All posts by h79snht.top

In the words of Sir Elton John, sorry seems to be the hardest word. Yet, Manchester City’s surly striker Carlos Tevez has issued a belated apology to his club, following the much talked about incident in Munich.

The former captain delivered an official apology through City, stating his desire to get back into action and help his side, after three months away from the set-up:

“I wish to apologise sincerely and unreservedly to everybody I have let down and to whom my actions over the last few months have caused offence.

“My wish is to concentrate on playing football for Manchester City football club.”

The apology came after Tevez met with City’s football administrator Brian Marwood, and is believed to have been accepted by boss Roberto Mancini, despite no specific mention of him in the Argentine strikers statement.

The pair have yet to come face-to-face since the forward’s return, but there are rumours that Mancini may be willing to put the whole episode in the past, and welcome back his talented front-man.

This could, however, be a terrible decision on the part of the Italian coach for a series of reasons. Any backing down from Mancini would signal as a victory for Tevez, who would have undermined this manager’s leadership and been welcomed back into the fold. We live in a society that encourages forgiveness, second chances and rehabilitation, but after declaring that Tevez and City were ‘finished’ Mancini’s authority over a squad, possessing more than its fair share of big egos, could be called into question.

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With the dressing room at the Etihad believed to be a settled environment with on-field performances reflecting this, the re-entry of Tevez could serve to disrupt the harmony. The striker is definitely not one to hold back with his thoughts, and after letting down his teammates with his refusal to play, he could find himself side-lined by other squad members. This in turn could cause a rift, and the effects of cliques in dressing rooms have been well documented down the years.

The motives behind the apology must also be analysed, after Tevez was so adamant that he wanted no further part at the club. The forward and his representatives have been searching for a team willing to take on the talented yet temperamental striker for a few months now, and as of yet their quest has been unsuccessful. Tevez needs to get playing again to get himself back on the world football radar, and justify his wage demands to potential suitors, who were believed to all be unwilling to meet the suggested figures. As a result City would not have a player fully committed to their cause, instead somebody using the rest of the season as a stepping stone, to manoeuvre an exit to pastures new. One thing the club need during the close of the campaign are players willing to put themselves on the line to press home their points advantage, as rivals Manchester United have the benefit of experience in title run-ins.

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Tevez may be an extremely talented footballer, and one many clubs would be willing to welcome home. But, in the case of Manchester City there is just too much bat blood, and the Argentine could prove to be the catalyst for a complete meltdown at the Etihad.

What are your views on Carlos Tevez? Follow @Alex_Hams on Twitter and have your own say

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Chelsea are ready to bid for Everton midfielder Jack Rodwell in the January transfer window, as Andre Villas Boas looks to strengthen his squad in a bid to challenge for the title.

The Goodison Park battler has impressed with performances for the Merseysiders over the last couple of seasons, and recently broke into the senior England squad after starring for the under-21’s.

Manchester United are long-term admirers of Rodwell and were rumoured to have made a bid to bring the midfielder to Old Trafford last summer, which Everton rebuffed.

However, The Telegraph state that the Stamford Bridge outfit will make a £20 million offer for Rodwell in January in an attempt to bolster their midfield.

Rodwell fits into Andre Villas Boas’ strategy of nurturing young talent and would also be available for inclusion in Chelsea’s Champions League fixtures due to not playing in Europe this season for Everton.

Everton are reluctant to sell their star player, but due to working on a tight budget because of their failure to find a new investor in the club, may be willing to part company with Rodwell for a large fee.

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By Gareth McKnight

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We are almost three games into the new season, yet the transfer window still remains open. As we draw closer to the inevitable frenetic end of the window on deadline day, transfer rumours are flying about, with clubs trying to sort out their final deals for the summer. For players and managers alike the transfer window poses a distinct threat to their sanity. As rumours continue to circulate there may be unrest or trouble in sides before all deals are done. In light of this, should the transfer window be reformed and closed before the start of the season for everyone’s sake?

The summer long transfer sagas-like the uncertainty over the future of Luka Modric at Tottenham-continue to rumble on, and have now been carried over into the new season. This is highly unsettling for both squads and individual players, as uncertainty remains about whether players will leave and who will be their team-mates for the season ahead. Harry Redknapp has said that Modric has not been in the right frame of mind to play for Spurs, and it isn’t any wonder with the uncertainty surrounding his future. A negative cloud is hanging over Spurs with the whole affair, and they would of benefited from having the saga dealt with before the season had actually started.

