England’s clash with Poland in World Cup qualifying has been postponed until Wednesday, after heavy rain meant that the Warsaw pitch was unplayable on Tuesday.
Roy Hodgson’s men were due to face the eastern European side on Tuesday, but poor weather conditions halted play, with the Poles opting not to close the stadium’s roof.
The England manager is glad that the game will still be played this week, but did not want to comment on whether the roof should have been closed earlier or not.
“That’s something I can’t answer, it’s not as easy as that,” Sky Sports quote Hodgson as saying when asked about the roof.
“You have to speak to the Polish authorities and go through all the rigmarole that might be necessary for them to close the roof.
“But I hope they will get it closed as quickly as possible and start to do some work on the pitch because right now the pitch is in a very poor condition.
“The water is now lying on the surface and it’s going to need a bit of attention if it’s going to be playable on Wednesday afternoon.
“I think it was the only decision that could be made. There’re no other possibilities. You can’t find dates at international level. The dates that are available are all taken up so you can’t just suddenly decide we’ll play it another time.
“What you have to do is to try to organise to get the game played as quickly as possible. We’ll have to go back to the hotel. We’re disappointed.
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“We prepared well for this start tonight as no doubt the Poles have too, but now we’ve got to do it all over again and hopefully we’ll be as prepared as we were tonight,” he concluded.
Mark Hughes was confirmed as Southampton’s new manager last month, and he will be keen to get to work to ensure that his new team don’t find themselves in another relegation battle following their close shave last season.
The Welshman arrives at St Mary’s in March with the south coast outfit in a precarious position with just eight fixtures remaining, but eight points from their final five matches proved to be enough to save them from the drop, with the 1-0 win at fellow strugglers Swansea City proving to be the pivotal result.
After four successive top-eight finishes, Saints’ defensive weaknesses proved to be one of the reasons why they found themselves battling against the drop, having conceded 56 times in their 38 top flight games.
12 of those came during Hughes’ spell in charge – including three each in their defeats against West Ham United, Chelsea and Arsenal – and bringing a new centre-back to the club will surely be a priority for the 54-year-old before the window slams shut on August 9.
Southampton, whose potential £13m summer deal could have big consequences on their bid to sign Quincy Promes as well as for Sam Gallagher, are yet to effectively replace two leaders and huge characters in Jose Fonte and Virgil van Dijk – who both captained the side – with the likes of Wesley Hoedt, Jack Stephens and Maya Yoshida often struggling without an imposing and vocal player alongside them.
It is something that Hughes needs to put right this summer, and he needs to find that experienced centre-back that can guide younger players like Hoedt, Stephens and Jan Bednarek in the Premier League next season.
One player that is available is John Terry, and while it would certainly be something of a shock move given he played for Aston Villa in the Championship last term, he showed that he has still got it – he made 215 clearances and won 96 aerial duels in 35 league appearances, as per WhoScored.com.
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The 37-year-old veteran made 32 outings before appearing in all three of their play-off fixtures, but he was unable to prevent them slipping to a 1-0 defeat in the final against Fulham at Wembley.
Terry has already announced that he will be leaving Villa Park when his contract expires at the end of the month, but even though he is without a club and is getting no younger, it doesn’t mean that it would be an easy task for Hughes to bring him to the south coast.
One of the reasons the former England international dropped into England’s second tier is because he didn’t want to play against Chelsea, and of course if he did sign for Southampton that would be the case.
The Welsh boss should look to offer the 37-year-old an extra incentive to link up with him at St Mary’s, and that could be a role as a player/coach so he can begin to prepare the future and be closer to walking straight into a Premier League job when he eventually hangs up his boots.
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While it wouldn’t be widely accepted, Hughes could perhaps come to an agreement where Terry didn’t feature against the Blues if he did insist on it, but it is a decision that wouldn’t go down well with Saints supporters – especially considering he would be a controversial signing given his character and his past.
