Wolves boss Mick McCarty played down the clash between Stephen Ward and Cesc Fabregas during his side's 2-0 defeat at home to Arsenal.
Fabregas was shown a yellow card for a late lunge on the home defender, with some pundits feeling that a red card would have been more appropriate.
However, McCarthy was content that the matter was closed, with Fabregas apologising to Ward after the final whistle at Molineux.
He told reporters:"Fabregas has gone for the ball. It is one of those when two blokes are running at full tilt and you slide in and he has got a cut on his leg.
"Fabregas has been in to apologise and Wardy has accepted it like a man and I wish everyone would stop whingeing about tackling and complaining.
"It wasn't a bad tackle. I've no problem with it at all. It happens. I said to Arsene Wenger I've no problem with the tackle and I really appreciate the apology."
Wenger himself added:"I think it was an accidental tackle, that's what Cesc told me.
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"He went to the dressing room and apologised to the player and he is all right.
"I have not seen the tackle yet, but I have just apologised to Mick McCarthy if the player is injured because I didn't know exactly what had happened."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Aston Villa have a great wealth of youth in their squad at present, but it isn’t even this that’s so significant, it is rather the fact that they have been performing so utterly well. Gerard Houllier can be said to have had faith in playing these youngsters, but one look at the injury list at Villa suggests that one of his hands has been tied into testing such inexperienced players. In football one persons misfortune is another’s gain, and this is evident in this case, with the current players seizing the opportunity to make their marks and leave their calling cards for the future.
The players who are receiving treatment for one ailment or another are Stiliyan Petrov, Nigel Reo-Coker, Emile Heskey, Fabian Delph, John Carew, Carlos Cuellar, Ciaran Clark, Habib Beye, Stephen Ireland, Steve Sidwell and most recently, Richard Dunne. This is a full eleven man squad that has been decimated, leaving Houllier frustrated at the lack of players he has had to choose from. But then Houllier must have breathed a large sigh of relief when the cavalry arrived in the form of Marc Albrighton, Barry Bannan, Jonathan Hogg and Nathan Delfouneso to all but claim what looked to be a memorable victory over Manchester United. To end up drawing with United was no failure, for youth by its very nature, tells of inexperience, yet it all goes some way towards Villa fans increasing their optimism concerning the future of their club.
These young players have all spent considerable time acquainting themselves with each other in the academy and the reserves; this familiarity amongst the players creates a bond that translates itself onto the pitch. They don’t play like individuals who want singular success; on the contrary, they work hard for each other and have a cohesion that is apparent to all onlookers. This is what Manchester United lived off for a number of years when Gary and Philip Neville, David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes were all initiated into the first team with the help of senior squad members and additional signings that were kept to a minimum.
Aston Villa owner Randy Lerner can’t be said to have had such prescience as to have masterminded this outcome, it seems more like serendipity than meticulous planning years in advance. He did deny Martin O’Neill the transfer funds that he requested, which inevitably led to their mutual agreement to part ways, but I’m not sure that was safe in the knowledge of having a youth system that would produce what we now see before us.
If I was a Villa fan then the Beatle’s lyrics of ‘I’ve got to admit it’s getting better, a little better all the time…’, would be circling my thoughts and sung away too in jubilation at the thought of these young players who are more than capable of holding down the fort while the senior players recover. The quandary will pose itself when these senior players start to arrive back and demand their starting place, but then at least January transfer signings aren’t as imperative as first thought.
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In 1972, the FA Cup draw threw out one of those eagerly anticipated David V Goliath ties. Non-league Hereford did well enough to force the tie into a replay at their beloved Edgar Street but not even the most optimistic of fans would have thought they stood a chance of actually winning against much-fancied, first division side Newcastle.
The visitors seemed destined for the next round after going ahead through a late Malcolm Macdonald goal. But Ronnie Radford had other ideas. He scored one of the greatest ever FA cup 30 yard screamers to force the game into extra time.
Edgar Street exploded, but it was nothing like the way the fans celebrated after substitute Ricky George amazingly put the home side ahead. This really was a giant-killing
This game even became the launch-pad for the career of a certain commentator. It was John Motson’s first game since being hired by the BBC. What was only meant to be a five minute segment before the two main games, turned into the featured match. The nations favourite commentator had arrived.
Ronnie Radford and everyone associated with Hereford will regard this as an FA Cup all-time great. Once you watch the footage, who could blame them?
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With another year almost up, and a new one on the way, we can officially enter the ‘assessment’ period. Who has impressed this year? Who is likely to kick on in 2011 and grab some headlines? The Premier League is full of talented young players and the aim of this list is to determine the cream of the crop. All players included are 21 or under (with one exception) and have already managed to impress in some way this season. It’s heartening to see that this list is so populated by young British talent. Given the furore that currently accompanies the state of the England team, the amount of young English talent in the Premier League can only bode well for the future. But this isn’t a list of young British talent – this is a celebration of young talented players from every origin currently playing in the Premier League. Without further ado, I present you with the top ten young Premier League prospects for 2011.
