Wigan manager Roberto Martinez has stated that he is not concerned that his side are in the bottom three in the league, and feels that good results are just round the corner.
The Latics were beaten 3-1 at home by fellow strugglers Bolton on Saturday, making it five defeats on the trot for the DW Stadium outfit.
Despite this, the Spaniard is not panicking and feels the league table should only be assessed come the end of the season.
“The table counts in May. That’s the only time it counts,” he told Mirror Football.
“The top seven got stronger, but of the other 13 teams, they can all get dragged into it.
“If you are in a good position now it doesn’t mean you’re going to be OK. It’s such a competitive league. We know what we’ve go to do.
“We’ve got many good options and we need to work on very basic concepts. If we’d not been able to compete in those games it would be more of a concern.
“But good results are around the corner because in every game we’ve been competitive at some stage and there have been specific reasons why we’ve had these scorelines,” he commented.
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Wigan take on in-form and unbeaten Newcastle at St James’ Park next weekend, and will be keen to get something from the game to stop their slide.
Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has admitted that his side have had an excellent start to the season, but has stated that the St James’ Park outfit are not yet challengers for a top four finish.
The Tyneside team are unbeaten after ten games, and currently hold third place with 22 points.
Despite his team being in good form, Pardew knows that it will be difficult to break into the top four this campaign.
“Are we contenders? No. We have had a great start and shown lots of sides to our team in the last 10 games. What we have done is put some pride back into the shirt,” he told Mirror Football.
“Could that create high expectations? That is not a problem. You are underestimating the knowledge of our fans.
“I didn’t expect us to be going into this game unbeaten, that’s for sure. So, in that respect, we’ve exceeded my expectations for the team. But I honestly felt in pre-season that, potentially, we had a good side.
“I haven’t raised my targets yet. I did say that 10 games would be an indicator of what sort of team we would be, and I think that is a good barometer. But because of the next month in front of us, perhaps it gives me a little bit more breathing space to find out.
“We are obviously going into a run against the real quality sides in the division. After that, I think we’ll know a little bit more, but we’ve certainly proven we are a decent side. I really don’t sense that the supporters have unrealistic expectations.
“When I’ve been in and around fans and in and around the city, most of the people are just really pleased with the way things are going. There’s a pride, and maybe this team has gone a long way towards putting a spring back in everyone’s step in the city.
“But I don’t see people thinking we are going to be Champions League material or a top-four team. I don’t see that pressure building. Maybe it will if we are still in this position with two months of the season to go, but not at the moment, no,” he admitted.
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Newcastle host Everton this Saturday at St James’ Park, and will look to build extra confidence as they have a tricky run of fixtures throughout November.
Liverpool striker Luis Suarez is under investigation from the FA again, as he reportedly made an obscene gesture towards Fulham fans in his side’s 1-0 defeat to The Cottagers on Monday night.
The Uruguay international was visibly frustrated in The Reds loss in London, and was pictured raising his middle finger to the home faithful in wake of the defeat.
The FA, who are already looking into supposed racist comments that the South American forward made to Patrice Evra back in October, will examine the incident closer.
Anfield boss Kenny Dalglish refused to comment on the situation, and feels that Suarez needs to be protected better from the authorities.
“I’ve not seen the picture and I am not taking anybody’s word for it. But until you have proved it is true to me, I won’t comment,” he told Sky Sports.
“At the end of the day, we will look after Luis the best we can and I think it is about time he got a bit of protection from some people,” he stated.
Dalglish was also furious with chants from the Fulham faithful aimed at Suarez, which branded him a cheat.
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To buy or not to buy – the big question facing Arsene Wenger this January. Thanks to a bit of bad luck and a series of injuries Arsenal currently find themselves without a single fit full-back. Bacary Sagna is out of action as is fill-in full-back Carl Jenkinson and Kieran Gibbs. The recent news that Andre Santos is facing three months out on the sidelines stirred up some panic amongst fans. How would the Gunners adapt to this latest crisis?
The answer, it seems, is to play four centre-backs in all four of the defensive positions. How long that solution will prove successful remains to be seen. So should Wenger bring in some cover during the January transfer window?
