Laurent Koscielny scored with eight minutes remaining to snatch a deserved point for Arsenal in an entertaining encounter with Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.
The Frenchman’s equaliser maintained the Gunners’ unbeaten start to the season and left Roberto Mancini frustrated after City drew for the third time in five games despite taking the lead through Joleon Lescott.
Arsene Wenger will be the happier of the two managers as his side turned in an accomplished display to come from behind and earn a share of the spoils against the Premier League champions.
City, on the other hand, appeared deflated after their Champions League defeat to Real Madrid in midweek and should have been behind as the visitors, powered by the excellent Santi Cazorla, clicked straight into gear. The Spaniard twice tested Joe Hart with strikes from distance, while Gervinho shot into the side netting before the home side finally sparked into life.
Sergio Aguero brought a save out of Vito Mannone with a low effort before a tactical reshuffle from Mancini, that involved switching Scott Sinclair to the right wing, turned the tide in City’s favour as they took the lead with five minutes left of the half courtesy of Lescott’s header from David Silva’s corner.
Edin Dzeko then came close to doubling the advantage just before the break but saw Mannone tip his effort over the crossbar before Arsenal sprang back into life after the restart. Cazorla drew a breathtaking save from Hart as the away side had to wait until the 82nd minute to level proceedings, Koscielny lashing home from close range after City failed to deal with a corner.
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Vincent Kompany and Aguero went close to restoring the hosts’ lead soon after with Gervinho wasting a glorious chance to take maximum points back to North London in the closing stages.
Rangers have been hit with a late Ibrox injury setback ahead of their return to European action in Glasgow later today…
What’s the latest?
In his pre-match press conference, Gio van Bronckhorst revealed that the Wales international will be unavailable for selection against Borussia Dortmund on Thursday in the UEFA Europa League.
Ramsey was missing from the squad against Dundee United at the weekend and it was stated that he would be back in training this week. However, it has now been confirmed that he has not returned in time for this huge Europa League second leg clash.
The club Tweeted this update from the head coach: “Ramsey won’t be in the squad for tomorrow, no other fresh injury news.”
Livid
This update will surely leave Rangers fans feeling livid as Ramsey’s career at Ibrox has got off to almost the worst possible start.
He has been at the club for the best part of a month and a cup clash with a League Two outfit is the only match that he has been able to start so far.
The Juventus loanee has been used as a substitute once in the Europa League and two times in the Premiership, failing to register a goal or assist in either competition – with limited game time.
This will be particularly frustrating for the supporters as he arrived with plenty of hype due to his pedigree and experience. He has played over 400 matches for Juventus and Arsenal – two big European clubs – throughout his career and managed over 150 direct goal involvements for club and country.
Therefore, him being out is a major blow for the Gers because of what he could bring to the side, particularly against Bundesliga opposition in Dortmund. His career statistics show that he knows how to perform at the top level and his know-how could have been crucial tonight had he been available for selection, from the start or off the bench.
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Fans will be annoyed that van Bronckhorst will not be able to call upon his expertise and they may even be starting to wonder whether there was any point in signing him in January with his limited availability already creating issues.
However, there are plenty of games left in the season and he still has time on his side to get himself back to full fitness in order to then make a big impact on the side in the clutch stage of the campaign.
AND in other news, Forget Amad: Gvb must unearth “exciting” 18 y/o Rangers dynamo who impressed Murty…
The Cherries had lost just 4 of their 21 league games as the end of the January transfer window approached. Having lost key players 12 months ago it was a different time for Cherries fans, with the co-owners investing in the squad this time around. In came tricky midfielder Donal McDermott and one of the most wanted lower league strikers Matt Tubbs. These are two very good signings on paper, but were they good signings in relation to the balance of the squad?
AFC Bournemouth had been playing a 4-2-3-1 formation, due to the creative ability and lack of strikers. Wes Thomas made the front man spot his own and scored some 9 goals in 15 games, looking very confident in doing so. The Cherries already had Scott Malone who had moved to the left side of midfield before his injury and Marc Pugh a right footed left midfielder who was playing on the right. The three in midfield were a mixture of defensive and creative players. This was working for them as the side went 11 matches unbeaten on the road.
