..::Football II::..

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West Brom coach Steve Clarke hails 'dream' Gera performance

West Brom head coach Steve Clarke has hailed midfielder Zoltan Gera after the Hungarian helped the high-flying Baggies beat Sunderland 4-2 at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

Gera gave the visitors the lead after 30 minutes and Clarke was delighted with his impact behind lone striker Shane Long. Long, Romelu Lukaku and Marc-Antoine Fortune all went on to find the back of the net, but the Scottish boss believes that the playmaker deserved the man of the match award.

"For me, Zoltan was man of the match," Clarke told the club's official website. "He was outstanding. Zoltan played the No. 10 position like a dream for us. The way we played and passed it, we kept getting him on the ball in good positions. It's something we had spoken about before the game. Thankfully it worked for us."

West Brom's latest victory lifted them to third place in the Premier League behind Manchester United and Manchester City entering Sunday's games.

 

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Benitez booed by Chelsea fans at Stamford Bridge

Rafael Benitez's reign at Chelsea got off to a negative start ahead of Sunday's clash with Manchester City, with the new manager being booed by the crowd at Stamford Bridge before a ball had even been kicked.

The former Liverpool boss replaced Roberto Di Matteo at the helm this week after the Italian was dismissed after a run of just two wins in eight, but his arrival in west London was met with dismay by many Blues fans.

Benitez had a fractious relationship with Chelsea when his Liverpool team sparred with the Stamford Bridge club in the Champions League, and it appears the supporters of the London club are not willing to forget.

Chelsea fans also offered a tribute to their former player and manager Di Matteo with a round of applause and chanting throughout the 16th minute of the game - the Italian wore that shirt during his four years as a player at the club.

 

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Former Chelsea and Manchester United manager Dave Sexton passes away

Former Chelsea and Manchester United coach Dave Sexton passed away on Sunday. He was 82 years old.

Sexton played for Luton Town, West Ham, Leyton Orient, Brighton and Crystal Palace before taking over on the bench at Stamford Bridge following a short spell in charge of Orient. During his spell as Chelsea boss he won the FA Cup in 1970 and the European Cup Winners' Cup the following season.

Sexton went on to manage QPR before taking over at Manchester United in 1977. He also took over as coach of the England Under-21 side and won the European Under-21 Championship twice in 1982 and 1984.

Sir Trevor Brooking, the Football Association's director of football development, regards Sexton as one of the finest coaches the country has produced in recent times.

"It is a sad day," Brooking told the FA's official website. "Anyone who was ever coached by Dave would be able to tell you what a good man he was, but not only that, what a great coach in particular he was. In the last 30-40 years Dave's name was up there with any of the top coaches we have produced in England - the likes of Terry Venables, Don Howe and Ron Greenwood. His coaching was revered."

 

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R.I.P Dave

 

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Pirlo: I joined Juventus because Allegri preferred Ambrosini or Van Bommel in midfield

Andrea Pirlo said he left AC Milan for Juventus because coach Massimiliano Allegri favored to play either Massimo Ambrosini or Mark van Bommel ahead of the Italy international in his position.

Pirlo spent 10 years with the Rossoneri before moving to Turin at the beginning of last season, and his decision was vindicated as he played a vital role in helping Juventus win the Serie A title with the club not losing a single game.

The 33-year-old Pirlo insisted that he wanted to extend his stay at the San Siro outfit but felt he had to leave as Allegri wanted to play others in his preferred role.

"When I spoke with Milan about my contract, they proposed the renewal for one year," Pirlo, a member of Italy's 2006 World Cup winning side, told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "I asked for a three-year deal, because I was younger than the other experienced players. But the real reason for my transfer was another: Allegri wanted to place Ambrosini or Van Bommel in front of the defense and I'd have to change role.

"Then, I said 'no thanks' and I chose Juve, who offered me the right conditions. I want to say that it was not a financial decision. Milan decided that others were serving more. I quickly realized this during the interview. In my role, Allegri preferred other players."

