..::Football II::..

[Wolverine GTR]

Liverpool starlet Suso aiming to be Anfield legend

Liverpool's young Spanish midfielder Suso has spoken of his shock and delight at being thrown into the deep end by manager Brendan Rodgers at Anfield, and says he wants more.


The 18-year-old midfielder, who was brought to Liverpool in 2010 by Rafael Benitez, was thrust into Premier League action for the first time against Manchester United and has remained in the side ever since.

"My first thought was: 'Oh my God,'" Suso told the Daily Telegraph. "We were a man down because of Jonjo [Shelvey’s] red card and I couldn't believe he was picking me to play the second half against Manchester United and not one of the others like [Nuri] Sahin, [Stewart] Downing or [Jordan] Henderson."

He added, "Since then I have started every game in the Premier League. It has been a big change in a short time. Last year I had no expectation to play for the first team but, when Brendan arrived, the first thing he said was how much he liked the young players."

Rodgers' faith in Liverpool's youth has already been displayed with his faith in 17-year-old Raheem Sterling, who has received praise from many following his impressive start to his career. Suso, meanwhile, is entering his third season at Liverpool and is aiming to have a long and successful career at Anfield.

"Raheem and I can give each other support and confidence. Our wish is to be like [Steven] Gerrard and [Jamie] Carragher, to be able to play as many games and be a top player for so long. Playing with Gerrard and [Luis] Suarez is something I will treasure forever," Suso explained.

"In Spain, it is not normal for someone who is only 18 to play for the first team for a club the size of Liverpool. It never happens.

"But Brendan is one of the best people I have ever met and there is no time when he is not talking to you, when he is not trying to help.

"You do not get the chance to play for Liverpool every day, so I knew I had to take it.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Manchester City is 'not ready' to win the Champions League, admits Mancini

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has admitted it would take an "incredible situation" for his team to qualify from its Champions League group this year.

The Premier League champions currently sit bottom of their group, labelled by many as this season's infamous 'group of death', after losing to both Real Madrid and Ajax and scraping a draw against Borussia Dortmund.

And with chances of qualication for the latter stages now looking extremely slim, the 47-year-old manager has confessed that he doesn't believe his side has what to takes to be a competitive Champions League outfit yet.

"I don't think we're ready to win the Champions League," he told The Guardian.

"If we say we're ready to win it, we're not honest. In the Champions League it's clear that incredible situations can happen in February and March but we've been drawn in a tough group this year, like last year.

"We're a good team but we're not ready in the Champions League, like the other teams. Chelsea tried for 10 years to win the Champions League. They were probably the best team in Europe for 10 years and they won it [last May] after 10 years, probably when they didn't deserve to. They deserved to win it three or four years before."

Yet despite the seemingly impossible task faced by Mancini and his troops, the Italian still expects the players to go all out in order to collect nine points from the three remaining games.

"The players owe me three big performances," he added.

"We have less chance of qualifying for the next round but, when you're a top team, even when you're out, you should play 100% in every game.

"We have three games left but we are only focusing on Ajax. There's no mental problem [in the Champions League]. The players are the same and the referees are the same. We just need to improve. I will change nothing."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Montolivo: Milan must be confident for the Champions League

Riccardo Montolivo insists AC Milan is beginning to get into their stride this season, and has called on the team to take their growing confidence into the Champions League clash with Malaga on Tuesday.

The Italy international scored the second goal in Saturday's 5-1 thrashing of Chievo at San Siro, extending their unbeaten run in Serie A to three matches, and he believes the Rossoneri's form is continuing to improve.

He told Tuttosport: "My goal came in the right moment. The situation was delicate, they had just scored after our first goal, the match was not easy. Then after the third goal everything went well."

When asked if the weekend's victory was Milan's best performance of the season, he said: "Yes, I think so, along with the derby and the last part of the Palermo match. We are growing, we made seven points in the last three games, and it could have been nine. So we have to be confident for the Champions League."