With a mixture of injuries and added personnel, the Cherries have changed to a more orthodox 4-4-2 with new signing Matt Tubbs joining up with former team mate Wes Thomas and Donal McDermott slotting on the right for the injured Wes Fogden. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, it isn’t working. The signing of McDermott has seen some added craft and guile to the side, but an orthodox or wide midfielder he is not. Often the right back is left exposed or if someone covers then gaps in the central midfield start appearing. With the cultured player liking to come in on his left foot it leaves a lack of an outlet which The Cherries lost when Liam Feeney moved to Millwall.
With Matt Tubbs arrival, the Cherries lost Michael Symes on loan to Rochdale as the forward wanted game time. Symes is a good player at this level and it is a blow to lose a striker like that. It has left the Cherries reliant on the aging Steve Fletcher and a young Jayden Stockley to change games. Also the understanding between Symes and Thomas was good and they both worked well together or on their own. Wes Thomas also looks to have been affected by the signing, he was a big fish, a crowd favourite and the top dog at the club. Spending a large fee on a decent goalscorer seems to have affected him and he actually seems to be intimidated playing with Tubbs. An opportunity came in the final moments against MK Dons that had it been a couple of months ago, Wes Thomas would have put away with his eyes closed. At the moment he looks a shadow of the player. However, after spending that amount of money, Lee Bradbury will persist with Tubbs and Thomas.
Lastly, we come to the formation. In a 4-4-2 the Cherries are missing a midfield Dynamo, someone that is tough tackling and will drive the side and bring excitement that gets the fans going. Marvin Bartley went to Burnley, Anton Robinson to Huddersfield and Danny Hollands to Charlton. This kind of player has not been replaced, yet. Recently the Cherries signed Miles Addison on loan from Derby, could he be the missing link that brings all of this together. At the moment he is playing centre back while Steve Cook is injured, but once Cook is back, I think Addison will be moved into the middle. This could change the Cherries season, but it may just be too much for this year.
One frustrating thing is fans expectations. Going to games is a horrible experience at the moment. The crowd are on the teams back very quickly and feel there should be some divine right to win. Teams come to Dean Court and defend and we do not have the quality to break them down. Also, we have been adding and removing players all season that the squad has never settled.
The January arrivals haven’t bedded in yet and it would be harsh to make a full judgement after five games, but after a poor start to the season, losing three games on the bounce wasn’t something AFC Bournemouth could afford, especially with a run of Charlton, Sheffield Wednesday, Carlisle and Brentford coming up. The squad lacks balance and understanding as well as any steel to the side. It lacks the ability to break through teams that sit and defend. The recent signings are good signings at this level, but do they fit into the way the side have been playing. No. 3 defeats in five games since their arrivals would suggest something is wrong. However, the Cherries still sit five points off of the Play Offs despite only one win in six. I wouldn’t write them off though, because once they click they could be a force and maybe with a full pre-season under their belt, AFC Bournemouth could be a side to watch out for next season.
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Say Cristiano you get the response Leo. Hear Messi someone thinks Ronaldo. The best two players in Spain – well let’s face it the world – are somewhat intertwined through no fault of their own. Last week Messi reached the goal mark of 200 for Barcelona, being only the second player in their history to do so. Ronaldo then replied with a hat trick on the weekend to send Real three points clear at the summit of La Liga – incidentally his twelfth hat trick so far in the Los Blancos shirt.
So who would make the cut in your dream team? It would be easy to sit here and do a comparison of stat after stat and see who provides the most assists or goals, and who has a better win percentage in the team – yet no matter how many pages of data someone can provide you with, if you believe one is better than the other, there will be no dissuading you.
Both players are head and shoulders above everyone else in the world – there is no player past or present who could boast such impressive records and performances week in week out, with improvements always being made. No one else in Europe can touch either player – imagine Fernando Torres if he went just three matches without a goal – it would be like his birthday and Christmas’ for the next decade all rolled in to one – yet Messi went three games without a goal and the media were asking if he was in crisis. Due to the goals he has banged in since, it seems safe to assume that is not the case.