While the window remains open, clubs remain in flux and unfinished. Yet points won throughout this period are very real, and those points could be crucial in a title decider or relegation battle. Clubs should be forced to do their pre-season strengthening in pre-season, and start the new campaign with a squad set in stone. This way everyone knows where they are and who they are playing for, at least for the first half of the season.

One benefit of the transfer window being open after the beginning of the season is that it gives clubs the chance to see where they may need to strengthen, if at all, and it gives managers a chance to have a few weeks of league play to make their minds up about certain players and their squads. Surely it is fairer for both players and clubs, if sides are decided before the season, with all deals wrapped up before the start of the new campaign. Sure it is a bigger gamble for a manager if they don’t get to assess their squads in those first few games of the season, but it could certainly make it interesting, with managers forced to deal earlier in the summer and have to live by the consequences of the decisions they make before the start of the season.

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While the transfer window remains open, the beginning of the season is taken over by transfer rumours, which though exciting throughout the summer, can became tedious and irritating at the beginning of the new campaign, when the focus should be purely on the football. It takes attention away from the opening games of the season, as players are unable to fully concentrate on football, with off-field matters seeming to take precedence.

The stumbling block in terms of moving the transfer window is a logistical one. Due to the different starting dates of the European leagues, it would be a disadvantage to other leagues if the English window was to close earlier. It is difficult to see any solutions to this problem, and the current window is a compromise that suits the majority.

With silly season almost over for another year, questions will remain as to whether we should close the window earlier. Managers should have to have their squads ready in time for the start of the new campaign, otherwise it takes away from the new season, and is just another example of how business is taking preference over sport.

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Do you think the transfer window should be closed before the start of the season? Let me know your thoughts below or follow me on Twitter @LaurenRutter

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Wolves won for the first time in the Premier League since August to move clear of the Premier League relegation zone after seeing off a spirited effort from Wigan at Molineux.

David Edwards proved to be the match winner 10 minutes into the second half putting Mick McCarthy’s men back in front after Ben Watson’s penalty cancelled out Jamie O’Hara’s earlier strike. Stephen Ward put the gloss on Wanderer’s first win in eight league games lashing home just after the hour mark to leave the Latics staring at yet another defeat. Roberto Martinez’s side remain at the foot of the table after losing a club record eight games on the spin. They meet Blackburn at the DW Stadium after the international break and they should be confident of taking something from that game after a spirited display in the Midlands. Martinez will be ruing his strikers luck after they squandered a number of chances prior to Watson’s equaliser just before half time. That goal gave them the belief that they could claim their first point for over two months but it was Wolves who had their shooting boots on at Molineux to move away from danger and into 13th.

Despite the game showing a flagrant disregard for possession mixed with some suspect defending it was still an entertaining spectacle served up by two teams desperate to put points on the board. It was clear why both teams are struggling though with the lack of quality at the back and in the final third making gruesome viewing for any watching defenders and strikers. Wanderers were shorn of the services of the injured Steven Fletcher with McCarthy deploying Kevin Doyle up front on his own with O’Hara tucked in behind and it worked a treat in the early stages as the home side started brightly. An early 20-yard strike from Edwards stung the palms of Ali Al Habsi before the keeper did enough to deny Steven Hunt after the winger danced his way into the Latic’s penalty area. The visitors took a while to get going but should have found themselves leading only for Hugo Rodallega to spurn two glorious chances. The Colombian has been finding his feet again after injury but his manager will be furious after he headed a Victor Moses cross horribly wide with his blushes spared by an offside flag. He was then presented with another opportunity after Karl Henry was dispossessed in midfield but could only shoot straight at Wayne Hennessey from inside the area before side footing a Franco Di Santo cross wide just before the half hour mark. It proved to be costly as just 35 seconds later The Latics found themselves behind. Wolves launched a devastating counter attack that ended with O’Hara slotting home Doyle’s cross for this third goal in two games.

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Martinez’s side responded with vigour and found themselves level just before half time after Emmerson Boyce’s charge into the area was halted by the shoulder of Hunt and referee Lee Probert duly pointed to the spot. Watson stepped up only to see his initial effort saved by Hennessey before graciously snapping up the rebound. However, despite going into the break level it was Wolves who ruled the second half and they regained their lead just 10 minutes after the restart through Edwards. The midfielder was hand to pounce on the rebound after Al Habsi showed great athleticism top deny both O’Hara and Hunt but couldn’t repeat his heroics for a third time as Edwards lashed the ball home to make it 2-1. McCarthy’s men were now firmly in the ascendency and they put the game beyond doubt as Ward followed up to slot home after Al Habsi denied O’Hara yet again only to see his save drop into the path of the Wolves man who made no mistake. From then on it was a case of shutting up shop and seeing the game out for the home side although Wigan did threaten on occasions but never looked likely to come from behind again. Steven Gohouri was denied by Hennessey after rising highest to meet a Moses corner before Mohamed Diame screwed a shot wide from 12-yards. The Latics are now firmly embroiled in yet another relegation battle whilst Wolves can breathe a sigh of relief after they moved clear of the drop zone after a well earned first win in eight.

