We are ready for a fight, admits Wenger

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Jan 13, 2014

Arsenal returned to the top of the Premier League after a nervy 2-1 victory at Villa Park against Aston Villa this evening.

Jack Wilshere gave The Gunners the lead, and then just 17-seconds later, he set up Olivier Giroud who doubled the visitors lead in a comfortable first half for Arsene Wenger’s men.

However, it was all change in the second-half as Villa came out all guns blazing and looked to unsettle The Gunners, which they did when Christian Benteke scored late on in the second-half, and despite continous pressure, Paul Lambert’s side failed to grab the equaliser.

The win takes Arsenal back to the top, whilst Villa sit 11th.

Here is some match reaction from after the game!

Arsenal goalscorer Jack Wilshere: “It’s a massive three points – especially because we dropped a bit in the second half. We have done that a few times, letting teams come on to us but we dealt well with it.

“In the past we used to feel the nerves when we were up against it. But this season we haven’t and Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny have been brilliant all season.

“We knew we could go back to the top before the game began, but we are only taking each game as it comes.”

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger: “It was vital because the first half was more about playing, and the second half was more about fighting.

“They made it very physical, put the ball up high in the air and we had a very good resilient performance in the second half. Overall we have shown again both sides of the game.”

Arsene Wenger on Arsenal’s title chances: “Let’s take care of our performances, we have got to go forward and always get the points. Then we can see if we can make a difference with the other teams.

Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert: “Nathan Baker was concussed, he took a blow to the side of his head. That was dangerous and it rocked us a bit, we had worked all week on the system but thankfully he’s a lot better. He throws himself into things, that’s what he does.

“Second half we were excellent, we looked great and a real threat. We were lifted by the goal, it’s not easy playing Arsenal, they are title contenders but everybody can see we gave them a game.

“You have to give us credit. We came into it but we might have snuck a draw.”

France a likely destination for exiting Evra

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Phil Wellbrook

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Jan 13, 2014

Monaco and PSG are reportedly interested in the Frenchman as he is likely to leave United

Patrice Evra, a veteran defender for the Red Devils is still yet to be offered a new contract as his current one expires at the end of the season, leaving some to think Evra may be on his way out.

Evra is said to be considering his options as the Premier League champion may not be offered a new contract this summer.

The most likely move is a return to Ligue 1 with PSG and Monaco reportedly interested, and with United boss David Moyes making his intentions to sign Everton left-back Leighton Baines clear, Evra has welcomed the challenge for a starting place.

Moyes is also reportedly interested in Juventus full back Davide Astori, as the Scot was spotted in Sardina to watch Cagliari take on Juventus. This may further entice Evra to seek an exit as the two giants of French football are reportedly keen to land the Frenchman’s signature and will provide first team football.

United could see as many as 8 players leave Old Trafford in the summer on a free transfer, with Moyes yet to offer players contracts going into the second half of the season.

By Phil Wellbrook

Cristiano Ronaldo wins Ballon d’or 2013

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Jan 13, 2014

If Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi weren’t so excellent at football, you’d be tempted to call the Ballon d’Or award boring.

The pair’s domination of the sport in recent years had turned the race for Fifa’s golden ball into a straight shoot-out, which has been won by Lionel Messi for the past three years.

This year Ronaldo was the overwhelming favourite and winner of the prestigeous well sort after award, the Ballon d’or

After recieving the golden ball Ronaldo said “I have to say a great thanks to all my teammates, I’m very happy.”

More to follow

Written by Steve Milne

Ronaldinho signs news Atletico Mineiro contract

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Jan 13, 2014

The 33-year-old had been linked with a switch to the Turkish giants, but will now remain in Brazil as he hopes to earn a place in Luiz Felipe Scolari’s World Cup squad.

It was reported that the star had been in talks with Besiktas regarding a move, although club president Alexandre Kalil confirmed that he will be staying put.

“The fans can be annoying but Ronaldinho loves them, he has renewed his contract,” he posted on Twitter.

Ronaldinho has been capped 97 times by Brazil but has not featured for the national team since April last year.

Written by Steve Milne

FIFPRO WORLD XI!

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Jan 13, 2014

The Team of the Year has been announced tonight at FIFA’s award ceremony, and below you can see who made the starting XI!!!

GOALKEEPER – Manuel Neuer – Bayern Munich

DEFENDERS – Phillip Lahm (Bayern Munich), Thiago Silva (Paris Saint-Germain), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Dani Alves (FC Barcelona)

MIDFIELDERS – Andres Iniesta (FC Barcelona), Xavi (FC Barcelona), Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich)

FORWARDS – Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Paris Saint-Germain), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)

What are your thoughts of this then?

Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt – @AlexsArticles

Moyes denies Van Persie injury reports.

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Ben Reardon

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Jan 13, 2014

Manchester United manager David Moyes has suggested that it is wrong to speculate about striker Robin Van Persie, with rumours flying about that the striker may be out for another month.

Van Persie has made just two appearances for United since he scored the only goal against former club Arsenal in the 1-0 victory in early November, after struggling to recapture the form of his first season.