Where Messi may have previously had the edge over Ronaldo is the way he plays for the team. Ronaldo, and rightly so, in seasons gone by could have been accused of only being interested in the Cristiano show, and whilst prolific, he did not give enough to the team as a whole, whereas Messi did. However, under the guidance of Mourinho, Ronaldo has evolved as a player, and the entire approach to his game is now much more about the team and what he can give to them. Not only does he still score at a phenomenal rate – 103 goals in 106 games to be precise – but he has now adopted more of a team mentality and this can clearly be seen in his game.
This is both blatantly obvious when watching Ronaldo as an individual, but also when watching Real as a team you can clearly see how they function more effectively and fluidly, with Ronaldo adding more assists to his game, and a harmony not seen at the club before.
One thing Ronaldo does have in his locker that Messi does not and will never have is the ability to track back and defend when the team is under pressure. When at United, this was not one of Ronaldo’s strong points, yet under Mourinho you learn to defend and you learn sharpish. Ronaldo has done this and is again adding to his all round game, becoming a stronger player for it.
Neither Messi nor Barcelona really subscribe to the art of defending – playing Mascherano and Busquets as their centre back pairing being a personal favourite to illustrate this – yet Messi is never expected to track back or should he lose the ball – rare I know – and Guardiola would prefer Messi further up the field waiting for his team to retain possession.
Although in Spain reliance on corners and free kicks is not as prominent as in England, when in Europe, defending set pieces becomes a vital task. Again this is something Ronaldo is able to do, being strong, tall and powerful not just scoring but also defending said situations. Can you really imagine Messi defending a set piece away at the Allianz arena? In a word – no.
Ronaldo has also proven he can cut it in the Premier League – Messi, whilst brilliant at Barcelona under the whistle happy officials has never played his trade in another league, and it is doubtful if he is really cut for the style of English football. Ronaldo however has proven he can withstand the kicks and the rainy away nights over the winter period – whilst Messi was on his winter break on a beach in the Caribbean. That is not to say Messi could not perform in England, I am sure he could, but on a Monday night at the Britannia I know who would make my starting line-up.
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The Messi supporters amongst you will now be ready to point out to me that to win the Champion’s League, you have to play teams from countries other than Spain. Yes, I realise this, but even so the referees in Europe are somewhat softer than in the premier league – hence the well-used commentators phrase ‘well in Europe that’s a yellow.’ Again there is substantial protection from officials, and let’s face it even if it isn’t a foul on a Barcelona player, 9 times out of 10 they get the free kick anyway, and the opposition player can count himself lucky not to be sent off – Pepe anyone?
Another little point here is their performances for their respective national teams. Messi has had roughly the same level of success with Argentina as Balotelli had when trying to have a bonfire in his bathroom. Ronaldo on the other hand has become the talisman for Portugal, and is surrounded by players of much less quality than Messi.
One reason why Ronaldo is seemingly less loved than Messi around the footballing world is undeniably the way each comes across as a person. Whilst Messi appears to be Mr Approachable, humble and just like the average man on the street just with a gift from god, Ronaldo is flashy, very in touch with his metrosexual side and knows it.
Not to mention the fact that Ronaldo, when asked why some people are less than kind about him felt the need to reply that it was certainly jealousy, as he is rich, good looking and talented. Well he is not wrong there – he just missed out the fact he also has a girlfriend who is a super model to boot. However, this is no reason to dislike Ronaldo as a player or even to prefer Leo Messi. As much as I hate to break it to pundit Gerry Francis, you can’t prefer Messi as a player just because ‘he plays the game with a smile on his face.’
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They may both feel that due to the other, they do not get the plaudits they deserve – Ronaldo certainly feels that due to the fact Messi plays for Barcelona, who can be seen to do no wrong in UEFA’s eyes, he can lose out in voting at certain times, and there is some truth to this. After receiving the Golden Boot, when asked about his chances to win the Ballon D’or, both Ronaldo and Mourinho replied that the golden boot was done on ability and hard fact, not votes and emotions – clearly alluding to the fact they feel had the Golden Boot been decided in the same way, it would have been on its way across Spain to Cataluña.
