Struggling Major League Soccer clubs Chicago Fire and Vancouver Whitecaps both sacked their coaches on Monday.Carlos de los Cobos has been shown the door in Chicago after leading the Fire to an overall 1-4-6 record this season.
The Fire, who have gone winless in their past nine matches, sit second-bottom in the Eastern Conference with nine points from 11 games.
Meanwhile, Teitur Thordarson has paid the price for Vancouver’s poor start to life in the MLS, sacked at the rookie club following a winless streak dating back to their first-ever match in the top-flight.
The Whitecaps have not won since announcing their arrival in the MLS with a 4-2 defeat of Toronto FC in March.
They prop up the Western Conference table with nine points from 12 matches.
Director of Soccer Operations Tom Soehn will take over in Vancouver on an interim basis, while technical director and former Fire player Frank Klopas has been handed the reins in Chicago.
1. Gareth Bale can tear a European Cup winning defence to pieces – The outstanding performer of the night and across both ties, it is difficult to look past the young Welshman. To have completely dominated Maicon, a right back widely regarded as the best in the world – albeit predominantly for his attacking prowess as opposes to his defensive capabilities – so completely demonstrated a truly world class performance from a player announcing himself on the world stage. He continued from where he left of in the San Siro, where this victory really began with such a spirited comeback driven by Bale. Confident in the knowledge that he had the pace to beat the slow and ageing Inter defence. The highlight coming in the 89th minute when he received the ball deep in his own half. He showed tremendous turn of pace with a kick and chase past Nwankwo, giving him a taste of what Maicon had experienced all night. Then to have the ability and composure to roll the ball into the path of the oncoming Pavlyuchenko was from the top draw. A run that demonstrated his stamina, confidence and commitment as well as skill in the dying moments of the game.
2. Younes Kaboul is developing into an assured centre back – At the other end of the pitch there was no repeat of the disastrous start made in the corresponding fixture two weeks ago. Far from being torn apart by a free-flowing Inter attack, the visitors were reduced to few clear cut chances. The defence as a whole put in a greatly improved performance with notable support given by Huddlestone and Modric, who again was involved in the early stages of the majority of Tottenham attacks. But the standout player for me across the backline was Kaboul who played like the mature centre back alongside his vastly more experienced partner William Gallas. It was a performance that signalled the vast improvement made by a player, who has come a long way since he was shipped out the back door of Spurs to Portsmouth in the summer of 2008. I was initially sceptical of Kaboul’s ability as a football player, seeing a powerful quick athlete, who seemed to lack a football brain during his first spell at Tottenham. However during his spell at Portsmouth and second spell with Spurs he has shown himself as a decent young defender, capable of winning the ball and bringing it out of defence to start attacks. This enable players like Modric and Huddlestone more freedom to move forward whilst Spurs are in possession at the back.
3. It is possible to play successfully without an out and out midfield enforcer – The central midfield of Tottenham consisting of Modric, Huddlestone and VDV, consisted of three technically gifted football players who are all confident and capable of passing the ball across the field to switch the point of attack along with excellent touch. However none of these players are renowned for their tackling ability or protecting the back four, which is seen as a necessary player by many in the modern game. Both Modric and Huddlestone worked hard to track back and cover the field, and without a player like Palacios were able with the defence to prevent an extremely talented Inter attack from penetrating the Spurs backline.
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4. Spurs can raise their game for big European ties – It seems almost a simple observation but after convincingly beating the European Champions, there is obviously sufficient talent there to mix with the cream of the Premiership and Europe. However domestically the consistency is not there. Lacklustre defeats against Wigan and West Ham, both relegation candidates, show signs of a team that are inconsistent and unable to produce to this standard with sufficient regularity. The defeat to Manchester United at the weekend continued a bleak run of 17 years without a win at the so called “big 4”. This is a problem that needs to be addressed as it has formed a tremendous mental challenge to the players going to places where they have such atrocious records makes the game that much harder and defeat at Old Trafford was almost inevitable.