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Click on Phil Jones below to see the top TEN starlets looking to take 2011 by storm
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We have seen so many times before players coming towards the end of their careers join Celtic only to have been massive flops. Roy Keane, Juninho, Ian Wright and Dion Dublin to name a few, can Freddie Ljungberg be any different?
In recent times it has seemed that the former Swedish international has been more interested in his modeling career and the big money moves that the US offers than continuing his football career, I can’t help but take a cynical view on the former Arsenal man’s transfer.
It is fair to say that Ljungberg didn’t exactly enjoy the most fruitful of times at his previous two clubs in America, The Seattle Sounders and Chicago Fire, so what makes us think that playing in the SPL will be any different? Surely the SPL isn’t any better or worse than the MLS?
You can bet that the part time model is on big bucks and for what he offers is it all really worth it? Some would argue that he has a point to prove and with his eagerness to return to a place where football means so much it is only fair that we give the Swede a chance.
Before last weekend’s Old Firm match there was no doubting the fact that he was keen to impress and raring to go. He says “This is the kind of game I’ve missed. Henrik and Johan Mjallby would tell me about the game against Rangers whenever I met them on international duty with Sweden. They’d tell me about the passion, the unbelievable atmosphere and how much the people cared about the outcome. Ever since I arrived in Glasgow the Celtic supporters have been coming up to me in the street and saying, Please sign for us. Freddie”.
Time will only tell whether Celtic have managed to bag a prized asset, however I can’t help but feel Ljunberg is just another has been who is eager to end his career at one of Europe’s top clubs with a healthy cash pay out.
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One of the most entertaining mangers in the Premiership this year is Ian Holloway. He is outspoken, brash, and not scared to disagree with people, or offend them. One of the battle grounds he has been fighting on recently is the value of his best player. Just how much is Charlie Adam worth?
As Sir Alex Ferguson said this week, there is no value in the market, but that has not meant that transfers have not taken place. I heard a little witticism that I think is accurate in transfers; a player is worth as much as someone is willing to pay for them.
So, in this financial climate, I ask firstly, how much should Holloway demand for Charlie Adam? And secondly, how much should someone be willing to offer for him?
I don’t think you can really be sure either way as to how Blackpool would manage without him. This year he has scored 4 goals and got 5 assists. In the two games he has not played they have won away at Sunderland, and lost away at Villa. So how good they are without him is yet to be determined.
What is certain though is that when he does play he is influential. He is a fantastic passer of a football, seems able to dictate the pace of a game, and he is willing to put himself about in the midfield. If Adam kept Blackpool afloat he could be said to earn the club as much as £20 million.
However, I don’t think him staying at Blackpool will keep them up. They are only 6 points above the relegation zone at the moment, and their game in hand is against Manchester United. While they have been unlucky in recent weeks, they are frail in defence and are unable to close out a game. At 7/2, Blackpool to be relegated could be a decent bet.
Teams now do not underestimate Blackpool, and they know what to expect from the Tangerines. I would not be surprised if we see them coming unstuck more and more. With Charlie Adam or not.
So, Holloway should be willing to sell Adam for the largest possible fee. That is now, while Blackpool are still in the Premiership and not in the summer when they could be playing Championship football. Blackpool would more than likely go down if they sold Charlie Adam, but I think they are on their way out anyway.
So, how much should someone be willing to pay for him?
On the one hand, If Liverpool bought him and he helped them finish in the top 6, then he could arguably cause Fernando Torres and others to stay at the club for another season, a decision he may not follow through with should his side miss out on any kind of European football.
On the other hand, I don’t think he would have a massive impact. Rather than improving the squad with 7 million pound players, Liverpool should invest in a superstar (but that is another matter). Liverpool’s main problem is their lack of strikers and their over reliance on Torres. Not, the lack of an ‘Alonso-esque’ type midfielder that Adam has been recognised as. Liverpool should keep their money and spend it elsewhere. Adam is not the solution to Liverpool, so he is worth only a bargain offer for them. If they can get him on the cheap then it would be a great signing. But as he is likely not to be cheap they should give up.
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With the current size of the club and ground, Blackpool desperately needs some investment. The answer has to be that he should be sold for the right offer; I believe that to be around £6-7 million. Not the £15 million that Holloway wants. If Holloway is more realistic, he will get more respect.
There is no way that Blackpool could turn down 6 million pounds. Holloway’s apparent wish for his player to play for one of the ‘biggest clubs in the world’ should come after the club’s desire for some cash. And I don’t think that cash should be Liverpool’s.
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Mexican side Jaguares reached the second round of the Copa Libertadores with a 2-0 win over Alianza Lima on Tuesday.