Pirlo will get another chance to face his old side when Juventus travels to the San Siro to face the Rossoneri, who are languishing in mid-table, on Sunday.

 

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Casillas: Real Madrid has taken two steps back in the title race

Iker Casillas has called upon his Real Madrid teammates to demonstrate what they can do after slipping to a 1-0 loss Betis on Saturday.

Benat's 17th-minute goal was enough to separate the two sides as Los Merengues crashed to their third defeat of the Liga season, leaving them trailing leaders Barcelona by eight points -- a lead that can grow to 11 if Barcelona can defeat Levante on Sunday.

"It was a blow, and we have taken two steps back in the title race," the 31-year-old told AS. "[Jose] Mourinho has a temper and sometimes you have to feel more protected by your players. We need to shut up and show that we are angry on the pitch."

Casillas did, however, claim that there were a number of factors, including the standard of the officiating, that contributed to the result, with Karim Benzema having a seemingly-fair goal ruled out for offside.

"Everything has an influence, such as fatigue, and the fact Betis were thrashed [in a recent 5-1 defeat] by Sevilla. Also, the referee did not make the right decision at times. "We must continue, work and be more united than ever."

 

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Benitez did not expect to be at Chelsea so soon after Di Matteo's sacking

New Chelsea manager Rafael Benitez has admitted he did not expect to be taking charge of the Stamford Bridge club so soon after Roberto Di Matteo's sacking - but insists he is ready for action.

The former Liverpool boss will take charge of the Blues against Manchester City on Sunday after replacing the Italian coach, with his last role coming in 2010 with Italian side Inter Milan. But, despite being out of a coaching job for two years, the 52-year-old Benitez said he has been preparing for a return to management and is hungry to succeed again.

"You are not expecting to be here, and that Chelsea would have to change the manager in that time," Benitez told the club's official website. "When they decided to do it I talked with my agent, and I knew we had a chance, but everything has happened very quickly."

Benitez has been working hard away from management, and while the Spaniard has taken on one of the most difficult jobs in the game, he is eager to prove himself once again.

"I have been quite busy, watching games, analyzing games, doing a website, writing a book and developing coaching programs, so I was very involved with football and ready for this time," Benitez said. "When you are some time without training you want to do well and succeed again. The game has not changed a lot in that time."

While he has managed teams in Spain and Italy, Benitez revealed he is happy to be returning to a job in England, and is relishing the prospect of setting up in the capital.

"I was in England, my family was settled down, and my priority was always the Premier League, so I was trying to stay around," Benitez said. "Obviously I was going to Spain, Germany, wherever, but most of the time I was here. I was in Madrid for so many years. It's a big city, but obviously London is bigger - in a big city you can find everything you want."

 

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'I only have a three-year deal at PSG' - Ibrahimovic wards off captaincy talk

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has distanced himself from the captaincy at Paris Saint-Germain, saying that the role should be filled by someone with a long-term commitment to the club.

The prolific forward has made moves to numerous clubs during the course of his career, and hinted that his time in the French capital could come to an end in 2015, when his current deal expires.

"You know what you get from me. I've been like this for many years and when a club buys me they know what they're getting," Ibrahimovic told Le Parisien. "But the captaincy? No. The captain is one for the future, to be here for many years. I only have a three-year contract."

Ibrahimovic went on to say that his side thrived while in crisis after coming back from a series of uneven performances to beat Troyes 4-0 on Saturday, responding to the poor run of results.

"Is this the end of the crisis? No. It's good to be in crisis, because that's when you play well," Ibrahimovic said. "I think it was important today after losing the last game to come back strong and send out a message to everyone. We want this."

Since making the move to Ligue 1 in the summer, Ibrahimovic has scored 14 goals in all competitions.

 

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Betis 1-0 Real Madrid: Benat blow leaves champion on the ropes

Real Madrid potentially lost more ground at the top of the table after falling 1-0 to Real Betis at Estadio Benito Villamarin on Saturday evening, leaving its title defense in tatters.