Well, that’s that, then. Thirty five years of no success over in the blink of an eye. Actually, it’s been twenty three for me, but then I suppose I’m just one of the lucky ones. As lucky as one can be, being a Manchester City fan, obviously… some would say that being a blue is rather a life sentence. I must have done something pretty awful in a past life to have to put up with everything I have done, so I dread to think what those who have suffered for longer did. I suppose the point I’m trying to make is that the FA Cup win from Saturday still feels quite unreal, all told.

In truth, City were the better team throughout most of the final, aside from the fifteen minute spell where Stoke got themselves secured in the City half. And to be fair to Stoke, they hung in the game well with some good tackles on the edge of their box, some great saves from Sorensen and could (perhaps should) have taken the lead with their best chance of the game through Jones. But a great save from Hart denied that and then a great finish from Yaya Touré was the decider in the end.

And while Yaya Touré will get the plaudits for the two goals he scored at Wembley this season (rightly so, since they were two good finishes and he has picked his time to start putting the ball in the net on a more regular basis), there are some players who should get some credit for City’s first trophy win in over three decades who have, perhaps, been overlooked.

Joe Hart’s role in the cup run had been pretty minimal until we reached the semi-final stage. In fact, it was his error in the first FA Cup game at Leicester that resulted in an unwanted third round replay, though he held his hands up for the mistake and put it behind him almost immediately. After that, however, he didn’t really have much to do in rounds four through six but keep his concentration and collect some crosses, knock downs and simple saves.

And, as big as the decision to pick Hart over Given had been at the start of the season for Roberto Mancini, it turns out that the decision was vindicated. In three of City’s most important matches in the last few weeks – Manchester United (FA Cup semi-final), Tottenham (Premier League) and Stoke (FA Cup final) – he has made crucial saves at crucial points in the game. He was off his line quickly to deny Berbatov, he reacted instantly to flick away a Pienaar header, and he was big and spread himself to block from Jones. And had the opposition scored from any of those chances at those points in those games, I doubt City would have gone on to win those matches.

As City fans, we know how good Nigel de Jong has been for the season. In fact, when de Jong isn’t playing, City have looked vulnerable and, while he doesn’t do scoring (except for that freak goal against West Ham, naturally), he adds a lot more in an attacking sense than many people think. He moves the ball quickly and is always an option when there is nothing on further forward, meaning he can switch the play and catch the opposition defence out.

This was just half the job he did in the FA Cup final, along with his general break-up play and defensive solidity. In fact, while Stoke are known for having tough and strong players, you would have thought it the other way round with how it was the Dutchman who dominated the midfield, taking the pressure off the blues’ back four. With the injured Etherington unable to influence the game and de Jong always hassling the rest of the midfield, Stoke just couldn’t get enough possession of the ball.

Kompany and Lescott were both on top of their game and Stoke’s well renowned long-throw in and set piece strength was negated by the centre-half pairing’s winning of headers. Constantly. And we’ve seen in the past how badly City have coped with Stoke’s aerial threat, so their performance shouldn’t be understated. There should also be honourable mentions for Balotelli, who had perhaps his best game in a City shirt, David Silva, who created so much and should have scored, and Gareth Barry, who used the ball well when in possession.

Oh, and to Yaya Touré, who did something or other to win the game.

City’s first FA Cup victory since what feels like ever was very much a team achievement. Not just on the day (I think from what I’ve written about each of the players that started the final, it’s obvious that that one game was a team display), but throughout the tournament itself. Edin Dzeko scored his first City goal away at Notts County; in a game where City didn’t look like scoring and could have crashed out of the competition to the underdogs. James Milner put in a shift at Leicester, scoring one and making another. There was Mario Balotelli’s potential goal of the season against Aston Villa. Micah Richard’s winner against Reading didn’t look like coming either, this time because City looked like they were going to keep missing chances for fun that day.

It’s a whole world away from the cup exit in 2007, just four seasons ago, under Stuart Pearce. City had stumbled past Sheffield Wednesday (thanks to a Samaras penalty at Hillsbrough to earn a replay), then played pretty well to beat Southampton and Preston North End, and had been drawn against Blackburn at Ewood Park. City fans were confident that this could have been the year when the baron spell ended.

