..::Football III::..

[Wolverine GTR]

Aston Villa 0-1 Burnley: Ings and Clarets sign off with a win

Danny Ings underlined his Premier League credentials with the only goal in relegated Burnley's 1-0 win over Aston Villa.

Ings is set to leave Turf Moor in the summer following Burnley's return to the Championship at the end of his contract, but his headed goal at Villa Park will add to the demand for his services from top-flight clubs as he took his tally for the campaign to 11.

The goal was enough to settle a scrappy contest on the final day of the season and send Villa to Wembley to face Arsenal in the FA Cup final next weekend on the back of two consecutive defeats.

Tim Sherwood's side slumped to their 20th league defeat of a miserable season, in which they amassed just 38 points but managed to cling on to Premier League survival.

Sherwood drafted young goalkeeper Jed Steer into his starting line-up, resting Shay Given after Villa's 6-1 drubbing at Southampton, while Burnley handed a first start to Freddie Ulvestad.

Villa were slow to get going and their lack of urgency was punished after six minutes, when Kieran Trippier's cross was met by a poor defensive header from Leandro Bacuna.

The ball was knocked straight back into the box, where Ashley Barnes rose above Bacuna and teed up Ings for a looping header that Steer could not prevent from dipping into the net.

Ron Vlaar should have had Villa level when he connected with Gabriel Agbonlahor's knock down and hit a fierce shot that flashed just over the crossbar.

Misplaced passes and disjointed play made for a scrappy contest, but Burnley provided occasional moments of quality and George Boyd's tricky run down the right produced a cross to Ings, who lashed a volley over from close range.

Christian Benteke spurned two chances to draw level, firing wide from a Bacuna cross before seeing his diving header saved by Burnley goalkeeper Tom Heaton.

Villa were energised by the interval and charged forward in the second half, with Benteke and Fabian Delph probing for an opening in a resolute Burnley rearguard.

Benteke gifted Agbonlahor with a golden opportunity to equalise, finding him in acres of space on the edge of the box, but he fired a disappointing low shot that was saved by the feet of Heaton.

Heaton showed the kind of form that earned him an England call-up this week with a brilliant diving save to keep out Charles N'Zogbia's stinging drive from 20 yards.

In the end, Burnley had their goalkeeper and their top scorer to thank for their winning end to life in the Premier League, and they may find it difficult to hang on to both Ings and Heaton as they rebuild for next season in the Championship.

 

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Sam Allardyce to leave West Ham

West Ham have announced that the club will not renew the contract of manager Sam Allardyce and are actively searching for his successor.

Goal reported earlier in the year that Allardyce, who took charge of the Hammers in 2011, would not stay at Upton Park beyond the end of the season, and speculation mounted as the campaign approached its end.

And swiftly following the 2-0 defeat at Newcastle United on Sunday, which confirmed the Magpies' Premier League survival, the club released a statement confirming their decision.

“We would like to start by thanking Sam Allardyce for his valuable work since arriving at the Boleyn Ground four years ago.

“He leaves the Club in a considerably better state then when he arrived and, for that, the Board are truly grateful.

“However, we have made the decision not to renew his contract, so we now have the chance to appoint a new manager with a new philosophy to lead us into two of the most exciting years in our great Club’s history.

“Our target is to recruit a manager that will build a team capable of saying a fitting farewell to the Boleyn Ground next year and do justice to the outstanding surrounds we will call home from August 2016.

“We have already been impressed with the quality of candidates that have expressed an interest in the role and fully expect to appoint a manager with the credentials to take this Club on to new heights.

“From our point of view there isn’t a more exciting job in the Premier League at present.”

The London club have already held talks with Marseille coach Marcelo Bielsa, although he is understood to have rejected a switch.

Former Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez had also been lined up, but now appears to be on the verge of taking over from Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid.

Allardyce took over with the club in the Championship and guided them back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

He was under pressure from early on in his reign, however, due to what was perceived as an unattractive style of play, and despite re-establishing the Hammers in the English top flight he never won over a section of the club's supporters.

Indeed he and his team were booed at Upton Park despite beating Hull City 2-1 last March in a rare show of disapproval following victory.