Benat scored the only goal of the game, drilling home from the edge of the area after a lapse at the back from los Blancos, who, despite large spells of pressure in the second half, could not find a way through the dogged defensive ranks of a home side that now move joint-fourth in the standings.

More significantly, though, the result means that should league leader Barcelona emerge victorious at Levante on Sunday, then third-placed Madrid will find itself facing an 11-point gap to make up on the Catalans, with a crucial derby against second-placed Atletico Madrid to come in a week's time.

Jose Mourinho made one change to the side that played out a 1-1 draw at Manchester City midweek, with Mesut Ozil stepping into the side to replace Luka Modric.

The visitors fashioned the first chance in the ninth minute when a determined run down the wing by Cristiano Ronaldo saw him tee up Sami Khedira at the edge of the area, but the he could not find the target.

The German international was then found wanting 17 minutes in as he was brushed off with ease by Benat, who picked his spot superbly at the edge of the area and drilled into the bottom corner - the opening coming after Angel Di Maria had given the ball away.

Betis was playing with great spirit, and with the home fans in full voice, found another way through when Ruben Castro raced clear down the left, but saw his lash across goal tipped away from danger by Iker Casillas.

Madrid finally began to show some positibe signs after the half hour mark, and its best opening of the half came when a sublime one-two between Karim Benzema and Mesut Ozil saw the latter play in Di Maria, whose shot clipped the bar.

It should have been level nine minutes before the break after Benzema turned home Xabi Alonso's free kick, but the goal was disallowed for offside despite the Frenchman appearing to be level with the last defender on replays.

But sloppiness and lethargy were endemic throughout the Madrid performance in the first half, as emphasized when Casillas gave the ball away in a dangerous position after electing to engage in keep-ups on his own goal line.

Mourinho could see that his team was in need of a jolt at the break, and hauled off Khedira and Ozil for Modric and Kaka respectively to start the second half.

The result was a more urgent performance in the attacking third, though despite the improved endeavor, Madrid still lacked a cutting edge in front of goal.

Benzema seemed poised to tap in Ronaldo's center on the hour mark, but Antonio Amaya did just enough to touch the ball out of the Frenchman's path.

Kaka tried his luck moments later with a strong effort from 25 yards out, but Adrian was equal to it and pushed away from danger.

But Madrid's eagerness to get forward left gaps at the back, and Betis had two opportunities to pounce on the break. First, Salva Sevilla shot wide after finding space inside the area, before substitute Jorge Molina played in Ruben Castro, who blazed over from inside the box.

Still, the visitors had chances late to get back into the game. Ronaldo's free kick forced the best out of Adrian, who was on his game again to deny Pepe's header from the resulting corner with nine minutes remaining.

But time simply ran out for Madrid, which could not salvage anything from the game, and must now pick itself up in time for the now must-win local derby at home against Atletico next weekend.

 

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Ancelotti: Pato fits Paris Saint-Germain profile

Carlo Ancelotti has fueled speculation that Paris Saint-Germain could revive its interest in Alexandre Pato by claiming that the AC Milan forward fits its criteria.


The Brazil international was believed to be close to completing a 35 million euro transfer to the Parc des Princes in January but eventually decided against making the move. However, rumors linking the two parties have resurfaced following reports that the 23-year-old is unhappy with life at the Serie A side.

In response to recent speculation, Ancelotti - who coached the striker at the Rossoneri between 2007 and 2009 - described the South American as a player who matches PSG's profile, but insisted that there is nothing wrong with his current crop of attackers.

"He did not call me. I'm not his friend and he was only my player [at Milan], but Pato has the profile to play for PSG," the coach told RTL. "He is a fantastic goalscorer, but we cannot sign all the strikers in the world. We have very good players for the position, such as [Jeremy] Menez, [Ezequiel] Lavezzi and [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic."

Ancelotti's side romped to a 4-0 victory over Troyes on Saturday, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic's 200th and 201st league goals and strikes from Blaise Matuidi and Maxwell proving enough to end a run of three Ligue 1 matches without a win.