And who could they bring in? Wenger may well be tempted to bring in Taye Taiwo , the Nigerian International who isn’t getting much of a look in at AC Milan. It’s rumoured that Newcastle United are entering negotiations with Milan to take him on loan, but couldn’t the Gunners hijack such a deal?
He’s even more appealing given the fact that Nigeria didn’t qualify for the African Cup of Nations this year and thus won’t be off for an extended period of time next year.
The danger of bringing in another player is that once all the left-backs at the club are all fit, they just won’t get a look in. Competition within the squad is one thing, but it has to be remembered that there is a 25-man-squad limit, and having 5 full-backs just doesn’t seem necessary.
But a loan move does have some appeal. Santos will be absent for three months (let’s not forget that with these long-term injuries it’s often difficult to assess how long the recovery period will be) and will take time to recover fitness and find some form.
With Taiwo on loan, there’d be no rushing players who aren’t quite ready back onto the pitch. The likes of Gibbs and Santos will be left to recover at their own pace. What’s more, I think at this stage in their careers, Taiwo is a better player than Gibbs.
Unfortunately he’s played in the Champions League for Milan and would thus be cup-tied should he join Arsenal on loan.
On balance however, this is an area Arsene needs to consider carefully this January and I for one hope he finds someone to bring in with a loan deal. And who better that Taiwo?
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What’s your take? Do Arsenal need to bring in a full-back this January?
Article courtesy of Harry Cloke from This is Futbol
Arsenal forward Thierry Henry has told the club’s fans not to expect heroics from him in every match, and stated that he will be happy if he can help the club succeed over the next two months.
The Gunners’ all-time top goalscorer came off the bench to score the winner against Leeds on Monday night in a dream return to the Emirates, and secure an FA Cup fourth round tie with Aston Villa.
However Henry has stated that he won’t be able to replicate the form that shot him to legendary status in his first stint in North London, and he is back to help Arsene Wenger.
“I know I scored, but that is not going to happen every time I play. I don’t know if my runs were intelligent or not but that’s the way I play,” the French forward told Arsenal Player.
“I am going to try to bring what I can. Maybe another time it won’t be enough, but I will always try my best.
“I love the club – I say it so many times. We are not going to redo the story – I just love the club and that’s how it is.
“If the boss needs me for 30 seconds, a minute, if he doesn’t need me, I am going to try to be around the guys and help in the dressing room.
“I always want more so I don’t know if it is going to be a goal, a pass or a tackle.
“I am here to be another player, to help the squad and that is it,” he finished.
Arsenal travel to the Liberty Stadium next to take on Swansea on Sunday.
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There is no doubt where Liverpool have struggled this season and had Kenny Dalglish’s men been able to turn at least half of their home draws into wins then they would be right in the mix for a top four finish this season. The lack of firepower in the final third has frustrated Dalglish, who seemed bereft of ideas to describe their struggles. Today’s defeat at Bolton was a bitter pill for Liverpool, who have continued find it tough to dispatch the teams in the lower reaches of the Premier League.
While the Reds maybe misfiring on the pitch, they certainly aren’t off it as Liverpool have secured a lucrative kit deal with Warrior Sports. The deal is worth a reported £25m per season – the biggest kit sponsorship in the Premier League. It certainly gives Kenny Dalglish a chance to spend big in January, although the Scot has been a little coy about potential transfer targets.
This week at FFC we have seen a mixed bag of blogs that include; Liverpool finally reach their potential; the Reds too slow to crack the top four, while how can the Reds bridge the Academy gap.
Best of LFC
The key ingredient in Dalglish’s recipe for success
WAG Weekly – Charlie Adam bags himself a beauty!
Liverpool FC finally recognise their potential
Footballers continue to see red amidst the mist of subjectivity
Are Liverpool simply too slow to crack the top four?
The ideal signing that both Liverpool and Arsenal should battle for
Liverpool FC’s top TEN ‘Cult Heroes’ of all time?
