Almeria climbed off the bottom of the La Liga table with a 3-2 win over relegation rivals Osasuna on Sunday.
Jose Luis Oltra’s men got off to a dream start, with goals to Carlos Garcia Badias and Leonardo Ulloa putting them two-up after just 11 minutes.
Badias was on the end of a Hernan Bernadello corner to finish from inside the six-yard box, before Michel’s cross found Argentine striker Ulloa three minutes later to give the hosts a strong lead.
Osasuna pulled a goal back via the boot of Carlos Aranda, whose shot from the edge of the area sparked the visitors into action.
But they could not find an equaliser, and shortly after the break the home side restored their two-goal buffer when Ulloa scored his second from Michael Jakobsen’s cross.
Osasuna striker Dejan Lekic struck two minutes into second-half injury time to create some nervous moments for Almeria but they held on for three vital points, lifting them to 18th on the table and just one point from safety.
Real Madrid kept the gap between themselves and Barcelona to four points on the table, with a 1-0 victory over Mallorca.
France forward Karim Benzema’s strike in the 61st minute was all Jose Mourinho’s side needed to get maximum points from the clash at the Bernabeu.
Espanyol consolidated their fifth placing on the table with a 3-1 win away to Getafe at Coliseum Alfonso Perez.
Miku put the hosts ahead in the 14th minute, and they maintained their lead to the break.
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But it was all Espanyol after half-time, as Luis Garcia, Jose Callejon and Sergio Garcia all netted in the space of 12 minutes.
Real Zaragoza continued their resurgent league form, bringing up their third win in four with a 1-0 triumph over Deportivo La Coruna.
Sporting Gijon upset Atletico Madrid 1-0 home, with striker David Barral on target for the victors.
New Roma signing Bojan Krkic wants to put his bitter departure from European champions Barcelona behind him.The Spain Under-21 international criticised Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola after signing for his new Serie A employers on Friday.
But Krkic says he has moved on and is focused on producing his best form for Luis Enrique’s team.
“Well, first of all I’m very happy to be here. I came from a big club, but I have moved to a big club and for me it is a dream to be here,” Krkic said on Monday.
“Regarding Guardiola and Barcelona, for me it is finished. I only want to think about Roma.”
“Coming here to work for Luis Enrique makes me think a lot of things. It was because of him that I made my decision to come here and I want to thank him for that.”
The 20-year-old is hopeful of taking inspiration from former Arsenal and Barcelona forward Thierry Henry after choosing to wear the number 14 jersey this season.
After his departure from La Liga, Krkic admitted he had not spoken to Guardiola since May’s UEFA Champions League final and said he did not think the Spaniard was the best coach in the world.
They say if you are going to win the title then sometimes you have to dig deep and Arsenal certainly did that today with a vitally important 3pts, courtesy of a late winner from the ever impressive Alex Song.
Arsenal was certainly the better team throughout and could have been two or three up prior to the goal, but found Green in incredible form who produced save after save. Even when he was beaten the Gunners found the woodwork coming to the visitors rescue.
Wenger won’t mind about the manner of the victory and will be absolutely delighted at not dropping vital points at home. Arsenal have a habit of leaving it late and it says a lot about the player’s mentality and their never say die attitude.
So how do Arsenal fans feel about their performance today and who deserves the man of the match award today?
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Mark van Bommel has been attracting much interest from the Premier League in recent weeks and the Dutch international’s agent is claiming that Liverpool have made an offer for the Bayern Munich midfielder.
Van Bommel’s agent Mino Raiola has confirmed that the Anfield club has made a firm offer for the player, but also that the Reds face competition for his signature. Raiola told Germany’s Bild newspaper that “I know about Liverpool’s interest, but other offers are currently more interesting.” He went on to say “I have got to find Mark the perfect club and we still have enough time for that.”
So is Liverpool the perfect club for Mark van Bommel? Kenny Dalglish is seemingly keen to add some experience and quality to his squad and in those two respects van Bommel is an ideal signing. With the Dutchman’s contract expiring in the summer, the Reds should be able to get van Bommel on the cheap as well.