Leading 2-0 on aggregate after the first leg away from home, Jaguares’ hopes of making the group stage of the competition were boosted when Lima’s Edgar Villamarin was sent off after 28 minutes of the return leg.
It took the Mexican side until well into the second half to make the most of their numerical advantage however, with Antonio Pedroza, who also scored the opener in the first leg, found the back of the net on 69 minutes.
Antonio Salazar then put the icing on the cake five minutes later to give Jaguares a 4-0 aggregate win and send them through to the next round.
Argentina’s Independiente also reached the group stage despite suffering a 1-0 loss to Deportivo Quito in their second leg match in Ecuador.
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Deportivo’s Michael Quinonez scored the only goal at the Estadio Olimpico Atahualpa, but it failed to overturn Independiente’s 2-0 lead from the first leg.
Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness believes the Bundesliga club are a ‘superpower’ when star duo Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery are on song.
Bayern are currently third in the Bundesliga, thirteen points behind runaway leaders Borussia Dortmund.
However, if they can keep both Ribery and Robben fit and Dortmund begin to falter, the Bavarian giants still have an outside chance of defending their Bundesliga title.
Since Robben’s return to Bayern’s side after a thigh injury the Dutchman has scored four times in as many games, with his side winning all four matches.
However, Hoeness believes it is not just Robben who is making a difference.
“Even after all this the people should not forget that Franck Ribery has played exceptionally, on Saturday, for example, he didn’t score but he was involved in two or three of them,” Hoeness said, adding: “With both of them playing we are a superpower.”
In contrast, former Bayern defender Willy Sagnol believes that relying on Robben and Ribery too much is dangerous.
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“The other players always expect something from them, they expect the decisive goal or the decisive pass and even though that is normal, therein lies a problem,” Sagnol said.
Bayern’s next match in the Bundesliga is against fifth-placed Mainz on Saturday.
To celebrate the world renowned Cheltenham Festival that is taking place this week, we thought it would be apt to take a look at the cross-overs that occur between the worlds of football and horse racing.
Football and horse racing go hand-in-hand. Footballers have always loved to have a flutter at the races and with the increased amount of money in football these days, more and more players and managers are buying shares in horses.
So here’s a look at those people in the world of football that will be keeping a close eye on what is going on at Cheltenham this week and if they haven’t got a horse running, you can be sure that they’ll be having a bet instead!
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Click on Bowyer below to launch the Gallery
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This week’s football entertainment is as good as ever. I don’t know any neutral football fan in the country who didn’t enjoy watching Manchester United’s trip to Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night. But just as intriguing was the slightly less glamorous Premier League match-up. Stoke City’s game against West Brom may not go any way to deciding the home of the coveted trophy for the next 12 months, but it still throws up it’s own issues. Tony Pulis’ Stoke side have built the foundations of a Premier League side through a direct and aggressive style – a style they’ve been much criticised for, whereas the Baggies are once again facing relegation from the top flight, despite an ethos of playing the game the right way. So, style or substance? Results or relegation?
I read an article not so long ago that targeted Stoke and labelled them ‘one dimensional’. Before I invite a plethora of Potters fans to hurl insults at me, I’d like to set the record straight that I’m not doing the same. In fact, I’m incredibly impressed with the job Pulis has done and since the Staffordshire side has established themselves in the Premier League, he has added talent to his more robust squad of players. Matt Etherington, Jermaine Pennant and Jon Walters hardly fit the mould of big and powerful. But, Stoke’s ability to build on their sustained Premier League status came from a basic tactic of playing to their strengths – and at the time a lot of that meant asking Rory Delap to roll his sleeves up and launch rockets into the box from his own half.
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Compare it to Stoke’s Monday night opposition, and we once again find ourselves back to the root of the debate. West Brom have become the club we all refer to as too good for the Championship, but not good enough for the Premier League. But every time they do try and shake off that unwanted tag, the Baggies always fall short despite trying to play ‘the right way’. But is it the right way? What is the right way? Surely, given Stoke’s ability to remain safe from relegation, their style isn’t far off being, well, right?
The advocate for ‘sexy football’ (so most Arsenal fans) would completely rubbish any suggestion that Stoke have found the ‘right way’ to play. But say what you want about the way they go about their business, they will still be a Premier League club next season and Pulis will once again look to add more quality to his squad. I fear for West Brom this season. For all of their efforts, they don’t seem good enough to play decent football and still get results.
It’s an argument that won’t go away, so seeing as the two sides who seem to be at the centre of the debate played each other this week I thought I’d have my two-pence worth. Playing with style for a team like West Brom is admirable, but in the grand scheme of things, you really have to question whether it is really enough. Stoke’s success may not be too pleasing on the eye, but boy is it effective. Reverse that and you get West Brom – a side who may well be playing Championship football once again next season. Style or substance? Results or relegation? It’s certainly a tough one. But I’m sure West Brom fans will take horrible football if it meant another season in the top flight.
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