The influential Dutchman has sat out United’s last nine fixtures, with David Moyes sweating over the former Arsenal man’s fitness.

United sit seventh in the Premier League, after a difficult start to life under David Moyes.

Reports in the printed media had claimed the 30-year-old would be out for another six weeks, but Moyes dismissed those reports about the Netherlands international’s fitness.

“I don’t know where that has come from,” said Moyes after United’s 2-0 home win over Swansea on Saturday. “That would be wrong information as far as I am concerned.”

Speaking before the game, Moyes confirmed that Van Persie has recently been back in his native Holland to undergo treatment on the injury.

The United boss added: “We’re trying to get Robin back. He’s got a thigh strain similar to the one he had at Arsenal [in the second half of the 2007/2008 season].

“He never had an injury all last season. He took a corner against Shakhtar and felt his thigh so it was a freak thing really and not [aggravating] an injury he’d had before.

“It’s a different injury. We have to manage it correctly and he’s been to Holland to see a guy he works with there. So we’re doing everything we can to give him the right treatment and get him back as soon as we possibly can. But I don’t want to put a date on his return.”

The striker signed for United in the Summer of 2012, joining on a free from Arsenal, helping the Red Devils to the title that season.

By Ben Reardon

@BenReardon1

Sturridge pleased to be back.

By

Ben Reardon

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Jan 13, 2014

Daniel Sturridge has stated his delight at his return to the Liverpool first team fold, after an unfortunate injury which left him on the sidelines for siz weeks.

But the England international returned to the squad in emphatic fashion, helping his Liverpool side to a 5-3 victory away at Stoke City, resuming his formidable partnership with Luis Suarez.

It did not take long for their understanding to click again on Sunday, with Sturridge making his return off the bench to score in the win at the Britannia.

Sturridge’s return reunited him with strike partner Luis Suarez, with Suarez in deadly form of recent late, and the two were instrumental in the Merseysiders win in the Potteries yesterday.

He helped to lay on Liverpool’s fourth for Suarez before rounding off the scoring himself, and the 24-year-old striker is convinced that Brendan Rodgers’ side can kick on from this point.

Sturridge told the Liverpool Echo: “I’m delighted with the result for the boys.

“It’s a difficult place to come and play and we showed a lot of character so we’re very happy with the result.

“Being out of the fold has been very hard for me mentally, but it’s also good that we’ve been getting results and working very hard as a team.

“It’s very hard when you’re on the side, watching a team, and you want to be involved in the fun and be out there.

Sturridge also hopes he can keep the partnership going, and keep the Reds in the hunt for a title challenge.

The striker concluded…

It’s very special for me, he’s a world-class player,” added Sturridge.

“We’ve got other world-class players out there and it’s important that as a team and a unit we keep working hard, take each game as it comes and try to get maximum points in every game we play.”

By Ben Reardon

@BenReardon1

Revolution Re-Sign Winger Donnie Smith

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Jan 13, 2014

The news keeps coming today for the New England Revolution. Per a team press release, they’ve re-signed midfielder Donnie Smith for the upcoming season. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“We’re pleased to bring Donnie back this season,” General Manager Michael Burns said. “He’s a young player with great speed, and as a left-footed player, he’s also very versatile. We’re looking forward to seeing him develop further this year.”

Smith, 23, made one appearance in 2013, his rookie season in Major League Soccer. He started at left wing in the season opener at Chicago on March 9, but did not see any time the rest of the season.

The Revolution drafted Smith with the 21st overall pick of the 2013 MLS SuperDraft, and he appeared in six preseason games with the Revolution, recording one assist in the 3-1 win against the New York Red Bulls before signing with the club in late February. Smith was a 2012 NSCAA Scholar All-America at UNC-Charlotte, and scored four goals and added four assists in 19 appearances (16 starts) in his 2012 senior season.

In 2011, he earned second-team All-Atlantic 10 Conference honors, scoring five goals and adding three assists in 25 appearances (10 starts). He was recognized on the 2011 NCAA College Cup all-tournament team after helping the 49ers advance to the national championship match.

Smith is an out-and-out left winger, and he provides New England with depth on the left side of the midfield. He saw only a little more than half a game in 2013 when he started against the Chicago Fire in the Revs’ first game of the season on March 9th. He only featured in U.S. Open Cup play after that (where he was featured as a left-back), but he still stayed with the Revs in Foxboro for the entirely of the season instead of going out on loan the Rochester Rhinos.

Smith is a cost-friendly addition to the squad that adds valuable and versatile depth to the Revs’ attacking options. In all likelihood, though, he’ll still have his work cut out for him this season and will need to fight for minutes week-in and week-out.

Written by Steve Milne

Andre Villas-Boas: ‘I want to take an extended break’

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Jan 13, 2014

Former-Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas has revealed that he has no plans to return to management just yet.

The Portuguese manager was sacked by Spurs after a poor run of results and after being spotted in Germany talking to Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola, he confirmed that he plans an extended break away from the game to re-fresh and re-charge his batteries.