Goals from Aaron Mokoena and Matt Derbyshire ended City’s cup run and the spineless display from the visitors against ten men was hard to swallow for a lot of the visiting fans. The Sunday evening finished in chants of “you’re not fit to wear the shirt” and fans fighting with fans. It seems such a long way away from the victory of Saturday afternoon. And this, according to those from the outside, was a team with spirit and with a soul… one that hadn’t been sold to billionaires.

The in-fighting in the dressing room and the general sense of disappointment hanging over the club was conveniently ignored, just as has happened with the team spirit and optimism of fans towards the current squad. The dressing room video on City’s website shows just how much the squad have gelled and what the spirit in the camp is like.

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With Champions League football and the FA Cup secured, you could be forgiven for thinking that the season was over. But, with Arsenal’s insistence on handing out points as the season comes to a close, there’s a real possibility of third place in the league and the avoidance of that tricky qualifier at the start of next season. It needs another victory over Stoke, this evening.

For the first time in a very long time, it’s good to be a City fan.

Very, very good.

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Newcastle are set to increase their bid for PSV left back Erik Pieters according to the Daily Mail as they strive to replace Jose Enrique.

Magpies boss Alan Pardew want’s Pieters to replace the Spaniard who left St James’ Park to sign for Liverpool.

His interest in the defender was revealed last week and is now preparing a new bid to bring him to Tyneside.

With the North East derby against Sunderland on Sunday fast approaching Pardew is set to raise his offer for the Dutchman to £7 million.

He wants the 23-year-old in place before the game at the Stadium of Light and is set to use the £5.5 million raised from the Enrique deal to make that a reality.

Ryan Taylor deputised against Arsenal in Saturday’s Premier League opener putting in an admirable shift but Pardew wants a specialist.

PSV are struggling financially and are prepared to reluctantly sell the left back in an order to boost the coffers.

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Pieters is keen to move to the North East and is exactly the type of player Newcastle are looking for to replace Enrique.

He certainly holds more experience than the Spaniard with 10 caps for Holland and extensive Champions League experience along with his age and potential resale value fitting into the structure at St James’ Park.

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish has admitted that he is happy with the performances shown recently by his side, but he wants his players to transform their good showings into wins.

The Anfield outfit have drawn their last four games at home, and although the Scot was pleased with his team’s efforts last week against Manchester City, he was not content with a point.

“We are never going to be happy with a draw against anyone, we are happy with wins,” Dalglish told Mirror Football.

“We were delighted with the way we played but I think we set our standards a little bit higher than drawing against people.

“I think we deserve better than that, I think we are better than that, and it’s up to us to stand up and be counted and start winning games.

“We’ve done fantastically well and in most of the games we’ve played at home I think we should have come away with three points,” he stated.

The Reds travel to take on Fulham at Craven Cottage on Monday night, and although they won heavily there last season, Dalglish knows Martin Jol’s men will offer a stern test.

“We know it’s going to be a very difficult game. We also know we went there and won 5-2 last year but we got our reward for that by getting three points,” he added.

“We’ll only get what we deserve from the game and the effort we put in on Monday night.

“Everything that comes out in a game is a reflection of what you’ve done in the lead up to it, whether it’s two or three days or two or three months.

“The players have always trained very well and we’ve been delighted with their approach on and off the pitch. You only get out of life what you put into it and I think the same applies to football,” he concluded.

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Liverpool go into the game in seventh place, but the Merseysiders can move up to fifth with a two-goal win.

By Gareth McKnight

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Sir Alex Ferguson is relishing the prospect of renewing hostilities with Arsenal ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup quarter-final clash between the sides.Both teams enter the match on the back of some poor form, with United losing three of their past five English Premier League matches and Arsenal suffering the heartbreak of a Carling Cup final loss to Birmingham and a Champions League exit at the hands of Barcelona.Yet the United boss said his men would put recent struggles behind them as they continue their quest for three trophies as the season nears its business end.”You have to look forward. We have big opportunities at the club and there are a lot of challenges ahead for the rest of the season,” Ferguson said.”It is terrific to be involved in the middle of March. Every game you play is of importance.””That is why you get to March and hope you are going to be involved in all these things. We are.” Already missing Rio Ferdinand, Park Ji-sung and Portuguese winger Nani through injury, Ferguson insists he will field the strongest field he can in the tie, regardless of the looming Champions League round of 16 second-leg clash with Marseille on Tuesday.”I think the importance of a quarter-final tie against Arsenal is always an exciting game, an opportunity to get to the semi-finals, so I’ll do my best to play our best team available,” he said.”For Manchester and Arsenal games, since I’ve come down here, they’ve always been competitive, they’ve always meant something.””Arsenal have always been there as one of our main challengers since I have come down here so that in itself takes away all that, all thoughts of what’s going to happen on Tuesday night, it’s well away from my thoughts at this moment in time.”

