Arsenal still keen on new striker
December 31, 2009
Arsene Wenger could sign a striker in the January transfer window despite Arsenal breaking the 50-goal mark for the season with a resounding 4-1 victory at lowly Portsmouth.
Eduardo, Samir Nasri, Aaron Ramsey and Alex Song all got on the scoresheet for the Gunners at Fratton Park on Wednesday to leave Arsenal within four points of leaders Chelsea with a game in hand.
Yet Wenger concedes he is limited in his striking options with Nicklas Bendtner and Robin van Persie injured and Theo Walcott struggling to reach a high level of fitness.
Out-of-favour AC Milan forward Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is a potential loan target for Wenger, who admits he is surprised that a team without so many attacking talents remain the Premier League’s leading scorers.
Wenger said: “I keep reading and people keep telling me we need to sign a striker but we have the best attack so I do not know.
“There is a confusing rationale in football and while we have problems up front if you look at the league nobody has scored more goals than us.
“We have players who know how to move the ball and get in dangerous positions but we are still in the market (to sign a striker).”
Even without van Persie, Bendtner, Walcott and captain Cesc Fabregas, the north London side were on fire against Portsmouth.
They cruised into a two-goal lead before the break with Eduardo’s free-kick deflecting off Younes Kaboul and France midfielder Nasri finishing a fine move with his first league goal since March.
Welsh midfielder Ramsey added a gloss to the score with a dipping left-footed strike after the break to cap an eye-catching display.
Fabregas will be back in two weeks however and Wenger dismissed suggestions Ramsey is ready to replace the Spaniard just yet.
Wenger added: “The only way to combat injuries is by playing young players like Ramsey who was very good against a Portsmouth team who made it difficult for us.
“I think Aaron can play right-back, left-wing, centre-midfield – he is an all round player, Cesc is a playmaker but what they both have is a personality on the pitch, the ability to get on the ball and make their presence known in the game.”
Song’s header completed the rout after Nadir Belhadj had grabbed a consolation but it was a grim day for the hosts as Pompey’s supporters finally began to turn on the club amid a cloud of financial uncertainty.
HM Revenue and Customs have issued a winding-up petition in regards to unpaid tax and key players will have to be sold to meet outstanding debts to former owner Sacha Gaydamak and Chelsea, Watford, Lens and Rennes over unpaid transfer fees.
Portsmouth fans chanted, “where has all our money gone?”, “sack the board” and jeered captain Aaron Mokoena to be sent off or substituted following an anonymous display by the South African.
Manager Avram Grant said: “I think the supporters are behind the team. When I came here I knew what the problems were on the pitch, off the pitch? I was not sure.
“The fans were here before any players, any manager and we will try to lift them with what we do on the pitch.”
Boyd keen for even more goals
December 31, 2009
Kris Boyd broke Henrik Larsson’s Scottish Premier League scoring record with five goals in a 7-1 mauling of Dundee United on Wednesday but the striker says he is greedy for more.
The Scottish striker – who only on Tuesday said he was interested in playing for Scotland again after retiring from international football under the George Burley regime because he was not happy with the time he spent on the bench – scored his 160th league goal in 283 appearances since making his league debut for Kilmarnock in May 2001 as a 17-year-old.
Boyd had gone into the game against United three goals short of the former Celtic striker’s record but a hat-trick in ten first-half minutes soon had him level.
His chances of breaking the 158 total looked to have been dealt a blow when United pulled one back through Damien Casalinuovo and strike partner Kenny Miller was sent off in the first five minutes of the second period.
But Rangers rallied and a late double from the goal-machine, in between strikes from Steven Whittaker and Algerian defender Madjid Bougherra, landed him the SPL record.
And the 26-year-old, who is out of contract in the summer and has attracted interest from French First Division side Sochaux, said he was still hungry for more starting with Celtic in the Old Firm derby on Sunday.
“I think this was my best night in a Rangers shirt and I’m delighted to get it over with and pass Henrik Larsson,” Boyd said.
“To get past someone like Henrik Larsson is a great achievement and one I’m proud of doing.
“But as I have said before I’m greedy and I want more. The next target for me is getting the three points on Sunday. If I manage to get on the score-sheet it’s a bonus but the most important thing is the three points as that’s what brings trophies home.”
It was the second time in his career that Boyd has netted five past United after achieving the same feat while a Kilmarnock player in 2004.
“There is always a team you seem to score more against and I am fortunate enough that Dundee United has been mine and I have managed to do that again,” Boyd added.
Boyd has been criticised in the past for his lack of goals against Celtic with only one of his 160 strikes coming against his Glasgow rivals.
The sides meet in Sunday’s Old Firm derby and a win could send Rangers ten points clear at the top of the SPL. While the striker said he would love to score against the Hoops he didn’t care as long as Rangers collected the league trophy at the end of the season.