The 36-year-old was linked briefly with the West Bromwich Albion job, but they eventually looked elsewhere and now with AC Milan firing their manager after a poor run of results, Boas may be linked with them also, but he has told reporters that he doesn’t want a return to management just yet.

“I have decided to take a break. I want to learn a bit and refresh my batteries, but I can’t imagine a life without football,” Villas-Boas told Abendzeitung Munich.

“I have learnt that it (the next job) has to fit 100 per cent, and the club has to value the coach.”

Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt – @AlexsArticles

Michael Bradley’s move to MLS good and bad

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Jan 13, 2014

It’s great for MLS. Bringing back an American player of Bradley’s caliber after eight years abroad is a major coup and cost the league a $10 million transfer fee. The league is desperate for more credibility in the United States and abroad, so having Bradley, Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey on MLS rosters certainly has to help. Those are three of the most famous and gifted U.S. players, and they all have chosen to make a living in MLS.

If all three prove their worth this summer at the World Cup, the biggest international stage, it would be a nice advertisement for MLS.

Let’s face it, how will MLS ever elevate its level of play if it doesn’t attract players away from Europe? The more talented players in the league, the better the league will be.

The move is also fabulous for Bradley personally. He gets to earn a handsome seven-figure salary and be much closer to his native New Jersey, which is a bigger deal now that he is married and a father. He also signed a long-term deal, reported to be for five or six years, and he didn’t have that kind of job security at Roma.

Bradley had started only five games this season, and the recent signing of Belgian Radja Nainggolan meant there were five midfielders battling for playing time. In Toronto, Bradley will be the star and surely will play far more minutes.

But Bradley’s transfer might not be so great for the U.S. World Cup team because, no offense to Toronto or MLS, Roma is an established European team that competes for Champions League berths. The level of play and competition there is higher than what Bradley will face in our domestic league.

Despite the evolution of MLS and its much-improved quality from the early days, there is still a bit of a stigma attached to U.S. players who play here rather than in Europe. U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann has been saying all along that he’d prefer his players compete at the highest possible level, against the best possible players, which, for now, are in Europe’s top leagues.

Unfortunately for the U.S. players, top European clubs aren’t knocking on their doors.

“There is no demand” for U.S. players, Klinsmann told ESPN.com. “It’s just a sign of reality. The demand isn’t there.”

So, Klinsmann and U.S. fans will just have to hope that Bradley’s move to Toronto, the third-worst team in MLS last season, will be a good one for him in the long run and that his happiness and increased playing time will compensate for the cutthroat, high-profile soccer he left behind in Italy.

Written by Steve Milne

Samir Nasri OUT for eight weeks!

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Jan 13, 2014

Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri has confirmed that he will be out for two months after he suffered knee ligament damage during their victory against Newcastle United yesterday.

The Frenchman was hacked down by Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa in a very heated match and after the game, City boss Manuel Pellegrini feared that the injury could be a long-term one, however, the scans have come back revealing the injury is not as bad as first feared.

Nasri took to his official Twitter account to confirm the news that he will be out for two months, and he stated that he was relieved it wasn’t any longer as there were fears that he could miss the World Cup in the Summer.

Nasri tweeted: “Thank you everyone for your kind words and overwhelming support, I suppose its kind of good news that i will be out around 8 weeks”

Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt – @AlexsArticles

Arsene Wenger backs Arsenal youngster to make World Cup

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Jan 13, 2014

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes teenager Serge Gnabry could be in line to make Germany’s squad for this Summer’s World Cup.

The powerful winger has put in some fine performances for his club this season so far, including a dominating display against Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup, and now that Theo Walcott will miss the rest of the season, it will surely give Gnabry a chance to play regular first-team football.

Earlier on in the season, Germany head-coach Joachim Low admitted that he is a fan of the 18-year-old and even stated that the Arsenal youngster could make his squad for Brazi, a statement which Wenger agrees with.

“There is more than a small chance. There’s a big chance,” Wenger said. “We are looking at a guy who has good individual talent, he can go past people, is a good finisher and has a very good football brain with good vision.

“I am not afraid with him. I have shown that against Tottenham – it was a big game. He has convinced many people that he at least deserves another chance.

“He was influential in that game, and until now when I played him he has always had an impact on the game.”

Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt – @AlexsArticles

Manchester United target won’t be leaving, according to club

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Jan 13, 2014

Juventus General Director Giuseppe Marotta has confirmed that Manchester United target Claudio Marchisio will be staying at the club this month, despite reports linking him with a move to the Premier League champions.

United have been admirers of the midfielder for some time now, and their interest heated up this month as David Moyes is desperate to strengthen his team after a poor first-half to their season.

Moyes was even seen in Italy watching Juventus’ match against Cagliari at the weekend, but after the game, Marotta confirmed that the midfielder will not be leaving the club despite serious interest from England.

General director Giuseppe Marotta told Radio Rai: “There is no problem with Marchisio. Claudio is a player who grew up in the Juventus youth teams and he loves the shirt.

“During a busy season it is inevitable that every player will have their lows, but everything is normal.”

Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt – @AlexsArticles

Jose Mourinho: ‘I belong to Chelsea’

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Jan 13, 2014