Whatever the case, due to the existence of the other, neither can coast on the tag of ‘best player in the world’ and both have to improve their game on a constant basis, almost to the extent that when in form, they become unplayable. Come the 11th of December, all eyes will be on the most watched footballing game in the world – El Classico, and with so many scintillating match ups and wealth of talent on both sides this may be the best one of all, and may mean that for once, the match can be remembered for all the right reasons. If this will be the case remains to be seen, but what is certain is that the two best players in the world will be on display – both at the very top of their game, but who do you think is better?
Norwich City right-back Russell Martin has been doing a sterling job playing as a centre-back for the club in recent games. It is a role that the defender will be expected to continue in when Norwich face Liverpool on Saturday. Zak Whitbread, Elliott Ward, and Daniel Ayala are all currently out injured, but they are fighting their way back to fitness.
Should Russell Martin keep his place when one of these players is fit to play? There are clearly two very strong arguments for and against this. Firstly, Russell Martin deserves the right to continue to play due to the performances he has put in, in the last few games.
However, the likes of Whitbread, Ward, and Ayala would argue that as recognised centre-backs a right-back should not be played ahead of them.
Overall though there has to be a bigger reason to drop Russell Martin than simply there is another player available. Russell Martin may not be a central defender by trade, but watching his performances this season you wouldn’t really know that. On Saturday against Swansea, Martin put in a solid shift at the back and even managed to get himself on the score-sheet in Norwich’s 3-1 win at Carrow Road.
Paul Lambert has been in the privileged position over the last few games of playing at the same starting –eleven. The Norwich City manager certainly would not want to disrupt his team’s rhythm by making unnecessary changes. The likes of Whitbread, Ward and, Ayala have to work hard in training and play well for the reserves. Then it is up to them to make an impact from the substitute’s bench when given the opportunity in the first-team.
The place at centre-back occupied by Russell Martin should be his to lose. As long as he continues to play well in that position then really he has nothing to worry about. He should be mindful of the fact though that a few costly errors cost Ritchie De Laet his place in the team. Martin therefore needs to ensure that his performances stay at the level they have been in the last few games. Lambert has already proved this season that he will make big decisions, if he feels they will benefit the team.
Few Norwich City supporters would have expected Grant Holt to be dropped from the first-team this season. However, it has quickly become apparent that no one’s place is completely safe. This includes Russell Martin, so he must continue to play well to stay in the team.
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You can probably name every manager in the Premier League – but what about their trusty right-hand man who stays in the background despite playing a vital role in the club’s success.
An assistant’s role is a complex and challenging one. He has to be the manager’s right-hand man, and yet he’s got to be the players’ trusted confidante. A good assistant can form the bridge between the team and the manager and they tend to be closer to the players normally after having a successful career in the game.
They tend to be ex pros who performed at the highest level of the game – often in contrast to the manager – for example Pat Rice and Arsène Wenger at Arsenal, Joe Jordan and Harry Redknapp, or the former impressive partnership of José Mourinho and Steve Clarke at Chelsea.
Some of these assistants have had a fling at management but it hasn’t quite worked out. Perhaps they didn’t get along with the intense media scrutiny that being a manager has, or perhaps they weren’t good at making the unpopular decisions. Whatever it is, here is their moment of fame as we show our appreciation for the top henchmen in the Premier League.
Click on Pat Rice to see the selections
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Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has praised his team after they won the North London derby 2-1 on Saturday, and has stated the win was deserved, despite Arsenal having more possession.
Goals from Rafael van der Vaart and Kyle Walker gave Spurs the three points, with Aaron Ramsey scoring for the visitors.
Despite The Gunners’ having the lion’s share of the ball, especially in the first half, Redknapp feels the win was justified.
“They had a lot of possession in the first half. It was difficult. They played three in midfield,” he told Sky Sports after the game.
“So they were always going to hold the sway in terms of possession. We had the two (players) in there. But we got the goal before half-time. To be honest, I nearly changed it (Spurs’ formation) at half-time. I nearly made the change and thickened us up in there.
“But I thought, ‘well, let’s see how we go’. They (Arsenal) got off to a better start in the second half, got the goal, and watching the game you would have thought, ‘they are in the ascendency. We could be in trouble’.
