Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Tom Huddlestone has admitted he and his team mates were angry with their performance in their 1-0 loss at home to Wigan on Saturday.
Andre Villas-Boas’ side went down to a 56th minute Ben Watson goal at White Hart Lane and rarely threatened the Wigan goal.
And Huddlestone has admitted that Spurs must do better at home if they are going to mount a real challenge for a top-four finish in the Premier League this season.
He told Tottenham’s official website: “We just didn’t turn up. They defended well, but equally we have got to work harder to create options.
“Normally at home we will create three or four chances and stick one or two away, but I don’t think we created a half-decent effort on goal.
“The lads were angry in there. We have seen teams drop points and we could have cemented fourth. At home we fancy ourselves against anybody, we have for a while, but to create so few chances was very disappointing.”
However, the 25-year-old midfielder paid tribute to the way Wigan approached the game and thwarted Spurs’ attacking threat.
“Wigan made it difficult for us,” he admitted.
“They are one of few teams that play three at the back at they utilised it well.”
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Tottenham are approaching a testing run of fixtures in the Premier League with games against Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool this month and they host Maribor in in an important Europa League Group J match this Thursday evening.
Liverpool strike Luis Suarez has dismissed speculation linking him with a January transfer to Manchester City.
Rumours have been circulating that the Reds’ Premier League rivals are preparing a big money swoop for the Uruguayan during the transfer window.
However, the 25-year-old told the club’s official website that he is very happy at Anfield and wouldn’t consider leaving:
“I have a very long contract here and it’s a dream come true to be playing at a club like Liverpool because, as I’ve said, as a boy I dreamt of playing for a team like this.
“Now I’m here, it’s all about enjoying myself and trying to be here for as many years as I can, because I’m at a club where I’m very happy, my family is happy, I’ve got fantastic team-mates and a manager from whom I’m learning so much.
“I’m working well and I’m very happy at a club where I’ve always wanted to be. At a club to whom I’m very grateful for the trust everyone is showing in me – a club with amazing supporters and team-mates who are all great people.
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Suarez is also confident that the team’s results will begin to improve following an underwhelming start to the campaign:
“The other important thing is that the squad is very united. In spite of not getting the results we would have liked, we have a great spirit of togetherness and let’s hope we can continue to pick up points.”
Patrice Evra has said he is happy with life at Manchester United, after reports suggested he would leave Old Trafford for Paris St Germain.
Carlo Ancelotti’s Qatari-backed side have long been linked with a move for the French full-back who grew up in Paris after moving from Senegal.
But the United captain insists a move away from Manchester is unlikely in the near future.
Evra, 31, told The Sun, “You would have to kill Alex Ferguson before bringing me to Paris.
“For now, there is nothing to do. I have a year left on my contract and I am at Manchester United. I am captain and I am happy.”
Nevertheless the Frenchman’s contract at Old Trafford expires in 2014 and he will be aware of the Red Devils’ recent policy of offering only one-year extensions to players over the age of 30.
With the prospect of earning a higher salary and greater job security at PSG, Evra could yet be tempted into a deal with France’s capital club.
“It’s always a pleasure to be wanted by a club such as Paris St Germain, especially as I am Parisian”, said the former PSG youth-team player.
“I have never hidden my love of Paris, even though Monaco is still ’my’ team.
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“It has always pained me to see the club not win the title or qualify for the Champions League.”
Evra joined United in January 2006 from Monaco and has since been a regular fixture in Ferguson’s side, even assuming the captaincy after Nemanja Vidic was ruled out by injury for much of last year.
Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas has played down the importance of the January transfer window, insisting that he’s happy with his squad.
Spurs have been heavily linked with attacking talents such as Joao Moutinho, Loic Remy and Willian in recent months, with AVB thought to be keen to invest to boost the club’s Premier League chances.
However, the Portuguese coach insists that he is happy with the players at his disposal, and believes that there is no real need to bring in fresh faces in the New Year:
“I don’t think we need to do anything,” said Villas-Boas who was missing Clint Dempsey due to a groin injury.” He is quoted by Sky Sports.