West Ham will now prepare for the 2015-16 season, their first at the Olympic Stadium, with a new man at the helm.

When asked if was a strange final day given his employment, Allardyce said: "No, I knew what was coming. I've had the discussion with the owners, so I wasn't going to sign a contract.

"We both agreed that it was probably the right time to move on. The thing is keeping it from everybody, we've tried to do that and I've just told the players after [the game] thanks for the four years.

"I've had a great four seasons and really enjoyed the opportunity of managing a great club like West Ham.

"I thanked [co-owner] David Sullivan personally on the phone and we both move forward. I think it's probably the right time for me and the right time for the club.

"The opportunity to be in London and manage that club has been a great pleasure. I've done everything that was asked of me, got them into the Premier League and stayed there comfortably over the last three seasons."

Allardyce now intends to take a break from the game and is not planning to take another role until Christmas at the earliest.

"You can never say never, but I can't see myself being in charge of another club in August," he said.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

'I'm going to Juventus' - Dybala

Palermo starlet Paulo Dybala has confirmed that he will sign for Juventus this summer.

The Argentine striker has been the breakout star of the Serie A season, netting 13 times in 34 appearances, and has been linked with the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain over the course of the 2014-15 campaign.

However, Juventus emerged as the frontrunners and last week Palermo claimed an agreement was in place to take the in-demand 21-year-old to Turin.

Dybala himself has now confirmed that he is bound for the Champions League finalists and is confident that he can justify the Bianconeri's reported outlay of €40 million."Juventus are the team that wanted me most," the forward told Sky Sport Italia."They made a great effort to sign me and I have chosen them for this reason.

"I've grown a lot in these last few years at Palermo and I think that I can grow even more at Juventus. I can still improve so much."I will give my all to show that Juve have done right spending all of this money on me.

"When I arrived at Palermo, they said that they spent too much on me. However, with time I replicated what I had done in Argentine."Now, it will be same."

Dybala also revealed that he would like to see Carlos Tevez, who has one year left on his Juve contract, extend his spell with the Italian champions."For me, it would be better if he says," the youngster added. "With him by my side, it would be easier to learn."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Newcastle hero Gutierrez: I'm proud to be a Geordie

Jonas Gutierrez insists he is proud to be a Geordie after his final-day heroics helped Newcastle avoid Premier League relegation.

The 31-year-old overcame his battle with testicular cancer earlier in the season, remarkably making his first-team return in March, just six months after he had initially announced he was receiving treatment.

And, fittingly, Gutierrez was the man to make the difference to ensure Newcastle claimed all three points against West Ham on the final day, scoring his side's second goal to ensure John Carver's men would avoid the drop at the expense of Hull City.

He told Sky Sports: "I'm proud to be a Geordie. All the fans since I came to Newcastle have been fantastic to me and the team. They don't deserve this [being involved in a relegation scrap] to be honest.

"They shouldn't be in this situation, Newcastle is bigger than this. We need to be looking forward, looking to get in the top 10 and not looking at the bottom of the league.

"A few months ago i didn't know if I was going to be able to play football again. I'm here, I'm back enjoying myself - I have a second chance in my life. I am proud to be a Geordie."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Sterling not 'mentally prepared' to face Stoke, says Rodgers

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers says Raheem Sterling was dropped for the Reds' trip to Stoke City because "there were players better mentally positioned to play" than the England international.

The 20-year-old was left on the bench, just days after his agent Aidy Ward insisted he would not sign a contract extension at Anfield, even if he was offered £900,000-a-week.

Rodgers had insisted in his pre-match press conference that Sterling would feature if fit but then performed. something of a U-turn with the winger left on the bench as Liverpool suffered an embarrassing 6-1 defeat.

"There were players better mentally positioned to play in the game than Raheem," he told reporters after the game.

"It's been a difficult few months for him and we felt other players might be able to contribute that bit more."

Liverpool ended up finishing their season in dismal style with a 6-1 thrashing by Stoke and Rodgers admits his side were beaten far too easily.

"Elements of today's performance didn't surprise me. We need to address those and we as a club will work very hard to make that happen," he added.