"We played intelligently," he added. "You do not want to use too much energy. We traveled to Ukraine on Wednesday so it was hard to recover. Our attacking strategy was very well executed. In the second half we found space and took advantage of it.

"[Replacing] Pastore was a tactical choice. I thought Nene could make more use of the spaces. Ibra is a very important player. He is one of the best strikers in the world. Regarding Matuidi, he managed to hit a high level of performance, which is what we've come to expect from him."

Following last weekend's 2-1 defeat to Rennes, the Italian admitted that his team was in a midst of a crisis, but despite the emphatic manner of its success this time around he is remaining coy on any immediate recovery.

"I think we should wait," Ancelotti noted. "You must understand that when you try to build a strong team, sometimes you can lose. We are not yet strong enough to be a team that plays with continuity. But this week, the team reacted very well.

"They scored six goals, without conceding, and we qualified for the Champions League knockout stages. Over six days, that's a lot."

 

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Pulis brushes off Stoke ‘bully’ tag following Fulham victory

Stoke manager Tony Pulis has brushed off suggestions by Fulham boss Martin Jol that the Cottagers were bullied out of the meeting between the two sides at the Britannia Stadium, calling the tag "unfair".


The home side took three points thanks to a single goal from Charlie Adam in a game that passed without any major incident, although the opposing managers have aired their discontent with the tactics imposed on the game.

"I'm really disappointed we haven't won the game by more goals," Pulis told reporters. "I think even looking at the first half and the chances; Robert Huth has missed a header from a corner Charlie Adam has had one he should score and Ryan Shawcross hits the bar when he is basically under the goal.

"I don't think they were bullied out of it, I think if you have a look at [Dimitar] Berbatov and a few of the others they are competitive enough, they can look after themselves. I think saying they've been bullied is unfair on us, we are strong and we are resilient but we are an honest group of lads that work hard. We are not dirty."

Adam scored the winner but Pulis was keen to heap praise on another former Liverpool man, with Peter Crouch receiving plaudits from his manager.

He added: "We are structured and we are disciplined but we need him up there with Peter [Crouch]. If we get him up there Peter does a fantastic job for us and Charlie will get the opportunities to score."I thought everything we did today came through Peter."

Fulham have been disappointing away from home this season, and Martin Jol bemoaned his team's inability to deal with Stoke's style.

"In the second half we did better but in the first half we played exactly the same as we did here last year and probably the same as other teams," Jol said. "We couldn’t get out of our half, we wanted to try and play football but it was difficult. You get the long balls and they close you down and the pressurize you and when they play their style it is not easy for us.

"We said it before the game that they try to bully teams and they bullied us. It's disappointing because usually we score goals but away from home we couldn't do that today. You need self-belief in your quality and don't let them force their style on you and that is what we did first half, possibly not in the second half.

"They moan about our style and our fouls, but I know my team and we never foul. I admire Stoke for their style; I always admire teams that have a style. It is not my style but it is a style, they are not successful but they do well so we have to stand up and do something against it."

 

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'Betis outplayed Real Madrid' - Mourinho refuses to blame refereeing for loss

Jose Mourinho has refused to blame poor refereeing on Real Madrid’s 1-0 away defeat to Real Betis, and lauded the host for bouncing back from its reverse to Sevilla in the Andalucian derby last weekend.

Benat scored the only goal of the game against los Blancos, though Karim Benzema had what looked like a perfectly-fine strike ruled out for offside and, according to the coach, a penalty shout denied by officials.

"After a difficult week and some conflict with his players, the fans of Betis have helped [coach Pepe Mel’s] team win,” Mourinho told reporters after the match. “I've congratulated the Betis players because they left everything on the pitch and fought with a spirit of sacrifice.

"[The referee] was hugely at fault for a wrongly-disallowed Benzema goal and a clear penalty in the closing minutes. But [Betis] deserve my respect because they outplayed Real Madrid."