“We have Clint out. He is a massive player for us. He has had a big impact. He scored 17 goals last season so we have to count on him.
“He plays striker, plays wings and plays through the middle so he gives us that option.
The Londoners were held at home to Stoke on Saturday, and despite the result, Villas-Boas was happy with his team’s performance:
“Stoke have one of the best defences in Europe and they are very well organised. They don’t make it easy for anyone,” he said.
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“We gave them a run for their money and our players tried very hard.
“Sometimes you try everything and the ball doesn’t go in the back of the net. We had a go and I’m very pleased with the players.”
Raheem Sterling has reportedly agreed a new five-year contract with Liverpool, putting an end to speculation surrounding his future.
The 18-year-old has become a vital part of Brendan Rodgers’ Premier League squad this season, but there were lingering doubts surrounding his commitment to the club after negotiations regarding a new deal stalled.
It had been reported that the winger was holding out for a deal in the region of £50,000-per-week, although he distanced himself from such speculation on Twitter.
Sterling’s new contract, which is likely to be announced within the next 48hrs, will see him receive a significant hike on his estimated £2,000 weekly wage. Although an exact figure is unknown, it’s reported by BBC Sport that he will net £30,000-per-week.
The likes of Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal were all believed to be interested in the teenager, who had only 18 months remaining on his previous deal, but are likely to halt their respective pursuits.
Sterling is regarded as one of the finest talents in English football and has eased seamlessly into Liverpool’s first-team plans this season.
He made his official debut under Kenny Dalglish against Wigan last season, immediately attracting the attention of the club’s fans.
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This term he has forced himself into the first XI, working well alongside senior professionals such as Luis Suarez and Steven Gerrard.
The ex-QPR youth player’s performances have not gone unnoticed, with England manager Roy Hodgson handing him his senior debut against Sweden last month.
After nearly a year and a half of being absent, on December 22nd I made my way through the Hillsborough turnstile with my dad and grandad in front, my South African girlfriend behind and my ticket in hand as I sought a reminder of what Sheffield Wednesday was about.
Since leaving England I’ve been restricted to listening to Wednesday via WednesdayPlayer and watching the highlights days after games have come to an end. Don’t get me wrong, English football is huge in South Africa… except if you’re outside of the Premier League.
I’ve attended game after game in Cape Town where crowds hit a high of five or six thousand, where there are instruments instead of voices and where there’s no real passion to speak of.
I attended the Soweto Derby, when Orlando Pirates took on Kaizer Chiefs in one of world football’s genuinely huge games. 90,000 people crammed into Soccer City to watch the two South African giants and yes, I felt it, I felt the passion and the tension. However, it wasn’t home…
Football does that to you. It ignites a feeling within you that, even though it can be repressed for long periods, never seems to disappear. A feeling that will remain with you until you bugger off out of this world.
At Hillsborough that day there were three generations of Crann, three generations of Wednesday supporters that, unfortunately, have all known the good times. Granted, the good times in my life are slightly shitter than those that my grandad remembers, though they’re certainly better than things are now.
Over 20,000 others turned up with us to watch the Owls take on Charlton, and as I heard that beat, the opening bars of Hi Ho Silver Lining, a broad grin no doubt stretched across my slightly-more-tanned-than–the-rest face.
As the game went on my smile didn’t disappear. A fine performance from the boys, some great banter with the Charlton fans and a 2-0 victory was more than enough for me, also, my Liverpool supporting South African girlfriend also seemed to be moved by it. That says a lot about Wednesdayites if you ask me.
The game before Charlton we’d beaten Barnsley 1-0, giving Dave Jones a bit of respite. Since then we’ve lost only one league game in six and Jones’ job looks to be deservedly safe… for now.
We’re 20th and four points off the relegation zone, however we’re not clear of trouble by any stretch of the imagination. A couple of bad results and we’re back in the mire, and I’m not too sure that Milan will be as forgiving second time around.
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Nonetheless, having seen the boys live again I feel like my spirit has been rejuvenated, and I feel close to club once more. We’ve got a long season ahead of us.