"The first half was awful. Absolutely awful. It's been a tough season particularly towards the end. We have come up short.

"We have to do much better than that. We were too easily beaten. You have to show aggression and desire. That's the bottom line."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Rodgers: I'll leave Liverpool if the owners want me to go

Brendan Rodgers has vowed to walk away from Liverpool if the club's owners want him to after an "embarrassing" 6-1 defeat at the hands of Stoke City.

Liverpool were thrashed at the Britannia Stadium as Stoke scored five goals in the first half on the final day of the season.

The game was played against the backdrop of uncertainty surrounding Raheem Sterling's future after the club failed to secure a top four finish this season, and Rodgers has declared himself ready to walk away.

"It was embarrassing and if the owners want me to go, I'll go," he told reporters after the game.

He added: "I take full responsibility for today as manager, we have to go away and fix this."

The fixture marked Steven Gerrard's final game as a Liverpool player, and the Reds captain scored in the second half, but the damage had already been done, and the 34-year-old will depart for LA Galaxy on the back of a dismal defeat.

The result - coupled with Tottenham's 1-0 win over Everton - means that Liverpool finish the season in sixth place in the Premier League - two points behind Spurs and eight behind fourth-placed Manchester United.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Barclays Premier League Champions 2014/15

Chelsea

 

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Congratulations Chelsea!​

 

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Barclays Premier League Champions 2014/15 Chelsea Title Celebrations!

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Aguero wins Premier League Golden Boot & Joe Hart wins Premier League Golden Glove

Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero has won the 2014-15 Premier League's Golden Boot having scored 26 goals.

The Argentina international finished five goals clear of Tottenham's Harry Kane, with Chelsea's Diego Costa a further strike behind.
The Argentina international's final goal of the season came in the closing minutes of City's win over Southampton as he headed in from inside the six-yard box and cemented his place at the top of the scoring charts.

Aguero was not the only award winner at City as Joe Hart sealed the Golden Glove prize for the most clean sheets.

The England goalkeeper made three key saves to keep the Saints at bay and register his 14th shutout of the campaign while Simon Mignolet and Lukasz Fabianski conceded in their respective matches.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Congratulations for Aguero & Joe Hart!

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[Spetsnaz]

My favorite sport!!!

 

[Spetsnaz]

 

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My favorite sport!!!

 

[Wolverine GTR]

AC Milan 3-0 Torino: El Sharaawy double gives Inzaghi hope

AC Milan ran out 3-0 winners over Torino to give coach Filippo Inzaghi a boost as his future at the club remains uncertain.

El Shaarawy was making his first start for four months and made up for lost time by scoring a goal in each half as Torino's hopes of securing a Europa League spot were ended at San Siro.

Pazzini also scored from the penalty spot after Cristian Molinaro had been sent off for bringing down Marco van Ginkel to take his goal tally in the top tier to three figures in what is expected to be his final home game for the club.

Milan were already down to 10 men themselves, as Cristian Zaccardo was dismissed for a professional foul on Molinaro late in the first half - which was their fifth red card in as many games.

Inzaghi's men had lost four of their last five games before Sunday's clash and despite an encouraging display in their penultimate games of the season, the coach is expected to be dismissed with Sevilla's Unai Emery and Carlo Ancelotti linked with the role. The recalled El Shaarawy took only 18 minutes to produce the type of quality that Milan have been lacking this season by opening the scoring with a clinical finish.

The Italy international found space just inside the penalty area and controlled a cross from Zaccardo in an instant with his first touch before firing into the bottom-left corner of the net with his second.

El Shaarawy could have doubled his tally eight minutes before half-time when he seized upon a loose pass and played a one-two with Pazzini before snatching at his shot, which was well off target.Milan's indiscipline has been a major problem in recent weeks and there was a sense of deja-vu they were reduced to 10 men once again three minutes before half-time.

Zaccardo was the guilty party on this occasion, upending Molinaro after Amauri flicked the ball into the path of the marauding defender to prompt referee Paolo Valeri to reach for the red card.

Molinaro was on his way down the tunnel himself 11 minutes after the break, though, after he clattered into Van Ginkel to give Pazzini the opportunity to reach his landmark.