The 27-year-old was also quick to praise the team's setup for the match, which saw him partner Massimo Ambrosini at the heart of midfield, and expressed his delight at Giampaolo Pazzini's goal which ended his drought since he netted a hat trick against Bologna at the start of September.

"Me alongside Ambrosni in 4-2-3-1? Maybe this is the easiest way to play. We all made a great effort to execute it well on the field, and Pazzini has done a great job on attack, I'm glad that he was able to score," he explained.

Milan remains nine points adrift of third-placed Napoli in the table, but Montolivo believes his side can still push for the top three positions if they sustain their good form in the run-up to Christmas.

"Third place? It is still far away, but we must try to get as close as possible before Christmas, then we'll see," Montolivo said.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Zenit's Hulk ruled out of Anderlecht clash

Zenit St Petersburg striker Hulk has been ruled out of action for two weeks after sustaining a thigh injury and will miss the club's crucial Group C clash with Belgian side Anderlecht.

The powerful attacker picked up the problem during the first half of his side's 2-1 win over Rostov on Friday and was replaced by Vladimir Bystrov. The Brazilian striker then underwent scans on Sunday in order to verify the extent of the problem.

The 26-year-old is now expected to be out until late November, and will therefore miss Zenit's upcoming Champions League clash with Anderlecht as well as the Russian league meeting with Volga next Saturday.

In addition, he is also likely to be unavailable for Brazil's friendly match with Colombia on November 14th, further compounding Selecao coach Mano Menezes' selection problems after Barcelona defender Adriano suffered an abductor injury against Celta Vigo.

Hulk has struggled to settle into life with Luciano Spaletti's side ever since his much-publicized 60 million euros move from Porto last summer, having scored just three goals in nine competitive games for his new club this season.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Buffon questions Juventus' attitude after streak-ending loss to Inter

Gianluigi Buffon says he was left puzzled by the attitude of his Juventus teammates after they were beaten 3-1 on Saturday.

The Bianconeri went ahead in the first minute through Arturo Vidal's strike, but three second-half goals saw the reigning champions beaten 3-1 in Turin, as Inter moved to within a point of the league leaders.

"I did not like our attitude after we went 1-0 up," Buffon told reporters. "I don't understand why we dropped so deep, we invited Inter onto us. Inter had more hunger to win the game, and they deserved the victory. We had forgotten what it felt like to lose, and it is not pleasant."

The 34-year-old then admitted Andrea Stramaccioni's men are genuine title contenders and compared their display to that of his own side last season.

"They have improved since last season, and with their coach they are becoming title opponents to us and Napoli," Buffon said. "They interpreted the game well, and with great conviction. So much so, that they reminded me of Juventus last season.

"After the first 15 minutes we gave them the initiative, and they knew what they had to do to take three points."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Di Meco: Gourcuff has failed to reach his potential

Eric Di Meco says Yoann Gourcuff has failed to fulfill his potential, but still believes he can flourish for Olympique Lyonnais.

The former France international, who appeared 23 times for his country, believes the 26-year-old is not the man to drag the club back to the top of Ligue 1 and feels he lacks the mental attributes to be relied upon.

"Having done what he had at Bordeaux, I expected him to move to a team challenging for titles that he would help become champions," Di Meco told RMC Sport.

"Gourcuff is not someone who leads a team and takes them to the top, like Lyon are asking of him. He doesn't have the mentality to do that, but if he has a coach that trusts him and if he is in a good environment then he can flourish."

Lyon currently lies third in the Ligue 1 table with 21 points from their opening 10 games, leaving the club just a single point adrift of leaders Paris Saint-Germain which has played a game more.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Hummels rues Borussia Dortmund's lack of cutting edge

Mats Hummels was left ruing Borussia Dortmund's failure to convert a number of chances as the reigning champions were held to a 0-0 draw by Struttgart.


BVB hit the woodwork on two occasions, with the defender himself and Robert Lewandowski the guilty men as Jurgen Klopp's side fell 11 points adrift of Bayern Munich.

"We were unlucky," Hummels told Goal.com. "We knew how important this match was to close the gap at the top of the table.