They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder, for me, being back at Hillsborough meant more than any game I had listened to, or watched, since being gone.
Another new manager was introduced to the increasingly frustrated Blackpool fans on Saturday, but nothing happened to lift the gloom around Bloomfield Road.
Paul Ince took charge of his team for the second time against Leicester, having experience a loss in his first match against Leeds the previous Tuesday.
After waiting nearly two months to see a new man in the dugout, the Seasiders finally welcomes Ince, who has entered into a club suffering from a serious case of self pity. Right the way from the players, the staff, the fans and even the media; everyone associated with the club needs a lift. And everyone is hoping the self-styled ‘guvnor’ is the right man to inject a bit of pride and passion into the side.
Ince did make a few changes to the team for the visit of the Foxes, most notably changing the formation. Having played almost exclusively 4-3-3 over the last 3 years, Blackpool lined up with an unfamiliar 4-4-1-1 system. Whether this is Ince’s preferred formation, or just an experiment, will become clear in the coming weeks. What is already clear is that this set-up has some work to do to win over the Blackpool faithful. It produced a truly dull game, where no football was seen for the entirety of the contest.
Perhaps one of the problems was not the formation itself, but the positions certain players were deployed in. It seems simple to suggest that the main reason ‘Pool didn’t really create much is because they played two wingers through the middle of the pitch, a lazy forward on the wing, and two incredibly defensive midfielders in the centre of the pitch. And maybe it wouldn’t be outlandish to blame occasional defensive frailties on having a centre-half playing at right-back and a right-back playing on the wing.
The first half had very few noteworthy chances, with one opportunity falling to each side. Harry Kane hit a scorching volley after a terrible header from Taylor-Fletcher. Fortunately Gilks saved well to keep the game level. At the other end, Ince junior was sent through, only for his chipped effort to be saved in typical Shcmeichel fashion, before Eardley’s shot on the follow-up was also well saved. With those being the only real exchanges of a lacklustre first half, the teams went in level.
In the second half, Blackpool threatened occasionally, but only ever through Ince, who is beginning to carry the whole team on his still very young shoulders. In the space of six months, he has gone from being one of the stars flourishing in a good side, to the only star in a very poor side. He had three or four good efforts palmed away by the Leicester keeper, who never really looked too flustered.
At the other end though, Blackpool were holding on. A handful of chances were spurned by the visitors, including a pretty bad penalty miss by Wood, who crashed his effort off the top of the bar after Eardley and Baptiste had conspired to bring down Kane. A few headed chances, an easy chance put wide from inside the 6 yard box, and a great tip over the bar by Gilks kept a clean sheet for Blackpool for the first time in seven games.
A game that produced so little football did tremendously well to present as many chances as it did, but a 0-0 scoreline was probably a true reflection of a poor game, although the away fans will feel a little hard done by. Paul Ince seemed pleased with the result, and spouted the usual guff a manager does after picking up a point following two defeats.
There were some genuine positives to take from the game though. A clean sheet (just about), a good point against a side in a decent position, and finally some signs of fight. Although the game was scrappy, it was nice to see the Seasiders actually scrapping. The players looked bothered, even if they didn’t look talented. But after weeks and months of average football with no passion, it is nice to at least see some average football with a little bit of determination, because that is what is going to ensure Blackpool finish in a safe position now.
It has to be said that his first week has been a bit of a make-do-and-mend kind of week. Coming in with 2 games in the space of a few days, Ince has had no time to really get on the training ground with the players, but by Saturday he will have had chance to talk about how he wants to play.
If the 4-4-1-1 formation is seen again on Saturday, maybe that can be taken as a sign of things to come. It would be nice to see a striker played in that line-up though. With Derbyshire and Delfouneso sat on the bench, there are two players more capable of playing in the centre-forward role than Matt Phillips, who, despite feeding off scraps, looked a little confused by his new position.