Mark van Bommel himself was not willing to shed any light on the situation. He said “you never know what the future brings. I am concentrating on Bayern while my agent takes care of all the rest.”
The 33-year-old looks almost certain to leave Bayern Munich in the summer, but he could yet stay in the Bundesliga and sign for Wolfsburg, or move to Italy where Serie A giants AC Milan have registered an interest. If the Bayern Munich captain was to join Liverpool, he would come to the Premier League with his tough tackling reputation and style of play that could well be perfect for the English game.
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Thierry Henry made a dream return for Arsenal on Monday night, by coming off the bench to score the side’s winner in a 1-0 victory over Leeds in the FA Cup.
The mercurial French attacker completed a two-month loan move from MLS team New York Red Bulls in time to be included in Arsene Wenger’s matchday squad, and replaced Marouane Chamakh after 68 minutes.
Ten minutes later the club’s all-time top goalscorer found the back of the net to give the hosts the win, and seal progression through to the fourth round; Wenger is happy to have the club legend back on board.
“You could see straight away when he came on that he was a presence on the pitch and if we could find him he would be dangerous,” the French coach told Sky Sports.
“He’s sharp, strong physically and in the end he added a bit more than just score.
“In training I’ve seen that he was sharp and ready to play and I wouldn’t have put him on the pitch if he was not ready.
“He’s a special player, and he’s good to have around the young players. He has done it all, prepares 100%, is motivated and has an immense desire to do well,” he concluded.
Arsenal now take on Aston Villa in the next round in an all Premier League affair.
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Liverpool look set to welcome the return of captain Steven Gerrard shortly after the England midfielder spent an extended period on the sidelines with a serious groin injury, but how will his return effect the shape of the side? With Suarez now unquestionably top dog, will Carroll be the one to make way in this Liverpool side’s ever-evolving line-up?
Kenny Dalglish has shown himself to be an extremely difficult manager to read when it comes to team selection since his return to the managerial seat at Anfield. While many may have questioned whether his ethos had become outdated during his time away from the game, he’s actually been rather proactive and versatile when it comes to individual selections and the formations he’s picked, with the Scot never afraid to mix it up and do the unexpected.
Liverpool, for my money at least, have performed best with Suarez as the focal point of their attack. Having a false number nine up top has brought the best out those around him.
With Andy Carroll in the side, though, Liverpool have looked, ponderous, slow in possession and lacking in ideas going forward. This is not entirely down to the Geordie front man alone, it’s just that his style of play seems to be in direct contrast to what gets the best out of the rest of the side at the moment.
Carroll still looks to be struggling for fitness on top of that and dare I say it, carrying an extra pound or two to truly trouble a defender in anything other than the air at the moment. While I may not place too much stock in the premature talk of him being a ‘flop’, he does look short of match fitness and a tad on the leggy side. Dropping him from the starting eleven may not be what’s best for him, but at the moment it may be what’s best for the rest of the side.
In his absence, Suarez took up the mantle and ran with it. The diminutive Uruguayan managed to bring the best out of Dirk Kuyt as an attacking force and the two’s link play has been simply superb at times. Although the Dutchman‘s starting place has most often been taken away at the expense of Carroll when he‘s started, he‘s both a hard-working defensive winger that offers a threat going forward and should be a regular starter.
Stewart Downing’s ability to deliver from both wings, coupled with his work ethic should ensure that his stay in the starting eleven is a prolonged one. He can frustratingly drift in and out of game at the moment, but on the whole, his form has been decent.
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The middle of midfield is where the true selection headache lies, with two of Lucas, Henderson, Adam and the returning skipper Gerrard to pick from. It well and truly depends on whether Dalglish persists with Carroll and Suarez up top for the time being. Should he choose to drop Carroll for now, an extra spot opens up and with it, a place for Gerrard.