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5. Benitez had no answers to Bale’s attacking presence – Finally a note on the opposition. Despite being given a demonstration of what Bale can do to Maicon when given the opportunity in the second half at the San Siro. Benitez did not address this sufficiently either before kick or at any point during the game. Two weeks ago Everton were able to sufficiently nullify the threat from Bale through Phil Neville and Johnny Heitinga. This was done by reducing the space Bale had and crowding him out of the game. When Lucio was being pulled over from centre back he was unable to stop Bale as he was already rampaging at full pace – a pace much quicker than Lucio could keep up with. The key to Everton’s success was preventing Bale getting to full speed coupled with forcing him onto his weaker foot. Time and again against Inter Bale was allowed all too easily to go on the outside on his favoured left foot. Surely putting an experienced player such as Zanetti on Bale to assist Maicon and showing him on to his right foot would have stalled Bale’s main threat. But Benitez had nothing to offer to deter Bale’s threat.
Did I miss the public announcement declaring football was in a state of turmoil? It seems that with each new day someone is trying to implement a new rule change or tweak the structure of our beautiful game. From where I’m standing football is still without doubt the most compelling, exciting and above all entertaining sport on the planet. So why are we continually seeking to improve it?
The latest topic to kick up a storm is the prolonged debate surrounding goal-line technology. Clint Hill’s header clearly crossed the line in QPR’s 2-1 defeat against Bolton prompting manager Mark Hughes and subsequently the FA to voice their view that the technology should be introduced “as soon as possible”.
Frank Lampard’s ‘goal’ against Germany in the 2010 World Cup is still an open wound amongst many England fans, but let us not forget that there are many who believe Geoff Hurst’s strike in the 1966 World Cup Final should not have stood. We’re often witness to the increasingly common cliché that ‘these things even themselves out over the course of the season’. Is this true? Football is one of those games that exists solely in the present in the eyes of the fans, which is why many of you reading this will be disagreeing wholeheartedly.
On Monday night fans swamped Twitter to condemn Michael Oliver’s decision not to award Fulham a penalty in the dying moments of their defeat at Old Trafford. The age old belief that you never get a penalty at Fergie’s house was dug back up and yet just a few months prior in November, Newcastle were gifted an incredibly dubious penalty in their 1-1 draw with the champions. Perhaps there’s a case to suggest that every team suffers an equal form of ‘injustice’ over the course of their campaign.
Football is a game that is built and essentially thrives on emotion, which is why most of the calls for drastic changes emerge from post-match interviews. A manager, coach or player will often mask their own faults by attributing their failure to win the game to something out of their control, i.e. a refereeing decision. However, the idea that these isolated incidents are the sole reason for determining a result is ludicrous as there is no way of predicting how the game would have evolved as a result of a decision going the other way.
Uefa president Michel Platini remains defiant that he will not allow the sport to mutate into what he calls ‘playstation football’ and has instead implemented two further assistants in Champions League games. Perhaps it is too early to accurately gauge the success of the scheme but I am yet to see these extra officials make a significant impact on the referee’s performance or on the game itself. They just seem to get in the way, highlighted in yesterday’s fixture between Benfica and Chelsea whereby the linesman signalled the ball had gone out of play and yet the extra official remained muted despite being right on top of the incident. It all looks a bit ridiculous, with their batons (that would be better used to restore order at corners), and furthermore this puzzling decision appears to have resulted from a reluctance to make a more logical if rather more drastic decision regarding goal-line technology.
Moving away from the technology argument, another key change that is soon to make its way into English football is the Elite Player Performance Plan, which will have a significant and widely detrimental impact on the football league. The idea has been born out of the belief that the country is failing to produce enough ‘stars of the future’ and yet the academies of Southampton and Crystal Palace continue to flourish, having produced a number of young players who have made their mark in the first team in recent years. Why should the ‘minnows’ be punished because the elite teams in this country are apparently struggling to reap any rewards from their ineffective academies? This is an extreme ‘by an means necessary’ measure that the FA have introduced in their blind pursuit for international glory.