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The bench against Leicester also accommodated Sylvestre and Grandin, two players whose introduction could make a real difference. If fit, Sylvestre should be starting in this Blackpool side. He is a player who is willing to get on the ball and try something, and sometimes that is all it needs to give the team and the fans a bit of momentum. Similarly, Grandin has proven already this season that he is a quality player. Although his attitude is a little, well, French at times, he is a midfielder who can provide goals – something which is seriously lacking at the moment.
One thing that has seemed like a waste is the signings of Derbyshire and Wabara. It is yet to be seen whether either of these guys will feature for Blackpool before the end of the season, but one crucial thing that they both lacked was a losing mentality. When you aren’t doing well, and you bring new players in, they should be utilised straight away, before they pick up on the negativity around the place. How many times have we seen a debutant score, especially at Blackpool in recent years. Unfortunately, both players have been here long enough to realise we aren’t doing very well, so will have lost some of their naive confidence.
All things considers, it still seems a little premature to consider relegation for Blackpool as things stand, but a lot of Tangerine fans will be looking out for the Bristol and Barnsley results this week rather than Brighton and Burnley. Let’s just hope Ince can work some wonders on the training ground this week, and that his son can work yet more wonders on the pitch at the weekend.
The good days have fragmented into tiny pieces. The imperious performances with hat-tricks flying in from left and right seem difficult to put together as one fluid memory. It would have been a lot easier to remember them clearly had the form continued, yet Theo Walcott’s current seasonal slump was to be expected. For all that money the player and his advisors demanded, he really hasn’t grown up. Highest paid at the club and yet still hiding behind the innocence of youth.
It’s the frustration that kicks you more than anything. What if Walcott had taken his talents – and what seemed like weekly hat-tricks – to another part of the country? There’s no South Beach in England for Walcott to speak so highly of, but it’s all relative. Had Arsene Wenger not bit the bullet and offered all kinds of stupid wages to a player whose image outweighs his reputation on the pitch, Arsenal fans might have been looking at a player climbing his way up the scoring charts in the colours of some other team.
Some fancied him as something of a saviour to Arsenal at the time. For all his modesty I’m sure even he knew that his exploits in front of goal was the injection of hope Arsenal needed at the time. There was the Steve Bould Effect which last about 15 minutes, then it all went south, and finally Walcott emerged off the substitutes bench a matured and hungry footballer who had at last caught up with the hype that was initially miles in front.
Fair play to Walcott, though. He didn’t just decide to sit back and pack on the pounds as if all the hard work had been done. He put together a nice little run that offered the impression that he was indeed the real deal and that the contract was just a formality; massive pay hike or not, this was finally the season that Walcott became an adult and started to justify the 14 on the back of his shirt.
Well it’s too easy. Some of the blame can be attributed to the defeatist mentality created at the club, while there could be a case to be made that Walcott really isn’t that good. Well I’m not buying the latter. Gervinho isn’t that good. He fooled plenty of us into thinking he was the perfect alternative to Olivier Giroud at centre-forward when he banged in a handful of goals against Southampton, Chelsea and some French no-name club. Excuse me, Montpellier, the French champions.
But Walcott has a lot more about him than that. As well as the innocence of his youth, the player also needs to stop hiding behind the assumption that he makes the best decisions when he isn’t thinking about it, as if someone as well-spoken as him can’t decipher the difference between a smart play and something wholly ridiculous when given more than two seconds to think about it.
You’ve got to believe that somewhere in the next two years or so, after Arsenal continue to call the season quits sometime between November and February, that Walcott will come forward as the latest big name player to express his concern at the direction of the club. No trophies and no ambition; it’s simply not good enough for a player with as much desire to be a champion as him. It won’t ever be the player’s fault, though. The club, perhaps against their will, offered Walcott staggering wages and a sense of hope that he would maintain the level of performance that warranted something in or around six figures every week.
At which point do the club say, hang on, you haven’t exactly held up your end of the bargain? We paid you all the riches you were apparently worth, and since then the Theo of old has returned and the goal-hungry forward has gone in for a nap. It’s not good enough, and now once again the player is injured due to a meaningless international break (don’t tell me a World Cup qualifier is important – they’re all meaningless).