The former Inter boss was clearly not in a complimentary mood towards his team, adding: "We started well, but only a little bit better than we played for the rest of the game."

But while acknowledging that fatigue may have been a factor following the 1-1 draw with Manchester City midweek, the 49-year-old bemoaned a world where fit, young players are unable to play twice in four days.

"I try to be fair and objective, and when my team lose, I do not seek excuses or blame other things,” he added. “Obviously some players played Wednesday who could not play today.

“Obviously there are other teams that have an easier match calendar but we are talking about top professionals and you have to take into account mental toughness, ambition and spirit.

"A player of 23 or 24 years should be able to play two games in four days. As always, because I speak out, and I’m the only one who has spoken out, I’ll be the bad guy."

Mourinho continued: "When we win, we all win, but when we lose, the coach loses. Why is it my fault?

"It's possible that we could finish the season 11, 13 or nine points behind Barcelona. The Liga race is still open but we're neither optimistic nor pessimistic. I can't focus on a single competition."

 

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Levante 0-4 Barcelona: Ingenious Iniesta inspires Blaugrana to victory

Barcelona maintained its stranglehold on top spot in La Liga with a resounding 4-0 victory over Levante on Sunday evening.

Andres Iniesta was the undoubted star of the show, creating two goals for Lionel Messi and one for Cesc Fabregas, as well as scoring a stunner himself.

Levante had held Barca scoreless until the interval but simply had no answer to Iniesta's genius after the break and the league's top team ultimately coasted to a victory that restores its three-point lead over Atletico Madrid, but perhaps more significantly, moves it 11 points clear of reigning champion Real Madrid.

Unsurprisingly, Barcelona dominated possession early on, but it was the home side which threatened first, with Jose Barkero drawing a spectacular one-handed save from Victor Valdes, after stepping nimbly inside Sergio Busquets.

The Catalans then lost Dani Alves to injury, with Martin Montoya filling the considerable void left by the Brazilian at right back. Barca appeared unperturbed, though, and Messi very nearly broke the deadlock midway through the first half, but his low drive from the edge of the area flew just wide of Gustavo Munua’s left-hand post.

Xavi then tested the home side’s goalkeeper with a well-struck volley on the half-hour mark, but Levante underlined its considerable counterattacking capabilities moments later when Barkero skied a close-range effort over the bar, after a terrific run down the left wing from Juanlu, who had nutmegged Gerard Pique before crossing.

Indeed, even with Carles Puyol back within the ranks, Barca looked decidedly vulnerable at the back, and Obafemi Martins nodded just wide shortly before the break as Levante continued to ask questions of the brittle Blaugrana back four, particularly at set pieces.

However, a side with attacking players of the caliber of Messi and Iniesta doesn’t exactly need to be impenetrable defensively, as so wonderfully underlined within 12 minutes of the restart.

Barely two minutes of the second half had elapsed when Iniesta dissected the Levante defense with a slide-rule pass that Messi nonchalantly lifted over the advancing Munua.

Moments later, the pair combined again, Iniesta driving to the by line before instinctively pulling the ball back to where he knew Messi would be waiting to double Barca’s advantage with another composed finish.

Iniesta wasn’t done, though, not by a long way. First he put the result beyond all doubt with a thunderous drive from the edge of the area which flew into the back of the Levante net via the underside of the crossbar. Then, just after the hour mark he slipped in Fabregas, who calmly stepped around Munua before slotting home.

The beleaguered home side should have pulled a goal back late on when Puyol was harshly adjudged to have deliberately handled in the area. However, Victor Valdes brilliantly saved Bakero's penalty, as well as the follow up, to preserve Barca's clean sheet, thus putting the seal on what has been a near-perfect weekend for the league leader, which will now be hoping that Real and Atletico take points off one another next Saturday in the Madrid derby.

 

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AC Milan 1-0 Juventus: Resurgent Rossoneri upset blunt Bianconeri

AC Milan ground out a priceless 1-0 victory over Serie A leader Juventus at San Siro on Sunday evening to blow the title race wide open.