Lucas will most certainly get the nod due to his dependability both positionally and in the tackle, with the fact that he’s the club’s only recognised holding midfielder surely not going unnoticed. He’s been an ever-present since Dalglish’s return and the Scot is thought to rate him highly.
Charlie Adam always seems to make some sort of mark on the game and his passing ability from the middle and vision to spot the darting runs of Downing and Suarez further forward add an extra dimension to Liverpool’s attacking play.
Henderson offers versatility, dynamism and vision, however, he is yet to fully lay down his marker in the side. His versatility, while his biggest strength and part of the reason why Dalglish pursued his signature with such vigour in the summer, could also turn out to be his biggest hindrance. He lacks positional discipline, partly due to his inexperience and he as such, he lacks a discernible role in the side as yet.
Gerrard has shown himself to be a more than capable second-striker, particularly during his destructive partnership with Fernando Torres. He is perhaps the best one-on-one finisher in the country and he’d be ideally suited, in the years to come, to eventually becoming a predatory striker.
During the ill-fated Hodgson reign, Gerrard tried to reinvent himself as a Xabi-Alonso styled player. A deep-lying playmaker of sorts. The result was that in order to try and drop back and instigate play, Gerrard left a Gerrard-shaped hole further forward up the pitch to finish off these moves off. The arrival and emergence of Suarez has now changed this. So too has the arrival of Charlie Adam, though, and the need for Gerrard the quarterback is no more.
The England midfielder has often seen himself as a conventional central midfielder, but his best form of his career for both club and country has come either on the right wing, in a free role or as a second striker. He’s simply not the player he wants to be. The temptation to try the ‘Hollywood’ pass at every given opportunity means his strengths don’t suit those traditionally associated with that of a quarterbacking midfielder.
Liverpool are still a side going through a transitional phase. Results such as the deeply disappointing defeat to Spurs at the weekend are not uncommon through such a period and there will be more of them over the course of a long campaign.
The temptation to thrust an unfit Gerrard into the team will be great, but so far Dalglish has sensibly erred on the side of caution. However, there will come a time in the near future when Gerrard is raring to go and a decision will need to be made.
The club has often been derided in the past as a one-man or two-man team. With the emergence of Luis Suarez as a key figure over the last few months, Liverpool’s best performances have coincided with him as the lone front man.
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Whether that makes them a one-man team again remains to be seen, but the Liverpool of old appears to have gone and in order to get the best out the talent available, Gerrard may have to adjust, albeit in a familiar role, to the new one-man team at the club, even if that means leaving £35m worth of striker on the bench for the foreseeable future.
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The Carlos Tevez saga is still droning on, as he is currently serving a two week suspension for Tevez-gate (are we calling it that yet?), while Manchester City investigate the matter. This week his agent/lackey/minion Kia Joorabchian has come out and stated that Tevez didn’t refuse to play and that his post-match comments were simply mistranslated by the club interpreter. The fact that he has been in England for five years and still needs a translator says just about all you need to know about his attitude.
We wouldn’t even we debating the issue if Tevez could converse in English, as nothing could be claimed to be misunderstood. However, this excuse of miscommunication between himself and the manager is ridiculous. Even if he isn’t fluent, after five years here he can surely understand an order to get up and play. Obviously players are played to do their talking on the pitch, but you would like to think that Tevez had at least picked up some basic English along the way. It makes you wonder how he actually conversed with his teammates and manager, and how on earth he managed as the club captain. Pablo Zabaleta has been at City for half the time Tevez has, yet he speaks almost fluent English. Although he doesn’t appear to be the sharpest knife in the drawer, surely Tevez could have made more of an effort.
I don’t want to come over all Daily Mail here, but clearly his lack of any attempt to learn even basic English despite his vast wealth and time, characterises his laziness, and the fact that he is a very self-centred individual, reliant on those around him to speak on his behalf. He has clearly been manipulated by these agents and third parties who have made a load of cash out of him, and it has had a very negative effect on him.
He has continually rocked the boat at every club he has been at, and he was obviously not interested in being at Manchester City from the off this season. The only reason he went back there was to collect his ridiculous pay check, which he has proved he is totally undeserving of. His actions speak louder than any words, and what he did that night in Munich proved what he truly thought of the club and the fans.