At 24, we’re more than at the stage where many should expect Walcott to change games on his own, so you sort of have to get on his back about it. You start to demand something from him every week not just because of the contract but because you know he’s capable of it. His pace is devastating, his finishing is among the best at Arsenal, and he is someone who genuinely frightens opposition defences.
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The work rate needs to be there, as well as an attitude that puts aside his calm, quiet demeanour until after the final whistle. If the excuse is that he simply hasn’t had the service to be productive, then surely he’s only worth about a quarter of his current wages, because waiting for service and doing little else doesn’t really bring in the kind of money he’s on.
It’s been a pretty awful season for Manchester United’s Nani. Despite only missing nine of United’s league games last season, the Portuguese winger has only played in 10 Premier League matches for Sir Alex Ferguson this season, four of which have involved him coming off the bench. With just a handful of appearances in Europe and domestic tournaments to go with, Nani has featured in just 20 matches for the newly crowned Premier League champions in all competitions.
With just 3 goals to his name all season, the former Sporting Lisbon winger has failed to make an impression on his Scottish manager, which has led to questions over his future at the club. With the Sun reporting that Nani could be offered £130,000-a-week by Italian giants Juventus, twice his current paycheque at Old Trafford, Nani could leave United at the end of the season.
The man who was controversially sent off in United’s defeat at home to Real Madrid in the Champions League, Nani has never really fulfilled his potential at the club. Never to reach double figures for league goals in a season, the Portuguese international now finds himself behind Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia in the pecking order at United. But even when he was being played on a regular basis, Nani rarely showed his true ability, and too often seemed to be holding back and not playing 100%.
United fans may well be disappointed to see him leave Old Trafford, but they can’t be too surprised. A fantastic talent, Nani never consistently played to his true potential, leaving supporters disappointed on a number of occasions. After bursting onto the scene with his trickery and pace, it’s been a long time since we’ve seen his somersault celebration. Despite scoring some sensational goals, including the thunderbolt in a 3-0 win over Liverpool in 2008, there were too many disappointing performances in between the impressive displays.
A nice substitute to have, or to rotate with your first team, it’s difficult to argue that Nani deserves a place ahead of either Ashley Young or Antonio Valencia. With Young’s ability to take on defenders mixed with unselfish play, and Valencia’s pace and skill to accurately cross to a teammate to the precise point on a pitch, it’s no surprise the two have played 45 matches combined. With Nani often criticised for being greedy and selfish, Sir Alex is understandably going to pick players who are happier to pass the ball instead.
Despite his potential, which saw Ferguson pay a rumoured €25million for the winger, Nani never looked like becoming a famous player at Old Trafford. Too many disappointing performances look set to have decided Nani’s future for him. With Serie A supposedly a slower league compared to the Premier League, the 26-year-old could become a huge hit at Juventus, utilising his pace and trickery against Italian opposition.
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United fans will be more frustrated in Nani’s displays as a player than at the actual sight of seeing their number 17 leave the team. With Valencia, Young and Giggs still at the club, and Wilfred Zaha set to join in the summer, fans will be more excited by the sight of the young Englishman in a red shirt than the idea of losing their Portuguese winger.
Stoke chief Peter Coates says the Southampton game could be worth as much as £5million and is demanding a performance.
The Potters travel to the south coast safe in the knowledge they will be in the Premier League next season but Coates says no-one can afford to take their foot off the pedal and start thinking about the beach.
A win would guarantee Stoke a top-ten finish, something the club have yet to achieve, and it will also mean extra cash for boss Tony Pulis to spend in the summer.
“The money available nowadays is enormous and that makes this such an important game for the football club,” said Coates. “Every game is important, but this one shows just how important financially, and professional players should always turn up with the right attitude.”
Stoke have been left to count the cost in the last two seasons with both Bolton and Wigan getting results and Coates does not want a repeat at St Mary’s.
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“I can certainly remember the Wigan game,” added Coates. “That cost us about four places and a huge amount of money, about £2.5m I think. I certainly hope we don’t do the same on Sunday.”