He added, "We had a number of chances, but failed to score which was the problem, plus I had some bad luck when I hit the crossbar. If we want the three points, we have to score a goal."

The last four encounters between the two sides have ended in draws, and the German international is already looking ahead to the return fixture.

"We must make sure we win the game at Stuttgart if we are going to challenge for the title."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Rodgers hails 'world-class' Suarez after fantastic Liverpool equalizer

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has poured praise on Luis Suarez after the forward salvaged a point with a fabulous goal against Newcastle on Sunday.


The Reds fell behind when Yohan Cabaye's superb volley flew past Brad Jones, however The Uruguayan hit back with a breathtaking piece of skill of his own, bringing down Jose Enrique's long ball before rounding Tim Krul to finish.

The former Swansea boss labelled his star man as a "world-class striker", comparing his role at the club to that of Lionel Messi's at Barcelona, while also applauding his team work and determination.

"That was brilliant," the 39-year-old told Sky Sports. "He's been fantastic.

He added, "His first touch coming from that height, and to get that depth on his touch, because normally those touches will go in front of you and then runs to the keeper or to the side. And then [to go] around the keeper was incredible skill and that's why he's a world class striker."

Rodgers said that Liverpool's offense is similar to Barcelona's in the sense that Suarez, like Lionel Messi, plays in a false nine role.

"He plays for us that first number nine role like what Messi does for Barcelona, where he moves freely and others have got to get in behind him to penetrate," Rodgers explained.

"I think everyone in the game knows he's quality, he's an absolutely fantastic guy and his work rate and intensity is incredible. A great goal for him and he'll be disappointed not to get one or two others."

As for their general performance, the Northern Irishman was delighted with his players' efforts, suggesting they deserved victory.

"I thought we were outstanding," he continued. "I thought our intensity was relentless in the game. We went to sleep obviously just before half time, but for every other moment I thought we were brilliant and deserved the three points, but just couldn't quite put our opportunities away."

Despite dominating proceedings in the first half, Cabaye's strike put the Merseyside outfit behind at the break, however they came out with the same fight and control in the second half, showing no signs of being disheartened.

Rodgers revealed that he just reminded his team to keep its cool, while insisting he is confident they will start recording victories in the near future.

"I just said to stay clam," he stated. "Sometimes when you dominate them game like we did and then you concede just before half time it's very easy to come out in the second half and play that desperation football and chase the ball.

"I believe we're a team moving forward. Once we improve the group over the course of the next couple of months that will kick us on again and these draws will hopefully turn into wins."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

I am not friends with Messi, but there are no issues between us, says Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo says he has a strictly professional relationship with Lionel Messi and is not friends with the Argentina international.

The pair have been painted as fierce rivals in recent years, with both players competing for the same club and individual honors. Even though he admits they are not close, Ronaldo is adamant there are no issues between the two of them and expressed his respect for the Barcelona man.

"He [Lionel Messi] is a great player," Ronaldo told beIN sport. "I have a professional relationship [with him] like I have with other players. I'm not friends with him, because we don't share the same dressing room. I respect him like a professional. We're not real friends, just friends through our profession.

"There are no issues between the two of us. It's [issues being created] not just now, its been the same for the last five years. I can't control it."

Ronaldo even went to the extent of saying that he could co-exist with Messi if the two played on the same team, something that he acknowledged was an obvious longshot.

"I could perfectly play with Messi if he signs with Real Madrid, but that's very difficult," Ronaldo said.

Neither of the Ballon d'Or candidates found the back of the net on Saturday as Los Blancos recorded a comfortable 4-0 win over Zaragoza, while the Blaugrana saw off Celta Vigo 3-1.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Wenger: We can't win the league

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has conceded his rebuilt team are 'very far behind' the genuine trophy contenders at the top of the Premier League after their latest defeat at Old Trafford.

The narrow nature of the final score line as Manchester United beat the Gunners 2-1 win on Saturday disguised the alarming gulf in class between the two sides and Wenger has been honest enough to accept Arsenal have ground to make up if they are to challenge the top three in England's top flight.