In my previous article a point was raised regarding the introduction of sin bins, the idea being that they would reduce the number of futile dismissals and allow situations to be more easily diffused. Aside from the concern that you are effectively sending someone off for a small timeframe, there is a worry that this would instigate the ‘Americanisation’ of the sport, creating a snowball effect that would see football lose its identity. How long before the media-inspired Super Sunday mutates into a garish version of Superbowl with extravagant halftime shows and a bombardment of expensive adverts?
For a few years now, a number of high-profile managers have called for the introduction of a winter break, claiming that the Christmas period is too hectic. However this set of relentless games is one of the reasons the English top-flight is such a wonderful, engaging spectacle and justifies the reasons clubs have such a large squad. Last week Dalglish claimed his players were too tired after a spell of three games in a week, but this was clearly a poor attempt to disguise their own dismal performance and certainly wont serve them well if they are to return to the European competitions next season. Remember if we do have a fortnight breather in January we’re all likely to be dragged down to the sales and that’s a living hell even a footballers wallet shouldn’t have to endure.
One change that I do hold in high regard is the imminent introduction of the Financial Fair Play procedures, whereby teams will effectively be forced to operate within their means. With an alarming number of clubs slipping into administration, the new regulations should inspire those in charge to act responsibly and ensure a brighter future in the game.
Whilst there are plenty of strong arguments for a number of these adjustments in football, I get the feeling that with any new major change you are simply exchanging old problems for a bunch of new ones. This past week we’ve had a 7-3 scoreline, three 90th minute strikes in Premier League alone and an amazing show of support for a player fighting for his life. Football isn’t on the decline, we just need to allow ourselves to enjoy it more.
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Come and find me on Twitter @theunusedsub where I’ve already fled the beer garden to reserve my seat in the pub for the Barca v Milan clash
You sensed a sigh of relief came out of Anfield at the club’s failure to secure a Europa League spot last weekend. Jamie Carragher in particular believes that missing out will enable the club to focus solely on getting back in the top four without the added interference of Thursday night games to trips all over Europe.
At FFC this week we have seen a mixed bag of Liverpool blogs that includes why Young should move to Anfield; Kenny in £10m battle and Rafa Benitez’s telling contribution to Liverpool FC
We also look at the best Liverpool articles around the web this week.
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The TEN ‘Key Moments’ that changed this Premier League season
Why a move to Liverpool is in his best interests
Rafa Benitez’s telling contribution at Anfield
FIVE transfer disasters of this Premier League season
The one missing ingredient preventing Liverpool becoming great again?
Wenger and Dalglish in £10m battle for Ivorian
Young talented and local – the ideal signing for Liverpool?
Liverpool’s transfer ambition sways opinion?
The Andy Carroll Conundrum
Is Kenny Dalglish right to question the silence?
Kenny set to offer Cole as bait to secure deal
* Best of Web *
Are these the priorities for Liverpool’s Summer Spending? – Live4Liverpool
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Dalglish and Clarke: The Formula is Complete – Tomkins Times
A bright Red future – This Is Anfield
[Video] Top 4 Liverpool goals of the season – Our Kop
Chris Hughton may not have admitted it before kick-off but a victory in last weekend’s Tyne-Wear derby has gone a long way towards securing the Newcastle boss and new deal at St James’ Park.
The constant, somewhat unwarranted speculation around Hughton’s future masked what has been a very decent start from a Newcastle side relying on more or less the same personnel that took them down two years ago. Kevin Nolan’s hat-trick is not the only good news the Newcastle captain has received this week; a court has granted tearaway striker Andy Carroll permission to stay in a hotel as he awaits trial for assaulting a former girlfriend.
On the blogs this week, we ask if former manager Kenny Dalglish has identified the problems surrounding Hughton’s contract saga and Elliot O’Reilly winds the clock back and discovers what happened to one time Newcastle striker, Mirandinha. Also this week, there is analysis of how the same band of disinterested, poorly motivated players that flopped out of the top flight 18 months ago are now back, hungry for the challenges of the Premier League.
