Paris St Germain remain second in Ligue 1, but only on goal difference after suffering a 1-0 defeat to Rennes on Saturday.
PSG could have closed the gap on league leaders Lille to one point with victory at the Stade de la Route de Lorient, but a long-range strike from midfielder Yacine Brahimi after 19 minutes was enough to secure three points for Rennes.
The win moved Rennes into third place, level on 37 points with PSG and just four points behind Lille who travel to Auxerre on Sunday.
Elsewhere on Saturday, Marseille moved into fourth after an unconvincing 1-0 win over bottom side Arles at home.
The only goal of the game came 10 minutes after the break, when Andre-Pierre Gignac slammed home a shot from close range after a cross from Brandao.
Emmanuel Riviere scored a double in the first half to lift St Etienne into fifth on the table with a 2-1 win over Montpellier, leaving them just six points behind Lille, with Jonas Martin scoring a late consolation for the hosts.
Brest ended a run of six games without a win when a fantastic long-range Bruno Grougi free-kick two minutes from the end handed them a 2-1 win over Nancy, who are just two points outside the relegation zone.
Jonathan Ayite had given the hosts the lead just before half-time but a Brou Apanga own goal levelled proceedings with 15 minutes to go before Grougi’s wonder strike.
Goals from Morgan Amalfitano and Kevin Gameiro were enough to hand Lorient a 2-0 win over Caen away from home, lifting them into ninth place.
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Nice moved three points clear of the drop zone when a goal from Nemanja Pejcinovic just before the half-hour mark gave them a 1-0 win over Sochaux.
And Lens missed the chance to move out of the bottom three when they were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Valenciennes.
Issam Jemaa put the hosts ahead after 37 minutes, but Mathieu Dossevi struck back immediately for Valenciennes to ensure a share of the points.
Napoli are ready to offer £8 million for Chelsea midfielder Raul Meireles, The Daily Mail report.
The Portugal international was brought to Stamford Bridge by former boss and countryman Andre Villas-Boas, and his role under Roberto Di Matteo is yet to be determined.
With the summer signings of a raft of new attacking midfielders such as Oscar, Eden Hazard and Marko Marin by the west London side, Meierles’ first-team opportunities could well be limited with the Champions League holders.
However, Serie A side Napoli are set to offer the Blues a chance to cash-in on their fringe midfielder and will bid £8 million for Meireles this week.
Meanwhile, Josh McEachran may also be farmed out by the Blues this summer, with Blackburn and Bolton both keen to the take the talented youngster on loan for the 2012-13 season.
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Arsenal have confirmed that the fans who travelled to see their team get beaten 8-2 by Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday will be given free tickets to a future away Premier League match.
The Gunners were outplayed and embarrassed by the English champions in a one-sided affair, resulting in the worst result for the club since 1896.
The London club have praised the supporters who had to endure the defeat, and promised to compensate their financial expense.
“Sunday’s result was obviously disappointing for everyone connected with the club. Our travelling fans were magnificent throughout and we want to recognise their fantastic support. We will be writing to them shortly with the details,” a club statement reads.
Manager Arsene Wenger is under pressure after back-to-back league losses and the departures of Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas, and has apologised to the fans after the result.
“The fans do not want to see their team like that. We can only apologise and come back in our strength and desire in the next game,” he stated.
“Big scores are humiliating and difficult to swallow but I don’t think they have a special meaning. They are always under special circumstances.”
The Emirates outfit were without a number of key players such as Jack Wilshere and Thomas Vermaelen, but captain Robin van Persie thinks this is no excuse.
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“It is an honest result if you look at the game. We were simply not good enough. We have to deal with that. I don’t think we can hide behind injuries or suspensions. It is no excuse. They had injuries too, this is football,” the Netherlands international admitted.
Arsenal’s next game is against Swansea at the Emirates on September 10th.
West Bromwich Albion will hope loan signing Carlos Vela can give them an edge when they host relegation rivals Wigan on Tuesday.
Mexican international Vela arrived at the Hawthorns on Friday and will remain on loan from Arsenal for the remainder of the season.
The 21-year-old forward has struggled to make an impression at the Emirates Stadium behind Robin van Persie, Marouane Chamakh and Nicklas Bendtner as Arsenal challenge for the Premier League title.
But his unpredictable talent could prove vital as West Brom battle against returning to the Championship at the first time of asking.
Roberto Di Matteo’s side are 16th in the table, three points clear of the last relegation place, which is occupied by Wigan.
West Brom have won just twice in eight league matches and lost 2-0 away to Blackburn in their last outing on January 23.