The Bianconeri suffered only their second defeat in the league this season, after failing to respond to a Robinho penalty after 31 minutes in what was a closely contested match from both sides, which nevertheless lacked much action in front of goal.

Juventus maintains a four point lead at the top of the table, but could see that gap cut to a single point should Inter come away with victory at Parma on Monday, while Milan moves to eighth place with 18 points, jumping five spots in the standings.

Robinho won the race to start up front for the home side ahead of Bojan, with Mattia de Sciglio and Kevin Constant manning both fullback spots in the absence of Ignazio Abate and Luca Antonini.

Juve made only one change from the side that dismantled Chelsea 3-0 in the Champions League midweek, with Isla replacing Stephan Lichtsteiner as the right wing back.

De Sciglio was in the thick of things early on, dragging a shot from the edge of the area wide after five minutes, before forcing Gianluigi Bufon to work to stop his attempt from an angle with his legs, after he was played in by Robinho.

Still, the game struggled to get off the ground, as both teams, despite plenty of effort and encouragement from the crowd, found it hard to settle into a flow in the attacking third.

Antonio Nocerino became the first player booked after a quarter of an hour, after he was caught being a little to eager when attempting to win a loose ball ahead of Caceres.

But the better openings in the match were going Milan's way, and the club found some fortune just after the half hour mark when a soft penalty appeal for handball against Isla went in favor of the home team, after the defender struggled to clear under pressure from Nocerino.

Robinho took responsibilities from the spot, and his shot squeezed into the bottom left corner, despite Buffon getting a strong hand to the attempt.

Juve was simply not good enough in the first half, as despite controlling the majority of possession, looked decidedly out of ideas in attack.

Minutes into the second half, a terrible pass out of defense from Buffon nearly sold Andrea Barzagli short and allowed Stephan El Shaarawy to pounce, but the defender was able to slide in for a crucial tackle.

The introduction of Sebastian Giovinco for Fabio Quagliarella around the hour mark finally sparked Juve into life, as Milan found it hard to advance out of its own half and was guilty of leaving a few gaps on the flanks for the the visiting side to exploit.

The diminutive Italian set up a great opportunity for Mirko Vucinic not long after his introduction, but the Montenegrin could not convert his cross from a good position inside the area.

Philippe Mexes then had to be alert to intercept a very dangerous cross from substitute Simone Padoin, but Juve was still made to respect Milan's threat on the break as a rare second half attack for the home side saw Nocerino charge forward and crash a powerful drive just over.

Yepes forced a save from Buffon with a header from a corner, but Milan were soon forced back into some desperate defending as Juve made a late surge to get something from the match in the closing stages.

With seven minutes remaining, Giovinco again picked out Vucinic inside the area, but Amelia was in the right place to make a superb save to deny the striker from close range.

But Juve could not change its stripes that late in the game, and failed to find another breakthrough as Milan held on to record three vital points to help the recovery of the team's season.

 

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Brazil chiefs rule out Guardiola and hint at Scolari return

Brazil FA president Jose Marin has essentially ruled out Pep Guardiola as the next head coach after revealing he does not want to hire a foreign trainer, amid an admittance from a colleague that Luiz Felipe Scolari is set to take the position.

The former Barcelona tactician has recently been linked with the Selecao role, after it became vacant due to the sacking of Mano Menezes on Friday.

The 80-year-old believes that although the former Barca boss is a superb trainer, he might not be suited with taking over the national side.

"I find it hard [to believe] that Brazil's next coach will be a foreign," he told Terra. "I have the greatest respect for Guardiola, but Brazil has won all of its five World Cups with Brazilian coaches.

"I haven't talk to any [possible coaches] yet. I'm waiting for the end of Brasileirao. A decision might be made in January, in which case I will talk to reporters in a press conference and announce the new coach. The next coach must have an adequate profile to lead Brazil to its top goal, which is winning the 2014 World Cup."

