamous strike, this one is by far the greatest solo goal of all time.

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2.  Ryan Giggs

Giggs’ individual goal in 1999 was definitely a sign of the greatness to come from one of the Premier League’s most talented players ever. Taking on and beating the whole Arsenal defence is not an easy task but Giggs managed it with deadly ease and this goal will be fondly remembered as one of the defining moments in the English game.

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3. Lionel Messi

Any list of the greatest solo goals would not be complete without a strike from the master of turning defences inside out, Lionel Messi. The Argentine is the current king of the spectacular and this goal against Getafe in 2007 sums up why Messi is the world’s greatest footballer.

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4. Michael Owen

Whilst this goal may not be as mesmeric or spectacular as others, the way in which a young Michael Owen introduced himself onto the world stage with his amazing goal was worthy of a mention. Owen attacked the Argentine defence all by himself and stunned the 1998 World Cup with a sublime finish.

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5. George Weah

Again this goal doesn’t include fantastic skill but Weah’s ability to run from his own penalty box, past a handful of defenders and then calmly slot the ball into the corner deserves a place in the best solo goal charts. He did get a couple of slices of luck along the way but it was still a fantastic effort from Weah for AC Milan against Verona in 1996.

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6. John Barnes

Another fantastic individual goal that was partly one of the greatest solo goals for Barnes fantastic individual effort but also the setting in which he scored it. Barnes took on Brazil and beat them at their own game, dodging past defenders with ease to score this unforgettable goal in 1984.

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So how does Goaldash work?

So what is Goaldash all about then?

Bored of playing the Lottery? Failing every week on the Pools? Then why not give ‘Goaldash’ a go – a football gamble with a difference.

‘Goaldash’ is a fabulous concept which fuses the Lottery format with pre-chosen football fixtures. Whereas you may use birthdays or your own favourite numbers to pick your six numbers, with ‘Goaldash’ you need to use your foresight of the Beautiful Game to select the six teams that are likely to score the quickest in the pre-selected 24 fixtures.

 It only costs £1 a pop to enter and you have the chance to win a million pounds, every given week.

All you have to do is scour the 48 teams and pick out the 6 teams that are likely to score the quickest on the Saturday afternoon. The matches are chosen from the Premier League, the Football League, as well as the Scottish divisions therefore you will have plenty to work out and strategise before you make your selections.

Playing the Lottery has just got fun, especially as your odds are a damn sight greater.

Fancy your chances? Fancy winning £1million pounds? Why not give it a go!

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce was pleased with the way his side responded from a tough week to post a 2-1 win at Blackpool.

Two first-half goals from Kieran Richardson gave Sunderland the ascendancy before Charlie Adam’s late penalty ensured some nervy moments in the closing stages.

Bruce said he was delighted with the way the squad handled the departure of star striker Darren Bent, who signed for Aston Villa on Tuesday in a deal that drew criticism from Bruce and Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn.

“The players were determined. One player isn’t bigger than the club, especially ours with our history and tradition,” Bruce said.

“It’s about time we drew a line under everything now. It’s up to me to make sure what we do now is the right thing.”

“The one thing the squad needs today is a pat on the back. Every time we’ve come up against a bit of adversity we’ve come out firing.”

“We showed great resilience and arguably this was one of our best performances of the season.”

“In the first half in particular, the football was a joy to watch.”

Blackpool manager Ian Holloway, meanwhile, felt his side were unlucky not to take anything from the hard-fought encounter – in contrast to the 2-0 win his side enjoyed over Sunderland on December 28, a match Bruce’s men dominated.

“I think it’s ironic. In this game we probably deserved some points and (at) their place we probably didn’t,” Holloway said.

“But things conspired against us today. We had a few strange injuries and a few strange knocks.”

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“Their first goal we only had ten men on the pitch because Neal Eardley took a boot in the face.”

“Obviously we had to take him off, we couldn’t stop his nose bleeding and they got a goal in that time.”

“But they’re a good side. We had better of second half and they scored two goals. They’re the only chances they had to be honest.”