There are also some cracking contributions as we scour the best of the web.
Featured Articles
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The Premier League’s New Comic Strip #2
WAG War: Mackems do battle at St James Park…it could get messy!
Who needs more big money signings at Newcastle?
Does Kenny underline the real problem at Newcastle United?
Whatever happened to Newcastle’s Mirandinha?
Are Newcastle hanging him out to dry?
Top ten most controversial Premiership moments
TEN things that we have noticed from the Premier League this season
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Click here to see the Best NEWCASTLE BLOGS around the Web this week
Best of the Web
We are not getting carried away with seventh place- The Newcastle United blog
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Face it Brucey- derby day hammering was in the post- Blog on the Tyne
Four battles that must be won at The Emirates. – NUFC Blog
A month of Saturdays: October 2010- Black and white all over
Are Newcastle fans now more realistic? – NUFC Blog
Scouting in football can be a risky business, and Mick McCarthy’s TV appearance at the weekend reminded me of this. During Sunday’s edition of Goals on Sunday, the former gaffer explained how his scouts at the club had spent time looking at young Irish winger James McClean – who has become a vital part of Sunderland’s team in recent months. However, after considering the options available, McCarthy and his team opted to sign the much-senior Stephen Hunt instead – a decision which has since been questioned by fans.
But let’s be honest, scouting isn’t all that easy. We’ve all sat on Football Manager at some point screaming at the screen after shelling out tens of millions on a player dubbed a ‘wonderkid’ or ‘the next Ryan Giggs’ – only for them to turn into the next Tomasz Frankowski instead. There are tens of thousands of players in the world, and you’re obviously going to miss the odd one.
We know this all too well at Wolves, having opted out of signing a number of talents over the years. The names that immediately come to mind are Maris Verpakovskis (Latvian international striker, went on to play in the Champions League) and goalkeeper Antti Niemi (became an established Premier League player). Alongside the decision not to sign new players, there are also the ones we let go – Elliott Bennett and Keith Andrews just to name a couple.
But my point is this. I argue that the scouting system at Molineux has to be one of the best in the country, based on the financial and staffing constraints at the club. We of course don’t have the financial power of Manchester City, or indeed the global knowledge of Arsenal, but we have managed to pick up some fantastic talent to help build a Premier League team. Notably, much of this is down to Mick and his backroom staff.
Let’s look at the evidence. The first one that spring to mind is Michael Kightly, who was picked up for next-to-nothing from the wilderness of non-league. And the reason we were able to beat the competition (including Manchester United) to his signature was our scouts spotted him first. We all know the player Kightly went on to be and, if it had not been for injuries, would have been pushing for an England call.
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Speaking of internationals, Matt Jarvis is another one picked up through the scouting system. Picked up for a relatively cheap price from Gillingham, Jarvis has gone on to become a real fan’s favourite at Molineux and break into the England squad. With the situation the club is in, Jarvis could well be on his way in the summer as bigger clubs circle like vultures. But, if he does go, the club should make a today profit on what they paid several years ago.
Stephen Ward was another bargain basement buy. Fully versatile, playing in pretty much every position for the club, Ward must be regarded as one of the scouting team’s best ever finds. Plucked from the Irish leagues as a striker, Ward is now an establish Premier League full-back and and Irish international. Yes he has struggled for form this season, but nobody can deny his contribution over the last few years.
Karl Henry is another one who joined on the cheap, having been spotted at Stoke by the scouting team. Again, he not only went on to establish himself as a first-team player, but also became the club’s captain – lifting the Championship trophy back in 2009. Kevin Foley also proved a useful signing, with his performances in the promotion year earning him the player of the season award at Molineux.
I could go on. George Elokobi, David Jones, Andy Keogh – while not proving as successful as others, still contributed to the club’s rise in recent years and all cost under £1m each.
And yes, I’ll be the first to admit we have had some howlers in the last few seasons as well. The giant Austrian Stefan Maierhofer turned out to be just an expensive bean pole, while Neill Collins never really established himself as a solid defender. But we’re all allowed the odd mistake aren’t we?