Liverpool secure lucrative deal
How can football clubs bridge the academy gap?
Is Liverpool’s recent transfer approach a cause for concern?
Torres, Carroll, what about Nasri?
Does a footballer’s reputation have an influence over such matters?
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Best of WEB
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The Time Has Come for These Two to Be Given Their Chance – Live4Liverpool
Why Dalglish is Doing a Good Job – Tomkins Times
Liverpool Striking Options | Who’s going to fill the onion bag? – Anfield Index
King Kenny’s Return – A Year On – This is Anfield
Finance remains stumbling block in legacy of false promises – Daily Telegraph
Dalglish’s BIG 6 January Targets: Which Will Deliver Champions League Football? – Transfer Tavern
Quote of the Weekend
“When I have been playing over the years and doing well, someone else has had to sit on the bench for me. The roles have reversed now and you have to show respect to the manager, the club and the players playing in my position. I appreciate that.The club have done a lot for me over the years and I’m not going to say anything or cause any trouble just because I’m not playing.” Jamie Carragher (Mirror)
Bolton moved themselves out of the relegation zone after beating a slack Liverpoolside to record only their second win at the Reebok Stadium this season.
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Owen Coyle’s side had lost eight of their 10 home games and hadn’t been victorious in front of their own supports since beating Stoke 5-0 back in November. However goals from Mark Davies, Nigel Reo Coker and Gretar Steinsson sealed an unlikely success against Kenny Dalglish’s side as their hopes of Champions League football suffered a massive hit with Craig Bellamy scoring their consolation. At the other end of the table the Trotters provided themselves with a huge boost in their bid for survival moving out of the bottom three in a game that could prove to be a huge turning point in their season. As for Liverpool they’ll be once again ruing their inability to score goals as a blunt attack featuring Bellamy and misfiring Andy Carroll failed to break down a Bolton defence that has conceded 47 goals in 21 games.
It’s in stark contrast to the visiting back four that has the second best defensive record in the Premier League but it took only four minutes for Bolton to breach it as Davies fired low into the bottom corner after striding unchallenged from just inside the opposition half. That seemed to stun the Liverpool rearguard into a sense of bewilderment as,moments later the usually reliable Jose Enrique lost possession to Chris Eagles on the right only for his cross to evade every white shirt in the penalty. Dalglish’s side struggled to get themselves into the game but finally sparked into life as they appealed to referee Kevin Friend for a penalty after the ball appeared to hit Zat Knights hand. The official merely brushed away any pleas and the Reds found themselves two down as Eagles picked his way through a gap in the 27th minute before dinking the ball over for Re0-Coker to finish from six-yards. The away side upped their efforts after that and halved the deficit eight minutes before half time as Bellamy raced onto Carroll’s flick before clipping the ball over Adam Bogdan.
The Reds seemed to increase their momentum after break in search of an equaliser but their hopes of a comeback were dashed early in the second half as Steinsson volleyed past Pepe Reina after David Wheater had rose highest to nod Martin Petrov‘s corner across goal. Liverpool laboured after that with Daniel Agger hitting the bar with a stinging 25-yard drive and Bellamy testing Bogdan with a tame low shot. However Dalglish’s men failed to sufficiently threaten the Bolton defence as Coyle’s men gave themselves a timely lift with games against Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City on the horizon.
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Click on Roger Johnson’s misses below to unveil our current Premier League Wag XI
Are you fed up with the monotonous tones of Alan Smith? Are you increasingly annoyed that Gary Neville has defied expectations and turned out to be a good pundit? Or do you worry Jamie Redknapp will injure himself every time he trips over his own words? Then fear not because Sky’s stint as the broadcasting powerhouse may soon be under threat.
According to Ross Hair, the head of ESPN for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Qatar-owned broadcaster al-Jazeera are considering mounting a challenge for the domestic TV coverage of the Premier League.
Hair told the Evening Standard: “We’re expecting another Premier League auction in April or May. An al-Jazeera bid is a realistic prospect.”
The current three-year deal is already worth an estimated £1.782bn and a bidding war between Rupert Murdoch’s vast empire and the financial muscle of al-Jazeera would surely see that figure sky rocket.