Wigan meanwhile can climb out of the relegation zone if they beat West Brom and Birmingham lose or draw.
But they have played one game more than their hosts on Tuesday and two more than Birmingham.
Wolves, the team immediately beneath them, also have a game in hand.
If Wigan lose and West Ham United win or draw, they could find themselves at the bottom of the table, something manager Roberto Martinez will be desperate to avoid.
West Brom are still without Steven Reid due to a knee injury, while Marc-Antoine Fortune and Giles Barnes are both in doubt.
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Wigan have overcome many of the injury problems that blighted the first half of their season, but Manchester United loanee Tom Cleverley is still suffering from a hamstring problem.
Viktor Moses made his long-awaited return from a shoulder injury in Wigan’s 0-0 FA Cup fourth-round draw with Bolton on Saturday.
And Martinez will be hoping the promising forward can make a difference as his team battle to retain their Premier League status.
It seems a trend of many players to imitate LeBron James’ “decision” of a couple of years ago. The NHL is rife with it at the moment and Eden Hazard came closest to matching the hysteria surrounding the Miami Heat star. Even a relative unknown to wider audiences is getting in on the act now. Gylfi Sigurdsson might not have garnered this much attention prior to his January loan move to Swansea, but his impressive performances for Brendan Rodgers’ former club has done a lot to elevate his status.
Liverpool will be slightly miffed at the decision from Sigurdsson to opt for another club so late in the day, and Swansea certainly more so. From first glances, it seems Sigurdsson is another one of those players who simply can’t make up his mind what he wants or where he prefers to play. Or maybe he just likes the limelight.
Tottenham’s bid for the Icelandic international seems a fair shot at helping along a change in their midfield. Luka Modric is so far out the door that the bouncer has long forgotten he was ever in the club, and Rafael van der Vaart seems likely to return to Germany. But is the move for Sigurdsson a necessity, or is it just catching on to one of the many hot topics of the summer?
His excellent performances for Swansea last season can’t be disputed, but how does that transfer to a club with significantly higher ambitions? Sigurdsson was a star player for Hoffenheim in the short time he was at the club, and there does appear to be more attention from Germany beyond that decent single that never quite made it to number one.
There’s no doubt that Liverpool would have been the safer option for Sigurdsson at this time. He would have been embraced again (maybe for a third time) by Brendan Rodgers and would likely take up a significant role in their midfield. Rodgers is familiar with Sigurdsson’s abilities and strengths on the pitch, and with the need for a much more even distribution of goals, Sigurdsson would likely become one of the focal points of Liverpool.
The difference at Tottenham, however, is that the club are going through a transition of managers and players, with the likelihood of significant transfer funds. Unlike Liverpool at this time, Spurs may very well be in a good position to land a number of higher-profile stars to fill their voids in midfield. Joao Moutinho has been linked, as has Russia’s star from the Euros Alan Dzagoev. Both have played in the intensity of the Champions League and European Championship, allowing for a smoother transition to the demands of Tottenham over the long term.
It’s not a slight on Sigurdsson, or Liverpool for that matter, but the possible transfer targets for Tottenham at this stage seem a better fit for the club moving forward.
Does the name and marketability of a player matter? Maybe to an extent. Both Dzagoev and Moutinho are well-known on the continent, and both would add considerably to Tottenham’s image of building a strong squad. Sigurdsson may be a good player, but he doesn’t have the same wow factor as the other two.
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Sigurdsson is undoubtedly a good player, but it seems Liverpool were a much better fit for his services considering the likelihood of a wider market available to Tottenham.
Footballer’s – will they ever learn? Even the young, with apparently ‘their feet on the ground’ are prone to some bad decision making. I’m talking about off-field antics here of course – on pitch mistakes can be forgiven, for the most part. The latest blunder comes from a surprising source however – Theo Walcott. His decision to release an autobiography right at the start of a new season, in which he criticises current England manager Fabio Capello, just before squads are announced for the latest Euro 2012 qualifying matches, is a baffling one indeed. More of an annoyance however, is the fact that somebody is releasing an autobiography at the age of just 22.
Walcott isn’t the first young footballer to release an autobiography of course, and he sadly won’t be the last. The likes of Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen, David Beckham and Steven Gerrard are all guilty of it in this country – some, even guilty of releasing multiple books! There are two connotations to take from this: age, and overall, the point of it.
At Theo’s age, 22, how much can he have to write about? One would think it is vastly premature to be releasing an autobiography. Disagree? Let’s take a look at the actual definition of the word:
Autobiography – (n.) A biography written by the subject of it; memoirs of one’s life written by one’s self.