Tottenham had a torrid time at the Bernabeu. In a night that Spurs needed luck, they got none. Everything that could have gone wrong, went wrong. Adebayor’s brace continued his remarkably good form against the North London club. In his time at Arsenal he scored in every game that the two clubs met. He is certainly a thorn in Tottenham’s side.

But he is not alone. Tottenham have the uncanny knack of getting the best out of opposition players. Be it through a player scoring regularly against Spurs, or a player choosing the Spurs match to return to form after a goal drought. For example, players like Hamilton Ricard and the now retired Dani of West Ham both managed to score against Tottenham despite being average at best. But they didn’t make it on my list.

The following list is made up of players who have either consistently scored goals against Tottenham, or players who have pulled ‘one-off’ performances out of the bag.

Click on Henry and Lauren below to see the Top TEN Spurs ‘Bogey Men’

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The news that United had made a deal to bring Phil Jones to Old Trafford was met with a wave of satisfaction rather than excitement by most Reds.

A proven Premier League player –of sorts- who was still in his teens could only be a welcome addition to the record breaking title winner’s squad.

Jones had shown for much of the season that he was a capable defender/defensive midfielder who’s peak years were ahead of him so it made a lot of sense for Sir Alex to fork out £16.5 million on him.

The funny thing is that in the space of only a few days Jones has gone from a capable defensive player to a ‘colossus’ -according to that stuffed donkey aficionado Stuart Pearce, thanks to an assured display against the mighty Ukrainian under 21 side.

Then there was the period last week when it looked as though Liverpool may hijack United’s deal, cue lots of deluded Scousers, on phone-ins and forums hailing Jones as the greatest defender in the history of football, a player so good that his Majesty Daglish could build an entire team around him and duly deliver the Premier League to its rightful home of Anfield.

While Liverpool fans have duly changed their tune about a player they are no naturally glad they didn’t get ‘cos he’s not even all that anyway like la’ most United fans and members of the national press- not to mention Pearce, have been getting a tad over-excited at just how good Jones is.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m confident the former Rovers man will have a long and illustrious Old Trafford career ahead of him but some of the praise and expectation being heaped upon him worries me slightly.

Many people both Red and less fortunate, have been quick to predict a similar impact from Jones at Old Trafford to the one Smalling delivered in his debut season.

The former Fulham man was outstanding last season and not even his mum could have envisioned Smalling settling in so quickly and looking so much at ease in a United shirt.

Smalling’s excellence, coupled with Jones’s showing both at Blackburn and for England under 21s has meant that the expectation around the 19 year-old has suddenly increased to almost ridiculous levels.

A player that would do well to reach double figures for United next season is now being touted by some as a possible choice to fill the defensive midfield role already.

I’m not about to be foolish enough to state: “you’ll never win anything with kids” only a total idiot would say such a thing- but I do think a modicum of rational perspective is needed.

Jones has been bought for the long term of that there should be no doubt and if it takes him a while to adjust to life at such a huge club as United then there can be no real complaints.

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Players such as Gary Pallister, Andy Cole, Teddy Sheringham and even Cristiano Ronaldo all took at least a season to truly find their feet at Old Trafford before becoming legends so it’s not too negative to think Jones may take at least a year.

All the recent hype from the media and pundits around just how good Jones is has seaped through to many fans -myself included- whereby it’s easy to lose sight of the fact the lad is a teenager who’s barely played 30 top flight games.

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All of a sudden there’s a sneakiy feeling that with all the money at Old Trafford seemingly being spent on players such as Luka Modric or Alexis Sanchez, we may have to make do with the defensive players we’ve got- particularly in midfield.

Could Jones come into the United side immediately and do a job in midfield? Probably -at least against the so-called lesser teams, but we shouldn’t expect him to. £16.5 million is a lot of mony I admit but it’s an investment and it’s important, as with all investments, we look for the long-term gains rather than the short term rewards.

I’m as excited as most Reds that we seem to have bagged a future star, but I don’t want to see the eagerness for instant success affect how United handle a player who could turn out to be one of Sir Alex’s most savvy signings.

It’s important that not just the club but also the fans remember that Jones needs time to settle into United and that time may be longer than the US tour, not everyone is a Mexican forward after all.

Read more of Justin’s articles at Red Flag Flying High