“But we upped it. We got better and stronger and we took over. We deserved the win in the second half, I thought we were excellent. We had all the good chances,” he stated.
Walker’s long distance strike proved to be the winner, and despite a mistake by Wojciech Szczesny, Redknapp was full of praise for the young defender.
“He is a great attacking full-back, he loves to get forward. It was a good strike from Kyle. He has done ever so well, he has had a good start to the season,” he concluded.
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Spurs have a week off now for international duty, and travel to take on Newcastle at St James’ Park in their next game.
You’ve come out of your local town’s youth structure, you’ve signed a scholarship with the Arsenal academy and by the age of 18-20 you’re getting a few chances to impress in the first team proper. Yes, Arsene Wenger has been more proactive than most in fast-tracking talents of a more youthful variety into the first team reckoning over the years with a heavy focus on learning and development. It is difficult to undermine the work of the Frenchman with Jack Wilshere, Wojciech Szczesny and Emmanuel Frimpong more recently representing that the endless conveyor belt of talent is still in fully working order.
But if we look back retrospectively, every manager makes mistakes and from an early age, a wise old head can usually gauge whether a player is going to go on to sample a successful long career or not. Arsene Wenger infamously released a young Jay Bothroyd at 18 after the striker threw his shirt at youth team coach Don Howe in frustration at getting substituted. Whilst Bothroyd has tasted relative success elsewhere, this example represented that Wenger takes pride in a good grounded attitude in his players when coming through the system, and if this is sound enough, praise and rewards of a first team berth shall be the repayment. But if we look the attitudes and careers of some past and present Arsenal academy stars such as Nicklas Bendtner, Jermaine Pennant, David Bentley and Denilson, a belief of their own hype and a seemingly inflated opinion have derailed their progress, and their distractions have led to an intermittent career at Arsenal and in football as a whole. So in the case of these players, is Arsene Wenger’s grooming to blame?
Perhaps Nicklas Bendtner is the greatest example of an ego-tripped youth whose performances don’t always match up with those envisaged in his head. Currently on loan at Sunderland, after failing to capture the imagination at the Emirates, the Dane makes himself an easy target whether wearing bright pink boots or simply making brash quotes about his play in the press; his most famous quote being
‘If you ask me if I am one of the best strikers in the world, I say yes.’
Alright Nicklas! Making his Gunners debut in 2007, Bendtner has gone on to strike 22 goals in 99 appearances which isn’t the worst record but at the expectant North London club, a few inconsistent glimpses of clinical striking abilities each season simply isn’t enough to satisfy the watching spectators. Wenger has refused to condemn his overstated opinion over the years and has only praised his mental strength at responding to criticism whilst giving him plenty chances to impress with 27 Premier League appearances representing his involvement last term. It seems Bendtner’s talent has been a bit forced in contrast to the likes of Kieran Gibbs or Jack Wilshere who have recognised their rise to prominence more quietly.
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Additionally, Bendtner’s task as a striker will always be more difficult as he will naturally be judged upon his goal tally and when key strikers have been out at Arsenal, the Dane who is still learning the game has been the inadequate replacement. Another currently on loan to his native Sao Paulo is Denilson and his transfer in the summer again represents the backward step made by the youngster as punishment for his coasting whilst being given many first team outings. Surely both players would find themselves in the 2011/12 Gunners’ squad had they made the most of their opportunities in former seasons.
Side-tracked Arsenal youth isn’t an exclusive phenomenon to recent times however, with David Bentley in 2003 representing another who showed great promise, yet has gone on to sample mediocrity at Tottenham in his career. After scoring an audacious lob in a 4-1 FA Cup triumph over Middlesbrough at Highbury, tongues were wagging and even Dennis Bergkamp likened his play and made this bold judgement in response to young Bentley’s performances
“He’s not afraid not to do something wrong, that’s the main thing for a young player – not to have any fear. If you don’t try a chip like that, you’ll never succeed”.