So, by definition, this is supposed to be the memoirs of Theo’s life. Does he not plan on sticking around with us much longer? Joking aside, as a professional footballer Walcott has been in his job for roughly six years. Granted, he’s had a rapid rise to stardom, with more media attention than most, especially during his surprise inclusion in England’s 2006 World Cup squad, prior to him having kicked a ball at Premier League level as a 17-year old, but retirement for his profession usually occurs around the mid-30’s. At the age of 22, he should have some years left in him – including what should be his peak ages in football.
Still not even an automatic first choice for his club team Arsenal, never mind an established international, Walcott has chosen to criticise the current England manager in his new book, which has been serialised in a daily tabloid provoking headlines. This is another trend when releasing an autobiography, especially when it comes to sport stars – the newspaper serialisation. Keen to generate any headlines possible, the press will feed on any incident – no matter how small, and sensationalise it. With only a relatively short career behind him up to now, Walcott needed something a little controversial included in his memoirs, in order to gain publicity and sell his book; thus probably guaranteeing a hefty sum from the paper than wishes to serialise the book. The controversy has come in the form of ‘attacking’ Fabio Capello who has been revealed as ‘cold and clinical’ (I big shock to fans, I know). Theo also painted Capello as a monster on the training ground, informing us that the Italian screamed: ‘Theo! I will kill you if you come inside like that again!’ when Walcott made a run from his position. Theo moaned he never knew what was required of him by Capello (maybe to stay wide, Theo?). Other revelations in the book include instances involving Wayne Rooney and Emile Heskey, clashing with the England manager. Amazingly, having a look around forums regarding the subject, people have been keen to jump all over Capello, saying the ‘revelations’ prove their point that the Italian shouldn’t be in charge of England. How about the players been held accountable, rather than the big bad ‘foreigner’?
Which brings me to the second point; the point of it all. Why release a book at all, especially at such a young age? Money. What else? It’s all about cashing in on your brand name. A lot of today’s players seem more concerned with building a reputation off the pitch instead of earning one on it. As stated, a little bit of controversy almost guarantees a newspaper serialisation which brings in extra income, and promotes the book even more who may just be tempted to line the player’s pockets even more by purchasing it. This is not just relevant to young players. Lots of ‘star’ footballer’s choose to cash in on their name whilst still playing – businesswise it makes sense. But how about concentrating on your career instead of how to make your next £ million? Footballer’s of any age, pre-retirement, shouldn’t release these kinds of books full stop.
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Walcott should concentrate on his career, and on becoming a regular for club and country before risking the wrath of people in the game, who could help him in the future. His book is called ‘Theo: Growing Up Fast’ – maybe he needs to!
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Australian midfielder Jason Culina will play no further part in the Asian Cup due to an ongoing knee problem.
Socceroos officials announced Culina had left Asia’s flagship national tournament in Qatar to receive treatment in Australia shortly after his country booked a semi-final spot with a 1-0 win over Iraq in the quarter-finals on Saturday.
Culina aggravated the injury in Australia’s Group C 1-1 draw with South Korea and has not played in the two matches since, with Carl Valeri taking his place in central midfield.
Osieck said he was disappointed to have had to let the Gold Coast United midfielder leave camp, but he knew it was right decision.
“We had hopes that Jason may be available for the upcoming matches, but the latest medical reports suggested that he would not be at 100 percent,” Osieck said
“Following discussions with our medical staff we have come to the decision that it is in Jason’s best interest that we let him return home to receive treatment to get his knee right.”
“It’s always disappointing to lose a player of Jason’s calibre, but the players and staff are fully supportive of Jason and we look forward to seeing him back with us as soon as possible.”
Culina spoke of his frustration at having to leave the tournament prematurely: “Unfortunately, I knew that I wouldn’t be at my best for the remainder of the competition,” the Gold Coast United midfielder said.
“I’m thankful that Holger has allowed me to return to hopefully recover as soon as possible.”
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“I wish the boys all the best for the remainder of the AFC Asian Cup and I’ll be watching from home.”
Under the AFC Asian Cup Regulations, Osieck is unable to bring a substitute player into the Socceroos squad for the remainder of the tournament.
The Socceroos will face Uzbekistan at Khalifa Stadium in the semi-finals on Tuesday after defeating Iraq 1-0 in the quarter-finals.