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Competing for players in the tough market place that is the transfer market must be a nightmare for managers. Hunting out the bargains is becoming increasingly difficult nowadays as the bigger clubs expand their networks all over the world. However I remain optimistic about our own network and the talent it is clearly capable of discovering. We may not be the fine art dealers of the footballing world, but there sure is a David Dickinson-feel about the club – and not just for the golden colour.
Dave Jones has been sacked from his role as manager of English Championship side Cardiff City.The club announced their decision on Monday, having narrowly missed out on promotion to the top flight after a loss in the playoff semi-finals against Reading.
Jones, 54, had been in charge of the team since 2005 but the performance during the 2010/11 season was deemed unacceptable by the club’s board.
“Following an overall review and reflection on the performance of the team over the 2010/11 playing season, it has been decided to give Dave Jones notice to terminate his contract as manager of Cardiff City Football Club,” a statement from the club read.
CEO Gethin Jenkins said Jones had helped the club progress in the right direction since taking over from Englishman Lennie Lawrence.
“We would like to thank Dave Jones for his considerable efforts with the club over the past six seasons,” Jenkins said.
“He leaves his post in the knowledge that he has left the club in a far better position than when he arrived.”
“Dave’s tenure has seen Cardiff City Football Club develop from a standpoint of Championship stability through to becoming regular promotion contenders, while also having taken the team to an FA Cup Final.”
Jenkins, who will lead the search for a new manager with director Alan Whiteley, also thanked Jones for his help in developing the club’s facilities and players.
Jones has been linked to the vacant post at the relegated West Ham United, but it is believed former Bolton boss Sam Allardyce is favourite for the role.
Rafael van der Vaart is a name already tipped to become part of Tottenham Hotspur FC folklore. This may be highly premature but Spurs fans can be forgiven for getting slightly carried away. Performances thus far suggest that the Holland international constitutes the ‘one special player’ that Harry Redknapp identified to ease their re-entry to top European club competition for the first time since 1962. Numerous players were instrumental in getting the team to this level but the sentiment is that van der Vaart’s presence will help them stay there. Once again those benevolent types at Real Madrid have performed a selfless service to another club competing in the Champions League. Following his match-winning performance at home to Aston Villa, are questions over his best position in the squad moribund? Will this talented playmaker continue in his preferred free role behind a main striker?
When prompted to pass judgement on van der Vaart on Match of the Day 2, his compatriot Clarence Seedorf was tight lipped on whether he could be suitably described as ‘world class.’ Such a prestigious label can weigh a player down but the AC Milan star was quick to praise his talent and proffer the view that he was benefiting immensely from a continuity and rhythm which had waned at the Bernabeu. The esteemed Milan midfielder was discussing the Tottenham star’s performance in their home tie against Villa. Rarely will £8 million seem like such a bargain as he scored a brace to reverse Marc Albrighton’s opening goal.
The former Ajax man levelled the scores at the end of the first period, heading in from close range after good work from Roman Pavlyuchenko and Peter Crouch. Nevertheless the manager opted to provide his deadline day signing with more freedom by substituting the Russian forward for Aaron Lennon and granting him a free role, linking the midfield and forward lines. Using a player of his skill, fluidity and sharp movement indicates that a 4-5-1 or 4-4-1-1 formation is not implicitly a more defensive option than deploying two conventional strikers. However utilising van der Vaart in this role can bolster the team’s defensive shape as he has not always offered meaningful protect to full-backs when playing wide. A burgeoning understanding with Crouch saw the striker head the ball towards van der Vaart who tricked Richard Dunne with a shrewd feint and emphatically struck the ball past Brad Friedel to get the winner. “When the ball goes up to Crouchy, Rafa’s always around there looking for it, he’s got a real knack for scoring,” Redknapp said.