Regarding the dismissal of former trainer Menezes, Marin made it clear that Brazil has moved on with a positive outlook on the future.

"The past is the past. We won't talk about this again," he said. "We must think in the present and the future."

Director Andres Sanchez expressed his disappointment over the release of the coach and revealed that Scolari is set to take over the Selecao.

"I haven't spoke with the president [Marin] yet, but there's a possibility that I'll leave [the board]," he said. "As far as I know, Felipao has agreed terms. I know from credible sources that this happened.

"I'm sad because of all that happened. Do you think that I wanted to be here, explaining the dismissal of our coach? We're going through a moment of insecurity, we don't have a coach. There's absolutely nothing that can shake Brazilian football."

 

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Xabi Alonso: Mourinho is the best coach Madrid could have

Real Madrid's Xabi Alonso has backed his coach Jose Mourinho insisting he still has the eagerness to win titles.

The Spanish outfit along with the Portuguese tactician have recently been the subject of heavy criticism from various media outlets, but the 31-year-old midfielder is adamant his boss is still hungry for success at the capital.

"He is eager to do well," the Spain international was quoted as saying on the club's official website. "The club is with the coach, the dressing room is with the coach and the Real Madrid fans are as well. He is the best coach that we could have."

The defensive midfielder is confident that his side can recover from its recent setback and defend the Liga title after dropping 11 points behind league leader Barcelona following defeat to Betis on Saturday.

"From the inside we try to step back and focus. We are self-critical and reflective," Alonso continued. "Now we have to play and think and work towards the next matches. About last Saturday, we put ourselves under the pressure and responsibility that comes with playing for Real Madrid.

"Obviously, we can win the league. There is a lot of the season to go. We will try to cut the lead as soon as possible and I am sure that we will be there at the end."

Regarding a possible renewal of his contract, which runs out in 2014, Alonso insisted it is not quite the right time to talk about it yet.

"We are in the middle of an intense season and everything comes along at its own pace," he said. "I am not worried right now."

The midfielder has appeared 12 times for Madrid in the league this season.

 

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Milner: Manchester City should have beaten Chelsea

Manchester City midfielder James Milner believes his side deserved more than a point from its clash with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge Sunday.

The visitors had the lion's share of possession and chances on but were held to a 0-0 draw as Rafa Benitez earned his first point as Blues boss. Milner feels Roberto Mancini's men merited more and bemoaned their failure to convert the opportunities that came their way.

"We were the better side, we had the better chances and restricted them to not too many,” Milner told the club’s official television channel, City TV. "I thought we played a good game and didn't quite get the three points.

"We have got things to work on. We need to take our chances - we had a number of corners and chances that didn't go our way. When we are on top in games and have territory and chances we are not quite putting teams to bed like we should be. Hopefully we can improve on that during the season. There are positives and negatives to take out of the game."

The former Leeds attacker went on to hail the way in which City kept Chelsea at arm's length, despite things not going its way.

"It shows mental strength because sometimes, when you have those days, it is easy to think it's not our day and sit back and let the other team into the game and have chances themselves," Milner said. "I don't think we did that. We were pretty solid and moved the ball around pretty well. The pitch wasn't the greatest but we tried to be positive and it just didn't happen for us at the business end."

The England international also called for his team to improve on its set pieces in order to make the most of the dead-ball specialists in the squad.

"When you are on top of teams you are going to have set pieces,” Milner added. "We have got quality delivery with 'Kolar' [Aleksandar Kolarov] and David [Silva] and people like that. We need to maybe come up with a few new things and make sure we attack that ball. I'm sure the goals will come."

 

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Brazil chose a bad time to sack Mano Menezes, believes Carlos Alberto

Former Brazil right back Carlos Alberto has criticized the Brazilian Football Federation (CBF) for its timing in the sacking of Mano Menezes.

The 50-year-old was released from duty by the organization only 19 months before the 2014 FIFA World Cup after failing to deliver both the Copa America and Olympic trophies. Although Alberto was not surprised by the action, the timing of the decision left him bemused as the Selecao had just beaten rival Argentina in the Superclasico de las Americas.