The former Inter forward made no mistake, driving his spot-kick down the middle and racing away to celebrate by holding up a shirt with 100 on to mark the occasion on what would appear to be his San Siro farewell.

El Shaarawy then ensured the spotlight was back on him by scoring his second goal of the night after 65 minutes, exchanging passes with Van Ginkel before calmly placing the ball beyond Padelli.

The striker was given a great reception when he was replaced a couple of minutes later after an impressive display and Inzaghi must have been wishing he had been able to call upon the 22-year-old on a regular basis in what has been a miserable season.

Christian Abbiati pulled off a fine late save to deny Omar El Kaddouri in what is also likely to be his last home game for Milan, who were able to give their suffering supporters something to shout about at the expense of Torino.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Walcott talks began before final-day hat-trick - Wenger

Arsene Wenger says the club opened contract talks with Theo Walcott prior to his hat-trick in Arsenal's 4-1 rout of West Brom on Sunday.

Walcott has been linked with a move away from the Emirates Stadium, with Goal revealing Liverpool were keen, and he gave a timely reminder of his quality on the final day of the Premier League season.

"The result does not change anything. With a hat-trick or without hat-trick we want him to stay," Wenger told reporters. "We are in negotiations, we started to speak to his agent before he scored his hat-trick."

Walcott returned to action in November after spending 10 months on the sidelines with a serious knee injury sustained against Tottenham in January 2014.

Wenger believes that the England international, who started in his favoured striker role against West Brom, is now starting to rediscover his top form after scoring for the first time in the Premier League since February.

He added: "He was already sharp when he came on midweek against Sunderland. He created the chances, I always say he can play through the middle because he has good movement and good finishing.

"He's a good goalscorer but has been out for a year. A year in football is a long time takes time to come back to the best for the sharpness and confidence."

 

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Pellegrini: See you next season... I hope!

Manuel Pellegrini is confident his job at Manchester City is safe, despite failing to defend their Premier League crown.

The dethroned champions ended the season in second place after a run of six wins at the end of the season, but question remain over the Chilean's future.

Roberto Mancini was sacked in 2013 after his failure to win back-to-back titles, but when asked about his own employment, Pellegrini told BBC Sport: "I never have any doubt in my mind the whole season.

"I’m absolutely clear what the owner thinks. They were not happy but they are not owners who think that if you do not win the title one year you must go.

"It is not normal maybe that the team that scores more goals cannot be the champion but we also have the best scoring player, the golden glove, the best goal difference, so I think we lost stupid points.

"We couldn’t win the title but I think it was important to finish in second place and important to win six games in a row. It’s important to finish here at home with our fans enjoying the good end of the season.

"We must analyse the whole season, I have not been happy with how we have worked the whole year. Not due to the gap to Chelsea but because we lost so many points against teams in relegation positions. We need to be very clear that we need to improve in concentration."

In spite of the 61-year-old's positive front, the City boss rounded off his post-match conference with a mixed message to the press, adding: "I'll see you next season... I hope."

 

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Mourinho eyes 'fresh blood' to motivate Chelsea

Jose Mourinho says he will strengthen his Chelsea side to put pressure on his title-winning players next season.

The Blues rounded off the campaign with a 3-1 victory over Sunderland before lifting the trophy for a fourth time, having occupied top spot in the Premier League for a record 274 days.

With Didier Drogba confirming his departure ahead of the game and the likes of Petr Cech possibily leaving, Mourinho knows there is space available to his squad to improve the compeition for a first-team place.

"I know that our rivals are not going to accept this title and they are going to fight and there are three or four teams that will be aiming for us," he told reporters. "We have to be better - me, the players and our squad.

"Maybe they need some fresh blood to keep them under pressure. They know me they know that they are not going to keep their positions on the basis of this year."

Mourinho also hit back at claims during the season that Chelsea were not entertaining to watch, labelling his side a "complete" team, before admitting his return to Stamford Bridge two years ago was a risk.

He added: "I think we have everything. Can anybody say we don't play fantastic football? No. Well, they can, but it's not true.

"We have art in our game but we also have fantastic spirit, organisation and pragmatism. We are a complete team and that is why we are champions.