The player who has 85 international caps is arguably destined for a central role where he can bring fluidity and flair to the Spurs attack. The Dutchman has profited from Jermaine Defoe’s ankle injury which coincided with his arrival in England. With confidence faltering in Robbie Keane and Pavlyuchenko, the inclusion of van der Vaart has allowed the management team to experiment with formations, something Redknapp had planned, predominantly in Europe. Last month he said, “I’m looking forward to seeing them (van der Vaart and Luka Modric) play together. I like those players who know how to play and can see a pass.”
The indications are, however, that the World Cup finalist could usurp the Croatian as the side’s chief creator in midfield. This Tottenham team can proudly boast a wealth of inventive midfielders which has often giving the manager a selection headache. Redknapp said of his new midfielder, “His best position is probably behind the two strikers, but we have a left-sided player in Gareth Bale and it’s a question of how we set up.” His attributes imply that he can play across the midfield due to his delicate touch, vision, passing and ability to keep possession in congested areas. But playing him in his favourite role may just permit him to create the unexpected more often. As the Villa victory showed, a forward partnership with Crouch is a question of balance too. Defoe’s expected return from injury in December could be less than straightforward.
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Kenny Dalglish has stressed that his Liverpool players must try to be remembered for a strong Wembley performance when they take on Cardiff in the Carling Cup final on Sunday.
The Reds are heavily fancied, but the Anfield club’s boss has urged his men to follow in the footsteps of generations past who were successful when it mattered most.
“Wembley was a place we visited pretty regularly and everybody at the football club is trying to get back a bit closer to those days,” he confessed to Mirror Football.
“This football club wants to be challenging more often than it has been in the past. We want to be closer that we have been recently, when we have not been a contender for many of the competitions, certainly the domestic ones.
“I don’t really have too many memories of Wembley. I just cannae remember! I don’t have any real definitive memory other than the ‘89 Cup Final because of what it meant to so many other people in the city.
“But the thing is, even though it’s stating the obvious, the best result of any final is obviously when you win it. That’s what we want to do now – everybody wants to make it more successful and making being contenders for trophies more permanent than what it has been,” he concluded.
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Former Football Association chairman Lord Triesman has accused FIFA members of seeking bribes in the World Cup bidding process.Triesman was originally chosen to chair England’s bid for the 2018 tournament, but resigned last May after commenting about alleged bribery attempts by Spain and Russia of World Cup referees in South Africa.
Now Triesman has accused FIFA vice-president Jack Warner (Trinidad and Tobago), along with members Nicolas Leoz (Paraguay), Ricardo Terra Teixeira (Brazil) and Worawi Makudi (Thailand), of asking for favours or gifts in exchange for dedicating their vote for England to host the 2018 World Cup.
Triesman alleged that Warner had asked for money, Leoz asked for knighthood, Makudi asked for television rights to an England-Thailand friendly and Teixeira told him ‘come and tell me what you have got for me’ in return for a vote for England.
“These were some of the things that were put to me personally, sometimes in the presence of others, which in my view did not represent proper and ethical behaviour on the part of members of the executive committee,” Triesman said.
Warner, however, forthrightly denied any wrongdoing, stating that Triesman’s claims were merely for political gain.
“I have no intention of dignifying that piece of nonsense of Triesman who no doubt feels that he can revive his dying political career by mentioning that piece of foolishness,” Warner told Sky Sports News.
“I have never asked Triesman nor any other person, Englishman or otherwise, for any money for my vote at any time.”
“In the English World Cup campaign, before he was unceremoniously kicked out, I have spoken to Triesman, on his initiative, only on three occasions, while I have spoken to his other colleagues on other occasions and not one of his colleagues will ever corroborate his bit of trivia.”
FIFA president Sepp Blatter said he was ‘shocked’ by the claims, but was waiting to weigh up the facts before condemning any member of world football’s governing body as corrupt.
“They are coming from other confederations, so I cannot say that they are all angels or all devils,” Blatter said.
“There is a new round of information. Give us time to digest that and start the investigation by asking for evidence on what has been said.”
“We will react immediately against all those in breach of the ethics code rules.”
“Zero tolerance is going through FIFA, it is one of the items on the Congress. It is my battle horse.”