That said, convincing the 6ft 2in tall centre-back to come to St Mary’s and use his experience to help them next season could prove to be an inspired decision, and indeed Hughes’ best one of the entire summer prior to the new campaign gets underway on August 11.
Who do you think Southampton should sign this summer? Let us know by voting below…
Having scored just 24 goals in the same number of Premier League games this season, it’s clear Southampton need more firepower – but that doesn’t necessarily mean signing another striker before the transfer window slams shut next month.
Indeed, a regular supply of goals from other departments would give a huge boost to Southampton’s survival hopes, while a lack of pace, power and all-round dynamism in the final third has been a recurring problem for them this season.
With that in mind, we proposed a surprise signing for Saints earlier this week in the form of West Ham’s Michail Antonio, who enjoyed a spell at St. Mary’s as a youngster, and asked whether supporters would back a late January swoop for the Irons attacker.
And according to our poll, 66% of Southampton supporters would be keen to bring Antonio back to the south coast before next week’s deadline. How much would you be prepared to pay for the winger’s services, Southampton fans? Let us know by commenting below…
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After last night’s dramatic events, it is the turn of Manchester United tonight in the Champions League to upset the odds against one of the great powerhouses of European football.
Many had written the Premier League Champions off after a season of disappointment which has seen them slump to 7th in the table on the back of a series of underwhelming performances. Contrast this to a Bayern Munich side that have already wrapped up the Bundesliga title at a canter and are playing some of the best football on the continent and you can see why there was such apprehension ahead of the tie.
United’s courageous 1-1 draw at Old Trafford has at least kept them in the tie, and regardless of the outcome they have at least fared better than most would have believed possible. But like so much of the season United’s hopes rest on the shoulders of a worrying few. The Champions are hardly blessed with a squad of all round quality, with the likes of Rooney and Van Persie carrying the burden for so many others.
This is the reason why the decision to play Wayne Rooney tonight is so controversial, United do not have a readymade replacement for him, certainly not of the same quality. The Englishman is set to play through the pain of a chipped toe thanks in part to a series of injections that United have sanctioned over the last few days. David Moyes ran the rule over the striker’s situation during his pre-match press conference:
“We think it’s OK because we wouldn’t do anything wrong. We take advice from our doctors.
“Everybody knows the character Wayne is. He is determined to play and if he is determined we’d be mad not to (play him).
“We’ve not had clarification on the injury yet.”
The cavalier approach that United have taken here is just symptomatic of how desperate they have become; without Wayne Rooney their hopes would fade fast. The Englishman has the tireless work rate to help nullify Bayern, but also the attacking menace to make United’s brief spells of possession really count.
This is all well and good for Manchester United, but is it not a little selfish heading into a World Cup?
Wayne Rooney may not feel a thing when he plays on that toe, but injections cannot help prevent 90 minutes of football further aggravating an injury of that nature. England fans will surely remember the injury that Rooney picked up on the same ground four years ago that blighted his campaign in South Africa so badly.
Is it really worth risking weeks of rehabilitation for one last 90-minute hurrah in Europe for United? United would probably argue that it is, they are effectively out of both the title and top four races, out of the domestic cups and so Europe remains their last opportunity for success. Rooney’s inclusion transforms what is a borderline impossibility into something that is achievable for United.
Of course it is selfish, but why should United care about England’s World Cup. The player is keen to play and even with the injection the likelihood is that he will recover and be fit well ahead of the summer. United are being perfectly reasonable, they pay the players wages and their interest’s come ahead of any international side as far as they are concerned.
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Roy Hodgson may be at pains to allow his star man to play through injury, but he is powerless and rightfully so when it comes to a game of this magnitude for Manchester United. There is supposedly nothing like representing your country at the World Cup, but I would imagine a Champions League Quarter Final against Bayern Munich comes in pretty close.