"It was a bit of a risk to come here for a second time but with a new team a new generation we are champions again, and as a Chelsea supporter I feel it a double way."

 

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Inzaghi pleads Berlusconi for more time at Milan

AC Milan boss Filippo Inzaghi has pleaded with the club's hierarchy to give him another season to turn the club's fortunes around.

The Rossoneri beat Torino 3-0 at San Siro thanks to a Stephan El Shaarawy double and Giampaolo Pazzini penalty, despite Cristian Zaccardo being sent off in the first half.

However, Inzaghi is still expected to be dismissed this summer after failing to qualify for Europe and his side sat 10th with one league game of the Serie A campaign remaining.

He told reporters: "I have to say that the team was always right behind me and for a coach making his Serie A debut like me that is something special."I have a contract. Until I am told otherwise, I will continue. If I am given time, I am convinced that I can take Milan back to where it was.

"It’s not easy to transform everything, but the squad has solid foundations to build on for next season. I just hope that I can stay on because I have a lot more to give and these club colours are inside my heart."

Inzaghi also commented on Silvio Berlusconi's remarks on Saturday after the Milan CEO claimed he would offer former Rossoneri boss Carlo Ancelotti a deal once he departs Real Madrid.

"I did hear that, but nothing has been told to me other than to continue my work," he added. "I want to give a sense of consistency to the latest performances.

"What can you say about Carlo Ancelotti? I talk to him regularly and he made history for Milan. If there is talk of replacing Ancelotti at Real Madrid after he won the Champions League, then obviously there will be talk of me getting replaced!
"If I’m given the chance to continue at Milan, then great, otherwise I will continue this profession elsewhere.

"I think for a coach the most important thing is to have the players on your side. There have been more important and prestigious coaches than me who struggled here. I can only hope and say that this is a fantastic profession."

A summer of upheaval is expected at San Siro, with the playing squad in need of major surgery, but Inzaghi warned money won't solve all of the club's problems.
"We cannot think that one or two star names can change everything. We have to work as a team. It’s a shame the season is ending now, just as we were finding that unity."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Bruce: No excuses for Hull after relegation

Steve Bruce says that Hull City can have no excuses following their relegation from the Premier League on Sunday.

Bruce's men played out a goalless draw with Manchester United at the KC Stadium, and were unable to capitalise on the sending off of Belgian midfielder Marouane Fellaini.

Yet a win would ultimately have been futile for the Tigers as Newcastle claimed a 2-0 home victory over West Ham on the final day to secure their own survival.

Twelve months on from playing in the FA Cup final, Hull will now return to the Championship after two seasons in the top flight.

A downbeat Bruce refused to make excuses after the clash, telling reporters: "We all have to take the brunt of it, we have not been good enough.

"I thought at the start of the season we would have enough to stay in the Premier League but we have not done enough.

"You are desperately disappointed with what has happened. It is an awful experience, and it will dawn on the players we are not in the Premier League anymore."Bruce agreed a new deal in March, but sought to deflect questions on his own future in the wake of Hull's demotion.

"I've had a terrific relationship with the owner, who in that respect I'm desperately disappointed for because at this particular moment I've let him down."A contract, we all know, means nothing really in football. He [Allam] was trying to pick me up, probably, at the time to offer me it, if we're being truthful. But for that I'm always going to be grateful.

"I don't think it's the time now to talk about myself. At the end of the day I've not been good enough, so I'll reflect on that and have a conversation with the powers-that-be, which is always going to be inevitable when the fall-out begins of relegation."

Asked whether he wanted to lead Hull's bid to return to the top flight, Bruce replied: "That's not for me [to comment on], that's for others to decide that.

"There's obviously a lot of talking and soul-searching to be done. It is bitter and sad at the moment. It's an awful, awful experience."

Hull captain Michael Dawson, meanwhile, admits that he did not expect to suffer the ignominy of relegation when he joined the club from Tottenham last summer.

"It was not today that relegated us, we had 38 chances to do it," he told BBC Sport.

"When I signed [from Tottenham last August], I was not expecting this. It is hard to take. It is going to be a hard summer."