Rumours revolving around a potential migration to the Premier League have been escalating since al-Jazeera beat the French premium television channel Canal Plus to the Ligue 1 and Champions League rights.
However, the Qatar broadcasters first ensured the purchase of French giants PSG was completed by Qatar Investment Authority so they could build a brand around one of the biggest clubs in the nations capital, before setting their sights on the naming rights. At present they don’t possess the same influence in the UK but there are certainly similarities with the recent Abu Dhabi inspired takeover at Manchester City.
The upcoming auction may also see a surprise new candidate enter the fray with technology firm Apple said to be weighing up a bid. According to reports it perceives Premier League football as the ideal type of premium content that could draw UK users to the Apple TV service. Apple boasts a financial arm that can dig deep into the companies $70 billion cash reserves so few can write them off in their self-titled “assault on the living room”.
The ramifications for Sky losing out would be monumental, having accumulated a large portion of its subscribers through its unrivalled sports package. It will be interesting to see how they react to this impending challenge, having thrived for so many years without a worthy rival in the market.
What will this mean for the viewing audience? Are people willing to leave Sky and follow the coverage to new, uncharted waters? Perhaps one positive will see more people flock back to the pubs or even down to their local club in search of their football fix.
Last year the FA had to accept a 30% drop in the income for its two-year FA Cup and England games deal renewal with ITV but the Premier League has always been a very shrewd negotiator and this new interest should hail a lucrative new pay day for all concerned.
However, there has been growing unrest amongst the top clubs regarding their percentage from the overall income, with some even hinting that they could break away and seek their own deals in the future. Liverpool’s managing director, Ian Ayre insists that the Premier League must do its upmost to compete with the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona.
“If Real Madrid, Barcelona or other big European clubs realise their international media value, where does that leave Liverpool and Man United? We’ll just share ours because we’ll all be nice to each other?”
There is certainly evidence to back his claims when you take into account Liverpool received around £18m from the overall pot last year whereas Barcelona’s and Real Madrid’s engineered deals with Mediapro that saw them obtain a staggering £136m.
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Ayre suggests that whilst it’s fair that the domestic TV rights are shared equally, the ‘big’ clubs should receive a greater slice of the International revenue because of the superior popularity of Liverpool, Man United, Chelsea and Arsenal in Asia and the Middle East.
With that in mind, does the Premier League elite deserve a bigger percentage of TV deals or will this serve only to increase the gulf in wealth with clubs outside the top 6? Would a break away turn the Premier League into a less competitive and exciting division?
Leave a comment below or find me on Twitter @theunusedsub where I’ll be praying Huntelaar has forgotten to bring his club form on International duty this week.
As of the English persuasion ourselves, it is sometimes hard to gain a perspective of our own identity looking inwards on the world stage. We are certainly a charismatic, dedicated and proud nation. Perhaps too proud? If you are a Chelsea fan and the mere mention of Tom Henning Ovrebo makes your blood boil or you were a volunteer in aid of the England 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids only to be beaten by the outposts of Russia and Qatar, you may be short to frustratingly exclaim FIFA, UEFA and all the authorities hate us.
But we really don’t help ourselves do we? The Independent reported recently how FA member Sir Dave Richards went and attended a press conference in Qatar, only to irk the locals through criticising the country’s anti-alcohol stance and brashly, perhaps stupidly stating that FIFA and UEFA indeed ‘stole’ the game from this country’s governance.
The brave Richards may have got a few issues of his chest, but again embarrassed our nation with the tired old school ground notion that ‘it was ours first’. Unsurprisingly, the Premier League acted quickly to distance themselves from the personal quotes of Richards, and a collective sigh was aired that we went and made yet another blooper. Richards’ outburst is set to live long in the memories of the authorities and will only serve to hamper relations between England and FIFA even more past the astronomical levels they already resemble.
Indeed, it was a massive disappointment for all connected to miss out upon hosting the World Cup, but our attitude in response to the news was one a screaming toddler would be proud of. Richards remarks are excruciatingly cringing to recall and his all guns blazing approach definitively contributes to the already prevalent stereotype that the English are sore losers, loud and trouble.