Manchester United aren’t under any obligation to rest Rooney and allow him to recover, from an England perspective you would want him wrapped up in cotton wool but that just isn’t going to happen. Rooney gives United an outside shot at causing an upset tonight, and I doubt many would be selfish enough to take that opportunity away from the club.
[ffccomp link=”https://www.footballfancast.com/football-blogs/win-tickets-to-everton-vs-manchester-united-a-copy-of-fifa-14″ oneliner=”For your chance to WIN two tickets to Everton vs Manchester United on Sunday April 20 AND a copy of FIFA14, simply comment below with your score prediction for the game…” step=”PREDICT THE SCORE
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Jose Enrique is officially the number one celebrity FIFA 13 player after defeating 15 of the biggest names in sport and entertainment to be crowned the first ever winner of the FIFA 13 Celebrity Cup.
The A-list tournament saw Premier League stars, chart-topping musicians and Olympians battle it out to celebrate the launch of EA SPORTS FIFA 13.
The Liverpool defender beat England’s number one Joe Hart, Manchester United star Phil Jones and Norwich City’s Elliott Bennett to win the inaugural FIFA 13 Celebrity Cup. Enrique didn’t concede a single goal throughout the tournament and defeated Josh Franceschi of You Me At Six, one-nil in the final.
See below for highlights of the tournament, including Jose Enrique’s attempt at scoring with his goalkeeper against England number one Joe Hart!
[youtube 9KTWk2raYh8]
First Round results:
Greg Rutherford (Olympian) 2-0 John Ruddy (Norwich City) Ashley Young (Man United) 4-0 Andy Hopkins (The Enemy) Josh Franceschi (You Me At Six) 2-0 Louis Smith (Olympian) Chris Smalling (Man United) 1-0 Micah Richards (Man City) Bradley Johnson (Norwich City) 1-0 Cameron Jerome (Stoke City) Sam Tomkins (Wigan Warriors) 0-5 Elliot Bennett (Norwich City) Joe Hart (Man City) 0-5 Jose Enrique (Liverpool) Phil Jones (Man United) 3-1 Tom Cleverley (Man United)
Quarter Finals results:
Rutherford 1-0 Young Franceschi 0 (p) – 0 Smalling Johnson 0 – 0 (p) Bennett Enrique 1-0 Jones
Semi-Finals:
Rutherford 1-3 Franceschi Bennett 0-1 Enrique
Final:
Enrique 1-0 Franceschi
EA SPORTS FIFA 13 is available on all formats including iOs now from all good retailers including www.GAME.co.uk.
Leeds fans are showing the love for Bailey Peacock-Farrell after the young stopper made his international debut for Northern Ireland.
After being called up to the under-21 side earlier this year, Leeds goalkeeper Peacock-Farrell was handed his senior international debut on Wednesday night, and kept his fine form going by grabbing a clean sheet.
The 21 year-old started in his country’s 0-0 draw with Panama, and tweeted his delight after his debut clean sheet.
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Peacock-Farrell was probably the one shining light in a miserable season for Leeds fans, after the poor form of Felix Wiedwald forced the young stopper into the limelight in the 3-0 loss to Wolves.
Despite having to wait until the last day of the season for his first Leeds clean sheet, the Northern Irishman has showed his potential since breaking into the team, and Leeds fans hope he can be their number one for years to come.
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They’ve been heaping more praise on him after his first international clean sheet, and they’re clearly very excited about the youngster’s future at Elland Road.
You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…
It’s hard to gage just what Jose Mourinho was trying to accomplish by describing Luke Shaw as one of the best left-backs in the world just before dropping him for Manchester United’s 1-0 win over Burnley at Turf Moor.
Actions speak louder than words and while the Red Devils gaffer may have sung the England international’s praises in the media, he also dropped him against a side that haven’t won and scored just four goals in their last eight games in favour of a 32-year-old converted winger.
“He’s good, solid, physically much better, mentally much stronger, tactically understanding the game much better and what we need in different phases and circumstances.