Whats happening at Anfield? Well not a lot really since Brendan Rodgers strolled through the entrance to Anfield as Kenny Dalglish’s successor at the start of June. Chances are he has spent most of his time making a few cosmetic changes to his new surroundings (new desk perhaps?) and acclimatising to life on the Merseyside hotbed. With the country currently suffering from Euro 2012 fever Rogders will have found it difficult to avoid watching a few games and checking on the Reds contingent battling it out in Poland and Ukraine. He’ll certainly have kept an eye on England during their successful navigation of Group D and the vintage performances of captain Steven Gerrard. The last two seasons have seen the 32-year-old’s influence diminish due to injuries and a struggle to remain fit but he’s rolled back the years for the Three Lions becoming their driving in midfield racking up three assists in as many games. With the looming expectation to restore the Reds to the Premier League top four Rodgers will be purring with delight that Gerrard is currently at the epicentre of a renaissance tornado. £35 million frontman Andy Carroll is also rediscovering his former self with some imperious displays for his country. It all bodes well for the Northern Irishman who’s career as a top-flight manager will be defined by the upcoming campaign.
This week on FFC what should Rodgers do with Jay Spearing and which Italian international is he targeting to bolster Liverpool’s attack ahead of the new season?
[divider]
Best of FFC
Has the Steven Gerrard puzzle been solved too late?
Why England must bring Carroll back into the England mix
What to do with Jay Spearing?
The British Manager has suddenly become fashionable
Brendan Rodgers plotting move for Italy international
Why US ownership could slowly move the goalposts in football
Zavaglia insists Brendan Rodgers has final say over Italian’s future
Rodgers seeking a couple of signings to improve Liverpool[divider]
[divider]
Best of WEB
[divider]
How Did Two Midfielder’s Of Such Quality Become ‘Kop Flops’? – Live 4 Liverpool
Should Liverpool take a €7m gamble on Castiagnos? – Liverpool Kop
The re-birth of Andy Carroll – This is Anfield
Revealed: The 3 FSG targets Brendan Rodgers will be judged against. Achievable? – Liverpool Kop
The Barcelona Model and the Liverpool Comparison – The Tomkins Times
Is This Young Chelsea Star the Answer to Our Problems? – Live 4 Liverpool
FC Twente Talent Is Just The Man To Reignite The Kop – Transfer Tavern
[divider]
Quote of the Week
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“Stevie has been a fantastic player for many, many years but with the armband I think he feels like he needs to step up just that tiny bit more and I think he’s done that more than anyone so far.” Glen Johnson believes Steven Gerrard has flourished as England captain at Euro 2012
Wesley Sneijder has admitted he could leave Inter Milan for the right offer reports the Mirror.
The admission will fuel speculation that a move to long time suitors Manchester United is imminent.
Valued at £35 million the Dutch midfielder finally spoke up on the controversy that has surrounded his future at the San Siro all summer.
With the Serie A side club suffering a cash crisis the midfielder admits that they could sell him for financial reasons.
Sneijder said: “All I know is that Inter need money and that I’m for sale if the right offer comes in.
“I have five days off after the international friendly against England on Wednesday. I expect clarity on my future by then.
“I can be very brief about the interest from Manchester United and City: I haven’t spoken with either of those two clubs, so I can’t really say much about my future at the moment.” He added
Speculation at the weekend saw him linked with a move to the Blue side of Manchester only for this to be quickly dismissed.
It seems United is the only option for Sneijder who is wanted by manager Sir Alex Ferguson as a replacement for Paul Scholes.
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A move to Old Trafford now looks to be on the card although his £200,000-a-week wages could delay the deal as it is out of the clubs pay structure.
Saudi Arabia have sacked coach Nasser Al-Johar for failing to rescue the proud nation’s Asian Cup campaign in Qatar.Al-Johar lasted just eight days at the helm of the Green Falcons after replacing Jose Peseiro, who was given his marching orders following a first-up 2-1 loss to Group B rivals Syria.
But they fared no better under Al-Johar, going down 1-0 to Jordan before a 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Japan sealed Saudi Arabia’s exit in the group stages.
It was a humiliating early departure for the Green Falcons, who were runners-up in 2007 and considered one of the favourites to challenge for the title this time around.
Instead, Saudi Arabia failed to make the knockout stages of the Asian Cup for only the second time in the history of the tournament.
Team manager Fahd Al-Misaibeeh and his entire staff have also reportedly resigned, according to Saudi state news agency SPA.
“The Saudi Soccer Federation has accepted the resignation of Fahd Al-Misaibeeh, manager of the Saudi national team, and his crew, and relieved Nasser Al-Johar of his post as the current team’s coach,” read a statement from Prince Nawaf Bin Faisal, president of the Saudi Football Federation (SFF).
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“We vow to immediately replace them by a highly-qualified international crew and domestic aides.”
Prince Newaf was promoted to head of the SFF to replace Prince Sultan Bin Fahd, who was removed by King Abdullah following the loss to Jordan.