The only credence in Richards argument was his statement of fact in that we did indeed forge the game that we know today, but to claim FIFA stole the game away is ludicrous. Some may already feel an ‘us and them’ concept in relation to England’s relationship with football’s governing bodies but to criticise Qatar’s traditions and cultures surrounding alcohol was a move a genius would be turning in his grave about.
What is certain is that Richards’ archaic attitude that England should rule the world in football terms is one that isn’t rare. Although the Premier League and influential bodies may want to ‘play the game’ with FIFA, most average people perhaps believe Richards has a point that England aren’t liked internationally, and are paying some sort of punishment in not receiving lucrative hosting of competitions.
We have to accept that the English empire ideal is one that is old-fashioned, ancient and non-valid. No longer is the game played exclusively amongst industrial working men. The game is now an international product and better relations between this country and the bodies that run it are imperative in terms of forging future opportunities.
Did Richards have a point and just presented it badly or are we too proud and arrogant as a nation? Follow me @ http://twitter.com/Taylor_Will1989
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If you got a spare 5mins then watch the latest episode of ‘The Football Coffee Break’
Leeds United don’t do ‘ordinary’ seasons. We’re either battling for promotion, fighting off relegation, contesting points deductions, trying to remove Ken Bates etc, but I couldn’t imagine it any other way. Being one of those teams that just happily sits in mid-table wouldn’t feel right, the ones that beat the odd good team now and again but never really give the fans too much to shout, or argue, about.
This season has been no different, even though we currently occupy a mid-table position we’ve got every chance to finish a lot higher, but I’m not sure I dare believe it, yet. The thing with Leeds is that we just can’t do it the easy way. We can’t just lose a few in a row, leaving us with no hope, or win a few in a row and cement our place in the playoffs, oh no. Instead, we do it the Leeds United way. The last week has been a perfect example of this, after our 7-3 defeat to Nottingham Forest we looked out of it, too inconsistent, too out of our depth. We accepted that this wasn’t going to be our season, and agreed that even if other teams slipped up in the next few games we could never get promoted with a defence capable of conceding seven goals at home. Cue a 1-0 win over Millwall, clean sheet in hand.
Then look. Three points off a playoff place, five points off Brighton in 4th.
Not only that, but we’re all feeling fairly happy again. Don’t get me wrong, there’s still a long way to go in the Ken Bates saga and I’m sure that L.U.S.T will be continuing their excellent work into making the fans voices and opinions heard, but we’re concentrating on the football again and no matter how you currently feel about Bates, that has to be a good thing.
I don’t know how we’re still involved in the race for the playoffs, I honestly don’t, but I couldn’t be happier that we are. For a while we looked like becoming one of the mid-table teams I referred to earlier, ending our season early and watching the rest of it play out without a care in the world. But no, that’d be too easy, too straight forward, too unlike Leeds.
The result against Watford on Saturday may heavily dent morale, but any team in the top half of the table can still reach the play offs in my opinion, with teams stuttering above us and teams hitting form below us, Neil Warnock and the boys have now got to decide which of the two groups they will join.
Game on.
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The agent of Manchester United captain Nemanja Vidic has dismissed rumours that the Premier League champions will sell the defender to Juventus this summer.
The Serbian centre half has been injured for the majority of the season with cruciate ligament damage, after picking up the injury against Basel in the Champions League back in December.
With a raft of younger central defenders coming through the ranks at Old Trafford, rumours were rife that Vidic may well be shipped on once the transfer window reopens.
Juventus are thought to be long-term admirers of the eastern European defender, but Silvano Martina has rubbished a potential move to Turin for his client.
“Vidic is still out with a cruciate ligament injury,” he told Italian reporters, translated to English by Mirror Football.
“A future in Italy? You have to consider that he has a non-EU passport, and that would make it difficult for him to arrive in Serie A.
“I can assure you that I have never spoken with Juventus about Nemanja,” he concluded.
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