When asked whether his side are realistic challengers to Manchester's big two and Chelsea, Wenger responded: "At the moment you cannot say that we are because we are far away," accepted the under-pressure Arsenal manager before insisting he has not given up on closing the gap in the coming months. Being with the top three is still the target by the end of the season.

"We've played away at United, City, Liverpool and Stoke, so we've many difficult away games. We have got positive results and the 1-1 at Man City was a good result. We didn't suffer there by comparison to the United game."Wenger accepts his side's defensive performances have dipped after their promising start to the season as he admits his side look vulnerable when they are put under pressure.

"I just think we are not on full cylinders and looked much more vulnerable defensively than we did at the start of the season," stated Wenger. "There's no obvious reason for that. Also, United have quality up front. They score against everybody and they scored against us as well.

"We had a lot of the ball, but didn't do enough with it. You feel it was a bit of an illusionary domination. We had a lot of the ball but they created more chances and deserved to win the game."

Wenger went on to claim Patrice Evra 'made the most' of the challenge that led to Jack Wilshere being sent off at Old Trafford, as he accused referee Mike Dean of being naïve.

"The red card was very harsh," added the Arsenal boss. "When you tell a player, 'For the next foul you're going to get a second yellow', it is a signal to everybody in the opposing team to dive. Of course they then do it. If you get a warning, you are saying to the other team that with the next foul, if you dive, the player is off. Why do referees do that? It's absolutely naive. To me, Wilshere's tackle looked a regular challenge."

Meanwhile, Wenger is reported to be furious with much maligned full-back Andre Santos after he was caught by TV cameras at Old Trafford swapping shirts with former Arsenal team-mate Robin van Persie at half time in Saturday's match, with the Daily Mirror claiming Wenger demanded an explanation from his Brazilian defender and left him in little doubt that the gesture was not appropriate.

Arsenal fans reacted furiously to Santos' memorabilia hunt, with supporters who were already calling for the struggling full-back to be replaced flooding social networking sites to condemn his moment of inappropriate mid-match affection with Van Persie.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Barclays Premier League 2012.11.05 Fixture

Barclays Premier League 2012.11.05 Fixture

West Brom Vs Southampton

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[Banks PLK]

Aada match eka mona weida danne naha

Ape undefeated home record eka kadeida danne naha


Come on City

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Andre Santos says sorry to Arsenal fans for Van Persie shirt swap

Andre Santos has apologized to Arsenal fans for swapping shirts with former captain Robin van Persie at halftime during the team's 2-1 defeat to Manchester United on Saturday.

The Brazil international came under fire for approaching the Dutchman, who angered supporters with a 24 million pound switch to Arsenal's Premier League rival in the summer, with his side 1-0 behind at the time thanks to the ex-Gunners star's early goal.

"I'd like to apologise to supporters who felt aggrieved by it," Santos told The Sun.
"Did I think it would cause such a commotion? Of course I didn't, otherwise I would have told Robin to exchange the shirts away from public view."

Manager Arsene Wenger declared that the left back would never do such a thing again after being baffled by the premature gesture.

"It's interesting because Santos is a player who cares. If you speak with him, he gives an image of himself which is not him," the Gunners boss told the club's official website.

"He is serious, he wants to do well. It is about the result, about the team. [Asking for a shirt at halftime is] a difference of culture.

"I can understand that an English guy doesn't understand it and I'm French and I don't understand it either. He is completely in a different world when he does that.

"But he cares and he understands today what it means and, believe me, he will never do it again. I spoke to him about it but I do not want to make too big a story of it.

"I believe that was not the right thing to do at all, but that is not an explanation of our bad performance on Saturday."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Huntelaar incisiveness urgently required to stop Arsenal’s slide into mediocrity

Arsenal's 2-1 loss at Old Trafford definitely won’t last as long in the memory as last season’s 8-2 mauling, but the comparably abject nature of the performance leaves a taste in the mouth that is just as bitter for Gunners fans.