Manager Arsene Wenger similarly jumped on the Bentley-Bergkamp bandwagon stating
“David has a long way to go to match what Dennis has done in his career, but it was a typical Bergkamp goal”.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing and perhaps Bentley was misguided by these bold quotes at the time, but to put big ideas into young and impressionable heads is certainly questionable amidst an importance to remain level-headed at that age. Perhaps the example of Bentley has made Wenger even tighter with his fast tracking of Arsenal youth these days with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain still in and out of the team in respect of his age, learning and exposure to top level football. Showing he can cut it at the top in glimpses, Wenger will have learnt not to burn his youth out such as in the case of Jack Wilshere or to introduce and expect great things immediately such as in the case of Theo Walcott.
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Whilst many young stars have gone on to achieve acclaimed careers in North London, a handful have also reminded us all that even Wenger can get it wrong at times in terms of mentality and grooming . The readily published myth that the Arsenal academy is flawless is certainly one that could be deemed wide of the mark.
Is Wenger or the players to blame for inflated egos and missed opportunities? Follow me @ http://twitter.com/Taylor_Will1989
Sources in France Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has set his sights on Marseille defender Nicolas N’Koulou, according to InsideFutbol. The 21 year old only recently signed for Marseille after his previous club Monaco was relegated last year and it could be difficult to pry the Cameroonian away from the French club. However Didier Deschamps only paid €3.5m for N’Koulou and if a significant offer came in it could represent a good bit of business for Marseille.
Despite being so young N’Koulou has already notched up twenty-five appearances for Cameroon and came through the same academy as Samuel Eto’o and Carlos Kameni. His adaptation to the Champions League has been has been smooth enough for the Arsenal manager to know that N’Koulou is capable of playing at the highest level. Despite Wenger having recently signed Per Mertesacker to leave him with five central defenders N’Koulou’s ability to play in a defensive midfield role provides an extra attraction for Arsenal, especially considering the reports that Alex Song is unsure where his future lies.
Wenger has been sending scouts to watch N’Koulou since his time at Monaco and should this season not demonstrate an improvement in Arsenal’s defensive abilities interest in the Cameroonian could intensify.
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Blackburn’s mini-revival was brought to a stuttering halt at Ewood Park as Peter Crouch scored twice in the first half to give Stoke their first win of the New Year and enhance their European prospects.
After their shock win against Manchester United 48 hours prior relieved most of the pressure on manager Steve Kean’s shoulders Rovers returned to their old ways succumbing to an eight home defeat in 10 games. Whilst the victory at Old Trafford appeared to be a turning point in their season they fell back into old habits as the Potters left the North West with maximum points and moved to within inches of a Europa League place. Tony Pulis’ side will be grateful to emerge victorious from this one with Crouch wrapping the game up before the half time whistle with two expertly taken goals before David Goodwillie set up a tense finish scoring with 20 minutes remaining.
Supporters offered Kean and his players a rare warm reception before kick off with their New Years Eve win over United doing much to repair the relationship between the two. That seemed to rub off on the Rovers starting eleven who begun the gum with a vim and vigour that has been absent from their play for much of the campaign thus far. Christopher Samba rattled the bar with a powerful header before seeing a goal ruled out for a foul by Yakubu on Stoke goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen. The Dane than had his palms stung after David Dunn decided to try his luck with vicious strike from distance. However the Potters soon eased themselves into the contest and took the lead just after the quarter hour with Crouch expertly controlling the ball on his chest before firing past Mark Bunn for his 100th Premier League goal. Still the home side attacked with purpose and Samba was denied again seeing Sorensen tipping away another header before denying Yakubu as the missed chanced began to pile up. They were made to pay just before half time as Crouch again found the net smashing a left footed effort into the roof of the net after brilliantly taking Matthew Etherington’s centre down on his thigh.
He could have completed his hat trick just after the break but could only volley over the bar after Jonathan Woodgate’s had picked him out at the back post. Stoke continued to control the game stifling the home side in the final third and it was the introduction of Goodwillie that gave Rovers a chance of rescuing the game. The Scottish striker came on just before the hour and ten minutes after his introduction he was on hand to prod home after the Potters failed to clear Morten Gamst Pedersen’s corner. They than came within inches of equalising after Samba flicked a long throw onto Yakubu who’s strike was saved superbly on the line by Woodgate. It was the best Rovers could muster as they missed the chance to lift themselves closer to safety.
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