“I’m really happy and [looking at the transfer market], I can say that in this moment I don’t see many left-backs better than this Luke Shaw.”
Perhaps the Portuguese was trying to keep Sean Dyche second-guessing, perhaps he was trying to talk up Shaw’s value in the transfer market, or perhaps it was a mixture of both.
In any case, although Mourinho’s hand was somewhat forced by Ashley Young’s recent suspension, it’s certainly curious that Shaw has come back into United’s first team and earned praise from his manager just in time for the January transfer window, after being stuck on the fringes at Old Trafford for the vast majority of the United gaffer’s first 18 months in charge. That suggests if United receive a decent offer for Shaw before next week’s deadline, they’ll be open to a sale.
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The ultimate question, though, is which Premier League club can provide the best home for a player who has struggled to progress since becoming the most expensive full-back in the world back in 2014.
There’s been speculative talk (quoted in The Express from Sky Sports’ The Debate) from the likes of Tim Sherwood about Shaw reuniting with Mauricio Pochettino in a swap deal that would see Danny Rose move to Old Trafford, but Everton are in need of a young, dynamic option at left-back as well.
“They might as well do the swap now. Shaw is loved by Mauricio Pochettino. Danny [Rose] is loved by Mourinho. Just do the swap now and get it over and done with.”
Leighton Baines is still a solid performer on his day, one that now boasts an abundance of experience in addition to his impressive technical quality and deadly deliveries into the box, but he just can’t be relied upon anymore – aged 33 and continuing to suffer from injury problems. That’s been a real issue for Everton this term; since being sidelined in November, Sam Allardyce has been forced to depend on Cuco Martina and Jonjoe Kenny switching to their less preferred flank. Performances from both right-backs at No.3 have been inconsistent at best.
The main concerns with Shaw are that he’s endured serious injury problems as well, and that there has been a recurring narrative of the England international failing to meet the demands of his managers.
Roy Hodgson, Louis van Gaal and Mourinho have all publicly criticised the defender at times, while even Pochettino who brought Shaw through at Southampton questioned the youngster’s working appetite in his book published earlier this season.
But Shaw is still an incredible talent who encompasses the qualities craved in modern full-backs, and he’s still just 22 years of age. That’s more than young enough to get his career back on track with the right move, and for a manager to leave a lasting impression on the youngster that can eradicate the criticism he’s received in recent years.
While there may be concerns over style of play for players coming into the club, Allardyce has proved himself to be an exceptional man-manager, capable of getting the best out of different types of characters, and that’s exactly what Shaw needs – someone who knows how to put an arm around him, as well as point out where he’s going wrong.
And if there is a clear weakness in Shaw’s game, it’s one Allardyce is almost tailor-made to solve; the seven-cap international has always been a formidable threat going forward, but the defensive side of his game would certainly benefit from fine-tuning.
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At this point in January, the big questions are whether Everton have enough time to get a deal done and how much it would cost them, especially in light of Mourinho’s recent comments. It’s clear United are aware of Shaw’s value in the transfer market, even if he’s not a guaranteed starter. Transfermarkt value him at just £13.5million, but Everton could easily end up paying double that sum based on recent fees for full-backs.
Yet, Everton’s starting XI continues to cry out for a Baines successor and if the Toffees intend on becoming a side that can consistently compete for Champions League qualification under Allardyce, Shaw is undoubtedly the calibre of player, also offering longevity, who must be brought into Goodison Park. So, Everton fans, should your club swoop before next weeks’ deadline? Let us know by voting below…
It’s a nervy time for Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart right now. For any player, being dropped for league matches is unpleasant. But just six months before the World Cup, the former Shrewsbury shotstopper will be desperate to get himself back in the first team, and prove to Roy Hodgson that he is the best keeper in the country. Whilst Celtic shot stopper Fraser Forster can only prove himself in the SPL, after the club were knocked out of the Champions League, Hart will still be aware of the threat the Glasgow-based man brings.