"I would be more surprised by the sacking of Mano Menezes if I weren't Brazilian and didn't know how football works," Alberto said at a conference in Brazil. "This is nothing jaw-dropping, people had been talking for some time that he was going to lose his job. It seems to me the time to send him packing was not the best.

"I have the impression the decision was already made by the Brazilian FA, but I still don't understand why the guy loses his job right after beating Argentina away."

Alberto then gave praise to formerBarcelona boss Pep Guardiola, and although he insisted that a foreign coach could bring something new to the table, Alberto feels one could face problems adapting to the environment with the World Cup a little more than a year away.

"I am not against having a foreign trainer for the Brazilian national team and Guardiola is certainly a name that could be considered for the job," Alberto said. "But it would only work if the new coach had more time to work. Had a foreigner been chosen right after the last World Cup, it would have been OK.

"We need to remember that appointing a coach from abroad would represent a big change in terms of methods, from training patterns to tactical philosophy. That cannot be done in one day. We also need to take into account that Brazilian players can be quite rebellious and sometimes refuse to accept what the coach is telling them to do. That is why I think it would be difficult to appoint a foreign boss now.

"I am certainly not against it, but I don't think there is enough time for everybody to adapt to this change. Perhaps it's an option to consider for the 2018 World Cup. Then, why not? A quality foreign manager could have a lot to give to Brazil."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

West Ham fans arrested over offensive gestures during Tottenham clash

Metropolitan Police have confirmed that two men were arrested during Tottenham's clash with West Ham on Sunday on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offense.

Sections of the away support were allegedly heard making anti-Semitic chants throughout the game, behavior which has since been condemned by a number of anti-racism groups.

The FA has launched an investigation into the claims, and on Monday afternoon the Metropolitan Police confirmed that they made two arrests at White Hart Lane.

“Two men were arrested during the football match between Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham on Sunday the 25th November on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offense,” a police spokesperson told Goal.com.

“The men accepted a police caution.”

There have been widespread calls for an investigation by the police, but they confirmed that, while a complaint has been received, they are yet to investigate it further.

“A complaint has been received but we are yet to speak formally to the complainant,” the spokesperson added.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Dempsey starting to figure out his role for Tottenham

Tottenham forward Clint Dempsey says he is enjoying his recent transition to a central role, despite admitting to teething problems as he adapted to the switch.

After playing a part in two of his side’s goals and nearly scoring himself during Spurs' 3-1 victory over West Ham on Sunday, the 29-year-old was happy with to have finally started finding a way to fit in with Spurs.

"I've been frustrated with not really getting on the ball, getting into the game and impacting games,” he told London 24. “I was able to give a bit more of an angle and drive with the ball a little bit more, and take some more shots and try to create chances for other people.

"It's good to play a part in two of the goals and I was a little bit unlucky not to get one myself, hitting the bar. It was a game I enjoyed because I'm a player that needs to get on the ball. I'm better getting it on the half-turn and then facing my opponents, rather than always playing with my back to goal. I thought I did a better job of getting on the angles where I could get on the turn and drive forward."

The switch from Fulham to Tottenaham saw Dempsey move from a place on the left side of midfield into a more central role, something that has caused him some growing pains in the switch of clubs, but the American says he's starting to adjust to the requirements of the new position and the new team.

“I'm traditionally used to playing in a 4-4-2 system when I'm the guy on the left, but I'm not really an out-and-out winger," he said in the same interview. "I'm someone who comes inside and I'm more like an attacking inside-left player. Being more central is good because you're in a position where you see more of the ball, but it's about getting on the ball and making the movements that's going to allow you to do that. I'm starting to do a better job in that respect.

"It's just about learning how to play with this team. Every team is different and there's a period of adjustment. I didn't have a preseason with them, or anybody, so I'm trying to play catch-up a little bit and trying to adjust to this team and the style that they play."