What the north London club's supporters must truly be unable to stomach is that this time, the goals scored by Robin van Persie will not be there to save Arsenal from potential free-fall, with the luxury of playing badly but still winning a distant memory.

A look over Van Persie’s remarkable 2011-12 goalscoring stats is hardly worth the effort when the Dutchman served up the perfect reminder of what his effectiveness in front of goal can mean for a team - as he effectively killed his old club off after three minutes at the weekend.

A bright-eyed start to the Gunners’ attacking outlook this season has been quickly superseded by a collection of dour and feeble spectacles by the men trusted with the task of hitting the back of the net.

Indeed, Arsenal’s commendable Premier League-topping defensive record is danger of counting for very little.

Lukas Podolski, after impressing initially, has given a more realistic projection of his season’s overall tally in the last few weeks, while Olivier Giroud has shown only occasional flashes of why he was deemed fit to be the club’s only direct positional replacement for Van Persie.

Gervinho’s quick-fire equalling of last season’s dismal tally proved a false dawn, with his continued deployment as center forward met with derision by Gunners fans and Theo Walcott – whether it be down to niggling injury after niggling injury, unproductive contract talks or vocal disenchantment – looks unlikely to be slung in up front.

Simply put, Arsenal does not currently have an attacker who can fire it to a top-four finish, with the club’s regular command of possession in Premier League matches beginning to embody the ‘sterile domination’ Wenger accused Barcelona of last year.

The Frenchman’s experimentation with an interchangeable front-three demonstrates that no tactical manifestation of the team is as important as finding someone, anyone, to play center forward and score goals habitually.

When the Gunners face Schalke on Tuesday evening, they will come face-to-face with a striker who they know from first-hand experience can do just that.

It was Klaas-Jan Huntelaar’s vital 76th-minute strike in Arsenal’s last Champions League outing which handed Schalke command of the game, leading to a first home defeat to a non-English side in the competition since September 2003 for the hosts.

Huntelaar sunk an incredible 48 goals in 47 games for the Germans last term, the most impressive season in a career which was only slightly curtailed by a spell where he was, arguably, much underused and under-appreciated at Real Madrid and AC Milan. Critics point towards a one-dimensional aspect to Huntelaar’s game and a lack of pace but the sheer wealth of footballing clichés about the importance of putting the ball in the back of the net tells another story.

With the target man entering the final few months of his three-year contract at Schalke and seemingly unwilling to discuss an extension, a serious enquiry from the Gunners must surely be at hand, especially with Liverpool being repeatedly linked to the player.

That’s if the idea of the acquisition of a prolific 29-year old Dutch striker who looks keen for a new challenge isn’t too painfully close to home for Arsenal. Regardless, the fact that Huntelaar would be available at a fraction of the price received for Van Persie in the summer should remove any doubts left lingering at boardroom level.

Goals provide excellent smokescreens for the shortcomings of any club and in the void left by the disappearance of Van Persie’s abundance of strikes, AGM meeting squabbles and inappropriate shirt-swapping have taken on a much more sinister significance at the Emirates.

Arsenal has endured its worst start to a domestic campaign under Wenger and is in unfamiliar losing territory in Europe. The only way to stop the rot is to increase productivity in front of goal and with this looking unlikely to come from the current playing squad, Wenger could do a lot worse than to add Huntelaar to his ranks come January.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

West Brom 2-0 Southampton: Odemwingie double piles on the misery for the Saints

West Brom soared to fifth in the Premier League table after a comfortable 2-0 victory against bottom club Southampton on the strength of two goals by Nigerian striker Peter Odemwingie. Republic of Ireland striker Shane Long justified Steve Clarke's decision to restore his place in the starting lineup with an assist on one of Odemwingie's tallies.

Despite the end result, it was the Saints who started the brighter of the two, and Rickie Lambert forced Ben Foster into a save with a first-time shot on the angle.