It’s not new for England to go into an international tournament without a clear number 1. In 2010, Fabio Capello refused to name who out of David James, Joe Hart and Robert Green would start the opening game of their campaign against South Africa. Just a few hours before kick off, the Italian told Green that he would start against the Americans. It was a match that the then West Ham shot stopper would never forget.
5 minutes before half time, Clint Dempsey scuffed a long range shot that comfortably trickled to Green, who watched as the ball bounced through his limp hand and into the England net. It was a howler just 40 minutes into England’s World Cup campaign, and one that would go on to sum up their group stage efforts. England drew the game 1-1, and only just qualified for the last 16, finishing 2nd in the group. This would prove to be costly as they were then beaten 4-1 by Germany in the next round.
Green, who was supported by Capello in his post-match press conference, was dropped for England’s next game against Algeria, and that would be the end of his tournament. The Hammer wouldn’t feature again in South Africa, or indeed under Capello. Green has since played for England once, in a friendly in 2012, as his international career looks to have finished.
But can Hodgson allow Hart to fall into a similar trap? The City keeper has been full of mistakes over the last 18 months, leading to Manuel Pellegrini playing Costel Pantilimon in the Premier League ahead of the Englishman. But does Hodgson need to publically show his support for Hart, to try and rebuild the 26-year-old’s confidence? The public backing from the England manager, stating that Hart is the country’s best and will be his number 1 for the World Cup, could be everything the City keeper needs to hear, to help him get back to his best.
And is it only Hodgson that needs to start rebuilding Hart’s confidence? The press have repeatedly criticised Hart for his mistakes, more severely the more it happens. And whilst players often say they don’t read the papers, he will obviously be aware of how much media coverage his recent form has received, and the comments being said about him. Whilst it’s the job for journalists to write about this, is there a point where we must support our national players ahead of the tournament in Brazil?
Confidence in football is key. Players will play to their best when their spirits are high, and have belief in their ability. Where as players questioning themselves and thinking about their recent mistakes are always set to struggle to break their poor run of form. Whilst Green’s mistake was a one off error, like every keeper will experience, he had a lack of preparation ahead of the match, with Capello only naming him hours before kick off. With time to mentally prepare, and early support, Hart could be back to his best in Manaus. The City shot stopper needs to regain his confidence, and Hodgson, along with the press, can help restore the 26-year-old’s real ability.
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The gaping hole in Arsenal’s trophy cabinet since 2005 has been the cause of much concern for the Gunners supporters who, along with the press, continue to talk of an ongoing crisis. Fans of sides lower down the leagues can only smile wryly when a ‘crisis’ means only qualifying for the Champions League year in, year out, indeed even the Liverpool fans may begin to wish their club was in a similar position.
Regardless of whether you believe in the crisis talk surrounding the Emirates, there’s no doubt that results haven’t been quite up to scratch in comparison to the early Arsene Wenger years. The Gunners built their legacy, even before the Frenchman took over, on a solid brick wall at the back, with Lee Dixon, Nigel Winterburn, Tony Adams and Steve Bould/Martin Keown forming an impenetrable block in front of David Seaman. Clean sheets became common place and ‘1-0 to the Arsenal’ was the chant heard ringing out round Highbury. Things are quite different now as the names Sebastien Squillaci, Per Mertesacker and Johan Djourou are enough to send shivers down the spine of any Arsenal fan. Rather than put his faith in the youth players as he usually would, Wenger has been out and bought centre backs to try and stop the rot, but the likes of Squillaci and Mertesacker merely made the situation worse.
There is one youth prospect in the ranks that could potentially provide a solution to Arsenal’s defensive woes. Ignasi Miquel has followed a similar route to North London as Cesc Fabregas, starting in the Barcelona academy before sealing a move to England, albeit with a spell at UE Cornella in between. The 19-year-old is perfectly adept at playing either centre back or left back, and considering that the Gunners have struggled for consistency down their left flank, it could well be in that position that Miquel makes his first team breakthrough.