As a new dawn rises over White Hart Lane, the temptation to speculate as to what the future holds is a far too alluring prospect to ignore. With Andre Villas-Boas ready to stamp his unorthodox style of football into the Tottenham squad, what will the forthcoming season hold for a team who had improved considerably under the tenure of former boss Harry Redknapp?With many clubs in current transit around the Premier League, Spurs are not wandering a lonely path. Liverpool, Arsenal and even Man United to an extent are in a state of transition, looking to achieve relative solidarity in a moment of upheaval or change. While there is still a fair amount of time before the much anticipated new season commences, it is a hotly conversed topic for any transitioning club when discussing what their achievable goals are for the new campaign.Casting an eye over the situation at White Hart Lane generates an unsurprising balance in its positives and negatives. Coming off the back of another season finishing in the elusive top four in the Premier League, exterior circumstances that need not be reminded to Spurs fans stopped the club reclaiming Champions League football.With the recent unpredictability that has stifled countless Premier League contenders, it can be difficult to pinpoint what Spurs can achieve. However, European football should be a requirement not an aspiration, so the top six is a demand that must be met. Anything below and AVB could be waving “Tchau” to his affair with the English game.The question that has still to be answered by any recent manager to take the hotseat at White Hart Lane is whether a run for the title is achievable. Finishing 4th is an objective that can be ticked off the ambitious list of achievements. Aiming higher may be the only way that the club can transcend into the elite echelons of European football giants. However, most Tottenham fans will probably tell you that the current squad not near good enough to rival the likes of Manchester City, who have a squad that rivals any roster in the world.Gylfi Sigurdsson is an astute purchase and is made more desirable by that fact that he chose to ply his trade in North London despite major interest from comparative rivals Liverpool. Jan Vertonghen will also assist in tightening up a defence that looked a little rusty in patches last campaign. However, he is an unknown entity and to put absolute faith in the Belgian would be dangerous. Signing Emmanuel Adebayor permanently would be a great start in the process of increasing the number of quality frontmen. However, it will not just be new signings that decide where the club will finish, it will also be the adaptability of the current squad.With Villas-Boas’ well publicised stint at Chelsea not going according to plan, the Portuguese will be praying that his unique style of management impacts the players at Spurs more significantly. If they adapt well and some breathtaking football is being displayed at the Lane, would fans be happy with this, regardless of league position? Well, it has never been the case recently that Spurs have played boring football. At times, uninterested performances have hindered games but the club can never be accused of sitting back or failing to entertain attacking options. With this said, AVB doesn’t need to massively revamp the squad to excite the fans, the players will do that thought their natural abilities. It has to be league position that is priority, and certainly 4th or above, in other words Champions League football, is a probable prerequisite demanded by Levy when Villas-Boas signed on the dotted line.Tottenham fans have every reason to be speculative about the forthcoming season; unknown territory always rattles the nerves. However, with the new man at the helm highly regarded on the continent, the team would have been hard pressed to find a better manager at the time and if anyone is going to continue building Spurs into a real domestic force, it’s the man from Portugal.Spurs fans, what will you consider a successful season? 4th place? European football? A domestic trophy? Have your say. Discuss your opinions with me on twitter @mattpegg1[ad_pod id=’dfp-mpu’ align=’right’]

This season, like every Premier League campaign, saw the emergence of world class players, that the season before were just up and coming hot prospects; Jack Wilshere is this season’s stand out example. The Arsenal’s ace rise to prominence, has already got me thinking what talent will be uncovered next season, Manchester United’s ‘kids’ emphatically won the FA Youth Cup in recent days so it is only a matter of time before they begin making a push for the first team and Liverpool have reaped the rewards of their youth set up this season, and no doubt will again next campaign. But who will be the ones to watch next season?

Click below on Ryan Tunnicliffe below to see if I have the potential to succeed as a football scout

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Let me know who you are looking forward to seeing next season at my facebook fanpage http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Daniel-T-Blazer/185495024836102

This is the 11Kicks house team for game week 23. Not just any game week, because this team will be playing in the private 11Kicks Fantasy Challenge League, which you can join by clicking the link and entering the access code at the top of this post. If you’re going to play against me, then you’ll want to know how I picked this team.

Young Wojciech Szczęsny (just 20 years old) is my keeper, basically because Arsenal are playing West Ham and Luis Fabianski is injured. Bit of a risk, but I still see Arsenal pummeling West Ham without conceding. My back three is Stoke’s Robert Huth (highest scoring central defender in the Premier League), Kolo Toure (because Man City are at home to Wolves) and Ashley Cole (because I don’t trust any other Chelsea defender).

In midfield I’m going for goals and assists. Obviously. My captain is recently crowned Premier League player of the month for December, Samir Nasri. Again, because I expect Arsenal to beat up West Ham, with Nasri doing most of the damage. No idea how that Spurs vs Manchester United game will go, so have picked both Rafael van der Vaart and Nani. Hopefully that has me covered one way or the other. There’s always the change that Kevin Nolan will repeat his hat-trick for Newcastle in the Tyne-Wear derby, so he’s in. Speaking of captains, Chris Brunt has just been handed the armband at West Brom. He’s also has the second most assists in the Premier League (just behind Nani).

Up front… how can you not pick Edin Džeko? Man City are playing Wolves at home, and the £27m man is making his debut. I’m a Wolves fan, and I’m still picking him. If only so that when he inevitably scores it will hurt a little less knowing my fantasy football points total just increased by three. My other pick is Fernando Torres. Obviously he’s not yet back to his best, and 11Kicks slagged him off in the blog post previous to this. But it’s still the Merseyside derby and he’s still Fernando Torres.

So that’s what you’re up against. Think you can beat it?

Play against the 11Kicks House Team this weekend:

11Kicks Challenge League

Access code: Ry43A

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