“I look forward to the game with confidence and hopefully we can go there and get the three points,” the striker said.
“At the end of the day it doesn’t matter who scores as it’s just about the three points.
“It doesn’t bother me who I score against as the most important thing is winning.
“If it was that easy to score against everyone else then everyone would be doing it so I must be doing something right.”
Rangers manager Walter Smith singled out Boyd for praise for his performances this season.
“I thought he played exceptionally well tonight, never mind his goals,” Smith said.
“He has always managed to get us a level of goals but his performance tonight, as it has been for the last two or three months, has been very good with some exceptional finishes.
“I am very pleased for him. He has been working hard this season and to break Henrik Larsson’s record in the manner in which he did do was fantastic.
“The manner in which he scored the goals sum him up. There are very few players who can score the goals that he does.
“This season alone he has improved a lot and I think that he had the realisation that he had to do more.
“He has been doing that. It’s not affected his level of goals so he’s been doing fantastically well and it’s a great achievement to break that record.”
Spurs Finish 2009 On a High
December 30, 2009
Tottenham drew Fulham 0-0 in their Boxing Day derby. While they were looking for all three points, everyone at Spurs was happy with sharing the points. After the match Harry Redknapp had to say, “We have defended well. The keeper has been excellent when called upon and everyone had worked well as a unit. Overall it was a good point.”
On Monday, they turned the draw around into three points when they met West Ham in another London derby. Luka Modirć made his first start since August after an injury and Ledley King returned from injury with a start as well. Modrić opened the scoring early on in the 10th minute, scoring his first goal of the season and setting the tone of the match.
From there on out, Spurs dominated the game. West Ham’s offence was relatively quiet except for a good start to the second half and a fast break in the end. In the 81st minute, Jermain Defoe sealed the game with his 14th goal of the season and Spurs’ second of the evening. The win put them back into the top 4, two points above City and Villa, who are even on points, and 1 point below Arsenal.
Happy manager Redknapp explained, “It was a game we dominated but we needed a second goal. We hit the inside of the post at 1-0 and had some great chances. No disrespect, but they (West Ham) hadn’t really created anything and you feel sooner or later that something could drop in the box, they could stick one away and suddenly it’s a different game. We played some great stuff in the second half, really opened them up and we eventually got that second goal…We played well and were always in control,” he finished.
Upon his return and goal, Luka Modirć said, “It was good to start the game and hopefully this sort of time will give me a chance to get back into the shape I was in at the start of the season. My goal and the win overall will help my confidence, so now I need to keep going and working hard.”
He continued, “Early goals are always important. We managed to get one and it helped us play with confidence, as well as making them more open when they had to come out and attack us. We needed to score a second goal and JD did a great job in getting it. That killed the game off and it was a great win for us. That’s three wins from four games now, and we haven’t conceded a goal in those four games either, which is very important. We just need to keep this form going. We’ve got to put what has been a great year behind us and hopefully make 2010 just as successful.”
Jill Guthrie
Metzelder expects Madrid exit
December 30, 2009
German defender Christoph Metzelder said in a Tuesday press conference that he does not think Real Madrid will renew his contract which expires at the end of the current season.
Metzelder, who had just completed a training session after the team’s return from Christmas break, said, “I have to be a realist. I don’t believe Real Madrid will renew me.”
The 29-year-old center-back has been plagued by injuries throughout his Madrid tenure and has appeared just once this season for the Galácticos. He has just 22 appearances in league play with the team since joining from Borussia Dortmund for the start of the 2007-08 season.
Despite having Metzelder available to take the place of the injured Pepe in defense, manager Manuel Pellegrini has been actively looking at the transfer market for a replacement defender. Metzelder refused to comment on where that means he stands with the club.
“I’ve been here for two-and-a-half very complicated years,” Metzelder added, “and I don’t believe that it is the moment to talk about my situation with the team now or in the coming months.”
Algeria captain interests Burnley
December 30, 2009
Burnley are on the brink of finalizing a deal for Algeria midfielder Yazid Mansouri, reports the Daily Mail.
The 31-year-old, who skippers the Algerian national side, has held talks with Burnley management and is optimistic the move from French Ligue 1 side FC Lorient will go ahead for the reported £1million fee.
“I have had discussions with Burnley’s directors and all that remains is for the two clubs to agree a deal,” Mansouri commented on the move.
“All should be decided in the coming days, but we are on the right track. I want to play in England – their league is one of the best in the world, and it suits my style of play.”
Mansouri is concerned that Lorient have not met his salary demands and seeks a “change of scene” as his contract comes to an end in the summer.
If the deal does close, the Turf Moor faithful will not see their new signing in action until after the Africa Nations Cup, between January 10-31, where Mansouri will lead his national side.
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