He made his debut against Leyton Orient in the FA Cup, playing the full 90 minutes in both the initial 1-1 draw and then the replay, marking his progression from raw prospect to talented youngster in a rise that saw him made reserve team captain along the way. Last season saw Miquel become a regular in the League Cup campaign that ended in the fifth round, but he also made his league debut for the Gunners, coming on as a substitute in a baptism of fire against Liverpool in August, a game that Arsenal lost 2-0. The young Spanish defender coped well, but suffered the misfortune of being at fault for one of the goals by kicking the ball into Aaron Ramsey’s chest before it ballooned into the net for a costly own goal. It was a difficult time for the youngsters in the Arsenal setup as numerous individuals made their debuts at the beginning of last year, especially considering Wenger’s men produced some poor form and also got trounced 8-2 at Old Trafford, ensuring the Frenchman quickly realised his young troopers weren’t quite ready for action. Although Miquel made his Champions League debut against Olympiacos, his appearances became more sporadic as the year wore on, but he did make his first Premier League start in January, featuring at left back in the 3-2 defeat to Swansea.
Miquel himself has praised the influence of former Gunners favourite Steve Bould, who has taken over as Wenger’s assistant this summer, and certainly the defence looks much better, as Arsenal are yet to concede this season. With Thomas Vermaelen and Laurent Koscielny forming an ever-improving partnership in the heart of defence, Miquel will struggle for game time at centre back and he faces significant competition for the left back spot as well, with Kieran Gibbs and Andre Santos ahead of him in the queue for a first team slot. Miquel was linked with a move to Brighton on loan and given Wenger’s past record with youth players, a temporary move away seems most likely.
Miquel is clearly a talented defender with his ability to nip in front of his opponent and grab an interception and as you’d expect from a man playing under Arsene Wenger, he’s extremely comfortable on the ball. His positional sense needs some work and a lack of pace could be an issue in the future, but better defenders than Miquel have overcome their lack of speed off the mark. Arsenal fought off competition from the likes of Manchester United and Valencia to secure his signature as a mere 16-year-old, while his performances for the Spanish U19 side, who won the 2011 European Championship, won’t have escaped the attentions of those at home.
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He may have been released by Barcelona as a youngster, but Arsenal fans will hoping that Miquel doesn’t follow the same route as Fabregas and return to the Nou Camp in a full circle career move. Undoubtedly, Miquel has the potential to make it to the top at the Emirates and it will be interesting to watch his development over the next couple of years.
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According to the Northern Echo, Tottenham and Chelsea are both interested in Adama Traore, but Tottenham fans are furious about the links.
It feels like a truly make-or-break summer for Tottenham, where the club must decide what they want to be.
If they want to take on Europe’s elite, they need to smash their wage structure, and bring in the type of players to match Mauricio Pochettino’s ambition.
If they don’t do those things, they could find themselves becoming a feeder club to bigger clubs, as the likes of Toby Alderweireld and Danny Rose look to follow Kyle Walker out the door in pursuit of trophies.
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Middlesbrough’s Adama Traore has had a fantastic season in the Championship, but he is certainly not a signing that screams “ambition”, and fans simply do not want the dazzling winger.
The report from the Northern Echo says Tottenham and Chelsea are both chasing the winger, and the fee could even be in excess of £30m.
Traore has averaged a remarkable 7.3 dribbles per game this season, and his end product has improved drastically as well, grabbing five goals and ten assists.
The 22 year-old speedster had a poor showing in the playoff loss to Aston Villa though, which is clearly still fresh in fans’ minds.
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Traore is a great young player with bags of potential, but Spurs already have plenty of those, so what they needed is a few proven winners to take them to the next step.
Fans are echoing that sentiment on Twitter, even comparing him to this season’s scapegoat in Moussa Sissoko, and some of the best reactions can be found below…