West Brom's first real chance of the game came after 19 minutes when Odemwingie burst down the right-hand channel before cutting in on his left and rifling a shot towards goal. The ball was going wide but was helped on its way by Zoltan Gera, who could only send it over the bar.

Long's first-time effort from a Youssuf Mulumbu pass flew into the crowd and Claudio Yacob dragged an effort wide as the game started to open up a little.

There was action at both ends of the pitch in the space of 30 seconds, with Foster comfortably saving Lambert's header from a Gaston Ramirez cross before quickly throwing the ball out to Odemwingie. The Nigerian burst down the right-hand channel before cutting in on his left and unleashing a fizzing shot that went just wide of the post.

Having just gone close with a left-footed drive, it was no surprise when Odemwingie finally did score by doing almost exactly the same again after 36 minutes. He collected Mulumbu's pass before taking a touch and driving in from 20 yards out. The ball took a deflection of the unfortunate Jose Fonte, which took it past Paulo Gazzaniga and into the bottom corner.

The Saints' goalkeeper produced a fine save at the feet of Long when the Republic of Ireland striker was allowed a free run into the box. The rebound fell to Odemwingie but his shot was blocked wide.

Southampton, which fell to 1-8-1 with the loss and has a league-worst -14 goal differential, went close a few minutes after the restart, Rickie Lambert smashing the bar on the half-volley as the Saints went looking for the equalizer.

But it was the Baggies who got their noses further in front with a quick, counter-attacking move. Liam Ridgewell booted the ball down the channel, Long ran onto it and whipped an inviting cross into the box which Odemwingie headed in from close range on the hour mark.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Sir Alex Ferguson: Flexibility key to Rooney and Van Persie partnership

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has hailed the flexibility of Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie, with the pair having shared 12 goals already this season.

The duo scored a combined 57 goals last year, and Ferguson feels that playing them together will not diminish their production in front of goal as they are able to rotate between creator and finisher throughout a game. Although Rooney has often dropped into midfield during recent games, the Ferguson has publicly stated that goal difference will not be problem this season, revealing the secret to the duo’s success.

"There's flexibility there and the right type of movement,” Ferguson told reporters. “They also both have the courage to play in these positions. Robin's not far away in that respect. "They're both mobile players and good footballers with a great desire to play and win. I don't think you saw the best of them as a partnership against Arsenal."

Van Persie himself also noted after the victory over Arsenal that although both players play the same position, their understanding suits both players and therefore it works for the team as a unit.

"You have two positions, the nine and the 10, and we are both nine and a half," he told Sky Sports. "We are just helping each other out. We both play behind and a bit higher up. It seems to be working well and I am very happy with Wayne - hopefully we can keep it going."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Neymar: Opposition support makes me want to cry

Neymar says the overwhelming reaction of rival supporters to his performance on Saturday nearly reduced him to tears.

The Brazil sensation scored a hat trick as Santos beat Cruzeiro 4-0 at the Mineirao Stadium and though the home support jeered its own players for an abject display, the fans gave the 20-year-old a standing ovation as he made his way off the pitch.


"I am overcome, it makes me want to cry," he told reporters after the clash. "It is unusual for this to happen. In fact, I cannot remember this ever happening so I am very grateful."

The trio of goals takes Neymar's tally to 12 for the season, despite a three-week absence as a result of his participation at the Olympics with the national side.

His team is now ninth in Brasileiro Serie A with 46 points from 34 games.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

UEFA Chmapions League 2012.11.06 Group Stage Fixtures

UEFA Chmapions League 2012.11.06 Group Stage Fixtures


Group A

Dynamo Kyiv Vs Porto

PSG Vs Dinamo Zagreb

Group B

Olympiacos Vs Montpellier

Schalke Vs Arsenal

Group C

Anderlecht Vs Zenit

Group D

Real Madrid Vs Dortmund

Manchester City Vs Ajax

​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Aada match eka mona weida danne naha

Ape undefeated home record eka kadeida danne naha


Come on City

City lage Home Performance hodai bro so bayawenna deyak naha

 

[මුගටියා]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...t-football-match-abandoned-after-rioting.html