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Unfortunately, he is surrounded by people, like his agent, who have him believing his own hype, and it is frankly pathetic that he still needs his minions to talk for him. He is a complete prima donna and sadly a true example of what fame and money can do to a person. He suddenly encapsulates everything abhorrent about the modern footballer, and his refusal to play in front of loyal supporters who have spent their hard earned cash to watch the game, shows how truly self-centred he is. He is in a bubble completely separated from reality.
The fact that he was even welcomed back to the club after his comments during the summer regarding the club and the city was enough, but this is just a further insult. He probably wouldn’t have had such a rough time in the country and found more than two decent restaurants in Manchester, had he actually bothered to learn the language. It clearly would have helped him to settle into this country better, but he is obviously too spoiled to make any effort. He hasn’t tried anywhere near hard enough, and his poor attitude has been noticeable throughout his time in the country, so this latest scandal is simply not surprising at all.
Do you think we should really be surprised by Tevez’s actions? Let me know your thoughts by commenting below, or following me on Twitter @LaurenRutter for more comment and debate.
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Chelsea are set to make offers for Luka Modric AND Juan Mata, according to the Daily Mail, with Roman Abramovich set to sanction a £60 million double deal.
Blues boss Andre Villas-Boas has told the clubs billionaire owner that his side is in urgent need of some creativity in midfield and has added Mata to his shopping list.
The Russian is now set to back his young manager after watching both Manchester clubs splash out more than £50 million on new players.
Mata has emerged as a new target for Villas-Boas and had a £22 million bid for the Spanish international rejected last week.
Interest in Modric is well documented and the 33-year-old boss was careful with his words when pressed on the subject,
“The only thing I can say is just that it can happen. I don’t know to what extent we can go regarding his price because we are speaking about a high amount and nothing else, basically. End of story.” He said.
“It depends on a lot of things. It depends on Chelsea’s decision – if they are willing to go forward or not; up to which value and to decide whether they want to keep the interest in the player. It doesn’t depend on me. It’s not my money!
“Luka, on this particular occasion, is a young player but there would be for sure a sensible price to pay.”
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Villas-Boas has persuaded Abramovich to do whatever it takes to bring Modric to the club and a new bid is thought to be close.
He is also keen to bring Mata to Stamford Bridge and is set to make another offer of £27 million plus £2 in top-up payments despite interest from rivals Arsenal.
Queens Park Rangers will look into bringing Michael Dawson to Loftus Road in January after failing to secure him in the summer according to boss Mark Hughes.
Rangers have made a poor start to the season after lots of changes to their squad over the past few months, but it seems Hughes is already planning more deals for the club in the new year and the out of favour Tottenham defender is top of his wish list.
“Maybe Michael’s situation had happened too quickly for him to understand what his future is at Spurs,” Hughes told the Daily Mirror.
“We took it as far as we were able to and he would have been a good acquisition but it wasn’t to be.”
“In January that might be different if he is still out of the team, but we may have moved on by then.”
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“There’s been a big turnover in players but he has replaced those who have left with players of the same level.”
England and Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard has expressed his excitement towards the future of the England midfield after a 5-0 win in Moldova.
Tom Cleverley and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain stood out as boys reforming into men as the game went on, and Lampard clearly feels that this England team has potential.
The in-form Chelsea midfielder scored twice for his country in a comfortable win at Moldova that is certain to prove any doubters wrong over his own personal selection. Lampard played alongside Gerrard in a mythical paring that was deemed impossible by former managers, and the two combined well to allow the youngsters to enjoy the occasion that Lampard and Gerrard thrived in.
“They’re brilliant; of course they’re good enough. Tom is a pleasure to play with and with him being at such a young age, he’s going to be right in the middle of the team for years to come,” Lampard told the Daily Mirror.
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“Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was brilliant. He lit up the first half and it’s great to see players like that coming through,” he added.